Peace Mission – Page 4

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.

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.”

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Letters to Father and Mother Divine

Gang warfare quelled in West Philadelphia through influence of Father Divine in activities at Unity Mission Church

November 9, 1977

Peace Father and Mother Dear,

In the Scripture after much turbulence between peoples it states that the land had rest for many years. I want to thank You for giving the “Turf” rest in West Philadelphia. For many years this area has been terrorized with gangs fighting over their land or “Turf” as they call it.

The Unity Mission Church at 41st and Westminster Ave. (pict. above) was the dividing line of the “Turf”. If a gang crossed that line there was open warfare. During those years from 1966 to 1976 we saw many young boys killed, knifed, shot and wounded.

With the entering into the second Century of our Nationhood and the celebration of the Bicentennial things began to quiet down on the “Turf” of the “Western Front” in West Philadelphia. There has not been any gang wars since then. I feel this is because of You Father and Mother dear. For many years the gymnasium at the Unity Mission Church was open gratis to all the children in the area, plus the P.A.L. and Cadet Corps. groups who traveled to the area and were supervised by your own virtuous followers who cared for the youth.

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Structure of the Peace Mission Movement

This is a Section 1, Chapter 2 of the “The Peace Mission Movement” book by Mother Divine, published in 1982.

1. Economic Foundation. What followers do with their money.

Photo: Peace Mission Democratic CO-OP Garage on 725 Broad Street, Philadelphia

Upon becoming a follower of Father Divine, one immediately takes steps to do the following:

1. Right any wrongs one did in the past.

2. Pay all one’s indebtedness, start paying as one goes, and be self-supporting.

3. Take care of all one’s responsibilities in providing for any children one might have until they are sixteen or until they graduate from high school.

4. Refrain from using monies for any sort of gambling, smoking, drinking, drugs, un evangelical entertainment or using cosmetics excessively.

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