© 2014 Gaétan G. Charland, Marcel Laporte, Gilles Brien, Pierre Sauvageau, Line St-Pierre, Guy Breton
© 2014 Urantia Association of Quebec
¶ The Urantia Book — Part 2
DEAR READERS, in the last edition of this newsletter, I spoke to you about the importance of The Urantia Book and our perception of it.
Today, I want to go a little further and invite you to accompany me in my research to deepen our knowledge of the Publication Mandate, an important document for better understanding our relationship with The Urantia Book.
You probably already know that Urantia Association International is hosting a Study Group Symposium this summer in our neighbors to the south in Wisconsin. The event will be held June 11-15 and will be a three-day event dedicated to exploring the mission, why, and how of study groups. This event is for all those who are group hosts or would like to become group hosts and who, like many readers, want to improve their relationship and effectiveness in relation to the mission of The Urantia Book.
What is the relationship of this event to my paper; as part of the organizing committee of the symposium, I am primarily responsible for the program for the first day, which will explore the vision and mission of study groups. With this in mind, you will understand that The Urantia Book and our intimate relationship with it is of central importance to my research and the Publication Mandate plays a major role in it. So to do this, I traveled to Chicago in January to meet with Carolyn Kendall, one of the last members of the forum that was hosted by Dr. William Sadler and his son.
The purpose of my meeting with this woman of over 80 years was to validate the authenticity and the source of the Publication Mandate, because you see, many believe that this document was only a creation of readers of that time to impose their vision on the way we should realize the mission of The Urantia Book. Equipped with a video camera and a script of several questions, I wanted to immortalize this memorable meeting with this member of the forum and thus be able to share on film with all those who will participate in the Symposium.
Rest assured that after the Symposium, this video will find a place on the UAI and AUQ website. What I learned there fully testifies to the authenticity of the document and its source, the directives contained in the Publication Mandate were indeed given by the same revelators who gave us The Urantia Book and by the same methods. It was read twice at the forum in the 1950s and then included in the reference documents of the first association, the Brotherhood and also distributed to all those occupying leadership positions in the organization.
It seems that in the years following its publication-distribution, some readers saw it as an obstacle to the rapid distribution of The Urantia Book and the means to accomplish its influence in society, and so the mandate gradually ceased to be recognized as a reference document and its distribution to leaders ceased. And then, as the years separated us from the original forum and contact commission and because the Mandate was no longer distributed, many of us interested in the mission of The Urantia Book were deprived of the wisdom of its directives, which had the effect of reducing the effectiveness of the means used to better disseminate the teachings of The Urantia Book and to accomplish its mission.
Over the last decade, the Publication Mandate has gradually resurfaced and we have seen more leaders take an interest in its guidelines, which has resulted in an emphasis on promoting study groups and training leaders and teachers. But the work is only just beginning, because you see we are far from having created thousands of study groups, we do not count more than five hundred throughout the world. It still seems that many readers do not perceive the importance of study groups, otherwise they would want to participate or create one.
For creating a study group or participating in one is not everything, one must find the means to deepen one’s appreciation of the teachings contained in The Urantia Book and to integrate them into one’s life, otherwise how do we hope that these groups will have a significant influence in the family, society and thus transform them? This is the reason for organizing a Symposium and the directive to create thousands of study groups. My research on the meaning of the directives contained in the mandate led me to consult sociology works on the influence of groups such as study groups in society. What I found there is astounding and revealing, many great changes in societies have started with small groups that multiplied without fanfare until the day when they became the conscience of the societies in which they came to life.
How many groups, individuals would it take to change a city, a province, a country, a planet? How long will it take? Forum members reading the Publication Mandate have asked themselves these same questions without the revelators answering them. They simply tell us that “The future is not open to your mortal understanding,” or “when man’s battle for freedom is won and the world is once again made more fertile for the religion of Jesus and for the freedom of humanity” do we have any idea what this means? It is up to you to meditate on these statements.
In The Urantia Book it says: UB 99:1.1 Mechanical inventions and the dissemination of knowledge are modifying civilization; certain economic adjustments and social changes are imperative if cultural disaster is to be avoided. This new and oncoming social order will not settle down complacently for a millennium. The human race must become reconciled to a procession of changes, adjustments, and readjustments. Mankind is on the march toward a new and unrevealed planetary destiny.
In my opinion, the creation of thousands of study groups as suggested by the Revelators is one of the most effective ways to achieve stabilization of social and economic changes, because he who knows God serves men, he who does not know God serves himself. We currently see in our Quebec society the influence of the Ego, of the I on our politicians and civil administrators, do you believe that these are men who act according to an intimate knowledge and relationship with God? Without wanting to judge these men, Jesus’ adage of “You will know them by their fruits” is appropriate.
The Urantia Association of Quebec encourages and stimulates the readership to promote study groups. You are the artisans of destiny, because it is those who get involved in giving back what they have received who change the world, one person at a time. If you want to start a study group, you must first have read the book in its entirety and if possible, but not mandatory, have participated in a study group. Come meet us at the next Annual General Meeting to be held in Drummondville on February 2, we will talk about it. And don’t forget to register for the Study Group Symposium (English only) by visiting this website:
https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1341863
To love is to serve.
Gaetan G. Charland
President AUQ
¶ Membership renewal
Dear readers, a friendly reminder to inform you that at the last Annual General Meeting on February 10, 2013, the membership fee increased from $50 to $60.
Membership renewal is annual and in order to better plan the activities of our association and meet the needs of readers, it is desirable to receive your membership fees and donations at the beginning of the year, before February 28. Of course, your generosity can be exercised throughout the year.
Thank you for your cooperation!
Marcel Laporte, your Treasurer
¶ Seek and you will find
HOW GREAT WAS MY pleasure when I was asked to write a few lines for Réflectivité. A compulsive reader of the UB — my wife would say obsessive — for almost 40 years, what was I going to talk about? There is so much material, themes and questions about The Urantia Book! What subject to choose? So I started looking.
How to hook readers? Since weather is the most popular topic of conversation in Quebec and I am a meteorologist, I thought I would talk about the weather. But since the weather this winter is horribly relentless, I was not going to bring it up again! The readers of Réflectivité already have to fight here below to reach the worlds of Jerusem, it would be cruel to add another layer to their suffering of the day!
For my part, it is the intellectual dimension that I have always liked in the UB. Talking about the scientific, historical, and cultural aspects of the book seemed like a good choice. But not all readers feel challenged by this cerebral side of the book. For most, it is a matter of the heart, not of gray matter.
So I kept looking. Then I finally found THE topic par excellence. A topic that concerns us all, readers or not. A topic that always sells. I was going to talk about sex!
Did you know that Dr. Sadler wrote a sex book? Actually, a book about sexuality. It must be said that Dr. Sadler, a cereal salesman in his younger years, wrote a lot of books. Forty-two in all!
Written with his wife Lena, who was also a doctor, and published in 1938, “The Sex Life before and after Marriage” is an avant-garde work on a controversial subject, at a time when it was believed that masturbation made you deaf, even in medical circles!
Here is an opportunity, I thought, to discover a little more about the personality of William S. Sadler, through his opinion on the most popular subject in the world before the weather, sex!
There is much to be said about Dr. Sadler, the modern equivalent of Joseph and Mary in Judea 2,000 years ago. The acknowledged father of psychoanalysis in the United States was no couch potato. Disagreeing with many of the psychoanalytic principles of Sigmund Freud, with whom he studied in Vienna, Dr. Sadler was a die-hard baseball and Cubs fan, never missing a game on the radio.
Carolyn Kendall, the Doctor’s receptionist for 14 years, relates that he would see patients who were depressed, and after listening to his inspired exhortation for an hour, people would leave his office refreshed, walking on clouds. He lifted the spirits of his patients as Jesus did with the frightened young man on the island of Crete (130:6.1).
Through his book on sexuality, we discern a progressive and reasoned Sadler, full of rigor and humanity, with a frank and honest discourse on a difficult and sensitive subject. So much for the subject that I had found and which seemed to me to unite. That was before finding the real subject of this column…
UB readers have in common that they are truth seekers. When they first came into contact with the book, the majority were looking for meaning in their lives.
This is the greatest happiness given to readers of The Urantia Book. The intimate and profound feeling of having finally found something after searching for a long time.
Search, and you will find. Matthew 7-7.11.
This is the real subject behind this sex story.
When we seek truth, we seek God. And when we find God, we find everything.
Gilles Brien
¶ Paradox of service
Reader’s Comment
MR. CHARLAND, since you specifically cited me in your article published in the November issue of Réflectivité, I believe it is legitimate to have a right of reply.
What you say about the benefit of service is appropriate. It is true that it is by loving that we learn to love better, it is by serving that we practice our love. However, the paradox that I noted in my article to which you reacted published in October in the Réflectivité raised a simple question: how to understand that it is necessary to deploy so many incentives to serve when the L.U. itself specifies that service is spontaneous in those who are truly born of the Spirit. I believe that there is reason to question this paradox and I simply wanted to share it.
Pierre Sauvageau
¶ Leather Cases for the Urantia Book
There are still a quantity of cases for the little Urantia books. The AUQ offers them to you for $5 plus postage. Let me know if you are interested, either by email at line.stpierre@gmail.com or by phone at 450-565-3323.
Line St-Pierre
¶ Something more…
To mortal man, existence is equivalent to growth. (UB 117:2.2)
GROWTH CAN BE physical, intellectual, but also spiritual. Unfortunately in our materialistic world, spiritual growth often seems to me to be forgotten.
But what is spiritual growth and how can we get it started or at least promote its development? Overall, spiritual growth is the passage from one’s own consciousness to the consciousness of God via the consciousness of one’s soul: the final goal being to resemble God, according to the supreme commandment: “Be perfect as I am perfect.”
More simply, spiritual growth is the growth of meanings and the enhancement of divine values. In other words, spiritual growth is the development of the immanence of God in each of us. No matter from what aspect one approaches spiritual growth, it involves a great transformation of oneself. This transformation can only be made possible by love directed towards God and towards others. We all know that love is the most powerful transforming agent there is.
Spiritual growth is mutually stimulated by intimate association with other religionists. (UB 100:0.2)
Reading groups are certainly an excellent means, if not the best means, to progress in the knowledge of Truth. After two or three years of weekly presence in a reading group or after one or two complete readings of The Urantia Book, do we not have enough knowledge to take action?
I have always been impressed when reading passages like the following:
. . .As in all other phases of the ascending career those who are most advanced in any line of endeavor are required constantly to impart their superior knowledge and skill to their less favored fellows. (UB 44:0.13)
Said Jesus that night as they went to their rest: “Freely have you received; therefore freely should you give of the truth of heaven, and in the giving will this truth multiply and show forth the increasing light of saving grace, even as you minister it.” (UB 176:3.10)
At what point can I say that I have enough spiritual knowledge to begin to dispense it? Can the pursuit of the knowledge of the Truth serve as an alibi for inaction?
… You cannot stand still in the affairs of the eternal kingdom. My Father requires all his children to grow in grace and in a knowledge of the truth. You who know these truths must yield the increase of the fruits of the spirit and manifest a growing devotion to the unselfish service of your fellow servants. And remember that, inasmuch as you minister to one of the least of my brethren, you have done this service to me.
And so should you go about the work of the Father’s business, now and henceforth, even forevermore. UB 176:3.5-6
I have always been impressed by the speech of my mother who lost the use of her left side at the age of 48. She saw many good souls parade through her house, but never one offered to wash her floor or do her spring cleaning or the slightest task, small or large. Yet, that is what she needed. At that time, there were no government services, it was easy to be of service and yet…
Today, we call on government services to avoid getting involved. These services cannot do everything and I would even say that they do not have to do everything…, fraternity should be at work and do its part. CHSLDs are full of people who never leave their rooms or their centers, who are alone without ever receiving visitors. People die in hospital corridors because the attendants are overwhelmed. Many people would need hands to do their small or hard work…; others rack their brains about the afterlife or death; poverty is very visible in our modern society. There is no shortage of work and yet…
Some might say, it is not enough to know, one must also integrate all this knowledge within oneself. I agree, but again, is it not another alibi? What is the best way to integrate the knowledge of the Truth or the teachings of Jesus? Everyone has on their lips that it is better to live them. But how can we live this by meeting among ourselves, by reading and discussing all of this knowledge? Isn’t the intellectualism that some decry located at this level, rather than in the act of learning the Truth?
. . . What a sorry sight for successive generations of the professed followers of Jesus to say, regarding their stewardship of divine truth: “Here, Master, is the truth you committed to us a hundred or a thousand years ago. We have lost nothing; we have faithfully preserved all you gave us; we have allowed no changes to be made in that which you taught us; here is the truth you gave us.” But such a plea concerning spiritual indolence will not justify the barren steward of truth in the presence of the Master. In accordance with the truth committed to your hands will the Master of truth require a reckoning. (UB 176:3.7)
The great Truth to which the Master refers is to serve.
. . . Whosoever would be great among you, let him first become your servant. He who would be first in the kingdom, let him become your minister. I declare to you that the Son of Man came not to be ministered to but to minister; and I now go up to Jerusalem to lay down my life in the doing of the Father’s will and in the service of my brethren. (UB 171:0.6)
It is the greatest and noblest gesture of love that a being can make for his fellow men, but it is not asked of us…
Sonship in the kingdom, from the standpoint of advancing civilization, should assist you in becoming the ideal citizens of the kingdoms of this world since brotherhood and service are the cornerstones of the gospel of the kingdom. (UB 178:1.4)
. . . But these material-minded sons in darkness will never know of your spiritual light of truth unless you draw very near them with that unselfish social service which is the natural outgrowth of the bearing of the fruits of the spirit in the life experience of each individual believer. (UB 178:1.4)
Then said the Master to Nathaniel, “Nathaniel, do you serve me?” And the apostle answered, “Yes, Master, and with an undivided affection.” Then said Jesus: “If, therefore, you serve me with a whole heart, make sure that you are devoted to the welfare of my brethren on earth with tireless affection.” (UB 192:2.10)
Isn’t the best way to spread the Truth through service? I wonder if it would be possible for a study group to add a group meeting from time to time to go and serve together in a place in need of service, go as a group to spend an afternoon in a retirement home to talk with those who are lonely, offer a walk to people who have not been out of their shelter for ages, offer them a small meal in a restaurant, go visit the sick on a given street, go visit prisoners, go serve meals to the destitute, go pick apples for the distribution centers of people in need, organize a fundraising campaign to meet special needs, go serve cookies and coffee in a hospital waiting room during the day or night, form a small choir, organize a small show to go and entertain those who are waiting to die, etc. In other words, to find an action, to make a gesture of mutual aid, to get involved, to serve to help our fellow men. These gestures could be made monthly, biannually or annually. The goal is to preach the gospel in action.
“I have taught you much by word of mouth, and I have lived my life among you. I have done all that can be done to enlighten your minds and liberate your souls, and what you have not been able to get from my teachings and my life, you must now prepare to acquire at the hand of that master of all teachers—actual experience. And in all of this new experience which now awaits you, I will go before you and the Spirit of Truth shall be with you. Fear not;” (UB 181:2.24)
I know that some of you are already doing these things and that is to your credit. You are then good allies in the development and exploitation of this idea. These suggestions constitute fertile ground for sowing a beautiful word of Truth and perhaps gathering new followers for study groups. Of course, it is important to remember:
. . . You should learn that the expression of even a good thought must be modulated in accordance with the intellectual status and spiritual development of the hearer. (UB 181:2.21)
. . . strive not with the souls you would win for the kingdom.” (UB 181:2.5)
The idea is floated, let it work in your imagination for a while, ask your adjuster for advice…, discuss it, but take action, you are the hand of God. It would be nice if one day it could be said that the people in the Urantia Book study groups are truly involved in the service of their fellow men.
Guy Breton
¶ STUDY GROUPS
THIS ACTIVITY ALLOWS MULTIPLE READERS OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING TO SHARE AND STUDY THE TEACHINGS OF The Urantia Book TOGETHER. It promotes spiritual progress by enabling its participants to find practical applications of the teachings of The Urantia Book in their daily lives. This important practice helps to maintain a broad perspective on concepts of truth.
You wish to participate or form a study group; we will be happy to assist you. If you wish to have your study group appear in this list, contact the person in charge, via email association.urantia.quebec@gmail.com or at 450-565-3323.
Group: Découverte
Every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Laurentians Region Gaétan Charland and Line St-Pierre
Tel.: 450-565-3323
Group: Étoile du Soir
Every Wednesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Laurentides region
Carmen Charland
Tel.: 450-553-3601
Group: Le Pont
Every Thursday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
South Shore of Montreal
Guy Vachon
Tel.: 450-465-7049
Group: Mauricie Readers
Every Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Three Rivers Region
Madeleine Boisvert and
Tel: 819-376-8850
Roger Perigny
819-379-5768
Group: Veritas
Every Tuesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Montreal area, near the Church metro station
Lise and Pierre Routhier
Tel.: 514-761-2378
Sherbrooke Group
Every two weeks, Tuesday or Wednesday (to be confirmed)
From 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Helene Boisvenue or Denis Gravelle
Tel.: 819 569-6416
Group: The Ascendants
Every two weeks on Sunday from 13 h 00 to 3:30 p.m.
South Shore of Quebec
Guy LeBlanc
Tel: 418-835-1809
Group: The Agondontarians
Every two weeks on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. North Shore of Quebec
Guy & Rolande L. Martin
Tel: 418-651-3851
Group: Les Débonnaires
Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Montreal region
Julien Audet
Tel: 514-315-9871
Group: Urantia Fraternity
Wednesdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Lanaudière region
Richard Landry & Gisèle Boisjoly
Tel: 450-589-6922
Group: Vers les Sommets
Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Regions Ormstown & Valleyfield
Louise Sauve
Tel: 450-829-3631
Group: The United Urantia Family
Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Montreal region
Mrs. Diane Labrecque
Tel: 514-277-2308
The Partners of the Supreme
Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Quebec region
Richard Lachance
Tel: (418) 614-2520 or (418) 933-0244 (cell)
At Maisonia
Every two weeks on Monday from 7:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Quebec region
Gilles Bertrand & Louise Renaud
Tel: 418-871-4564
Group: Uni-Terre
Every Sunday from 9:00 a.m.
Lanaudière region
Eric Martel
Tel: 450-756-9387
Group: Laurantia
Every Sunday from 9:00 a.m.
Petite Nation region in Outaouais
Denise Charron & Jean-Claude Lafreniere
Tel: 819-983-2113
Group: The Precursors of Divine Reality
Every two weeks on Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Laurentides region
Mrs. Johanne Séguin
Tel: 819-327-3237
Group: Sans Frontiére
Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Hawkesbury region
Yvon and Irene Belle-Isle
Tel: 613-632-5706
Group: from Outaouais
Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Ottawa Region
Maurice Migneault
Tel: 613-789-6833
Group: The Alphée Brothers
Sunday
Thetford Mines region
Sylvère Marcoux
Tel: 418-332-3560
Group: The South Shore Lighthouse
Every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
South Shore region of Montreal
Luciano Camellini and Dominique Marchessault
Disclaimer: Any interpretations, opinions, conclusions or artistic representations, stated or implied, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Urantia Association International or local and national level associations.