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August 5th, 1916
Received by:James Padgett.
Washington D.C.
I am here, St. John.
I come tonight to say only a few words and these in reference to
love - the Divine Love of the Father which He rebestowed upon mankind
at the coming of the Master. This Love is the greatest thing in
all the world, and the only thing that can make man at one with
the Father, and change the soul of man as it has existed since his
creation, into a Divine Substance filled with the Essence of the
Father. There is nothing else in all the universe of God that can
cause man to become a new creature, and an inhabitant of the Father's
Kingdom; and when men possess this Love, then they possess everything
that will make them not only the perfect man but the divine angel.
Then men will understand the moral precepts of brotherly love and
also the Father's oneness, and they will not have to seek for other
help in order to bring into the life of the human race those qualities
that will bring to it peace and good will. Then will every man know
that every other man is his brother, and be able to do unto each
as he would have the other to do unto him, and this without effort
or sacrifice on his part, for love worketh its own fulfillment and
all its beneficence floweth towards the fellow-man as falls the
dews from heaven. Envy and hatred and strife and jealousy and all
the other evil qualities of man will disappear, and only peace and
joy and happiness will remain.
It is so abundant that it may be possessed by all men by the mere
seeking and the sincere longing for its inflowing. But man must
understand that it is not his by matter of right, nor is it ever
forced upon him, but comes only in response to the sincere earnest
prayer of a soul that is filled with longings for its coming. This
Love comes not with observation of mere moral rules, or with good
deeds and the exercise of the natural love of a man towards his
fellows, because no man can possibly merit it by any deeds or acts
or kindness of heart that he may have.
All these things are desirable and they work out their own rewards,
and bring the happiness and peace that result from good thoughts
and kind deeds; but all these do not bring unto the soul of man
this Great Love. It is the Father alone, and only when the soul
is opened up to its reception can it possibly find its home in that
soul. It is greater than faith or hope, because it is the real substance
of the Father, while faith and hope are the qualities which a man
may possess by his own efforts, and which are given him that he
may realize the possibility of obtaining this Love. They are merely
means - it is the end and fullness of their exercise.
But men must not believe that all love is the Divine Love for it
is very different in its substance and qualities from all other
loves. All men have, a part of their possessions, the natural love,
and they need not pray for a bestowal of that, although since it
has become defiled by sin it needs to be purified and freed from
this blight, and the Father is ever willing and ready to help men
obtain this purification. But this Divine Love is not a part of
man's nature nor can he obtain or possess it, except he seek for
it. It comes from without and is not developed from within.
It is the result of individual acquirement, and not the object
of universal possession. It may be possessed by all; it can be possessed
by only a few; and each man must determine for himself whether it
shall be his. With God there is no respect of persons; neither is
there any royal road to the obtaining of this Love. All must pursue
the same way and that way is the one that Jesus taught: the opening
up of the soul to this love finding a lodgment therein, which can
be brought about only by sincere prayer and longing for its inflowing.
This Love is the life of the Celestial Heavens and the only key
that will unlock the gates, and when the mortal enters therein,
all other love is absorbed by it. It has no substitute, and is of
itself, a thing apart. It is of the Essence of the Divine, and the
spirit which possesses it is Divine itself. It may be yours, it
may be all men's and it may not. You must decide that question for
yourself, not even the Father can make the decision for you.
In closing let me repeat that It (Divine Love) is the greatest
thing in all God's universe and not only the greatest, but the sum
of all things, for from It flows every other thing that brings peace
and happiness. I will not write more tonight, and with my love
to you, and the blessing of the Father, I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
John
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