Serving at the Mount of the House of the Lord
The annual joint meeting of the Nazareth Mission Church, Home and Training School of Pennsylvania and the Nazareth Mission' Home for the Aged, Church and Training School of New York was called to order by the President, Miss Emily McConnell, by the singing of the inspirational composition:
These are FATHER DIVINE'S Greetings to the Universe.
'One Eternal Merry Christmas and One Eternal Happy New Year!'
After which a scripture lesson was read from the first book of Psalms, from the first to the sixth verse inclusive, as follows:
'Blessed is the man that walks not in the course of the ungodly,nor standeth in the way of the sinner, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in HIS law doeth he meditate day and night.
And they shall be like a tree planted by river of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not whither: and whatsoever he does shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way of the unrighteous but the way of the ungodly shall perish.'
At the conclusion of same, another inspirational song was sung, followed by the
reading of the Church Discipline, By-Laws and Constitution. Just as the secretary
concluded reading, a loud happy shout went up. It was the arrival of our beloved
Bishop, Founder and Pastor, GOD ALMIGHTY, and HIS Spotless Virgin Bride, the
symbol of the Church Triumphant, and a number of His immediate staff. After they
were ushered in amid thunderous applause, the meeting then proceeded. The President
came forward and spoke as follows:
Peace, FATHER; Peace, MOTHER and Peace, everyone!
I have been reading very carefully Your Words of the minutes of the last annual meeting of this church and I feel that it has made us all realize that we are in danger of imposing on YOU. Now there is no possibility of making any mistake as to whether we want FATHER to take charge of this meeting! That would be a unanimous vote but if you would rather, FATHER, for the President to carry on, she would be delighted to do so for that reason, but otherwise, she would not be at all delighted.
The only reason, Dear, that we ask You-- invite You with all our hearts and leave the answer to Your own Infinite Wisdom, You are making sacrifices for us continually day and night. Help us to love You and appreciate You, FATHER. We are only on the edge of appreciating You, FATHER, for it would take eternity for the BRIDE, which is the Creation, to appreciate GOD, because GOD is steadily unfolding. There is no such thing GOD stopping unfoldment! He is Personified Unfoldment! So, FATHER, we ask You to help us to be more appreciative of You.
FATHER, help me to tell You a little incident. Years ago I read in The New Day or the Spoken Word, of some brother's description-- going up in the Promise Land looking for FATHER, and they found FATHER sitting on the porch of one of the many buildings in the Promise Land, and the account spoke of His Beauty, a Beauty which they had never quite seen before: of Holiness and it was a stirring account to read; and all that FATHER said was, "sometimes I like to be by Myself and I think about the Universal Mind substance, which is all there is of Me!"
FATHER, I have never forgotten those words, and they made me strangely happy, at the time. I was living in England and that is the idea now: if FATHER wants to contemplate the Universal Mind substance which is all there is of Him and to be alone in His Spiritual Consciousness we all want that! But maybe, after saying these few words-- He might want to speak. Anyway, FATHER, it is a unanimous vote of these members that You take the meeting into Your own Holy Hands. If no--as Your Infinite wisdom directs.
After the thunderous applause had subsided, FATHER, to the delight and thrill of one and all, presided as moderator, speaking as follows:
FATHER: We will have a selection.
Immediately the Rosebud Coir, with the members joining in, began singing an inspirational composition as follows:
FATHER DIVINE, Your work we crown:
Your Almighty Name Proclaimed
Through all the nations of the earth,
Revered, Renowned Your Name!
You have taught us to love Old Glory,
Enact the Virtues for which she waived
By Your Righteous Stripes
You have created
This indivisible American race.
We'll exalt You name forever
Send Your praises ringing through the air;
Behold, the fruit of Your Righteousness,
Behold, the Life of CHRIST conceived
You have raised up a RIGHTEOUS Nation
Unto the Glory of Your Holy Name.
For this virginity Your Virgins exalt You,
Exalt Your Name! Sing Your praise!
For this Righteousness we praise Your Name!
We praise Your Name!
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