MOTHER DIVINE
MOTHER DIVINE:
Being in the Personal Presence of the REVEREND MAJOR J. DIVINE, better known throughout the world as FATHER DIVINE, even once in their lifetime, cannot be taken lightly by anyone who has had that privilege. To have shared many years with FATHER and been in His Presence daily as I have, is a wonderful Blessing, and a very great privilege. The import of this privilege could never be adequately described or conveyed to the world.
It was with great humbleness of heart that I accepted the privilege of marrying FATHER DIVINE on April 29th, 1946. The One loved and revered by millions, whose profound works of love and benevolence for all mankind have been universally acknowledged, had rightly been declared to be GOD Almighty, JESUS CHRIST returned in the Fathership Degree.
I AM proud indeed, to have been chosen to be FATHER DIVINE'S Helpmate, and to be the Personification of the Bride, the Lamb's Wife. I AM proud and honored to be married to GOD ALMIGHTY, FATHER DIVINE. I can truthfully say that it has been fifty years of Joy, Peace, Happiness and Love beyond measure for ME.
It was with a great sense of awareness of the responsibility placed upon ME that I undertook being married to GOD Personified in the Body of FATHER DIVINE. However, I am blessed to know I did not seek this position of honor, and I knew HE would give ME His Spirit and Mind, and HE in ME would fill the Office, as I had surrendered My all to HIM-Spirit, Body and Mind-and wanted only His Will and Way in all things. I have endeavored all these years to REST in His Allness and My nothingness.
It has been a great adventure and a life filled with many wonderful experiences and with many challenges. My deep love for FATHER DIVINE, because of all that HE Personally IS, and all that HE Personally stood for, caused ME to be willingly consecrated and dedicated to HIM and to His Work and Mission. My love for FATHER has not diminished over the years in any way, but has grown stronger, richer and deeper.
The masterful way that FATHER DIVINE has dealt with individuals as well as large groups of people and the profound Truths that flowed unpremeditated from His lips as a free gift to mankind proved to ME that HE IS the Dean of the Universe. By having the privilege to sit at His Feet and learn of His ways, I have gained more knowledge and understanding of life from HIM than I would have gained by attending any college or university in the world.
FATHER DIVINE did not Personally possess a penny. Yet, as My Husband, HE has cared for ME and been responsible for ME enjoying every comfort and convenience. I have had plenty of clothes to wear such as were appropriate for whatever occasion would arise. I have always had a plenty of food of every kind to eat, and have dined daily at a Table fit for any King, Queen or Potentate. I have never had to take thought for Myself from one day to the next. The best of modern transportation has been available for ME to ride in, and I traveled with FATHER wherever HE went.
Although I never had any personal children, I have countless spiritual children of all ages. I could never be bereaved for sisters and brothers. We live as any close knit family, and we love each other dearly, with a Divine, Pure Love that does not selfishly possess, but frees everyone to love and serve GOD according to their calling.
Our Marriage in 1946 was legally performed, and FATHER DIVINE let the world know at that time, that it was not for lust and passion and the propagation of children.
'Ours is a Spiritual Marriage,'
HE declared,
'and it is to universalize Democracy, Americanism, Christianity and Judaism as synonymous, and to bring about the universal Brotherhood of man and the propagation of Virtue, Honesty and Truth.'
Because this has been done through all who are adherents to FATHER DIVINE'S Teaching, MYSELF, the followers and the Peace Mission stand as a beacon light in today's world.
FATHER DIVINE let everyone know that HE married a Spotless, Virgin Bride, and that HE would keep HER Virtuous-and HE did. I can say, as did Mother Divine in the first Body say, that I never saw His Hands or His Body as a man. HE is the same now as HE was prior to 1965. HE IS, and eternally shall be My One and Only Love!
This Spotless and Virtuous Marriage is a sample and example for all womanhood and manhood. They should live virtuous and holy lives and be married to GOD even as I AM. Men who are married should keep their wives pure and virtuous even as FATHER DIVINE has kept ME pure and virtuous. The world is facing destruction because of over population, the AIDS epidemic, and other debauched life styles and characteristics, and in these fifty years, I AM proud to have lifted up this Standard of Holiness and Virtue to counteract these degenerating factors.
Because of My Conviction that FATHER DIVINE is GOD, I welcome everybody today, as I did when FATHER married ME, to love HIM and be married to HIM Spiritually even as I AM married to HIM legally. FATHER DIVINE is the Perfect Husband and Companion, with or without a Body No one could possibly want for a better or more satisfying Husband or life's Companion.
FATHER DIVINE had all the desirable characteristics along with the disposition and Personal traits that made HIM unlike anyone I had ever met, and yet in HIM, I found everyone I ever loved and cared for. HE has been kind and considerate to the countless numbers of people that HE had dealings with, never lowrating or belittling anyone to their face or behind their back.
FATHER always understood each one of us as HE patiently listened to us as we told HIM things that were stressing our minds, whether it was some activity or experience of the day, or our latest spiritual illumination, or a difficulty in overcoming ourselves, or a problem in getting along with others. His Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding so freely given, brought Light and Faith to us, and HE was forever encouraging us in this Holy Way
FATHER DIVINE was unflinching in His demand upon HIMSELF and upon us, to be strict in adhering to the Law of the Spirit of Life and the commitment to this Virtuous, CHRIST Life. No one was more relentless in this matter than HE. However, we were free, and could be led by our highest intuition. HE did not coerce us in any way whatsoever. He told us the Truth. HE said what HE meant and meant what HE said. HE lived His Convictions and was true to His own Word. HE did not compromise the Truth to appease mortality in us as followers or anyone else, no matter who they were. This is one of the reasons I love HIM so.
FATHER was indeed Personal. HE had a special way of making each one who was sincere in living the CHRIST Life and endeavoring to please HIM in their deeds and actions, know that HE Personally loved them and that HE Personally was interested in everything that concerned them and that they were personally concerned with. If we deviated, we would feel a detachment from FATHER Personally, even if HE did not say anything. Many times HE would take His Precious Personal Time to correct us and let us know our faults and disobedience. So HE truly was Personal-but HE was also very Impersonal.
FATHER DIVINE always kept HIMSELF remarkably free. HE was obligated only to the Infinite Mind and Spirit of GOD. HE moved in the Spirit and did not allow time and circumstances to bind HIM. Each true follower came and freely volunteered their services to serve in the Peace Mission under FATHER'S Personal Jurisdiction. They came freely and they could go freely. FATHER was never obligated to any, even the coworkers. MYSELF and Peninnah Divine are the only ones FATHER was bound to. FATHER would say, "If you want to be with ME, fine. If you do not want to be with ME, that is alright too." This meant Personally as well as mentally and spiritually.
FATHER DIVINE had no Personal financial worth. HE did not receive a salary or have any source of monetary income. HE depended on His Holy Spirit to take care of His Personal needs. The Church would voluntarily do this without FATHER asking It for anything. So FATHER did not have anything to give ME Personally. The Church took care of My needs the same as the Church took care of FATHER'S needs, as well as all the consecrated and dedicated coworkers. I never did, or ever had the desire, to bind FATHER in any way as a natural woman would bind her husband to care for her. FATHER always assured ME that I would not want for anything, and I certainly have had an abundance of every material blessing.
How wonderful to know that the true Heavenly Bridegroom is here, and if we surrender our hearts, our minds and our bodies to HIM, we can "live happily ever after." We need not fear domestic violence of any kind. We need not fear being financially or economically insecure. We need not fear being lonely and having no companionship. We do not have to worry about infidelity or ever getting bored or losing the thrill and the sweetness of the moment we first fell in love with FATHER, because HE is ever new, ever the same, and if we don't change, HE never will.
I AM satisfied being Married to FATHER DIVINE, and I have nothing to regret. If it was necessary, I would do it all over again. As the words to a song say, I affirm, on this, My Fiftieth Anniversary of My Marriage to FATHER DIVINE:
'If I had one thousand hearts to give, I would give them all to YOU!'
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