FATHER DIVINE
Grateful expressions were offered to the LORD, and from the question that was asked by the Musical Director and Band Leader, a most surprisingly marvelous Message resulted. The question was to the effect, "FATHER, what about chorus singing? Do YOU oppose it? There have been many references made concerning it, and many of the different Followers have refused to continue with the Choruses, because they say that YOU do not approve of it. Is that right FATHER? Would YOU please tell me what is Your Opinion FATHER, that we might know what to do concerning chorus singing? I thank YOU, FATHER!"
FATHER speaks as follows:
One of the main things to be considered is, there are millions now following, as I have afore said, who were quickened, awakened and connected and lifted by My Spirit, and if the Spirit would allow things to go in the way the average person would like for it to go, it would be just the same as it is with all of the other churches. It would run into formality, in carnality and lose all of its essence of the Spirit, and the Spiritual Awakening. They would lose all of their inspirations, don't you see? I presume that is just about the cause of it. It has been on several occasions that we have had the choir singing and formal meetings, etc., and it worked pretty good. There are other times, it did not work as well as when it did, when it came forth spontaneous.
Now the first broadcast we had, when we did not have any time to prepare hardly, you see, and I did not bother about it, until we got almost ready, we did not have any time, and when I got in it Personally to bring it about, to cooperate, we brought about this broadcast, and everybody was taken off their feet almost, because it came spontaneously. It was marvelous, but after then, on most of the occasions, it did not come out like it did at that time, when we did not have time to have the custom of training, etc., so I presume that is about the cause of it. I mean the children, with reference to some of them not caring much about the form of meetings of their choir, as they usually have it, although I do not bear record of saying definitely, they could not or should not have it.
If it could be done even systematically, and according to the custom, if it would be by the Spirit, it would be OK; but I have often thought of it, if we would allow it to, the whole Movement would go back into formality, the same as the majority of the churches are today. You hear the preachers saying, "The churches have grown cold." They will grow cold, when you check everybody. When the Spirit is moving, and you do this (meaning to try to check a person in the spirit), the Spirit will go on. The Spirit is the thing that keeps the Church alive -- so the human mind, the human intelligence, culture and other expressions of the human intellect, as it may be termed, will bind the people, if the person or persons who are training them, are not watchful themselves. You will give in to your human intellect, your human intelligence, your human training, you see -- what you know from the mind and not from the Spirit, and therefore, check the bodies at times, which may be moving spontaneously by the Spirit, and the Spirit will cease to function in that individual. You may hold the person, but you will not hold the Spirit.
You cannot capture the Spirit. You cannot monopolize the Spirit. The Spirit cannot coerced into anything, but the bodies can, so it may be all right, if it can be handled by the Spirit of understanding, to be watchful and mindful, even as I do. You see I do not bother with the Spirit. I do not bother with the Spirit Myself, Personally. I do not try to check the Spirit. Many times, if I know it is the Spirit, I do not bother with the person; so that is the idea. I mean bodies, the real unadulterated Spirit will, yet many times the Spirit may work through the people, as I said last Evening; it may quicken mortality in an individual, self-exaltation and other selfish expressions, and cause them to work according to their pre-conceived ideas and opinions concerning themselves and others.
Such an expression may be criticized. If you know definitely it is a selfish expression, a selfish action, by the pre-conceived ideas and opinions, you see, but at times, the Spirit may be working from the Spiritual Realm, from the unadulterated expression of the Holy Ghost, and a person may unthoughtfully kick against the prick, as the Apostle said, see! For this cause at times, I refuse to even act or speak against the movement or actions of those who are emotional, or in other words, expressing in the way of demonstrations, at times, but if a person can, or could and would know just definitely how to handle things, it could be worked out by the Spirit, in harmony with the Spirit. If they would know how to only attempt to check or prohibit anything and everything -- all that which is not according to the Holy Spirit, you see, and not endeavor to try to check or prohibit that which is according to the Spirit, it might be all right.
I further wish to say in reference to some of the so-called leaders, especially when I AM Personally absent, out of the immediate Meetings -- not being on the Stage, they get there, some of them who do not have the awakened Spirit in them, of consecration or sacrifice, and will try to control others and check them from the different Compositions, from the emotions and other expressions, from the testimonies, etc.. The very ones at times, who have not the Spirit nor the Mind in harmony with Mine, that one at times, will try to check and rectify and correct others who may be moved by the Spirit spontaneously; so these thoughts are to be considered, but as you say in reference to having a choir, it is all right, if it can be carried out scientifically, and yet according to the Spirit, it may be all right, but My Spirit will rebel. I say that. My Spirit will go along, and after awhile it will rebel, if it finds itself getting handicapped.
Remember, I have brought out the same point on several occasions -- that mystery on several occasions, concerning the seed idea of Life, that Germ of Life in every seed, every plant, every egg, or any fertile seed of life -- that germ of life in that fertile seed will crack the shell of limitation. It will rebel against itself by nature, that which created it, and that which holds it in bondage and will deliver itself, will free itself, and will not be satisfied until it shall have brought deliverance to itself. Every seed of vegetation that is planted in the ground, it must germinate, and that germ of life must come forth into expression, and break the law and rules and regulations of that seed of expression, to bring itself to its deliverance, that it might come forth into expression to fulfill its special mission. Now isn't that wonderful! ("It's indeed wonderful!" exclaimed the Hearers.)
The CHRIST in the Person of Jesus, had He not broken the law, He would have been under the law, and it would have been a matter impossibility for Him to have the Victory over the law of self, and those who were under the law. The very egg in itself, the shell should be hard to protect the egg in itself, to prohibit the egg from being crushed when it is set or incubated, and that shell that protects it, must give way when the germ of Life in that seed, the egg begins to work and develops the egg into a chick, and when it is formed in the fullness through the transforming process, and developed into a chick, that chick will pick its way out of that shell of limitation, as a visible expression of every other germ of life in every seed of all of the different species of expression -- that germ of life in each seed of the different expressions must bring itself to its deliverance, by resistance, by resisting the law the protected it; that law that made it, that law that created it. It is indeed wonderful! So the Spirit will rise at a time, or at some time or another to overthrow as revolution in opposition to that which is given, which was its own protection. It was necessary for it to be under that until the time of reformation. It is indeed wonderful! Oh! It is a wonderful thought.
(At this point, one of the Followers remarked that it was a wonderful Blessing to be sitting in the Presence of the LORD, where all was so beautiful and quiet as he stated that many times in the large audiences, it is not always possible to hear every Word that FATHER says. In response FATHER said continuing the Message:)
Through reiteration, by a constant repetition, I usually give it (as I tell Miss Sunshine quite often.) Did you write that Miss Sunshine? I give it enough to be understood. If they do not get it, I usually repeat it. That is why I repeat so often, and at times I may interject exclamations, etc., and make certain statements, or use certain phrases for the purpose of filling in where the interruptions by the applause are made. It is indeed wonderful!
(The same party who previously spoke, said, "FATHER, I know YOU are Ever Present at all times, but I think it is such a wonderful Blessing to be around YOU. I think the children who are blessed to be around the Personal Body have such a great privilege.")
(FATHER continuing playfully said, "You see! They do not love ME as much as the ones who do not be, or who are not around ME. Do they?" A great exclamation, by the way of explanation was made by the real true Body Lovers of the LORD.)
(FATHER continuing the Message:)
Now it is a saying, but it is true, there are hundreds of people who wish they had the opportunity or the chance to just so much as to sit at My Table, to come under My Roof, etc., nevertheless, it is merely a version, a thought, an idea, whichever, for wheresoever you be, I AM there, if you know ME.
("Yes, FATHER," remarked the brother, "I know YOU are there in the Spirit, but there is nothing like being around where the Body is.")
If I had not been in New York Personally, would you all be out here tonight? If I had never come to New York Personally, would you all be here tonight? ("No, FATHER Dear! No! We would not," replied the Assembly.) Well, it is all in life. GOD works when no man can hinder, and HE works mysteriously the Work of His Spirit, His Mysteries to the conscious mentality of the children of men, however, if you will work at all times in harmony with HIM, you will understand, for the Spirit will reveal all things. Lots of them say, "If I could only go to New York and sit at FATHER'S Table once, I would be satisfied," and some ride around in FATHER'S Personal automobiles, as being termed His, under His Personal Jurisdiction, and in His airplanes, and other expressions of comfort and convenience and accommodation, and yet may not be as happy as they would be, just to have the pleasure of seeing ME. It is indeed wonderful! But retracing My thoughts and yours also back to what I aforesaid, the seed idea that is planted in the Soil of your Soul, every seed idea has a germ of life in it, and that seed idea must give way to that germ of life which is greater than itself. It may not look like it, but the germ of life is greater than the seed itself, for without the germ of life in the seed, that seed could not germinate.
The germination must be in the seed itself for the seed to germinate. When this seed of life germinates, and endeavors to free itself from that shell of limitation, according to the seed's version, there must be a resistance, and a persistent resistance of that germ of life in that seed idea of whatsoever that seed may express, to bring itself to its freedom. It must continue to be persistent, with an ambition to overcome by resistance, and free itself and bring to itself its real deliverance.
This germ of life in the hearts and lives of the children of men, every mortal version and every other limited human expression would be limitations to them. He will crack the shell of every mortal limitation and free himself -- that germ of life in it -- that seed of expression, whatsoever that seed of expression may be. Now isn't that wonderful? ("Truly wonderful!" remarked the Gathering.) You can never free yourself, so long as you are bound by the versions of men, by their theories and doctrines, ideas and opinions and ways and rules and regulations of them. The seed idea of life in them, or as that expression, or whatsoever expression it may be, the germ of life must free you from that limited expression of that version of that seed idea or opinion.
The seed idea or opinion is but the visible expression of that germ of life which represents you as an individual, to free yourselves from bondage, from that limitation of that particular expression, from that angle of expression. That germ of life, as being you must seek its EMANCIPATION, as a sketch and a reflection of the mystery of you, yourselves getting your deliverance through persistence by being ambitious to overcome adverse and undesirable conditions, and by cracking the shell of mortal limitations, coming out of them FREE and CLEAR.
Oh, it is such a privilege to realize it! The very Spirit of life within will free each and everything from its bondage of which it was essential to be in, until the time of reformation. As I say, every grain of corn, and every other seed of vegetation will hold that germ of life in it until the process of life, according to Nature, the Hand of Nature, that germ of life, will endeavor to free itself from that limitation, from the limitation of that seed as an idea. Every seed of vegetation, all of the seeds of vegetation, are but slight sketches and reflections of the Mystery. They are as seed ideas and that seed idea must be, in other words, that seed idea must free that germ of life in it, that the germ of life by the nature of that idea may bring forth fruit to fruition the same kind of fruit after its own seed, the seed idea that that seed actually is. Now isn't that wonderful!
GOD in the midst of you is mighty to save, and to bring to your deliverance, and freedom completely, but the seed idea as an individual, according to the mortal version, must be cracked as the shell of limitation, and you must get your freedom by persistence. You must be persistent in your ambition and in your endeavors to overcome the limitation of that seed idea, of which was just and good for its purpose, to hold you in subjection, and to be also your protection until the time of reformation. When the time of reformation shall have come, that seed idea of expression, whatsoever expression it may be, the germinating process must go on within that seed idea to bring the nature of that seed idea out of itself that it might produce the fruit of its own kind, according to the seed idea that was sown.
Oh, it is such a privilege to live in the actual Presence of GOD! Bathe your Souls in the mysteries of My LOVE and UNDERSTANDING.
(An expression from the brother was as follows: "Your Love, FATHER, and Your Spirit is as an Incubator of our Souls."
FATHER remarked, "It is true."
The brother continuing said, "We must be persistent in every seed idea, and if we do not do that, we must be persistent to live as YOU teach us FATHER, and we can overcome all of these things.")
FATHER: Oh, it is wonderful! I delight in seeing the different seeds, the different seed ideas coming forth into expression, but greater is the unfoldment of that germ of life in it, when it frees itself from the limited expression, as the seed is, and as, or according to the way the seed has held it. The very seed itself, I say, will keep you in bondage. It is its nature to hold you in bondage, and in limitations, until by nature against nature, that germ of life in that seed idea of that expression is persistent enough to bring itself to its deliverance, its freedom. It looks as if though it would be working in opposition. It is apparently through resistance in opposition.
The average person, and every other conscious thinking animal, of both man and beast, all animals including mankind, they regret, or hate to give up that which they have claimed apparently, but by the resistance, the germ of life, as an expression in that which they have claimed, must bring itself to its deliverance, by nature that seed will try to hold it. Through the shell of that seed, or the housing of that seed will try to hold it, but something else greater than the actual shell and the seed itself must be persistent enough, even over and above all of the resistance of such to overcome it, and free itself from the limitations, then and there, it is capable or qualified to, through the protection, after deliverance, to bring forth itself to fruition. Now isn't that wonderful?
If a little chicken -- a baby chick is pulled out of the shell before the time, before it has its deliverance through Nature itself, that little chick will be weak, and most of the time, that little chick will die, or those little chicks will die, so it is with anything else. A grain of corn, if you pull that germ of life out of the grain of corn when it begins to germinate, before it shall have delivered itself through persistence, in opposition to the resistance of the shell of that corn, that corn will usually die, you see! It will not usually develop, but give it a chance to go through the process and deliver itself; so it is with everyone who is born of GOD. All mankind must eventually free himself from every shell of limitation, from all of the mortal versions under which he is held, until his DELIVERANCE comes. Now isn't that wonderful? ("Truly wonderful!" assured the Assembly.)
Your Deliverer is the CHRIST within, as that little Germ of Life in the seed idea, or the seed opinion, trying to bring you your deliverance. Now isn't that wonderful? Upon this Foundation, if you stand, as I said today, it would be immaterial to you whether you sink or swim as a person, you would live in the conscious recognition of your real EMANCIPATION, for you would be free from every limitation -- firstly, free mentally, and free Spiritually, and by being freed mentally and Spiritually, you would be freed physically, even though all earth opposed. Now isn't that wonderful?
Mankind has a work to do. As a seed idea, the whole human race stands as they stand in mortal consciousness, but there is the Germ of Life in them that will begin to germinate, as the germ of life in the grain of corn, or any other grain of vegetation, or seed of vegetation, when it goes through the proper cultivation and planting and watering, etc., this germ of life in that seed will begin to germinate, to free itself from that limited degree that it might go on its mission to bring other expressions into observation like unto itself.
Now isn't it wonderful, but it looks as if though it should not let go. The seed feels as if though it should crush down on the germ of life, and hold it within, for it has been there since it began. It feels as though it should remain there, but Mother Nature must produce the necessary protection, that which may be termed cultivation, etc., moisture and sap, to cause that germ of life to free itself from that angle of expression, from every seed idea as a seed. It is merely an idea. The seed of a watermelon is the seed idea of a watermelon. That idea was an idea expressed by GOD to man, for him to call that seed as an idea concerning a watermelon. The germ of life in that seed idea concerning that watermelon, must bring itself to its deliverance, and free itself from the shell of the limitations of that seed idea, that seed opinion concerning the watermelon, that it might produce a watermelon in the likeness of that seed idea of that watermelon in shape and in expression and form called the watermelon, but deliverance must come forth before it can bring itself its emancipation, and bring into outer expression another likeness of the idea and opinion that that particular shell of form is expressing.
All of these different expressions of Life are but the seed ideas of the TRUTH concerning the mystery, as it was handed down from the INFINITE in Spirit to the versions of man, that they might understand it as a seed, but by interpretation, an Idea and an Opinion concerning that expression. The germ of life in it lying dormant, apparently, must go to work and bring itself to its deliverance, and unfold itself until it shall have brought itself to fruition, according to that seed idea and opinion, before it can produce the fruit of the kind of that idea and of that opinion, which was the seed of it. Now isn't that wonderful? So under this great scheme of things, you all have declared, GOD alone shall reign. All of our human customs, our plans, rules and regulations, they all must come to an end, and be dethroned and wane, for GOD Himself alone to reign. So long as they are in existence, Perfection, the Reality of that seed idea cannot be delivered, and it will not get its deliverance until such expressions as that seed idea shall have resisted . . . resisted, and through persistent resistance, that seed idea of that identical expression of which you are expressing justifiably shall have been overcome, then the Reality of that which you are endeavoring, will come forth into expression.
Now singing, the art of singing, and every other artistic expression which GOD has ever given you through culture and through training, will come forth into expression, when the seed idea shall have been relaxed, and the germination of that germ of life in it, shall have access to free itself from the seed idea and opinion, from the shell of limitation, then and there, I will come forth into expression with super-intelligence to be manifested, to super-intelligently unfold it and manifest it, and express it, and explain it more than any other expression or human imagination could surmise it. That is the mystery.
Oh, it is a privilege! The height of man's understanding must be relaxed, with all of his training, and every other expression, for CHRIST to be ACCEPTED and ELECTED and ENTHRONED on the throne of your mind as LORD of lords and KING of kings. Then and there, you will see the nothingness of matter, as a REALITY, even though matter may be highly cultured, you will see the nothingness of it, and the ALLNESS of the ALMIGHTY in expression. The very germination of the germ of life of that of which you are expressing, will bring itself to its deliverance, through your expression, through your mission, through your calling, through your gifts, through your profession, through your talents and through your trades and every other expression. As a shell they are, your trades, your gifts and your talents and professions, even though they may be super-intelligent, humanly speaking, and may be the very expression of PERFECTION of culture, humanly speaking, the time cometh when they must be relaxed and stilled for the germination of such an expression to take place in that shell of expression, to bring out of that shell, the seed idea of it, that real SUBSTANCE the REALITY, the INNER MAN, the CHRIST, the LIFE of that which you have been merely reflecting or expressing. Now isn't that wonderful!
It lies dormant! It must lie dormant. It must be still and allow that CHRIST to act and speak, allow that which is your talent, your gift, your calling, your profession, your trade, or any other expression of yourself, which may be termed YOU or yours to be still completely, until CHRIST HIMSELF by inspiration, in the name of that Germ of Life, shall have germinated in that expression from your angle, as though you, yourself, or your profession or trade was the seed. If it was the seed, the Germ of Life in it, must come forth, and give its deliverance, before we can get the essence of that which you are actually expressing. Now isn't that wonderful?
The art of singing, the art of all of the beauties of Life, artistically developed in the consciousness of the children of men, all of these different expressions, through artistic training and studies, they must some day cease, that that which is in it, might come forth into expression, for such as that which must cease is merely the seed, the same as a grain of corn. It is not the thing that will be, do you not see? We are not condemning the seed, the grain of corn. You see the seed must be planted. You plant the grain of corn, but there must come a germinating time in the course of that grain of corn, or else that grain will decay and will not produce the fruit of its own kind. It would be good for nothing, but if that seed which is an expression of you, your gift or your calling, your profession or your trade to justify these different expressions, I AM calling your attention to them.
That seed must be implanted in the soil of the Earth, to bring out of itself, the Germ of Life, and the production of that idea and of that seed opinion that you, your profession, your trade, or gift, or calling may be expressing. Unless it is implanted or planted in the Earth, or planted in some way to bring them out of it, the REALITY of it, the Germ of Life of it into expression, there would not be any development for it. It could not develop in itself, as it is as a seed, for the seed would profit nothing, unless it goes through the proper process of germinating, but by going through the proper process of germinating, it will bring forth fruit to fruition, as it leaves the shell of limitation, your personal and professional expression. I AM bringing forth the seed idea of all of your professional expressions, your gifts, your callings, your trades and your other expressions of Life. I AM bringing forth the REALITY of them to fruition, by cracking the shell of the limited concept concerning the Mystery of them -- freeing MYSELF from the limited degree, but yet bringing the nature of that of which your gifts and talents and professions and trades mean to be representing. I AM bringing it to fruition, the Nature of it, and producing the REALITY of the fruit of that same seed which you are the expresser of. Don't you see the Mystery?
Righteousness! Truth and justice, I AM the Producer and the Increaser and the Multiplier of it -- of both it and them, but I cannot produce it and bring it to fruition, neither can I multiply it, saving by braking the shell of limitation, that expression of whatsoever expression it may be that you are the expression of. The real seed of this -- all of this culture, intelligence, profession, gift and talent, wisdom, knowledge and all understanding, but it was in its limited concept, it could not be brought to fruition, saving through being planted, and going through the process of germination and breaking the shell of limitation, freeing itself completely, to bring forth the VICTORY over those limited conditions and expressions that it might increase and multiply and replenish the Earth abundantly. I thank you.
I conclude with the deliverance and freedom, and with Righteousness, truth and justice for all. Even the seed idea, the opinion and every other limited expression, I have brought both it and them their DELIVERANCE as well as bringing this, the Germ of Life to fruition from that seed idea and opinion's Nature and expression, of giving all their REAL EMANCIPATION, as I conclude it. I thank you.
Many Blessings, let them fall on you, Many Blessings, let them fall on you all.
Many Blessings, the Blessings of the LORD, let the many Blessings fall on all.
Many Blessings, Many Blessings for all, Many Blessings, many Blessings,
These Blessings are of GOD. Many Blessings, let them fall on all,
Many Blessings falling on one and all.
Blessings freely, oh let the Blessings fall, let them fall on one and all,
Many Blessings, why don't you love the LORD? Let the many Blessings fall on you all.
Blessings freely, they will freely fall, that is if you will trust ME and call
upon the LORD, do not doubt ME, no matter what will come,
Let the many Blessings fall on you all.
If you all wish to talk on, you may do so, and if you wish to, you may let MY
Blessings be to all, as you think harmoniously along the line of what I have
said, and abide in them, the Words day by day, matters not what may oppose, always
obey, and upon you the Blessings will fall. I thank you.
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