FATHER and MOTHER (Peninnah) DIVINE
FATHER DIVINE'S marriage to the first MOTHER DIVINE was on June 6,1882 and at that time, it was also a Spiritual Marriage – totally dedicated to the service of GOD and humanity.
During President Grover Cleveland’s 2nd administration when the Jim Crow Laws were being enacted, FATHER DIVINE took a righteous stand by going south and presenting His body as a living sacrifice to prove that a man is a man and not a race, creed or color. During His Mission there, He was handled by the lynch mobs thirty-two times – coming out unhurt and unharmed. Returning north, He resided in Brooklyn, New York and continued His work of feeding, housing and clothing the needy gratis. As His name spread abroad and millions witnessed His Supernatural Presence, they made their declaration known that, “FATHER DIVINE IS GOD.” For them, the Messiah had returned and He was healing the sick, raising the dead, personifying and preaching the Life of CHRIST.
As you view the various displays and read FATHER DIVINE’S life-giving words of Spirit and Life, you will learn more about the supernatural Work and Mission of FATHER DIVINE.
When FATHER DIVINE married PENINNAH DIVINE on June 6, 1882 She declared, because of His deity She wanted to be His Helpmate, and during the years of Her consecration and dedication to His Work and Mission, She fulfilled Her Sacred Vows. FATHER DIVINE also explained the purpose of Their marriage in the following excerpts taken from some of His sermons:
“Since 1882, on the sixth day of June MOTHER DIVINE gave Her time and service for the Up-building of humanity to bring about what we all have here tonight – Brotherhood, Christianity and Democracy.”
“Our marriage was not for the purpose of physical propagation, neither for the purpose of physical cohabitation but to produce the Virginity of Honesty and Competence and Truth and to give this Whole Nation a New Birth of Freedom, of Virtue, of Unity and of Tranquility.”
(These quotes were taken from FATHER DIVINE’S sermons given 4/30/46 and 8/21/46)
Those who were with FATHER DIVINE Personally in the earlier years have deep-seated convictions about Him and can relate instance after instance of His marvelous Work. Only an inner revelation of some of His Nature and Characteristics could give the least knowledge of who FATHER DIVINE is. After the first Mother Divine had been married to FATHER DIVINE for over half a century, She said that She had never seen anything but GOD about Him. Reflecting back to times when those about Him thought they fully knew the Path He was traveling in a certain direction, She recalled how Father would suddenly broaden the Pathway beyond the limits of their understanding. It was in moments like this that His Infinitude could be fully realized.
After the Jim Crow Law was enacted in the south, FATHER DIVINE said,
“I will present My Body as a living sacrifice to redeem this people:”
FATHER DIVINE
“I am going south and prove to the world that the Gospel can be preached without money and without price...
“I will prove that CHRIST died that you might live, and He did not die that you might die and go in the grave and then go to heaven……
“I will also prove to the world conclusively, ‘Out of one blood GOD created all of the nations to dwell upon the face of the whole earth,’ and I have come to bring them all together!”---FATHER DIVINE
- 3/23/42
As an itinerant preacher in the earlier years of His ministry, FATHER DIVINE walked among men trying to hide His identity. He preached the doctrine of love through the Life of Christ and the brotherhood of man. Traveling from city to city, He often attended the various denominational churches offering His Service to those who would accept of it. Those who accompanied Him quietly voiced their belief in FATHER DIVINE’S Deity, but never publicly, for it was not yet His Will to be exposed to the public as an individual. His searching doctrine agitated many to such a pitch that He was Personally cast into the hands of mad lynch mobs thirty-two times. In the face of this intense hatred, the Presence of His Omnipotent Spirit activated by those with Him filling the air with hallelujahs brought Him out each time unhurt and unharmed.
In the years following FATHER DIVINE’S return from the south and up to 1919, He and Mother Divine resided at a home about a Block from 70 Lefferts Place. From 1939 to 1953, the followers of FATHER DIVINE had a public dining room that served meals for ten and fifteen cents at 70 Lefferts Place, Brooklyn, New York City. Also, during that period, FATHER DIVINE visited, lectured and served banquets there. This community, along with many others at that time benefited from the marvelous Work and Mission of FATHER DIVINE as HE blessed thousands with food and shelter daily. At the ceremony for Landmark Status for 70 Lefferts Place, County Commission Chairman Robert B. Tierney said, “This elegant Home has defined the character of this neighborhood for a century and a half, and we are thrilled that it will continue to have a presence for generations to come. It is an architectural, historic and cultural treasure and deserves to be protected.”
The Mission at Lefferts Place, Brooklyn, New York City
In August of 2008 we were getting ready for the ground-breaking event for the construction of FATHER DIVINE’S Librarywhich was to take place 2 days later. FATHER sent 2 beautiful rainbows which we felt was a sign of approval of the coming event.
Ground Breaking for FATHER DIVINE’S LIBRARY at THE MOUNT OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, WOODMONT took place August 12, 2008 AD 63 FD, 10:AM. Here is some of what took place that day:
On “Freedom Plaza”, The Mount of the House of the Lord, Woodmont, we were assembled on this beautiful day to witness History in the making. The Speakers, etc. were as follows:
MOTHER DIVINE
Mr. Fred I. Bissinger, Jr. - Architect
Mr. Jerry Hadden, - General Contractor
Mr. David Perkins, - Perkins Construction
Mr. Roger Klaus - General Overseer
Dr. Leonard Primiano
MOTHER DIVINE
Mr. Fred I. Bissinger, Jr. - Architect
The Ground Breaking - MOTHER DIVINE
MOTHER DIVINE - Roger Klaus at the camera.
Jerry Haddin
David Perkins and Jerry Haddin.
Dr. Leonard N. Primiano - Professor at Cabrini College.
MOTHER with Miss Yvette Calm.
Dr. Leonard Primiano - of Cabrini College was present at the Holy Communion Service : “Circle Mission Church” on Sunday, August 17, AD 2008 FD 63 6:PM Banquet. Spoke relative to the Occasion as follows:
“The imploring event that happened this week is the “Ground Breaking” for FATHER IVINE’S Library at Woodmont. (Cheers) That really was, or it is better to say it is an important event in the “History of Religion in the United States.”
That Library is dedicated so that all of those artifacts and communications and favors and letters and everything else are preserved. I know MOTHER DIVINE has been for a long time working for that; so again I say to You MOTHER, “Congratulations!” for having that happen; and for giving that Leadership to Your Followers to help You make that happen. (Applause)
I was privileged to be present for the “Ground Breaking.” It was a beautiful day. Beautiful weather. That was truly a pleasure, not too hot. It was just a very nice experience in general. We heard not only from the Peace Mission, but we heard from the gentlemen who will be constructing the building and the architect. There was excitement as we saw the plans for the building. We could get some sense of what it was all about. Thank You MOTHER for sharing all of that with everyone; and thank You for sharing that with me at that time. I know when I am experiencing History; and that was an experience of History. And so thank You so much for having been a part of it. In the least, I like to think that when I share those events with my students that I am letting another generation and then another generation hear about it from somebody who was there. That’s a reason for people remembering an event for themselves.”
Thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE
There is a “DVD” record of the Occasion and more photographs; also a Cassette Recording taken at the “Woodmont Family Dinner Table,” on the evening of “Ground-Breaking;” with MOTHER DIVINE’S and others’ comments.
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