August 31st, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington D.C.
I am here, St. Paul.
I was with you tonight at the meeting, and heard what the young man said about perfection, and I agree entirely with his ideas and the application of the truth to the lives of human beings.
He had the correct conception of what perfection means, and when he said that perfection is a relative term, he spoke the exact truth. No man can expect to have the perfection of the Father in quantity, but he may in quality; for the Spirit of Truth that enters into the soul of a man in response to prayer and faith is a part of the Divine nature of the Father, and the essence is the same, and the quality must be the same; but, of course, no man can obtain it to the extent of making him pure and holy as the Father is pure and holy. Even we who live in the high Celestial Heavens have not that perfection which the Father has. But let men know that even while on earth they can obtain this inflowing of the Holy Spirit in their hearts to such an extent that sin and error will be entirely eradicated. This, I say, is possible, but few men attain to such a state of perfection, because the worldly affairs and natural appetites which belong to mortals are always interfering to prevent the makings of the spirit in men's souls so that perfection of this kind may take possession of them. But notwithstanding this great difficulty, and material desires of men, they should have this perfect ideal before them always, and strive to obtain the possession of it.
I was much interested in the discourse not only because it was founded on a text attributed to me, but because of the right conception and the explanation made by the young man.
I could see his soul and its workings, and I was glad to know that he possessed this Divine Love to an unusual degree, and was fitted almost for a home in the Celestial Spheres. You were benefited by what he said, and you felt the influence of the presence of the Holy Spirit at the meeting.
If the people of this church would understand that there is only one thing that saves them from their sins and makes them at-one with the Father, and that is the inflowing of the Divine Love into their souls, which was what Jesus meant when he told Nicodemus that he must be born again, they would easily see that their doctrine of holiness is not only a reasonable doctrine but one in accord with the truths of God; for as this Divine Love fills their souls, all sin and error must disappear.
Of course this is a relative matter, for it depends upon how much of this Divine Love is in their souls to determine how much of sin or error exists. The more of the Divine Love, the less of sin, and on the contrary, the more of sin the less of the Divine Love. But, I want to say with all the emphasis that I am capable of, that it is possible for a human being to obtain such a quantity of this Divine Love in his soul that sin will be entirely eradicated. This was the doctrine taught by Jesus, and this is the truth of God's law of Love.
I know that the great majority of mankind do not believe this truth and think it foolishness, and that those who claim that they have received this Divine Love to a great degree are enthusiastic fanatics, and not worthy of credence, but I want to tell you that no greater truth was ever proclaimed by the Master; and sometime, in the not far distant future, many men who are now merely intellectual Christians will believe and embrace and experience this great truth.
You will find yourself much benefited by attending these meetings, and while there are some things in their creed to which you do not subscribe, yet they have the foundation truth that the Divine Love of the Father can clear their souls from all sins, and make them perfect, to the extent that they receive that Love in their souls.
I will not write more tonight, but will say that the Holy Spirit which conveys God's Love to man is with these people in great power and fullness and manifests its workings in a real and irresistible manner. And God is blessing them and giving them that faith which enables them to become overcomers and inheritors of immortality and homes in the Celestial Heavens.
So without taking up more of your time, I will say goodnight and God bless you.
Your brother in Christ,
St. Paul