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The Peace Mission Movement by Mother Divine



The only book written about the Movement endorsed by its Churches. Mother Divine, in her direct, unaffected, lucid style, relates her personal conviction, knowledge and understanding of the Peace Mission Movement.

A copy of the book could be obtained by contacting us at fdipmm@gmail.com.

Foreword

In the year 1884, the History of Montgomery County edited by Theodore W. Bean was published. This was a comprehensive, 1200 page history of Montgomery Country in Pennsylvania, covering the hundred years beginning with 1784 when, on September 10, Montgomery County was established as a political entity.

The Montgomery County Federation of Historical Societies is undertaking a similar history of the second hundred years of Montgomery County, edited by Jean Toll. It is scheduled for publication in 1984.

Editor Toll requested Mother Divine to supply for this work an account of the activities of the Peace Mission Movement which have been carried on in Montgomery County between 1884 and present. Pertinent background information concerning the Work and Ministry of Father Divine prior to its advent in Montgomery County in 1952 has also been included.

Editor Toll supplied all the religious bodies represented in the work with identical guidelines for writing their respective accounts. The following account has endeavored to stay within these guidelines as much as possible. To a certain extent, following the outline limited the describing of the somewhat unorthodox beliefs and practices of the Peace Mission Movement. On the other hand, following the outline brought out various aspects of the Movement about which little was generally known.

The following work differs from the report submitted to the Montgomery County Federation of Historical Societies only in minor revisions and refinements, except for chapters added to Section Two. Section One contains a brief account of the Work and Ministry of Father Divine and the activities carried on by his Peace Mission Movement.

In preparing the manuscript for publication it was thought expedient to give coverage also to certain viewpoints, concepts, situations, proposals and events in the ongoing of the Movement which have provoked much debate without benefit of clear comprehension of factors involved.

These topics are presented in Section Two – for the most part in Father Divine’s own words, or in words that he directly and personally inspired in others, or in Mother Divine’s own words.

The account in Section One serves as a base from which excursions into the topics treated in Section Two may be made. After digesting Section One, the reader will easily be able to weave these topics into the fabric of the Peace Mission Movement.

There may be space in the history to be published in 1984 for only a fragment of this work. However, an unabridged copy will be filed in the County Archives in Norristown, Pennsylvania.

The vignette on the cover is a composite of Peace Mission symbols. At the top is the ascending Dove of Peace mounted in bronze on the interior wall of the Shrine to Life on the Woodmont Estate. The face of the Angel below it is taken from the wood carving between the windows of the Chapel Dining Room at the right of Father’s and Mother’s chairs. The script letter “D” calls to mind the tremendous scope of the Work and Ministry of Father and Mother Divine. “Rosebuds are the young ladies who form the official choir of the Movement – Father always wearing a rosebud on his lapel. Below the Rose is the thirty-two room, French Gothic castle at Woodmont.

Beneath the castle is the Shield of Righteousness which the men’s brotherhood called the “Crusaders” carry in all of their endeavors. Under the Shield is a Lily – the flower of the ladies’ “Lily-Bud” group. At the bottom is the minaret-like Tower whose base is set in the exterior wall of the castle just above the cornerstone. On the sculptured cove at the top of the walls in Father’s Office, the motif is the leaves and fruit of the grape-vine. This motif provides a lattice-work in the vignette on the book cover that supports and is interlaced with the symbols described above – grapes signifying victory.

 

 

Filed Under: Books

Condescension of God

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.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Books, Father's Sermons

Book: God comes to America: Father Divine and The Peace Mission Movement

by Kenneth E. Burnham

“At last a study that takes seriousely one of the most controvercial, important, and neglected religious leaders of the twentieth century – Father Divine, whom thousands believed to be God incarnate. Based on rare source materials, this readable account traces Father Divine’s career, spells out his theological position and economic message, and examines the role of a charismatic leader in a communal religious organization”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: book, book about Peace Mission, books about Father Divine, books on Father Divine, Father Divine, Father Divine and the peace mission movement, God, God comes to America, International Peace Mission Movement, Kenneth E. Burnham, Mother DIvine, palace mission church, peace mission, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, religious community, Reverend M.J. Divine, Woodmont

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Recent Posts

  • FATHER DIVINE on Reparations for Colonialism, Chattel Slavery & Wage Slavery
  • Woodmont Temporarily Closed to the Public
  • FATHER Opposes the Electoral College
  • Historic FDIPMM Website Restored
  • The SPIRIT & The BODY of GOD
  • Followers Enjoy Another Online Interview
  • We Will Always Remember: June 19, 1960
  • “You Are Married to GOD. What More Do You Want?”
  • First Lady of the World
  • The Happiness of Springtime

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