A History of the Urantia Movement
By Dr. William S. Sadler
Several members
of this group who participated in the preliminary
"contacts" which led up to the appearance of the Urantia
Papers, had had considerable experience in the
investigation of psychic phenomena. This group early
arrived at the conclusion that the phenomena connected
with the personality, who was later associated with the
Urantia Papers, was in no way similar to any other
well-known type of psychic performance - such as hypnosis,
automatic writing, clairvoyance, trances, spirit
mediumship, telepathy, or double personality.
It should be made
clear that the antecedents of the Urantia Papers were in
no way associated with so-called spiritualism -- with its
seances and supposed communication with spirits of
departed human beings.
Contact Activities Preceding The Urantia Papers
It would seem
that, during these early years, our unseen friends were
engaged in a thoroughgoing testing of the contact
personality, rehearsing the technique of communication,
selecting the Contact Commissioners -- in fact, in a
general way -- setting the stage for the subsequent
initiation of the presentation of the "Urantia Papers."
During these
early years we were introduced to many new and, to us,
somewhat strange concepts of the universe of universes and
as concerned man and his life on earth.
Among these
numerous new ideas of cosmology and philosophy, the
following may be mentioned:
-
New concept of
a far-flung cosmos
-
Millions of
other inhabited planets
-
Introduction to
scores of different and varied echelons of celestial
personalities.
-
Confirmation of
evolutionary origin of humankind -- even of an
evolutionary cosmos.
-
Intimation of
multiple Creator Deities.
-
Tentative
testing of our theologic concepts. Patient determination
of how far we might possibly go in the direction of
modifying our theologic beliefs and philosophical
opinions.
-
Without
realizing it, over a period of twenty years, our
fundamental religious views and attitudes had been
considerably changed.
-
We had been
familiarized with such terms as "The First Source and
Center", "Havona", "superuniverses", and the "Supreme
Being" -- but we had but meager ideas as to the real
meaning of these names.
-
We also heard
such words as "Master Spirits", "outer space", and
"Power Directors". But, again, we understood little as
to their meaning. We also learned about numerous orders
of angels.
-
We heard about
"Thought Adjusters", but our concept of the meaning of
the term was vague and indefinite.
-
We had acquired
a fuzzy concept of the morontia level of existence --
but we never heard the word "morontia" used until the
Papers started.
-
The midwayers
were very real to us -- we frequently talked with them
during our varied "contacts." We quite fully understood
that the secondary midwayers supervised the contacts.
-
We heard some
things about the Lucifer rebellion, but got little
information about Adam and Eve.
-
We gained the
impression that there were special reasons for Jesus'
bestowal on Urantia, but we had little or no idea as to
the nature of these unrevealed reasons.
-
We listened to
occasional references to Jesus' life and teachings --
but they were very cautious about the introduction of
any new concepts regarding Michael's Urantia bestowal.
Of all the Urantia Revelation the Jesus Papers were the
biggest surprise.
-
While we did
not hear the term "Corps of The Finality", we did pick
up a hazy idea that Paradise might be the destination of
surviving mortals.
Our superhuman
friends thus spent upward of two decades in extending our
cosmic horizons, enlarging our theologic concepts, and
expanding our over-all philosophy.
We never realized
how much our religious thinking had been expanded until
the Papers began to arrive. As the Revelation progressed
we came more fully to appreciate how we had been prepared
for the vast alteration of our religious beliefs by these
preliminary contacts extending over a period of twenty
years of pre-education.
Our
apprenticeship training for subsequent service in
association with the presentation of the Urantia Papers
was facilitated by the fact that, except for contacts with
the midwayers, no two contacts were alike. Seldom did we
meet the visiting personalities more than once. Every
contact was entirely different from any and all that had
gone before. And all of this experience was an extensive
and liberal preparatory educational training in the
expansion of our cosmology, theology and philosophy -- not
to mention our introduction to new ideas and concepts
concerning a vast array of more mundane objects.
The limited
discussion of Jesus' life and teachings during these
pre-revelatory contacts might be explained by the fact
that the midwayers were a bit dubious as to how much
authority they had in such matters -- as shown later on
when a whole year was consumed in the clarification of
their right to retell the story of the Michael bestowal.
Those of us who
early attended upon these nocturnal vigils never suspected
that we were in contact with anything supernatural.
During these
early years, all of our observations and investigations
utterly failed to reveal the technique of reducing
messages to writing.
How The Urantia Papers Started
After about
twenty years of contact experience, an alleged student
visitor, speaking through this sleeping subject during one
of these nocturnal vigils, in answer to one of our
questions, said: "If you only knew what you are in contact
with you would not ask such trivial questions. You would
rather ask such questions as might elicit answers of
supreme value to the human race."
This was
something of a shock, as well as a mild rebuke, and caused
all of us to look upon this unique experience in a new and
different way. Later on that night, one of our number
said: "Now they have asked for it -- let us give them
questions that no human being can answer."
Now it is best to
let matters rest here while we shift this narrative to a
new and different setting.
How The Forum Started
Dr. William S.
Sadler, a member of this early group of observers and
investigators, tells the following story regarding the
origin of that group of interested individuals which later
on became known as the "Forum." He says: "On my way to the
University of Kansas to deliver some lectures on Gestalt
psychology, I wrote a letter to my son saying that I
thought doctors should try to maintain some contact with
their old patients. I suggested that he talk with his
mother about the feasibility of inviting some of our old
friends to meet with us on Sunday afternoons for an hour
or two of informal discussion and social exchange.
When I returned
to Chicago one Sunday morning I found that my wife had
invited a group of our old patients to meet at our house
that afternoon at three o'clock. It was the plan to
conduct these Sunday afternoon gatherings somewhat as
follows: First have a talk on some health topic -- such as
the treatment of common colds, the cause and cure of
worry, and then, after a cup of tea, engage in informal
discussions -- asking and answering questions.
As time passed,
this group became a cosmopolitan gathering consisting of
professional men and women -- doctors, lawyers, dentists,
ministers, teachers -- together with individuals from all
walks of life. Farmers, housewives, secretaries, office
workers, and common laborers.
Introduction Of The Forum To the "Contacts"
Presently, I was
asked to give a series of talks on "Mental Hygiene," or
"Psychic Phenomena." At the beginning of my first talk, I
said: "With only or two exceptions, all of the psychic
phenomena which I have investigated have turned out to be
either conscious or unconscious frauds. Some were
deliberate frauds -- others were those peculiar cases in
which the performer was a victim of the deceptions of his
own subconscious mind."
I had no more
than said this when one of the group spoke up, saying,
"Doctor, if you have contacted something which you have
been unable to solve -- it would be interesting -- tell us
more about it."
I asked Dr. Lena
to get some notes she had taken at a recent "contact" and
read them to the group. It should be understood that up to
this time there was no secrecy connected with this case.
The Urantia Papers had not begun to appear.
It was at about
this time that this group meeting at our house on Sunday
afternoons began to be called the "Forum."
The group
manifested such a great interest in this case that I never
did get around to giving any of the health talks such as
had been planned.
It was while
these informal discussions were going on from week to week
that the challenge came to us suggesting that if we would
ask more serious questions we might get information of
value to all mankind.
The Forum Begins To Ask Questions
We told the Forum
all about this and invited them to join us in the
preparation of question. We decided to start out with
questions pertaining to the origin of the cosmos, Deity,
creation, and such other subjects as were far beyond the
present-day knowledge of all humankind.
The following
Sunday several hundred questions were brought in. We
sorted out these questions, discarding duplicates, and in
a general way, classifying them. Shortly thereafter, the
first Urantia Paper appeared in answer to these questions.
From first to last, when the Papers appeared, the
questions disappeared.
This was the
procedure followed throughout the many years of the
reception of the Urantia Papers. No questions -- no
Papers.
The Forum Becomes a Closed Group
About this time,
the Forum, as it were, was taken away from us. We were
instructed to form a "closed group" -- requiring each
member to sign a pledge of secrecy and to discuss the
Papers and all matters pertaining thereto with only those
persons who were members of the Forum.
Membership
tickets were issued and the Charter membership numbered
Thirty. The date of this organization was September, 1925.
Seventeen of these Charter Members are still living.
The individuals
charged with the responsibility of gathering up the
questions and comparing the typewritten text with the
original handwritten manuscript, came to be know as the
"Contact Commissioners." From that date forward only these
Contact Commissioners attended "contacts" and received
written communications through the contact personality.
From time to time
new members were received into the Forum, after being
interviewed by the officers and after signing the same
pledge that was signed by the original Charter Members.
This pledge read: "We acknowledge our pledge of secrecy,
renewing our promise not to discuss the Urantia
Revelations or their subject matter with any one save
active Forum members, and to take no notes of such matter
as is read or discussed at the public sessions, or make
copies or notes of what we personally read."
The last meeting
of the Forum as a genetic assembly was held on May 31st,
1942. During the 17 years of official existence the Forum
attained a total membership of 486.
During the period
of the reception of the Urantia Papers, upward of 300
different persons participated in asking these genetic
questions. With but few exceptions, all of the Urantia
Papers were given in response to such questions.
How We Got The Urantia Papers
Just about all
that is known or could be told about the origin of the
Urantia Papers is to be found, here and there, in The
Urantia Book. A list of such references is to be found
on the back of the dust jacket of the Book.
Let us take a brief look at these citations.
-
Page 1, par. 2.
This passage refers to the difficulty of presenting
expanded spiritual concepts when restricted to
circumscribed human language, such as English.
-
Page 1, par. 4.
An Orvonton Commission participated in the revelation
and prepared this Foreword.
-
Page 17, par.
1. In presenting this revelation of augmented spiritual
values and universe meanings, more than one thousand
human concepts were drawn from the minds of human beings
of the present and the past.
-
Page 16, par.8
& Page 1343, par. 1. In all revelation of truth,
preference is given to the highest existing human
concepts of ideality and reality. Only in the absence of
the human concept is superhuman knowledge revealed.
-
Page 1109, par.
4. Revelators are seldom at liberty to anticipate
scientific discoveries. Truth is timeless, but the
teachings respecting the physical sciences and certain
phases of cosmology will become partially obsolescent as
a result of the new discoveries of advancing scientific
investigations. The cosmology of the Urantia Revelation
is not inspired. Human wisdom must evolve.
-
Page 215, par.
2-9 Human pedagogy proceeds from the simple to the
complex. The Urantia Revelation begins with the more
complex and goes on to the consideration of the more
simple. Instead of beginning with man reaching up for
God, the Urantia Papers begin with God -- reaching down
and finding man.
-
Page 865. par.
6, 7 The narrative of the midwayers function in
initiating and carrying forward to completion the
Urantia Revelation.
-
Page 865, par.
2, & Page 1208, par. 7. Midway creatures are always
employed in the phenomenon of communication with
material beings through the technique of "Contact
Personalities." The "subject" through whom the Urantia
Papers were bestowed had a highly experienced Thought
Adjuster. The "subject's" relative indifference and
unconcern regarding the work of his indwelling Adjuster
was in every way favorable to the execution and
completion of this revelatory project.
-
Page 1256, par.
1. The contact personality was a member of the Urantia
Reserve Corps of Destiny. This was just one of several
conditions favoring the impartation of the Urantia
Revelation.
-
Page 1008, par.
3. The Urantia Revelation is unique in that it is
presented by multiple authors. The Urantia Revelation,
like its predecessors, is not inspired.
-
Page 32, par.2.
A Divine Counselor "portrays the reality and nature of
the Father with unchallengeable authority."
-
Page 17, par.
2. The Revelators depend upon the indwelling Adjusters
and the Spirit of Truth to help us in the appropriation
of the truth in the Urantia Revelation.
-
Page 1007, par.
1. Revelation keeps in touch with evolution. Revelation
is adapted to the age of its bestowal. New revelation
maintains contact with preceding revelations.
How We Did Not Get The Urantia Book
Recently, a group
of ministers from northern Indiana, who were engaged in
studying The Urantia Book, spent the day with us
and, during the evening, Dr. Sadler led a discussion on
"How We Did Not Get The Urantia Book."
The following is
a gist of that presentation:
Several members
of this group who participated in the preliminary
"contacts" which led up to the appearance of the Urantia
Papers had considerable experience in the investigation of
psychic phenomena. This group early arrived at the
conclusion that the phenomena connected with the
personality who was later associated with the Urantia
Papers, was in no way similar to any other well-known type
of psychic performance -- such as hypnotism, automatic
writing, clairvoyance, trances, spirit mediumship,
telepathy, or double personality.
It should be made
clear that the antecedents of the Urantia Papers were in
no way associated with so-called spiritualism -- with its
seances and supposed communication with the spirits of
departed human beings.
Psychic Phenomena: Unusual Activities Of The Marginal
Consciousness
The Subconscious Mind
1. Automatic
Writing
2. Automatic
Talking
a. Speaking in
"Tongues"
b. Trance
Mediums
c. Spirit
Mediums
d. Catalepsy
3. Automatic
Hearing - Clairaudience
a. Hearing
"Voices"
4. Automatic
Seeing
a. Dream
States - Twilight Mentation
b. Visions -
Automatic Dramatization
c.
Hallucinations (Shifty "Reality" Feelings)
5. Automatic
Thinking
a. Automatic
Fearing -- Anxiety Neurosis
b. Automatic
Ideation - Mental Compulsions
c. Automatic
Judgements - Intuition, "Hunches"
d. Automatic
Association of Ideas - Premonitions
e. Automatic
Guessing - E.S.P. - Extra-Sensory Perception
f. Automatic
Deductions - Delusions - Dreams and Hypnosis
6. Automatic
Remembering
a. Clairvoyance - Automatic Memory Associations
b. Telepathy -
Mind Reading (?) [question mark in original]
c. Fortune
Telling (Largely Fraudulent)
d. Musical and
Mathematical Marvels
7. Automatic
Acting
a. Automatic
Behavior - (Major Hysteria, Witchcraft.)
b. Automatic
Motion - Motor Compulsions
c. Automatic
Overdrives - Manic Episodes
d. Automatic
Walking - somnambulism
8. Automatic
Personalization
a. Automatic
Forgetting - Amnesia
b. Automatic
Dissociation - Double and Multiple Personality
c. Schizophrenia - Split Personality
9. Combined and
Associated Psychic States
Note: The
technique of the reception of The Urantia Book in
English in no way parallels or impinges upon any of the
above phenomena of the marginal consciousness.
Reason For Silence Respecting Details Of The Origin Of
The Urantia Book
Among the several
reasons given us at the time we were requested not to
discuss the details of our personal experiences associated
with the origin of The Urantia Book, the two major
reasons were the following:
1.
Unknown Features. There is much connected with the
appearance of the Urantia Papers which no human being
fully understands. None of us really knows just how this
phenomenon was executed. There are numerous missing links
in our understanding of how this revelation came to appear
in written English.
If any one of us
should tell any one all he really knows about the
technique and methods employed throughout the years of our
getting this Revelation, such a narration would satisfy no
one -- there are too many missing links.
2.
The main reason for not revealing the identity of
the "Contact Personality" is that the Celestial Revelators
do not want any human being -- any human name -- ever to
be associated with The Urantia Book. They want this
revelation to stand on its own declarations and teachings.
They are
determined that future generations shall have the book
wholly free from all mortal connections -- they do not
want a Saint Peter, Saint Paul, Luther, Calvin or Wesley.
The book does not even bear the imprint of the printer who
brought the book into being.
Remember: You
could appreciate a good poem -- even if you did not know
the author. Likewise, you could enjoy a symphony even if
you were ignorant of the composer.
The First Urantia Papers
The first group
of Papers numbered 57. We then received a communication
suggesting that since we could now ask many and much more
intelligent questions, the supervising agencies and
personalities responsible for transmitting the 57 Papers
would engage to enlarge the revelation and to expand the
Papers in accordance with our new questions.
This was the
plan: We would read a Paper on a Sunday afternoon and the
following Sunday the new questions would be presented.
Again, these would be sorted, classified, etc. This
program covered several years and ultimately resulted in
the presentation of the 196 Papers as now found in The
Urantia Book.
Receiving The Completed Papers
In a way, there
was a third presentation. After receiving these 196
Papers, we were told that the "Revelatory Commission"
would be pleased to have us go over the Papers once more
and ask questions concerning the "Clarification of
Concepts" and the "Removal of Ambiguities." This program
again covered several years. During this period very
little new information was imparted. Only minor changes
were made in any of the Papers. Some matter was added --
some removed -- but there was little revision or
amplification of the text.
What has just
been recorded refers more particularly to Parts I, II, and
III of The Urantia Book. Part IV -- The Jesus
Papers -- had a little different origin. They were
produced by a midwayer commission and were completed on
year later than the other Papers. The first three parts
were completed and certified to us in A.D. 1934. The Jesus
Papers were not so delivered to us until 1935.
The Delay In Receiving The Jesus Papers
The delay of one
year in the reception of the Jesus Papers -- Part IV of
The Urantia Book -- may be explained as follows: The
midwayers were a bit apprehensive about becoming involved
in the suit pending in the Universe courts -- Gabriel vs.
Lucifer -- and they hesitated to complete their project
until they were assured that they had full authority to
retell the story of Jesus' life on earth.
After some months
waiting there came the mandate from Uversa directing the
United Midwayers of Urantia to proceed with their project
of revealing the story of the life and teaching of Michael
when incarnated on Urantia, and not only assuring them
that they were not in "contempt" of the Uversa courts, but
instead granting them a mandate to do this service and
admonishing any and all persons connected therewith to
refrain from interfering with, or in any way hindering,
the execution of such an undertaking.
And this is the
explanation of why the Jesus Papers appear one year after
the other Papers had been completed.
Functioning Of The Contact Commissioners
During these
early years the Contact Commissioners received many
communications and directives in writing. Almost all of
these messages had annotation at the bottom of the last
page which read: "To be destroyed by fire not later than
the appearance of the Urantia Papers in print." It was the
design of our unseen friends to prevent the appearance of
an "Urantia Apocrypha" subsequent to the publication of
The Urantia Book.
All of this was
encouraging to us in that it assured us that the Urantia
Papers would some time be published. It sustained our
hopes through the long waiting years of delay.
The fact that no
provision was ever made for replacing members of the
Contact Commission who might be lost through disability or
death, also led us to entertain the belief that the Book
would be published during the lifetime of some of us.
The Commissioners
were the custodians of the Urantia manuscript, keeping the
carbon copy of the typewritten transcript in a fireproof
vault. they were also charged with full responsibility for
supervising all the details connected with the publication
of the Book, securing the international copyrights, etc.
We were enjoined
to refrain from discussing the identity of the Contact
Personality and, after the publication of the Book, to
make any statement at any time as to whether the "subject"
was still living or was deceased.
The Seventy
In 1939, some of
us thought the time had come when we should form a class
to engage in the more serious and systematic study of the
Urantia Papers. This project was presented to the Forum
and when those who wished to join such a group were
counted, it was found that just 70 persons desired to
enter upon this study. So for several years this class was
referred to as "The Seventy." Two or three years preceding
the formation of The Seventy an informal group had been
meeting on Wednesday evenings.
The Seventy
carried on systematic study of the Urantia Papers from
April 3, 1939 to the summer of 1956, and was the
forerunner of the later "School of the Urantia
Brotherhood."
During these
years the Seventy enrolled 107 students.
The Seventy
carried on its work of study, thesis writing, and practice
of teaching for 17 years. During this period eight written
communications were given to the Seventy by the Seraphim
of Progress attached to the superhuman Planetary
Government of Urantia.
The Publication Mandate
At long last,
permission to publish the Urantia Papers was granted. The
Introduction to this mandate reads:
"We regard The
Urantia Book as a feature of the progressive evolution
of human society. It is not germane to the spectacular
episode of epochal revolution, even though it may
apparently be timed to appear in the wake of one such
revolution in human society. The Book belongs to the era
immediately to follow the conclusion of the present
ideological struggle. That will be the day when men will
be willing to seek truth and righteousness. When the chaos
of the present confusion has passed, it will be more
readily possible to formulate the cosmos of a new and
improved era of human relationships. And it is for this
better order of affairs on earth that the book has been
made ready.
"But the
publication of the book has not been postponed to that
(possibly) somewhat remote date. An early publication of
the book has been provided so that it may be in hand for
the training of leaders and teachers. Its presence is also
required to engage the attention of persons of means who
may be thus led to provide funds for translation into
other languages."
Upon receipt of
these instructions, the Contact Commissioners entered upon
the task of publishing The Urantia Book and
preparation of plans for its distribution.
The Papers were
published just as we received them. The Contact
Commissioners had no editorial authority. Our job was
limited to "spelling, capitalization, and punctuation."
Before the demise
of Dr. Lena K. Sadler in August, 1939 she had collected
about twenty thousand dollars for the publication fund,
and this was used to set type and prepare plates for the
printing of the book.
The Urantia Foundation
It was these
plates of The Urantia Book which constituted the
basis for the formation of the Urantia Foundation. This
Foundation, set up under the laws of Illinois, was
completed on January 11, 1950. The first Board of Trustees
were:
William M.
Hales, President
William S.
Sadler, Jr., Vice President
Emma L.
Christensen, Secretary
Wilfred C.
Kellogg, Treasurer
Edith Cook,
Assistant Secretary
It was learned
that one of the wealthy members of the Forum desired to
contribute fifty thousand dollars for the publication of
the Book. By instruction, this was circumvented, because,
they told us, it was best to give all parties concerned an
opportunity to contribute to the publication fund.
Accordingly, an
appeal was made for $50,000.00 to defray the expense of
printing ten thousand copies. The response was immediate.
The sum contributed was in excess of forty-nine thousand
dollars. The first money to reach the Foundation office
was one thousand dollars from the late Sir Hubert Wilkins,
the arctic explorer.
The Book was
published under international copyright October 12, 1955.
The Urantia Brotherhood
It was inevitable
that some sort of fraternal organization would grow out of
the teachings of The Urantia Book. All interested
persons could see that the Urantia teachings were opposed
to the sectarianism of Christian believers. It was clear
that it was not the purpose of the Urantia Revelation to
start a new church.
Accordingly, on
January 2, 1955, a group of persons who believed the
teachings of the Book and who were interested in their
proclamation, assembled in Chicago and completed the
organization of the Urantia Brotherhood, a voluntary and
fraternal organization of Urantia believers. This group
composed the charter membership of the Urantia
Brotherhood, and were 36 in number.
A Constitution
and By-laws were adopted, and since that date numerous
Societies have been formed throughout the United States.
When ten or more
persons who are familiar with, and believe in, the
teachings of The Urantia Book so desire they may be
chartered as a Urantia Society. Membership in any church
or fraternal organization does not interfere with becoming
a member of a Urantia Society.
The original
organizers of the Brotherhood and their successors were to
direct the organization for the first nine years.
Thereafter, the Brotherhood would be ordered by the action
of the Triennial Delegate Assembly composed of delegates
from the various Urantia Societies.
The departmental
Committees of the Brotherhood are:
·
Judicial
Committee
·
Charter
Committee
·
Fraternal
Relations Committee
·
Domestic
Extension Committee
·
Foreign
Extension Committee
·
Committee on
Education
·
Publication
Committee
·
Finance
Committee
·
Committee on
Miscellaneous Activities
The Chairmen of
the Committees, together with the Brotherhood officers,
constitute the Executive Committee of the Brotherhood.
The over-all
purpose of the Brotherhood is well expressed in the
Preamble to the Constitution.
Preamble
"Inasmuch as it
is our most solemn conviction that the comfort, happiness,
and well-being of man will be enhanced by the creation of
an organization devoted to the purposes hereinafter
expressed may best be accomplished through the mutual
assistance and association of a body of people working
together for a common cause, we do hereby unite together
as a voluntary association and fellowship under the name
of Urantia Brotherhood, and we do hereby adopt and
establish this constitution of Urantia Brotherhood."
The original 36
Founders became the General Council which was designed to
govern the Brotherhood for its first nine years.
The First Urantia
Society of Chicago was organized and granted Charter No. 1
on June 17, 1956. The Society had 34 charter Members. The
present membership of the First Society is 142.
Activities of Urantia Brotherhood
In co-operation
with the Urantia Foundation, the Brotherhood is just now
interested in the completion of the Index to The
Urantia Book in reality, a concordance. Its
publication is hoped for in 1961.
We are all
interested in the progress of a French translation, which
is in final review and may be published late in 1961.
The Brotherhood
recently completed the formulation of a Funeral Service
consisting of Scriptural passages and appropriate
selections from The Urantia Book.
The Brotherhood
sponsors a Quarterly News Letter which the Executive
Committee sends to all Urantia Societies and other
interested persons.
The Brotherhood
posters many study groups scattered throughout the United
States and in foreign countries. Eventually, most of
these study groups will develop into Urantia Societies.
During the last
year, two Field Representatives have been appointed to
foster the individual Urantia Societies and pay them
visits periodically.
In December 1959,
the Internal Revenue Bureau of the United States
government ruled that the Urantia Foundation, the Urantia
Brotherhood, and the Urantia Brotherhood Corporation were
exempt from paying income taxes, and that any and all
contributions made to these organizations are
deductible from the income taxes of such donors.
The Van Award,
Section three of Article Thirteen of the Constitution of
the Urantia Brotherhood reads: "If the opinion of the
Executive Committee, any member of Urantia Brotherhood
shall perform or render some unusual, extraordinary, or
distinguished service, the Executive Committee shall
present to the General Council the name of such member
with the recommendation that a suitable award or citation
in recognition thereof be given. Upon the presentation of
such recommendation, the General Council, unanimous vote
of all Councilors present at any duly constituted meeting,
may give or confer on such member such award or citation
in recognition of the unusual, extraordinary, or
distinguished service of such member as the General
Council may deem fitting and appropriate."
On January 25,
1959, the first award under this Constitutional provision
was made to the President of the Urantia Brotherhood
School.
The reason for
demonstrating this The Van Award is recited in the
declaration of the award, and reads as follows:
"The spiritual
insight and moral steadfastness which enabled Van to
maintain such an unshakable attitude of loyalty to the
universe government was the product of clear thinking,
wise reasoning, logical judgement, sincere motivation,
unselfish purpose, intelligent loyalty, experiential
memory, disciplined character, and the unquestioning
dedication of his personality to the doing of the will of
the Father in Paradise."
The conclusion of
the award says: "In honor of his many years of devoted and
distinguished service in behalf of the Urantia movement."
Distribution Of The Urantia Book
At the time of
the publication of The Urantia Book we were given
many suggestions respecting the methods we should employ
in the work of its distribution. These instructions may be
summarized as follows:
-
Study the
methods employed by Jesus in introducing his work on
earth. Note how quietly he worked at first - so often
after even a miracle, he would admonish the recipient of
his ministry, saying: "Tell no man what has happened to
you."
-
We were advised
to avoid all efforts to achieve early and spectacular
recognition.
-
During the
first five years, these methods have been adhered to.
The distribution increases yearly. At present, more than
fifty book stores, from coast to coast, carry the Book.
The vast majority
of the Brotherhood have concurred in this sort of quiet
and gradual presentation of the Book. Only a few
individuals have exhibited some restlessness and craving
for aggressive plans for increased distribution.
One thing should
be made clear: Nothing is done to interfere with the
energetic and enthusiastic efforts of any individuals to
introduce The Urantia Book to his varied contacts
and human associations.
Presented by
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