FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE and a Guest Speaker
at the Holy Communion Table,
Bronx, New York City
Many visiting guests and friends were present as usual, including a group of young students of the ministry from the Reformed E. Seminary here in Philadelphia, and during the course of the Service FATHER arose to invite them to speak:
PEACE, EVERYONE: At this instance I have arisen to say, we have visiting guests as usual. We did not wish to disturb you while you were serving your dinner. For this cause I refrained from inviting you to speak. Now since we all have served and I believe we have served generously, we desire to have some dessert from our visiting guests — mental and spiritual dessert such as many people cannot get. I thank you!
One after another, members from the Reformed E. Seminary arose to speak as follows:
Mr. Samuel Eliiot of Greensboro, Pa.:
I am very happy to be here this evening to bring these five gentlemen. There are five of us here tonight — five of us good-looking gentlemen here, on my left. We are in Philadelphia studying for the ministry, and we are all of us out of town, out of state, and we had heard about FATHER DIVINE and we wanted to see for ourselves, like the Queen of Sheba, you know, going to see Solomon — we came to see for ourselves.
Usually when you hear something from someone else that sounds interesting, you want to see for yourself. We are happy to be here tonight. We are happy to be here this evening.
Mr. David E. Faris of Philadelphia:
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank FATHER DIVINE for the wonderful meal I think all of us here this evening have received; rather, I should say, this morning. I just wanted to take this opportunity to say, I worship and love my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I think, as perhaps many of us do here — and I just want to take this opportunity to give praises to His wonderful and glorious Name.
Mr. Robert J. Hallenbeck of Chicago:
Well, this is a predicament for me, being the third man. I am just glad I am not the fifth man.
There is not much more I can add to this, except to say the meal has been wonderful. I really enjoyed it. I have never seen such a feast as this in all of my very short life. It certainly has been wonderful and I wish to thank YOU ever so much for it.
Mr. John A. Siner of Berlin, N. J.:
I wish to take this opportunity to thank FATHER DIVINE for this meal HE has so plenteously given each one of us. I did not know much about FATHER DIVINE, only from what others have told me. I am glad that I have come and seen for myself.
Mr.. Kenneth K. Smith from Tamaqua, Pa.:
Being the fifth speaker, all I can do is to say an Amen to what my four previous brothers have said.
(A lady guest spoke nextly in appreciation of FATHER, saying she was glad to see GOD Almighty face to face, and that it meant more than she could say. Then another young man arose to speak as follows:)
I rise to say that I have dined with FATHER before, but since I have begun to dine with HIM I don't want to dine any place else.
(It was shortly after these speeches that FATHER arose to speak as follows:)
PEACE, EVERYONE: I AM quite sure our young ministers and students for the ministry have heard and know quite well, the Kingdom of GOD is not meat and drink but it is Righteousness, Joy and Peace in the Holy Ghost. The food that we serve for the sustenance of our bodies is but a slight sketch and a reflection of a percent of a fraction of a grain, of a percent of a fraction of a grain of the Food I AM administering to the souls of men.
If I cannot give you something mentally and Spiritually, decillions of decillions of times more value than the material food, I need to go and come again. Although we acknowledge and I will say in all simplicity and modesty, we know we have Banquets second to none, and this is a matter of course with us every day wheresoever I serve our Holy Communion — our Banquet Table — we know we express the superlativeness of the superb — the supremacy of the supreme as far as the material food is concerned; but that is not It of which I represent.
I have members in our Churches in Switzerland, in Germany and in many of our war-zone countries, recognizing MY Actual Presence. I mean, in those countries where it is war-torn; not only war-zone but war poverished and war destroyed; yet by the recognition of MY Presence — they have not seen ME Personally — the Tables are spread in those war-torn and war zone Countries the same as they are here. (Loud applause resounds.) As a practical Psychologist in the actuated Words of Expression, giving a practical Course in Psychology, I have declared by inspiration a composition and as a motto and as a declaration for all of the people:
"The Spirit of the Consciousness of the Presence of GOD is the Source of all Supply and it will satisfy every Good Desire."
This is not just a motto to be rehearsed but it is a conscious conviction and the realization of millions. Where they are conscious of MY Actual Presence where I AM Personally absent as where I AM Personally Present, they find the Abundance of the Fullness of the Consciousness of Good, no space is vacant of the fullness thereof! They find the Spirit of the Consciousness of the Presence of GOD is the Source of all Supply!
The Commission of Christ from the Sonship Degree was that His Name shall be called Immanuel, which. is, being, interpreted, GOD is with us. If mankind would have been fanatical enough and radical enough to have been converted into such an conviction, to believe superstitiously and then convincingly to themselves, that G0D was with them — no man would be in lacks and wants and limitations.
That's why not a true Follower of MINE, is on the breadline! Not a true Follower of MINE is taking the doles! Not a true Follower of MINE will take relief! WHY? Because if they are conscious of GOD's Presence, the Actual Consciousness of GOD'S Presence, which is the Source of all supply, it will satisfy every good desire.
This does not mean that GOD'S Presence would create a whole lot of bums and create and multiply the slums, but to the extreme reverse. The Consciousness of GOD'S Presence will supply you with the abundance of the fullness of the Consciousness of GOOD, and cause you to realize, no space is vacant of the foulness thereof. Aren't you glad! And that is what it is all about!
The material blessings you observe in our possession, they are but the outward expression as a sketch, as a reflection of a percent of a fraction of a grain, of a percent of a fraction of a grain of what I AM actually doing and what I actually have.
I have further declared,
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the ALMIGHTY."
If you are conscious of GOD's Presence and will walk in the light as has been given, you will have a shadow. The shadow is every desirable blessing for the sustenance of your bodies.
Why go around in lacks and wants and limitations? Why go around in adverse and undesirable conditions when GOD HIMSELF is with you — the Creator, the Author and the Finisher and the Giver of all good gifts and blessings.
You have not seen us go through the outward performance of the customary system of praying tonight, but I did say, as I said it Scripturally, "Pray without ceasing." Aren't you glad! ("So glad, GOD Almighty!" came the instant reply.)
"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of GOD in Christ Jesus concerning you."
You will pray without ceasing and will not pray to be seen and heard by men, as the hypocrites and the Pharisees do. GOD will hear your prayers and will answer them, for it is written:
"Before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking 1 will hear."
I mention these points of view because we do not want anyone to think that we think the Wisdom of GOD is meat and drink, but we want you to know that the Presence of GOD and the recognition and realization of GOD'S Actual Presence automatically bring into outer expression, this, these and all other blessings.
There are many things I could say, but I thought to drop these thoughts for the consideration, especially, of our visiting guests as young ministers of the Gospel.
One writer said,
"Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto everlasting life."
But Christ did say,
"First seek ye the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these things shall be added unto you."
Therefore, as seekers of the Truth, if you will seek the Truth, and give praise and thanksgiving for the Truth we are receiving and we are giving — I mean, the Truth of the superlativeness and the supremacy of expression of the perfection of Democracy, of Brotherhood, of Christianity and of Americanism such as no man can give you, why then, you can see Something — and I hope you will see it next time you come. I hope all of our visiting friends will see Democracy in action the next time they come, and to see it and see the kind of world in which we shall live — that is, IF WE LIVE. The kind of world where there are no races. The kind of world where there are no creeds — where there are no colors — where all are living in the Unity of the Spirit, of Mind, of Aim and of Purpose and there is no divisibility among us. I hope our visiting friends will visit, not only these but any and all peoples, wheresoever you may be found — visit our assemblies. But do not base your thoughts on the material food and the material things alone, for the mental and moral things of life, as I have produced and brought to fruition, is the Standard that no man is producing or reproducing, saving those who live the Life of Christ.
In this audience not a true member of our Churches would smoke a cigarette. Not a true member of our Churches would indulge in human affection, lust and passion and self-indulgence after the manner of men. Those of our Christian world, especially, I stress it for your consideration, as Heirs and Joint Heirs with Christ, and as preachers and teachers of the Gospel — it is the Virginity of Mary and the Holiness of Jesus. We are teaching it in the actuated Words of Expression, not only in Words but in deeds and in actions. That is what I AM talking about. And demonstrating the mastery over human affection and lust and passion and self-indulgence. Aren't you glad! And they love to live it — these Attributes of GOD transmitted to the children of men, that I have impregnated them with.
I hope our visiting guests will be able to see such in them the next time they come, and any and all others hereafter — not only those Attributes and Characteristics I mentioned, but Honesty, Competence and Truth.
A True Follower of M1NE would not find one penny on the street and keep it.
Now someone may come along and say, "I have seen some who are YOUR Followers or call themselves followers of YOURS, who have not complied with nor come up to all of those virtues and requirements YOU represent — but I say, IF they are True Followers of MINE, if they would find one penny anywhere on the highway, or if they would find a million dollars, all in one-dollar bills, they would not keep one for themselves; they would advertise it so that those to whom this money would be due, it would return to them again. That is what I AM talking about. (Thunderous applause and shouts of "So true, LORD!" ring out.)
Words are inadequate to explain and depict the significance of MY Work and Mission, but I thought I would just give you a few sketches and a slight reflection of what I AM speaking of. I have people from all parts of the world coming, because they see and they recognize the reproduction as well as the reincarnation and the personification of the Virtues of Mary and the Holiness of Jesus. Those of us who represent this Truth as exemplified among you, present to the world a Sample and an Example of the Perfection of Honesty, the Perfection of Competence, the Perfection of Truth. These Qualities are as Operative and Expressive for others as they are for us.
Now let us live in this recognition and build upon this Foundation, if we wish to. If any of our visiting guests desire to bring any others any time they desire to come this way, they are welcome to do so. They are welcome to participate in our public meetings as well as in the Banquet Hall. They are welcome to participate in all we represent, and see the Virtues of the Presence of GOD. Of course, it is true, at times the great demonstration of the material things of life may cause you to overlook the significance of the Work and the Mission of the Truth I AM teaching and the very Work that saves men alive from death and destruction.
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