FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE
FATHER DIVINE has stated that Peninnah, His first wife, bore record that HE married Her on June 6, 1882. It was because She had the Conviction that FATHER DIVINE is GOD, that FATHER condescended to marry Her.
A Review of the Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary was held at Woodmont on June 9, 1996, in remembrance of FATHER DIVINE'S Marriage in 1882. On that day, in reply to the question "Why is this day, MOTHERS DAY?" MOTHER DIVINE remarked:
'In the heart of Peninnah, FATHER awakened the Truth that here is GOD the FATHER in the Fathership Degree. And that was the Birth of this New Heaven and New Earth that is going to envelop the world. . . We thank YOU, FATHER Dear, for condescending to marry Peninnah, because She wanted this Truth to be propagated, and She wanted the children of men to be freed by this wonderful recognition. So She really became the Mother of this New Age. Because look at all of the Virtuous children that have been born from that Marriage. (MOTHER gestures toward the hundreds of followers present.)
"And then, as FATHER'S Plan and the Will of GOD unfolded in, 1946 it was another unfoldment of that same Truth, and of how the children of men are being born out of the Adamic state of consciousness into the CHRIST Consciousness. We are being prepared for this spiritual age. Therefore, it is very evident and very logical that this is the real Mothers Day."
The subject of the passing of time was brought up at the Banquet Table. It was
said that if we never think about how old we are, we will never get old. MOTHER
DIVINE commented that FATHER is timeless because HE does not live in time. Time
belongs to the mortal version.
Because man separated himself from GOD, he has
brought himself to his own destination, but GOD has no destination. HE has lifted
HIMSELF out of time, and therefore has no destination.
We learn from the experience of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah that it would have taken the Power generated by fifty Virtuous people to save those cities. (Genesis 11:6) MOTHER DIVINE went on to say:
'There is Power in a Virtuous Life. I know it. I really know it. That's why Sodom and Gomorrah could not be spared, because GOD could not find fifty righteous. . . . I know that the Virtuous, righteous lives that were lived by followers of FATHER DIVINE certainly contributed to the saving of the free world in World War II.'
Then MOTHER cited the various places in the world where there were concentrations of followers at that time, and where the Fiftieth Golden Jubilee Anniversary is being celebrated at this time:
East Coast, United States and Canada; West Coast, United States and Canada; Panama Canal, Australia, England, Germany, Austria, France and Switzerland
These were strategic spots in the world, relative to the global war effort especially the Panama Canal, and in England, where, in spite of the intense bombing, the followers there were saved. And not a bomb fell on Switzerland, right in the heart of Europe. MOTHER continued:
'GOD had planned it that way, because there is Power in this Virtuous Life, and the recognition that GOD is Personified in a Body brings the Power of GOD to the earth plane. It is wonderful! . . . We thank YOU, FATHER Dear, that in this critical time, the world hangs in the balance, and we pray that our lives can be a ransom that we can be donated to the saving of the world.'
It is a rewarding experience for the followers to praise FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE and defer to Them in their presentations to Them. But when MOTHER praises FATHER, it is especially rewarding, because when SHE does, it is as though GOD is praising HIMSELF with a Masterful Hand. Such was the case at this point. On this Mother's Day, MOTHER DIVINE felt powerfully that it was incumbent upon HER to give expression to Her deference to FATHER and to Her utter Love and Devotion to HIM.
Her presentation to FATHER was in the form of a statuesque, a twenty four inch high figurine of a lady modestly clothed in a flowing robe, with her brown hair wind blown away from her handsome face. She was indicative of all so-called races with a complexion that favored none. A long, wide blue scarf encircled her body and curled up over her head in the manner of a shroud. Above her head were three white doves in flight.
Her name is the "Angel Of Hope" and her mission in the world, like
the Statue of Liberty, is to extend hope and succor to the tired in body and
the poor in spirit. At her feet was the world in the shape of a blue gray globe
swathed at the base in billowing, pale pink lavender clouds. As a declaration
of Hope over despair, she had placed her right knee in triumph upon the globe.
This lady is created by the Llardo family in Italy as a worthy collector's
piece for MOTHER to present to FATHER on Their Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary
June 16 brought Crusaders Day as part of the Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary. The third Sunday in June is thought of as the day on which fathers are honored. But FATHER'S DAY in the Peace Mission Movement is observed on September 10, and the third Sunday in June is designated and celebrated as Crusaders Day.
On this date in 1960, FATHER condescended to wear His Crusader uniform for the first time. MOTHER DIVINE stressed:
'We are very thankful that we have young men that have become Angels who are endeavoring to live the beautiful CHRIST Life of Virginity and Holiness. And we are thankful that we have the Crusaders Creed, and that the Crusaders, by virtue of the fact that they learned the Creeds and have chosen to put on the Crusader uniform, are endeavoring to live by the Creeds and use them as their Standard to go by.
"And I think it is very significant that this is Crusaders Day because the men of the New Dispensation must live as these Crusaders sitting around the Table. The men must have a Conviction such as the Crusaders have, and the men must dedicate and consecrate their lives to the Life of CHRIST according to the Crusaders Self Discipline."
FATHER DIVINE is the Great Crusader. No one knows or can relate just how Great HE is. One of the Crusaders, Mr. Roger Klaus, commented on the words of a song that was sung earlier in the Service that said "We stand for Righteous Government wherever man is found." Mr. Klaus stated that we should recognize another Crusader who is not in this fold, but who is in FATHER'S Hands. That one is Ross Perot, because he also stands for Righteous Government. Mr. Klaus continued:
'I really thank FATHER and MOTHER for Crusaders Day. We have the greatest FATHER that ever lived, and we know that HE still lives on, and HE lives in us. We don't have physical offspring. But we can do as the bees do when they go from flower to flower and pollinate them. We have the opportunity to spread the Spirit of GOD as we interact with people by pollinating minds and hearts with Righteous Government and the Life of CHRIST as the highest way for man to live.'
On behalf of the Crusaders, Mr. David Meekness presented an arrangement of flowers to FATHER and MOTHER, and spoke as follows:
'Your Crusaders, and of course, all the followers, love GOD, FATHER DIVINE and MOTHER DIVINE more than anything else in the world. And that love is not to be compared with any form of human love, because our love is pure and clean, Holy and Virtuous. It is righteous, and yet it is humble and meek and submissive in the desire to do GOD'S Will and only to please GOD and serve GOD, so that all the Glory, Honor and Praise go to GOD the only One Who deserves any Honor. We appreciate the privilege that we have to give our bodies a living sacrifice to GOD. Please make us worthy!'
Continuing with the presentation, Mr. Philip Life presented priceless Gems of Wisdom from GOD'S Omniscience. FATHER DIVINE had said that if we love the LORD our GOD with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, then we serve the LORD with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Mr. Life stated that FATHER has made our paths bright, our yokes easy and our burdens light. However, he stated also that FATHER DIVINE'S Crusaders, as well as the Rosebuds, Lily Buds and true followers, know that much more is expected of us than what we have shown in the past. To help us do better and help us to continue on this Highway of Holiness, Mr. Life read significant passages from FATHER DIVINE'S Words.
See Lights.Then the Crusaders asked everyone to join them in singing several songs that told of their love for and devotion to FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE, after which this meaningful Service drew to a conclusion
On July 7, 1996, Independence Day was marked in the Peace Mission with a Holy Communion Banquet at Woodmont, The Mount Of The House Of The LORD in Gladwyne. One of the Rosebuds sounded the Keynote of the day when she said:
'FATHER Dear, I thank YOU for that Patriotic Spirit that YOU gave Your children all over the world no matter what country they were in, that Patriotic Spirit of Americanism, that inspires us to revere Old Glory!'
MOTHER DIVINE amplified the Keynote in Her opening remarks.
'Peace FATHER DIVINE, O Holy One of America! Holy because Your Infinite Mind and Your Omniscient Spirit created Americanism, and YOU came in Your Personal Body to stand behind everything that it represents. Because YOU do, YOU have drawn Your Spirit and Your Own Mind in bodies from the far corners of the earth, and they represent Americanism as the Foundation for the Kingdom of Heaven on earth!'
MOTHER DIVINE went on to say that Unity has been and is our Great Blessing because Unity and Harmony bring about the abundance of the fullness of all good things. This is Oneness from a racial point of view,
'...but the real Oneness is the Oneness that the Marriage speaks about, this real union with our Creator through losing ourselves and our identity to mortality and all its versions and taking on the nature and characteristics of CHRIST. There is a Great Power in this Oneness.'
Mr. Roger Klaus has been strongly imbued with the spirit of Americanism and has been active in supporting "United We Stand America" and the Reform Party. He opened these remarks with a reference to the 220 years that have elapsed since the Declaration of Independence was read at Independence Hall in 1776.
'I want to take this opportunity to thank FATHER for allowing the Kingdom of GOD to come to America for these 220 years, and for what FATHER has done with humanity in that 220 years to bring it to this high plateau. We're a young Country, but we're recognized all over the world as the greatest Country on earth.'
Mr Klaus is much stirred because of the many abuses of the people by Government during the last 50 years. He went on to cite copious statistics to show the degenerate condition of our Nation, and to comment about Lot and his two chaste, Rosebud daughters being as a ransom for the world at that time and likening the followers of FATHER DIVINE to them. He said:
'That's why we are here. We are the ransom. We are living a righteous life. We are following what GOD, FATHER DIVINE, told us to do. . . . So is it a gloomy picture? No! It's a picture where FATHER is giving man a chance to re declare his independence. For 220 years, GOD has had mercy on us. For 220 years GOD strived with us. For 220 years, we have had our eyes closed, going along with all the Blessings, and coasting. . . . America is great, but we have to realize what is going on, because we are responsible. How long is FATHER going to have mercy on us? . . . America is a Blessed Nation only to the degree that we keep the same Conviction we had when our Founding Fathers started this Country.'
This noteworthy Service concluded as the congregation stood during the rendition of "O Holy One Of America" by the Rosebud Choir, as a Tribute to FATHER DIVINE.
O Holy One of America, Our trust is in Thee.
Carry us forward, Great GOD Almighty.
Stand with us in Righteousness As we live to keep men free.
Unite us in Your Love, And in Your Faith, Make us strong,
As courageously with YOU, We go forward, O Holy One!
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