FATHER DIVINE at the Rockland Palace, New York City
Despite the humor that was interjected in this Message, there was Wisdom personified herein. FATHER spoke of the manner in which many of the different ones, claiming to be followers, have acted, since the establishment of the Promised Land, and reference was made to a play or drama which was given some months ago, by members of the Connection, showing how many who have conceived the idea that Heaven was a place for individuals, upon reaching there, to sit down and tell the sweet story of how they got over, have actually enacted it, and made it a reality in their individual lives.
FATHER proved to all once and forever that Heaven is a progressive place, and not a place for loafers, slothful or unprofitable servants. There is no room for such expressions in the Kingdom of GOD, and if perchance this type of character should by some means enter the Portals of Glory, they would be swallowed up, and trampled down with the rapidity and progressiveness of the activity of the Movement, for we are told by the Scripture,
"In the beginning GOD worked six days, and rested on the seventh,"
but in this advance civilization, where progress has constantly been made ever since the utterance of this statement, it should be understood by all that a greater unfoldment of the Kingdom of GOD has come into manifestation, hence GOD continues to work unceasingly, and the Angels with HIM, as the Manifestation of His Handiwork, permit Him to express through them in a profitable, practical and serviceable way, that they might be living Epistles, seen and read of, by men, as practical and profitable servants of GOD.
When FATHER mentioned the dramatization of this play, there was much primping of mouths and wide open smiles, at the remembrance of how the players played the part of individuals with their little knapsacks on their backs, hitchhiking to the Promised Land, going to eat milk and honey the rest of their days, and sit down in the Kingdom with the rest of the Angels, with King JESUS, and with GOD the FATHER. "Home at last," no more troubles, no more responsibilities, no more work or the thought of work, for they had reached the Land of Canaan, where the milk and honey flow. This they figured was their reward, but after this great Intelligent, Instructive and Constructive Message, it is very evident that understanding has been reconceived by all of those who had conceived such a thought, and those whose experience has been such in the past, and now readily understand the practicality of GOD, and the "tangibilization," the realization and the reality of the Kingdom of Heaven on the Earth Plane, among, and in the midst of the children of men.
The great significance of this Message is, by being real, being true, faithful, devout and obedient, the children of men will come into possession of their rightful inheritance, for the earth is the LORD'S and the fullness thereof, and that which is just and right shall be meted out to everyone who is worthy of same, even as it has already been done unto thousands and thousands, yea, unto millions of the true and faithful Followers.
A beautiful love song to the lover of the souls and bodies of men, was being sung by the great assembly, and at the conclusion of same, FATHER released these Mysteries, which are the blessings to usward, and for same, we humbly express our thanks and our gratitude to the Blessed Redeemer of man.
Peace, Everyone:
("Peace FATHER Dear!" responded the packed assembly.) While listening to that song, I was thinking at the time of sometime ago, there were many of the different individuals who heard of the Promised Land, and they desired to go out where they could have a nice time. You all remember the play they had of it! (There was laughter at the remembrance of the same.) That is just the way it is with lots of people — they can love GOD so much in pretense, through emotions, through yelling and actions of expressions in the way of emotions, but not in reality in praises, or praise and service. If you love ME so much as you say you do, let your love and devotion become to be practical, profitable and good-for-something. If you do, you will show it. The love of GOD in the children of men, is expressed or manifested in service to HIM. It is something to consider.
There are those who are apparently super-emotional the same as the counterfeit money. The person who handles the counterfeit money, they want to get it off on someone as quick as they can. There is a counterfeit and there is a real. The counterfeit will endeavor to copy after the real. If you are not an expert, you cannot tell it, but GOD knows every counterfeiter. GOD knows whether you are real or unreal, therefore I say, if you are real , or even if you think you are real, still yourselves for a little while, and weigh yourselves on the scale of Justice, and see if you have the Mind of CHRIST.
If a thought comes to you to do something, or say anything, you should consider would this be for a selfish purpose, or for an unselfish purpose. The Mind of CHRIST will lead you in the way of self denial, but the thought that will lead you in the way of self justification, especially when you are not expressing scientifically the TRUTH concerning your MAKER, that thought is, not the thought of GOD.
Jot these thoughts down in your vocabularies. The next thought — if you really love GOD as you say you do, the Spirit in you, will not try to prohibit the Work and the Unfoldment of MY LOVE and DEVOTION through others. Whensoever a Spirit endeavors to prohibit the Unfoldment of the Spirit of testimonials and of Compositions of TRUTH, when My LOVE is flowing so free, whensoever that spirit rises in you to disturb and to prohibit the Spirit from working harmoniously, you may know that spirit is not of ME.
Now there are some, who when they begin to sing from time to time, it moves the Spirit of love from the depths of your Soul to the crown of your head—the Spirit of Love and Devotion, but there are at these times, those among you, who will try to attract and distract the attention and the expression as a prohibitation of the expression and unfoldment of this LOVE. Weigh your thoughts and your actions on the scale of JUSTICE, and consider whether you are in harmony with the Spirit, or inharmonious to it. Now isn't that wonderful?
These thoughts are well worth considering. There are those among you at times the Spirit may be in, the Spirit of ecstasy expressly manifested in each and all of the audience, apparently, still that spirit in you at times, will try to prohibit the Spirit of ecstasy from being exhibited expressly, as it is being exhibited and manifested. Now watch that Spirit in you. There is a time and a season for all things. When the Spirit of ecstasy exhibited among you, has access, and you are abundantly Blessed, all of the audience apparently is caught up in the vibration of Love and Devotion, not confined to that of emotions, but expressly Love and Devotion through endeavors. Watch that spirit that will try to prohibit the expression of that Love and Devotion, from being exhibited. Watch that spirit I say, which is to say, watch yourselves and be mindful how you entertain these vibrations when they come forth into expression, if they are coming forth in the Spirit of ecstasy or if they are coming forth in the spirit of dancing, or any other expression. When the Spirit spontaneously puts forth itself in these expressions, see that you as an individual, with an adverse thought, do not bring forth an expression of an emotion to prohibit or hinder the access of such an expression that may be put forth into outer expression through sincere devotion.
Oh! it is something to consider. It is the same as if you were on the ballroom floor, if one comes in and jumps in the midst of you, in the set, and will put out the dance, causes you to lose your step, it is an outward expression of a discordant individual or expression, so it is with the emotions among us. MY SPIRIT and MY PRESENCE, if you are in harmony wholeheartedly, will not cause you to express an expression that will cause the expression to be conflicted or prohibited when the expression is of MY SPIRIT.
Do you not see yourselves at times, when the Spirit emotionally may be expressing in ecstasy, of dancing or shouting or other expressions, whatsoever you may term it to be, and you will run in at times, and cause the expression to lose its ecstasy by your attraction—by you attracting the attention, and by your prevention or prohibitation, the individual may lose the step which the Spirit has given them. Suppose they are dancing the Holy Dance, and if you come in with an adverse step, by the expression of an adverse mind, you may conflict that individual's step and the other individuals who may be dancing at that particular time.
Jot these thoughts down in your vocabularies. Hereafter, the Spirit of each and every individual will be harmonious, if they are of ME, Even though they be super emotional, they will be harmonious. They will not be conflicting, neither will they be an expression of prohibitation exhibited. The UNITY of Spirit, of Mind, of Aim and of Purpose, the UNITY of all of our endeavors will keep us in HEAVEN, but where there is division, there is strife. Where there is a continued division among many people, or many expressions, there will be the "other place" instead of HEAVEN. Now isn't that wonderful? ("Truly wonderful!" agreed the multitude.)
It is wonderful to know it, if it is not so wonderful to be it. Now isn't that wonderful? Take these thoughts to consideration. As I was going on to say, — going out to the Promised Land, and finding GOD has abundantly blessed the land with horses and cows, chickens and ducks, rabbits and pigs and pheasants and deer, with a full and a plenty for the true and the faithful, who will live Evangelically wholeheartedly, but remember, if you endeavor to tramp your way out there, or hitch-hike without the permission, by being persistent in selfishness to carry out your selfish endeavors, you may be hindered, and may not enjoy it, but to the reverse, if you will go according to the Command of GOD, and will be in harmony with HIM, in all of His Works and in all of His Ways, be filled with His Love, according to the same, you may go out in an automobile, but you may return in an airplane.
This was just the experience of some, by going out according to MY Will, and according to MY Mind, being lost in MY Will, apparently, at the time being willing to serve and to do anything, driving horses and cows around, they went out in an automobile, but they returned in an airplane. Now isn't that wonderful! If it were only for the purpose of being lifted above your fellow, it is an outward expression of what GOD will do for you, much more than what you have ever received, or what any other one has done. There are those of you who have possessed money, and have worked with people who did have plenty of money, and yet you never had the privilege of flying in an airplane.
As the brother was testifying this afternoon, or this evening whichever, how he was working among the chickens, and plowing with the horses, etc., I thought of his willingness to do anything. He went out there in an automobile, but he returned in MY Stead on My Ship, in My Stead, in My airplane. As I was saying when we were getting ready to return, I said, there are those of MY Coworkers and friends, or words to that effect, who would much more enjoy it than I, Myself, for none of those material things appeal to ME, but as there are those of MINE, who have not enjoyed such things on the Material Plane, I desire to give them a chance to enjoy some of them.
I knew it would be more appealing and it would be more far reaching to the individual to have the privilege to fly a hundred miles than it would be to ME, Who has all privileges to fly whensoever I will, therefore, those of you who desire to be Lords, first be willing to be a servant of all, and after becoming to be an expression, as it may be termed, consider that one which is termed "a servant" the same as yourself, and give him the same chance and realize he has a right to enjoy the Blessings that are at your disposal, the same as you yourself and others. This is the only way to express the Love of GOD. If because you think you have access, you, yourselves try to enjoy the best, and for others leave the worse, this is not very much like CHRIST.
"GOD so loved the world that HE gave His Only Begotten Son,"
and CHRIST so loved mankind, HE gave His Life for them.
The reiteration and repetition and the reproduction of the same, all of these expressions have been MY experience, the same experiences should be among you, as the children of men. Now isn't that wonderful! Everything that I can enjoy as eligible and as Evangelical, I desire others to enjoy it, when I know it is not detrimental to them. Oh! it is something to consider, what it really means to be worthy to fill a position, or fill an office.
There are offices, as officials you should fill, it is true, but you should fill them unselfishly, and do by others as you would have them do by you. I have flown out there, it is true, but I desired others to have the chance to return, so those whom I could accommodate at this time, they returned on the Airplane, and, I came by automobile. Now isn't that wonderful! I enjoy flying! I enjoy riding, I enjoy all of those things, for you have declared, and I have the same, "He's got the whole world in His Hand." If HE has the whole world in His Hand, well such small things as airplanes, they are all at His Disposal. We all can enjoy them, and use them as you are found worthy by obedience and by faithfulness, as true and faithful children. I thank you.
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