The Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow


The Rainbow Over The House of the Lord, Woodmont

The Rainbow Over The House of the Lord, Woodmont.

 

 

April 21 to May 5, 1996. We realized that this was the event of all time

FATHER DIVINE'S Peace Mission Movement has never known such a celebration as it has experienced from April 21 to May 5, 1996. We realized that this was the event of all time. This Golden Jubilee, Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary was Golden in every way! The air was filled with hosannas, like music in the heavens, and hearts overflowed with adoration, like sparkling water from a mountain brook, because of Fifty Years of CHRIST being married to His Church.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrating at The Unity Mission Church Annex

Celebrating at The Unity Mission Church Annex.

The Celebration began with a "Festival of Songs" at the Unity Mission Church Annex on Sunday, April 21. MOTHER DIVINE opened the Service as follows:.

'Peace, FATHER DIVINE, our All lorious Bridegroom, and Peace to the Church Triumphant. It was back in the late 1800s when Peninnah got the Conviction that FATHER DIVINE is GOD. From that time, that revelation was being revealed to person after person throughout the length and breadth of this country and other countries. And in the early 30s, there was an explosion of that Conviction, I Know YOU are GOD.' It was at that time that people began to experience the Preview of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, for GOD had come in the Fathership Degree, and HE put His Spirit in bodies and caused them to forsake mortality and be married to CHRIST.

"As that Truth was magnified and personified in bodies, the time had fully come for FATHER to be married to One that HE would lift up as a Sample and Example of these CHRIST Virtues the Interraciallity, internationality and Brotherhood of mankind, so the world could see clearly what FATHER was demonstrating through the Peace Mission as the Salvation for all mankind. It was with great rejoicing fifty years ago that the true and the faithful learned that FATHER DIVINE had married SWEET ANGEL. So for fifty years, we have been enjoying the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Heaven and earth are united. It is the fusion of Heaven and earth. It is the Marriage of CHRIST to His Church. Because of this, we see redemption for all mankind. We see the possibility of having Heaven on earth."

Then the Rosebud Choir sang several groups of songs in the spirit of the Celebration in the spirit of Virtue and Holiness. After one group, Miss Eleanor Kindstrom came to the microphone with these words:

'Peace, FATHER DIVINE, and Peace, MOTHER DIVINE. I thank YOU for this Life of Virtue which has redeemed us. I thank YOU for making us Daughters of Zion the Daughters of GOD that HE created and made pure and holy, and most of all, I thank YOU for marrying one of us One Pure and Holy not just for us, but for the whole world. I thank YOU that the world will listen to what YOU have to say through MOTHER DIVINE, the saving Grace of all humanity. We as Rosebuds have knelt at Your Feet. We've been honored and taken out of the world. We're honored every day.'

Miss Meekness Faith called for a song as follows:

'We thank YOU, FATHER, for marrying Your Spotless, Virgin Bride. This is the most wonderful thing that could have happened to mankind. There are many queens in the world, but there is no queen such as the Queen of Virginity, MOTHER DIVINE. We should sing the song, 'FATHER, YOU Made MOTHER The Queen''


Follower From Panama Arrives

Later in the Service, MOTHER DIVINE arose to say:

'We thank YOU, FATHER, for Your Spirit that has reached out into the far corners of the world and brought us all together. And we're very happy that Miss Dorothy Green arrived tonight from the Circle Mission Church of Panama, and we thank YOU, FATHER, for making a way for her to come and remain here in the United States Of America.'

Miss Green was overcome by the Holy Spirit. When she regained her composure, she made these joyous remarks:

'I thank YOU, FATHER, and thank YOU, MOTHER, for this wonderful privilege to be here in this beautiful Church, and for bringing me safe. The flight was beautiful. Everything is so wonderful. I want to thank YOU for the day YOU drew me to the Circle Mission Church, Home and Training School of Panama and then YOU solved the problems. YOU told me that YOU would open doors, and when one door closed, others would open. I did not have to write to tell YOU, but YOU opened the doors. I did not even know how to cook right, but FATHER taught me how to do it, and HE did it all. We can depend on GOD alone. We don't have to depend on the mortal mind to give us anything. Thank YOU for Your sweet Love!'

Mr Aaron Victory, one of FATHER DIVINE'S Crusaders, spoke about his gratitude to FATHER and MOTHER:

'I want to thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER, to see YOU glorified as YOU are glorified tonight. YOU have paid the price for the Peace Mission to exist. I want to say also that if it was not for MOTHER DIVINE, there wouldn't be any Peace Mission as it stands today. It is not a plaything. We are not in it for fame or glory or monetary gain. We're in it to give YOU our hearts and the best that is in us. I'm so happy that YOU have so many helpmates that stand with YOU through thick and thin coming together on one common ground in one common bond, to please YOU.'


Tribute From India

Later in the Service, MOTHER DIVINE came forward to read a letter. SHE said:

'We have a special letter from Dr. Kathy McKeehan to share with you. At least three years ago, she went to far away India to help set up the hospital there under Swami Rama. She writes: My love is with you on this very special Anniversary. Please place these two shawls over FATHER'S and MOTHER'S chairs. This is an Indian custom for special people on special occasions. The shawls represent a hug to Each from me. I will be with you in spirit from here. No amount of distance can separate us.'

The shawls were placed on the backs of the chairs on the rostrum for FATHER and MOTHER.

Everyone joined in singing many Anniversary congregational songs on this very enjoyable evening, after which refreshments were served.

Friday afternoon of April 16, was "arrival" time. Guests arriving at Woodmont, The Mount Of The House Of The LORD, for this unique occasion were four Shakers, two sisters and two brothers, from the Shaker Village at Sabbath Day Lake in Maine. On the same day, followers who arrived from Colorado and California joined with the ones arriving from Austria, Switzerland, England and Canada. A joyous Holy Communion Banquet was served by FATHER and MOTHER in the evening in the reverent atmosphere of the Chapel Dining Room to the members of our international family who were seated at the Table. It was an exciting beginning to our Golden Celebration.



The First Preview Of The Celebration

During the ensuing week, excitement was building as thoughts of the approaching landmark events raced through our minds. These past fifty years and more marked a period of great fulfillment in our lives, enabling us to go forward into another unfoldment on a higher level higher because we have a fuller understanding of this Truth and what it means to have the Conviction that MOTHER DIVINE Personifies "I Know YOU are GOD."

On April 27, a Preview of the Fiftieth Anniversary was held at the Divine Tracy Hotel. The long, impressive Head Banquet Table with its five wings, occupy all but a small portion of the spacious Banquet Hall and every seat was filled. The overflow crowd was serviced on the lower level in the Keyflower Dining Room.

The theme of the decorations in The Banquet Hall was "The Pot Of Gold At The End of The Rainbow." There were two rainbows arching in midair and even some clouds and raindrops. In front of FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE'S places at the table was a golden pot with a lip suspended near the ceiling pouring out its gold to all people in the form of FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE, whose picture hung near the lip of the golden pot. This was truly a fitting inspiration for this auspicious occasion.

In Her opening remarks, MOTHER DIVINE said:

'I was thinking of how the followers of FATHER DIVINE all over the world are bound together by that Conviction I Know YOU Are GOD,' and by their willingness to live the Holy CHRIST Life. And their love for FATHER DIVINE gave them the Power to live this CHRIST Life. And when FATHER DIVINE condescended to marry ME on April 29. 1946, there was a double Power of Love. . . . We really look forward to the next fifty years with great anticipation and with great hope and faith. . .This Golden Anniversary, this Jubilee Year, is really a time for Celebration, the Celebration of fulfillment and a time of joyous expectation for the future.'

After the Scripture reading, the Rosebud Choir opened the Service with several Special Anniversary songs. FATHER DIVINE had proclaimed April 29 an International, Universal Holiday for the purpose of propagating Virtue and Holiness. To highlight the Proclamation, the following songs were sung by the Choir:



The Proclamation

Those Who Have Eyes, Let Them Behold The Marriage Feast Has Come
Blessed Are We, The Pure In Heart, For We Have Seen Our GOD!

During the Service, the attentive congregation heard FATHER DIVINE speak on tape a Message HE gave at the Circle Mission Church in the Bronx in New York on May 13, 1951. HE lectured on the Abundant Life, and how, just as a cake is shaped in a mold, we shape our lives according to what we visualize, alluding of course, to visioning the Perfection of the Bride as the mold in which we mold our beings.



MOTHER, The Sacred Flower

One of the guests, a writer who is a regular patron of the Keyflower Dining Room spoke. Mr. James Quilligan set the tone for the evening with these few words:

'FATHER, YOU are the silent light which never dies
MOTHER, His Sacred Flower; so shall YOU live always.
And unto you, kind followers, may this Golden Cup shine
Prosper in sweet radiance in the Name of FATHER DIVINE.'

Miss Victory, whose indomitable spirit never flags, lives in Vienna, Austria. Her expressions of love for FATHER and MOTHER are eloquent even though she is not fluent in English. Miss Victory, as she made a presentation to FATHER and MOTHER said:

'I have given FATHER all my love, all the love. I have given FATHER my spirit, my mind, my soul and my body. I have given all. And FATHER has blessed me so much. Thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER!'

Miss Dorothy Bishop came from the beautiful island of Barbados in the West Indies to be a part of the Celebration. In her testimony, she said.

'I'm like the Queen of Sheba when she went to visit Solomon, when she said, the half has never been told.' I just cannot absorb all of this. It's more than I can take. . . I am sure I shall not be the same when I get back to Barbados as when I left, after having been among such beautiful people, such loving people, such sympathetic people. I am not going to be the same.'


"United We Stand America" Guests

Mrs. Linda Dunn is the United We Stand America Coordinator for Congressional District Number Three as well as for the Philadelphia Chapter. She said she told MOTHER DIVINE four years ago that she had this position, and then asked MOTHER to help her fulfill it. MOTHER DIVINE told her to start with what she had, and that advice has worked out well for her. She said:

"MOTHER DIVINE, YOU have brought me back to my youth. I have seen some things here, including the fellowship that is within this group things I have always sought, and I would like to see it continue."

Miss Elizabeth Christman is President of the Pennsylvania State United We Stand America Organization. She came to a United We Stand America meeting at the Keyflower Dining Room in 1992, and felt a Peace, although she had never heard of FATHER DIVINE. She said:

'Four years later, I feel that Peace still, only now it's much stronger, because to me, I know what that Peace is. That Peace is the love that you feel for FATHER and the love HE feels for you.'

She added that it is FATHER DIVINE'S Teaching of true Americanism that has brought United We Stand America and the Peace Mission together. She concluded with:

'We pray that FATHER DIVINE will continue to bless us as we work toward the America that HE envisioned. Thank you again for allowing us to participate in this Event, and to partake of your spirit and Peace!'


The Cosmic Forces Are Joyous

Miss Dorothy Lean said that she lived true Judaism when she was a child, but she was taught to respect every other religion. She has questioned the lack of respect for people all her life. But her understanding has increased since she came to the Divine Tracy Hotel six or seven years ago. She explained:

'I would not be the person I am today if it were not for MOTHER and FATHER. I was afraid to go on airplanes, and I had to go away, and one of the Rosebuds gave me the "Prayer Of Flying." I got there safely. I came back. I am such a free, complete human being at this time of my life. I tried and my family tried, but somehow the answers were not put together until now. I thank you, and I will do my share, and I'm sure it will work.'

What she termed the "Prayer Of Flying" was an International Peace Card. The Rosebud assured her that if she kept the Consciousness of GOD'S Presence uppermost in her mind, she would experience FATHER DIVINE'S protection "In The Air, On The Land and On The Sea" as portrayed on the card.

Mr. Aaron Enaharo was an insurance salesman when he attended a Peace Mission Holy Communion Banquet two years ago. But he has since changed his occupation, after learning that followers of FATHER DIVINE purchase no insurance of any kind. He spoke about the Great Occasion of the evening, with representatives of all mankind, all the nations, attending, and how the joy bells must be ringing all over this plane. He continued:

'I had never heard of a Spotless, Virgin Bride. In the mortal way of thinking, that is a contradiction. . . . Now I understand the Spotless, Virgin Bride more. I did learn that Adam and Eve from the beginning messed it up.' They were put here by GOD and right from the beginning messed it up you know, could not keep the Standard. And we all suffered for it. But FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE lifted up a high Standard for the redeeming of all mankind.'

He went on to say:

'It's a very profound thing. I know the vibrations right from here tonight are going all around the planet. The Cosmic Forces and everybody are just joyous and more joyous. Two years seems like an eternity because I have experienced so much to be among those who walked with GOD in the Body. It's really tremendous!.'


After Fifty Years A New, Fresh Start

Dr. Leonard Primiano is Professor of Religion at Cabrini College in Radnor and at the University of Pennsylvania. Over the course of years, he has become an enthusiast of the Peace Mission Movement, and has shown his zeal in many ways, even to having MOTHER DIVINE come to the Cabrini Campus to speak and mingle with the students and faculty. He said:

'That was one of the great moments of the year at Cabrini College, and it is one of the highlights, I would say, of the education of the students there in the four years.'

Inasmuch as he is in the field of Folk Art as well as Religion, he has had a dream that the outside world see some of what the Peace Mission is and does. Accordingly, he arranged for a professional photographer to capture the festivities of the Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary Celebration on video tape. This tape will be shown at various places and times in the world to acquaint the general populace with the workings of the Peace Mission Movement, so that people may profit by knowing what it has to offer.

Miss Nechama Sataty is a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania who teaches the Hebrew language. She spoke of the warmth and the beautiful atmosphere of FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE'S Community. She said that she is a friend of the Peace Mission, and feels that in whatever she does, she has FATHER'S and MOTHER'S Blessing, which helps her a great deal. After commenting on what the Holy Bible says about the import of the Fiftieth Jubilee Year, she said

'The meaning of the fifty years is applicable in terms of renewal. After fifty years of Marriage, you have to start again, fresh, and relive the Marriage in a different sense, in a deeper sense, in a higher sense, with more spirit and more love and more forgiveness than ever before. So this is a new beginning to YOU, MOTHER, and to the followers and to the friends of the Community, to all of us, it's a new beginning, new life and I wish the best for the new Journey.'

She thanked MOTHER and the followers and the Peace Mission Community for the encouragement that she has received during the ten years she has attended Holy Communion Banquets, and concluded by again inviting MOTHER and the members of the Peace Mission to visit Jerusalem.



Uncle Sam Arrives

FATHER DIVINE is a real American, and in many of His Sermons, HE dwells on Americanism and the pride all of us should have for America. To emphasize Americanism, the Rosebud Choir rendered these songs of patriotism:

This Is America Conceived By GOD In Liberty
Let The Seeds Of Righteousness Fill The Air
In GOD We Trust Forever; HE Has Blessed Our Land With Prosperity
Pray For Righteousness. Pray For Justice And Brotherhood

At this juncture, Uncle Sam rushed into the Banquet Hall after a quick flight from Washington. He had been involved in Washington all week, but he felt that he just had to break away, because he could not afford to miss this important event. He realized that this Marriage has done so much to help him keep his Country on track. He wished FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE a happy Golden Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary. With that, the Choir sang "FATHER DIVINE Has Converted Uncle Sam To Carry His Message Along," and then Uncle Sam proceeded to distribute copies of the picture on the front page of the forthcoming Commemorative Issue of the New Day. On the reverse side, it told of what people could look forward to when the issue is published.

This glorious evening was concluded with FATHER and MOTHER receiving Their guests on the sixth floor of the Hotel and then returning to Woodmont.

 

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