MOTHER DIVINE, FATHER DIVINE,
Atty. J. Austin Norris and Miss Dorothy Darling
with Mrs. Norris and Margaret Faith behind.
Attorney Norris speaks as follows:
PEACE, FATHER! PEACE, MOTHER! PEACE, EVERYONE!
I want to extend to You, MOTHER, on this Twentieth Anniversary of YOUR WEDDING, My felicitations!
Every time I come to one of our meetings here, I'm left in a little doubt as to whether speech is the best form of conveying your emotions in your thoughts. Every time I hear the singing I feel elated, transcendent. You know, I'm awfully glad to see people get happy about spiritual things.
I go to a football game and a man makes a touchdown and everybody stands up, and they are transcendent for the moment! You go to a baseball game and a home run is made and everybody stands up and cheers! I like to see this same kind of cheering for Goodness! (Thunderous applause resounds as cheers ring out.) And when the spirit moves you, YOU MOVE! Don't pay any attention to a lot of these hypocritical critics.
MOTHER, this Anniversary, as the years multiply, has an increasing meaning to me. If I can pretend to think of what profound thoughts FATHER had years ago when HE took YOU as His VIRGIN BRIDE, I think not only was HE marrying the CHURCH, but that HE was getting SOMEONE WHO would carry on when HE threw off His Physical Form!--when HE wasn't Physically with us any longer. I'm just as certain HE was plotting in terms of a successor--and what a Successor! Not a Successor in the same sense that HE'S not here--HE'S with us all the time! ("Yes, HE is!" came the shout as thunderous applause resounds.) But MOTHER is here to carry it out in the Flesh! That's your understanding, isn't it? ("Yes, it is," sanctioned the masses.) That's good understanding. It makes you feel good. It makes you feel good, not only on account of Her Beauty, but what SHE stands for.
You know, FATHER among the public, His IMAGE, His STATUS has increased after His throwing off His Physical Form, and I'll tell you why! One instance has convinced this money rich nation of His GOODNESS. One incident! During those critical days, I think the Press asked me a thousand times one question, "What an estate did HE leave? How much money did HE leave?" And I told them, "NOT A CENT!" I told them that His Estate consists of PRINCIPLE, GODLY PRINCIPLE! (Thunderous applause resounds.) I told them His Estate consists of GOODNESS, of BROTHERLY LOVE, of FIGHTING PREJUDICE, CREATING DECENT HOUSING and love for EVERYONE! ("It's true!" shouted the multitude.) THAT'S THE ESTATE HE LEFT!! (Again thunderous applause resounds.)
Now I see a lot of the Followers here that I have seen for years, and it hasn't always been like this. It hasn't been always public approval and public acceptance, but little by little, by Deeds--by DEEDS--the public and the world commenced to think of HIM as the great PERSONALITY that HE IS and what HE'S left us. Little by little! You know the Good Book gives us a criterion of judging people. You are not judged by gilded words! You are not judged by your pretense! You are judged by your deeds! By your deeds you shall be known! Isn't that true? ("Yes, it is." came the sanction.)
And by that Standard--we haven't had one since the CHRIST HIMSELF that's been like HIM, have we? Let me just enumerate in a minute. Right now they are coming to the conclusion after years--after years--they are coming to the conclusion that it's bad for people to be poor! They have an anti- poverty program. After all these years, they have decided it's bad in a rich Nation for people to be poor! Well, FATHER decided that thirty years ago, forty years ago, and no true Follower of FATHER is poor! (Thunderous applause resounds.) They are not poor physically; but judging from physical possessions, they are not poor from the standpoint of Hope and all the finer feelings that civilized people endure and accept.
Let me just swiftly enumerate some of the things that FATHER has brought to the world. They are now talking about Education. They are saying how dumb people are now. Why FATHER, HE believed in Education--the very first thing he did! And not only for the young, but for the adult--for everyone! (Thunderous applause again sanctions this remark.) So HE had Schools not only for the Education of the head, but Education of the hands! I think that's equally important, don't you? ("Yes," assured the throng.) And so HE believed in Education so much that HE had Schools everywhere!--Schools without cost!
And those among His followers who wanted to go to college, there was always a way found to send them, wasn't there? ("Yes, indeed," came the quick response.) I see a young man here standing behind me. (Attorney Norris refers to Dr. Peter Love who was raised in the Peace Mission from infancy, a brilliant university graduate, holding a Ph.D. Degree.) (Thunderous applause resounds.)
At long last they find out that the very root of all the evil is residential prejudice, residential segregation! From that, stems school discrimination; from that stems employment discrimination; from that stems a thousand evils that are so manifest and hold back all civilized people! And so what did HE do about that? HE said this is important and conditions are tragic, so HE took them from the slums and gave them the cheapest kind, the cheapest kind--I mean from the standpoint of cost--but the finest kind of shelter when it comes for accommodation. ("It's true," came the sanction.)
Do you know that the YMCA charges you three times as much for a fair type room than FATHER does for a magnificent room! (Thunderous applause again resounds.) And still all over the world they speak about the good work of the YMCA. Why it's great! The man who conceived and the woman who conceived, they all are now great and honored for the conception of Christian Education, of Christian Unity as you find it in the YMCA. But how much Greater has FATHER'S been? (Dynamic applause resounds.)
Right in this hotel, you know about three years ago they wanted to take this for eminent domain, and MOTHER, through Miss Darling, got in touch with me and we opposed it. I don't know, I can't assure you this will never be taken because the University is expanding, but how many university students have come here and eaten and slept, that couldn't have slept and eaten anywhere else, because they were poor? (It's true." sanctioned the enthusiastic assembly.) It's been your great Privilege!
I have heard that song HE'S wedded to every one of His Followers! That's true too, isn't it? ("Yes, indeed!" sanctioned the masses.) And you're wedded to HIM! ("Yes, we are." assured the throng again.) You are wedded to His Ideals! You are wedded to His Purpose, aren't you? ("Indeed we are! Came the thunderous shout.) You are wedded to His VISION! A world without trouble! A world without prejudice! A world without poverty! A world of Brotherhood! That is the VISION that HE brought to this world! ("Yes, it's true, came the sanction, as thunderous applause resounded.)
Now what should I say to you as Followers on this Anniversary? You know, I don't know what would happen to Christianity if there hadn't been that Last Supper when they had that Twelve--when CHRIST spoke to His Twelve Disciples-- "CARRY ON!" I think that somewhere in the Heavens HE'S saying to you, "CARRY ON!" Carry on the Good Housing! Carry on for Morality! Carry on for Decency! Carry on for Brotherhood! Ask yourself, are you carrying on? I know MOTHER IS! Give HER all the support that you can give HER! (Thunderous and dynamic applause resounds.) And may we have the continued Blessings that are bound to come, because OUR PROGRAM IS RIGHT, OUR VISION IS RIGHT and our CAUSE IS JUST! I thank you.
(As Attorney Norris resumed his seat amid thunderous applause, when it finally subsided, to the delight of one and all, MOTHER spoke as follows:)
PEACE, FATHER DEAR, PEACE, EVERYONE!
We enjoyed hearing the remarks of Attorney Norris, who is in a position to state the facts--a member of the Board of Revision of the Taxes of the City of Philadelphia, and has been for years; and is very familiar with the workings of the Peace Mission Movement. And we will be so happy when the world does realize the Principles for which FATHER DIVINE stands, realize that they are the solution to their problems. Not that FATHER Personally sought the Glory, or does HE desire it today, but HE does desire that all men be lifted and emancipated from the undesirable conditions that have continued to beset Mankind, and will continue to beset them as long as they live in division, selfishness, graft and greed and strife
(At this point, MOTHER extended a gracious invitation to all visiting guests to speak, and as many availed themselves of the opportunity, their remarks will be found elsewhere for your edification.)
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