The Shrine to Life at
The Mount of the House of the Lord
Following a promise made earlier this year to FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE in the Kings Town Mansion, Kingston, in Ulster County, New York, Father Francis and Mr. Benji, his constant companion, were chauffeured down from his own church in the mountain near Kingston, to Woodmont, the Mount of the House of the Lord, to once again be with FATHER and MOTHER and reminisce over the years of his many experiences with FATHER DIVINE as he frequently visited HIM, and to share with us his thoughts.
After talking with FATHER and MOTHER in FATHER'S Private Office, Father Francis was given a brief tour of the ground floor, which extended, after Holy Communion Service to the terraced gardens and then to The Shrine to Life. He then accompanied FATHER and MOTHER to the evening Service and Banquet at the Circle Mission Church in center City, after which he was escorted by FATHER and MOTHER to the Divine Hotel Tracy where he and Mr. Benji were to spend the night before leaving for Woodstock, New York in the morning. Father Francis was also given a tour of inspection at the Divine Hotel Tracy which he seemed to enjoy thoroughly.
Following, now, is an account of the Holy Communion Service in the Chapel Dining Room at Woodmont a very sacred and wonderful Communion with the LORD, as we listened to the glorification of FATHER DIVINE'S Work and Mission on this earth by one who through his own life, can and truly does appreciate FATHER DIVINE'S universal accomplishments in establishing the Kingdom of GOD here on earth and the Price that was paid in so doing.
Commentary: The full coverage of this visit by Father Francis, as well as visitors, can be found in the November 30, 1974 issue of The New Day, Pages 22 - 25. However, only that which pertains to Father Francis will be noted here.
(Prior to Father Francis' remarks Miss Peaceful Love, a nurse, spoke and sang a song for him to hear. At the conclusion of this Father Francis spoke as follows:)
Father Francis:
I thank you so much I would need the voice of an angel to
reply to you (in song). You say you haven't seen me for some years and I'm
getting younger. You know why? It's the consciousness of the smiles and the
love and the laughter and the living of
FATHER DIVINE'S Children that I'm always
conscious of, you know, because I have had a long, long life now and I am just
about to go to, I don't know where, but wherever I go I'm going to meet FATHER
DIVINE and say, "YOUR Children are doing YOU great credit!"
Many people have asked me, "What keeps you going?" I'm always conscious that somewhere you are, all of you, are smiling and loving and laughing with a holy love, and that's what's kept me going now, all these years! I happen to be the oldest Bishop in America I was the youngest one when I was consecrated and when I come here I think the wheels have turned backwards and I'm starting all over again! I want to thank you very much for what you have said.
Following the song, "How good it is to dwell together in Unity," MOTHER DIVINE arose to speak.
MOTHER DIVINE:
Peace FATHER, Peace Father Francis, Peace Everyone: "How good it is to dwell together in unity, dwelling in the Oneness of GOD." For this cause FATHER came to make a reality of the oneness of the children of men, and as HE labored to do so, so many years ago, Father Francis came in contact with FATHER DIVINE and FATHER has been a great blessing in his life. He is here with us today to pay his respects to FATHER personally and to remember this and share it with all of us. So we are very happy, as has been already said, to have Father Francis, and if you would like to speak at this time we would be happy to hear from you. Thank YOU FATHER.
Archbishop William Henry (Father) Francis:
Just a few words to show my appreciation which is just a reflection of all of your love and your kindness.
I can"t tell you what it means to me, because the knowledge of FATHER DIVINE'S Work and Life and Love that came into my life way back, oh, before 1930, and I was quite unconscious at the time, of the motives of HIS Life and what HE taught, but at the time I was engaged in defending and old Bishop eight years younger than I am now, but I didn't know how people could live so long. He was being persecuted by his fellow Bishops in the Church because he was the first person with a color like mine to decide there wee not b and w but that we are all Children of GOD. He was the Bishop of Arkansas and he was brought to trial before one hundred and twenty-seven Bishops and I was appointed to defend him. At that time, that was in 1924, those were dark days, I wrote something that John Dewey, the great educator, said he thought it was the most Christian document he had read since he read,
'Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angles,'
in Corinthians.
If I am permitted to say a few words before I go back to my mountain retreat, I would like to read the letter that I wrote at that period, because it was prophetic. I was listening to FATHER DIVINE'S Sermon that came through the air to me tonight, and to you; I could not help but think, what actuated me to write this? what drew me here? and if MOTHER will give me permission perhaps tonight at the meeting or perhaps tomorrow before I go, to those of you who are nearest, dearest and clearest I might read it. I happen to have a copy with me. It was published by John Day and Company. It's very revolutionary in a Christian way but you exemplify exactly what we hoped for in 1924. That was a long time ago! So I am here to show how through unification, how these things can be brought about.
I can't tell you what it means to me to see the smile on your faces and the love that you have for one another and for the Kingdom of GOD on earth. I would like to think that I can come here many, many times. That I can't. This is a pleasure beyond my merit altogether. But could I say this to MOTHER? You have been greatly blessed by MOTHER DIVINE. She has blessed me, She has blessed all of you. Always stay by Her with your love, your laughter, your life, and She will lead you through to exactly what FATHER DIVINE was doing, will do and can do through Her. I thank you again.
I would like to shake hands with many of you who are here. Some of you I have seen years ago, you haven't changed one little bit; as a matter of returning the compliment, you look younger and happier than ever.
MOTHER DIVINE: If you would like to read it now, you could.
Father Francis:
It is in the brief case if it could be gotten. (Mr. Benji who accompanied Father Francis on the trip, excused himself to get it. While waiting for the letter, Father Francis continued speaking.)
I will read it to you and you will see and you must remember that this was written in 1924, if any of you can think that far back! But we are re-publishing it and some of my people up in the mountain have had it Xeroxed, whatever that is; it is a new form which is very useful in circulating news. But it so exemplifies what you all stand for because to be an all-outer in love, in Jesus' love, required at that time a great understanding and a great sacrifice. It still does. But you are together now and you have a togetherness, and while you keep this togetherness you will win. That is the most important thing, that you stick together! If you should not see eye to eye, let it go until the next day; you will, tomorrow, if you don't today.
I rejoice too that you can have such a lovely place. I was brought up I don't know whether MOTHER DIVINE knows it but there are others know it, and I don't like to boast about it but it has been in print and it is coming out in a book when I was made a Bishop I was consecrated a Bishop by a prince and a duke and a Spanish grandee and an Archbishop. It was a gilt-edged thing but they didn't live...with all they had, they may have had the trappings, but they didn't have the love and the Life that you people have. You have exemplified it and brought it forth into action, into a reality, and the Kingdom of GOD, you must remember, is within you. I don't have to tell you but I can tell a lot of people on the outside, let it come out for it's there.
Note: The Encyclical letter called for by Father Francis was brought to him at this time. Just before it is read by him let us note that this same letter was first presented by Archbishop Francis to FATHER DIVINE in the year 1935 in New York City. It was subsequently reprinted in the magazine which carried FATHER DIVINE'S Message and Letters of Correspondence at that time The Spoken Word in the issue under date of Saturday, August 3, 1935, P. 9
Editor's Comment:
Archbishop W. H. Francis who has visited FATHER DIVINE in New York and was greatly impressed by what he saw and heard has lived according to his word by harboring radicals in his home, working with his hands for a living, appearing quite unconventional at times to fulfil his own version of walking in the footsteps of the living Christ. He admitted he believes in the presence of GOD and the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. This Encyclical Letter is in accord with FATHER'S version and is a stern challenge to all so-called Christians. Any true Christian is catholic (universal) according to this pronouncement.
Father Francis commences reading his letter which can be found in The New Day and/or Spoken Word. This Encyclical Letter was adopted by the Synod in New York City, January 12, 1926.
At the conclusion of the reading of this letter Father Francis spoke as follows: This I wrote in 1924, and now look at you all in here, and with your freedom and with everything!
Join with me in being optimistic and realize the Kingdom of GOD is come among you. And it was people like FATHER DIVINE that has done this, that has borne the brunt of it. I used to go and listen to HIM. It was HE! Be eternally grateful, for HE trod the Wine Press alone for a long time, and now the laws are all changed and everything is changed.
So to FATHER DIVINE and to you, HIS Followers, eternal gratitude.
(It was after the singing "What more can I do?) that MOTHER DIVINE to speak)
MOTHER DIVINE:
Peace FATHER Dear, Peace Everyone: We do thank YOU, FATHER, for this auspicious occasion because this moment we feel in the will of GOD, and this Service was predestined to be because when we are gathered together with YOUR Servant, Father Francis, in our midst, we realize the Work of YOUR Will in his life. We see how he was high-born and consecrated among the aristocrats of the earth, and yet because he is YOUR Servant he could grasp the true significance of YOUR Son's Work and ministry in the earth, and where the Church that bore His Name had fallen far short of its calling, and how because of this true Spirit and Calling that he possessed he could appreciate YOUR Presence in the earth; he could understand YOUR Ministry and this is the same with all of YOUR Sons and Daughters throughout the earth. No matter where we were, when we heard the NAME of FATHER DIVINE and that people were calling HIM GOD and that HE was ministering to the under-privileged, to the forgotten, to those whom society had caused to be outcast, this confirmed this proclamation of HIS DEITY and gave many of us the Conviction that HE was the One that Jesus said would come when He said He would come again in the Bosom of the FATHER. And as Father Francis spoke to Me before coming into the Holy Communion Hall and said how happy he that we are here in Woodmont, that Woodmont was made for us, because he said,
'I know where you have been;'
I thank YOU, FATHER, for the honesty that he could see this and know this and speak it, because many know it but they don't have the courage to speak the truth. This is what makes this all so wonderful because he was of the privileged few but he in his love and service to HIS Master, he has really ministered to HIS Children as his FATHER would have him to, and he could see in FATHER'S immediate Followers that they were willing to go with FATHER wherever HE went, when HE went to answer the call of those in Harlem in the 1930's; and now Father Francis is here today to witness how the Truth is triumphing over all of the adversities of life and the Spirit of Christ is atoning for the sins of society and the hills have been lowered and the valleys have been raised.
Father Francis also said earlier this afternoon these are not his exact words, but he conveyed the thought that these last five years have been his happiest years because he can see the Spirit of Christ universally coming into manifestation, and it is not coming from the top down but it coming from the roots up. And we know FATHER said that HE would put HIS Spirit in the masses and cause them to walk in HIS Statutes, and this truly is our consolation in this day when the kingdoms of man are shaking and being torn down, and the government of the United States which hold the priceless privilege of being the foundation of the Kingdom of GOD on earth is being shaken we have this consolation to know that the real kingdom has been established, because it has been established in the hearts and the minds of GOD'S People where the real Government was to come, and that GOD has really worked out HIS plan and purpose and HE really has redeemed HIS People and HE really has saved them and HE really is bringing to fruition the Kingdom of GOD on earth and making earth Heaven!
We do thank YOU, FATHER Dear, that we are privileged to be here in this moment of time and to witness this great occasion because it is beautiful, it is sacred and it is a privilege to be here. Thank YOU, FATHER.
(After singing "What a Privilege" MOTHER DIVINE dismissed the service as spoke as follows:)
MOTHER DIVINE:
Peace FATHER Dear, Peace Everyone: We thank FATHER that the time is quite well expired for this particular Service. We do expect to have Father Francis with us in the Service at the Circle Mission Church this evening, so we thank FATHER at this time to say that those of us who have dined will arise and pass out and pass on.
Thank YOU, FATHER.
Taken from the New Day, May 24, 1975 A.D.F.D.
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