Historical Factors and The Origin of The Urantia Papers

The following material is reproduced from the Pathways Edition of The Urantia Papers (ISBN 0-9644586-1-6), printed in 1995. Pathways, Inc., P.O. Box 327, Navesink, NJ, 07752-9982

APPENDIX J

HISTORICAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE MATERIALIZATION OF THE URANTIA PAPERS

On February 10, 1995, after a long and difficult legal battle, the Urantia Papers were placed in the public domain. Because of this litigation, a great deal of material that had previously been unavailable was brought to light. The following commentaries are not replete and avoid identifying any individuals by name. They do present those essential facts about the Urantia Papers origin and history that can be reasonably verified by court documentation, exhibits and testimony by reliable and qualified people. The reader may contact Pathways, Inc. P.O. Box 327, Navesink, NJ, 07752-9982 for a free copy of a Historicity of the Urantia Papers.

EDITOR'S NOTE: There is not, nor has there ever been, an authority on the Urantia Papers. There is not, nor has there ever been an "official" interpretation of the Urantia Papers. The following material regarding the materialization of the Urantia Papers is produced from the best available human sources. The reader is urged to evaluate the Urantia Papers as he or she would evaluate any other material - on the basis of content.

J.1: RECENT LEGAL FINDINGS OF FACT

The following quotes are extracted from the Federal Court Summary Judgment that released the Urantia Papers into the public domain. [NO. CIV 91-0325 PHX WKU]:

"FACTUAL BACKGROUND:

". . . The genesis of the instant case can be traced back nearly a century. Early in the twentieth century a Chicago physician . . . was confronted by an individual with extraordinary talents. This individual became a patient of [the doctor] and was studied by him for over eighteen years. During this time the patient communicated numerous and sundry messages, initially to [the doctor] and, later, to a small group. The court believes [the doctor] made reference to these messages in the appendix to a book he wrote in 1929.

""The communications which have been written, or which we have had an opportunity to hear spoken, are made by a vast order of alleged beings who claim to come from other planets to visit this world, to stop here as student visitors for study and observation when they are en route from one universe to another or from one planet to another. These communications further arise in alleged spiritual beings who purport to have been assigned to this planet for duties of various sorts."

"[The doctor] concluded the aforementioned appendix by stating, "Our investigations are being continued and . . . I hope some time in the near future to secure permission for the more complete reporting of the phenomena connected with this interesting case."

"There is no proof that the patient [the doctor] mentioned in his book is the "Contact Personality" to which the parties in the instant case refer; nor is it of particular importance in deciding the motion currently before me. I quote the passage simply because it depicts the generally agreed upon events that help to explain the origin of the "Urantia Papers."

"As the "Urantia Papers" came into existence through the Contact Personality, [the doctor] and his initial followers assumed certain responsibilities. They "work[ed] directly with the Contact Personality in the production of the text of the Urantia Papers . . . providing feedback and receiving instructions regarding the disposition of the Papers" . . . Subsequently a larger group of individuals was invited to participate in this unique experience. This larger group's role was "to read and study the early drafts of the text of the Urantia Papers, discuss their content, and submit questions about the subject matter. At the end of this complex and arduous process 196 separate papers were procured and became known as the "Urantia Papers."

"Although neither party knows the exact date when the 196 "Urantia Papers" were compiled and became The Urantia Book , it is generally believed to have occurred in the mid-1930"s. From that time onward [the doctor] and other people who were interested in the messages of The Urantia Book would meet at his home and discuss the book . . .

"I accept the plaintiff's contention that "an anonymous individual known simply as "the contact personality". . . had some involvement with the physical process by which the "Urantia Papers" were written down [but] . . . did not contribute any copyrightable expression to the papers . . . [and therefore] is not an author of any part of The Urantia Book . . . Originally it was the patient who sought [the doctor], and not as an employer but as a therapist. The first "Urantia Papers" were not created at the insistence of [the doctor], nor was the thought of their creation conceived by [the doctor] or the Contact Commission . . . More important, there is no evidence that either [the doctor] or the Contact Commission had any power to induce, direct, supervise, oversee, or control the actual production of a single "Urantia Paper." . . .

"It is therefore ordered that the defendant's motion for partial summary judgment, filing 199, is granted as to (1) Count I of the plaintiff's complaint for copyright infringement; and (2) Count I of defendant's counterclaim declaring the copyright renewal in The Urantia Book to be invalid."

J.2 HOW WERE THE URANTIA PAPERS MATERIALIZED?

Sources used for this section:

HISTORY OF THE URANTIA MOVEMENT - A short historical narrative was "prepared by a group of Urantia pioneers, assisted by members of the contact commission - 1960"

HISTORY OF THE URANTIA MOVEMENT - [Anonymous] "History Two" is an enlarged version of the above history, and is not dated. The added material includes writings that are probably from a member of the Contact Commission who also performed stenographic duties throughout the nearly fifty-year process.

A HISTORICITY OF THE URANTIA PAPERS - Written by the only living colleague of the Chicago Physician. A video taped interview with this colleague was also used.

A recently discovered cassette tape commentary on the origins of the Urantia Papers by a member of the Contact Commission.

The appendix of Mind at Mischief, published in 1929. This book was written by the doctor involved in the case.

It is certain that no mortal being knows, or ever knew, the complete story of how the Urantia Papers came to be. We do know that circa 1911, a prominent Chicago physician, psychiatrist, and debunker of psychic phenomena began treating a case of psychic activities that he was unable to explain. His involvement, bafflement, and intellectual struggle with these activities culminated in the publication of The Urantia Book in 1955. The identity of the patient will never be known.

Some confusion exists about how the text of the Urantia Papers was materialized - it was a different process than the early activities of the contact personality. These early activities seemed - at first - typical of "channeling" activities. The patient spoke while in a trance. He also produced what were apparently "automatic" writings. Yet, there is no record - whatever - of any individual having seen him write. In fact, "History Two" states that: "During those early years, all of our observations and investigations utterly failed to reveal the . . . technique of reducing the messages to writing."

Perhaps the most baffling thing about the early messages that were produced by the Contact Personality was their astounding content. The doctor involved could not explain the unique material, nor how the patient seemed to be able to produce it. The physician retained scientific objectivity, and was especially skeptical in the early years of the process. History Two states: "Those of us who early attended the nocturnal vigils never suspected that we were in contact with anything supernatural."

Eventually, the doctor provisionally accepted the validity of the material that was being recorded. His unqualified conviction developed over many years, and was based upon the quality of the content of the Urantia Papers - and the precise philosophic consistency of the complex and voluminous material - not upon the puzzling and unexplained technique by which the Papers were materialized. Throughout his life, the doctor urged others to study and evaluate the Urantia Papers solely upon their content - not upon any phenomena that may have been associated with their appearance.

The doctor, in the appendix of his 1929 book, describes the material as ". . . essentially Christian, and is, on the whole, entirely harmonious with the known scientific facts and truths of this age." He also stated that: "Eighteen years of study and careful investigation have failed to reveal the psychic origin of these messages. . . Its philosophic content is quite new, and we have been unable to find where very much of it has ever found human expression."

A CLEAR LINE OF DEMARCATION

It is important to establish a distinction between the early communications and the remarkable events that eventually produced the actual text of the Urantia Papers. After the Forum [originally 30 people] was brought into the process [circa 1924], they submitted questions to the "celestial beings" through the Contact Commission. According to the histories, the answers to the questions were written out - it was never understood precisely how - and formed a kind of first working draft for the Urantia Papers. The written materials were subsequently typed, the typed papers verified, and finally, the original written material destroyed. Eventually the typed copies were also destroyed, per instructions by the Revelators.

It is clear that all of the text of the Urantia Papers was materialized in written form. The puzzling aspects of how this was done completely baffled the doctor and several other experts in psychic phenomena who were called in. In addition, at some point handwriting experts were asked to examine the written material. They verified that the handwritten material was not the patient's handwriting. The writing of the Contact Commission was tested, and none had the characteristics of the writing being received. On occasion, great amounts of material would materialize overnight - yet the patient's wife swore he had not left the bed. After an especially amazing amount of material had been produced one night, the doctor tested the patient's forearm, and found no evidence of fatigue. During this early period the doctor remained cautious, yet he conceded that he could not discover the technique of the materialization method of the text of the Papers themselves. There is no testimony that any part of the TEXT of the Papers was ever spoken and recorded by a stenographer.

CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE METHOD

The editors are convinced that no one witnessed the complete materialization method of the Urantia Papers. Many unexplained things occurred, but not a single member of the Contact Commission or the Forum ever claimed to have seen the patient writing or typing anything. As previously noted, even in the very early days of the process, extensive investigation "utterly failed" to determine the method of "reducing the messages to writing." [History Two] The doctor was an expert in psychic phenomena, and he witnessed as much about the materialization as anyone. He flatly ruled out channeling, automatic writing, automatic speaking, or any known form of psychic technique.

A great deal of information about the materialization technique can be found in the Papers themselves. Though the subject was certainly involved, apparently his role was completely passive. His mind was not used (according to the Papers,) but his Thought Adjuster (the indwelling fragment of God that indwells normal minds) was evidently quite active in the process. Perhaps the most feasible speculation that has been documented is that the actual text of the Papers was received by the Thought Adjuster, relayed to a Primary Midwayer, (a planetary order of celestial intelligence that can penetrate the mind circuits of a mortal to communicate with a Thought Adjuster,) and then sent to a waiting Secondary Midwayer, a type of superhuman intelligence that can manipulate matter. The Secondary Midwayer, assisted by Cherubim and Seraphim, performed the final process of translation of the information (when necessary) and their actual materialization. But why such a complex arrangement? Probably because certain laws, procedures and protocols seem to prevail in Epochal Revelation-as well as in how the spirit realms may communicate without harming us.

A final aspect of this materialization method must be considered. We know that, through the ages, many inspired people have claimed to have special information. In a minority of these cases, individuals have produced some inspiring material. The quality of such material varies widely. The Urantia Papers defines such activity as autorevelation, and make a distinction between this and Epochal Revelation. [1109] Autorevelation (at its best) involves the individual and his or her Thought Adjuster. Epochal Revelation involves superhuman agencies, groups or personalities. Epochal Revelations are very rare - only five have taken place in the long history of our planet. The Fifth Epochal Revelation is the Urantia Papers themselves.

The editors of these Appendixes believe that once the Urantia Papers were materialized, they became part of the evolutionary mainstream. The original materialized written text was destroyed, and even the first link to the evolutionary process - the intermediary typed text - was also routinely destroyed as the Papers were set into type, proofed, plates cast, and final page proofs made - all well in advance of publication.

There were other communications, including special directives, informal dialogue and such, that took place between the various orders of Celestial Beings who interfaced with the mortals of the Contact Commission. Thus, written materials, not part of the text of the Papers, were produced. All of this additional material, written - or spoken and recorded by a stenographer - was also destroyed. Certainly there is no credible evidence that the Celestial Beings continued any direct involvement with mortals after the book was published. The final message in 1955 was purported to be: "Now you are on your own."

There is no evidence of any special spiritual status enjoyed, or any unique powers possessed by the human protagonists who took part in the long and arduous processes. The Urantia Papers themselves urge readers to avoid psychic activities, as well as dependence upon spiritual "authority figures."

In this edition, Pathways has exactly replicated the 1955 first edition text of The Urantia Book . The 1955 edition was the only edition published from the original, unaltered metal plates, and copies have become costly and very difficult to acquire. Today, an estimated 250,000 Urantia Books are in print. Less than 10,000 of these are first editions.

We deem it unfortunate that presumably well-intended mortals began a process of making changes in this original text, and altered the plates to "correct errors." These changes began in the second edition, and were not footnoted or designated in any way. In Appendix A of this edition, we have listed 140 of the known changes that have been made to the text in later editions. Readers can now decide for themselves the appropriateness of these alterations to the original text.

As a touchstone, this edition of the Urantia Papers allows us to examine what was originally produced by the Urantian pioneers - who strove to be absolutely accurate as they copied the original text and then set the type.

J.3 HISTORICAL TIME FRAMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PAPERS

The process that produced the Urantia papers was set into motion circa 1911. The doctor involved was in his mid-thirties at that time. In 1924, an informal forum that met in the doctor's home also became involved. These individuals asked questions which were presented to the Revelators by the Contact Commission of five or six people. The Forum was "chartered" with thirty members in September of 1925.

In "History Two" a Contact Commissioner states that, Circa 1931, "After about twenty years of contact experience, an alleged student-visitor, speaking through this sleeping subject during one of these nocturnal vigils, in answer to one of our questions, said: "If you only knew what you are in contact with you would not ask such trivial questions. You would rather ask such questions as might elicit answers of supreme value to the human race." This was something of a shock, as well as a mild rebuke, and caused all of us to look upon this unique experience in a new and different way. Later on that night, one of our number said: "Now they have asked for it - let us give them questions that no human being can answer."

" . . . The first group of papers numbered 57. We then received a communication suggesting that since we could now ask many and much more intelligent questions, the superhuman agencies and personalities responsible for transmitting the 57 Papers could engage to enlarge the revelation and to expand the Papers in accordance with our new questions. This was the plan: We would read a Paper on Sunday afternoon and the following Sunday the new questions would be presented. Again, these would be sorted, classified, etc. This program covered several years and ultimately resulted in the presentation of the 196 Papers as now found in The Urantia Book .

". . . In a way, there was a third presentation. After receiving these 196 Papers, we were told that the "Revelatory Commission" would be pleased to have us go over the Papers once more and ask questions concerning the "clarification of concepts" and the "removal of ambiguities." This program again covered several years. During this period very little new information was imparted. Only minor changes were made in any of the Papers. Some matter was added - some removed -- but there was little revision or amplification of the text.

"What has just been recorded refers more particularly to Parts I, II, and III of The Urantia Book. Part IV - The Jesus Papers - had a little different origin. They were produced by a midwayer commission and were completed one year later than the other Papers. The first three parts were completed and certified to us in A.D. 1934. The Jesus Papers were not so delivered to us until 1935.

". . . During these early years the Contact Commissioners received many communications and directives in writing. Almost all of these messages had a notation at the bottom of the last page which read: "To be destroyed by fire not later than the appearance of the Urantia Papers in print." It was the design of our unseen friends to prevent the appearance of "Urantia Apocrypha" subsequent to the publication of the Urantia Book.

" . . . In 1939, some of us thought the time had come when we should form a class to engage in the more serious and systematic study of the Urantia Papers. This project was presented to the Forum and when those who wished to join such a group were counted, it was found that just 70 persons desired to enter upon this study. So for several years this class was referred to as "The Seventy."

". . . The Seventy carried on systematic study of the Urantia Papers from April 5, 1939 to the summer of 1956 . . . During this period eight written communications were given to the Seventy by the Seraphim of Progress attached to the Superhuman Planetary Government on Urantia.

" . . . The Papers were published just as we received them. The Contact Commissioners had no editorial authority. Our job was limited to spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Before the demise of [the doctor's wife] in August, 1939, she had collected about twenty thousand dollars for the publication fund, and this was used to set type and prepare plates for the printing of the Book . . . It was those plates of The Urantia Book which constituted the basis for the formation of the Urantia Foundation . . . The Book was published under international copyright October, 12, 1955."

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The name of the patient who was the Contact Personality was never documented, and will probably never be known. The doctor involved in the case died in 1969, at 93 years of age. Urantia Foundation gave the order to destroy the original printing plates on May 6, 1971. The 1955 edition of The Urantia Book was the only edition printed from the original, unadulterated plates. A copy of a first edition has been exactly replicated for this Pathways publication.]

ADDITIONAL RELATED REFERENCES:

Handicap of our language and the Revelation: PAGE 1, par. 2
Supplementation of planetary knowledge: PAGE 17, par.1
Priority given existing human concepts: PAGE 16, last par. and PAGE 1343, par.1
Restrictions that were placed on the revelation of truth: PAGE 1109, par. 2-3
On spiritual wisdom vs. genetic knowledge: PAGE 215, par. 2-9
Concerning the fallibility of revelations: PAGE 1008, par. 2
Human comprehension must depend upon the indwelling divine presence and the Spirit of Truth: PAGE 17, par. 2
On revelatory religion keeping contact with evolutionary religion: PAGE 1007, par.1

REFERENCES TO ORIGIN AND TECHNIQUE:

Authority to materialize Papers: 354, bottom par.
Example of Paper presented in person [Solonia, Voice of the Garden]: 846, bottom par.
Example of personally dictated Paper: [Brilliant Evening Star]: 417, par. 1.
Necessity for translation: 503, par 3-4.
Midwayers as translators: 627, par 3.
Actual session of translation & recording: 498, par. 4
Reference to "city of this visitation:" 1243, par. 4
Midwayers" activities: Page 865, par. 5, 6
The human subject: 865, par. 1; 1208, last par. 7 continuing through top of 1209
References to technique used to materialize Papers: Page 1258, par. 1

NOTES:

[Note #1]
For a full copy of this court order, please contact Pathways.

[Note #2]
It is generally agreed that these initial five or six followers may be referred to as the "Contact Commission."

[Note #3]
The parties refer to this larger group of individuals as the "Forum." The Forum, however, never worked directly with or knew the identity of the "Contact Personality."

[Note #4]
THE ADDED INFORMATION is easily discernible because the 1960 history was written objectively, in the third person, while "History Two" includes extensive passages written in the first person, obviously from an original Contact Commissioner's point of view. See Appendix J-3 for specific excerpts from this second history.

[Note #5]
Two factors compel the editors of these Appendixes to the conclusion that the handwritten text of the Urantia Papers was not in the handwriting of the Contact Personality. [1] Although a tape recording by a member of the Contact Commission states that the Papers were in the handwriting of the subject, it agrees that the subject did not actually write the Papers, and that the mind of the subject was not used. These two points, plus a study of all other seminal materials, support the conclusion that the material was not in the subject's handwriting. [2] The doctor involved, a noted expert on psychic phenomena, remained baffled as to how the Papers were materialized. Had the Papers been in the Contact Personality's handwriting, this would have been compelling factual evidence that the material was simply automatic writing. If the text had been spoken, it would be self-evidently automatic talking. The doctor categorically declared that no form of automatic writing, speaking, channeling or any known psychic methods were ever employed to produce any part of the text of the Urantia Papers.

[Note #6]
The process described in this paragraph was postulated by the doctor involved to a reliable witness, independently by another member of the Contact Commission on an audio tape, and by two Forum members in a separate document. The speculated process is offered to the readers for their consideration. It is again emphasized that, according to the doctor, no human being ever knew the precise process of materialization, and the Urantia Papers are to be judged only by their content, and not by the method by which they may - or may not - have been materialized.

[Note #7]
In the first history, a handwritten comment, written by the doctor, adds: "Throughout the entire operation, only one subject, or contact personality (see p. 865.2) was involved."

[Note #8]
The membership of the Forum had waxed and waned : "The last meeting of the Forum as a genetic assembly was held on May 31st, 1942. During the 17 years of official existence the Forum attained a total membership of 486. During the period of the reception of the Urantia Papers upward of 300 different persons participated in asking these genetic questions."