Rosebuds at the Unity Mission Church Annex
An open rebuttal to the base, vile and debauched minds of some once graced by the Name of "The Rosebuds of FATHER DIVINE," who could not change the Kingdom of GOD according to their base desires; but returned as
'dogs to their vomit,'
'turning the Grace of our GOD into lasciviousness, and denying the only LORD GOD.'
'But as angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation . . . giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh . . . foaming out their own shame . . . to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.'
In 1941, in October, I personally came to New York City, after six years of reading the Messages and Words of Life of FATHER DIVINE. I met HIM Personally the day of my arrival, and from that day to this day, March 22, 1956 A.D.F.D., through many private interviews and consultations with. HIM, I have seen and heard nothing but Purity, Virtue, Godliness, Self-denial, Mercy and Truth expressed. I have never seen or heard HIM do or say anything that an ordinary man would do or say, in immodesty. That which HE taught me of Virtue and Holiness, over the years, I learned it well, because HE lived It before my eyes; and many times in mercy and compassion, HE has given HIS LIFE for me - in Strength when I was weak - in Wisdom when I was foolish - in Purity when I was base.
His purity alone has made me pure! His modesty alone has made me modest! His goodness alone has made me good! His self,-denial alone has made me self-denied! His sacrifice alone has given me a determination to lay my life, though nothing, at His feet, a living sacrifice.
All these years, in living under HIS Jurisdiction in the Church, I have slept with and associated with other Rosebuds, and can say in all Truth and candor, I have yet to see one act of immodesty, or one word of immodesty or immorality, in all the time I have worked and lived in the Church. Our associations with each other are pure, sweet and Godly, and our conversations the same.
As Secretary of Unity Mission Church, Home and Training School, Inc., as a teacher of adults in the Peace Mission Graded School, as Bible instructor, as employment secretary, as chauffeuress and co-worker in general, I have had every opportunity to be closely associated with FATHER DIVINE and observe HIS WORDS, HIS WAYS AND HIS THOUGHTS: and I know that if anything but Godliness existed, I would see it, for GOD made me both observing and alert. Had I not found here in this Truth, what none other could give me, after vain years of searching for Peace and Purity, then I would go out there and continue to search until I found IT.
The only ones who have an aught against FATHER DIVINE, are those who cannot turn HIM to their base desires, and tempt HIM to do what their vile minds and bodies want HIM to do, to glorify their sinful flesh and idolize their corruptible personalities. All who speak against FATHER DIVINE, and HIS Mission and Churches, speak from the evil of their own minds, for GOD alone has set this Great Wheel of Righteousness in motion, and many are offended because they cannot bring their selfishness, prejudice, jealousy, lust, hate, anger and malice into the Kingdom of GOD, and change Its Righteousness into lasciviousness; for if they had the POWER THAT FATHER DIVINE HAS, THEY WOULD TURN ALL THE WORLD INTO LUST, GREED AND AVARICE.
It is true, we, the Rosebuds, love FATHER DIVINE as a Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Husband, Child and Friend, because HE is ALL AND ALL to us; but not in lust and vulgarity. We, the Real True Rosebuds of FATHER DIVINE, love HIM with a Holy DIVINE Love, that is unspotted and virtuous. We love HIM with a Love that is willing to sacrifice every mortal tendency, fancy and pleasure of the flesh to please HIM. And it does please HIM, for nothing is so acceptable in HIS Sight as the Virtue and Sacrifice of HIS Beautiful Rosebuds; for with this Virtue, HE is healing the world of vice and crime, and raising up a nation that will not lie or steal or take a bribe or indulge in any base or selfish emotion, thought, word or act. "The d---I may rage and vent his spite, but GOD, FATHER DIVINE, is daily saving HIS Heart's Delight."
Many hate this TRUTH, and will rise up against IT; but IT is backed by the POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD, and "whosoever shall fall upon that STONE shall be broken, but on whomsoever It shall fall, IT will grind him to powder."
I write this freely, without persuasion, out of the depths of my own heart, not in defense of FATHER DIVINE, for HE needs no defense, since HE can bid the earth, the sea, the winds, the lightning, the floods, the mountains, the storms, the droughts, the disasters, the falling airplanes, the earthquakes and volcanoes, and the raging fires to avenge HIM; but I write this in defense of the RIGHTEOUSNESS that millions are thirsting for, and dying for, because they find IT not in any other place in this sin-stained world. And now millions more shall die who read and believe the vile lies about GOD and HIS HOLINESS. But HE will go on, triumphantly bringing about this Glorious Civilization of Honesty, Virtue and Brotherhood upon the earth, and HE will reincarnate millions of Spirits in new bodies, that will worship HIM in the BEAUTY OF HOLINESS.
HE will turn and overturn until every base mind flees from this planet, and Good, ness and;Charity reign supreme. HE is not disturbed, I know, for HE sits Supreme in HIS INFINITE WISDOM AND MAJESTY, ruling the earth in meekness and seeking only to teach and bless the whole world. So persecuted they Jesus Christ, their Savior; BUT GOD, FATHER DIVINE, THEY CANNOT HURT NOR HINDER, for HE holds the Keys to Heaven and h--l.
Because I know that millions believe the same as I do, and can witness years of purity and protection from every worldly lust, here in the Kingdom, I ask that all Rosebuds who have lived under the Shadow of FATHER DIVINE'S Virginity and Holy Loving Care rise up in defense of HIS Infinitely Holy Love which has hovered and sheltered us for all these years, and declare to the world at large, that this article in "Confidential" magazine and any other article like it, are deliberate and base lies, motivated by debauched and degenerate minds.
Let us unite in one great swelling cry that our GOD is Holy and Undefiled and that we as the Virgin Soil of Purity, are untouched and spotless before GOD and man. Let us cry out in unsuppressed exaltation that GOD has lifted us from all baseness and all carnality. Let us unleash our love for GOD in swelling paeans of Praise for HIS Chaste and Glorious Deity until all the earth shall echo and reecho the TRUTH that shall set the nations free.
In all Love and Devotion, my GOD, I desire to remain forever,
(signed) E. Ferne
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