FATHER DIVINE'S Rosebud Choir
Demonstrate in Atlantic City, New Jersey
A gala occasion this was indeed, and very benefiting, for it is inspirationally written and sung:
“America must crown our Savior Lord of lords.
“America must crown our Savior King of kings,
For all this righteousness HE brings;
Because of HIS Presence here, freedom rings!”
And truly the world is recognizing more and more each day that wheresoever FATHER DIVINE is, there is freedom; not only National Freedom but International Freedom! And as the Lamb and His International Bride rode triumphantly into Atlantic City at the request and pleasure of its officials, in the special built custom made, chauffeur driven, twelve passenger Deusenberg, that the Lord might be the recipient of the Honorary Degree of of “Hero in the Progress of Justice” and receive a medal so inscribed, our minds ran back a few years ago to the Brigantine Hotel issue and the reaction of some of the Brigantine officials at that time; how in seeking to eliminate FATHER’S Work there, they , in turn, were prohibiting the access of this very same Freedom, of Justice and Democracy in Action!
However, the Triumphant March of Righteousness is On! Indeed, the inscription “Righteousness—Marches On” appeared on the front of every program listing the Ceremonial Celebrations of National Freedom Day, and under this inscription, the American Flag! So truly, GOD is turning and overturning, making a righteous people in the land, and HE is a true Hero and Champion in the Progress of Justice!
Now to relate the incidents and events of the evenings activities which led up to our Lord’s dynamic sermon!
When the Deusenberg pulled up in front of the huge gray-stone Senior High School, the police were waiting to usher FATHER and MRS. DIVINE and HIS immediate party into the auditorium. The organ was playing softly as they entered, but as soon as FATHER and His Bride were sighted as they were escorted down the aisle and onto the rostrum, thunderous applause and cheers echoed throughout the jammed auditorium, and newspaper cameras flashed.
The Rosebud Choir also were seated, as many as possible, on the rostrum, and they made a colorful picture indeed in full dress
Rosebud uniforms of red jackets, white blouses, nave blue skirts and tams, and white gloves.
When FATHER and MRS. DIVINE and party re-entered, having left the rostrum momentarily to be relieved of their wraps, thunderous applause again resounded, as FATHER and His Bride were given the front seats reserved for them.
Shortly thereafter, Senator Frank S. Farley, Senior Senator of New Jersey, and Mayor Joseph Altman of Atlantic City, were escorted in, and they immediately made their way to FATHER and cordially shook His hand. This drew applause, and again lights flashed and cameras clicked. After the other officials scheduled to be present, arrived, including Justice Francis E. Rivers of New York, and Judge of Common Pleas Court Vincent S. Haneman of Atlantic City, former Mayor of Brigantine at the time the followers purchased the Brigandine Hotel, and after several other representatives for some of the officials who could not be present, took seats, the program got under way.
Firstly one and all stood and sang, “The Star Spangled Banner” accompanied by the organ. Then the invocation was given by Rev. John H. Hester. A speech in explanation of Freedom Day and its significance was then rendered by Mr. Clay Clairborn, Co-Chairman of National Freedom Day. Then a musical selection was heard as sung by The Starlight Four Quartette.
Telegrams and acknowledgment of well-wishers and officials who could not be present were then read by Attorney William M Snyder. These included telegrams from Mr. Nelson Rockefeller and General Benjamin Davis, who were to have been awarded medals on this occasion.
A representative from the War Department made a brief address.
Then the FATHER DIVINE’S Rosebud Choir sang and dramatized several inspirational selections given them through the Holy Spirit of our Beloved Lord and Savior. These included “Free, Free, Free”, “I Love America”, “Ah O America” and lastly, “Down With Bilboism!” These songs, filled full with the Electrification of GOD’S Holy Spirit of Democracy in action brought tremendous applause from the well-mixed audience, as well as from the officials and ministers on the rostrum. And 0h, how beautiful our Lord, sweet FATHER DIVINE, did look as HE dramatized the actions of the songs along with the Rosebuds, and how pleased the beautiful Virgin Bride appeared as She gazed upon Her Lord!
Then came the time when, as we all expectantly waited, Mr. Clairborn arose to introduce our Lord to speak, saying simply but very significantly, “FATHER DIVINE!”
As FATHER arose and stepped forward to the pulpit to speak, the tumult of applause and cheers from guests, officials, ministers and the audience alike was deafening. As the noise at last subsided, our Magnificent Lord and Dean of the Universe, commanding the silent attention of all, gave forth this volitional and dynamic Sermon which is a precedent for all government universally to follow, for each word uttered by our Savior is backed by democratic deeds and actions too stout to be denied!
Thank YOU, Almighty GOD, for THY Divine Guidance!
(The foregoing statements are those of the transcriber, after which FATHER speaks as follows:)
"Mr. Mayor, Mr. Chairman, Mr Senator, The Reverend and all of our honored guests; It affords ME no small degree of pleasure to be here tonight, just to stand as a Witness for Democracy and to look over this vast audience and observe the outward expression of Brotherhood, Americanism and Christianity reflected.
"I AM not saying this just because I AM standing before you, but when and wheresoever I see Brotherhood and Christianity exemplified, I AM happy to visualize that Perfect expression of Christianity!
"But I need not go further from that point at the instant, as MY Thought at this particular instant, is that we are here representing the Celebration of Freedom Day as an abstract expression of True Democracy!
"It is a privilege and a pleasure to observe the outward expression of some of the freedoms of which I AM representing! Some of these freedoms that we all love so well are— at least, one especially is Freedom from Wants, Freedom from Lacks and Freedom from Limitations; Freedom from Adverse and Undesirable Conditions; Freedom from Misery, Disappointment and Failure! Aren’t you glad! (“So glad!” replied the audience.) And I came to reincarnate some of these Freedoms as a sample and as an example of this great Democracy!
"It is a pleasure to observe, as afore said, the outward expression of Brotherhood and of Christianity and of Americanism as exemplified in this audience tonight! As I have said from time to time, in the time of our most recent great international struggle against Bilboism, savagery and brutality, I said, “When our boys return again we do not want them to feel as though their fighting was in vain!” I believe if a good many of them were here tonight and could see all real American citizens, ladies and gentlemen, sitting as real citizens of a true Democracy and expressing Americanism and Brotherhood as you sit and stand, I believe the boys would be encouraged to know that their work and fight and bloodshed were not in vain!
"We mean to continue to work for Democracy implicitly, conscientiously and sincerely, until all over this wide extended plane it shall be as it is in this audience tonight!— Where we, the people, will be free from intolerance, free from our former prejudice, free from all strife and confusion, and live Democracy, Brotherhood and Christianity as it is exemplified in this audience!
"What a privilege to live in such a recognition! In such a recognition we are free from fear! Aren’t you glad! (“So glad!” again came the spontaneous reply.) You are not afraid in such an audience as this, of creating a race riot, because Brotherhood is exemplified here!— Because our noble statesmen and representatives of the cloth and other representatives of our people are standing for Democracy and bringing the people together for one common purpose — that is something we can be free from! But so long as we live in races, creeds and colors and division and strife and confusion among us, we cannot be free from fear. We cannot be free from confusion!
"But oh, how glorious it is to look over this vast audience tonight and observe Brotherhood and Americanism taking its stride! Taking its stride on to perfection, where some day mankind will live under the Banner of the Free and will be able to declare in reality, this is the Home of the Brave and the Land of the Free! Just as fee as I AM from lacks, wants and limitations and as free as I AM from adverse and undesirable conditions, even so free can all of us be!
"Jesus said
“Come unto Me, all ye that are weary and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest! Take My yolk upon you and learn of Me, for My yolk is easy and my burden is light and thou shalt find rest for thy soul!”
"We are happy to be free from division, I say, and strife! We are happy to be free from racism! We are happy to be free all of the isms that spell division and create confusion in the land! We are happy to be free from undesirable conditions resulting from slum conditions of our respective cities and vicinities! We are happy to be free from doubts and from fears! We are happy to be free from fear of depressions and all of those undesirable conditions the millions have been undergoing!
"I have heard a good many say that unless democracy was put into action and exemplified among us, those who fought for freedom abroad would feel as though their fighting and bloodshed were in vain! But I AM happy to present to you, My fellow citizens, hearers and friends, a slight sketch and a reflection of Democracy in Action!— Not only religion, but as I have declared, Americanism, Christianity and Democracy are synonymous!
"When we live these qualities of expression and put them into practice, We will be expressing a real Citizenry of a True Democracy; and by so doing we will learn to love our fellow men; we will learn to be more tolerant and respect our fellow man and our womanhood; we would learn to put into practice the Golden Rule!
"Therefore, My fellow Citizens, Hearers and Friends. I AM obliged to stress the thought as I see it!— we the people are coming nearer and nearer to the expression of a Democracy as our Constitution and our Bill of Rights call for! Therefore, as was requested or spoken of by our great national statesman of a few generations ago “that this whole nation, under GOD, might have a New Birth of freedom!”— he did not merely say that some of the slaveric people or some other people that are called the slaveric people, might have a new birth of freedom — but “That This Whole Nation Might Have a New Birth of Freedom!”
"When we are free from hate, free from prejudice, free from division and free from strife, we are going towards the Freedom that Abraham Lincoln mentioned; and when the whole nation shall be free from all of these adverse and undesirable tendencies and characteristics prenataled within you, why then, you will not only have that new birth of freedom that Abraham Lincoln mentioned but that Jesus mentioned when He said,
“Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of Heaved!”
"We believe that we, the people, as American Citizens, are coming to that place in consciousness by the virtue of the fact that a good many of our states in the Union have passed the FEPC, representing the desire of the masses of the people that they desire everybody to have a fair play, and desire Democracy to be put into action as well as spoken of just before election! Aren’t you glad! (“So glad!” responded the audience as they applauded vigorously.”)
"I have long since declared,
“I will preach Christ in words but more so in deeds and in actions, and I will put MY Spirit in the people and I will cause them to walk in MY Statutes!”
"My true followers will not drink intoxicating liquors! They will not owe any man, matters not how great or small their bills may be; they will pay their debts and owe no man because I put MY Spirit in them and I have caused them to walk in MY Laws!
"Then I say, as we live this life, we, the people, will become to be living Epistles, seen and read by men!— no longer merely read of in books, but we will be seen and read by men! Aren’t you glad! (“So glad!” again exclaimed the audience.)
"Just look over this vast audience and observe those of MY adherents, how they abstain from violence, how they abstain from all dishonesty, how they abstain from all incompetence!— I mean the true followers of Mine — Because I have put MY Spirit in them and I AM causing them to walk in MY Statutes by living our Constitution and enacting our Bill of Rights and realizing, we cannot be real American Citizens so long as we are dependents! Can you not see the mystery?
"Not a true follower of Mine is going around soliciting, begging or stealing! Aren’t you glad! (“So glad!” came the response.) I did not come to make public charges — I came to take them off the relief rolls! Aren’t you glad!” (“So glad!” again came the response from the audience, and the officials applauded vigorously.) As I have declared by inspiration and by MY religious and political convictions, I could not be a real American Citizen, according to My version, if I was going around begging and was a dependent! I would not be free from lacks, I would not be free from wants, I would not be free from limitations; going around begging and stealing, I would not be expressing My Citizenry of a True Democracy according to our Declaration of Independence!
"I teach MY following, when our country declared her independence as a nation, we should declare our independence, individually even as our country declared her independence as a Nation! That is why, by the invitation of our committee and your representatives, your Honored Chairman and others, I AM here tonight; because I surrender and render to you the best I have, knowing that the best will come back to ME without any thought of remuneration, without any thought of compensation or anything of that sort! For GOD told the Disciples to go and preach and “take nothing for your journey”!
"I happen to have the honor of being with you tonight and to present a few of these, My Rosebud Choir, as an abstract expression of our Mental and Spiritual Conception, as the Spirit to them has transmitted many beautiful selections according to our convictions. Aren’t you glad!” (“So glad!” again came the volitional response.)
"Then I say, let us live in this recognition and unite together continually, and refuse to be intolerant; refuse to be bigoted: refuse to allow ourselves to be carried away with a mind that will tend to eventually raise and create confusion and disturbances; but love your neighbor as yourself and express it as has been exemplified among you — and this audience as well as other audiences will not have an occasion to regret your presence being among them!
"I thank you very much for your prayerful attention and appreciate the H0nored Speaker and representatives invitation. I hope some day we will be able to present more of our work in detail by the inspiration of the Spirit and by compositions, by songs and by praise, and by the Actuated Words of Expression by endeavoring to do something for the benefit of humanity in general! I thank you."
( As FATHER resumed His seat tumultuous applause resounded, and thunderous cheers rang through the auditorium in praise and homage to the Champion of Democracy in Action!
(The continuance of the celebration ceremonies and the account of the presentation of the medals to the honoraries is recorded elsewhere for your edification and supreme enjoyment.)