(This article is a compilation of excerpts taken from FATHER DIVINE'S sermons as presented in inspiration form by members of the Rosebud Choir; a volitional testimony by another choir member and other words of FATHER DIVINE'S pertinent to the subject. )
FATHER DIVINE'S Proclamation
"Peace FATHER Dear, Peace MOTHER Dear, Peace Everyone: FATHER Dear, I want to thank YOU for that beautiful, beautiful Message that we heard, gems and treasures of Your Mind and Heart that YOU have given to us to guide us along the way; and FATHER, every day we can see Your perfection more clearly, without any mistake, and I mean, without any doubt of Your perfection we can see it, we can behold it with our natural eyes as well as with our spiritual eye. And it is so beautiful how YOU have condescended to marry Your creation and how YOU condescended in 1946 to take unto Yourself a Spotless Virgin Bride and unite HER heart and mind with Yours, and show us what it means to be overshadowed with Your perfect ideas and opinions, and then tell us and show us that this is a Universal Love and a Universal Ideal, and how Your Body has come to establish Your own Self; universalize Yourself in the bodies of the children of men on the earth plane." "And, FATHER Dear,' the speaker said,
"I was thinking about the world's attitude toward perfection. It has been an age-old axiom of the world to say, when they make a mistake to say, Oh well, nobody's perfect!' and we have all excused ourselves (speaking of generations of people) up until this time. They do not believe that anybody is perfect and if someone makes a mistake in one way, well, somebody else will make a mistake in another way. But YOU have come among us to move the stumbling blocks out of the way of perfection, that we may not have a vain hope but that we might have a lively hope. And when YOU gave Your beautiful Bride Your name, Your personal name, YOU cast upon HER the responsibility of perfection, because nothing less than perfection can be allowed to represent Your name!
"And then I think about the rest of us. While we do not bear the name legally, of DIVINE, we are bearing the name just the same, and we should carry the responsibility of perfection as MOTHER carries it. MOTHER did not act perfect personally of HER own accord; FATHER took HER from among us personally to show, not that SHE could do it but that HE could do it. HE took HER from among us and lifted HER above, to show us the union of GOD and man to show us what GOD could do, not what SHE could do; and SHE has lived from that day, trying to show us what HE can do, not what SHE has done. I have never heard MOTHER, to this day, personally say anything that would make me think that SHE had done it. Now this is a lively hope because when FATHER speaks of His Spotless Church as many, and His Spotless Bride as many, this is our lively hope, that we might be willing to bear the name of FATHER DIVINE personally; the responsibility that goes with the name; the responsibility of perfection.
"I was thinking about the different professions, like a nurse or a doctor or a policeman or one who wears a uniform or carries a title: When a nurse is in a hospital, or when a person, say, is in a hospital with a uniform on and you see them around in the rooms, you recognize that person as a nurse. If you see that person walking through the halls in ordinary clothes, they could act most any way, you would not hold them responsible for being a nurse. Or like a policeman when he's off duty without his uniform on, he is not held responsible for what he would be held responsible for with the uniform on, or whatever title he may be bearing. And it is the same with us: When we carry the name of FATHER DIVINE, when we go out under the name of FATHER DIVINE we have the responsibility to express perfection. But I believe we have had an age-old fear coming from this very thought that perfection was impossible. I believe it is a fear that is imbedded, has been imbedded in humanity, that we cannot be perfect; and when our vibrations are low it returns to us. But we should counteract it with the true thought that GOD has given us; that HE has done it in MOTHER DIVINE, and HE is just as able today as the day HE married HER. What's the difference?
"When mortality takes a vow to be married, the majority of the people who get married seriously, in their state of consciousness, do try to keep their vows at least for a while. They take upon themselves the responsibility to keep that vow. But this Vow that we take is an eternal vow.
'This garment that we put on, just like a nurse puts on a uniform, this garment we put on is not an outward uniform but it is a special state of consciousness and attitude toward life. That is the difference between corruption and incorruption in life is the attitude we put on that creates our state of consciousness; our attitude toward life and the attitude what concerns us and others; that is the difference our attitude between the CHRIST Consciousness and the mortal consciousness. And FATHER Dear, it is such a privilege to know it, because when we know it we have no fear to take on the responsibility of perfection, knowing that FATHER is able to fulfill that which HE has promised.
"FATHER, I wish to thank YOU for opening up this great channel of perfection that we may behold YOU as YOU ARE and knowing the reality of that which YOU are able to fulfill for us to see it materialized. Because, FATHER, truly YOU have gone ahead of us every step of the way; and I heard FATHER say that the Husbandman, speaking of the parable of the vineyard, that the Husbandman is the first partaker of the fruit; and therefore, everything that HE has called us to do HE has done it ahead of us and before us and in front of us. HE has left nothing to be done by us alone; HE has made it so that we can see that it can be done. HE is the first partaker of the Fruit, no matter what HE has asked us to do, whether it be joy or suffering, FATHER has gone ahead and done it first, that we might understand and know that we are not alone in whatsoever we may do.
"FATHER, I thank YOU for Your beautiful Sacrifice from the bottom of my heart I thank YOU for Your beautiful Sacrifice for Your life and Your behavior before us has been a Shining Light for all of these years, and all of the things that YOU have done and said in front of us; there is not a thing that YOU have said and done that we could not copy after and know that it was perfection and know that it is perfection. We are just so happy to be attached to YOU and to belong to YOU. And to know that our union with YOU is at hand and that we have nothing to fear, and that we have every reason to be happy to take on ourselves this responsibility of perfection, because this is what YOU are calling us into calling us, oh, so gently, my sweet Savior, from the heights where YOU have gone ahead of us to show us and light the way; shining this great Light back to where we are, that YOU might draw us ever onward. Come up higher! Come up higher!' Where we will feel and understand what it means to rebuke everything that is negative, and to accept and believe and encourage everything that is positive, and to live constantly in this atmosphere of praise and love and close the door on everything else. It means so much to us, FATHER, to know that this can be done because it has been done, because our beautiful pioneering MOTHER went forth pioneering into the spiritual consciousness and in breaking through the wilderness of barbarism and allowing GOD to break down the barriers within HER and lead HER on into this consciousness, SHE has pioneered into a realm where thousands shall come after HER, and as many of us as go along in the pathway behind HER, will make it that much easier for all those that come after us, because we are truly pioneers into a new consciousness, into a whole new civilization, and we are not afraid, FATHER. We are not afraid because YOU are our shining Light! I thank YOU, FATHER Dear."
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An inspiration given by several members of the Rosebud choir emphasized the perfection to which FATHER DIVINE is calling His own and anyone else who will. The "climb" is portrayed in four steps: self-denial; love; consecration and dedication and a wholehearted surrender.
"How marvelous it is to stand and to live in the actual Presence of GOD. When you see the nothingness of yourself as a person and the allness of GOD as a living reality, you can relax your conscious mentality and concentrate on the Fundamental; the spirit of perfection will be transmitted and you will become to be the reincarnators of it.
"Perfection is developed in the minds of those who will concentrate on the Perfect Picture. By concentration you tend to materialize it by harmonization. If you concentrate and will not harmonize with it, you may not reproduce it; but if you wholeheartedly, unadulteratedly harmonize with it you will tend to materialize it and reproduce it. That is the mystery.
"So it is a privilege to observe this sample, this example, I have brought before the mind's eye of all humanity, that they might observe and visualize and materialize and re personify that of which I AM expressing the name of GOD of Whom you say I AM this name as a standard, as perfection in every manner of expression GOD is perfection. Can you not see the mystery?
"If this is true, through and by the would-be insignificant, how considerate should your mind be concerning the mystery, if such a recognition is transmitted and inculcated and reincarnated in others? It will bring perfection to all humanity if it can be a standard of perfection to those who have been lifted, yea, to this individual as it may be termed.
"If GOD, through and from the nothingness of nothing can be established and reckoned, is it not to be considered that such an expression is transmitted, or transmittable, whichever? And others can be partakers of some of this great contagion of the honor and the perfection of the Almighty. Aren't you glad?
" Behold! I set before you an open door.' I have not closed the door behind ME. I have left open the door that you might enter in and be partakers of that which is termed ME, that you might be even as I AM. In whatsoever you are expressing, express perfection, the standard of perfection, and then go a degree above it. That is the way to do, for GOD is superior, GOD is perfection, GOD is supreme; and if the supreme has full control within and without, in your affairs and things that concern you, you must express perfection and every expression must be a perfectionated expression; for GOD HIMSELF being perfection, the expression thereof must be perfectionated by His own perfection transmitted. Aren't you glad?
"Take these thoughts to consideration and you will be lifted from every limitation, from every undesirable condition. You will no longer be subjected to an adverse or undesirable condition, for GOD in His own love and mercy is perfection. Aren't you glad? That is the mystery.
"It is every individual's privilege. Lay aside every mortal versionated idea and opinion and revel into the glorious liberty of the sons of GOD, for, Ye are heirs and joint-heirs with the CHRIST,' from that angle of expression; but something I can tell you much better is this: And we beheld His glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth . . .' and of all of His fullness have all we received grace for grace.' Can you not see that is better? That is better than merely being an heir and a joint-heir with CHRIST. Can you not see the mystery? For of all of His fullness . . .' not part of it; not becoming a part of it, as a partial inheritor, but becoming to be, of all of His fullness have all we received grace for grace.'"
(Message reprinted in The New Day, February 13, 1960.)
'FATHER Darling,' one of the Rosebuds said as she spoke to FATHER, 'the advent of YOUR Presence in a bodily form in the consciousness of humanity has freed us from the ideas and opinions of men. YOUR Presence here on earth, and the life of CHRIST exemplified as an invitation to the world to rise above the limited concepts of the world and seek GOD's way of perfection.
"For years, even centuries," she continued, "men have searched and hoped for a higher standard, knowing that what they were experiencing did not bring the desired results and did not satisfy. Mankind continues to search unaware that the foundation for perfection was laid many years ago in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Today, it is lived and put into practice by millions who recognize YOU, FATHER Dear, the author and finisher of all perfection. YOU have stressed and emphasized nothing less than perfection. YOU have spoken it into expression and in actions, from every angle expressible. As YOU have said, self-denial and consecration are great essentials in traveling this sacred journey to perfection. It is essential,' YOU said, to become nothing as far as your former nature and tendencies are concerned; hence, as you cancel late yourself, by eradicating your pre-conceived versions and expressions, the less you are, the more you magnify ME in you. That is the mystery.'
"The best method of self-denial is through consecration and concentration on My Presence, for then you forget yourself completely in focusing your mind and attention wholeheartedly on My Presence through praises and thanksgiving and glory to My Name. This is the way to be lost in the infinite whole. All power in heaven and earth is given to you by the conscious recognition of GOD'S Presence at all times. This is the way Jesus overcame and brought forth the CHRIST Mind within Him. He drew continually from the FATHER in Him by exalting the FATHER and denying everything else. By concentration on My Message, you will get the Truth aright."
(The New Day, August 8, 1959.)
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Her face glowing with the joy of His Presence, another Rosebud in the group said, "In Your infinite Omniscience, FATHER, YOU knew it was necessary to present one who would be living proof that it is possible to produce the qualities, attributes and characteristics of GOD. Therefore, YOU gave to the world Your Spotless Virgin Bride, Who momently fulfills Jesus' counsel in the Sermon on the Mount, Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect'. MOTHER exemplifies this in HER every word, deed and action. HER expressions are at all times those of spiritual dignity and virginity such as the world has not seen. SHE lives in a state of praises. With YOU, FATHER Dear, perfection personified, and MOTHER Dear, the same reproduced and repersonified, we have perfect samples and examples to copy after. We thank YOU our beloved FATHER to strive to copy MOTHER'S devotion to YOU and let nothing invade our thoughts to rob us of Your sweet Presence.
"FATHER Dear," she said, "YOU are the essence of Love and we are thankful to YOU for YOUR pure love that has entered our hearts. Learning to love YOU, FATHER Dear, is a great privilege, for it is the only way we can attempt to repay YOU for Your love for us and the many sacrifices YOU make daily because YOU love us so. YOU sweetly accepted what little we had to offer. YOU appreciated it and nourished it until it began to grow and now our hearts are eager to love YOU still more. We have gotten a taste of real love. There has never been anything so sweet and we cannot resist it. We know we cannot live without it and nothing can take its place, this pure, holy love of GOD. As we concentrate on Your beautiful Body and hold in our hearts, the memories and experiences we share with YOU, Dear, we feel Your love welling up within us and we love to tell YOU over and over how much we love YOU and that no one will ever take the place YOU have here in our hearts. We love YOU, Darling FATHER, more than we ever knew, and as we continue to say it in all sincerity, YOU will perfect this love and make it more real and true. We thank YOU to make it perfect, unadulterated and pleasing in Your holy sight."
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"Teach me to love Thee more,' I hear them say daily. That is the only way to love GOD more is to get your mind off of everything else. So long as you have other outlets in any direction whatever, it is a matter of impossibility for you to love GOD wholeheartedly.
"That is why Jesus the great Love Master, as a person said: Except you forsake all, you cannot be My disciple.' That is why those among you that are devout and sincere apparently are expressing as they are, because they have withdrawn their affections and their devotion, and the concentration of their affections from every other direction, and have directed it in the one and only one direction, which causes an outward expression of sincere devotion, which is commonly known as human affection, or love and devotion."
"In our desire to reach perfection and be pleasing in Your sight, Dear LORD, Another Rosebud said:
"We relinquish all claim on mortality. Its ideas and opinions, fancies and pleasures are all behind us, for we find no pleasure in the world: our only joy and pleasure is in loving YOU, our precious Savior. We see daily the results of a wholehearted consecration and sacrifice, not for a selfish purpose, but because it is our reasonable service to GOD. We are grateful, FATHER Darling, for Your precious words of spirit and life, that we may apply them to our daily lives as we strive to climb higher in consciousness. We have Your beautiful everlasting promise,
"I the Lord thy God am with thee and will be holding thy right hand saying unto thee, fear not for I am with thee. when you shall have made a complete surrender,"
"According to the composition, but a song so often sung in Christendom: All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I will surrender all.
When you shall wholeheartedly surrender all, it will be immaterial to you whether your body or soul is saved, as far as you are concerned. You will be lost in the Will of GOD.
These are thoughts for the advanced mental and spiritual student of salvation,"
FATHER DIVINE'S Words continued,
"that you might learn to prove yourselves workmen, rightly dividing the word of Truth, leaving the principle of the doctrine of CHRIST behind, going on to perfection. We feel as though we are traveling on this morning. We are now traveling from one degree of grace to another. Eventually, all will enter into that place of perfection wherein one of the speakers was speaking concerning a place of perfection, where the perfect shall be discerned. Eventually all will enter into that place where you shall have overcome all things. He that overcometh all things shall sit with Him on His Throne."
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'We rejoice in having YOU and MOTHER, FATHER Dear, another member of the choir concluded, "as our perfect guides on this glorious journey to perfection, and we are eternally grateful to YOU, for not only are we heirs and joint-heirs with CHRIST, but all of His fullness have all we received grace for grace.
"O beautiful and beloved FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE,
Your Rosebuds are well on their way to the great Perfection Climb.
As our ladder of ascension to reach Your majestic Throne
We have chosen our sacred MOTHER for our eternal stepping stone.
"We tread this "Ladder of Unfoldment" with a glad, determined pace,
For we know, our blessed Savior, YOU have overshadowed us
With Your Grace.
"Our first step up is very clear;
It must be self-denial
For naught can enter here but
CHRIST
no selfishness, no guile.
"With footing firm, what joy to travel onward to a higher plane above
Where we find ourselves, our Darling, ascending to Your Love.
What a glorious view with our budlet stride in the Supreme Direction;
We are magnifying YOU and Your Bride through the mirror of
Magnetic reflection.
"Recipients of holiness and chastity,
the superlative of Your Life and Love,
Yes, our hearts are now singing
As each step leads us to a Master's Step above.
"Our faith shall never waver, our hearts the same,
As we hallow, yea, we reverence Your precious Holy Name.
"Though far achievement may appear, its path so very long,
We'll consecrate and dedicate every moment with our sweet "Thank YOU" song.
"Until at last in heart, body and mind, we have made our full surrender;
Scaling the heights of the Woodmont Consciousness
To revel with YOU and MOTHER
In its divine splendor."
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