Peace, FATHER ; Peace, everyone:
I find that going up this way a thought appeared to me, if men and women and children outside of the Peace Mission Movement would just stop for a moment and take in consideration these banquets, so-called, and realize the real significance of it as the Holy Communion, that I believe the world would better understand. Of course, you say you speak according to your highest intuition. I feel that the word "Banquet" should not be used so broadly. Since it is a Communion, let the world know it is a Communion, because GOD said,
"As often as you do this, do it in commemoration of my suffering until I come!"
We have studied in the old church that the oversight of the church was so evident by not administering the Communion every day, that that is why Paul said we should create the office of deacons to help the ministers carry out the Communion. It isn't anything to laugh at; it is a very, very serious problem, if you look at it in the right way; and it says if you eat this Communion with unclean hands, hold malice against your fellowmen, being deceitful, being a backbiter, a soothsayer, a trouble maker, a liar; you eat d—nation to your soul. So, I feel as though sitting here partaking of this Communion, I examined myself to find out whether I was worthy. Feeling as I do, I feel that I am worthy.
Sometimes if we should examine ourselves personally — I am talking about friends and members of the Movement — examine our own hearts and find out whether they are worthy of sitting around this Communion Table, I don't think that some of us would feel that we have been slighted because we are not invited. However, you may not like the gospel that I preach or the words that I use, but I have always been frank according to my belief. If I am for you, I will die for you ; if I am against you, I will die against you. The truth will set you free, and if you are a true American, as we exemplify, you must be a brave man, you must be a brave boy; and let us think seriously on these matters, that when we go from place to place carrying out the Peace Mission Movement, that we carry out the entire truth as it should be carried out; then thousands upon thousands will be added to the faith and be able to stand before a mass that is here assembled and say, "Now, to all who might seek, yea, I declared FATHER DIVINE GOD."
If you don't tell the truth as it is, how can men believe? I have heard so many things myself and I have found it so different that when I attempt to explain the story now, people say, "Is that right?" I tell them, "Yes, because I have seen", and we feel as though that when the , one has seen as they have seen in Philadelphia, in New York City more than any place else, and New Jersey, as they have seen in Texas, in Florida, in California, in Alabama and Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, as they see here; this great Movement will have ranking from the Gulf of Mexico to the Dominion of Canada and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and we would have everybody singing as the national anthem, "WE ARE AMERICANS!"
***********************
The Holy Communion Table Bible Institute
PEACE, EVERYONE!
I would just like to say before any or many of our visiting friends get away, what Dr. Barton said in reference to our Banquet Table as we reserve the right to appeal or amend any laws, rules or regulations or even our church discipline, I call your attention to the words he mentioned — our Holy Communion Table.
I would like to say this to you all: if there be any critics of the Reverend, I place MYSELF in a place for criticism that I might be criticized as adopting what he mentioned in connection with the Peace Mission Movement.
It is distinctly known among us that our Communion Services go on every day, but they have been called Banquets. But as he said, since it is a practical course in spiritual psychology — he did not use these words, but I AM using them — since I have brought to the surface the original system of Communion and have made it real, tangible and practical for the sustenance of our bodies and for the unification of our bodies, and souls, we will call it our Holy Communion more and more.
It is our Holy Communion; and at tables where I preside, it is — for all, practically all of them describe our Holy Communion Table, which is as sacred as that which you have ever taken in any church with your respective ritual — ritual-ated devotion. We shall express the actuated words of expression of our ritual-ated devotion in the act of serving our daily Communion. Hence, we shall call it our Communion Service or nothing less than the Lord's Supper and Love Feast.
Jesus told you about it; now we have it and we shall eat it and drink it anew in the Kingdom and we shall discern the LORD'S Body to keep us from being sickly and to keep us from dying. Aren't you glad! For if you do not discern the Lord's Body — it is written and you have said it in your respective churches,
"Take, eat, this is my body —"
we shall discern the Lords Body and we shall take it and eat it and shall materialize it and spiritualize our bodies for,
"The little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,"
according to the promise of Jesus. If any of them can better it, tell them I said, come and tell ME. Aren't you glad!
Now the next thought. When we invited our special invited guests to partake with us if you desire to do so, when you are invited — when you are invited, you are welcome to do so; but it is good for you to examine yourselves and see if you are worthy to take GOD'S materialized Body for the spiritualization of your soul and your body that your soul and your body might be unified together so that the "other fellow," neither can GOD, get one without getting the other. I thank you!
There are those of our invited guests who are invited to partake of the Communion at any of our Communion Services. Just examine yourselves and see if you are worthy, and partake freely. Of course it is set apart originally and customarily for the coworkers who are fully consecrated to the service, but visitors at times are invited to have Communion with us.
It is set apart especially for those who are consecrated to the service, because when they are wholly worthy they should get everything they need for the sustenance of their bodies: food, raiments, comfort and convenience, because they are consecrated to the service. Those who are not fully consecrated, they have plenty of money or whatsoever they do have. They have no right to consecrate or contribute anything to or anything in connection whatsoever as far as the service is concerned unless they are actually a part of it.
**************************
Peace, FATHER; Peace, Everyone:
As I said last night, I say it again, we should stop talking about the banquet table and give it its rightful name as FATHER has given it, the Holy Communion, because it exemplifies the greatest principle in America. It exemplifies the solid claim of Unity of all races, tongues and languages and every man speaking in one accord; thousands, yea, tens of thousands of voices blended into songs of truth. Thousands, yea tens of thousands, yea, millions, upholding the Doctrine of the Peace Mission Movement — so many thousands who have not the opportunity that we have of looking upon FATHER DIVINE whenever we desire, ah — it reminds me of the Scripture that says, "Blessed is he that has never seen me." You know the story of Doubting Thomas; he did not believe until he saw. But GOD said, "Blessed is he that has never seen ME." I feel as though that there are so many thousands who need the truth that if we should go away with this little song in our hearts and preach the Truth as FATHER gives it to us, we would be able to bring more sheep in the fold.
***************