The Urantia Book
PAPER 37
PERSONALITIES OF THE LOCAL UNIVERSE
Dictated by a Brilliant Evening Star of Nebadon, Number 1,146 of
the Created Corps.
37:0.1 AT THE head of all personality in
Nebadon stands the Creator and Master Son, Michael, the universe
father and sovereign. Co-ordinate in divinity and complemental
in creative attributes is the local universe Mother Spirit, the
Divine Minister of Salvington. And these creators are in a very
literal sense the Father-Son and the Spirit-Mother of all the
native creatures of Nebadon.
37:0.2 Preceding papers have dealt with the
created orders of sonship; succeeding narratives will portray
the ministering spirits and the ascending orders of sonship.
This paper is chiefly concerned with an intervening group, the
Universe Aids, but it will also give brief consideration to
certain of the higher spirits stationed in Nebadon and to
certain of the orders of permanent citizenship in the local
universe.
1. THE UNIVERSE AIDS
37:1.1 Many of the unique orders generally
grouped in this category are unrevealed, but as presented in
these papers, the Universe Aids include the following seven
orders:
1. Bright and Morning Stars.
2. Brilliant Evening Stars.
3. Archangels.
4. Most High Assistants.
5. High Commissioners.
6. Celestial Overseers.
7. Mansion World Teachers.
37:1.2 Of the first order of Universe Aids,
the Bright and Morning Stars, there is just one in each local
universe, and he is the first-born of all creatures native to a
local universe. The Bright and Morning Star of our universe is
known as Gabriel of Salvington. He is the chief executive of all
Nebadon, functioning as the personal representative of the
Sovereign Son and as spokesman for his creative consort.
37:1.3 During the earlier times of Nebadon,
Gabriel worked quite alone with Michael and the Creative Spirit.
As the universe grew and administrative problems multiplied, he
was provided with a personal staff of unrevealed assistants, and
eventually this group was augmented by the creation of the
Nebadon corps of Evening Stars.
2. THE BRILLIANT EVENING STARS
37:2.1 These brilliant creatures were planned
by the Melchizedeks and were then brought into being by the
Creator Son and the Creative Spirit. They serve in many
capacities but chiefly as liaison officers of Gabriel, the local
universe chief executive. One or more of these beings function
as his representatives at the capital of every constellation and
system in Nebadon.
37:2.2 As chief executive of Nebadon, Gabriel
is ex officio chairman of, or observer at, most of the
Salvington conclaves, and as many as one thousand of these are
often in session simultaneously. The Brilliant Evening Stars
represent Gabriel on these occasions; he cannot be in two places
at the same time, and these superangels compensate for this
limitation. They perform an analogous service for the corps of
the Trinity Teacher Sons.
37:2.3 Though personally occupied with
administrative duties, Gabriel maintains contact with all other
phases of universe life and affairs through the Brilliant
Evening Stars. They always accompany him on his planetary tours
and frequently go on special missions to the individual planets
as his personal representatives. On such assignments they have
sometimes been known as "the angel of the Lord." They frequently
go to Uversa to represent the Bright and Morning Star before the
courts and assemblies of the Ancients of Days, but they seldom
journey beyond the confines of Orvonton.
37:2.4 The Brilliant Evening Stars are a
unique twofold order, embracing some of created dignity and
others of attained service. The Nebadon corps of these
superangels now numbers 13,641. There are 4,832 of created
dignity, while 8,809 are ascendant spirits who have attained
this goal of exalted service. Many of these ascendant Evening
Stars started their universe careers as seraphim; others have
ascended from unrevealed levels of creature life. As an
attainment goal this high corps is never closed to ascension
candidates so long as a universe is not settled in light and
life.
37:2.5 Both types of Brilliant Evening Stars
are easily visible to morontia personalities and certain types
of supermortal material beings. The created beings of this
interesting and versatile order possess a spirit force which can
be manifested independently of their personal presence.
37:2.6 The head of these superangels is
Gavalia, the first-born of this order in Nebadon. Since the
return of Christ Michael from his triumphant bestowal on
Urantia, Gavalia has been assigned to the ascendant mortal
ministry, and for the last nineteen hundred Urantia years his
associate, Galantia, has maintained headquarters on Jerusem,
where he spends about half of his time. Galantia is the first of
the ascendant superangels to attain this high estate.
37:2.7 No grouping or company organization of
the Brilliant Evening Stars exists other than their customary
association in pairs on many assignments. They are not
extensively assigned on missions pertaining to the ascendant
career of mortals, but when thus commissioned, they never
function alone. They always work in pairs -- one a created
being, the other an ascendant Evening Star.
37:2.8 One of the high duties of the Evening
Stars is to accompany the Avonal bestowal Sons on their
planetary missions, even as Gabriel accompanied Michael on his
Urantia bestowal. The two attending superangels are the ranking
personalities of such missions, serving as cocommanders of the
archangels and all others assigned to these undertakings. It is
the senior of these superangel commanders who, at the
significant time and age, bids the Avonal bestowal Son, "Be
about your brother's business."
37:2.9 Similar pairs of these superangels are
assigned to the planetary corps of Trinity Teacher Sons that
functions to establish the postbestowal or dawning spiritual age
of an inhabited world. On such assignments the Evening Stars
serve as liaisons between the mortals of the realm and the
invisible corps of Teacher Sons.
37:2.10 The Worlds of the Evening Stars.
The sixth group of seven Salvington worlds and their forty-two
tributary satellites are assigned to the administration of the
Brilliant Evening Stars. The seven primary worlds are presided
over by the created orders of these superangels, while the
tributary satellites are administered by ascendant Evening
Stars.
37:2.11 The satellites of the first three
worlds are devoted to the schools of the Teacher Sons and the
Evening Stars dedicated to the spirit personalities of the local
universe. The next three groups are occupied by similar joint
schools devoted to the training of ascending mortals. The
seventh-world satellites are reserved for the triune
deliberations of the Teacher Sons, the Evening Stars, and the
finaliters. During recent times these superangels have been
closely identified with the local universe work of the Corps of
the Finality, and they have long been associated with the
Teacher Sons. There exists a liaison of tremendous power and
import between the Evening Stars and the Gravity Messengers
attached to the finaliter working groups. The seventh primary
world itself is reserved for those unrevealed matters which
pertain to the future relationship that will obtain between the
Teacher Sons, the finaliters, and the Evening Stars consequent
upon the completed emergence of the superuniverse manifestation
of the personality of God the Supreme.
3. THE ARCHANGELS
37:3.1 Archangels are the offspring of the
Creator Son and the Universe Mother Spirit. They are the highest
type of high spirit being produced in large numbers in a local
universe, and at the time of the last registry there were almost
eight hundred thousand in Nebadon.
37:3.2 Archangels are one of the few groups of
local universe personalities who are not normally under the
jurisdiction of Gabriel. They are not in any manner concerned
with the routine administration of the universe, being dedicated
to the work of creature survival and to the furtherance of the
ascending career of the mortals of time and space. While not
ordinarily subject to the direction of the Bright and Morning
Star, the archangels do sometimes function by his authority.
They also collaborate with others of the Universe Aids, such as
the Evening Stars, as is illustrated by certain transactions
depicted in the narrative of life transplantation on your world.
37:3.3 The archangel corps of Nebadon is
directed by the first-born of this order, and in more recent
times a divisional headquarters of the archangels has been
maintained on Urantia. It is this unusual fact that soon arrests
the attention of extra-Nebadon student visitors. Among their
early observations of intrauniverse transactions is the
discovery that many ascendant activities of the Brilliant
Evening Stars are directed from the capital of a local system,
Satania. On further examination they discover that certain
archangel activities are directed from a small and apparently
insignificant inhabited world called Urantia. And then ensues
the revelation of Michael's bestowal on Urantia and their
immediately quickened interest in you and your lowly sphere.
37:3.4 Do you grasp the significance of the
fact that your lowly and confused planet has become a divisional
headquarters for the universe administration and direction of
certain archangel activities having to do with the Paradise
ascension scheme? This undoubtedly presages the future
concentration of other ascendant activities on the bestowal
world of Michael and lends a tremendous and solemn import to the
Master's personal promise, "I will come again."
37:3.5 In general, the archangels are assigned
to the service and ministry of the Avonal order of sonship, but
not until they have passed through extensive preliminary
training in all phases of the work of the various ministering
spirits. A corps of one hundred accompanies every Paradise
bestowal Son to an inhabited world, being temporarily assigned
to him for the duration of such a bestowal. If the Magisterial
Son should become temporary ruler of the planet, these
archangels would act as the directing heads of all celestial
life on that sphere.
37:3.6 Two senior archangels are always
assigned as the personal aids of a Paradise Avonal on all
planetary missions, whether involving judicial actions,
magisterial missions, or bestowal incarnations. When this
Paradise Son has finished the judgment of a realm and the dead
are called to record (the so-called resurrection), it is
literally true that the seraphic guardians of the slumbering
personalities respond to "the voice of the archangel." The roll
call of a dispensation termination is promulgated by an
attendant archangel. This is the archangel of the resurrection,
sometimes referred to as the "archangel of Michael."
37:3.7 The Worlds of the Archangels.
The seventh group of the encircling Salvington worlds, with
their associated satellites, is assigned to the archangels.
Sphere number one and all of its six tributary satellites are
occupied by the personality record keepers. This enormous corps
of recorders busy themselves with keeping straight the record of
each mortal of time from the moment of birth up through the
universe career until such an individual either leaves
Salvington for the superuniverse regime or is "blotted out of
recorded existence" by the mandate of the Ancients of Days.
37:3.8 It is on these worlds that personality
records and identification sureties are classified, filed, and
preserved during that time which intervenes between mortal death
and the hour of repersonalization, the resurrection from death.
4. MOST HIGH ASSISTANTS
37:4.1 The Most High Assistants are a group of
volunteering beings, of origin outside the local universe, who
are temporarily assigned as central and superuniverse
representatives to, or observers of, the local creations. Their
number varies constantly but is always far up in the millions.
37:4.2 From time to time we thus benefit from
the ministry and assistance of such Paradise-origin beings as
Perfectors of Wisdom, Divine Counselors, Universal Censors,
Inspired Trinity Spirits, Trinitized Sons, Solitary Messengers,
supernaphim, seconaphim, tertiaphim, and other gracious
ministers, who sojourn with us for the purpose of helping our
native personalities in the effort to bring all Nebadon into
fuller harmony with the ideas of Orvonton and the ideals of
Paradise.
37:4.3 Any of these beings may be voluntarily
serving in Nebadon and hence be technically outside our
jurisdiction, but when functioning by assignment, such
personalities of the super- and central universes are not wholly
exempt from the regulations of the local universe of their
sojourn, though they continue to function as representatives of
the higher universes and to work in accordance with the
instructions which constitute their mission in our realm. Their
general headquarters is situated in the Salvington sector of the
Union of Days, and they operate in Nebadon subject to the
oversupervision of this ambassador of the Paradise Trinity. When
serving in unattached groups, these personalities from the
higher realms are usually self-directing, but when serving on
request, they often voluntarily place themselves wholly under
the jurisdiction of the supervising directors of the realms of
assigned function.
37:4.4 Most High Assistants serve in local
universe and in constellation capacities but are not directly
attached to the system or planetary governments. They may,
however, function anywhere in the local universe and may be
assigned to any phase of Nebadon activity -- administrative,
executive, educational, and others.
37:4.5 Most of this corps is enlisted in
assisting the Nebadon Paradise personalities -- the Union of
Days, the Creator Son, the Faithfuls of Days, the Magisterial
Sons, and the Trinity Teacher Sons. Now and then in the
transaction of the affairs of a local creation it becomes wise
to withhold certain details, temporarily, from the knowledge of
practically all of the native personalities of that local
universe. Certain advanced plans and complex rulings are also
better grasped and more fully understood by the more mature and
farseeing corps of Most High Assistants, and it is in such
situations, and many others, that they are so highly serviceable
to the universe rulers and administrators.
5. HIGH COMMISSIONERS
37:5.1 The High Commissioners are Spirit-fused
ascendant mortals; they are not Adjuster fused. You quite well
understand about the universe-ascension career of a mortal
candidate for Adjuster fusion, that being the high destiny in
prospect for all Urantia mortals since the bestowal of Christ
Michael. But this is not the exclusive destiny of all mortals in
the prebestowal ages of worlds like yours, and there is another
type of world whose inhabitants are never permanently indwelt by
Thought Adjusters. Such mortals are never permanently joined in
union with a Mystery Monitor of Paradise bestowal; nevertheless,
the Adjusters do transiently indwell them, serving as guides and
patterns for the duration of the life in the flesh. During this
temporary sojourn they foster the evolution of an immortal soul
just as in those beings with whom they hope to fuse, but when
the mortal race is run, they take eternal leave of the creatures
of temporary association.
37:5.2 Surviving souls of this order attain
immortality by eternal fusion with an individualized fragment of
the spirit of the local universe Mother Spirit. They are not a
numerous group, at least not in Nebadon. On the mansion worlds
you will meet and fraternize with these Spirit-fused mortals as
they ascend the Paradise path with you as far as Salvington,
where they stop. Some of them may subsequently ascend to higher
universe levels, but the majority will forever remain in the
service of the local universe; as a class they are not destined
to attain Paradise.
37:5.3 Not being Adjuster fused, they never
become finaliters, but they do eventually become enrolled in the
local universe Corps of Perfection. They have in spirit obeyed
the Father's command, "Be you perfect."
37:5.4 After attaining the Nebadon Corps of
Perfection, Spirit-fused ascenders may accept assignment as
Universe Aids, this being one of the avenues of continuing
experiential growth which is open to them. Thus do they become
candidates for commissions to the high service of interpreting
the viewpoints of the evolving creatures of the material worlds
to the celestial authorities of the local universe.
37:5.5 The High Commissioners begin their
service on the planets as race commissioners. In this capacity
they interpret the viewpoints and portray the needs of the
various human races. They are supremely devoted to the welfare
of the mortal races whose spokesmen they are, ever seeking to
obtain for them mercy, justice, and fair treatment in all
relationships with other peoples. Race commissioners function in
an endless series of planetary crises and serve as the
articulate expression of whole groups of struggling mortals.
37:5.6 After long experience in problem
solving on the inhabited worlds, these race commissioners are
advanced to the higher levels of function, eventually attaining
the status of High Commissioners of and in the local universe.
The last registration recorded slightly over one and one-half
billion of these High Commissioners in Nebadon. These beings are
not finaliters, but they are ascendant beings of long experience
and of great service to their native realm.
37:5.7 We invariably find these commissioners
in all the tribunals of justice, from the lowest to the highest.
Not that they participate in the proceedings of justice, but
they do act as friends of the court, advising the presiding
magistrates respecting the antecedents, environment, and
inherent nature of those concerned in the adjudication.
37:5.8 High Commissioners are attached to the
various messenger hosts of space and always to the ministering
spirits of time. They are encountered on the programs of various
universe assemblies, and these same mortal-wise commissioners
are always attached to the missions of the Sons of God to the
worlds of space.
37:5.9 Whenever fairness and justice require
an understanding of how a contemplated policy or procedure would
affect the evolutionary races of time, these commissioners are
at hand to present their recommendations; they are always
present to speak for those who cannot be present to speak for
themselves.
37:5.10 The Worlds of the Spirit-fused
Mortals. The eighth group of seven primary worlds and
tributary satellites in the Salvington circuit are the exclusive
possession of the Spirit-fused mortals of Nebadon. Ascending
Adjuster-fused mortals are not concerned with these worlds
except to enjoy many pleasant and profitable sojourns as the
invited guests of the Spirit-fused residents.
37:5.11 Except for those few who attain Uversa
and Paradise, these worlds are the permanent residence of the
Spirit-fused survivors. Such designed limitation of mortal
ascent reacts to the good of the local universes by insuring the
retention of a permanent evolved population whose augmenting
experience will continue to enhance the future stabilization and
diversification of the local universe administration. These
beings may not attain Paradise, but they achieve an experiential
wisdom in the mastery of Nebadon problems that utterly surpasses
anything attained by the transient ascenders. And these
surviving souls continue as unique combinations of the human and
the divine, being increasingly able to unite the viewpoints of
these two widely separate levels and to present such a dual
viewpoint with ever-heightening wisdom.
6. CELESTIAL OVERSEERS
37:6.1 The Nebadon educational system is
jointly administered by the Trinity Teacher Sons and the
Melchizedek teaching corps, but much of the work designed to
effect its maintenance and upbuilding is carried on by the
Celestial Overseers. These beings are a recruited corps
embracing all types of individuals connected with the scheme of
educating and training the ascending mortals. There are upward
of three million of them in Nebadon, and they are all volunteers
who have qualified by experience to serve as educational
advisers to the entire realm. From their headquarters on the
Salvington worlds of the Melchizedeks, these overseers range the
local universe as inspectors of the Nebadon school technique
designed to effect the mind training and the spirit education of
the ascending creatures.
37:6.2 This training of mind and education of
spirit is carried on from the worlds of human origin up through
the system mansion worlds and the other spheres of progress
associated with Jerusem, on the seventy socializing realms
attached to Edentia, and on the four hundred and ninety spheres
of spirit progress encircling Salvington. On the universe
headquarters itself are numerous Melchizedek schools, the
colleges of the Universe Sons, the seraphic universities, and
the schools of the Teacher Sons and the Union of Days. Every
possible provision is made to qualify the various personalities
of the universe for advancing service and improving function.
The entire universe is one vast school.
37:6.3 The methods employed in many of the
higher schools are beyond the human concept of the art of
teaching truth, but this is the keynote of the whole educational
system: character acquired by enlightened experience. The
teachers provide the enlightenment; the universe station and the
ascender's status afford the opportunity for experience; the
wise utilization of these two augments character.
37:6.4 Fundamentally, the Nebadon educational
system provides for your assignment to a task and then affords
you opportunity to receive instruction as to the ideal and
divine method of best performing that task. You are given a
definite task to perform, and at the same time you are provided
with teachers who are qualified to instruct you in the best
method of executing your assignment. The divine plan of
education provides for the intimate association of work and
instruction. We teach you how best to execute the things we
command you to do.
37:6.5 The purpose of all this training and
experience is to prepare you for admission to the higher and
more spiritual training spheres of the superuniverse. Progress
within a given realm is individual, but transition from one
phase to another is usually by classes.
37:6.6 The progression of eternity does not
consist solely in spiritual development. Intellectual
acquisition is also a part of universal education. The
experience of the mind is broadened equally with the expansion
of the spiritual horizon. Mind and spirit are afforded like
opportunities for training and advancement. But in all this
superb training of mind and spirit you are forever free from the
handicaps of mortal flesh. No longer must you constantly referee
the conflicting contentions of your divergent spiritual and
material natures. At last you are qualified to enjoy the unified
urge of a glorified mind long since divested of primitive
animalistic trends towards things material.
37:6.7 Before leaving the universe of Nebadon,
most Urantia mortals will be afforded opportunity to serve for a
longer or shorter time as members of the Nebadon corps of
Celestial Overseers.
7. MANSION WORLD TEACHERS
37:7.1 The Mansion World Teachers are
recruited and glorified cherubim. Like most other instructors in
Nebadon they are commissioned by the Melchizedeks. They function
in most of the educational enterprises of the morontia life, and
their number is quite beyond the comprehension of mortal mind.
37:7.2 As an attainment level of cherubim and
sanobim, the Mansion World Teachers will receive further
consideration in the next paper, while as teachers playing an
important part in the morontia life, they will be more
extensively discussed in the paper of that name.
8. HIGHER SPIRIT ORDERS OF ASSIGNMENT
37:8.1 Besides the power centers and the
physical controllers, certain of the higher-origin spirit beings
of the family of the Infinite Spirit are of permanent assignment
to the local universe. Of the higher spirit orders of the family
of the Infinite Spirit the following are so assigned:
37:8.2 The Solitary Messengers, when
functionally attached to the local universe administration,
render invaluable service to us in our efforts to overcome the
handicaps of time and space. When they are not thus assigned, we
of the local universes have absolutely no authority over them,
but even then these unique beings are always willing to help us
with the solution of our problems and with the execution of our
mandates.
37:8.3 Andovontia is the name of the secondary
Universe Circuit Supervisor stationed in our local
universe. He is concerned only with spirit and morontia
circuits, not with those under the jurisdiction of the power
directors. It was he who isolated Urantia at the time of the
Caligastia betrayal of the planet during the testing seasons of
the Lucifer rebellion. In sending greetings to the mortals of
Urantia, he expresses pleasure in the anticipation of your
sometime restoration to the universe circuits of his
supervision.
37:8.4 The Nebadon Census Director,
Salsatia, maintains headquarters within the Gabriel sector of
Salvington. He is automatically cognizant of the birth and death
of will and currently registers the exact number of will
creatures functioning in the local universe. He works in close
association with the personality recorders domiciled on the
record worlds of the archangels.
37:8.5 An Associate Inspector is
resident on Salvington. He is the personal representative of the
Supreme Executive of Orvonton. His associates, the Assigned
Sentinels in the local systems, are also representatives of
the Supreme Executive of Orvonton.
37:8.6 The Universal Conciliators are
the traveling courts of the universes of time and space,
functioning from the evolutionary worlds up through every
section of the local universe and on beyond. These referees are
registered on Uversa; the exact number operating in Nebadon is
not of record, but I estimate that there are in the neighborhood
of one hundred million conciliating commissions in our local
universe.
37:8.7 Of the Technical Advisers, the
legal minds of the realm, we have our quota, about one-half
billion. These beings are the living and circulating
experiential law libraries of all space.
37:8.8 Of the Celestial Recorders, the
ascendant seraphim, we have in Nebadon seventy-five. These are
the senior or supervising recorders. The advancing students of
this order in training number almost four billion.
37:8.9 The ministry of the seventy billion
Morontia Companions in Nebadon is described in those
narratives dealing with the transition planets of the pilgrims
of time.
37:8.10 Each universe has its own native
angelic corps; nevertheless, there are occasions on which it is
very helpful to have the assistance of those higher spirits of
origin outside the local creation. Supernaphim perform certain
rare and unique services; the present chief of Urantia seraphim
is a primary supernaphim of Paradise. The reflective seconaphim
are encountered wherever the superuniverse personnel is
functioning, and a great many tertiaphim are of temporary
service as Most High Assistants.
9. PERMANENT CITIZENS OF THE LOCAL UNIVERSE
37:9.1 As with the super- and central
universes, the local universe has its orders of permanent
citizenship. These include the following created types:
1. Susatia.
2. Univitatia.
3. Material Sons.
4. Midway Creatures.
37:9.2 These natives of the local creation,
together with the Spirit-fused ascenders and the spironga (who
are otherwise classified), constitute a relatively permanent
citizenship. These orders of beings are by and large neither
ascending nor descending. They are all experiential creatures,
but their enlarging experience continues to be available to the
universe on their level of origin. While this is not wholly true
of the Adamic Sons and midway creatures, it is relatively true
of these orders.
37:9.3 The Susatia. These marvelous
beings reside and function as permanent citizens on Salvington,
the headquarters of this local universe. They are the brilliant
offspring of the Creator Son and Creative Spirit and are closely
associated with the ascendant citizens of the local universe,
the Spirit-fused mortals of the Nebadon Corps of Perfection.
37:9.4 The Univitatia. Each of the one
hundred constellation headquarters clusters of architectural
spheres enjoys the continuous ministry of a residential order of
beings known as the univitatia. These children of the Creator
Son and the Creative Spirit constitute the permanent population
of the constellation headquarters worlds. They are
nonreproducing beings existing on a plane of life about halfway
between the semimaterial status of the Material Sons domiciled
on the system headquarters and the more definitely spiritual
plane of the Spirit-fused mortals and the susatia of Salvington;
but the univitatia are not morontia beings. They accomplish for
ascending mortals during the traversal of the constellation
spheres what the Havona natives contribute to the pilgrim
spirits passing through the central creation.
37:9.5 The Material Sons of God. When a
creative liaison between the Creator Son and the universe
representative of the Infinite Spirit, the Universe Mother
Spirit, has completed its cycle, when no more offspring of the
combined nature are forthcoming, then does the Creator Son
personalize in dual form his last concept of being, thus finally
confirming his own and original dual origin. In and of himself
he then creates the beautiful and superb Sons and Daughters of
the material order of universe sonship. This is the origin of
the original Adam and Eve of each local system of Nebadon. They
are a reproducing order of sonship, being created male and
female. Their progeny function as the relatively permanent
citizens of a system capital, though some are commissioned as
Planetary Adams.
37:9.6 On a planetary mission the Material Son
and Daughter are commissioned to found the Adamic race of that
world, a race designed eventually to amalgamate with the mortal
inhabitants of that sphere. Planetary Adams are both descending
and ascending Sons, but we ordinarily class them as ascending.
37:9.7 The Midway Creatures. In the
early days of most inhabited worlds, certain superhuman but
materialized beings are of assignment, but they usually retire
upon the arrival of the Planetary Adams. The transactions of
such beings and the efforts of the Material Sons to improve the
evolutionary races often result in the appearance of a limited
number of creatures who are difficult to classify. These unique
beings are often midway between the Material Sons and the
evolutionary creatures; hence their designation, midway
creatures. In a comparative sense these midwayers are the
permanent citizens of the evolutionary worlds. From the early
days of the arrival of a Planetary Prince to the far-distant
time of the settling of the planet in light and life, they are
the only group of intelligent beings to remain continuously on
the sphere. On Urantia the midway ministers are in reality the
actual custodians of the planet; they are, practically speaking,
the citizens of Urantia. Mortals are indeed the physical and
material inhabitants of an evolutionary world, but you are all
so short-lived; you tarry on your nativity planet such a short
time. You are born, live, die, and pass on to other worlds of
evolutionary progression. Even the superhuman beings who serve
on the planets as celestial ministers are of transient
assignment; few of them are long attached to a given sphere. The
midway creatures, however, provide continuity of planetary
administration in the face of ever-changing celestial ministries
and constantly shifting mortal inhabitants. Throughout all of
this never-ceasing changing and shifting, the midway creatures
remain on the planet uninterruptedly carrying on their work.
37:9.8 In like manner, all divisions of the
administrative organization of the local universes and
superuniverses have their more or less permanent populations,
inhabitants of citizenship status. As Urantia has its midwayers,
Jerusem, your system capital, has the Material Sons and
Daughters; Edentia, your constellation headquarters, has the
univitatia, while the citizens of Salvington are twofold, the
created susatia and the evolved Spirit-fused mortals. The
administrative worlds of the minor and major sectors of the
superuniverses do not have permanent citizens. But the Uversa
headquarters spheres are continuously fostered by an amazing
group of beings known as the abandonters, the creation of
the unrevealed agents of the Ancients of Days and the seven
Reflective Spirits resident on the capital of Orvonton. These
residential citizens on Uversa are at present administering the
routine affairs of their world under the immediate supervision
of the Uversa corps of the Son-fused mortals. Even Havona has
its native beings, and the central Isle of Light and Life is the
home of the various groups of Paradise Citizens.
10. OTHER LOCAL UNIVERSE GROUPS
37:10.1 Besides the seraphic and mortal
orders, who will be considered in later papers, there are
numerous additional beings concerned in the maintenance and
perfecting of such a gigantic organization as the universe of
Nebadon, which even now has more than three million inhabited
worlds, with ten million in prospect. The various Nebadon types
of life are much too numerous to be catalogued in this paper,
but there are two unusual orders that function extensively on
the 647,591 architectural spheres of the local universe, that
may be mentioned.
37:10.2 The Spironga are the spirit
offspring of the Bright and Morning Star and the Father
Melchizedek. They are exempt from personality termination but
are not evolutionary or ascending beings. Neither are they
functionally concerned with the evolutionary ascension regime.
They are the spirit helpers of the local universe, executing the
routine spirit tasks of Nebadon.
37:10.3 The Spornagia. The
architectural headquarters worlds of the local universe are real
worlds -- physical creations. There is much work connected with
their physical upkeep, and herein we have the assistance of a
group of physical creatures called spornagia. They are devoted
to the care and culture of the material phases of these
headquarters worlds, from Jerusem to Salvington. Spornagia are
neither spirits nor persons; they are an animal order of
existence, but if you could see them, you would agree that they
seem to be perfect animals.
37:10.4 The various courtesy colonies
are domiciled on Salvington and elsewhere. We especially profit
from the ministry of the celestial artisans on the
constellations and benefit from the activities of the reversion
directors, who operate chiefly on the capitals of the local
systems.
37:10.5 Always there is attached to the
universe service a corps of ascending mortals, including the
glorified midway creatures. These ascenders, after attaining
Salvington, are used in an almost endless variety of activities
in the conduct of universe affairs. From each level of
achievement these advancing mortals reach back and down to
extend a helping hand to their fellows who follow them in the
upward climb. Such mortals of temporary sojourn on Salvington
are assigned on requisition to practically all corps of
celestial personalities as helpers, students, observers, and
teachers.
37:10.6 There are still other types of
intelligent life concerned with the administration of a local
universe, but the plan of this narrative does not provide for
the further revelation of these orders of creation. Enough of
the life and administration of this universe is being herewith
portrayed to afford the mortal mind a grasp of the reality and
grandeur of the survival existence. Further experience in your
advancing careers will increasingly reveal these interesting and
charming beings. This narrative cannot be more than a brief
outline of the nature and work of the manifold personalities who
throng the universes of space administering these creations as
enormous training schools, schools wherein the pilgrims of time
advance from life to life and from world to world until they are
lovingly dispatched from the borders of the universe of their
origin to the higher educational regime of the superuniverse and
thence on to the spirit-training worlds of Havona and eventually
to Paradise and the high destiny of the finaliters -- the
eternal assignment on missions not yet revealed to the universes
of time and space.
37:10.7
Dictated by a Brilliant Evening Star of Nebadon, Number 1,146 of
the Created Corps.
