"But I have many other sheep not of this fold, and these words are true not only of this world. These other sheep also hear and know my voice, and I have promised the Father that they shall all be brought into one fold, one brotherhood of the sons of God. And then shall you all know the voice of one shepherd, the true shepherd, and shall all acknowledge the fatherhood of God."
The few distant tribes who partially survived the downfall of Atlantis (the legends of the 1st Garden of Eden & Dalmatia) each had their original cultural roots in that civilization. Their progeny, and so Atlantean thinking, still affects the lives of many present day Earth-dwellers. The world floats on a sea of fire which is gradually dying down, and will become extinguished in a few more million years . . . unless in the meantime mankind probes too deeply into Nature. Is such a state of affairs building up on Earth today?
A study of history is the looking backward to events and conditions as they were and comparing them with the present era. Time, in terms of years is important only in the sense that man, unable to visualize very far ahead, can best assess human advancement in retrospect. This does not mean that in any generation man can afford not to envision human progress in the millions of generations yet to come.
Life's purpose can only be for the future. Each generation forms the foundation for the progress of those yet unborn. In terms of the human race, retrogression looms ahead unless the course is altered. Warnings have come from all sides.
110:4.6 For many thousands of years, so the records of Jerusem show, in each generation there have lived fewer and fewer beings who could function safely with self-acting Adjusters. This is an alarming picture, and the supervising personalities of Satania look with favor upon the proposals of some of your more immediate planetary supervisors who advocate the inauguration of measures designed to foster and conserve the higher spiritual types of the Urantia races.
Yet Ego has prevented this stream of heavenly guidance from having much effect. "Not always shall my spirit strive with man", He has said.
If the life expectancy of the sun is another 48,000,000,000 years it is reasonable to suppose that Earth's life expectancy is at least half of that number of years. However, taking into consideration density, helium content, and rate of usage in comparison to the sun, we might find that the life expectancy Earth is about equal to that of the sun.
The point for questions is; how does the life expectancy of homo-sapiens compare with Earth's life expectancy? At the present rate of deterioration, fostered by illogical breeding habits, mechanization and luxury, led by the lighter skinned races, a further separation of human thought will occur. The dark skinned races will rise to power and shortly afterwards decline when swiftly overtaken by Ego. Through the specialization rule and mass psychology as is still practiced today, the bulk of the human race will degenerate to comfortable slavery status, having all their thinking done for them, and completely dominated by mechanized instruction, to finally lose all power of independent thought or personal drive. They will sink to a low mental level which concentrates only on fleshy comfort and social security.
But for Spirit. Ever and anon, Spiritual Promise is inviolable, He will send messengers, channels for the expression of Divine Wisdom to guide humanity. These will be fully apparent to those with integrity, easily recognizable to the non-egotistical seeker. They will illuminate and lead, helping to maintain the essential balance of nature and spirit. Regardless of nationality, their cities will rise on Earth, first one and then another, to form the nucleus of a new, single Earth-race. Such a city has He shown to me in a vision. The huge structure was formed like a bubble; seamless; having the appearance of plexiglass; of tensile strength beyond anything yet devised on Earth - even impervious to Black Light vibrations.
Inside the outer dome was a second, similar "bubble", with about ten feet of space in between the two shells. Those walking in the intervening space between the shells are able to observe all that goes on beyond the outer shell. But they cannot see into the inner shell, the structural molecules being so balanced that they shift to adjust to light rays either from within or without. A warm hand placed on any part of this shell will immediately feel cold. Showered with any cold substance, the shell will cause that substance to react as though to heat. No air, sunlight, rain, dust, germs or radiation can pierce the outer "bubble". High above and in between the two shells is a form of manufactured daylight, sunlight, and even clouds to fill any psychological requirements of the inhabitants. The air is constantly purified.
Inside the second shell, the dwellings compare with those of the twentieth century, but are built in softer, more curved lines, and are all of the same glass-like material. Gardens bloom in profusion. Flowers, shrubs, trees and individual vegetable gardens are far more in evidence than today. The foliage is far more prominent to the eye of the observer than the actual homes of the people who live there.
Entrance to the City is made through an outer door of the same plexiglass-like material. This door leads onto a ten-foot driveway between the two shells. However, at the entrance a tunnel-like arrangement with three doors greets a visitor. By taking the door to the left of the entrance it would be possible to drive around the entire city and emerge where you started, coming out of the door on the right hand side of the entrance. The centre door gives access to the City proper. But before entering from the outer atmosphere, all are subjected to extensive scrutiny. Possessions, including conveyance, are tested with metal detection and radioactive devices. If the people wishing to enter the city are non-resident, all possessions are left at the entrance, and the visitor is supplied with every requirement for the duration of his visit.
Permanent residents wishing to leave (a rare circumstance) may only do so with a special permit. These people are specially outfitted for the trip into the outerworld, including their "conveyance"; a one piece, completely plastic-like vehicle with no visible working parts.
Nothing but the de-contaminated human body may enter through the inner door, and nothing but a person and their conveyance may leave.
Permission is frequently given for those from the outside world to take a grand circular tour around the driveway which circles the city. At this time none of the previously mentioned precautions apply.
About one mile in a geometrically straight line from the entrance, we find the Administration Building, known locally as The House. From the City's gateway, the main centre driveway is uncluttered by any buildings. It is landscaped to some depth with a glorious array of multi-coloured flora, so artistically designed that it never becomes overbearing or distracting to the senses.
The House, like all others, is of the same material as the shell. It shows only one storey above ground level, and is almost half a mile square, though not actually square in shape.
A long wide terrace, reached by five wide, stone-like steps, dominates the front elevation of the building. Much of this terrace is landscaped with exotically beautiful gardens, with subdued aquariums here and there, glittering from the rays of rare, tropical-like fish. A central fountain of crystal clear water plays its way high into the air.
The terrace is usually occupied by a quiet female figure, who dispenses the colony's needs with exact impartiality. High up, and out of sight to all but the initiated, are a number of instruments similar to today's television sets. They are indeed a form of television which may be tuned into the required channel by pressure on a small button close to the woman's hand. When the image of the required person appeared on the screen, a whispered instruction to that technician could tune in both the image and words of any person living in the world. When required this machine could also relay the image and speech of certain persons from other occupied planets in the Universe. Beneath the main structure of this building are fifteen lower floors which constitute the heart and pulse of the entire city. Here is machinery, refineries, air and water pumps purifiers, smelters, offices . . . everything that is required to sustain life. The whole place is illuminated by an everlasting daylight that creates no shadow and is without visible source
Surprisingly enough from the fifth sub-floor downwards there is no light. Total blackness greets the eye. The workers here, who are not native Earthlings are ebony in colour. They are shaped along somewhat different lines to those of the human form, the main difference being in the head and extremities. These people have developed far beyond man's meager mental capabilities. They are particularly adept at reading magnetic vibrations and keep records of the sayings, schemings and doings of the now decadent outside world. All thought vibrations are monitored within a radius of 300 square miles.
Another innovation is a tubular-type launching pad situated some distance from The House (as the main building is called). This double rocket launching site can be reached by twin tunnels from the fifteenth sub floor and connects to the fifth sub-floor by a chute made up of an endless chain belt conveyance with seats large enough for two passengers. These travel at such a speed that one and a half seconds is all the time required to travel the 165 feet downwards.
From the fifth sub-floor downwards is the domain of the "Ebonites". The temperature in this working area is necessarily maintained at a constant 80° Fahrenheit; one route to the launching site likewise.
Native earthlings rarely visit this area of heat and total darkness, in spite of ample connections between all floors.
The second launching tube is cool and brightly lit, manned by deeply bronzed human operators. The space-ships coming and going from the dual launch site are however, identical. Only the functional interiors differ for the convenience of Passengers.
Space Ships leave and arrive regularly. The "Ebonites" to return to their home planet, the earthlings to tour the accessible parts of the Universe. Interplanetary exchange has long since been established, whereby an Earth-ship might reach a planet carrying a visitor for a further destination whose journey would then be completed by stages, utilizing craft from other worlds.
Visitors would stay at earth-conditioned accommodations through their trip.
But such traveling would be rare, for any human in this period who ventured on such a voyage would have to spend whole lifetime away from his home planet.
To better understand the population of the colony a closer description of its inhabitants might be in order. The earthlings, by intermarriage, had all achieved various bronze skin shading with medium hair colouring.
Interplanetary technician exchange, which insofar as earth was concerned applied only to these "Bubble-Colonies", supplied the "Ebonite" technicians whose skill was foreign to earthlings. In return selected earthlings went to other planets to develop skills peculiar to earthlings. This system was largely responsible for the rapid progress in either place.
The "Ebonites" had quite a large head in comparison with their body. The ears were set high; the eyes were five to six times larger than human eyes with a feline translucence. The nose, as a protuberance did not show, but the mouth was quite large and prominent - similar to the mouths of vegetarian animals on earth, for these people were strict vegetarians. They had no chin. Being accustomed to a home planet where three earth years was as one of their own, each "Ebonite" contracted to spend three years on Earth. This arrangement was absolutely essential, as among this race both the male and female experienced a "heat" period only once every three earth-years. At this time it was necessary that mating take place or the health of the "Ebonite" would be seriously impaired. Very strict records were kept for this purpose; the mating season could be predicted to almost the minute of its commencement and took several hours for completion. Although both male and female workers came to Earth no mating ever took place away from the home planet. No genital organs were normally in evidence. The female breast enlarged only during the nine to ten weeks of her gestation period, and weaning became automatic as they shortly retracted to the normal size of any well developed male. Earthlings found it almost impossible to differentiate between the sexes of the "Ebonites", but between themselves the odour vibrations emitted by the body were quite distinguishable. The "Ebonites" were also very conscious of human odour vibrations and found them not only most distasteful but very loud, so that they would politely contrive to cover both the nose and ears if an earthling was nearby. A great deal of thought and preparation had gone in the foundation of this enclosed city. Conceived by a handful of early pioneers, it is now peopled by a relatively small percentage of the human race, who, through spiritual guidance have elected to live in seclusion.
The state of the outside world has deteriorated to the point where 90% of the population live in an abject state of servitude, dominated by one hundredth of one percent of their total. The remainder live on a somewhat higher plane of thought, but are completely restricted as to freedom of choice These are the essential intellects required by the rulers for scientific knowledge.
Vast amounts of time and energy are spent in bickering between the rulers. This argument is usually termed "Conferences" and "Committees". Territorial zones are set and reset as each group strives for supremacy.
Those within the enclosure, metaphysically minded, and heedful of the future of the whole human race, had tired of such wastage of time, talent and human potential. Having seen the writing on the wall they had chosen to build impregnable cities to which all sincerely peaceful and humble people were welcome. Here alone was it possible to survive the onslaught of mass psychology and warfare. Herein the nucleus of humanity which would survive to Father A GLORIOUS RACE.
Here they waited out the seemingly interminable years. Although the "outsiders" bred in droves they suffered strange new diseases and once in a while held mass war drives to cut down on their numbers. Suicide was also common, both on individual and mass scales. Often after such outbreaks thousands would approach the "Bubble Cities" seeking entrance.
I see this picture in far greater detail than herein described. The characters in my vision actually live, talk and act. Their days are spent in concentrated effort to teach the 'outsiders" peace and love. As their adherents grow in number new cities are formed all over the Earth to accommodate all who wish to participate. Their wisdom is such that any error among themselves is instantly apparent and is given immediate attention.
110:4.6 For many thousands of years, so the records of Jerusem show, in each generation there have lived fewer and fewer beings who could function safely with self-acting Adjusters. This is an alarming picture, and the supervising personalities of Satania look with favor upon the proposals of some of your more immediate planetary supervisors who advocate the inauguration of measures designed to foster and conserve the higher spiritual types of the Urantia races.
As Jesus and the twelve visited with the messengers of the kingdom at Gerasa, one of the Pharisees who believed in him asked this question: "Lord, will there be few or many really saved?" And Jesus, answering, said:
"You have been taught that only the children of Abraham will be saved; that only the gentiles of adoption can hope for salvation. Some of you have reasoned that, since the Scriptures record that only Caleb and Joshua from among all the hosts that went out of Egypt lived to enter the promised land, only a comparatively few of those who seek the kingdom of heaven shall find entrance thereto.
"You also have another saying among you, and one that contains much truth: That the way which leads to eternal life is straight and narrow, that the door which leads thereto is likewise narrow so that, of those who seek salvation, few can find entrance through this door. You also have a teaching that the way which leads to destruction is broad, that the entrance thereto is wide, and that there are many who choose to go this way. And this proverb is not without its meaning. But I declare that salvation is first a matter of your personal choosing. Even if the door to the way of life is narrow, it is wide enough to admit all who sincerely seek to enter, for I am that door. And the Son will never refuse entrance to any child of the universe who, by faith, seeks to find the Father through the Son.
"But herein is the danger to all who would postpone their entrance into the kingdom while they continue to pursue the pleasures of immaturity and indulge the satisfactions of selfishness: Having refused to enter the kingdom as a spiritual experience, they may subsequently seek entrance thereto when the glory of the better way becomes revealed in the age to come. (See Loliad's Vision above) And when, therefore, those who spurned the kingdom when I came in the likeness of humanity seek to find an entrance when it is revealed in the likeness of divinity, then will I say to all such selfish ones: I know not whence you are. You had your chance to prepare for this heavenly citizenship, but you refused all such proffers of mercy; you rejected all invitations to come while the door was open. Now, to you who have refused salvation, the door is shut. This door is not open to those who would enter the kingdom for selfish glory. Salvation is not for those who are unwilling to pay the price of wholehearted dedication to doing my Father's will.
When in and you have turned your backs upon the Father's kingdom, it is useless in and to stand before this door and knock, saying, 'Lord, open to us; we would also be great in the kingdom.' Then will I declare that you are not of my fold. I will not receive you to be among those who have fought the good fight of faith and won the reward of unselfish service in the kingdom on earth.
And when you say, 'Did we not eat and drink with you, and did you not teach in our streets?' then shall I again declare that you are spiritual strangers; that we were not fellow servants in the Father's ministry of mercy on earth; that I do not know you; and then shall the Judge of all the earth say to you: 'Depart from us, all you who have taken delight in the works of iniquity.'
"But fear not; every one who sincerely desires to find eternal life by entrance into the kingdom of God shall certainly find such everlasting salvation. But you who refuse this salvation will some day see the prophets of the seed of Abraham sit down with the believers of the gentile nations in this glorified kingdom to partake of the bread of life and to refresh themselves with the water thereof. And they who shall thus take the kingdom in spiritual power and by the persistent assaults of living faith will come from the north and the south and from the east and the west. And, behold, many who are first will be last, and those who are last will many times be first."
This was indeed a new and strange version of the old and familiar proverb of the straight and narrow way.
151:4.1 The next day Jesus again taught the people from the boat, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while he slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and hastened away. And so when the young blades sprang up and later were about to bring forth fruit, there appeared also the weeds. Then the servants of this householder came and said to him: `Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Whence then come these weeds?' And he replied to his servants, `An enemy has done this.' The servants then asked their master, `Would you have us go out and pluck up these weeds?' But he answered them and said: `No, lest while you are gathering them up, you uproot the wheat also. Rather let them both grow together until the time of the harvest, when I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn and then gather up the wheat to be stored in my barn.'"
151:4.2 After the people had asked a few questions, Jesus spoke another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man sowed in his field. Now a mustard seed is the least of seeds, but when it is full grown, it becomes the greatest of all herbs and is like a tree so that the birds of heaven are able to come and rest in the branches thereof."
151:4.3 "The kingdom of heaven is also like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, and in this way it came about that all of the meal was leavened."
151:4.4 "The kingdom of heaven is also like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man discovered. In his joy he went forth to sell all he had that he might have the money to buy the field."
151:4.5 "The kingdom of heaven is also like a merchant seeking goodly pearls; and having found one pearl of great price, he went out and sold everything he possessed that he might be able to buy the extraordinary pearl."
151:4.6 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a sweep net which was cast into the sea, and it gathered up every kind of fish. Now, when the net was filled, the fishermen drew it up on the beach, where they sat down and sorted out the fish, gathering the good into vessels while the bad they threw away."
151:4.7 Many other parables spoke Jesus to the multitudes. In fact, from this time forward he seldom taught the masses except by this means. After speaking to a public audience in parables, he would, during the evening classes, more fully and explicitly expound his teachings to the apostles and the evangelists.