The Urantia Book
PAPER 35
THE LOCAL UNIVERSE SONS OF GOD
Sponsored by the Chief of Archangels acting by authority of
Gabriel of Salvington.
35:0.1 THE Sons of God previously introduced
have had a Paradise origin. They are the offspring of the divine
Rulers of the universal domains. Of the first Paradise order of
sonship, the Creator Sons, there is in Nebadon only one,
Michael, the universe father and sovereign. Of the second order
of Paradise sonship, the Avonal or Magisterial Sons, Nebadon has
its full quota -- 1,062. And these "lesser Christs" are just as
effective and all-powerful in their planetary bestowals as was
the Creator and Master Son on Urantia. The third order, being of
Trinity origin, do not register in a local universe, but I
estimate there are in Nebadon between fifteen and twenty
thousand Trinity Teacher Sons exclusive of 9,642
creature-trinitized assistants of record. These Paradise Daynals
are neither magistrates nor administrators; they are
superteachers.
35:0.2 The types of Sons about to be
considered are of local universe origin; they are the offspring
of a Paradise Creator Son in varied association with the
complemental Universe Mother Spirit. The following orders of
local universe sonship find mention in these narratives:
1. Melchizedek Sons.
2. Vorondadek Sons.
3. Lanonandek Sons.
4. Life Carrier Sons.
35:0.3 Triune Paradise Deity functions for the
creation of three orders of sonship: the Michaels, the Avonals,
and the Daynals. Dual Deity in the local universe, the Son and
the Spirit, also functions in the creation of three high orders
of Sons: the Melchizedeks, the Vorondadeks, and the Lanonandeks;
and having achieved this threefold expression, they collaborate
with the next level of God the Sevenfold in the production of
the versatile order of Life Carriers. These beings are
classified with the descending Sons of God, but they are a
unique and original form of universe life. Their consideration
will occupy the whole of the next paper.
1. THE FATHER MELCHIZEDEK
35:1.1 After bringing into existence the
beings of personal aid, such as the Bright and Morning Star and
other administrative personalities, in accordance with the
divine purpose and creative plans of a given universe, there
occurs a new form of creative union between the Creator Son and
the Creative Spirit, the local universe Daughter of the Infinite
Spirit. The personality offspring resulting from this creative
partnership is the original Melchizedek -- the Father
Melchizedek -- that unique being who subsequently collaborates
with the Creator Son and the Creative Spirit to bring into
existence the entire group of that name.
35:1.2 In the universe of Nebadon the Father
Melchizedek acts as the first executive associate of the Bright
and Morning Star. Gabriel is occupied more with universe
policies, Melchizedek with practical procedures. Gabriel
presides over the regularly constituted tribunals and councils
of Nebadon, Melchizedek over the special, extraordinary, and
emergency commissions and advisory bodies. Gabriel and the
Father Melchizedek are never away from Salvington at the same
time, for in Gabriel's absence the Father Melchizedek functions
as the chief executive of Nebadon.
35:1.3 The Melchizedeks of our universe were
all created within one millennial period of standard time by the
Creator Son and the Creative Spirit in liaison with the Father
Melchizedek. Being an order of sonship wherein one of their own
number functioned as co-ordinate creator, Melchizedeks are in
constitution partly of self-origin and therefore candidates for
the realization of a supernal type of self-government. They
periodically elect their own administrative chief for a term of
seven years of standard time and otherwise function as a
self-regulating order, though the original Melchizedek does
exercise certain inherent coparental prerogatives. From time to
time this Father Melchizedek designates certain individuals of
his order to function as special Life Carriers to the midsonite
worlds, a type of inhabited planet not heretofore revealed on
Urantia.
35:1.4 The Melchizedeks do not function
extensively outside the local universe except when they are
called as witnesses in matters pending before the tribunals of
the superuniverse, and when designated special ambassadors, as
they sometimes are, representing one universe to another in the
same superuniverse. The original or first-born Melchizedek of
each universe is always at liberty to journey to the neighboring
universes or to Paradise on missions having to do with the
interests and duties of his order.
2. THE MELCHIZEDEK SONS
35:2.1 The Melchizedeks are the first order of
divine Sons to approach sufficiently near the lower creature
life to be able to function directly in the ministry of mortal
uplift, to serve the evolutionary races without the necessity of
incarnation. These Sons are naturally at the mid-point of the
great personality descent, by origin being just about midway
between the highest Divinity and the lowest creature life of
will endowment. They thus become the natural intermediaries
between the higher and divine levels of living existence and the
lower, even the material, forms of life on the evolutionary
worlds. The seraphic orders, the angels, delight to work with
the Melchizedeks; in fact, all forms of intelligent life find in
these Sons understanding friends, sympathetic teachers, and wise
counselors.
35:2.2 The Melchizedeks are a self-governing
order. With this unique group we encounter the first attempt at
self-determination on the part of local universe beings and
observe the highest type of true self-government. These Sons
organize their own machinery for their group and home-planet
administration, as well as that for the six associated spheres
and their tributary worlds. And it should be recorded that they
have never abused their prerogatives; not once throughout all
the superuniverse of Orvonton have these Melchizedek Sons ever
betrayed their trust. They are the hope of every universe group
which aspires to self-government; they are the pattern and the
teachers of self-government to all the spheres of Nebadon. All
orders of intelligent beings, superiors from above and
subordinates from below, are wholehearted in their praise of the
government of the Melchizedeks.
35:2.3 The Melchizedek order of sonship
occupies the position, and assumes the responsibility, of the
eldest son in a large family. Most of their work is regular and
somewhat routine, but much of it is voluntary and altogether
self-imposed. A majority of the special assemblies which, from
time to time, convene on Salvington are called on motion of the
Melchizedeks. On their own initiative these Sons patrol their
native universe. They maintain an autonomous organization
devoted to universe intelligence, making periodical reports to
the Creator Son independent of all information coming up to
universe headquarters through the regular agencies concerned
with the routine administration of the realm. They are by nature
unprejudiced observers; they have the full confidence of all
classes of intelligent beings.
35:2.4 The Melchizedeks function as mobile and
advisory review courts of the realms; these universe Sons go in
small groups to the worlds to serve as advisory commissions, to
take depositions, to receive suggestions, and to act as
counselors, thus helping to compose the major difficulties and
settle the serious differences which arise from time to time in
the affairs of the evolutionary domains.
35:2.5 These eldest Sons of a universe are the
chief aids of the Bright and Morning Star in carrying out the
mandates of the Creator Son. When a Melchizedek goes to a remote
world in the name of Gabriel, he may, for the purposes of that
particular mission, be deputized in the name of the sender and
in that event will appear on the planet of assignment with the
full authority of the Bright and Morning Star. Especially is
this true on those spheres where a higher Son has not yet
appeared in the likeness of the creatures of the realm.
35:2.6 When a Creator Son enters upon the
bestowal career on an evolutionary world, he goes alone; but
when one of his Paradise brothers, an Avonal Son, enters upon a
bestowal, he is accompanied by the Melchizedek supporters,
twelve in number, who so efficiently contribute to the success
of the bestowal mission. They also support the Paradise Avonals
on magisterial missions to the inhabited worlds, and in these
assignments the Melchizedeks are visible to mortal eyes if the
Avonal Son is also thus manifest.
35:2.7 There is no phase of planetary
spiritual need to which they do not minister. They are the
teachers who so often win whole worlds of advanced life to the
final and full recognition of the Creator Son and his Paradise
Father.
35:2.8 The Melchizedeks are well-nigh perfect
in wisdom, but they are not infallible in judgment. When
detached and alone on planetary missions, they have sometimes
erred in minor matters, that is, they have elected to do certain
things which their supervisors did not subsequently approve.
Such an error of judgment temporarily disqualifies a Melchizedek
until he goes to Salvington and, in audience with the Creator
Son, receives that instruction which effectually purges him of
the disharmony which caused disagreement with his fellows; and
then, following the correctional rest, reinstatement to service
ensues on the third day. But these minor misadaptations in
Melchizedek function have rarely occurred in Nebadon.
35:2.9 These Sons are not an increasing order;
their number is stationary, although varying in each local
universe. The number of Melchizedeks of record on their
headquarters planet in Nebadon is upward of ten million.
3. THE MELCHIZEDEK WORLDS
35:3.1 The Melchizedeks occupy a world of
their own near Salvington, the universe headquarters. This
sphere, by name Melchizedek, is the pilot world of the
Salvington circuit of seventy primary spheres, each of which is
encircled by six tributary spheres devoted to specialized
activities. These marvelous spheres -- seventy primaries and 420
tributaries -- are often spoken of as the Melchizedek
University. Ascending mortals from all the constellations of
Nebadon pass through training on all 490 worlds in the
acquirement of residential status on Salvington. But the
education of ascenders is only one phase of the manifold
activities taking place on the Salvington cluster of
architectural spheres.
35:3.2 The 490 spheres of the Salvington
circuit are divided into ten groups, each containing seven
primary and forty-two tributary spheres. Each of these groups is
under the general supervision of some one of the major orders of
universe life. The first group, embracing the pilot world and
the next six primary spheres in the encircling planetary
procession, is under the supervision of the Melchizedeks. These
Melchizedek worlds are:
1. The pilot world -- the home world
of the Melchizedek Sons.
2. The world of the physical-life
schools and the laboratories of living energies.
3. The world of morontia life.
4. The sphere of initial spirit
life.
5. The world of mid-spirit life.
6. The sphere of advancing spirit
life.
7. The domain of co-ordinate and
supreme self-realization.
35:3.3 The six tributary worlds of each of
these Melchizedek spheres are devoted to activities germane to
the work of the associated primary sphere.
35:3.4 The pilot world, the sphere
Melchizedek, is the common meeting ground for all beings who
are engaged in educating and spiritualizing the ascending
mortals of time and space. To an ascender this world is probably
the most interesting place in all Nebadon. All evolutionary
mortals who graduate from their constellation training are
destined to land on Melchizedek, where they are initiated into
the regime of the disciplines and spirit progression of the
Salvington educational system. And never will you forget your
reactions to the first day of life on this unique world, not
even after you have reached your Paradise destination.
35:3.5 Ascending mortals maintain residence on
the Melchizedek world while pursuing their training on the six
encircling planets of specialized education. And this same
method is adhered to throughout their sojourn on the seventy
cultural worlds, the primary spheres of the Salvington circuit.
35:3.6 Many diverse activities occupy the time
of the numerous beings who reside on the six tributary worlds of
the Melchizedek sphere, but as concerns the ascending mortals,
these satellites are devoted to the following special phases of
study:
35:3.7 1. Sphere number one is occupied with
the review of the initial planetary life of the ascending
mortals. This work is carried on in classes composed of those
who hail from a given world of mortal origin. Those from Urantia
pursue such an experiential review together.
35:3.8 2. The special work of sphere number
two consists in a similar review of the experiences passed
through on the mansion worlds encircling the premier satellite
of the local system headquarters.
35:3.9 3. The reviews of this sphere pertain
to the sojourn on the capital of the local system and embrace
the activities of the remainder of the architectural worlds of
the system headquarters cluster.
35:3.10 4. The fourth sphere is occupied with
a review of the experiences of the seventy tributary worlds of
the constellation and of their associated spheres.
35:3.11 5. On the fifth sphere there is
conducted the review of the ascendant sojourn on the
constellation headquarters world.
35:3.12 6. The time on sphere number six is
devoted to an attempt to correlate these five epochs and thus
achieve co-ordination of experience preparatory to entering the
Melchizedek primary schools of universe training.
35:3.13 The schools of universe administration
and spiritual wisdom are located on the Melchizedek home world,
where also are to be found those schools devoted to a single
line of research, such as energy, matter, organization,
communication, records, ethics, and comparative creature
existence.
35:3.14 In the Melchizedek College of
Spiritual Endowment all orders -- even the Paradise orders -- of
the Sons of God co-operate with the Melchizedek and the seraphic
teachers in training the hosts who go forth as evangels of
destiny, proclaiming spiritual liberty and divine sonship even
to the remote worlds of the universe. This particular school of
the Melchizedek University is an exclusive universe institution;
student visitors are not received from other realms.
35:3.15 The highest course of training in
universe administration is given by the Melchizedeks on their
home world. This College of High Ethics is presided over by the
original Father Melchizedek. It is to these schools that the
various universes send exchange students. While the young
universe of Nebadon stands low in the scale of universes as
regards spiritual achievement and high ethical development,
nevertheless, our administrative troubles have so turned the
whole universe into a vast clinic for other near-by creations
that the Melchizedek colleges are thronged with student visitors
and observers from other realms. Besides the immense group of
local registrants there are always upward of one hundred
thousand foreign students in attendance upon the Melchizedek
schools, for the order of Melchizedeks in Nebadon is renowned
throughout all Splandon.
4. SPECIAL WORK OF THE MELCHIZEDEKS
35:4.1 A highly specialized branch of
Melchizedek activities has to do with the supervision of the
progressive morontia career of the ascending mortals. Much of
this training is conducted by the patient and wise seraphic
ministers, assisted by mortals who have ascended to relatively
higher levels of universe attainment, but all of this
educational work is under the general supervision of the
Melchizedeks in association with the Trinity Teacher Sons.
35:4.2 While the Melchizedek orders are
chiefly devoted to the vast educational system and experiential
training regime of the local universe, they also function in
unique assignments and in unusual circumstances. In an evolving
universe eventually embracing approximately ten million
inhabited worlds, many things out of the ordinary are destined
to happen, and it is in such emergencies that the Melchizedeks
act. On Edentia, your constellation headquarters, they are known
as emergency Sons. They are always ready to serve in all
exigencies -- physical, intellectual, or spiritual -- whether on
a planet, in a system, in a constellation, or in the universe.
Whenever and wherever special help is needed, there you will
find one or more of the Melchizedek Sons.
35:4.3 When failure of some feature of the
Creator Son's plan is threatened, forthwith will go a
Melchizedek to render assistance. But not often are they
summoned to function in the presence of sinful rebellion, such
as occurred in Satania.
35:4.4 The Melchizedeks are the first to act
in all emergencies of whatever nature on all worlds where will
creatures dwell. They sometimes act as temporary custodians on
wayward planets, serving as receivers of a defaulting planetary
government. In a planetary crisis these Melchizedek Sons serve
in many unique capacities. It is easily possible for such a Son
to make himself visible to mortal beings, and sometimes one of
this order has even incarnated in the likeness of mortal flesh.
Seven times in Nebadon has a Melchizedek served on an
evolutionary world in the similitude of mortal flesh, and on
numerous occasions these Sons have appeared in the likeness of
other orders of universe creatures. They are indeed the
versatile and volunteer emergency ministers to all orders of
universe intelligences and to all the worlds and systems of
worlds.
35:4.5 The Melchizedek who lived on Urantia
during the time of Abraham was locally known as Prince of Salem
because he presided over a small colony of truth seekers
residing at a place called Salem. He volunteered to incarnate in
the likeness of mortal flesh and did so with the approval of the
Melchizedek receivers of the planet, who feared that the light
of life would become extinguished during that period of
increasing spiritual darkness. And he did foster the truth of
his day and safely pass it on to Abraham and his associates.
5. THE VORONDADEK SONS
35:5.1 After the creation of the personal aids
and the first group of the versatile Melchizedeks, the Creator
Son and the local universe Creative Spirit planned for, and
brought into existence, the second great and diverse order of
universe sonship, the Vorondadeks. They are more generally known
as Constellation Fathers because a Son of this order is
uniformly found at the head of each constellation government in
every local universe.
35:5.2 The number of Vorondadeks varies in
each local universe, just one million being the recorded number
in Nebadon. These Sons, like their co-ordinates, the
Melchizedeks, possess no power of reproduction. There exists no
known method whereby they can increase their numbers.
35:5.3 In many respects these Sons are a
self-governing body; as individuals and as groups, even as a
whole, they are largely self-determinative, much as are the
Melchizedeks, but Vorondadeks do not function through such a
wide range of activities. They do not equal their Melchizedek
brethren in brilliant versatility, but they are even more
reliable and efficient as rulers and farseeing administrators.
Neither are they quite the administrative peers of their
subordinates, the Lanonandek System Sovereigns, but they excel
all orders of universe sonship in stability of purpose and in
divinity of judgment.
35:5.4 Although the decisions and rulings of
this order of Sons are always in accordance with the spirit of
divine sonship and in harmony with the policies of the Creator
Son, they have been cited for error to the Creator Son, and in
details of technique their decisions have sometimes been
reversed on appeal to the superior tribunals of the universe.
But these Sons rarely fall into error, and they have never gone
into rebellion; never in all the history of Nebadon has a
Vorondadek been found in contempt of the universe government.
35:5.5 The service of the Vorondadeks in the
local universes is extensive and varied. They serve as
ambassadors to other universes and as consuls representing
constellations within their native universe. Of all orders of
local universe sonship they are the most often intrusted with
the full delegation of sovereign powers to be exercised in
critical universe situations.
35:5.6 On those worlds segregated in spiritual
darkness, those spheres which have, through rebellion and
default, suffered planetary isolation, an observer Vorondadek is
usually present pending the restoration of normal status. In
certain emergencies this Most High observer could exercise
absolute and arbitrary authority over every celestial being
assigned to that planet. It is of record on Salvington that the
Vorondadeks have sometimes exercised such authority as Most High
regents of such planets. And this has also been true even of
inhabited worlds that were untouched by rebellion.
35:5.7 Often a corps of twelve or more
Vorondadek Sons sits en banc as a high court of review and
appeal concerning special cases involving the status of a planet
or a system. But their work more largely pertains to the
legislative functions indigenous to the constellation
governments. As a result of all these services, the Vorondadek
Sons have become the historians of the local universes; they are
personally familiar with all the political struggles and the
social upheavals of the inhabited worlds.
6. THE CONSTELLATION FATHERS
35:6.1 At least three Vorondadeks are assigned
to the rulership of each of the one hundred constellations of a
local universe. These Sons are selected by the Creator Son and
are commissioned by Gabriel as the Most Highs of the
constellations for service during one dekamillennium -- 10,000
standard years, about 50,000 years of Urantia time. The reigning
Most High, the Constellation Father, has two associates, a
senior and a junior. At each change of administration the senior
associate becomes the head of the government, the junior assumes
the duties of the senior, while the unassigned Vorondadeks
resident on the Salvington worlds nominate one of their number
as candidate for selection to assume the responsibilities of
junior associate. Thus each of the Most High rulers, in
accordance with present policy, has a period of service on the
headquarters of a constellation of three dekamillenniums, about
150,000 Urantia years.
35:6.2 The one hundred Constellation Fathers,
the actual presiding heads of the constellation governments,
constitute the supreme advisory cabinet of the Creator Son. This
council is in frequent session at universe headquarters and is
unlimited in the scope and range of its deliberations but is
chiefly concerned with the welfare of the constellations and
with the unification of the administration of the entire local
universe.
35:6.3 When a Constellation Father is in
attendance upon duties at the universe headquarters, as he
frequently is, the senior associate becomes acting director of
constellation affairs. The normal function of the senior
associate is the oversight of spiritual affairs, while the
junior associate is personally occupied with the physical
welfare of the constellation. No major policy, however, is ever
carried out in a constellation unless all three of the Most
Highs are agreed upon all the details of its execution.
35:6.4 The entire mechanism of spirit
intelligence and communication channels is at the disposal of
the constellation Most Highs. They are in perfect touch with
their superiors on Salvington and with their direct
subordinates, the sovereigns of the local systems. They
frequently convene in council with these System Sovereigns to
deliberate upon the state of the constellation.
35:6.5 The Most Highs surround themselves with
a corps of counselors, which varies in number and personnel from
time to time in accordance with the presence of the various
groups at constellation headquarters and also as the local
requirements vary. During times of stress they may ask for, and
will quickly receive, additional Sons of the Vorondadek order to
assist with the administrative work. Norlatiadek, your own
constellation, is at present administered by twelve Vorondadek
Sons.
7. THE VORONDADEK WORLDS
35:7.1 The second group of seven worlds in the
circuit of seventy primary spheres surrounding Salvington
comprise the Vorondadek planets. Each of these spheres, with its
six encircling satellites, is devoted to a special phase of
Vorondadek activities. On these forty-nine realms the ascending
mortals secure the acme of their education respecting universe
legislation.
35:7.2 The ascending mortals have observed the
legislative assemblies as they functioned on the headquarters
worlds of the constellations, but here on these Vorondadek
worlds they participate in the enactment of the actual general
legislation of the local universe under the tutelage of the
senior Vorondadeks. Such enactments are designed to co-ordinate
the varied pronouncements of the autonomous legislative
assemblies of the one hundred constellations. The instruction to
be had in the Vorondadek schools is unexcelled even on Uversa.
This training is progressive, extending from the first sphere,
with supplemental work on its six satellites, on up through the
remaining six primary spheres and their associated satellite
groups.
35:7.3 The ascending pilgrims will be
introduced to numerous new activities on these worlds of study
and practical work. We are not forbidden to undertake the
revelation of these new and undreamed-of pursuits, but we
despair of being able to portray these undertakings to the
material mind of mortal beings. We are without words to convey
the meanings of these supernal activities, and there are no
analogous human engagements which might be utilized as
illustrations of these new occupations of the ascending mortals
as they pursue their studies on these forty-nine worlds. And
many other activities, not a part of the ascendant regime, are
centered on these Vorondadek worlds of the Salvington circuit.
8. THE LANONANDEK SONS
35:8.1 After the creation of the Vorondadeks,
the Creator Son and the Universe Mother Spirit unite for the
purpose of bringing into existence the third order of universe
sonship, the Lanonandeks. Although occupied with varied tasks
connected with the system administrations, they are best known
as System Sovereigns, the rulers of the local systems, and as
Planetary Princes, the administrative heads of the inhabited
worlds.
35:8.2 Being a later and lower -- as concerns
divinity levels -- order of sonship creation, these beings were
required to pass through certain courses of training on the
Melchizedek worlds in preparation for subsequent service. They
were the first students in the Melchizedek University and were
classified and certified by their Melchizedek teachers and
examiners according to ability, personality, and attainment.
35:8.3 The universe of Nebadon began its
existence with exactly twelve million Lanonandeks, and when they
had passed through the Melchizedek sphere, they were divided in
the final tests into three classes:
35:8.4 1. Primary Lanonandeks. Of the
highest rank there were 709,841. These are the Sons designated
as System Sovereigns and assistants to the supreme councils of
the constellations and as counselors in the higher
administrative work of the universe.
35:8.5 2. Secondary Lanonandeks. Of
this order emerging from Melchizedek there were 10,234,601. They
are assigned as Planetary Princes and to the reserves of that
order.
35:8.6 3. Tertiary Lanonandeks. This
group contained 1,055,558. These Sons function as subordinate
assistants, messengers, custodians, commissioners, observers,
and prosecute the miscellaneous duties of a system and its
component worlds.
35:8.7 It is not possible, as it is with
evolutionary beings, for these Sons to progress from one group
to another. When subjected to the Melchizedek training, when
once tested and classified, they serve continuously in the rank
assigned. Neither do these Sons engage in reproduction; their
number in the universe is stationary.
35:8.8 In round numbers the Lanonandek order
of Sons is classified on Salvington as follows:
Universe Co-ordinators and
Constellation Counselors . 100,000
System Sovereigns and Assistants. .
. . . . . . . . . 600,000
Planetary Princes and Reserves. . .
. . . . . . . .10,000,000
Messenger Corps . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . 400,000
Custodians and Recorders. . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . 100,000
Reserve Corps . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . 800,000
35:8.9 Since Lanonandeks are a somewhat lower
order of sonship than the Melchizedeks and the Vorondadeks, they
are of even greater service in the subordinate units of the
universe, for they are capable of drawing nearer the lower
creatures of the intelligent races. They also stand in greater
danger of going astray, of departing from the acceptable
technique of universe government. But these Lanonandeks,
especially the primary order, are the most able and versatile of
all local universe administrators. In executive ability they are
excelled only by Gabriel and his unrevealed associates.
9. THE LANONANDEK RULERS
35:9.1 The Lanonandeks are the continuous
rulers of the planets and the rotating sovereigns of the
systems. Such a Son now rules on Jerusem, the headquarters of
your local system of inhabited worlds.
35:9.2 The System Sovereigns rule in
commissions of two or three on the headquarters of each system
of inhabited worlds. The Constellation Father names one of these
Lanonandeks as chief every dekamillennium. Sometimes no change
in the head of the trio is made, the matter being entirely
optional with the constellation rulers. System governments do
not suddenly change in personnel unless a tragedy of some sort
occurs.
35:9.3 When System Sovereigns or assistants
are recalled, their places are filled by selections made by the
supreme council located on the constellation headquarters from
the reserves of that order, a group which is larger on Edentia
than the average indicated.
35:9.4 The supreme Lanonandek councils are
stationed on the various constellation headquarters. Such a body
is presided over by the senior Most High associate of the
Constellation Father, while the junior associate supervises the
reserves of the secondary order.
35:9.5 The System Sovereigns are true to their
names; they are well-nigh sovereign in the local affairs of the
inhabited worlds. They are almost paternal in their direction of
the Planetary Princes, the Material Sons, and the ministering
spirits. The personal grasp of the sovereign is all but
complete. These rulers are not supervised by Trinity observers
from the central universe. They are the executive division of
the local universe, and as custodians of the enforcement of
legislative mandates and as executives for the application of
judicial verdicts, they present the one place in all universe
administration where personal disloyalty to the will of the
Michael Son could most easily and readily intrench itself and
seek to assert itself.
35:9.6 Our local universe has been unfortunate
in that over seven hundred Sons of the Lanonandek order have
rebelled against the universe government, thus precipitating
confusion in several systems and on numerous planets. Of this
entire number of failures only three were System Sovereigns;
practically all of these Sons belonged to the second and third
orders, Planetary Princes and tertiary Lanonandeks.
35:9.7 The large number of these Sons who have
lapsed from integrity does not indicate any fault in
creatorship. They could have been made divinely perfect, but
they were so created that they might better understand, and draw
near to, the evolutionary creatures dwelling on the worlds of
time and space.
35:9.8 Of all the local universes in Orvonton,
our universe has, with the exception of Henselon, lost the
largest number of this order of Sons. On Uversa it is the
consensus that we have had so much administrative trouble in
Nebadon because our Sons of the Lanonandek order have been
created with such a large degree of personal liberty in choosing
and planning. I do not make this observation by way of
criticism. The Creator of our universe has full authority and
power to do this. It is the contention of our high rulers that,
while such free-choosing Sons make excessive trouble in the
earlier ages of the universe, when things are fully sifted and
finally settled, the gains of higher loyalty and fuller
volitional service on the part of these thoroughly tested Sons
will far more than compensate for the confusion and tribulations
of earlier times.
35:9.9 In the event of rebellion on a system
headquarters, a new sovereign is usually installed within a
comparatively short time, but not so on the individual planets.
They are the component units of the material creation, and
creature free will is a factor in the final adjudication of all
such problems. Successor Planetary Princes are designated for
isolated worlds, planets whose princes of authority may have
gone astray, but they do not assume active rulership of such
worlds until the results of insurrection are partially overcome
and removed by the remedial measures adopted by the Melchizedeks
and other ministering personalities. Rebellion by a Planetary
Prince instantly isolates his planet; the local spiritual
circuits are immediately severed. Only a bestowal Son can
re-establish interplanetary lines of communication on such a
spiritually isolated world.
35:9.10 There exists a plan for saving these
wayward and unwise Sons, and many have availed themselves of
this merciful provision; but never again may they function in
those positions wherein they defaulted. After rehabilitation
they are assigned to custodial duties and to departments of
physical administration.
10. THE LANONANDEK WORLDS
35:10.1 The third group of seven worlds in the
Salvington circuit of seventy planets, with their respective
forty-two satellites, constitute the Lanonandek cluster of
administrative spheres. On these realms the experienced
Lanonandeks belonging to the ex-System Sovereign corps officiate
as administrative teachers of the ascending pilgrims and the
seraphic hosts. The evolutionary mortals observe the system
administrators at work on the system capitals, but here they
participate in the actual co-ordination of the administrative
pronouncements of the ten thousand local systems.
35:10.2 These administrative schools of the
local universe are supervised by a corps of Lanonandek Sons who
have had long experience as System Sovereigns and as
constellation counselors. These executive colleges are excelled
only by the administrative schools of Ensa.
35:10.3 While serving as training spheres for
ascending mortals, the Lanonandek worlds are the centers for
extensive undertakings having to do with the normal and routine
administrative operations of the universe. All the way in to
Paradise the ascending pilgrims pursue their studies in the
practical schools of applied knowledge -- actual training in
really doing the things they are being taught. The universe
educational system sponsored by the Melchizedeks is practical,
progressive, meaningful, and experiential. It embraces training
in things material, intellectual, morontial, and spiritual.
35:10.4 It is in connection with these
administrative spheres of the Lanonandeks that most of the
salvaged Sons of that order serve as custodians and directors of
planetary affairs. And these defaulting Planetary Princes and
their associates in rebellion who choose to accept the proffered
rehabilitation will continue to serve in these routine
capacities, at least until the universe of Nebadon is settled in
light and life.
35:10.5 Many of the Lanonandek Sons in the
older systems, however, have established wonderful records of
service, administration, and spiritual achievement. They are a
noble, faithful, and loyal group, notwithstanding their tendency
to fall into error through fallacies of personal liberty and
fictions of self-determination.
35:10.6
Sponsored by the Chief of Archangels acting by authority of
Gabriel of Salvington.
