FATHER DIVINE
"The Peace Mission Movement is as the Christian Movement or as the Jewish Faith . . . as the Christian Movement, there are many different churches . . . and as it is with those under the Christian Movement, so with those under the Peace Mission Movement."
FATHER DIVINE - 5/17/50
"I have created and established FATHER DIVINE'S Peace Mission Movement, which is the embodiment of the Jewish Faith, the Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi and the Christian Movement from Matthew to Revelation. And then we also embody the religions of the old world."
FATHER DIVINE - 9/9/45
"There are many different churches incorporated under the Peace Mission Movement and established that have accepted ME as the Founder and the Establisher of the Peace Mission Movement and they do recognize ME as the permanent Pastor of the churches, even though I AM not there at some places Personally, but they recognize MY Deity; they realize I AM ever present when I AM Personally absent."
FATHER DIVINE - 5/17/50
". . . as a Sample and as an Example for others . . . even as I do. I make the Sample, the sacrifice, as a Sample for others and do not claim to do anything for Myself or of Myself Personally, but it is accomplished by the Will to sacrifice and the Will to do and it is done automatically because of the willingness to make the sacrifice. As MOTHER was saying the other day in some correspondence; it is not anything SHE does as a Person, although with ME many recognize . . . MY Deity in HER as One with ME to bless and redeem the world, yet, it is not anything SHE does as a Person. The retracing of MY often rehearsed statement, I, MYSELF, say, it is not anything I do as a Person for it is not a personal issue. It is not by might nor by power but by MY Spirit and as a Sample and as an Example demonstrated and portrayed, others may copy after it and get the desired results . . . so it is Personally with MOTHER. The person is not the consideration and yet, the person is the demonstration."
FATHER DIVINE - 9/15/52
There are five main churches on the North-Eastern Seaboard: The Circle Mission Church, the Nazareth Mission Church, the Unity Mission Church, the Peace Center Church and the Palace Mission Church. All of these have branches and subsidiaries throughout this and other countries of the world.
The Church Discipline, Constitution and By-Laws contain these which are based on the Holy Bible. The Articles of Faith establish the Deity of FATHER DIVINE and JESUS CHRIST, GOD'S Son; that the Kingdom of GOD is within man, and belief in the Holy Bible. The Discipline and By-Laws put forth rules of conduct in church services and a personal code of ethics.
The Creeds of the Movement teach the practical application of the Life of CHRIST.
FATHER DIVINE teaches that Americanism goes hand in hand with Christianity.
"We do not give it just merely as a custom or as a ritual, although it is a matter of course, but we are as conscientious and sincerely believe every morsel of food you eat is as much the real Communion as that which you drink in the church given by the pastor and other church officials after they have blessed it and said, Take, eat, this is MY BODY.'"
FATHER DIVINE - 6/1/41
"We do believe in the Bible and we have the Bible, the Holy Bible, and stress it to be read in all our Churches and connections, and have it at all times available for any other minister to preach from the Holy Bible according to King James' version and we live it and express it!"
FATHER DIVINE - 12/2/49
April 29 the Anniversary of the Marriage of FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE.
September 10, 11, 12 the Anniversary of the establishment of Woodmont as The Mount of the House of the Lord. FATHER DIVINE has explained both: "Some of you have not thought no doubt, that the twenty-ninth of April I make this proclamation: that it shall from henceforth be called a Holiday . . . GOD at that time . . . nineteen hundred and forty-six, took unto Himself legally a Spotless Virgin Bride in wedlock to unite all nations, all languages, all tongues and all peoples together, to bring an abolition to all division! Not to propagate self-indulgence, sex-indulgence, human affection nor lust and passion, neither races, creeds nor colors, but to propagate Virtue, Holiness, Virginity and Truth and to continue to reproduce it just as I have it between Myself and My Spotless Virgin Bride today, the same as She was the day She first stood by My Side!"
FATHER DIVINE - 4/22/50
Furthermore:
"This is the Purpose of the Woodmont Celebration for it centers the hearts and minds of each and all in this Place where I AM not geographically especially, but where I AM in Consciousness, for where I AM, there is nothing but perfect peace, perfect rest, perfect joy and all the other attributes of My Mind and Spirit. . . This is that Mount that is exalted above the hills it is My Teaching exalted above the teachings of men. It depicts the natural outpicturing and manifestation of the Consciousness of Good, for My Word has not gone out from ME void, but it is fulfilled to the letter and the nations can behold it, for the Majesty of GOD is revealed."
FATHER DIVINE - 9/22/62
The Rosebud Choir, the Lily-Bud Choir and the Crusader Choir are the active choirs of the Movement and are affiliated with Peace Mission Churches internationally.
"From a personal point of view", as FATHER explains, "the Rosebuds are endeavoring to express the Holiest of the HOLY in the fullest measure by remaining virtuous and true to their religious convictions continually, even as they have been in their infancy from the time they first heard of ME. By this they are now expressing a slight sketch and a reflection of what it really means to live soberly, righteously and Godly; what it really means to abstain from all intoxicating liquors, beers and all obscene and profane language and abstain from everything that is degrading, low rating and that creates immorality by the immodest acts of society with which you come in contact without a religious guide."
FATHER DIVINE - 11/6/41
And:
"Rosebuds and Junior Rosebuds are considered as the younger Buds, and the Rosebuds are classed or considered up to about thirty-two." FATHER DIVINE 12/9/54
"Lily-Buds are classed as those of the feminine group that are above the Rosebud limit age, but if they are qualified characteristically and of these having the spirit and the nature as required, according to all of the requirements, they may also enter into their respective ranks and be blessed accordingly with the Presence of My Spirit . . ."
FATHER DIVINE - 12/19/54
The Crusader Choir masculine group: "To be a real, true Crusader means good citizenship, alertness, intelligence, tolerance; it means faith and courage . . . To be real Crusaders, you must do all of those things and more. You must live soberly, righteously and Godly, and refuse to indulge in self from the least action of expression by your preconceived fancies, tendencies or pleasures, for they will lead you erroneously."
FATHER DIVINE - 9/1/62
"We recognize and declare FATHER DIVINE to be the Person of the Perfect One: The FATHER Who moved out upon the face of the deep before the world was; the Son Who said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life', and the Holy Ghost, the Comforter Who was to come all three in One, the Same with or without a Body but dwelling with us, a Body in this last Dispensation known as FATHER DIVINE."
Church Discipline Constitution and By-Laws And:
"GOD in the midst of you is teaching you how to walk in His Laws and keep His Precepts whereby you read line upon line and precept upon precept and be able to comprehend and understand there is a supernatural PRESENCE working among you for the betterment and the advancement of every one of you."
FATHER DIVINE - 2/28/53
And:
"Your conscious conviction must be more far-reaching; must reach into the realm where the visibilization of GOD may not be discerned, yet you be conscious of being present with HIM. This is the Work for which I came . . ."
FATHER DIVINE - 5/27/36
"Heaven is not a place geographically; it is a state of consciousness. All men have the privilege to lift their minds from superstition; to raise their minds to the CHRIST Consciousness; and when they contact the CHRIST Consciousness, they will think even as Jesus thought, for Jesus said, The Kingdom of GOD is within you.' For this cause we are rejoicing to present to you this Principle that will produce and bring to fruition the Kingdom of GOD within you; that will give you victory over sickness, disease, sorrow and misery and will establish your going in the land of the living."
FATHER DIVINE - 8/8/38
The Law of Life is an interchange of things. The Law of Life is to let go and let come, let out and let in. If we try to let in and have not let out, we may burst. If we try to let come and will not let go, why, we will not have place for expression. That is the mystery! So, the very Law of Life itself is to let go, and then you can let come; let out and then you can let in; and as you let out, you will have space to let in, and it will expand as you let out; for as more comes in, it changes and expands more and more, and you will have more capacity for taking in, and you will also take in something new and more constructive, and more beneficial than that which you are letting out all the time."
FATHER DIVINE - 2/13/39
"And if we will live, each one of us an evangelical life, exactly according to the Life and Teachings of CHRIST as recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and let this Mind be in you that was also in Him, you will produce and reproduce the Kingdom of GOD in your own lives; and each and every individual will be the Kingdom of GOD manifested among you."
FATHER DIVINE - 7/1/32
"I mean to make humanity as much the personification of the positive as they have been of the negative; the Personification of the Angelics, or the Angelic Spirit whichever as they have been of the demon spirits from the lower regions. If men can personify the demon spirits from the lower regions, why is it we cannot personify the Angelic Spirit . . ? We are endeavoring to personify and materialize the positive, the real, the true, and the Angelic for humanity . . . You will express the positive and refuse to express the negative for I have not stressed and imposed the negative upon you."
FATHER DIVINE - 8/27/35
"We believe that if a person sins, GOD is Faithful and Just to forgive him for his sins and to cleanse him from all unrighteousness, if he will but confess and forsake them."
FATHER DIVINE - 4/10-11/43
And:
" The wages of sin is death.' I consider, If a man keep My Saying he shall never see death!' And if a person dies, he dies because of sin . . . therefore, I believe in giving all of the people here and now all of the flowers I can give them . . . I want to give you whatsoever is necessary for your comfort and for your convenience and for your enjoyment . . ."
FATHER DIVINE - 11/25/49
Religious The Holy Bible and the Church Discipline, Constitution and By-Laws.
Moral The Rosebud, Lily-Bud and Crusader Creeds of the Movement and FATHER DIVINE'S Modest Code.
Political The Righteous Government Platform of the Movement and the Constitution and its Amendments and the Declaration of Independence.
The International Modest Code established by FATHER DIVINE says: "No smoking, no drinking, no obscenity, no vulgarity, no profanity, no undue mixing of sexes, no receiving of gifts, presents, tips or bribes." and
". . . our Modest Code that has been given each of those requests and demands made upon you to be eligible for the Kingdom, each of them must be FULFILLED in you, to the LETTER, and that is fulfilling the LAW of GOD!"
FATHER DIVINE - 5/28-29/53
And:
"A true follower of Mine does not want or desire to receive a gift or present or anything of that type for Christmas or any holiday, and considers it as unevangelical, unconstitutional and not according to the Scripture otherwise; especially so long as they are earning an independent living and expressing a real citizenry of independence individually even as our country declared her independence as a nation."
FATHER DIVINE - 9/11/54
"My true Rosebuds and even the true sisters, Lily-Buds, and others, if they are true followers and members of the Kingdom they have no communication with the opposite sex whatsoever, saving on business and that of a strictly business nature; and that is also vice versally required of those that are in the likeness of men! whether they be Crusaders or whether they be otherwise elderly or older than the young Crusaders; they are requested to live a life of virginity, virtue and holiness; of honesty, of competence and of truth in all they say and in all they do, and dwell in the Secret Place of the Most High and reside under the shadow of the Almighty"
FATHER DIVINE - 9/26/53
"I have not come to separate husbands from their wives, nor wives from their husbands, but I came to separate man from his sins that he might live and not die . . . My Marriage exemplifies the PURITY that all mankind must live in if he expects to live and not die."
FATHER DIVINE - 8/15/50
(This article in booklet form can be obtained by writing to A D F D Publications for information.)
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