The Auditorium of the Palace Mission Church
The Pine Brook Hotel
(Mr. Love speaks as follows:)
Peace, FATHER Dear; Peace, MOTHER Dear; Peace, Everyone: You know, it's just wonderful! Truly, we have a lot to be thankful to FATHER DIVINE and MOTHER DIVINE for-and truly, words are inadequate for us to express, for each individual to express what FATHER DIVINE'S Teaching means to them, but FATHER Dear, we do thank YOU! ("So true!" came the sanction.)
Many of us, FATHER, YOU have brought from a long way off! Many of us twenty- three and twenty-four years ago when we found YOU, we had no hope! We had no hope of life! And YOU did not ask us any questions-YOU accepted us as we were-YOU did not find out what we had to offer YOU, but YOU said, "COME UNTO ME!" YOU said, "Take your burdens there to ME and leave them there!" YOU said, "Do not go away with any of those burdens!" YOU said, "Leave them here with ME!" ("So true!" came the sanction from the Congregation.) And FATHER Dear, we did not question YOU. We took YOU at YOUR Word and we left those burdens there! And FATHER, we can declare today we are FREE from those conditions we had when we found YOU! And FATHER Dear, we YOUR Followers, those who are trying to live according to YOUR Teachings, appreciate what YOU have done for us! ("Yes, so true!" came the sanction.) We are not worrying about what others may think about it! We individually know what YOU mean to us! (Thunderous applause resounds.)
When we were burdened down in sin and shame and debauchery of every kind the
people did not help us-it was YOUR LOVE! YOU stooped down and picked us up,
and today we have no one to thank but YOU! (Again thunderous applause resounds.)
The "other fellow"
may rage in the "other place" but we do not care. We know WHO it
is that lifted us! I mean, we KNOW WHO DID IT! We are not asking any other
individual; WE KNOW! And WE KNOW WHO KEPT US VIRTUOUS UNTIL NOW! ("'So
true!" exclaimed the joyous Assembly.) YOU did not set a watch after us:
YOU did not send anybody to look and peep around and dodge around to see what
we were doing!
YOUR HOLY, VIRTUOUS SPIRIT in us caused us to live VIRTUOUS!
And YOU did not isolate us either-YOU sent us among them, and still YOU KEPT
US VIRTUOUS, and we know that! AND THE FACT THAT YOU KEPT US VIRTUOUS, YOU
HAD TO BE VIRTUOUS, YOU HAD TO BE VIRTUOUS YOURSELF, BECAUSE TRULY, IT IS WRITTEN
THAT
'A CORRUPT TREE CANNOT BRING FORTH GOOD FRUIT, NEITHER CAN A GOOD TREE BRING FORTH CORRUPT FRUIT!'
("That's right!" came the response.) AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE VIRTUOUS TODAY IS PROOF THAT YOU ARE VIRTUOUS! And FATHER Dear, we love YOU for it! (Thunderous applause and cheers sanction this.)
The mortal mind thought at one time when YOU married YOUR Spotless Virgin BRIDE, that we would all get discouraged and go back and live in sin; but they were certainly mistaken! By YOUR HOLY, VIRTUOUS MARRIAGE YOU CAUSED US TO LOVE YOU A HUNDRED TIMES MORE! ("So true!" exclaimed the joyful Assembly.) I MEAN, YOU CAUSED US TO EVEN STRIVE MORE PERSISTENTLY TO EXPRESS YOUR VIRTUE! I mean, YOU REALLY CAUSED US TO EXPRESS A HUNDRED TIMES MORE DETERMINATION TO BE VIRTUOUS JUST LIKE YOU-and that's what the world is all MAD about because we did not all go back and live like they wanted us to live, and get old and decrepit and broken up like we were when we first found YOU! BUT WE THANK YOU, FATHER DEAR, THAT YOUR VIRTUOUS, HOLY MARRIAGE HAS EVEN GOT INTO OUR PHYSICAL BODIES AND HAS RENEWED OUR YOUTH AND CAUSED US TO BE YOUNG -THOSE THAT WERE GETTING OLD AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO- YOUR BEAUTIFUL, HOLY, VIRTUOUS MARRIAGE HAS SPRUNG UP IN US, A WELLSPRING OF SALVATION THAT TODAY WE CAN TELL IT FROM THE HOUSETOP THAT FATHER DIVINE'S MARRIAGE HAS MADE US VIRTUOUS AND YOUNG!
("Yes, yes, so true! came the thunderous sanction.) And FATHER Dear, we LOVE YOU for it too, and we are PROUD of it!
There was a time when we first came, some of us might ask this one, "What do you think of this and what do you think of that?" We are not asking that question now! If you ask us anything we tell you we KNOW! ("That's right!" sanctions the assembly.) And Uncle Sam has it on record! Those of us that were in the draft, when Uncle Sam tried to question us, we told them we did not believe that FATHER DIVINE is GOD, we KNOW that HE is GOD; and we were going to live according to HIS Teaching regardless to what Uncle Sam thinks about it! They have it on record. We did not question them, we told them what we were going to do-and if we could lose our lives by being sent over there to fight for our Country we were going to lose our lives standing by our Religious Conviction! (Loud applause rings out.) And there is no need of man coming up here now to think they can CHANGE us! There's no need in trying, because WE KNOW WHAT FATHER DIVINE HAS DONE FOR US! (Thunderous applause sanctions this.)
It's true that Senator Ellender did say that if they did not stop FATHER DIVINE, He'll have a little group here and a little group there, and a little group here and there, and the first thing you know, it will be all over!-but he was a little late because it was all over when he was saying those words-the groups were all over the world! I mean, ALL OVER! And those that don't want this to be all over, the first thing you know, it's going to be right in their family too- because truly, we know THIS IS GOD WE ARE DEALING WITH NOW! I mean, we KNOW it! That's why we are striving EVERY DAY to LIVE according to FATHER DIVINE'S Teaching! (Thunderous applause sanctions this.)
And FATHER Dear, I thank YOU for these beautiful Documents that YOU placed before us now! These Creeds! ("Yes, so true!" came the response.) Because, YOU know, we are studying the Bible in the Book of Genesis and we found where GOD told those back there that if they would keep HIS Statutes and Commandments and walk in HIS Ordinances, how HE would bless them and increase them and multiply them and even give them the land of the strangers for their inheritance-and you know, it is so wonderful! Many of us did not even have an inheritance! We were as strangers and pilgrims in every land we went! We were outcasts! ('So true!" came the sanction from the assembly.) But truly, by keeping FATHER DIVINE'S COMMANDMENTS WE HAVE AN INHERITANCE! I mean, WE HAVE AN INHERITANCE BY KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS! (Thunderous applause sanctions this.) And that is what the world is all stirred up about, because we have an inheritance and this inheritance is ETERNAL in GOD! So anybody that can't find out and doesn't want to know that FATHER DIVINE IS GOD, TOO BAD! That's up to them-but I AM SATISFIED WITH THIS! (Thunderous applause and cheers resound.)
You see, if I didn't know, maybe some. body would fool me-but when I remember about twenty-four years ago when I met FATHER DIVINE, it's just Wonderful! If I tell you all how old I was when I met HIM, then you all would know-but I'm not going to tell that! (Merriment resounds, Mr. Love joining in. Then he says:) But truly, I can say one thing! FATHER DIVINE, being GOD ALMIGHTY, I'm closer to FIFTY than THIRTY! (He laughs merrily with the rest of the Congregation, for he has the appearance of a young boy.) AND IT TAKES NOTHING BUT GOD ALMIGHTY TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW! THAT'S WHY I LOVE HIM, BECAUSE I HAVE FOUND OUT THE LONGER YOU STAY WITH FATHER DIVINE, THE YOUNGER YOU GET! (Thunderous applause sanctions this.) AND THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE WORLD, THE LONGER THEY STAY OUT THERE, THE OLDER THEY GET! ("So true!" came the sanction.)
But we truly love FATHER and MOTHER for this Beautiful Life that HE has brought us! It's true, the "other fellow" doesn't want you to serve GOD, but it's sweet-because these Creeds say-every time you look around you see somebody ducking down in the Creeds, studying their Creeds; and you know, it keeps us out of so much mischief when you think upon these beautiful Creeds that FATHER has given us! ("Yes, so true!" sanctions the Congregation.) And then we have our Bible lesson to study! Then we have our New Days to read! You have no time to get in trouble! (Loud applause sanctions this.) I -mean, those who really want to live! Some people may not want to live, so they just exist for a little while-but those of us who want to live, we really are trying our best to STUDY ALL OF THESE CREEDS AND COMMIT THEM TO MEMORY! ("Yes, yes!" came the reply.)
You know, it's so wonderful! I've found out one thing! When you get your mind stirred up to really STUDY and commit things to MEMORY, that idea of committing to memory will get all through your physical body and keep you alive! You don't get sluggish! You haven't got time to get sluggish! Your minds become so ALERT that when sleep comes you don't even want to sleep. All you want is to get the Creeds! ("So true!" sanctions the Congregation joyously.) And I really Thank FATHER for it-because HE knows what it takes to arouse that sleeping giant in us.
And FATHER Dear, we thank YOU to see how it was storming yesterday and last night. I mean, storming! And look at the beautiful weather FATHER gave us and made it possible for us to come up here and praise HIS Name! (Loud applause and cheers ring out.) I heard the report where, in some parts of the New England States they have snow drifts up to ten feet! And there was a fire in some place up there and it was impossible for the fire equipment to get to the fire and the place burned down, and they said five persons are missing!
And FATHER just warmed the weather up and made it possible for us to come up here! ("Yes, it's true!" came the sanction from the assembly.) And I know when it snows in Pine Brook, it snows!-and see how FATHER made it possible for us to come up here and praise HIS Name!-and gave us the determination to come, because we know that HE desires for us to come and have our meeting! And that's why we do love FATHER DIVINE, and regardless of what the opposition may try, because it's no opposition really. The only opposition is because we don't want to give up to GOD, because HE is the Master of everything! ("So true!" came the response.)
You know, back there when Abraham when he went there down into Egypt and got there as though he was with a strange people, and yet GOD prospered him! Even the King of Egypt gave him so many camels and menservants and maidservants and gold and silver and everything, and sent him away. And when he went out into the desert, into the land, in the wilderness of Paran and was there, King Abimelech of the Philistines saw him becoming so powerful he went to him and said, "Look here, let us make a treaty among us. Let us make a vow between us that you won't be an enemy to me and I won't be an enemy to you!" Because he saw how powerful Abraham was. I mean, he was a stranger! And GOD made him promise, and they made a vow there that they wouldn't have any argument among them to show us that if we do GOD's Will there is not anybody can be against us! ("So true!" came the sanction.)
When he (Abram or Abraham) left his father's house and GOD told him to go away from there and he went to a strange country, he did not have anything with him. He went out with Lot and his wife; just. the three of them went out in a strange country; but GOD made him so powerful that even those that were around him feared him, because everything he put his hand to, it was a BLESSING by just OBEYING THE WORD OF GOD! And we can see today in our own personal experience wherever we go we are desirable! ("So true!" sanctioned the assembly.) I mean, everybody wants a FOLLOWER of FATHER DIVINE where they are! They may not want to live this Life but they want you there! And whatever you ask of them they will give it to you, because they know the Life you are living is the Salvation of themselves! And FATHER Dear, we thank YOU for it! (Thunderous applause resounds in sanction of this.) So FATHER, we thank YOU for this beautiful, beautiful meeting! I mean, we thank YOU for it! ("Yes, so true!" came the response.) Because You said that YOU are in our midst. I mean, YOU said it and we believe it! ("So true!" came the response.) And we can feel YOUR Presence! I mean, we can FEEL YOUR PRESENCE WITH US, because it takes only YOUR LOVE and YOUR PRESENCE to draw the crowd that is here tonight! Because
YOU said at the Nazareth Mission when they had the Service there, YOU said YOU like to relax and let YOUR Spirit work through the different ones! Because truly, we know YOU are right in the midst of us and that which is needful and necessary you will give it to us! And FATHER and MOTHER Dear, for all of YOUR LIMITLESS BLESSINGS to ALL CREATION, and especially to those who are endeavoring to live according to YOUR Teaching, we thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER Dear!
(As Mr. Love concluded, the entire Congregation arose as one man at Jerusalem and commenced singing the familiar composition:
"HE'S GOD, HE'S GOD, Sweet FATHER DIVINE is ,GOD!"- and a sea of white handkerchiefs filled the air as they waved in rhythm to the music, in Honor and Praise to FATHER DIVINE, GOD ALMIGHTY, the DEAN of the UNIVERSE and MASTER of OMNIPOTENCY, Who has tangibilated the Essence of RIGHTEOUSNESS, TRUTH and JUSTICE in the daily deeds and actions of MILLIONS of Followers the Universe over!)
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