© 2021 Chuck Thurston
© 2021 The Urantia Book Fellowship
by Chuck Thurston
“The lives and experiences of the men and women who ventured forth from Salem, Mesopotamia, and Lake Van to enlighten the tribes of Eastern Hemisphere present a heroic chapter in the annals of the human race.” [UB 93:7.2]
“The early teachers of the Salem religion penetrated to the remotest tribes of Africa and Eurasia … Urantia has never had more enthusiastic and aggressive missionaries of any religion than these noble men and women who carried the teachings of M elchizedek over the entire Eastern Hemisphere.” [UB 94:0.1]
“The Salem missionaries spread out all over southwestern A sia, through Palestine, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Iran, and Arabia, everywhere proclaiming the good news of the gospel of Machiventa Melchizedek.” [UB 95:0.1]
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to go back in time and hear the stirring words of these heroic missionaries? Imagine how that would enlarge and strengthen our grasp of Machiventa’s teachings!
I’ve only recently realized and fully appreciated that Paper 131, The World’s Religions, does exactly that. It complements and completes the earlier series of Melchizedek papers from Part III of The Urantia Book.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to go back in time and hear the stirring words of these heroic missionaries? Here we find Ganid’s compilation of religious teachings from the library at Alexandria, carried out with guidance and assistance from Jesus. While this manuscript “was preserved in India for hundreds of years” [UB 131:0.2], I think it also represents Jesus’ desire to keep Melchizedek’s work alive for all future generations, knowing that excerpts would someday be reproduced and shared by the midwayers for our benefit.
This project, accomplished through great effort and at significant expense, provides a direct record of the “preachments” of the Salem missionaries, along with closely related insights that were inspired by the work of these noble teachers of the Salem gospel.
“And it should be made plain in this record that all these teachings portraying monotheism were largely derived, directly or indirectly, from the preachments of the missionaries of Machiventa Melchizedek, who went forth from their Salem headquarters to spread the doctrine of one God - the Most High - to the ends of the earth.” [UB 131:0.1]
What follows is a sampling of my personal favorites from these teachings, collected under the headings of the various religions from which they were drawn. We can see that all of these religions share a common revelatory origin in the teachings of Machiventa Melchizedek, as conveyed to the world by the Salem missionaries.
It’s also interesting, I think, to see that many of these ideas reappear in Jesus’ teachings, suggesting that Michael and Machiventa may have collaborated in the conceptual development of their revelation plans for Urantia. We also know that Jesus and Machiventa shared the inner presence of the same powerful Thought A djuster, which no doubt contributed immensely to their expressive formulations of divine revelation.
¶ 1. Cynicism
“The residual teachings of the disciples of M elchizedek, excepting those which persisted in the Jewish religion, were best preserved in the doctrines of the Cynics.” [UB 131:1.1]
“Creation is in the Creator and the Creator in his creation. We search for the M ost High and then find him in our hearts. Y ou go in quest of a dear friend, and then you discover him within your soul.” [UB 131:1.5]
“Those who love their fellows and who have pure hearts shall see God. God never forgets sincerity. He will guide the honest of heart into the truth, for God is truth.” [UB 131:1.6]
“The Most High is like a loving father and mother; he really loves us, his children on earth. … He will take us by the hand and lead us to himself. God saves those who trust him; he does not compel man to serve his name.” [UB 131:1.8]
"The weary soul of the wandering mortal finds eternal rest in the arms of the Most High; the wise man hungers for the divine embrace; the earth child longs for the security of the arms of the Universal Father.” [UB 131:1.9]
¶ 2. Judaism
“The Kenites of Palestine salvaged much of the teaching of Melchizedek…” [UB 131:2.1]
“The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his creation; he heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” [UB 131:2.4]
“God is our Father; the Lord is our redeemer… It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to the Most High; to show forth loving-kindness in the morning and the divine faithfulness every night.” [UB 131:2.7]
“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” [UB 131:2.8]
“If you seek me, you shall find me if you search for me with all your heart.” [UB 131:2.9]
“‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord …” [UB 97:5.2]
¶ 3. Buddhism
“Ganid … did find some record of certain earlier beliefs which reflected something of the influence of the teachings of the Melchizedek missionaries who continued their work in India even to the times of Buddha.” [UB 131:3.1]
“Out of a pure heart shall gladness spring forth to the Infinite; all my being shall be at peace with this supermortal rejoicing. My soul is filled with content, and my heart overflows with the bliss of peaceful trust. I have no fear; I am free from anxiety.” [UB 131:3.2]
“Cheerfulness and gladness are the rew ards of deeds well done and to the glory of the Immortal. No man can rob you of the liberty of your own mind… While faith is the energy of the better life, nevertheless, must you work out your own salvation with perseverance. If you would be certain of your final salvation, then make sure that you sincerely seek to fulfill all righteousness.” [UB 131:3.4]
“Let not anger and hate master you. Speak harshly of no one. Contentment is the greatest wealth. What is given wisely is well saved. … Pay good for evil; overcome evil with the good.” [UB 131:3.6]
¶ 4. Hinduism
“The missionaries of Melchizedek carried the teachings of the one God with them wherever they journeyed. Much of this monotheistic doctrine, together with other and previous concepts, became embodied in the subsequent teachings of Hinduism.” [UB 131:4.1]
"God is our protector - he stands by the side of his creatures - and those who learn to know him become immortal.” [UB 131:4.2]
“Says the Lord: ‘I dwell within their own souls as a lamp of wisdom. I am the splendor of the splendid and the goodness of the good. Where two or three gather together, there am I also.’ … his primeval spirit dwells within the mortal soul. … Let us long meditate on the adorable and divine Vivifier; let his spirit fully direct our thoughts.” [UB 131:4.3]
“God is our father, brother, and friend. And we long to know this God in our inner being.” [UB 131:4.4]
¶ 5. Zoroastrianism
“Zoroaster was himself directly in contact with the descendants of the earlier M elchizedek missionaries, and their doctrine of the one God became a central teaching in the religion which he founded in Persia. A side from Judaism, no religion of that day contained more of these Salem teachings.” [UB 131:5.1]
“God is farthest from us and at the same time nearest to us in that he dwells within our souls. Our God is the divine and holiest Spirit of Paradise, and yet he is more friendly to man than the most friendly of all creatures… God is our most adorable and righteous friend; he is our wisdom, life, and vigor of soul and body. Through our good thinking the wise Creator will enable us to do his will, thereby attaining the realization of all that is divinely perfect.” [UB 131:5.3]
“God is our wise nature, best thought, and righteous act. May God grant us unity with the divine spirit and immortality in himself!” [UB 131:5.4]
¶ 6. Suduanism (Jainism)
“The third group of religious believers who preserved the doctrine of one God in India-the survival of the Melchizedek teaching—were known in those days as the Suduanists. Latterly these believers have become known as followers of Jainism.” [UB 131:6.1]
“We are assured of the life hereafter if we know truth. The soul of man may ascend to the highest heaven, there to develop its true spiritual nature, to attain perfection… Man’s greatest victory is the conquest of himself. When man looks to G od for forgiveness, and when he makes bold to enjoy such liberty, he is thereby delivered from fear.” [UB 131:6.2]
¶ 7. Shinto
“Only recently had the manuscripts of this Far-Eastern religion been lodged in the Alexandrian library … This belief also contained remnants of the earlier Melchizedek teachings …” [UB 131:7.1]
“Says the Lord: ‘… I am the maker of heaven and earth; the sun and the moon and all the stars obey my will. … Although I am great and supreme, still I have regard for the prayer of the poorest man…’.” [UB 131:7.2]
“‘Every time man yields to anxiety, he takes one step away from the leading of the spirit of his heart.’ … If you are not right on the inside, it is useless to pray for that which is on the outside.” [UB 131:7.3]
¶ 8. Taoism
“The messengers of Melchizedek penetrated far into China, and the doctrine of one God became a part of the earlier teachings of several Chinese religions; the one persisting the longest and containing most of the monotheistic truth was Taoism …” [UB 131:8.1]
“… This God of heaven is the honored ancestor of all things. If you know the Eternal, you are enlightened and wise. …” [UB 131:8.2]
“… And it is a mystery how the Supreme fosters, protects, and perfects the creature without compelling him. He guides and directs, but without self-assertion. He ministers progression, but without domination. [UB 131:8.3]
“… He is a wise man who regards all parts from the point of view of the whole…” [UB 131:8.4]
“… You cannot find the Supreme, neither can you go to a place where he is not…'" [UB 131:8.5]
¶ 9. Confucianism
“Even the least God-recognizing of the world’s great religions acknowledged the monotheism of the Mel chizedek missionaries and their persistent successors.” [UB 131:9.1]
“… And we do well when we call the Great H eaven our Father and our M other. If we are thus servants of our divine ancestors, then may we in confidence pray to Heaven. … At all times and in everything let us stand in awe of the majesty of Heaven. … [UB 131:9.2]
“… If God is with me, I have determined to have no doubt in my heart. Faith must be very near the truth of things, and I do not see how a man can live without this good faith. …“ [UB 131:9.3]
“ … To attain the perfection of Heaven is the goal of man… God is with you; have no doubt in your heart. …” [UB 131:9.4]