© 2001 Larry Mullins
© 2001 The Christian Fellowship of Students of The Urantia Book
| Issue Content, Fall 2001 | Fall 2001 — Index | Significant Books: The Art of Possibility by Kenneth R. Miller |
William James wrote, near the beginning of the last century: “I am done with great things and big plans, great institutions and big successes. I am for those tiny, invisible, loving human forces that work from individual to individual, creeping through the crannies of the world like so many rootlets, or like the capillary oozing of water, yet, if given time, will rend the hardest monuments of human pride.”
It has been said, and written, that the Urantia Movement is a fragmented, inbred, visionless failure. This would be true, perhaps, if you accept the premise that human organizations are directing the Revelation. However, I suggest that humans only appear to be in charge of, and to have authority over, one aspect or another of the Fifth Epochal Revelation. The real work is not so visible nor so heralded.
A Revelation is something that takes place while the prideful and the entitled posture and debate about it. A Revelation is taking place now, as I write. It is the genius of the people that drives the invisible, loving human forces that will shape the destiny of our planet.
Too many great Urantians, those who are the part of the gathering power of a great new Revelation, have never been asked to speak at conferences, nor written about in Urantia publications, nor seated at “official” meetings in which the fate of the Revelation is pondered. They do not claim to have special spiritual connections, or spiritual privilege. Rather, these folks, unknown and unheralded, simply do the works.
Indeed, it is not mortals, but the angels who are directing the mighty spiritual enterprise that is at hand. From their transcendent vantage point, surely they see the magnificent tapestry of light, the tenuous connections reaching from Urantian to Urantian. The Celestial Architects strive to make and strengthen those connections between the kindred spirits who are doing the real work. Surely those angelic beings are not striving to contribute to the polite deceit of social graces, but rather to augment the most powerful energies in the universe: spiritual power and unselfish service.
Having read this, one might be moved to ask: why then do we need another human organization such as The Spiritual Fellowship? Because, it is my fondest hope, The Spiritual Fellowship will occupy itself in serving the people, and in helping the genius of the people function and connect. In the same light, it is my hope that The Spiritual Fellowship Journal will continue to be a journal of action, recording service and outreach activities and triumphs, not simply theories and expositions and rhetoric about a Book. It is my hope the Journal will attract the attention of Urantians who have not been heard from. Who have turned sadly away from controversy and politics, and who form the growing invisible fellowship of believers. It is my hope that these silent Urantians will be induced to write articles and to contribute ideas for the Journal.
I do not underestimate the difficulties ahead. Many will protest that the time is not right for a spiritual movement to be launched. In answer, I offer the following story.
It has been written that, many years ago, a group of travelers sought to climb a mighty mountain. They were making good progress in their climb, and soon came in sight of the summit of the mountain. About the same time, they noted that a tremendous storm was raging just above them, and they would have to pass through it to reach their goal.
Fortunately, the travelers observed that there was a cabin close by. They entered, and were delighted to find that it was warm and comfortable and was well stocked with food. They decided it would be wise to delay their trip until the storm abated, and then continue on.
The tourists enjoyed the security and serenity of the cabin, and several days went by. When they went outside, they noted the shining pinnacle of the mountain, bright in the sunlight above the storm. But, although the great goal beckoned them, the storm raged on.
After several weeks, an old native to the area happened by. He asked them why they were living in the cabin. The travelers explained that they were waiting for the storm near the summit of the mountain to end, so that they could continue their journey.
The native smiled. He told the pilgrims that there is always a storm near the summit of the mountain.
Fellow pilgrims, there will never come a more fortuitous interval when there is no storm to block our way. There is always a storm at the fringes of a new frontier-or more appropriate: a new world. We are but discovering this new world, there are untold riches to be revealed. One day, writers will tell of the wondrous days that are barely dawning. The accounts will, in my judgment, be similar to the one that follows, which describes the discovery of another new world, just over 500 years ago:
“Everything that has happened since the marvellous discovery of the Americas has been so extraordinary that the whole story remains quite incredible to anyone who has not experienced it at first hand. Indeed, it seems to overshadow all the deeds of famous people in the past, no matter how heroic, and to silence all talk of other wonders of the world.” [Bartolome de las Casas, “A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies,” 1542.]
For us, now, these are the remarkable days of the Fifth Epochal Revelation, and this is the hour for the “new and everlasting religion of Jesus.” This is the time of the genius of the people, the ordinary folks-the youth, the silent and unsung Urantians, the army of lay persons who will again make Jesus visible to a truthhungry world.
“. . . what is now most needed is Jesus. The world needs to see Jesus living again on earth in the experience of spirit-born mortals who effectively reveal the Master to all men … Modern culture must become spiritually baptized with a new revelation of Jesus’ life and illuminated with a new understanding of his gospel of eternal salvation. And when Jesus becomes thus lifted up, he will draw all men to himself. Jesus’ disciples should be more than conquerors, even overflowing sources of inspiration and enhanced living to all men. Religion is only an exalted humanism until it is made divine by the discovery of the reality of the presence of God in personal experience.” [UB 195:10.1]
| Issue Content, Fall 2001 | Fall 2001 — Index | Significant Books: The Art of Possibility by Kenneth R. Miller |