FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE
The foundation upon which the Marriage of FATHER DIVINE and MOTHER DIVINE was built was the conviction of MOTHER DIVINE, "I know YOU Are GOD", and millions throughout the world now stand upon this same conviction.
FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE were married in Washington, D.C. on April 29, 1946. The ceremony was quiet and simple with only a few of FATHER'S associates present but it shook the world when news of this Holy Event was made known.
People questioned, "Will it last?" but time alone has proven this over and above the rumors and indignities of the malicious that followed.
The first public inkling that FATHER DIVINE gave of His Marriage was on June 17, 1946, almost two months after the ceremony that took the attention of the entire world. In a letter HE wrote to Governor Edge of New Jersey when His car had been stopped on the highway, FATHER DIVINE said, "I write as I wish to advise I have been annoyed on several occasions when traveling through and in your state by some of the State Police stopping My Personal car in which Myself, Mrs. Divine and a number of My immediate staff were traveling."
FATHER went on to explain the situation in His correspondence to the Governor and concluded His letter by saying, "I do hereby appeal the honor of your office to grant Myself and Mrs. Divine and My church members the courtesy of the road in passing through your state without interference by the police, unless it would be for some traffic violation made by some of us."
It was from this letter, an office talk FATHER gave, and a speech made by MOTHER DIVINE on July 29 which were published in The New Day Magazine, that the press finally became aware that something had happened. They stormed FATHER DIVINE'S headquarters at Broad and Catherine Streets in Philadelphia for a statement from HIM.
In Her speech at Holy Communion where followers were gathered MOTHER DIVINE said,
"Peace, FATHER Dear; Peace, Everyone: At this time I would like to publicly thank FATHER for this great Blessing and Honor of legally marrying the Lamb of GOD! It is something that I never dreamed of, but I am glad to know that it is an impossibility for GOD to be bereaved, and that HE giveth a spirit a body as it pleases HIM!" (MOTHER DIVINE was referring to the first Mother Divine of Whom FATHER has said that She is the reincarnation.)
The audience was so quiet at this time you could have heard a pin drop. MOTHER DIVINE went on to say,
"There is nothing on earth or in heaven that can add to HIS Deity and there is nothing that can take it away! Nothing ever made HIM GOD and nothing can ever take His Godship Degree from HIM! And whatsoever HE condescends to do, HE does not for His Own Pleasure, but for ours . . ."
FATHER Himself spoke when MOTHER DIVINE finished Her startling announcement. HE said in reference to Her remarks,
"You all heard something tonight. If I had not known, as GOD knows all things, I would not have known it was going to be said. But it is perfectly all right. I have nothing to regret!" (FATHER continued:)
"I have often taught, if a person in mortal consciousness would get married, they should not find as much fault in the person before they marry as one fourth of a grain of a mustard seed, and it cut in four parts! If that is there before, how about after? It may grow!"
"Therefore", FATHER said, "I find no fault! I AM well pleased!"
After newspaper reports the world watched. They wanted to know if such a marriage would work and if it was all it was said to be. Rumors through the first few years of the Marriage of FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE persisted in gossip columns and newspaper items. The type of rumors that follow any marriage of importance.
But this was not just any marriage of importance -- it was a Holy Marriage and has remained so through the years.
Now, at the thirteenth Anniversary of that most Holy Occasion, people have settled down, rumors have stopped and everyone concedes that fact that it is a Holy Marriage in essence as in Name.
FATHER DIVINE, on April 29, 1948 proclaimed the Day as a Religious Holiday. One of His famous Peace Stamps carries the ultimatum. It says,
"I do this day make this proclamation, that from now henceforth the twenty-ninth day of April shall be an international, universal, interracial Holiday commemorating the Marriage of CHRIST to His Creation, yea, GOD to His Spotless Church -- His Spotless Virgin Bride -- to universalize Democracy, Americanism, Christianity and Judaism as synonymous, and to bring about the Universal Brotherhood of man and the propagation of Virtue, Honesty and Truth!"
People come from all over the world to celebrate this Day with FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE. It is in reality an International Holiday. Followers everywhere take it as their Religious Holiday and are granted leave of absence from offices, schools and the like for their holiday.
On August 10, 1946 a woman reporter from the People's Voice of New York City came as all other newspapers, weeklies and periodicals did and was granted an interview with FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE.
FATHER, always jovial, exercised His wonderful sense of humor when HE described His Marriage to this reporter. HE said,
"Definitely we stand on our righteous endeavors the same as we always have. When any of you heard of ME, before the majority of you were born, it may not look like it, but I was married and through My Marriage many were given birth to modesty, to virtue and to holiness, and this Marriage is on the same Principle! We did not marry for any of the things that the average person marries for. She did not marry ME for My money because I do not have any! I told Her I did not have a dime as far as I AM Personally concerned."
In this same interview FATHER stressed the purpose of His Marriage to MOTHER DIVINE when HE said,
"It really means a whole lot to those who may be interested and may be unbiased, non-bigoted and non-prejudiced and desire to know the Truth concerning all things that concern them, because this great issue concerns them! This is an international issue, to bring the nations of the earth in a closer relationship! Our Marriage was for that! It is an international Marriage! It is an interracial Marriage and we will bring all races and all nations in close relationship by the Marriage if I permit!"
On April 29, 1946, just after FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE, with other members of Their Party had returned from Washington, D.C. where They were married, FATHER gave an Office Talk to His cabinet members. HE said, "You should be able to tell every living creature and every imagination there is only One -- only One GOD! See that thou do it not! Worship GOD! GOD is the Only ONE because there is no comparison! And if they live and if you live, you will be the same and there will not be another one! So it is wonderful! GOD Is GOD! Our GOD Is One GOD, and that is not a supposition! It is real! Real! Real! Everything else is a failure and will be as long as I sling any balls in or out of the solar system! There is no comparison!"
FATHER went on to explain what the world did not yet know about. HE said, "By inspiration through the different ones I volitionally said in them for themselves and for you all, I want the whole world to love YOU', just as you do. Not only equal, but the same! The same Love! And when this is done, there will be no other! Then how could you love any other body? How can you please any other body in consideration? If you do, it is fatal! It is a failure and total destruction! This is not a supposition! It is the Declaration of the Holy Ghost!"
FATHER ended the talk to His Staff members by saying, "But now the universe at large has an invitation to love GOD just as you say you do! There will be no more a barrier nor a limitation. Not anything to hinder, for it is fulfilled in your hearing! The Sample and the Example I have exemplified, I have materialized and I have Personified! Now aren't you glad? And as this, the Sample and the Example I have exemplified and I have materialized, in reality I AM universalizing the sample and the example, for that which is operative and expressive for one, is operative and expressive for another. It is wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! All of these thoughts are well worth considering; I hope you all will consider them. Okay."
In another Office Talk on May 10 FATHER elaborated on the meaning of life for His followers. HE started by saying, "The thought was so profound in the experience of the virgins, how it is so beautiful, as I have declared, as a sketch and a reflection of a percent of a fraction of a grain of the mystery which has been beautifully depicted by the Catholic Sisters. I have often illustrated how they are willing to sacrifice their human or would-be human affection, lust and passion, human or would-be human tendencies, fancies and pleasures for the Church that they are serving; how they deny themselves of all of the social fashions or functions and the pleasures of them and everything else from a mortal-versionated point of view, that they might please the CHRIST in the Church according to their religious convictions; how the Virginity of Mary and the Holiness of Jesus is exemplified in them who make such sacrifices for Him, or for the Church, if you please.
"If they are conscientious," FATHER explained, "and sincere as they seem to be, that is a sacrifice that is well worth considering. And by such a sacrifice of the most purest expressions of human purity for Righteousness' sake, such a sacrifice as that as mentioned is it that has and will continue to save the Church!
"They sacrifice not only their fortunes, but their would-be hobbies, fancies, tendencies and would-be pleasures for righteousness' sake that the Church might be effectively established to stand now, henceforth and forever under the protection of the Holiness of Jesus and the Virtue of Mary. So this Service as depicted and as illustrated is well worth considering, for that is what I AM now experiencing. It is wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful to think of the sacrifices that are made for Righteousness' sake and such sacrifices being made without coercion and without persuasion and without an obligation -- not being obligated to make such sacrifices and could legitimately refuse to make such sacrifices and justify yourselves in so doing for the appeasing of self, if desired to do so, without criticism, accusation or condemnation, for to make such sacrifices, we are not under any obligation. To think of the freedom of the Spirit, of Mind, of Aim and of Purpose and yet, for Righteousness' sake and for the benefit of others, we make such sacrifices!"
FATHER explained, "The Church does not demand such to be made necessarily, but voluntarily the sacrifices are being made for Righteousness' sake.
"That is why," FATHER said, "this Movement is obliged to stand and withstand every opposition, every criticism, every accusation and every conflict and all of the conflicts that may arise and all of the attacks as they are and have been making.
"You cannot lose," FATHER said, "by so doing, for the sacrifices you are making, you will surely gain! Be thou true and faithful over and over again and you will not have an occasion to regret a thing. I thank you."
This indicated that FATHER had finished, but caught up in His Own Spirit, HE continued, "As a good many of you have said, as you behold the sacrifices I AM making and have made, you felt as though it would be justifiable for My sacrifices to be now eliminated and from the obligation of making such sacrifices be completely emancipated and definitely once and forever exonerated! But life goes on, and by it the Life I AM exemplifying, you can rejoice to see and to know such a sacrifice. It is wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! You have everything to continue to hope for which has not been had, and as you rejoice in the LORD continually, you have nothing to lose, but everything to gain!
"The beauty of GOD as exemplified among you all is that of which I had mentioned so often over and over again: it is the Sacrifice, the Self-denial, the Consecration, the Faith, the Love, the Compassion and Mercy and Tender Kindness HE gives. Then such sacrifices as may be termed sacrifices in reality, for they are the seeming sacrifices you are making immediately, but for the gain of something bigger, greater or better you are making such sacrifices."
Later the same day, FATHER gave another Talk to His cabinet on the significance of CHRIST and the Church.
FATHER had been speaking and as HE continued HE said, "One said about the great Marriage Supper of the Lamb! Therefore, CHRIST is truly married to the Church! It is wonderful! If in the Bible time -- I AM not talking foolishness now; in all sincerity conscientiously I can say, if they in Bible times would pick out a spotless lamb or a spotless dove or a spotless pigeon or even a he ram or goat, one spotless as a sacrifice, as a symbol of the reality, was it not depicting something that was a mystery to be revealed? It is wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful!
"But if the animals in those days could depict something, what will ye that I might fulfill it in reality in the personnel of humanity? Aren't you glad? Through this, I have drawn you My Own, together. Therefore, you should conscientiously and sincerely love one another. If you know the Truth, or in other words, are unselfish, you will love ME greater, with a bigger and a better Love than ever!"
After the newspapers found out about the Marriage of FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE and it had been carried through the press, radio and television nationally and internationally, FATHER DIVINE gave another talk in His car, traveling from one of His many churches to another. FATHER conveyed the true spiritual meaning of His Marriage to MOTHER DIVINE.
HE said, "Truly, it is now fulfilled. CHRIST is married to the Church! After Peter answered saying,
I say that Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God!'
Jesus answered also, saying,
Upon this Rock I shall build My Church!'
Thus you have been taught from your early existence, CHRIST is married to the
Church. That belief is what I married. The answer came to ME, saying, I say that
YOU Are GOD!' That belief is it to whom or to which I AM married -- the Church!
"You can plainly see, it all dove-tails and it speaks in the actuated words of expression in this illustration, but all depicting CHRIST and the Church! And I AM, as I have been, showing the world conclusively, CHRIST, the Church and the Word, the knowledge of GOD, they are synonymous, for they are united together. And immediately declared I, Upon this Rock I shall build My Church!' And when the Church was built upon such an assertion, upon such a conviction as Peter's, CHRIST was married to the Church -- a Church without Spot or wrinkle!
"Then came the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the Church and the Bride, the Lamb's Wife -- all intermingling and depicting that Word: I say that Thou Art GOD!' It is wonderful!
"So it is very explicitly depicted and, I might say, pre-scientifically depicted! That Belief is the thing upon which I have built the Church, and that Belief is the thing to which I AM united!"
FATHER, after speaking further, came back to the same point when HE said, "Therefore, this day it is fulfilled in your hearing -- CHRIST married to the Church! Such a privilege -- a privilege rare! Yet it is as true as it was when I said it: Upon this Rock (upon this assertion, upon this declaration, upon this conviction, upon this belief, upon this recognition and realization) I shall build My Church!'
"When and why was it? Why did She want to marry ME? you might ask, if you wish to, or any outside person. Not for fame nor for money nor for self-indulgence or human affection; but you might ask Her and She can tell you."
MOTHER DIVINE answered this question by saying, "Because I know YOU Are GOD!"
And now, after many, many years of marriage it has been proven to the scoffer, the unbeliever and the cynic that MOTHER DIVINE did not marry FATHER DIVINE for fame , nor for money, nor for self-indulgence or human affection but because She knows FATHER DIVINE is GOD!
*************