His Own Mission

181. I have not conceived my mission to be that of a knight-errant wandering everywhere to deliver people from difficult situations. My humble occupation has been to show people how they can solve their own difficulties. –H, 28-6-42, 201.

182. My work will be finished if I succeed in carrying conviction to the human family, that every man or woman, however weak in body, is the guardian of his or her self-respect and liberty. This defense avails,though the whole world may be against the individual resister. - HS, 6-8-44,

Character of His Leadership

183. You will see that my influence, great as it may appear to outsiders, is strictly limited. I may have considerable influence to conduct a campaign for redress of popular grievances because people are ready and need a helper. But, I have no influence to direct people’s energy in a channel in which they have no interest.—H,26-7-42, 242.