From: Subject: Notes for A History of The Urantia Movement Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 07:54:21 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_007D_01C7348C.89C0D3D0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_007D_01C7348C.89C0D3D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.ubfellowship.org/archive/history/histumov.htm Notes for A History of The Urantia Movement

Site=20 Index

A History of The Urantia Movement
Este documento en = Espa=F1ol=20

Editor's note: The following document was = submitted to=20 the court by Urantia Foundation in the Maaherra case and was = represented=20 as having been written by Dr. Sadler.

The version reproduced below was digitized from = a xerox=20 copy of what is believed to be a typewritten original. The = assumption of=20 originality is based on the nature of hand-written notes which = appear in=20 the margins. There is no signature nor is there any indication = anywhere on=20 them that Dr. Sadler is indeed the author. Larry Mullins refers to = this=20 history as "History 2." Larry Mullins comments, "Although Urantia=20 Foundation and others continue to refer to this document as = "written by=20 Dr. Sadler," it almost certainly was not. After careful = examination, the=20 30 page original appears to be the long lost, unfinished "history" = of Emma=20 Louise Christensen. This history was known to exist, but could not = be=20 found after her death in 1982. "Christy," as she was known, = apparently=20 used "History 1" as a template, inserted a few pages authored by = Dr.=20 Sadler but never published, and added her own observations. The = "History=20 2" document, as submitted to the Court, had no cover page, but = began with=20 what was "page 2" of "History 1."

"The pages were obviously renumbered, in some = cases=20 having two conflicting page numbers. "History 2" is a hybrid that = is=20 obviously the product of an inexperienced writer and editor. Dr. = Sadler=20 was an accomplished author. There are awkward shifts from second = to third=20 person, and long passages refer to Dr. Sadler in the third person. = In one=20 place (page 7 of the original) the writer inserted a comment, "The = doctor=20 continues his narrative:" -- Dr. Sadler never wrote about himself = in this=20 manner. The information in "History 2" is helpful, but must be = regarded=20 with some caution and weighed against other information." [End of = comment=20 by Larry Mullins.]

There are two additional versions of the = history below=20 which are dated 1960 and attributed to Marian Rowley. Marian's = histories=20 are apparently condensations of the more extensive history = reproduced=20 below and contain her comments in which she notes the items which = she=20 intends to omit from the original in her "official history". The=20 condensation by Marian Rowley is the history which Larry Mullins = refers to=20 as "History 1." While Mullins holds that "History 2" was an = expanded=20 version of "History 1," Marian Rowley's notes indicate that = "History 1"=20 was actually a condensation of "History 2." In spite of the fact that = Marian=20 indicates her source document was an edited version of "Dr.'s" = history,=20 the critique of the authorship of "History 2" presented by Larry = Mullins=20 leads to other conclusions. To study this matter in greater = detail,=20 see:

  • Marian=20 Rowley's draft of a history; June=20 1960    =20
    • [See=20 PDF reproduction of original]
  • Marian=20 Rowley's completed history, June 1960   (This = corresponds=20 to Larry Mullins' "History 1")
    • [See=20 PDF reproduction of original] (Compare Marian's = completed=20 history with her draft noted above as well as with the history = attributed to Dr. Sadler from the same time period which is = reproduced=20 below.)
  • [See=20 Marian's comparison of the two histories] =

  • Contact=20 Activities Preceding the Urantia Papers=20
  • How=20 the Urantia Papers Started=20
  • How=20 the Forum Started=20
  • Introduction=20 of the Forum to the "Contacts"=20
  • The=20 Forum Begins to ask Questions=20
  • The=20 Forum Becomes a Closed Group=20
  • The=20 First Urantia Papers=20
  • Receiving=20 the Completed Papers=20
  • T= he=20 Delay in Receiving the Jesus Papers=20
  • Reason=20 for Silence Respecting Details of the Origin Of The Urantia Book =
  • H= ow we=20 got the Urantia Papers=20
  • Functioning=20 of the Contact Commission=20
  • The=20 Seventy=20
  • The=20 Publication Mandate=20
  • The=20 Urantia Foundation=20
  • The=20 Urantia Brotherhood=20
  • Distribution=20 of the Urantia Book=20
  • The=20 Urantia Brotherhood School=20
  • Appendix=20 I: How we did not get the Urantia Book=20
  • Appendix=20 II: Psychic Phenomena: Unusual Activities of the Marginal = Consciousness=20

    • Contact Activities Preceding The Urantia=20 Papers

    It would seem that, during these early years, our unseen friends were = engaged=20 in a thoroughgoing testing of the contact personality, rehearsing the = technique=20 of communication, selecting the Contact Commissioners -- in fact, in a = general=20 way -- setting the stage for the subsequent initiation of the = presentation of=20 the "Urantia Papers."

    During these early years we were introduced to many new and, to us, = somewhat=20 strange concepts of the universe of universes and as concerned man and = his life=20 on earth.

    Among these numerous new ideas of cosmology and philosophy, the = following may=20 be mentioned:

    Our superhuman friends thus spent upward of two decades in extending = our=20 cosmic horizons, enlarging our theologic concepts, and expanding our = over-all=20 philosophy.

    We never realized how much our religious thinking had been expanded = until the=20 Papers began to arrive. As the Revelation progressed we came more fully = to=20 appreciate how we had been prepared for the vast alteration of our = religious=20 beliefs by these preliminary contacts extending over a period of twenty = years of=20 pre-education.

    Our apprenticeship training for subsequent service in association = with the=20 presentation of the Urantia Papers was facilitated by the fact that, = except for=20 contacts with the midwayers, no two contacts were alike. Seldom did we = meet the=20 visiting personalities more than once. Every contact was entirely = different from=20 any and all that had gone before. And all of this experience was an = extensive=20 and liberal preparatory educational training in the expansion of our = cosmology,=20 theology and philosophy -- not to mention our introduction to new ideas = and=20 concepts concerning a vast array of more mundane objects.

    The limited discussion of Jesus' life and teachings during these=20 pre-revelatory contacts might be explained by the fact that the = midwayers were a=20 bit dubious as to how much authority they had in such matters -- as = shown later=20 on when a whole year was consumed in the clarification of their right to = retell=20 the story of the Michael bestowal.

    Those of us who early attended upon these nocturnal vigils never = suspected=20 that we were in contact with anything supernatural.

    During these early years, all of our observations and investigations = utterly=20 failed to reveal the technique of reducing messages to writing.=20

    How The Urantia Papers = Started

    After about twenty years of contact experience, an alleged student = visitor,=20 speaking through this sleeping subject during one of these nocturnal = vigils, in=20 answer to one of our questions, said: "If you only knew what you are in = contact=20 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=20 to look upon this unique experience in a new and different way. Later on = that=20 night, one of our number said: "Now they have asked for it -- let us = give them=20 questions that no human being can answer."

    Now it is best to let matters rest here while we shift this narrative = to a=20 new and different setting.=20

    How The Forum Started

    Dr. William S. Sadler, a member of this early group of observers and=20 investigators, tells the following story regarding the origin of that = group of=20 interested individuals which later on became known as the "Forum." He = says: "On=20 my way to the University of Kansas to deliver some lectures on Gestalt=20 psychology, I wrote a letter to my son saying that I thought doctors = should try=20 to maintain some contact with their old patients. I suggested that he = talk with=20 his mother about the feasibility of inviting some of our old friends to = meet=20 with us on Sunday afternoons for an hour or two of informal discussion = and=20 social exchange.

    When I returned to Chicago one Sunday morning I found that my wife = had=20 invited a group of our old patients to meet at our house that afternoon = at three=20 o'clock. It was the plan to conduct these Sunday afternoon gatherings = somewhat=20 as follows: First have a talk on some health topic -- such as the = treatment of=20 common colds, the cause and cure of worry, and then, after a cup of tea, = engage=20 in informal discussions -- asking and answering questions.

    As time passed, this group became a cosmopolitan gathering consisting = of=20 professional men and women -- doctors, lawyers, dentists, ministers, = teachers --=20 together with individuals from all walks of life. Farmers, housewives,=20 secretaries, office workers, and common laborers.=20

    Introduction Of The Forum To the = "Contacts"

    [Editor's note: At this point in the original, a = handwritten note=20 appears in the margin, "The doctor continues his narrative:" In = addition, in the=20 original, handwritten quotation marks have been added to the beginning = of each=20 paragraph from this point through the end of the next section titled, = "The Forum=20 Begins to Ask Questions." ]

    Presently, I was asked to give a series of talks on "Mental Hygiene," = or=20 "Psychic Phenomena." At the beginning of my first talk, I said: "With = only one=20 or two exceptions, all of the psychic phenomena which I have = investigated have=20 turned out to be either conscious or unconscious frauds. Some were = deliberate=20 frauds -- others were those peculiar cases in which the performer was a = victim=20 of the deceptions of his own subconscious mind."

    I had no more than said this when one of the group spoke up, saying, = "Doctor,=20 if you have contacted something which you have been unable to solve -- = it would=20 be interesting -- tell us more about it."

    I asked Dr. Lena to get some notes she had taken at a recent = "contact" and=20 read them to the group. It should be understood that up to this time = there was=20 no secrecy connected with this case. The Urantia Papers had not begun to = appear.

    It was at about this time that this group meeting at our house on = Sunday=20 afternoons began to be called the "Forum."

    The group manifested such a great interest in this case that I never = did get=20 around to giving any of the health talks such as had been planned.

    It was while these informal discussions were going on from week to = week that=20 the challenge came to us suggesting that if we would ask more serious = questions=20 we might get information of value to all mankind.=20

    The Forum Begins To Ask = Questions

    We told the Forum all about this and invited them to join us in the=20 preparation of question. We decided to start out with questions = pertaining to=20 the origin of the cosmos, Deity, creation, and such other subjects as = were far=20 beyond the present-day knowledge of all humankind.

    The following Sunday several hundred questions were brought in. We = sorted out=20 these questions, discarding duplicates, and in a general way, = classifying them.=20 Shortly thereafter, the first Urantia Paper appeared in answer to these=20 questions. From first to last, when the Papers appeared, the questions=20 disappeared.

    This was the procedure followed throughout the many years of the = reception of=20 the Urantia Papers. No questions -- no Papers.=20

    The Forum Becomes a Closed = Group

    About this time, the Forum, as it were, was taken away from us. We = were=20 instructed to form a "closed group" -- requiring each member to sign a = pledge of=20 secrecy and to discuss the Papers and all matters pertaining thereto = with only=20 those persons who were members of the Forum.

    Membership tickets were issued and the Charter membership numbered = Thirty.=20 The date of this organization was September, 1925. Seventeen of these = Charter=20 Members are still living.

    The individuals charged with the responsibility of gathering up the = questions=20 and comparing the typewritten text with the original handwritten = manuscript,=20 came to be know as the "Contact Commissioners." From that date forward = only=20 these Contact Commissioners attended "contacts" and received written=20 communications through the contact personality.

    From time to time new members were received into the Forum, after = being=20 interviewed by the officers and after signing the same pledge that was = signed by=20 the original Charter Members. This pledge read: "We acknowledge our = pledge of=20 secrecy, renewing our promise not to discuss the Urantia Revelations or = their=20 subject matter with any one save active Forum members, and to take no = notes of=20 such matter as is read or discussed at the public sessions, or make = copies or=20 notes of what we personally read."

    The last meeting of the Forum as a genetic assembly was held on May = 31st,=20 1942. During the 17 years of official existence the Forum attained a = total=20 membership of 486.

    [Editor's note: A handwritten note appears in the margin of the = original,=20 "From this date in 1942 the Forum continued as a study group to the time = of the=20 organization of the First Urantia Society."]

    During the period of the reception of the Urantia Papers, upward of = 300=20 different persons participated in asking these genetic questions. With = but few=20 exceptions, all of the Urantia Papers were given in response to such = questions.=20

    The First Urantia Papers

    The first group of Papers numbered 57. We then received a = communication=20 suggesting that since we could now ask many and much more intelligent = questions,=20 the supervising agencies and personalities responsible for transmitting = the 57=20 Papers would engage to enlarge the revelation and to expand the Papers = in=20 accordance with our new questions.

    This was the plan: We would read a Paper on a Sunday afternoon and = the=20 following Sunday the new questions would be presented. Again, these = would be=20 sorted, classified, etc. This program covered several years and = ultimately=20 resulted int he presentation of the 196 Papers as now found in the = Urantia Book.=20

    Receiving The Completed = Papers

    In a way, there was a third presentation. After receiving these 196 = Papers,=20 we were told that the "Revelatory Commission" would be pleased to have = us go=20 over the Papers once more and ask questions concerning the = "Clarification of=20 Concepts" and the "Removal of Ambiguities." This program again covered = several=20 years. During this period very little new information was imparted. Only = minor=20 changes were made in any of the Papers. Some matter was added -- some = removed --=20 but there was little revision or amplification of the text.

    What has just been recorded refers more particularly to Parts I, II, = and III=20 of the Urantia Book. Part IV -- The Jesus Papers -- had a little = different=20 origin. They were produced by a midwayer commission and were completed = one year=20 later than the other Papers. The first three parts were completed and = certified=20 to us in A.D. 1934. The Jesus Papers were not so delivered to us until = 1935.=20

    The Delay In Receiving The Jesus=20 Papers

    The delay of one year in the reception of the Jesus Papers -- Part IV = of the=20 Urantia Book -- may be explained as follows: The midwayers were a bit=20 apprehensive about becoming involved in the suit pending in the Universe = courts=20 -- Gabriel vs. Lucifer -- and they hesitated to complete their project = until=20 they were assured that they had full authority to retell the story of = Jesus'=20 life on earth.

    After some months waiting there came the mandate from Uversa = directing the=20 United Midwayers of Urantia to proceed with their project of revealing = the story=20 of the life and teaching of Michael when incarnated on Urantia, and not = only=20 assuring them that they were not in "contempt" of the Uversa courts, but = instead=20 granting them a mandate to do this service and admonishing any and all = persons=20 connected therewith to refrain from interfering with, or in any way = hindering,=20 the execution of such an undertaking.

    And this is the explanation of why the Jesus Papers appear one year = after the=20 other Papers had been completed.=20

    Reason For Silence
    Respecting Details Of The = Origin
    Of=20 The Urantia Book

    Among the several reasons given us at the time we were requested not = to=20 discuss the details of our personal experiences associated with the = origin of=20 the Urantia Book, the two major reasons were the following:

    They are determined that future generations shall have the book = wholly free=20 from all mortal connections -- they do not want a Saint Peter, Saint = Paul,=20 Luther, Calvin or Wesley. The book does not even bear the imprint of the = printer=20 who brought the book into being.

    Remember: You could appreciate a good poem -- even if you did not = know the=20 author. Likewise, you could enjoy a symphony even if you were ignorant = of the=20 composer.=20

    How We Got The Urantia = Papers

    Just about all that is known or could be told about the origin of the = Urantia=20 Papers is to be found, here and there, in the Urantia Book. A list of = such=20 references is to be found on the back of the dust jacket of the = Book.

    Let us take a brief look at these citations.

    Functioning Of The Contact=20 Commissioners

    During these early years the Contact Commissioners received many=20 communications and directives in writing. Almost all of these messages = had=20 annotation at the bottom of the last page which read: "To be destroyed = by fire=20 not later than the appearance of the Urantia Papers in print." It was = the design=20 of our unseen friends to prevent the appearance of an "Urantia = Apocrypha"=20 subsequent to the publication of the Urantia Book.

    All of this was encouraging to us in that it assured us that the = Urantia=20 Papers would some time be published. It sustained our hopes through the = long=20 waiting years of delay.

    The fact that no provision was ever made for replacing members of the = Contact=20 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=20 some of us.

    The Commissioners were the custodians of the Urantia manuscript, = keeping the=20 carbon copy of the typewritten transcript in a fireproof vault. they = were also=20 charged with full responsibility for supervising all the details = connected with=20 the publication of the Book, securing the international copyrights, etc. =

    We were enjoined to refrain from discussing the identity of the = Contact=20 Personality and, after the publication of the Book, to make any = statement at any=20 time as to whether the "subject" was still living or was deceased.=20

    The Seventy

    In 1939, some of us thought the time had come when we should form a = class to=20 engage in the more serious and systematic study of the Urantia Papers. = This=20 project was presented to the Forum and when those who wished to join = such a=20 group were counted, it was found that just 70 persons desired to enter = upon this=20 study. So for several years this class was referred to as "The Seventy." = Two or=20 three years preceding the formation of The Seventy an informal group had = been=20 meeting on Wednesday evenings.

    The Seventy carried on systematic study of the Urantia Papers from = April 3,=20 1939 to the summer of 1956, and was the forerunner of the later "School = of the=20 Urantia Brotherhood."

    During these years the Seventy enrolled 107 students.

    The Seventy carried on its work of study, thesis writing, and = practice of=20 teaching for 17 years. During this period eight written communications = were=20 given to the Seventy by the Seraphim of Progress attached to the = superhuman=20 Planetary Government of Urantia.=20

    The Publication Mandate

    At long last, permission to publish the Urantia Papers was granted. = The=20 Introduction to this mandate reads:

    "We regard the Urantia Book as a feature of the progressive evolution = of=20 human society. It is not germane to the spectacular episode of epochal=20 revolution, even though it may apparently be timed to appear in the wake = of one=20 such revolution in human society. The Book belongs to the era = immediately to=20 follow the conclusion of the present ideological struggle. That will be = the day=20 when men will be willing to seek truth and righteousness. When the chaos = of the=20 present confusion has passed, it will be more readily possible to = formulate the=20 cosmos of a new and improved era of human relationships. And it is for = this=20 better order of affairs on earth that the book has been made ready.

    "But the publication of the book has not been postponed to that = (possibly)=20 somewhat remote date. An early publication of the book has been provided = so that=20 it may be in hand for the training of leaders and teachers. Its presence = is also=20 required to engage the attention of persons of means who may be thus led = to=20 provide funds for translation into other languages."

    Upon receipt of these instructions, the Contact Commissioners entered = upon=20 the task of publishing the Urantia Book and preparation of plans for its = distribution.

    The Papers were published just as we received them. The Contact = Commissioners=20 had no editorial authority. Our job was limited to "spelling, = capitalization,=20 and punctuation."

    Before the demise of Dr. Lena K. Sadler in August, 1939 she had = collected=20 about twenty thousand dollars for the publication fund, and this was = used to set=20 type and prepare plates for the printing of the book.=20

    The Urantia Foundation

    It was these plates of the Urantia Book which constituted the basis = for the=20 formation of the Urantia Foundation. This Foundation, set up under the = laws of=20 Illinois, was completed on January 11, 1950. The first Board of Trustees = were:

    It was learned that one of the wealthy members of the Forum desired = to=20 contribute fifty thousand dollars for the publication of the Book. By=20 instruction, this was circumvented, because, they told us, it was best = to give=20 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=20 printing ten thousand copies. The response was immediate. The sum = contributed=20 was in excess of forty-nine thousand dollars. The first money to reach = the=20 Foundation office was one thousand dollars from the late Sir Hubert = Wilkins, the=20 arctic explorer.

    The Book was published under international copyright October 12, = 1955.=20

    The Urantia Brotherhood

    It was inevitable that some sort of fraternal organization would grow = out of=20 the teachings of the Urantia Book. All interested persons could see that = the=20 Urantia teachings were opposed to the sectarianism of Christian = believers. It=20 was clear that it was not the purpose of the Urantia Revelation to start = a new=20 church.

    Accordingly, on January 2, 1955, a group of persons who believed the=20 teachings of the Book and who were interested in their proclamation, = assembled=20 in Chicago and completed the organization of the Urantia Brotherhood, a=20 voluntary and fraternal organization of Urantia believers. This group = composed=20 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.

    The over-all purpose of the Brotherhood is well expressed in the = Preamble to=20 the Constitution.

    Preamble

    "Inasmuch as it is our most solemn conviction that the comfort, = happiness,=20 and well-being of man will be enhanced by the creation of an = organization=20 devoted to the purposes hereinafter expressed may best be accomplished = through=20 the mutual assistance and association of a body of people working = together for a=20 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=20 establish this constitution of Urantia Brotherhood."

    The original 36 Founders became the General Council which was = designed to=20 govern the Brotherhood for its first nine years.

    The First Urantia Society of Chicago was organized and granted = Charter No. 1=20 on June 17, 1956. The Society had 34 charter Members. The present = membership of=20 the First Society is 142.=20

    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=20 distribution. These instructions may be summarized as follows:

    The vast majority of the Brotherhood have occurred in this sort of = quiet and=20 gradual presentation of the Book. Only a few individuals have exhibited = some=20 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 individuals to introduce the = Urantia=20 Book to his varied contacts and human associations.=20

    The Urantia Brotherhood = School

    Among the early activities of the Brotherhood was the organization of = the=20 School of the Brotherhood which began its first session in September = 1956. The=20 degree granted after three years of training is that of "Ordained = Teacher." A=20 shorter course of study leads to the status of "Certified Leader."

    The School is conducted by the Educational Committee. Many textbooks = have=20 been prepared for use in the School and for use by a future = Correspondence=20 School which will no doubt materialize as the Urantia Book continues to = be=20 distributed throughout the world.

    The course of study is planned to cover a three years' seminary = education. At=20 present, only part time work is provided at evening sessions.

    The curriculum embraces courses int he following subjects:

    As yet, no degrees of "Ordained Teacher" have been granted, but = diplomas as=20 "Certified Leader" have been given to 14 individuals.

    The number of registered students taking credit courses has averaged = about=20 thirty. A like number of "auditors" attend the classes.


    Appendix I

    How We Did Not Get The Urantia = Book

    Recently, a group of ministers from northern Indiana, who were = engaged in=20 studying the Urantia Book, spent the day with us and, during the = evening, Dr.=20 Sadler led a discussion on "How We Did Not Get the Urantia Book."

    The following is a gist of that presentation:

    Several members of this group who participated in the preliminary = "contacts"=20 which led up to the appearance of the Urantia Papers had considerable = experience=20 in the investigation of psychic phenomena. This group early arrived at = the=20 conclusion that the phenomena connected with the personality who was = later=20 associated with the Urantia Papers, was in no way similar to any other=20 well-known type of psychic performance -- such as hypnotism, automatic = writing,=20 clairvoyance, trances, spirit mediumship, telepathy, or double = personality.

    It should be made clear that the antecedents of the Urantia Papers = were in no=20 way associated with so-called spiritualism -- with its seances and = supposed=20 communication with the spirits of departed human beings.=20

    Appendix II

    Psychic Phenomena:
    Unusual Activities Of The = Marginal=20 Consciousness
    (The Subconscious Mind)

    (From additional notes in the same collection dated = 5/7/58)

    Note: The technique of the reception of the Urantia Book in English = in no way=20 parallels or impinges upon any of the above phenomena of the marginal=20 consciousness.

    Index of = Urantia=20 movement historical documents and timeline of recent = history

    A service of
    The=20 Urantia Book Fellowship

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