The Shrine to Life
The Portal of Life Eternal,
The Journey from Earth to Heaven.
The Banquet Service of Sunday, September 10, 2000, at Woodmont was so astonishing and intensive that its aura still hung over the Service the next day at the Shrine To Life on the lower level of the terraced west Gardens below Rose of Sharon Circle. The Shrine is about 200 feet from FATHER DIVINE'S Manor House Office, and its pyramid shaped roof of white sierra granite resembles the red tile roof of FATHER'S Office.
After an organ prelude, the Service at the Shrine began with the singing of "Take off thy shoes you are on Hallowed Ground," and reading of the Scripture from Isaiah. FATHER DIVINE'S sermon of November 5, 1952, at the Circle Mission Church in Philadelphia, was heard on tape. It was entitled "All Must Recognize ME As A Person!" MOTHER DIVINE began Her Sermon with these Words, delivered extemporaneously, entirely without notes:
"Peace, FATHER DIVINE, Changeless Perfection, Redeemer and Savior of All Mankind! How glorious it is to stand here today in Your Personal Presence! Peace to all that Your Holy Spirit has invited to come to be with YOU on this Special Occasion those that are in bodies, and the Host of Angels that are here that our finite eyes cannot see but they are here.
"We are here from all nations, all languages, all tongues, and all peoples. We, Your Creation, are here today to give YOU Honor and give YOU Praise for bringing redemption to this beautiful Earth that YOU Created, and which man has spoiled because of his disobedience to YOU, and to the Law by which YOU created him."
MOTHER DIVINE thanked FATHER for His infinite Patience with Humanity, and for bearing its ignorance, disrespect, and ignoration of HIM for all these generations. Through His Kindness, HE has continued to unveil HIMSELF to us, one degree of Grace to another, as Prophesied by Isaiah and in Revelation. We are privileged to be channels for HIM to use to bring the Reign of GOD on Earth to its manifestation.
It took FATHER'S Personal Body to come in this Day to bring the Truth to us the Truth that FATHER'S Son, Jesus, was birthed to bring about. HE is the Way, the Truth and the Life that will lead all Mankind back to FATHER. Jesus Personified the Perfection of FATHER'S Word. It is incumbent upon every one of us to do likewise. But it took FATHER to come in the Fathership Degree to stand unadulterated for the CHRIST Principle. MOTHER said further:
"We thank YOU, FATHER DIVINE, for preparing a Place where we can Personify the Perfection of Your Word as Jesus did. YOU said that YOU would go and prepare a Place, and then YOU would receive us unto YOU. That exact geographical Place is the United States of America! It took Your Spirit and Mind in many bodies, through many years, who were willing to stand in opposition to the anti-CHRIST in all of its different forms, in order for the Rights of Man, the Dignity of Man, and the Government that men could live by, to be established!
"We thank You, FATHER Dear, for preparing this Country. First, YOU kept it obscured until the time was ripe for it to be in- habited by these brave souls who were willing to leave all that was un-Godlike. They were willing to leave it all and come to a Land where they knew not what to expect. But it was Your Spirit leading them, FATHER Dear, and in due time, YOU brought forth on this soil, a Government of the People, by the People, and for the People, where Liberty and Justice were established for the benefit of all its citizens.
"We know, FATHER Dear, that it is because they were willing to legalize the Principles of True Christianity, and were willing to establish Laws that would be in accord with the Constitution, that this Country flourished, and became the Leading Nation of all Nations. However, corruption has set in, and the people have, in a great measure, forgotten YOU!
"But FATHER Dear, we are so proud to have been in the number who have known YOU Personally, and to be willing to listen to all that YOU have advocated and demonstrated, and to witness the manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. We thank YOU that the International Peace Mission Movement, of which YOU are the Founder, Bishop and Pastor, is the Blueprint for the Kingdom that all must copy after."
FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE
on the Sundeck of
The Mount of the House of the Lord.
MOTHER DIVINE thanked FATHER for His Presence. Because HE is living in His children His Angels the Presence of GOD is in the Earth. When FATHER united HIMSELF with us when HE married on April 29, 1946, HE really united HIMSELF with us, and took upon HIMSELF our sins and iniquities. MOTHER then said:
"We all were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. That's why they say, 'If you are born, you must die.' Truly, we must die, if we do not awaken to the Reality of GOD being here in the Bodily Form of FATHER DIVINE, and commit ourselves to His Will. I Love GOD! But when we do, His Sacrifice to go our Bond to take our sins is not in vain.
"We Love YOU, FATHER Dear, for what YOU have done for us for Your Great Condescension to walk among us, to teach us, to suffer to put up with our finite ideas and opinions. YOU really left Your Home in Glory to be here with us, FATHER Dear and in Your Coming, it was a Sacrifice. Then YOU laid Your Beautiful Body down, and through Your Sacrifice, a New Day dawned not only dawned, but now it is High Noon. That Sun is at High Noon! The Sun on the Portal Of Life Eternal is at High Noon! We thank YOU, FATHER Dear!
"The Shrine To Life, The Portal Of Life Eternal, is not just a Monument, not just a Memorial, but it stands as a Sacred Testament to what has taken place and to what we can look forward to!
"This Millennium has been prophesied to be the Reign of CHRIST the Reign of Righteousness, Justice and Truth where people can be happy in GOD, joyful over all that GOD wills for Mankind, unselfish Joy, unselfish Love, unselfish Prosperity enjoying the Blessings of GOD from a material point. We want everybody to enjoy the same. We want it for all Mankind."
MOTHER DIVINE brought this luminous Sermon to a close with these Words:
"We thank YOU, FATHER Dear, that we have a lively hope that this will be manifested, and it gives us courage and determination to do the things that individually we must do in order to be here in bodies to see the fulfillment of Your Great Plan and Purpose for all Mankind! We, Your children, Your Humble subjects, bow to Your Majesty, to Your Glory and to Your Dominion on this Earth Plane! Thank YOU, FATHER!"
With hearts full of Love and Gratitude to FATHER DIVINE, all those present
came forward and were privileged to go into the Shrine To Life.
In humility
and reverence, they meditated in remembrance of FATHER'S Holiness.
The Divine Tracy Hotel in Philadelphia, on September 12, was the scene of the final Service of the Peace Mission "Holy Days." Eager guests and followers filled the Banquet Table in the lovely Banquet Hall, in the expectation of witnessing visually and audibly the Glory of GOD, FATHER DIVINE, and His Spotless Bride, MOTHER DIVINE. After the dinner bell was heard, MOTHER DIVINE welcomed everyone in these Words:
"Peace, FATHER DIVINE; Peace to our many visiting guests and friends; Peace Everyone!
"It is a Blessing to be gathered together this evening. We are so pleased to Honor FATHER DIVINE for His Great Work and Mission, so HE can really be given the full Honor and Glory because there were none to help HIM. HE did it by His Own Holy Mind and Spirit!
"His Own Arm brought this Great Salvation teaching by the Sample and Example of His Own Perfect Life, and by Great Demonstration how everyone can lift themselves from whatever state of consciousness or material circumstances they are in, by abiding by the Law of the Spirit of Life that is in CHRIST JESUS, and by calling on the Name of FATHER DIVINE, and thinking harmoniously on HIM, Who is here in the Fathership Degree to give us the Victory over all limitations."
MOTHER DIVINE then called for reading of the Scriptural prophecy from Isaiah and Micah. This Scripture declared that in the last days, the mountain of the LORD'S House shall be established at the top of the Mountain. All Nations shall flow unto it. People will say, "Come, let us go up to the Mountain of the LORD, and HE will teach us of His Ways, so we can walk in His Paths, because out of Zion shall go forth the Law." The Rosebud Choir sang several Special Selections magnifying these thoughts before the Banquet Service began.
Mr. Raymond Trent is a librarian at the University of Pennsylvania Biddle Law Library. He has been attending Peace Mission functions for some years. He said:
"Every day, I find Peace when eating at the Divine Tracy Hotel Keyflower Dining Room. The food is prepared with Love, which contributes to health. And there is something about Woodmont it is FATHER'S Spirit. Woodmont is the closest thing to Heaven!"
MOTHER DIVINE commented that SHE appreciates greatly the fact that we can hear FATHER speak in His Own Personal Voice. As we listen to HIM, we feel closer to HIM, which is evidence that HE is right here. HE has not gone anywhere! MOTHER continued:
"I also want to thank FATHER for the Privilege that we have to sit around the Shrine To Life during these Holy Days, as we sit there and sing of FATHER'S Condescension to put on a Body and take upon HIMSELF our infirmities, and lay His Body down for the Redemption of all Mankind. Everyone has the opportunity to really commune with the Spirit."
In 1952, most people nationwide expected Adlai Stevenson to win the election. FATHER DIVINE gave a Message on November 5, 1952, at the Circle Mission Church in Philadelphia, the day after President Eisenhower was elected. The title of this Message is "All Must Recognize ME As A Person." In this dynamic Sermon, FATHER said, "They shall all know ME, from the least to the greatest." It was played at the Shrine Service the day before this Banquet at the Divine Tracy Hotel.
Eisenhower's friends, advisers and the media reporters bombarded him with advice not to come back from the Theater of War in Europe talking about "Peace! It's Wonderful!" or he would not be elected. Beside that, his friends did not want him to talk about FATHER DIVINE and the likeness in which HE came, because of their prejudice and their segregated minds. But in his Press Conference, Eisenhower freely talked about "Peace! It's Wonderful!" which, as the world knows, means FATHER DIVINE!
In Her remarks, MOTHER DIVINE dwelled at length on Eisenhower's courage in speaking about FATHER, regardless of the warning his friends gave him. SHE went on to say that we can imagine how General Eisenhower felt after he had been through the War and witnessed the devastation of cities, the loss of so many lives, and the realization that so many soldiers would come home wounded and maimed for the rest of their lives. It is no wonder that he came back to the United States talking about "Peace! It's Wonderful!" Eisenhower let everyone know, in spite of the advice given him, that he was going to talk about "Peace! It's Wonderful!" and without an apology! He was tired of people making fun of it. He said he was borrowing the phrase from the REVEREND MAJOR J. FATHER DIVINE. He put his hearers at the Press Conference in their places, as far as telling him what to say, by calling FATHER'S Name without hesitation. He seemed proud to do so and FATHER gave him the election over Stevenson!
Several testimonies by the guests and the followers were interspersed with songs of Praise and Inspiration. Dr. Leonard Norman Primiano said that he has been contemplating various Gifts of the Holy Spirit. He said:
"The theology of FATHER DIVINE and the impact of the Sacrifice GOD makes are coming into the lives of human beings. The greatest Gift of GOD to us is that interaction. The Gifts of the FATHER, complementing the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, are Freedom from racism, Freedom from hatred and Freedom from poverty."
Dr. Primiano brought two Cabrini College students, Mr. Abel Gonzales and Dr. Michael Lorenz, who said:
"Thank YOU, FATHER, for being the Inspiration of this Bounty, and for this gathering. 'Peace, Community and Consciousness' are three words that I have heard many times tonight and I can't wait to learn more about the Peace Mission Movement. What a beautiful Name! Thank YOU, FATHER! Thank YOU, MOTHER!"
Dr. Frenzella Delancy is a member of the Drexel University Faculty. Drexel is only a four minute walk from the Divine Tracy Hotel. She often patronizes the Keyflower Dining Room. She arose to say:
"I am always at a loss for words here. I stand before you as a student. I have read MOTHER'S book and a lot of things about FATHER and I am very observant. This seems to me to be an impossible Mission and yet, you have accomplished it! Every time I walk into the Keyflower, it is magical to me, because I see human beings walking the earth in Peace and Love, and constant Transfiguration and Transcendence and I walk away believing that it is possible!
"I take that to my students. How I wish that I had students who would be willing to come because this is exactly what they need to know that it is possible to live in this world at this time, and try to be a human being. FATHER and MOTHER, YOU have accomplished this! I am amazed by it! It is the most phenomenal thing that I have ever seen just coming into the Keyflower and listening to FATHER speaking on tape.
"I have noticed that with YOU, MOTHER YOU allow others to speak. That is an absence of ego! I come from a University where ego is everything. Thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER and members of the Peace Mission Movement for teaching me every day!"
Solomon said,
'A soft answer turneth away wrath." Proverbs 15:1
Miss Barbara Love told of an incident that illustrates that phrase. A sister had her arms full of packages when her purse was snatched. As the thief started to fun off, she offered him a peach. Upon hearing her "soft answer," he turned around, took the peach, and returned the purse!
Miss Barbara Love attended the Service at the Shrine To Life the day before, and was inspired by its "many faceted beauties." She remarked that ancient kings and pharaohs were entombed in the pyramids. But the Shrine To Life, with its Pyramidal roof of Gold, is the Greatest Pyramid on earth for the reason that the KING of kings is enshrined therein.
In Her closing Words, MOTHER DIVINE again talked about FATHER'S Sermon concerning President Eisenhower.
"It is beautiful because, as FATHER explained it, it revealed to ME more Who HE is, and how all people have to recognize HIM, and call HIM by His Name. It was because Eisenhower did so that he was successful and we all know he did have a wonderful Presidency. He accomplished much. I just wanted to say that it was wonderful to hear that Sermon, and to hear it at the Shrine.
"We are about to elect a new President in November. It would be so wonderful if they could humble themselves not just to call FATHER by His Name, but to really appreciate what FATHER represents, and what HE really stands for. If they would do that, the whole Nation would be Blessed, even as all those of us who have heard what FATHER said, and who try to abide by it have been Blessed.
"I think it is wonderful, so wonderful, to have a Conviction of GOD being Personified in the Body of FATHER DIVINE, and to hear the Truth that HE has voiced and not only voiced, but demonstrated. That is what is so satisfying to our souls. We thank FATHER for the joy that we share. This is a joyous Occasion, because FATHER did bring the Victory and HE paid the Price so that we might have the Victory!"
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