September 17th, 1917.
Received by:James Padgett
Washington D.C.
I am here, Jesus.
I come as I promised and desire to write on a subject that requires that I should have absolute control of your brain and hand; and tonight I see that you are not just in the condition necessary. So I will not write on the subject, as I intended, but will postpone the same until later. But I will say a few words that may be of interest to you and your friend, whose conversation tonight I listened to, and saw what was in both your minds and hearts.
I realize that you both appreciate the importance of the work that is set before you, and that you have arrived at that condition of faith which causes you to forego all interest in material things so far as they may benefit you personally; and it is well that you are in this state of feeling and appreciation of the work, for this work is of such an exclusive nature that in order to be performed in the way that we desire and which is necessary that the truths which you receive shall be given to the world, all thoughts of the things that ordinarily belong to the mere human living must be eliminated and turned aside.
These truths while, when understood and applied by the individual, will not render that individual less qualified to perform the duties of life, but on the contrary will increase these qualifications, and must be so taught, yet in the case of you who are to make and teach these truths, your interest in the world must be forgotten or submerged in these higher interests. In other words, while you are in the world you must not be of the world, as I taught my disciples when on earth.
Of course, while you are mortals you will have to have these things that are necessary to sustain life and health and comfort, and your work does not require that you shall make sacrifices of these things, but that you shall have the comforts that are necessary to your enjoying the merely physical life, and this you must understand. As you have said, the work will be hard and the difficulties that you shall encounter will be great, but you will be able to do the work and overcome the difficulties; for I desire to tell you here that never in all the history of mankind has any work had behind it the power and influence of the high spirits of the spirit world as your work will have, and your faith must be such that no possibility of failure will be permitted to enter into your conception of success.
The world is now ready for those truths, for men's souls have been and will be more opened to the possibility and necessity of seeking for and obtaining things spiritual than ever before, and mankind will - and now does - realize that man himself, notwithstanding the teachings of some of the writers that man is of the divine and of himself capable of self-regeneration, is not able to become brothers in truth and reality, and that the brotherhood of man is a mere dream when based upon the power of man because of any qualities of goodness or of the divine that he may be supposed to possess.
Time is passing and the great conflict that has deluged the mortal world with bloodshed and hatred and vengeance will soon come to an end, and men will wander in confusion and seek that which may bring them into unison and brotherly kindness, and also into a greater knowledge of the world unknown to them - the hereafter. Faith will fail to satisfy and their souls will long for the spiritual food that will have in it the qualities of certainty and knowledge.
They will think in their hearts and in many instances declare that the Christian faith as has been taught them by the churches does not satisfy, and the creeds and dogmas of the churches have been failures, and will cry out for something that will fill their souls with spiritual food of truth and salvation. So we must work and be prepared to give to mankind the truth and this food - a knowledge of the only way to the Father's Love, and of what the possession of this Love in the souls of men will mean to them.
I feel that you are both in earnest in your desire to do the work and that all opportunities will be embraced, and that when you are free to give your whole time to the work you will permit nothing to intervene. And this you will do for the good of humanity without thought of reward, and such should be your desires. But nevertheless, your reward will be great, not in the way of an independent payment, but as an acquisition necessarily growing out of the very nature of the work that you will do; for as you help others to learn the truth and gain the possession of this Great Love of the Father, your own souls will obtain more of the Love, and with that increased possession will come increased happiness and a closer at-onement with the Father; and this, of course, means rewards beyond all conception of mortals or spirits who have not arrived at the degree of possession of this Love that will be yours.
So, as I said in the beginning, first place yourselves in that condition which will enable you to free yourself from all worldly cares, and consecrate your body, mind and soul to this great work; and then what follows will be without interference of worldly things.
I am glad that I could write you in this way tonight, for I know it will assist you in pursuing the best way to accomplish the mission that has been given you and which at this time no other can take from you. You have been selected for the work and we feel that no mistake has been made. So, believe in us and pray to the Father with all the earnestness of your souls and you will find that which we have told you to be the greatest thing in all the universe: the Divine Love and nature and Immortality of the Father.
I will not write more tonight, and with my love and the blessings of the Father, will say good night.
Your brother and friend,
Jesus.