FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE at the House of the Lord
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And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering,
and laid it upon Isaac his son and he took the
fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said,
My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said,
Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
And Abraham said, My son, GOD will provide himself
a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
—Genesis 22: 6-8
From the Book of Genesis; to the Book of Revelation GOD requested a willing Loving Sacrifice. This is the basis of HIS eternal Administration. Thus, only a wholehearted surrender will suffice!
Abraham was willing to sacrifice, country, kinfolk and his only son. The same is required of us in this latter day. Then when the perfect work in us is done mortality will no longer have power to sway!
Each personal sacrifice is a step toward perfection. Whether it be on an individual or governmental plane every flaw must undergo the minutest correction. There can be no spot; no wrinkle; no stain!
Many sacrifices were made before America became a nation. Yea, before it could become to be the Birthplace of GOD'S Kingdom on earth and before HE would proclaim HIS Personal Administration every vestige of Eve and Adam must be purged from the sod.
The 56 signers of that immortal Declaration Pledged their lives, their fortunes their honor, in a sacred vow; That their posterity and that of all future generations Would inherit the independence we enjoy here and now!
The crack in the Liberty Bell is not an infamous flaw that would profane the truth of a lasting Democracy; But rather a scar of a gaping wound of Freedom won by DIVINE Law The ultimate sacrifice made to end all tyranny and racial hypocrisy!
The Sacrifice made by this Sacred Marriage was to cleanse the earth of all debauchery, sin, indulgence, and crime; That under this Sovereignty all might enjoy a new Birth; To live a life free from all adulterous grime!
HIS Holiness and Virtue must be the immovable cornerstone. That's why HE reproduced in HIS Spotless Bride; The Personification of HIS Virtue and HIS alone that all creation might be made worthy to stand by Their Side!
CHRIST and the CHURCH — Chastity and Virtue Exemplified. The Blueprint that all must eventually embrace; This is the Message portrayed by the LAMB and the BRIDE. This is the only Salvation for the whole human race!
GOD bound HIMSELF that all others might be forever free. HE magnified the Law and made it honorable indeed; This is the SACRIFICE that proclaimed the nation's Liberty O creation! still your egotistical self and humbly take heed!
We now stand on the threshold of a New Frontier; All things bright and beautiful await us there; But our personal sacrifice must be worthy; must be sincere; For we will be judged, but the judgment will be mete and fair!
We must prove our worth by our willing self-denial Lest we fall short of the glory and dismally fail ; For today mortality is facing its severest trial Before it can reach for and attain the HOLY GRAIL!
We can not return to our First Estate; Where we once dwelt in the Bosom of our GOD; Unless every bit of self we willingly cancellate And firmly place our feet where HIS have trod!
Here is the wood; here is the fire; now comes the loving, sacrifice Isaac was spared because Abraham was totally willing; To pay this supreme, though heart-breaking price; In humility the LORD'S Will he was faithfully fulfilling!
Now it is our turn to faithfully do the same; To stand in purity on Mount Sion with the LAMB and the BRIDE; With Honor and Glory to eternally magnify Their Holy Name In virtue and holiness to faithfully stand by Their Side!
This is our prayer and our heart's sincere desire Our Love for CHRIST and HIS CHURCH know no bounds; Accept now the wood, the sacrifice, yea, the Holy Fire While the music of our adoration through the universe resounds!
The great scroll of time has revealed the ponderous mystery of the parables spoken of by the Christ of two thousand years ago, and by scriptural prophecies now fulfilled through the Marriage of GOD to his Spotless Church
Through this great drama, historically speaking, America has found its guiding star of liberty. Its visionary concepts have come alive in the Truths revealed by GOD FATHER DIVINE and in His Works of Righteousness. The darkness of terror has given way to the shining light glowing above the distant horizon. Trembling fear is waning, for it is at its impasse, but Love — Love — is boring its way into the hearts of tempered Americans.
America calls it Democracy, and it is Democracy. This LOVE — all capitals — is surfacing in untried corners of this great Republic. It is exerting itself in the long bewildered and misguided people of America. LOVE is moving up from the pedestals of top-seated~officials, showing them the futility of vicious power and greed. It is enthroning itself in their hearts and minds, giving them new vistas of inspiration and Truth never before understood, or even desired.
The, great drama of the Marriage of FATHER and M0THER DIVINE is the unique and perfect answer to America's problems. As the ever-present sun that gives of its light and warmth, ever ejecting its magnetic strength and power, so is the constant Presence of GOD the magnetic life giving spiritual light and hope to all mankind.
"What is truth?" Pilate queried of Jesus, and even as he spoke, the spirit of justice in Pilate departed from him. But for the sacrifice called for, Jesus allowed injustice to mock and try Him and condemn Him to death, even the death of the Cross. And as the Truth though crushed to the ground arose eternal and free, so did Jesus rise from the grave — from the graven images of mortal concepts and misunderstanding.
And this is it that GOD FATHER DIVINE has likewise suffered and experienced in this latter dispensation. For the Truth's sake HE has taken on the burdens of America, and the marks HE has borne are the scars America will ever wear until it is truly clothed in the robe of the red, white and blue — the virtues of Righteousness, Justice and Truth.
America's anniversary is at hand and its people are becoming aware of things spiritual and true. And as they seek the deep virtues of Americanism they cannot escape the high standard and first-class citizenry of FATHER DIVINE's Peace Mission Movement.
Oh, how plainly has this Marriage of legalized Truth of FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE revealed what is to be demonstrated between GOD and the country of America. Its wedlock is imminent. The spirit of Democracy demands it and so it shall come about. And as it continues to take form in the hearts and lives of the people of America, its Wedding Bell of Liberty will ring in joy and peace forever.
April 29, 1976 A.D.F.D.
MOTHER DIVINE
On this beautiful occasion, many guests who had come from far and near, many from as far away as Australia. Switzerland, England and Canada to celebrate the thirtieth Anniversary of the Marriage of the LAMB and the BRIDE, were entertained royally by FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE at the Mount of the House of the LORD, Woodmont. Many expressions of thanks and praise were given as follows:
Mr. Robert Sasso, Montreal, Canada: Peace, FATHER Dear! Peace, MOTHER Dear! Peace, Everyone! I thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER Dear to be here with YOU and all the children. I have had a wonderful time this week here. FATHER Darling, I thank YOU for coming to this Wedding Anniversary from Montreal, Canada. This is the second one that I have been to. FATHER Dear, when we got here, I got all shaken up. Oh, FATHER Dear, I never had such joy! When I look around at the brothers and sisters from far and near, coming from all parts of the world, FATHER Dear, I felt plenty good, because a couple of times, FATHER Dear, I got overjoyed at the Table when I looked around and saw all the smiling faces, no sour faces, everybody praising YOU and MOTHEB.
FATHER Dear, I am not a prophet or anything like that, but YOU know YOU live within my heart and I try to explain myself as much as possible. FATHER Dear, YOU brought me here to get this, some of this enjoyment. We have none in Montreal, Canada. It is only two of us, FATHER Dear, me and the sister, but we are conscious of YOU being with us all the time. YOU have blessed us, FATHER, with a beautiful tape recorder and we just sit down and put YOU and MOTHER on. When YOU are finished talking, MOTHER starts to talk and gives us a lecture and we feel good, FATHER Dear. I feel mighty good!
FATHER Dear, I couldn't go back home without having something to thank YOU for, and MOTHER, because when I look at MOTHER, I see YOU, FATHER. It is just sweet to look at MOTHER, I'm telling you for me it is.
I want to thank YOU and MOTHER to take me back home tomorrow morning. I know, FATHER Dear, I'll have a wonderful trip, because I had a beautiful one coming down.
FATHER Darling, I had a few words at the customs house. I don't know what it was, FATHER Darling, because when he spotted YOU and MOTHER's Picture on the lapel of my coat here, he gave me an awful look, and I called on YOU within, FATHER Dear, because I tried to fight YOUR battles once and I felt the effects of it and I am not going to do that any more! No, FATHER Dear, because YOU are GOD! FATHER Dear, he said to me, "Where are you going?" I told him, and he was staring at YOU and MOTHER's Picture on the lapel of my coat, FATHER Dear, and I praised YOU in my heart. I got close to him so he could get a better look, so he said to me, "Open up your suitcase," then he looked at FATHER and MOTHER on the lapel of my coat and he said, "Young man," as he was opening it up, "go on to your FATHER and MOTHER." FATHER Dear, this is something sweet for me! Yes, FATHER Dear, because YOU don't need me, I need YOU, gladly too! So FATHER Dear, I thank YOU and MOTHER for all those blessings: and I thank YOU to take me back to Montreal tomorrow morning. Thank YOU, FATHER. Peace, FATHER, Peace, MOTHER and Peace, Everyone.
MOTHER DIVINE: Does anyone else care to have a word to say at this time? Mrs. Ernst, did you want to speak?
Mrs. Lily Ernst, Altadena, California: (Excerpts) Peace, FATHER, Dear, Peace, MOTHER Dear, Peace, Everyone! I am so overwhelmed with joy and happiness. I thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER Dear for this wonderful, wonderful Wedding Anniversary, and I say, Happy Wedding Anniversary! I am so glad that FATHER, MOTHER, GOD blessed me and all the children from California to come here to attend this Wedding Anniversary. I can't give enough thanks for the hospitality and for the love and kindness that we received and for all this wonderful Banquet that we could attend. It is just wonderful how it is really FATHER's hand that has done all of this. It is truly wonderful how FATHER's and MOTHER's children are such wonderful coworkers. It is wonderful how they give their time for FATHER and MOTHER. DIVINE.
(Mrs. Ernst gives a detailed account of her experience in hiring a gardener and the blessings she received from hiring this particular gardener. She continues:)
S0, FATHER and MOTHER Dear, I have so much to thank YOU for. I thank YOU, FATHER, for the good health YOU have given me. I never had a doctor for more than thirty-eight years, only when I went to the dentist. (Loud applause resounds.) So I see how FATHER has given me good health and strength and energy and everything! I thank FATHER for this wonderful privilege that we have had. It is wonderful when we go with FATHER and MOTHER, we know FATHER, and MOTHER are just before our eyes and THEY protect us. It is wonderful, we have nothing to fear what is here, what is there or what is everywhere. The neighbors a few years ago told me, "You can any time count on us." I said, "Oh, I have a Company Keeper, GOD! GOD IS my Company Keeper all the way!" So I thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER, that YOU are with me and YOU are so near and so dear to our hearts. Thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER Dear. It is Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!
Mrs. Margaret Klaus, Denver, Colorado : Peace, FATHER, Peace, MOTHER, Peace, Everyone! I just want to thank YOU again for this Anniversary, for being here and being able to bring my friend. I know if FATHER hadn't put it in her heart to come, I couldn't have brought her, but we have enjoyed it so very much. I just want to tell a little something that impressed me greatly a couple of weeks ago, I went to pick up some plants that I wanted to transfer to my garden from another person's garden, and this lady had a daughter who had been very ill; and the daughter, the lady told me, had been getting into a very serious depression and she could not seem to get well or encourage her to do anything but just sit. She had a bad condition of the bones which made it quite difficult to get up or down. So I spake with her a little while and she said "Oh, I look so badly I don't want you to see me," and I said "I don't think that is any reason for me not to see you." And really, this wasn't the case. She looked quite well, but she imagined this. So I asked her if she had any church connections or if she was asking GOD to help her, and she said the Mormons had prayed for her at one time and she did receive help. We talked for a little while and I tried to cheer her up and told her that I was sure that there was help for her.
It came about that she wanted me to come down for more plants that would be ready later, so I said I would be gone for a week or so and I wouldn't be able to come; so she asked me where I was going and I told her all about FATHER and MOTHER, as much as I could, and why I was going. Then she said, "Oh, do you have any literature with you that I might have?" I started to say no, and I happened to think that there was a New Day in the car. I generally have one or two in there, so I said I have one and I don't think it tells about the Anniversary, so I brought her The New Day. That was a few days before I came this way, and I told her 1 would be glad if she could come too. She seemed to be so interested but she could not come at this particular time. But when I called her a few days later, it was the night before I came here, she said she and her mother had enjoyed The New Day very, very much and she was feeling better.
I thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER for this spirit of love and kindness that YOU demonstrate all over the world and for YOUR protection and guidance and for bringing us and taking us wherever we need to go safely. Thank YOU for everything.
Miss May Snyder, Los Angeles, California: Peace, FATHER, Peace, MOTHER and Peace, Everyone! I thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER for the great privilege of being here for this beautiful occasion. I thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER, for YOUR, great love. Everywhere we have gone we see nothing but the outpouring of this beautiful love; and I am truly grateful, FATHER and MOTHER, to be one in the number to participate in this beautiful Anniversary. I thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER, for being here at Woodmont and I thank YOU, FATHER, for the Love March to the Shrine. It is beautiful, FATHER. I thank YOU for the great sacrifice that YOU have made for all of us. It is truly wonderful when we realize what YOU have done and are still doing far ail of YOUR children. I thank YOU, FATIIER and MOTHER, for YOUR tender mercy and compassion. That's all I can say at this time. Thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER.
Miss Faithful Witness, Sacramento, California: Peace, FATHER Dear, Peace, MOTHER Dear and Peace to Everybody! I was thinking of the song the brother sang the other day, "I can't count my blessings or name them one by one," and I was thinking as I looked on the children how beautiful they look, it is just wonderful! And I just thank YOU, FATHER, with all this going on, it takes nothing but love to put all of this together. Absolutely GOD's unadulterated Love, and there are dedicated bodies around that are doing this! Isn't it wonderful? It's just so beautiful when you think of this Peace Mission you are thinking about something because this is the greatest on earth! It is the best on earth, and I thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER, to have a little part in it! Thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER.
Mr. Elie Diana, formerly of France: Peace, FATHER, Peace, MOTHER, Peace, Everyone! I just want to thank YOU for YOUR, love and sweetness in bringing us together to the Marriage Feast of the LAMB, the time—the Anniversary. It was quite unexpected for me because, as I said, I had not planned it, but I trusted YOUR Spirit to make a way as it was seemingly impossible for a while. I had my money in a hold at the bank as I was coming back from Hawaii, in Los Angeles. And at the club where I work, well, they were expecting me this week to do some planning, but all the obstacles disappeared last Friday.
Well, I had talked it over with the brother at Circle Mission Church and we would have been very glad to come. Last Friday I went to the bank and the young lady, I explained to her that I wanted to come to Philadelphia, and she said, "Well, your money is still in hold, but I can get it for you. How much do you need ?" I told her, so she went to the cashier and gave me what I needed; and for the planning, I went to see them and I told them if we have the planning done by Monday morning, will it be all right with you, because you won't need me anyway for a couple of weeks? He said, "Okay," so the planning was done and I was free to come. I know it was YOUR SPIRIT.
There is so much to say. It is wonderful to be here. It is wonderful to be at this Table and to know the significance of it. It is the Marriage of the LAMB and the BRIDE! It is the Union of Heaven and earth! It is the spiritualization of matter and the materialization of Spirit! It is the glorification of the Presence of GOD! It is the end of mortality and materiality—that concept of believing that there is no reality in GOD. It is a reality brought down to earth or to light, where only bodies made by GOD~—and as HE made them, HE made them whole, living and expressing GOD, GOD's Attributes. It is Heaven on earth. If it is done, it is only because of FATHER DIVINE and MOTHER DIVINE. ("It's true," came the sanction.) FATHER called us from all the parts of the world wherever we were. We don't need any evangelists or anything personal. It was HIS Spirit that HE sent out from HIS Own Temple that touched us and awakened us from within to HIS Presence in the Flesh so we could see HIM with the eye of Spirit and start living altogether in a different world, because this is out of this world! (Thunderous applause resounds.)
Dear FATHER DIVINE and MOTHER DIVINE, it is truly wonderful to be with YOU and to know that YOU have lifted us and that YOU have made it possible and that YOU have opened all the avenues for us to be in and express this new conception of life, this, new version of life, the only version. It's angelic because it doesn't belong to the concept of man and woman at all. It came directly from Heaven, from GOD! It's absolutely spiritual, but still it is in the body, so it's really the spiritualization of the flesh and the materialization of the Spirit.
And we respond today because of YOU, because of YOUR Sacrifice and because YOU are living in each and everyone of us. And all of humanity, if they only would open their eyes and open their mind and realize this fact, to us it seems so plain and so real, but I can see that they—well, it is like blindness, they cannot see, they cannot see it! They cannot hear it, but I know I love humanity, I love people. I get along fine with everybody. I have friends everywhere. I met people from Russian descent, I was, I would say, I don't want to bring that up, but I went to school with them and I was their friend. I worked with a Russian on the French Riviera and we shared the same apartment. Here in this country I met people from everywhere and we are ONE. I just came back from Hawaii and I found so much warmth and friendliness from people from Polynesia, Japan and Chinese descent and Hawaiians and it was wonderful, wonderful!
So I know YOU are living in everyone and at YOUR Own time YOU will awaken everybody who wants to live. So this in a way relaxes us from the ideas of trying to push our conviction, our conception upon somebody else, which is done only by the Spirit.
So FATHER and MOTHER Dear, we are greatly blessed just to realize we were able to open our mind so that we could see YOU, and as we came along, YOU made us more and more understand, and YOU are still doing it. So FATHER and MOTHER Dear. there is a lot to say, but I have to make it shorter. I am very happy to see my Divine Family and to be with YOU, FATHER and MOTHER Dear. Again thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER Dear.
Mrs. Irene Wormly, Chicago, Illinois: Peace, FATHER, Peace, MOTHER, Peace, Everyone! I am leaving tomorrow and I couldn't leave without expressing my appreciation for the blessings that FATHER and MOTHER have given me. I think this is an extra, extra ordinary blessing to sit at this Table. If I was the emotional type, I would be just like they are on "The Price is Right," when they call such and such a person to come on down, etc.
Usually I speak of the things that FATHER has done. I do somehow dwell on the negative, but FATHER has done so much; and when you read The New Day, HE spoke about the SAME RIGHTS and not just EQUAL, you know. And those things were spoken of back in the nineteen thirties, and when the Supreme Court made their decision, that clearly defined that EQUAL RIGHTS were not the same thing, the SAME RIGHTS! And of course they found it was the most unequal. And then we heard FATHER saying HE was going to remove unjust officials and HE was going to free the world, and HE would do it not by the ballot and not by the bullet, but by HIS Spirit! And then we know that in our time India was freed without a bullet or without a ballot. We know that there are more than forty countries of Africa that have received their freedom since FATHER DIVINE has been on the scene, and that was without the ballot and without the bullet! And right now there are only two remaining countries in Africa, and we can just see from newspaper accounts of what's happening, and FATHER is bringing that about also.
The United States has really been amiss in many instances, that is, in helping to foster this, the freedom of the African peoples and many times they have abstained from voting, which is, the sins of omission are as big as the sins of commission. But now they are speaking out, and they say now they are in favor of majority rule, and I know that is FATHER's Spirit and it is FATHER that is doing those things.
And just as I said, this is the year of our LORD, FATHER DIVINE, and in the twenty-first century they will tell you all the things that have happened in the twentieth century and I do pray that they will give FATHER DIVINE the glory and the honor and praise; and I thank You, MOTHER, for You being You.
Mr. Hezekiah Craig, Los Angeles, California: (Excerpts) Peace, FATHER Dear, Peace MOTHER Dear, Peace, Everyone! I just had to get up and thank FATHER and MOTHER for this real blessing today. I have to think back at what FATHER has done for me over the years. I remember I have told this before, but I would like to say it again. At the time of the Marriage, everybody was talking and they wanted to know what it was all about, and of course in those days I wasn't much of a Bible reader, you know, so this one couldn't understand it and that one couldn't understand it, so they asked me "What do you think about it?" Well, when I spoke, GOD spoke for me and HE said, "She's the church." You know, there was a satisfaction I got right there and I didn't worry about it any more and I accepted that which came forth, and I thank FATHER for that because HE brought it forth; and I know I read the Bible and I read the Creeds and FATHER blessed me to that. And if you just have a little faith in FATHER and MOTHER, how far THEY can take you. Now that was in 1946 and I am still here thanking FATHER and MOTHER for all the blessings. So it is wonderful. FATHER has protected me all along. I remember in nineteen forty-two I was being drafted, you know, and I was worried, oh, that worried me so. I knew about FATHER and had known about HIM for quite a little time. Of course, I wasn't trying to live anything, but the Spirit said, "You_ are going to be all right." And I said, I am going to be all right yet I'm going too. So it was wonderful. As I went, FATHER did protect me. I spent over thirty-eight months overseas and I came back without a scratch and without a hungry day.
(Mr. Hezekiah relates in detail that after his return from overseas he went to New Brunswick, New Jersey, after which through his great desire to see FATHER he was taken to the Rockland Palace in New York City, given a seat at the Banquet Table and the next great thrill to him was when FATHER Personally walked in ten or fifteen minutes later. Mr. Hezekiah concludes by saying:)
I am telling you that was a real blessing to me because HE heard me and HE protected me all this time. I thank HIM for all HE has done for me, and if I just keep on praising HIM and loving HIM; I know everything will be all right. Thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER Dear.
A beautiful Holy Communion Banquet Service was served at noon on the day known to the world as Mother's Day, prior to accepting the invitation to go to Woodmont, the Mount of the House of the LORD for the day.
The abundance of material and spiritual food was forthcoming, as we first heard from our Beloved SAVIOR, FATHER DIVINE, via tape recording as HE Spoke on February 6th, 1953 A.D.F.D., stressing among other things the fact that we get the results of our Conviction. This was made increasingly evident in the volitional testimony of two speakers—the first, Mr. Eugen Ammann, formerly of the Circle Mission Church of Switzerland and who has now come home to America to stay — and the other, Miss E. Ferne, long associated with the Unity Mission Church here, As these testimonies speak for themselves, no further words are necessary.
Mr. Eugen Ammann: Peace FATHER Dear, Peace MOTHER Dear, Peace Everyone: FATHER, I feel to stand on my feet and give YOU Praises. (applause) I want to thank YOU, FATHER, and MOTHER, for all YOUR wonderful Children, for YOUR wonderful, big happy great Family! It is so wonderful just to see YOUR Teaching expressed in bodies, so many bodies! And I want to thank YOU, this Peace is not only a salutation — you can feel this Peace, you can feel it and sense it is living; it is a living reality here because it is living. I want to thank YOU, FATHER and MOTHER, for the beautiful places YOU have here in the area of Philadelphia. (applause) And so we have a wonderful opportunity to gather at these places where we are independent; we do not have to rent rooms to be allowed to be there for a certain time but we can meet and unite whenever the Spirit moves us to do so. And I thank YOU, FATHER, as MOTHER said here the other day, we are living in a new world — it is another world — it is truly, truly Wonderful!
Thank YOU, FATHER, that YOU could gather such a great number of bodies to establish YOUR Teaching and YOUR Will and YOUR Peace in this mortal world. It is something to consider, when you think that within this world it is just possible for the mortal world, for all the big higher-ups, the big people, to get in and to try to influence the Peace Mission Movement by their wealth! — and so I think it is just like in the world of science—we know that the atom, or the nucleus of the atom is the most powerful thing in the world, and so this Peace Mission Movement, and with it established here in Philadelphia, is the most powerful power of all the world. (applause) It is truly to be compared with the nucleus of the atom, and no power of the world is able to destroy it! It is just a little sample, and it is a wonderful sample and example of the new world — how it shall be one day all over this wide extended plane. And I thank FATHER to read right now a few of HIS Words — it is from a place card.
Mr. Ammann read FATHER'S Words from the place booklet received by each person at the Divine Lorraine in the Penthouse Dining Hall which contains words from the national documents, statesmen of the past and FATHER DIVINE, under specific headings described in the booklet as "Truths that formulated America, and, if acted upon, will perpetuate this nation." FATHER says here: "I have chosen from every language, tongue and people, spiritual pioneers to enter into the world of the future that is presently established under the Jurisdiction of My Spirit — a world of Unity and Peace —that they may search the land and convey to an unbelieving and stiff-necked people, the reality of these blessings, spiritually and physically. I have made you rulers of your own passions that you may be qualified to speak with authority of the blessings Virtue produces."
Mr. Ammann then said: I thank YOU FATHER for these beautiful Words. (applause) Thank YOU FATHER for being determined and not to get lukewarm; to be determined to go on with FATHER and MOTHER! (thunderous applause and cheers) And I would like to close with the wonderful song you have: (he sings and all join in)
I am determined to hold out to the end!
FATHER, is with me, on HIM I can depend,
I know I have Salvation, I feel it in my sou1,
I am determined to hold out to the end!
Miss E. Ferne:
Peace FATHER Dear, Peace MOTHER Dear, Peace Everyone: I just wanted to verify what the brother said. It stirred that little nucleus in me that is one with all of the bits of Christ that have been brought into bodies that are working out their own soul's salvation, and it is glorious to know that FATHER has this Seed Idea in bodies all over the earth and it is coming up here and there. It is the thing that is causing the consciousness of humanity to change. This is what is going to change the world — the consciousness of humanity is going to be raised by this great leveling off of the great and the small, the rich and the poor, of the intelligent and the ignorant. All men are beginning to see that one man is not different from another man, only in that he allows the Christ to express in him; there is no other difference. If you cannot allow the Christ to grow and unfold in you, you are only so much dust; but if you can allow the Christ to unfold in you, you are priceless in GOD's sight. And it is a wonderful blessing to be where GOD has planted this seed in so many bodies; where HE is manifesting the Abundance of the fullness: where HE has established such a pure and a holy Atmosphere; where life itself is valued for the quality and not for the quantity that it expresses. The quality of the Life that FATHER has brought forth in us is what we treasure, not the quantity, and we must never forget that essentially this is a spiritual life! Even though we have everything, we are expressing in physical bodies, we are enjoying the abundance of material love and blessings but we are essentially spiritual creatures and we must live by spiritual laws that govern our bodies. (applause)
It is glorious to know that we have the privilege to unfold hour by hour, day by day and year by year into this beautiful consciousness. When GOD made man HE planted this beautiful dormant Seed in the heart of man for him to work out, that It might come forth and overshadow all the physical, all the mental, and express Itself in all of Its beauty. There is nothing so beautiful as the Christ in a body; there is nothing so rich and so pleasurable as seeing the self falling away and the Christ rise in anybody, I don't care who it is, what color it is, what size it is, what shape it is, it is utterly beautiful! And when FATHER brought us the mystery of bringing the Christ to fruition, HE brought us the greatest gift that HE could give us, outside of bringing HIS Own Body, because it took HIS BODY to reveal to us that HE lives in us. Until HE turned over in us and stirred our vision and gave us a vision of a greater Life, we were as though we were dead. But this is Life — this Seed Idea — the Hope of Christ in you is the hope of Glory! FATHER said this is the greatest mystery that HE has brought to mankind.
FATHER Dear, it is beautiful to live in this age when we know that a spiritual civilization is unfolding on every side; in government, in education, in the social fabric and the industrial fabric of the world we see a change coming, and it is coming in the consciousness of the people. FATHER, is turning the people against materialism. I really believe that they are getting enough of the material and they are still unsatisfied, therefore where must they go when they have all they can eat, drink, wear and they are still unhappy? — where is there to go? Only to GOD. There is nothing else left!
So we know that this is FATHER'S Work, to satiate the people and let them know that they need HIM, because HE is the breath, the life, the hope, the vision of the whole world, and to have this vision of a new world is a glorious possession!
I enjoyed what the brother said because it showed that just like he and we are, there are millions of others that have a hope that has been born. That is what gave birth to this nation, was that desire for liberty, and the desire for liberty gave birth to Christ, because without this liberty Christ cannot come to fruition. They gave their lives and now the same spirits in bodies are giving lives again, that this might be brought forth in a more spiritual way.
When they signed the Declaration of Independence it caused a revolutionary war to come, and FATHER said when you take a stand against the "other fellow", that's it! — then he rises against you! When you give GOD all the credit and take a stand for GOD against the "other fellow", then all things rise against you. That is why we must fight against being lukewarm; against the "other fellow's" last weapon. There is a saying, an old adage that says, when the "other fellow" can't get you any other way he can get you through disappointment or through discouragement. It's a little wedge that he will hammer on and hammer on and hammer on and you will listen, because you don't think it's a sin; but it is a sin because it undermines your faith!(applause sanctions this)
In one Message many years ago FATHER told the story about a man that Jesus had healed, and FATHER said when Jesus said to the man, "Go in peace and sin no more," FATHER said, "I did not tell him then, to sin no more and not lose the faith, because his sin was, losing the faith!" HE said, "I did not tell him that, but that's what I meant." When Jesus said, "Go in peace and sin no more," He meant, to sin no more by losing the faith. And it is wonderful for us to know that doubts and fears, are losing the faith and are a sin. Discouragement is a sin, and we have to fight it when we see it coming on the farthest horizon and start praising GOD as fast as we can, because it will whip it down every time. It will whip it down; it cannot live where there is love and praises and unity; but you have to work on it!
Great men have gone through school and have given their lives and their fortunes to get a plain little old man's degree, and some of us sit around here and we won't even do our homework to get the P.R.G. degree — the PURGE Degree! — but this is what we have to have. FATHER cannot give us power until we are cleansed and purged, and this is the process we are all going through. We should be glad that we have been purged and are being purged! And I think of ail the money, all the effort, all the sacrifice that goes into man's mortal education. Some people give all they have for a little degree. How much we should give and be willing to put forth for this victory in the Christ Consciousness, this victory over everything that life can throw up against us! It is internal, and when we get it, nothing, no one, no circumstance, time or thing, can take it away from us! (applause) It is a wonderful blessing to live in this attitude and hold it day by day.
In 1934 FATHER said in the World Echo, it was printed in the World Echo, HE gave us a recitation to say for our own good and this is what HE said :
As I think and feel and speak and act,
So I am using my Divine Creative Power
To produce more feeling, speech, action and experience
OF THE SAME KIND in myself and others.
1. This is the perfect law of liberty, health, wealth and peace.
2. I have heard and I rejoice
3. It is written in my heart
4. I will never forget it.
5. I will remember it forever and do it.
6. And you shall be blessed in your doing.
7. I place myself under Divine Law
8. I accept its power with praise.
9. I accept its privileges with joy
10. I accept its responsibilities with Divine fearlessness.
11. No person, thing or condition has power to make or keep me weak, or ignorant, or unhappy.
12. I am the lawmaker of my own life.
13. I am the builder of my own conditions.
14. I am the way to all that I desire.
15. I hold no one responsible for my own condition except myself.
16. Therefore today, and from today on, I will blame no one, not even myself, but will build for Health, Wealth, and Joy by practicing there is one Presence and One Power.
17. The Good Almighty, Omnipresent and Eternal.
18. I renounce the past and all its negative influences.
19. By my active use of the Divine Power within me, I will overcome all my personal resistance, weakness and self-pity
20. I live this day for my own freedom, for the Glory of God, and for the bringing of His Kingdom into earth.
21. I depend upon God and God only for my life and my living.
(Published under title: THE LAW By FATHER DIVINE, World Echo, March 31, 1934 A.D.F.D., p. 3)
Miss Ferne: This was given to us for us to build up the Christ within us and take a stand with HIM.
Thank YOU FATHER and MOTHER.