Our Father’s sermon given whilst at the holy communion table of the Nazareth Mission Church, Home and Training School, Inc. of Pennsylvania 1600-1614 Oxford street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Friday eve. & Saturday morning of May 16-17, 1952 at 1:05 a.m.
This truly beautiful and profound Sermon came forth from the SAVIOR of ALL MANKIND shortly after the testimony of one of the Followers, Mr. John Wesley by name, who brought forth many important thoughts to be considered as to the depth and breadth of FATHER’S wonderful Work in tangible form, and for the UPLIFT of HUMANITY in GENERAL!— and vividly depicting the many years it has been going on in just NEW YORK CITY alone!
Mr. Wesley firstly gave thanks to FATHER for the many Blessings extended him down thru the years, and HE also thanked FATHER for MOTHER, the Spotless Virgin Bride; and the marvelous Work going on today! He then told how many years ago during the depression, when thousands were without jobs, he had been nothing but a bum, starving for want of food. He told of having stood, hungry and cold, in breadlines, and leaving the soup kitchens still hungry, until he learned of FATHER DIVINE. There at the Peace Mission he would come, in New York City, at One Hundred and Fifteenth Street, and with thousands of other unemployed, dine sumptuously GRATIS— DAILY! He said he was amazed to see how such good Work could go on and on, and thousands more at that time being fed for a mere ten and fifteen cents a meal! Mr. Wesley brought out many other points for consideration concerning FATHER’S wonderful Work, but concluded by saying that he considered one of the greatest things to him was that FATHER could take a good-for-nothing bum, such as he had been, and completely change him, so that now he is not only healthy, well-fed and prosperous, but is now at a place where, in his line of business he is able to give employment to other men at the rate of sixteen dollars a day, and they didn’t have to wait until Saturday to get paid. They could see him any time and get their money!
For this and all the many other wonderful things FATHER has done for him down through the years, as well as for all mankind the universe over, he said, he truly thanked FATHER─ for only through HIM could such have been accomplished!
Shortly after this testimony, the inspirational song herein recorded was sung, after which FATHER gave this soul-stirring Sermon.
THANK YOU, BELOVED SAVIOR OF ALL MANKIND!
(The foregoing statements are those of the transcriber after which is firstly recorded the song sung just before FATHER arose to speak.)
Praise the LORD forever,
Forever and forever,
Praise the LORD forever,
HE’S done so much for me!
Praise the LORD forever,
Forever and forever;
I cannot help but praise HIM,
HE set me free!
(FATHER Speaks as follows:)
PEACE, EVERYONE: That little composition is someone’s conviction, and according to the last speaker, I think it’s his! (Loud applause sanction this:)
While listening to his testimony I thought of what I had just said today— in New York City —just in New York City alone, at one time, we were feeding from twenty-five hundred to three thousand persons DAILY, without a nickel!— (Thunderous applause rings out) and feeding UNTOLD THOUSANDS for FIFTEEN CENTS, and the maximum fee at that time was FIFTEEN CENTS! Sold-for meals, from TEN to FIFTEEN CENTS! (“So true, LORD!” came the verification with loud applause.)
I have long since declared, “It is more blessed to give than to receive!” And
“Whatsoever you measure unto others, the same shall be measured to you!” Therefore, sow GOOD SEEDS, everybody, for “You shall reap just what you sow”! Aren’t you glad! (“So
glad, GOD ALMIGHTY!” exclaimed the entire Congregation.)
That thought was stressed in the Actuated Words of Expression form one year to the other. And as Mr. Wesley said, as he and many others who were called bums and hoboes, and a-plenty of them who were not called by such a name but were fed WITHOUT COST, and it was done from year in and year out. Aren’t you glad! (“Yes, so glad, LORD!” came the unanimous declaration.)
Therefore, I say, it is more blessed to give than to receive; for that which you apparently were doing for others, you could not lose! You have not been in lacks, wants nor limitations! You have not been in adverse nor undesirable conditions by so doing! And
through the method as described, thousands and THOUSANDS were sheltered for as little as
ONE DOLLAR and ONE DOLLAR and a HALF PER WEEK, for years and years and
YEARS! (“So true, LORD!” verified the vast Assembly.)
The maximum fee at one time was just a dollar and a half per WEEK, and after then it went up to TWO dollars per WEEK; but not until recently did any of our hotels or apartment houses receive from guests, more than two dollars per week! (“So true! came the verification.)
For the last three or four years, since the dedication of the Divine Lorraine Hotel, the fee went up from TWO DOLLARS to TWO DOLLARS and a HALF PER WEEK; the same hotels and the very same service, as so to speak, that were given and that receive from THREE and a HALF and UP, PER DAY! But under the Peace Mission Movement they could get such accommodations for TWO DOLLARS and a HALF PER WEEK, or FIFTY CENTS A DAY! (Thunderous applause and cheers ring out.) So then I say, it is something to PRAISE GOD for! (“So true, GOD ALMIGHTY” came the unanimous exclamation.)
And when the last speaker was speaking, I know there are HUNDREDS under the sound of MY VOICE, tonight, could verify the fact that I took THEM out of LACKS and WANTS and” LIMITATIONS, out of ADVERSE and UNDESIRABLE CONDITIONS, and have established their going in the LAND of the LIVING! (“Oh, yes, GOD ALMIGHTY!” declared the vast Congregation with a mighty shout.)
At one time the Peace Mission barbershops; when they were making a fee, charged TEN CENTS to cut your hair, and FIVE CENTS for a shave! And charged THREE CENTS for a SHOE SHINE! And THREE CENTS for a SODA POP! And THREE CENTS for a GLASS of MILK, GLASS of COFFEE—ICED COFFEE or ICED TEA— and COULD NOT CHARGE ANY MORE, AND WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE ANY MORE! That is what I AM talking about! Those who were running barber shops and did not charge but five cents and ten cents for a HAIR CUT and SHAVE, they were not allowed to accept of more than the IMMEDIATE FEE. Yet it was not enough, it is true, according to the present wage scale or rate or fees that they were paying! But, as it is true, if you do not make a fee, the same as in any and all of our places presently operated now, if there is not a fee, you would have a right to accept of whatsoever is given you! And if there is a fee, you would not or should not ask more than that limited fee, whatsoever it may be!
I was thinking about that thought today when I happened to find in MY Wallet or with MY Card Case, a ticket. (FATHER produces the ticket which HE is referring to, and holds it up that everyone might see it, as HE says:). This says, (FATHER reads from. the ticket:) “FATHFR DIVINE’S two-day BOAT EXCURSION TO THE PROMISED LAND!” — (stopping at the famous ARTIST COLONY, Milton-on-the-Hudson, and at the KRUM ELBOW ESTATE, just apposite HYDE PARK — and on up toKINGSTON. The trip, ONE HUNDRED MILES or MORE, ROUND TRIP, for ONLY ONE DOLLAR! (Thunderous applause resounds.)
I like to have PROOF of anything I say, (“So true, LORD!” exclaims the Congregation) to verify it with FACTS and FIGURES that are too stout to be denied! Aren’t you glad! (“So g1ad, LORD!” came the reply.)
So then, even though the fee was only ONE DOLLAR, ROUND TRIP, for TWO DAYS; ONE HUNDRED MILES UP THE HUDSON— from NEW YORK to KINGSTON, NEW YORK; THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO ACCEPT OF A PENNY MORE THAN THE ONE DOLLAR FEE! Aren’t you glad! (“So glad, GOD ALMIGHTY!” declared the adoring Assembly.) And CHILDREN, EIGHTEEN YEARS AND UNDER, they could go ABSOLTUTELY GRATIS!— whatsoever that means! (Loud applause rings out). In our language and in our interpretation that means CHILDREN EIGHTEEN YEARS and UNDER COULD GO FREE! Now isn’t that wonderful?
You have not seen ME going around begging bread since that time! (“No, LORD!” declared the Assembly in one voice.) You have not known of nor heard of not any of our
Churches going into bankruptcy! Aren’t you glad! (“So glad, LORD!” declared the joyful Congregation.) But this ticket is here as PROOF, to let you SEE and KNOW, on MONDAY,
AUGUST the EIGHTH, NINETEEN HUNDRED and THIRTY-EIGHT— nearly FOURTEEN YEARS AGO —we carried as MANY as would go, with THREE BOATS, up the
HUDSON, all the way to KINGSTON and RETURN, with a TWO-DAYS’ OUTING, for ONLY ONE DOLLAR, the ADULTS, and CHILDREN EIGHTEEN YEARS and UNDER, for “THANK YOU”! (Thunderous applause, cheers and merriment ring throughout the Holy Communion Hall.) Aren’t you glad! (“Yes, so glad, LORD!” cried the joyous Congregation.)
One writer declares,
“I once was young but now I am old; yet
have I not seen the Righteous forsaken
neither his seed begging bread!”
If you do that which is JUST and RIGHT, and especially UNSELFISHLY, DEMOCRATICALLY, EVANGELICALLY and LOVINGLY, with ALL your HEART, SOUL and MIND, YOU CANNOT LOSE BY SO DOING (Loud applause resounds in sanction of this.)
I thought to mention this, because the last speaker mentioned how I lifted him as an individual, while yet there were THOUSANDS ALSO LIFTED throughout this LAND and COUNTRY! But a good many of them are such INGRATES, they would not even so much as say, “I thank YOU!” (“It’s so true, GOD ALMIGHTY.!” exclaimed the indignant Congregation.) But we are happy to say “IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE!” And where I have, through MY Influence, endorsed different little businesses and large businesses and dedicated them to and for the good of humanity generally, it was done in a way so that those who were MY Followers, and others in connection, would not be racketeers and profiteers, to try to get SOMETHING for NOTHING! Therefore, when they sold ice cream and soda waters, and all of those things we serve and sell now for much LESS than what you could get anything like that elsewhere, we were not broken— we did not get broke— we did not go into bankruptcy!— and it was a matter of IMPOSSIBILITY to LOSE by DOING GOOD! (“So true, GOD ALMIGHTY!” verified the entire Assembly.)
The barber shops were very prosperous, but they were searing on non-profit basis, and that is what I require those of ME to do, and to be the SAME TODAY, NOW, HENCEFORTH, and THROUGHOUT ALL ETERNITY to live in a way — to live for OTHERS — and be IMPERSONAL, UNSELFISH, DEMOCRATIC and EVANGELICAL!— and if you do, you will NOT have an occasion to SICKEN and DIE— for THE WAGES OF SIN IS NOT ONLY SICKNESS AND ACCIDENTS, BUT “T H E WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH”!
Take these thoughts to consideration and live in this Recognition, and remember, “IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE!” That is, to the CONSUMER as well as to the PRODUCER!
Some people may think within themselves, “Well, FATHER said it is more blessed to give than to receive— everybody should give to me as a consumer!” You may THINK that as a CONSUMER— you may THINK you should come and sit down at the Banquet Table and serve a ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR-A-PLATE BANQUET, and feel like that should be done— with you having a MIND and a DESIRE to RACKETEER on the KINGDOM of GOD and not even donate such as may be required! You may THINK THAT! BUT “HE THAT SOWETH TO THE FLESH, SHALL OF THE FLESH REAP CORRUPTION, BUT HE THAT SOWETH TO THE SPIRIT, SHALL OF THE SPIRIT REAP LIFE EVERLASTING”!
Nevertheless, it does not change the proposition and the situation. It is just as operative and expressive for the CONSUMER as it is for the PRODUCER! If the PRODUCER is requested to give to the world the BEST he has, and trust GOD for the BEST to RETURN to HIM— the CONSUMER is required to do the VERY SAME! — and if he has COMMON SENSE, he will make EVERY EFFORT and EVERY SACRIFICE to do even as the One of Whom he has observed doing such things! (Loud applause of appreciation rings out.)
I thought to call your attention to that, so that you as visitors, guests and friends, and even a good many of you who are immediate Followers and Members of our Churches may not have known or been thinking of what has been done in that way!— feeding from TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED to THREE THOUSAND a DAY in NEW YORK CITY, ABSOLUTELY GRATIS!— besides the UNTOLD THOUSANDS we fed, the same as we are feeding you all here now, for only FIFTEEN CENTS! Isn’t it Wonderful? (“Oh, yes, truly Wonderful, Dear LORD!” came the unanimous reply.)
So it’s a matter of impossibility to lose by doing GOOD; for “RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS THE NATION WHILST SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE!” I thank you.
Racialism Shall Be Wiped Out
Away down in Texas,
And in the furthest parts of the South,
They shall eat and drink together;
These WORDS came out of GOD’S Mouth!
There will be no more race riots and lynchings;
There will be no more division and strife;
When they recognize GOD’S BODY,
They will value each other’s life.
FATHER wilt make them love each other so much,
With or without an Anti-lynching Bill,
They will know they are brothers
And will not desire to kill;
Away down in Texas,
And in the furthest parts of the South,
They will enact the Bill of Rights in every community;
Racialism shall be wiped out!
(Song)
“Righteousness marchers on
In the hearts and lives of men,
Doing works of wonder,
Accomplishing its ends;
Making mankind upright,
Competent and true,
Transmitted from the Heart and Mind
of GOD, our FATHER, to you!