As revealed by Father Divine to Dr. Levi Petrus of Sweden.
Copyright 1957 by St. John Evangelist and James Hope. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publishers. This book is not for sale. Printed in The United States of America.
Foreword
For more than fifty years they have been coming from all parts of the Earth to see Him, to hear Him, and learn of His Ways: priests, ministers, rabbis, swamis, monks, sheiks, metaphysicians, philosophers, educators, scholars, writers—even agnostics and atheists!
And because He is so deeply dedicated to His Work, FATHER DIVINE takes time to see everyone who desires an audience; and even sacrifices the hours and days He might spend at recreation and relaxation to answer, Personally, the thousands of letters He receives weekly from His millions of Followers, Friends, and Well-wishers.
One of the most interesting and enlightening interviews ever granted by FATHER DIVINE – especially from a layman’s viewpoint- was that given to Dr. Lewi Pethrus, Pastor of Filadelfia Church in Stockholm, Sweden’s largest; and Editor of a daily newspaper in the same city, the “Stockholm-Tidningen.” This interview too place in one of FATHER DIVINE’S Manhattan offices during the Winter of 1936-37.
At the time, America was battling a major depression. In Europe, Adolph Hitler was sowing the seeds for a World War. In New York City, FATHER DIVINE was healing the sick, injecting Hope to the downtrodden, imparting Wisdom to the ignorant, and feeding thousands of unemployed daily—without cost or obligation!
Dr. Pethrus was accompanied by another minister who did not take part in the fascinating discussion that is hereinafter recorded verbatim.
The condescension of God
Dr. Pethrus: “We are very glad to have an opportunity to see You. I am a writer for a newspaper in Sweden, and I want some information concerning Your Work and Your Thoughts about the world. I have just been here and seen Your Work. It is quite a big Work; and how long time has it been going on, this Work down here?”
FATHER DIVINE: “To speak after the manner of men, I do not know that I could justifiably give you an answer to that. Firstly, I would like to say, We are not in Time. That is the first step to be considered. “Nextly, at this seeming time We are not contributing to newspapers. We are not giving any special information saving as men, or those who are representatives of the different periodicals, if they wish to cover our Movement, our Demonstrations, and our Public meetings and such as that, they are welcome to get whatsoever they can. Of course, I have had quite a number of inter views recently, up until several months ago when we refrained from giving interviews for the purpose of publication. Of course, I do not mind talking with a person. I considered you were a Minister, or represented the Ministry.”
Dr. Pethrus: “Yes, I am a Pastor you see, also, over a Church in Sweden, the largest Church, with a membership of more than five thousand members. It is just as a Christian Pastor and a spiritual man I want to know the Movement you see; and the people are interested. But if You do not want me to write in that paper about it, I would promise You not to do that—in this daily paper.”
FATHER: (Noting that Dr. Pethrus had observed the morning mail piled high on His desk.) “I have quite a little correspondence from Sweden, Germany, and all over.”
Dr. Pethrus: (Looking at one letter with a foreign stamp.) “This is from Finland.”
FATHER: “Yes, these are just a few letters that just came in.”
Dr. Pethrus: (Looking at other letters.) “These are from Sweden – Stockholm. Yes, that is interesting.”
FATHER: “This is just a few of the morning’s mail just arrived.”
