FATHER DIVINE
The Peace Mission Movement is a way of life, in fact, life itself in all its phases, elevating man to a new outlook in which spiritual aspirations are experienced on earth by placing GOD before and in every endeavor. At the same time, it amply satisfies man's basic physical needs regardless to race, color, creed, status or degrees of spiritual discernment. It provides a ready answer to every problem, for, followers of FATHER DIVINE, knowing HE is always present, call upon HIM at any time and receive His omniscient help. The many testimonies of followers and non-followers attest the fact that being conscious of GOD'S Presence and having HIM uppermost in consciousness adjusts every matter.
Founded by the Reverend Major J. Divine, better known as FATHER DIVINE, the Movement heralds the appearance of GOD, the FATHER ALMIGHTY, Who came to establish heaven on earth and bring fallen humanity back into fellowship with its Creator. Every aspect of the Movement evolves around the fact that FATHER DIVINE is GOD, be it His Personal Being or His Impersonal ever present spirit, and man can develop the Christ Life within himself by following His Teaching and example.0
Together, these factors make for Utopia, heaven on earth, automatically eliminating any thought of theoretical heaven or its opposite.
FATHER DIVINE has said that the Peace Mission Movement
'consists of the spirits of just men since the world began.'
Explaining His mission on earth HE said:
'Condescendingly I came as an existing spirit unembodied until condescendingly imputing MYSELF in a bodily form in the likeness of men I came, that I might speak to them in their own language, coming to a country that is supposed to be the Country of the Free, where mankind has been privileged to serve GOD according to the dictates of his own conscience coming sponsoring the Peace Mission and this spiritual revelation in the hearts of the children of men, and establishing the kingdom of GOD in the midst of them . . . that they might become to be living epistles as individuals, seen and read by men, and verifying that which has long since been said: The tabernacle of GOD is with men, and HE shall dwell with them, and shall be their GOD and they shall be His people.'
People have been drawn to the Movement from every religious background and social
strata, impelled beyond their personal desires at times, because of the realization
that GOD walks and talks among men and they leave all to follow. They find the
essence of religion and the epitome of life, exemplified in the personal Lives
of FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE and practiced 000000000000000000 throughout the Movement,
generally in its doctrine. By following this example they receive the satisfying
portion, spiritual values and personal benefits in the
"fellowship of GOD, one with the other," as FATHER so aptly puts it.
It is the aspiration of every true follower to live a simple, selfless life,
sacrificed to the will of GOD, void of falsity, affectation and status symbols.
The impelling power, the inspiration, and the will to live it is given through
the Consciousness of GOD'S Presence.
Life and joy, peace and satisfaction are derived from a realization of the closeness of GOD. Sin falls away as consecration to the life takes form. Sickness and death are the result of improper application of and deviation from its principles according to the law of retributive justice. This conviction of the Presence of GOD acts as a scale for individual conscience and personal behavior within themselves and toward their fellow man of whom each is, as FATHER DIVINE points out, not only his brother's keeper, but is his brother.
Followers the world over live
'in the world but not of it.'
Communal living, where it is possible, allows them to have all things, yet claim
nothing. Each follower considers himself a coworker in the cause for which FATHER
DIVINE came, whether serving in one of the churches, homes, hotels, business
establishments or otherwise employed. A wholehearted effort to live the Life
of Christ is required of those who consider themselves true followers
Paradoxically, the Peace Mission Movement emphasizes
(1) the Bodily Presence of GOD and at the same time the consciousness of His
present and all-encompassing Spirit;
(2) is religious yet not confined to religion alone and
(3) is both organizational and non-organizational.
1. The cardinal motivation of the Movement is that FATHER DIVINE is GOD, whose mission among men is to establish heaven on earth and bring the actual Presence of GOD to the people for the imminent redemption of man. This is the pivot around which the Movement is held in such close unity that nothing has been able to penetrate its high moral, social, ethical and religious standard assessed as "perfect" by prominent people of every walk of life. But,
'. . . with or without My Personal Presence",
FATHER DIVINE says,
'I AM the identical. I change not. Because of the personal Presence, it cannot handicap the Spirit, and because of the majesty and infiniteness of the Spirit, it cannot prohibit the person from expressing. This is a principle that is infinitely qualified to reach the masses of mankind. It can reach all humanity and all of their diversities of expression and unfold itself to them according to the dictates of their conscience. It is wonderful. Therefore, it is something that cannot be eradicated. It cannot be dispelled. It cannot be disrecognized in reality; for when it ceases to function in one expression or place or appearance, it will reincarnate in another, and function just as effectively. All of the powers that be, from the invisible realm condescendingly came. They have been embodied; they have been materially reflected, and you and I are the reincarnators of them . . .'
2. Religiously, the Movement is founded on the Life and Teachings of Jesus CHRIST embodying at the same time, true Judaism, Buddhism and all other religions. FATHER DIVINE explains that the Peace Mission Movement
'is the embodiment of the Jewish Faith, the Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi, and the Christian Movement from Matthew to Revelation, and the religions of the old world.'
There are five Mother Churches of which all other churches of the Movement are
known as branches. These Mother Churches, the Circle Mission Church, the Unity
Mission Church, the Palace Mission Church, the Nazareth Mission Church and the
Peace Center Church, were established as charitable organizations by FATHER DIVINE
in New York City in 1941 from already existing groups of followers who maintained
places of worship and somewhat of a central governing system based on the Life
of Christ as preached and exemplified by FATHER DIVINE. Since that time branches
have been established all over the world. Each church has its own officers and
board of trustees who are motivated in their decisions and deportment, as well
as all adherents, by a common document known as the Church Discipline, Constitution
and By-Laws. Neither FATHER DIVINE nor any of the officers or coworkers receive
a salary. The church provides for every need.
Branches owe no allegiance nor financial obligation to their Mother Body nor do members tithe or pay dues, therefore membership rolls are unnecessary. Churches are operated independent to each other without centralized jurisdiction and are self-sustaining financially. Since no collections are ever taken up in Peace Mission Churches, any monies necessary for upkeep are derived from voluntary donations made by church members and from donations given for food, shelter and anything of a material nature supplied by its facilities.
According to the instruction of FATHER DIVINE and by His own example, all churches must minister to the material as well as spiritual needs of members and the public in general. This is true throughout the Movement for the practical and the spiritual are interwoven so that one is essentially part of the other. FATHER instructs that in having the abundance of material necessities the way is made clear for full attention to be given to the attainment of spiritual aspirations and so material values are placed in their proper prospective to spiritual values.
'I do not only take your feet out of the mire and clay mentally and spiritually,'
FATHER DIVINE says,
'but I take your feet out of the mire and clay physically and I establish your going in the land of the living and give you victory over lacks, wants and limitations and I bring an end to Each Mother Church has affiliated with it a "Home for the Aged" and "Training School," as do many of the branch churches, thereby providing through these Homes, for the material needs of the people and through the training schools, a practical course in living together.
FATHER DIVINE is the sole Bishop and Pastor of each Peace Mission Church, for
His Presence is recognized as ever active, conducting and controlling every service,
meeting or activity anywhere in the world. There is no need then for ministers,
missionaries or proselytizing. FATHER DIVINE, Who has never gone to any of His
foreign churches personally, relies on His Spirit to reach whom It wills, where
It wills and when It wills.
Void of any liturgy, services are conducted on a volitional basis, granting freedom to members and guests, who are always welcomed, to sing, preach, testify or read according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Bible of the King James version and the American flag have places of prominence in every church.
Often members are quickened by the Holy Ghost beyond their control through sincerity in praise. FATHER DIVINE has described this as
'a refreshing from the Lord,'
and as
'The Spirit of GOD'S Actual Presence, that will reproduce more energy and will insert it and inject it in you and cause you to be willing and ready to serve HIM scientifically, volitionally and personally, because it is the energy of GOD that is in you. You are not merely vibrating for the sake of being seen or heard, but it is to express this new energy.''
Church choirs serve at more formal devotional services in the churches. FATHER
DIVINE'S Personal Words delivered in sermons, lectures, office talks and letters
of correspondence and recorded in print and on tape are the keynote of every
service, for it is HE Who has the Words of Spirit and Life.
The only sacrament in Peace Mission Churches is Holy Communion given according to FATHER DIVINE'S Own original system. It is in this service that HE enjoys ministering the most because it portrays a sample of a model world in its practical service, giving unreservedly to all both materially and spiritually as do all other facets of His work and mission. It is not, as HE says,
'. . . just merely as a custom or as a ritual, although it is a matter of course, but we...... 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.''
Together with general praise and devotional services, the two religious holidays
of the Movement, April 29, the day in 1946 when FATHER DIVINE married MOTHER
DIVINE symbolizing the union of GOD and man, and September 10-12, the days in
1953 when Woodmont, the Main Line estate of FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE near Philadelphia
was consecrated as the Mount of the House of the Lord are celebrated. Now these
days in September, known as Holy Days, are revered as the time, in 1965, of FATHER
DIVINE'S Sacrifice for the redemption of all mankind.
Yet with all of this, the religious ideals of the Peace Mission Movement transcend limitation. FATHER DIVINE speaks of the Movement as ,
'. . . not an organization, this is not a church and this not an association . . . We consider every individual should be governed by his or her highest intuition so long as they live evangelically and do that which is just and right in the sight of both GOD and man . . . I AM not representing any special religious movement, yet My Thoughts embody all of the different religions . . . The different religions are inspired by the Spirit of GOD and GOD is the Author and Finisher of them all . . . HE has no leaders nor anyone as persons to be leaders nor controllers, but the Spirit of His Presence to have access among all people and everybody to be governed by his or her highest intuition. By so doing they all will be blessed abundantly, be successful and prosperous and healthy and happy, even as I AM, the sample and example for all humanity.'
3. Aside from these churches, but fostered by them, the Movement incorporates a co-operative system comprising a network of hotels, homes and businesses widely reputed to give the best for the least.
'When and wheresoever there are co-operative groups united together and purchase personal or real property or have an established individual enterprise," FATHER DIVINE explains, "it is under the Peace Mission Movement but established by the co-operative system through and by and for the individual unit established . . . Also under the co-operative system there are individuals which purchase, hold and co-operatively own business places . . . usually on a non-profit basis, whereas they may benefit the general public.""Now these places, as afore said,"
FATHER said,
'do not belong to ME, but because I have caused you, as the owners and the others, to save from fifteen to twenty-five dollars per week (FATHER DIVINE said this in 1952) you have donated to the churches . . . after you paid your fees that were due (rents, meals and the like), you donated to the Churches; but with the surplus money, the funds that the Churches did not need for the use of the Church or Church property, when the property was purchased it was directed to you and made you owners of these different properties . . . not because we were obliged to do it but because of the generosity of GOD, your FATHER, and those of the trustees and officers of the Church, with their consent and agreement they dispensed with it for the comfort and convenience of others. I mean what you voluntarily donated to the Church, what they did not need to supply the Church proper, they purchased personal and real property for your comfort and your convenience, and you became to be the owners of these properties . . . as owners and joint owners together.'
Organizationally the Peace Mission Movement stands solid for and practices unswervingly:
a high moral standard; absolute elimination of fraud in every walk of life as
well as righteousness in government; full integration racially and equal status
for the sexes; and individual independence without which , FATHER DIVINE says,
no citizen can be a real American coupled with a policy of "love thy neighbor."
The Movement also stands solidly against: personal malice, hatred, brutality, violence, aggression and war (the salutation of the Movement is "Peace"); capital punishment; installment buying, insurances, pensions and social security; tipping, receiving of gifts and presents; excessive use of cosmetics and propagation and cohabitation. In defense of the latter, FATHER DIVINE has always pointed to the already over-populated world.
The wide non-organizational and impersonal scope of the Movement can be seen daily in the change of heart that has gripped the world, the quickening pace toward righteousness, dropping of traditions, creating an awareness of brotherhood and an enlivened determination and zeal with courage to overcome all that besets man.
'I have prepared your hearts and your minds,'
FATHER DIVINE has said and His Words can be applied here,
'for the Throne of GOD, for Christ to reign. Christ has been implanted in the soil of your souls and on the throne of your mind. Now HE is bringing all of your power into and under His control and Christ is reigning now.'
This is the impersonal attitude of FATHER DIVINE Whose Spirit moves where man
cannot crush or hinder paving the way in man's heart and mind for the kingdom
to come and the will to be done on earth. (This article will be continued in
part II: FATHER DIVINE, Founder, Bishop, Pastor.)
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