Doc's Urantia History

The following is the History the Foundation included in its Exhibits with its Appeal Brief. The Urantia Foundation attributes this History to Doc Sadler, one of the contact commissioners. (See the Fifth Epochal Fellowship's Home Page on the Internet to read another version of this History.)

History of the Urantia Movement

Several members of the pioneer group who participated in the preliminary contacts which led up to the appearance of the Urantia Papers had had considerable experience in the investigation of psychic phenomena. This group early arrived at the conclusion that the phenomena connected with the "subject" who was later associated with the Urantia Papers, was in no way similar to any other well-known type of psychic performance - such as hypnotism, automatic writing, clairvoyance, trances, spirit mediumship, telepathy, or double personality.

It should be made clear that the antecedents of the Urantia Papers were in no way associated with so-called spiritualism - with its seances and supposed communication with the spirits of departed human beings.

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Contact Activities Preceding the Urantia Papers

It would seem that, during these early years, our unseen friends were engaged in a thoroughgoing testing of the contact personality, rehearsing the technique of communication, selecting the Contact Commissioners - in fact, in a general way - setting the stage for the subsequent initiation of the presentation of the "Urantia Papers."

During these early years we were introduced to many new and, to us, somewhat strange concepts of the universe of universes and as concerned man and his life on earth.

Among these numerous new ideas of cosmology and philosophy, the following may be mentioned:

1. New concept of a far-flung cosmos.

2. Millions of other inhabited worlds.

3. Introduction of scores of different and varied echelons of celestial personalities.

4. Confirmation of evolutionary origin of humankind - even of an evolutionary cosmos.

5. Intimation of multiple Creator Deities.

6. Tentative testing of our theologic concepts. Patient determination of how far we might possibly go in the direction of modifying our theologic beliefs and philosophical opinions.

7. Without realizing it, over a period of twenty years, our fundamental religious views and attitudes had been considerably changed.

8. We had been familiarized with such terms as The First Source and Center, Havona, superuniverses, and the Supreme Being - but we had but meager ideas as to the real meaning of these names.

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9. We also heard such words as Master Spirits, outer space, and Power Directors. But, again, we understood little as to their meaning. We also learned about numerous orders of angels.

10. We heard about Thought Adjusters, but our concept of the meaning of the term was vague and indefinite.

11. We had acquired a fuzzy concept of the morontia level of existence - but we never heard the word morontia used until the Papers started.

12. The midwayers were very real to us - we frequently talked with them during or varied "contacts." We quite fully understood that the secondary midwayers supervised the contacts.

13. We heard some things about the Lucifer rebellion, but got little information about Adam and Eve.

14. We gained the impression that there were special reasons for Jesus' bestowal on Urantia, but we had little or no idea as to the nature of these unrevealed reasons.

15. We listened to occasional references to Jesus' life and teachings - but they were very cautious about the introduction of any new concepts regarding Michael's Urantia bestowal. Of all the Urantia Revelation the Jesus Papers were the biggest surprise.

16. While we did not hear the term "Corps of the Finality," we did pick up a hazy idea that Paradise might be the destination of surviving mortals.

Our superhuman friends thus spent upward of two decades in extending our cosmic horizons, enlarging our theologic concepts, and expanding our over-all philosophy.

We never realized how much our religious thinking had been expanded until the Papers began to arrive. As the Revelation progressed we came more fully to appreciate how we had been prepared for the vast alteration of our religious beliefs by these preliminary contacts extending over a period of twenty years of pre-education.

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Our apprenticeship training for subsequent service in association with the presentation of the Urantia Papers was facilitated by the fact that, except for contacts with the midwayers, no two contacts were alike. Seldom did we meet the visiting personalities more than once. Every contact was entirely different from any and all that had gone before. And all of this experience was an extensive and liberal preparatory educational training in the expansion of our cosmology, theology, and philosophy - not to mention our introduction to new ideas and concepts concerning a vast array of more mundane subjects.

The limited discussion of Jesus' life and teachings during these pre-revelatory contacts might be explained by the fact that the midwayers were a bit dubious as to how much authority they had in such matters - as shown later on when a whole year was consumed in the clarification of their right to retell the story of the Michael bestowal.

Those of us who early attended upon these nocturnal vigils never suspected that we were in contact with anything supernatural.

During these early years, all of our observations and investigations utterly failed to reveal the ("psychic origins of the" is crossed out) technique of reducing messages to writing.

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How the Urantia Papers Started

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 milk 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."

Now it is best to let matters rest here while we shift this narrative to a new and different setting.

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How the Forum Started

Dr. William S. Sadler, a member of this early group of observers and investigators, tells the following story regarding the origin of that group of interested individuals which later on become known as the "Forum." He says: "On my way to the University of Kansas to deliver some lectures on Gestalt psychology, I wrote a letter to my son saying that I thought doctors should try to maintain some contact with their patients. I suggested that he talk with his mother about the possibility of inviting some of our old friends to meet with us on Sunday afternoons for an hour or two of informal discussion and social exchange.

When I returned to Chicago one Sunday morning I found that my wife had invited a group of our old patients to meet at our house that afternoon at three o'clock. It was the plan to conduct these Sunday afternoon gatherings somewhat as follows: First have a talk on some health topic - such as the treatment of common colds, the cause and cure of worry, and then, after a cup of tea, engage in informal discussions - asking the answering questions.

As time passed, this group became a cosmopolitan gathering consisting of professional men and women - doctors, lawyers, dentists, ministers, teachers - together with individuals from all walks of life. Farmers, housewives, secretaries, office workers, and common laborers.

(No Page 7).

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The Forum Begins to Ask Questions

We told the Forum all about this and invited them to join us in the preparation of questions. We decided to start out with questions pertaining the origin of the cosmos, deity, creation, and such other subjects as were far beyond the present-day knowledge of all humankind.

The following Sunday several hundred questions were brought in. We sorted out these questions, discarding duplicates, and in a general way, classifying them. Shortly thereafter, the first Urantia Paper appeared in answer to these questions. From first to last, when the Papers appeared, the questions disappeared.

This was the procedure followed throughout the many years of the reception of the Urantia Papers. No questions -- no Papers.

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The Forum Becomes a Closed Group

About this time, the Forum, as it were, was taken away from us. We were instructed to form a "closed group" - requiring each member to sign a pledge of secrecy and to discuss the Papers and all matters pertaining thereto with only these persons who were members of the Forum.

Membership tickets were issued and the Charter membership numbered Thirty. The date of this organization was September, 1925. Seventeen of these Charter Members are still living.

The individuals charged with the responsibility of gathering up the questions and comparing the typewritten text with the original handwritten manuscript came to be known as the "Contact

Commissioners." From that date forward only these Contact Commissioners attended "contacts" and received written communications through the contact personality.

From time to time new members were received into the Forum, after being interviewed by the officers and after signing the same pledge that was signed by the original Charter Members. This pledge read: "We acknowledge our pledge of secrecy, renewing our promise not to discuss the Urantia Revelations on their subject matter with any one save active Forum members, and to take no notes of such matter as is read or discussed at the public sessions, or make copies or notes of what we personally read."

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The last meeting of the Forum as a genetic assembly was held on May 31, 1942. During the 17 years of official existence the Forum attained a total membership of 486. (In handwriting: From this date in 1942 the Forum continued as a study group to the time of the organization of the First Urantia Society.)

During the period of the reception of the Urantia Papers upward of 300 different persons participated in asking these genetic (sic) questions. With but few exceptions, all of the Urantia Papers were given in response to such questions.

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How We Got the Urantia Papers

Just about all that is known or can be told about the origin of the Urantia Papers is to be found, here and there, in the Urantia Book. A list of such references will be found on the back of the dust jacket of the book.

Let us take a brief look at these citations.

1. Page 1, par. 2. This passage refers to the difficulty of presenting expanded spiritual concepts when restricted to circumscribed human language, such as English.

2. Page 1, par. 4. An Orvonton Commission participated in the revelation and prepared this Foreword.

3. Page 16, par. 1. In presenting this revelation of segmented spiritual values and universe meanings, more than one thousand human concepts were drawn from the minds of human beings of the present and the past.

4. Page 16, par. 6. P. 1343, par. 1. In all revelation of truth, preference is given to the highest existing human concepts of ideality and reality. Only in the absence of the human concept is superhuman knowledge revealed.

5. Page 1109, par. 4. Revelators are seldom at liberty to anticipate scientific discoveries. Truth is timeless, but the teachings respecting the physical science and certain phases of cosmology will become partially obsolescent

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as the result of the new discoveries of advancing scientific investigations. The cosmology of the Urantia Revelation is not inspired. Human wisdom must evolve.

6. Page 215, par. 2-9. Human pedagogy proceeds from the simple to the complex. The Urantia Revelation begins with the more complex and goes on to the consideration of the more simple. Instead of beginning with men reaching up for God, the Urantia Papers begin with God reaching down and finding man.

7. Page 865, par. 6, 7. The narrative of the midwayers function in initiating and carrying forward to completion the Urantia Revelation.

8. Page 365, par. 2, P. 1203, par. 7. Midway creatures are always employed in the phenomena of communication with material beings through the technique of "Contact Personalities." The "subject" through whom the Urantia Papers were bestowed had a highly experienced Thought Adjuster. The "subject's" relative indifference and unconcern regarding the work of his indwelling Adjuster was in every way favorable to the execution and completion of this revelatory project.

9. Page 1255, par. 1. The contact personality was a member of the Urantia Reserve Corps of Destiny. This was just one of several conditions favoring the impartation of the Urantia Revelation.

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10. Page 1008, par. 3. The Urantia Revelation is unique in that it is presented by multiple authors. The Urantia Revelation, like its predecessors, is not inspired.

11. Page 32, par. 2. A Divine Counselor "portrays the reality and nature of the Father with unchallengeable authority."

12. Page 17, par. 2. The Revelators depend upon the indwelling Adjusters and the Spirit of Truth to help us in the appropriation of the truth in the Urantia Revelation.

13. Page 1007, par. 1. Revelation keeps in touch with evolution. Revelation is adapted to the age of its bestowal. New revelation maintains contact with the preceding revelations.

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How We Did Not Get the Urantia Book

Recently, a group of ministers from northern Indiana, who were engaged in studying the Urantia Book, spend the day with us and, during the evening, Dr. Sadler led a discussion on "How We Did Not Get the Urantia Book."

The following is a gist of that presentation:

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Psychic Phenomena

Unusual Activities of the Marginal Consciousness (The Subconscious Mind)

1. Automatic Writing.

2. Automatic Talking.

3. Automatic Hearing - Clairaudience. Hearing "Voices."

4. Automatic Seeing.

5. Automatic Thinking.

6. Automatic Remembering.

7. Automatic Acting.

8. Automatic Personality.

9. Combined and Associated Psychic States.

Note: The technique of the reception of the Urantia Book in English in no way parallels or impinges upon any of the above phenomena of the marginal consciousness.

**** (The rest of the page is crossed out:)****

Activities of the Superconscious Mind.

**********************(End of crossed out part)*****************

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Reason for Silence Respecting Details of the Origin of the Urantia Book

Among the several reasons given us at the time we were requested not to discuss details of our personal experiences associated with the origin of the Urantia Book, the two major reasons were the following:

1. Unknown Features. There is much connected with the appearance of the Urantia papers which no human being fully understands. No one really knows just how this phenomenon was executed. There are numerous missing links in the story of how this revelation came to appear in written English.

If anyone should tell all he really knows about the technique and methods employed throughout the years of getting this revelation, such a narration would satisfy no one - there are too many missing links.

2. The main reason for not revealing the identity of the contact personality is that the revelators do not want any human being - any human name - ever to be associated with the Urantia Book. They want this revelation to stand on its own declarations and teachings.

They are determined that future generations shall have the book wholly free from all mortal connections - they

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do not want a St. Peter, St. Paul, Luther, Calvin, or Wesley. The book does not even bear the imprint of the printer who brought the book into being.

Remember: You can appreciate a good poem even if you do not know the author. Likewise, you can enjoy a symphony even if you are ignorant of the name of the composer.

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The First Urantia Papers

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 would undertake 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.

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Receiving the Completed Papers

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 - none 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.

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The Delay in Receiving the Jesus Papers

The delay of one year in the reception of the Jesus Papers - Part IV of the Urantia Book - may be explained as follows: The midwayers were a bit apprehensive about becoming involved in the suit pending in the universe courts - Gabriel vs. Lucifer - and they hesitated to complete their project until they were assured that they had full authority to retell the story of Jesus' life on earth.

After some months' waiting there came the mandate from Uversa directing the United Midwayers of Urantia to proceed with their project of revealing the story of the life and teachings of Michael when incarnated on Urantia, and not only assuring them that they were not in "contempt" of the Uversa courts, but instead granting them a mandate to do this service and admonishing any and all persons connected therewith to refrain from interfering with, or in any way hindering, the execution of such an undertaking.

And this is the explanation of why the Jesus Papers appear one year after the other Papers had been completed.

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Functioning of the Contact Commissioners

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 an "Urantia Apocrypha" subsequent to the publication of the Urantia Book.

All of this was encouraging to us in that it assured us that the Urantia Papers would some time be published. It sustained our hopes throughout the long waiting years of delay.

The fact that no provision was ever made for replacing members of the Contact Commission who might be lost through disability or death, also led us to entertain the belief that the Book would be published during the lifetime of some of us.

The commissioners were the custodians of the Urantia manuscript and they were also charged with full responsibility for supervising all the details connected with the publication of the book, securing the international copyrights etc.

We were enjoined to refrain from discussing the identity of the contact personality and, after the publication of the book, to make no statements at any time as to whether the "subject" was still living or was deceased.

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The Seventy

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." For several years preceding the formation of the Seventy and informal study group had been meeting on Wednesday evenings.

The Seventy carried on systematic study of the Urantia Papers from April 5, 1939 to the summer of 1956, and was the forerunner of the later "School of the Urantia Brotherhood."

During these years the Seventy enrolled 107 students.

The Seventy carried on its work of study, thesis writing, and practice of teaching for 17 years. During this period eight written communications were given to the Seventy by the Seraphim of Progress attached to the Superhuman Planetary Government of Urantia.

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The Publication Mandate

At long last, permission to publish the Urantia Papers was granted. The Introduction to this mandate reads:

"We regard the Urantia Book as a feature of the progressive evolution of human society. It is not germane to the spectacular episode of epochal revolution, even though it may apparently be timed to appear in the wake of one such revolution in human society. The book belongs to the era immediately to follow the conclusion of the present ideological struggle. That will be the day when men will be willing to seek truth and righteousness. When the chaos of the present confusion has passed, it will be more readily possible to formulate the cosmos of a new and improved era of human relationships. And it is for this better order of affairs on earth that the book has being made ready.

"But the publication of the book has not being postponed to that (possibly) somewhat remote date. An early publication of the book has being provided so that it may be in hand for the training of leaders and teachers. Its presence is also required to engage the attention of persons of means who may be thus led to provide funds for translation into other languages."

Upon the receipt of these instructions, the Contact Commissioners entered upon the task of publishing the Urantia Book and preparation of plans for its distribution.

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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 Dr. Lena K. Sadler 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.

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The Urantia Foundation

It was those plates of the Urantia Book which contributed the basis for the formation of the Urantia Foundation. This Foundation, set up under the laws of Illinois, was completed on January 11, 1950. The first Board f Trustees were: William H. Hales, President; William S. Sadler, Jr., Vice President; Emma L. Christensen, Secretary; Wilfred C. Kellogg, Treasurer; and Edith Cook, Assistant Secretary.

It was learned that one of the wealthy members of the Forum desired to contribute fifty thousand dollars for the publication of the Book. By instruction, this was circumvented, because, they told us, it was best to give all parties concerned an opportunity to contribute to the publication fund.

Accordingly, an appeal was made for $50,000.00 to defray the expense of printing ten thousand copies. The response was immediate. The sum contributed was in excess of forty-nine thousand dollars. The first money to reach the Foundation office was one thousand dollars from the late Sir Hubert Wilkins, the arctic explorer.

The Book was published under international copyright October 12, 1955.

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The Urantia Brotherhood

It was inevitable that some sort of fraternal organization would grow out of the teachings of the Urantia Book. All interested persons could see that the Urantia teachings were opposed to the sectarianism of Christian believers. It was clear that it was not the purpose of the Urantia revelation to start a new church.

Accordingly, on January 2, 1955, a group of persons who believed the teachings of the book and who were interested in their proclamation, assembled in Chicago and completed the organization of the Urantia Brotherhood, a voluntary and fraternal organization of Urantia believers. This group composed the charter membership of the Urantia Brotherhood, and were 36 in number.

A Constitution and By-laws were adopted, and since that date numerous Societies have been formed throughout the United States.

When ten or more persons who are familiar with, and believe in, the teachings of the Urantia Book so desire they may be chartered as a Urantia Society. Membership in any church or fraternal organization does not interfere with becoming a member of a Urantia Society.

The original organizers of the Brotherhood and their successors were to direct the organization for the first nine years. Thereafter, the Brotherhood would be ordered by the action of a Triennial Delegate Assembly composed of delegates from the various Urantia Societies.

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The Departmental Committees of the Brotherhood are:

The Chairmen of the Committees, together with the Brotherhood officers, constitute the Executive Committee of the Brotherhood.

The all-over purpose of the Brotherhood is well expressed in the preamble to the Constitution.

Preamble

"Inasmuch as it is our most solemn conviction that the comfort, happiness, and well-being of man will be enhanced by the creation of an organization devoted to the purposes hereinafter expressed, and inasmuch as it is our considered judgment that the purposes hereinafter expressed may best be accomplished through the mutual assistance and association of a body of people working together for a common cause, we do hereby unite together as a voluntary association and fellowship under the name of Urantia Brotherhood, and we do hereby adopt and establish this constitution of Urantia Brotherhood."

The original 36 Founders became the General Council which was designed to govern the Brotherhood for its first nine years.

The First Urantia Society of Chicago was organized and granted Charter No. 1 on June 17, 1956. The Society had 34 Charter Members. The present membership of the First Society is 142.

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Activities of Urantia Brotherhood

In co-operation with the Urantia Foundation, the Brotherhood is just now interested in the completion of the Index to the Urantia Book - in reality, a concordance. Its publication is hoped for in 1961.

We are all interested in the progress of a French translation which is in final review and may be published late in 1961 or early in 1962.

The Brotherhood recently completed the formulation of a "Funeral Service" consisting of Scriptural passages and appropriate selections from the Urantia Book.

The Brotherhood sponsors a Quarterly News Letter which the Executive Committee sends to all Urantia Societies and other interested persons.

The Brother fosters many study groups scattered throughout the United States and in foreign countries. Eventually, most of these study groups will develop into Urantia Societies.

During the last year two Field Representatives have been appointed to foster the individual Urantia Societies and pay them visits periodically.

In December, 1959, the Internal Revenue Bureau of the United States government ruled that the Urantia Foundation, the Urantia Brotherhood, and the Urantia Brotherhood Corporation were exempt from paying income taxes, and that any and all contributions made to these organizations are deductible from the income taxes of such donors.

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The Van Award, Section Three of Article Thirteen of the Constitution of the Urantia Brotherhood reads: "If, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, any member of Urantia Brotherhood shall perform or render some unusual, extraordinary, or distinguished service, the Executive Committee shall present to the General Council the name of such member with the recommendation that a suitable award or citation in recognition thereof be given. Upon the presentation of such recommendation, the General Council, by unanimous vote of all Councilors present at any duly constituted meeting, may give or confer on such member such award or citation in recognition of the unusual, extraordinary, or distinguished service of such member as the General Council may deem fitting and appropriate."

On January 25, 1959, the first award under this Constitutional provision was made to the President of the Urantia Brotherhood School.

The reason for denominating this "The Van Award" is recited in the declaration of the award, and reads as follows:

"The spiritual insight and moral steadfastness which enabled Van to maintain such an unshakable attitude of loyalty to the universe government was the product of clear thinking, wise reasoning, logical judgment, sincere motivation, unselfish purpose, intelligent loyalty, experiential memory, disciplined character, and the unquestioning dedication of his personality to the doing of the will of the Father in Paradise."

The conclusion of the award says: "In honor of his many years of devoted and distinguished service in behalf of the Urantia movement."

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Distribution of the Urantia Book

At the time of the publication of the Urantia Book we were given many suggestions respecting the methods we should employ in the work of its distribution. These instructions may be summarized as follows:

1. Study the methods employed by Jesus in introducing his work on earth. Note how quietly he worked at first - very often after a miracle, he would admonish the recipient of his ministry, saying: "Tell no man what has happened to you."

2. We were advised to avoid all efforts to achieve early and spectacular recognition.

3. During the first five years these suggestions have been adhered to. The distribution increases yearly. At present, more than fifty book stores, from coast to coast, carry the Book. The vast majority of the Brotherhood have concurred in this sort of quiet and gradual presentation of the Book. Only a few individuals have exhibited some restlessness and craving for aggressive plans for increased distribution.

One thing should be made clear: Nothing is done to interfere with the energetic and enthusiastic efforts of any individual to introduce the Urantia Book to his friends and associates.

***************(The Foundation included the above History in the Exhibits with their Appeal Motion. Here are two other versions of this History: )**************************

Cover Page:

History of the Urantia Movement

This historical narrative was prepared by a group of Urantia pioneers, assisted by members of the contact commission.

1960

(Page) 2.

History of the Urantia Movement

Several members of the pioneer group who participated in the preliminary contacts which led up to the appearance of the Urantia Papers had had considerable experience in the investigation of psychic phenomena. This group early arrived at the conclusion that the phenomena connected with the "subject" who was later associated with the Urantia Papers, was in no way similar to any other well- known type of psychic performance - such as hypnotism, automatic writing, clairvoyance, trances, spirit mediumship, telepathy, or double personality.

It should be made clear that the antecedents of the Urantia Papers were in no way associated with so-called spiritualism - with its seances and supposed communication with the spirits of departed human beings.

(Page) 3.

I. Contact Activities Preceding the Urantia Papers

As the Urantia Book indicates, the papers were received as follows: Superhuman personalities, the authors of the papers, sometimes called "the revelators," worked through the mind of a human subject, sometimes called "the contact personality." Also involved was a small group of human associates, called the "contact commission," who were charged with the responsibility of safeguarding the papers, putting them in typewritten form, etc.

For a number of years before the presentation of the papers, the contact personality and the contact commissioners went through what seemed to be a period of testing and training concerning the technique of communication, etc., thus in a general way setting the stage for the subsequent presentation of the Urantia papers.

After some years of these preliminary contacts, during which many questions were asked and new concepts were imparted, the Urantia papers began to appear.

The commissioners were the custodians of the Urantia manuscript and they were also charged with full responsibility for supervising all the details connected with the publication of the book, securing the international copyrights etc.

They were enjoined to refrain from discussing the identity of the contact personality and, after the publication of the book, to make no statements at any time as to whether the subject was still living or was deceased.

(Page) 4.

II. Reason for Silence Respecting Details of the Origin of the Urantia Book

Just about all that is known or can be told about the origin of the Urantia papers is to be found in various places in the Urantia Book. A list of such references will be found on the back of the dust jacket of the book.

Among the several reasons given for not discussing details of personal experiences associated with the origin of the Urantia Book, the two major reasons were the following:

1. There is much connected with the appearance of the Urantia papers which no human being fully understands. No one really knows just how this phenomenon was executed. There are numerous missing links in the story of how this revelation came to appear in written English. If anyone should tell all he really knows about the technique and methods employed throughout the years of getting this revelation, such a narration would satisfy no one there are too many missing links.

2. The main reason for not revealing the identity of the contact personality is that the revelators do not want any human being any human name ever to be associated with the Urantia Book. They want this revelation to stand on its own declarations and teachings. They are determined that future generations shall have the book wholly free from all mortal connections they do not want a St. Peter, St. Paul, Luther, Calvin, or Wesley. The book does not even bear the imprint of the printer who brought the book into being.

Remember: You can appreciate a good poem even if you do not know the author. Likewise, you can enjoy a symphony even if you are ignorant of the name of the composer.

(Page) 6.

The first group of papers numbered 57. The revelators then suggested that since the Forum could now ask more intelligent questions, they would undertake to enlarge the revelation and to expand the papers in accordance with new questions.

The procedure was to read a paper on Sunday afternoon and the following Sunday the new questions would be presented. (Note in margin in Doc's handwriting: The Forum members would bring to the meeting their questions on the paper read the previous Sunday.) These would be sorted, classified, and duplicates eliminated. This program covered several years and ultimately resulted in the presentation of the 196 papers as now found in the Urantia Book. (Note in Doc's handwriting: Throughout the entire operation, only one subject, or contact personality (see p. 865.2) was involved.)

The last meeting of the Forum as a genetic assembly was held on May 31, 1942. During its existence the membership figure mounted to a total of 486. From this date in 1942 the Forum continued as a study group to the time of the organization of the First Urantia Society in 1956.

(From "The last meeting" through "From this date in 1942" is circled with "out" written in the margin.)

(Page) 7.

IV. The Seventy

In 1939, it appeared that the time had come to 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." For several years preceding the formation of the Seventy and informal study group had been meeting on Wednesday evenings.

(Note in margin: "Most of these chose to be members of the 70." "Several" is circled the two times it appears in the above paragraph).

The Seventy started a systematic study of the Urantia papers on April 5, 1939. The group was reorganized in a more formal way in September, 1943, but it continued to be known as the Seventy and the study of the papers continued to the summer of 1956. This was the forerunner of the later Urantia Brotherhood School.

During these years the Seventy enrolled 107 students.

(Page) 8.

V. The Publication Mandate

When permission to publish the Urantia papers was granted, the revelator commission stated that they regarded the Urantia Book as a feature of the progressive evolution of human society; that it was not germane to the spectacular episode of epochal revolution, even though it may apparently be timed to appear in the wake of one such revolution in human society. (Note in Doc's handwriting: "A revolution does not necessarily mean violence or catastrophe. Remember the industrial revolution.") The book belongs to the era immediately to follow the conclusion of the present ideological struggle. That will be the day when men will be willing to seek truth and righteousness. When the chaos of the present confusion has passed, it will be more readily possible to formulate the cosmos (word circled; "cosmology" written above it) of a new and improved era of human relationships. And it was for this better order of affairs on earth that the book was being made ready.

They further stated that the publication of the book was not being postponed to that (possibly) somewhat remote date. An early publication of the book was being provided so that it might be in hand for the training of leaders and teachers. Its presence is also required to engage the attention of persons of means who may be thus led to provide funds for translation into other languages.

Upon the receipt of the publication mandate, the contact commissioners entered upon the task of publishing the Urantia Book and of planning for its distribution.

("Upon the receipt of the publication mandate" is crossed out, and "In accordance with the instructions" is inserted in handwriting. Paragraph changed to read: "In accordance with the instructions, the contact commissioners brought into existence the Urantia Foundation, which entered upon the task of publishing the Urantia Book and of planning for its distribution.")

(Page) 9.

VI. The Urantia Foundation

The plates of the Urantia Book which had been previously made constituted the basis for the creation of the Urantia Foundation by a Declaration of Trust under the laws of the State of Illinois, dated January 11, 1950. This is a non-profit organization.

One of the objects for which the Foundation was created was to perpetually preserve (reversed to read "preserve perpetually") inviolate the text of the Urantia Book and to disseminate the principles, teachings, and doctrines (word circled with a question mark and handwritten note: "connotes theological tradition. The U.B. seems to me to avoid using the word") of the Urantia Book.

When an appeal was made to the Forum for funds to cover the expense of printing the first 10,000 copies, the response was immediate. The sum contributed was in excess of $49,000.

With the Urantia Foundation acting as publisher, the Urantia Book was published under international copyright October 12, 1955.

(Handwritten note: "R.R. Donnelley and Sons Co. Crawfordsville, IN plant")

(Page) 10.

The Urantia Brotherhood

It was inevitable that some sort of fraternal organization would (can't read word) the teachings of the Urantia Book. However, it was clear that it was not the purpose of the Urantia revelation to start a new church.

Accordingly, on January 2, 1955, a group of persons who believed the teachings of the book and who were interested in their proclamation, assembled in Chicago and completed the organization of the Urantia Brotherhood, a voluntary and fraternal organization of Urantia believers. This group of 36 composed the charter membership of the Urantia Brotherhood.

The purpose of the Brotherhood is well expressed in the preamble to the constitution, as follows:

"Inasmuch as it is our most solemn conviction that the comfort, happiness, and well-being of man will be enhanced by the creation of an organization devoted to the purposes hereinafter expressed, and inasmuch as it is our considered judgment that the purposes hereinafter expressed may best be accomplished through the mutual assistance and association of a body of people working together for a common cause, we do hereby unite together as a voluntary association and fellowship under the name of Urantia Brotherhood, and we do hereby adopt and establish this constitution of Urantia Brotherhood."

The General Council, the original 36 organizers of the Brotherhood and their successors, was to direct the organization for the first nine years. Thereafter, the Brotherhood will be governed by the action of a Triennial Delegate Assembly composed of delegates from the various Urantia Societies.

(Page) 11.

The Departmental Committees of the Brotherhood are:

Judicial Committee

Charter Committee

Fraternal Relations Committee

Domestic Extension Committee

Foreign Extension Committee

Committee on Education

Publications Committee

Finance Committee

Committee on Miscellaneous Activities

The chairmen of the committees, together with the Brotherhood officers, constitute the Executive Committee of the Brotherhood.

When ten or more persons who are familiar with, and believe in, the teachings of the Urantia Book so desire, they may be chartered as a Urantia Society. Membership in any church or fraternal organization does not interfere with becoming a member of a Urantia Society. Several local societies have been formed throughout the United States and the Brotherhood is fostering many study groups which will eventually develop into local societies.

Two Field Representatives have been appointed to act as liaisons between the Executive Committee and the local societies and study groups.

In accordance with Section 3 of Article 13 of the constitution, the Van Award has been established. This provision of the constitution reads: "If, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, any member of Urantia Brotherhood shall perform or render some unusual, extraordinary, or distinguished service, the Executive Committee shall present to the General Council the name of such member with the recommendation that a suitable award or citation in recognition thereof be given. Upon the presentation

(Page) 12.

of such recommendation, the General Council, by unanimous vote of all Councilors present at any duly constituted meeting, may give or confer on such member such award or citation in recognition of the unusual, extraordinary, or distinguished service of such member as the General Council may deem fitting and appropriate."

On January 25, 1959, the first Van Award was made.

VIII. Urantia Brotherhood Corporation

Since the Urantia Brotherhood is not a corporation - a legal entity - the Urantia Brotherhood Corporation was formed on October 21, 1955, under the laws of the State of Illinois, designed to provide for corporations not for profit, to serve as the legal arm of the fraternal and voluntary association of the Urantia Brotherhood.

This corporation is the fiscal agent of the Brotherhood and in a general way takes care of the varied financial and legal interests of the Brotherhood.

In December 1959, the Internal Revenue Bureau of the United States government ruled that the Urantia Foundation, the Urantia Brotherhood, and the Urantia Brotherhood Corporation were exempt from paying income taxes, and that any and all contributions made to these organizations are deductible from the income taxes of such donors.

(Page) 13.

IX. Urantia Brotherhood School

Among the early activities of the Brotherhood was the organization of the School of the Brotherhood, which began its first session in September 1956. The highest degree granted is that of "Ordained Teacher." A shorter course of study leads to the degree of "Certified Leader."

The school is conducted by the Committee on Education. Many textbooks have been prepared for use in the school and for use by a future correspondence school which will no doubt materialize as the Urantia Book continues to be distributed throughout the world. These textbooks cover, among other subjects, theology of the Urantia Book, the teachings of Jesus, worship and wisdom, science in the Urantia Book, and topical studies. Other texts are in preparation.

At this writing, only part-time evening classes are being provided.

The curriculum embraces courses in the following subjects:

Technique of Public Speaking

Leadership and Teaching

Comparative Religion

Educational Psychology

Christian Sects and Denominations

Old and New Testament History

Organization of the Urantia Book

Studies in the Urantia Book:

Urantia Doctrine

Synthetic Studies

Topical Studies

Life of Jesus

Worship and Wisdom

Short Course in Doctrine

Comparison with the Four Gospels

Science in the Urantia Book

Critical Analyses

Up to this time no degrees of "Ordained Teacher" have been granted, but diplomas as "Certified Leader" have been given to 14 individuals.

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X. Distribution of the Urantia Book

At the time of the publication of the Urantia Book suggestions were given by the revelators respecting the methods to be employed in the work of its distribution. These instructions may be summarized as follows:

1. Study the methods employed by Jesus in introducing his work on earth. Note how quietly he worked at first - very often after a miracle, he would admonish the recipient of his ministry, saying: "Tell no man what has happened to you."

2. It was suggested that we avoid all efforts to achieve early and spectacular recognition.

During the first five years these suggestions have been followed and the distribution increases yearly. The vast majority of the Brotherhood have concurred in this sort of quiet and gradual presentation of the book. However, one thing should be made clear: While it is the policy of the Brotherhood to work slowly in the distribution of the book, nothing is done to interfere with the energetic and enthusiastic efforts of any individual to introduce the Urantia Book to his friends and associates.

[Another version of the History starts on page 2:]

(Page) 2.

History of the Urantia Movement

Several members of this group who participated in the preliminary "contacts" which led up to the appearance of the Urantia Papers, had had considerable experience in the investigation of psychic phenomena. This group early arrived at the conclusion that the phenomena connected with the personality, who was later associated with the Urantia Papers, was in no way similar to any other well-known type of psychic performance - such as hypnotism, automatic writing, clairvoyance, trances, spirit mediumship, telepathy, or double personality.

It should be made clear that the antecedents of the Urantia Papers were in no way associated with so-called spiritualism - with its seances and supposed communication with the spirits of departed human beings.

(No page number).

Contact Activities Preceding the Urantia Papers

It would seem that, during these early years, our unseen friends were engaged in a thoroughgoing testing of the contact personality, rehearsing the technique of communication, selecting the Contact Commissioners - in fact, in a general way - setting the stage for the subsequent initiation of the presentation of the "Urantia Papers."

During these early years we were introduced to many new and, to us, somewhat strange concepts of the universe of universes and as concerned man and his life on earth.

Among these numerous new ideas of cosmology and philosophy, the following may be mentioned:

1. New concept of a far-flung cosmos.

2. Millions of other inhabited worlds.

3. Introduction of scores of different and varied echelons of celestial personalities.

4. Confirmation of evolutionary origin of humankind - even of an evolutionary cosmos.

5. Intimation of multiple Creator Deities.

6. Tentative testing of our theologic concepts. Patient determination of how far we might possibly go in the direction of modifying our theologic beliefs and philosophical opinions.

7. Without realizing it, over a period of twenty years, our fundamental religious views and attitudes had been considerably changed.

8. We had been familiarized with such terms as The First Source and Center, Havona, superuniverses, and the Supreme Being - but we had but meager ideas as to the real meaning of these names.

(Page) 4.

9. We also heard such words as Master Spirits, outer space, and Power Directors. But, again, we understood little as to their meaning. We also learned about numerous orders of angels.

10. We heard about Thought Adjusters, but our concept of the meaning of the term was vague and indefinite.

11. We had acquired a fuzzy concept of the morontia level of existence - but we never heard the word morontia used until the Papers started.

12. The midwayers were very real to us - we frequently talked with them during or varied "contacts." We quite fully understood that the secondary midwayers supervised the contacts.

13. We heard some things about the Lucifer rebellion, but got little information about Adam and Eve.

14. We gained the impression that there were special reasons for Jesus' bestowal on Urantia, but we had little or no idea as to the nature of these unrevealed reasons.

15. We listened to occasional references to Jesus' life and teachings - but they were very cautious about the introduction of any new concepts regarding Michael's Urantia bestowal. Of all the Urantia Revelation the Jesus Papers were the biggest surprise.

16. While we did not hear the term "Corps of the Finality," we did pick up a hazy idea that Paradise might be the destination of surviving mortals.

Our superhuman friends thus spent upward of two decades in extending our cosmic horizons, enlarging our theologic concepts, and expanding our over-all philosophy.

We never realized how much our religious thinking had been expanded until the Papers began to arrive. As the Revelation progressed we came more fully to appreciate how we had been prepared for the vast alteration of our religious beliefs by these preliminary contacts extending over a period of twenty years of pre-education.

(No page number).

Our apprenticeship training for subsequent service in association with the presentation of the Urantia Papers was facilitated by the fact that, except for contacts with the midwayers, no two contacts were alike. Seldom did we meet the visiting personalities more than once. Every contact was entirely different from any and all that had gone before. And all of this experience was an extensive and liberal preparatory educational training in the expansion of our cosmology, theology, and philosophy - not to mention our introduction to new ideas and concepts concerning a vast array of more mundane subjects.

The limited discussion of Jesus' life and teachings during these pre-revelatory contacts might be explained by the fact that the midwayers were a bit dubious as to how much authority they had in such matters - as shown later on when a whole year was consumed in the clarification of their right to retell the story of the Michael bestowal.

Those of us who early attended upon these nocturnal vigils never suspected that we were in contact with anything supernatural.

During these early years, all of our observations and investigations utterly failed to reveal the ("psychic origins of the" is crossed out) technique of reducing messages to writing.  

Last Updated April 13, 1997 by Kristen Maaherra