The Lamb and the Bride, FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE
(At the Banquet Table on this occasion the first course served by FATHER was oatmeal. Following this, as usual, the milk was passed. Ordinarily the serving of sugar would follow; however. as this was not forthcoming, after a few moments from various places at the table was heard, "Thank YOU, FATHER, for sugar." Nevertheless, FATHER continued without serving sugar at this particular time, and it was not until after coffee, tea and postum had been served that the sugar was passed for these beverages. Then FATHER asked if any had taken advantage of this opportunity to take sugar for their cereal. There was no response, and then our SAVIOR revealed the significance of this apparently unimportant incident.)
"Now, those who did not want to take their medicine, according to the D. D. at this particular instance, it does not mean that it is always a rule this way, but this morning those who did not want to take their medicine according to the D.D., they may have the required request by the M.D. not to eat any sugar or any starches at all.
"Now there are those who do not want to obey ME just in one instance like that, when I try them out. They are not willing to suffer the punishment to go to "the other place" with ME to eat oatmeal with sweet milk one time without sugar. That is as hard for them to do as it is for those who are true to go to "the other place" with ME, because some of them did not do it and did not want to do it. Some of them did not want to do it and some would not do it; yet they say they are following ME and are willing to go to "the other place" with ME; and that is not even grapefruit sour. If it was that you were eating grapefruit, you would have an alibi, or lemons, but you know it is not something sour or something of that sort that would actually change the taste in your mouth.
"So, I thought I would try you all out.
"By their fruits ye shall know them."
"Now, this is not a law that a person cannot eat sugar in their oatmeal if they want to, but at this particular instance, at this particular time I was trying out those who call themselves MINE, to see if you were willing to suffer and punish yourself with ME and go to "the other place" with ME, to eat a serving of oatmeal without sugar, having nice sweet fresh milk. I know that some day, no doubt if you do not want to obey the D.D., the M.D. will tell you not to eat any starch at all at any time and not any sugar even in your coffee, nor in anything else. If the M.D. does not tell you, the Secretary of War may tell you.
"It is not a law or a rule that you should not or could not use sugar with your oatmeal, but at this particular service, I just tested you out to see if you would suffer such punishment as to eat some oatmeal without having sugar in it. In their ways and actions by their actuated words of expression and in their actuated illustrations they would be saying that it was such a punishment that they could not nor would not eat it, or rebelled against eating it without sugar at this particular time, you see.
"Now, I want you all to understand this is not a law that I send out that MY followers cannot eat sugar in oatmeal nor in any other cereal, but at this particular instance it was an expression of a sketch and a reflection to give them the test of it, to see, were they willing to deny their human appetite at this particular time to please ME; and those who were willing to do it, they willingly did it without a comment, without a drawback; but those who were not, they balked on it, you see, and did not want to do it. And after I passed the sugar, I thought I would give them a chance to accept of it if they wanted to, by passing the sugar for the coffee, tea and postum, and I gave them the test of it — and those who did, they know whether they did or whether they did not.
(As FATHER stopped speaking, a sister from Minnesota testified stating that she thanked FATHER for the whipping. FATHER 'questioned her as to why she felt she had been whipped when HE was speaking to those at the table concerning the oatmeal. She replied that HIS Message had hit her because she had even failed to deny herself in the simple thing of not holding a conversation with the brakeman on the train. Then FATHER continued as follows:)
"Well, of course, that may be true — still it may be true but that was a different subject at this particular instance, you see. The words I had spoken in reference to that it did point out to how the different individuals are not willing to sacrifice their lives and deny themselves for ME as they should be, but I was especially speaking to those whom we were serving at the table at this particular instance. But it does point out, as I say, the acts of others, how they disobey through self-indulgence and through an attempt to appease the greedy appetite of selfish human tendencies or human fancies or human pleasures, you see. It does point out such. Those who are true, when we branch off, when we start at the table, then we can expand.
"Those who are true will deny themselves of every mortal thing that would apparently be required by ME that they deny such things. The sacrifice of the mortal is the gain of the immortal, so you lose to gain. You see the mystery?
"As I often say, I AM demonstrating it in MY daily activities, in MY daily going to and fro. If I feel you are in perfect harmony with ME and you are not confining in the least and do not have the spirit of a mind that is in opposition to ME, I may at that particular time even say, allow you to go with ME some place — I mean if you would be around where maybe I would not want you to go if I knew you were not in harmony. Therefore you may, if you be living in the city, like some of these here who come with ME from time to time, miss a ride two hundred miles. Of course, that does not amount to much, but so many others do think it is a great thing to have the pleasure to ride even say on a train in which I ride. You see the mystery?
"But more so when they consider riding with ME privately in the privately owned car, you see. Some people would think it was a great thing. Some people would think it was a great thing to have the pleasure and the privilege to come in the audiences in MY dining rooms and just stand and look. So many people cannot get in; but oh, how marvelous and what these should think who have the privilege and the pleasures of sitting with ME all the time, if they obey MY Commandments and love GOD.
"There are others who come all the way from Europe, Asia and Australia and elsewhere just to get a chance to sit at this Table. Whatever Table I AM officiating at, I AM serving, they think it is such a glorious thing and a great honor. Here are these who have the chance daily if they love ME and obey ME. But then, perchance it may be that they may disobey sometime and may miss a ride a hundred miles and around about in and out of the different Extensions and return back to the New York Kingdom. So then, it is a blessing in consideration to those who see such things as a blessing. See the mystery?
"But oh, how glorious it is to live in the Actual Presence of GOD, for if GOD pleases you in every degree, you please GOD. If GOD does not please you, you do not nor cannot please GOD until GOD can please you; for GOD must please you firstly before you can please GOD. You will not have any pleasing to please GOD with, unless you get your pleasing or your pleasure from GOD. Then when GOD pleases you in all things, you will please GOD in all things. It is vice-versal. It works! So it is a wonderful privilege, when you crack the shell of mortal limitation and get home where GOD is.
"When you are lost in the Will of GOD, GOD is lost in the will of you. As far as you are concerned, GOD is lost in your will as you are lost in HIM; and GOD does not care much about what you do, when you are lost in HIM, because HE knows you can only do as far as HIS Will allows. So it is a wonderful thought.
"Truly might the Spirit have said through one in the name of such a one through which the composition came:
"Oh to be lost in the Will of FATHER, DIVINE."
"You see how wonderful it is. It makes you feel good! You feel pretty good then, do you not Miss N? But you do feel good though. That goes to show you how sweet GOD is. It is Wonderful! If you don't want to be in GOD'S Will, you don't have to stay in it. (At this point FATHER began to sing this little song, joined in by all present:)
"Oh, to be lost in the Will of FATHER DIVINE. (I heard you say)
Oh, to be lost in HIS Holy and Righteous Mind,
Free from all sorrow and worry,
Free from all misery and woe.
Heaven we once knew,
FATHER has made it all come true —
HIS Love and HIS Joy shall abide.
Keep HIM in your breast, and you'll find eternal rest —
Oh, to be lost in HIS Mind."
(FATHER continues speaking as follows:)
"It is Wonderful ! It is all in getting in the Will. Let GOD's Will be done in you and your will will be done in GOD. You know it is true! It is Wonderful! You don't know how good you feel until you get in the Will of GOD."
(And again the assembly took up the beautiful song just sung, the many voices blending together in sweet harmony.)
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