During the Holy Communion a sister stated that while working on her position, her madam said that she would not allow anyone to work for her who not of her complexion, whereupon she (the sister) resented the fact and reprimanded her madam. Later on, she stated, a condition came on her and she thought she was being punished for what she had said, for she felt as if she was passing out, and after calling upon Father, she received her deliverance, for which she thanked Him.
Following this testimony, Father arose to explain the mystery of getting resentful and angry.
Father Divine: Peace, Everyone! I am picking up drop stitches and catching up drop thoughts that may be deemed of others that are not considered. When the last speaker mentioned saying something to the person, that said she would not allow anyone to work for her that was not of her complexion, or words to that effect, I thought to say, as she felt she was punished for what she said, she may not have been punished for what she said, but may have been punished for getting resentful or angry.
Your bodies are the temples of the living God and God has said:
“I will walk in them and dwell in them.”
Therefore, your bodies are not for anger and especially not for that which is called madness! I have often illustrated, matters not what anyone does to you, if they would kill some of your family for not anything in the world, but for maliciousness, if you get angry, you will pay for it! Not because you could have said more had you not got resentful, because she she should have known more than what you told her and she did not know it, so someone should have told her – much more that what you told her; but they should not have been angry and resentful and antagonistic and malicious, with a malicious mind, for such an expression in the act of sowing seeds of antagonism, discord and maliciousness will return to the one from whence the seeds were sown!
So, that is what I wanted to say. So do not feel condemned because of what you said, but feel condemned or repent for the resentment and the anger and the quick-to-fly-up and a desire, if you could have, to do something to her. But anyway, whensoever you get angry, it is not detrimental when you have a right to tell everybody the way of life and the way of death if you can show them what will bring life and what will bring death! Prejudice and division will not only bring death, but destruction, and all had just as well know it and it is better for them to know it than for them not to know it and allow death and destruction to come to them when it could be avoided by knowing it and turning from the thing that is detrimental and destructive!
So that is the thought I wish to convey, to let you see and know and let others hear what I have to say concerning the thing. Do not get angry, matters not what anyone does to you, matters not what they do to your best friend in the world! When they were trying to lynch me many times, I would tell those who were with me, do not get mad! Do not get mad, but Praise God! Just let the hallelujahs roll. And to the critics and to those who are malicious and would be or would do something maliciously or critically or would desire to or would do or say something, thinking they can get by at it by being protected, as so to speak; with what I said then, that you were not to get mad and maliciously do something to people, greater is your punishment and your reward if you are worthy of punishment, if you will let God give it, God can fight your battle and will do it better and more effectively. I thank you.
Shortly after a brother testified. He said he saw a brother some place, and he had not expected to see him, as he thought he was on duty where he was a co-worker, and he asked the brother what he was doing there, and the brother replied, in words to the effect, “Do you expect me to be in prison all the time?” He said the thought stressed in his mind and he didn’t want it to get in his system, as some day he hoped to have the honor of being a co-worker in the Kingdom of God on earth among men. After this brief testimony and confession, Father arose once again to comment on same, that one and all might have the assurance, that if you hold your peace, God will fight your battle!
Father Divine: Peace Everyone! To verify what I had said a little while ago-what I did say a little while ago: that God will fight your battle, you need not fight your own; for the arms of flesh will fail you, you dare not trust your own! Now, I would just like to say, when he mentioned someone saying something about being in prison, I thought of what was said by one, internationally known by name, if not by sight – Jack Johnson. When he was at our hotel at Palace Mission Church of New Jersey, he desired special service. Of course, when it was convenient, no doubt, they did volunteer some special service without compensation and without tipping or anything of that sort, such as hotels require.
Nevertheless, when the rush was on, so I was informed, and when they were not serving the banquet of course, we made him our guest, in a way of speaking, because he, as well as many others, could be seated at the Banquet Table and were privileged to sit with us at the Banquet Table and at the Co-workers’ Banquet Table whensoever they would serve. But at a time when they did not, he was expected to get in line to get his meals like others did, and someone said he got offended, in the which he did, and said that was like being on the chain gang or in prison and he wasn’t going to stay here, or words to that effect.
And after he left – that was last year – he never sent me a card of appreciation for his accommodations there and having met me – may seem to be insignificant, but only at that time in comparison to him, not now, for inside of a year from the time it happened that he went away in that mood, you all heard – I am quite sure everyone heard and a good many read, how he was killed in an automobile accident; and he had lived to bes sixty-eight years old and he looked well, humanly speaking, and he did not die because of old age. I did not get offended at what he said personally, but I said, God will fight your battle! I did not even think of it after it was said; but I say this to say that, if you let God fight your battle and do not try to fight it yourself as a person, and refuse to get angry and resentful and hold prejudice or bigotry or jealousy or any of those detestable tendencies within you, the things that hurt people will not be able to hurt you! I thank you. I thank you.
Peace, Everyone! Just before I make my seeming departure, I would like to say, we have visiting guests and visiting friends as usual. If any of our visiting friends or visiting guests desire to speak, they are welcome to do so by moving volitionally even as we do. I thank you.
Father Divine
Father Divine’s sermon given at the Holy Communion table at Circle Mission Church on July 28-29, 1946 at 5:10 a.m.