This past year The School of Meanings and Values has featured three presentations in an ongoing series called Expanded Truth. Topics have included God, the Father, the Eternal Son, and the Father Fragment: The Thought Adjuster. From these experiences comes a proposal.

There are old truths that need to be restated to the world in new language, and in addition, new concepts meant for this time and beyond. These ideas are for all seekers of truth, now ready to read, learn, listen, accept, or any one of the above from people all over the world. There is as yet no plan of action or philosophic approach, no expertise on effective ways to teach the expanded truth to mainstream individuals. We want to begin to explore this.

We are considering holding a Teachers’ Conclave that would bring together everyone who has taught or desires to teach the expanded truth of the Fifth Epochal Revelation. The Conclave would provide a forum for sharing experiences, successes, practicing presentations for helpful feedback, formulating new methods of teaching and inspiring one another in the challenge of teaching. All the while we remain students . . .keeping in the foreground the knowledge that students are future teachers and teachers are forever students.

We are looking for teachers from all over the world. It is important to come together to brainstorm and share, benefiting from corporate wisdom and experience. If you are a teacher, if you desire to be one who disseminates in this way, if you are not sure, but want to learn ideas for expressing your faith as you pass by... plan to join us for this unique conclave.

We are in the process of working out a weekend retreat for early 1999, and would like to hear from you. We want this to be a real practical, active "hands-on" experience.

What do you think? But not too many words...save those for the Conclave!

What unifies us today is our awareness that the dawn of a new and enlightened spiritual era on Urantia is here, and we have enlisted as pilgrims of its progress. Just as the light of dawn disseminates across the horizon on a world of space, so must the dawn of a new spiritual era be disseminated across the horizon until it encompasses the whole of humankind.

Evolution and revelation are partners in this process. Revelation is evolutionary, and its mission is to sort and censor the successive religions of evolution. But if it is to exalt and upstep religion then these upsteppings of revelation must not be too far removed from the thought and reactions of the age in which they are presented. Thus must and does revelation always keep in touch with evolution. Always must the religion of revelation be limited by man’s capacity of receptivity. ⁽¹⁰⁰⁷⁾

Herein lies the paradox:

The nature and content of this sweeping Fifth Epochal Revelation seems to contradict the statement on page 1007 regarding the progression of revelational upstepping.

The key word here is sweeping. The question is not why did we receive the revelation, buy why such an extraordinary one? It is clear to all of us why we received it. On our historically beleaguered and quarantined planet, science is rapidly advancing, evolutionary religion is stalled, and man’s attempt at coordinating these two domains into a logical philosophy has failed. Revelation is needed to illuminate evolutionary religion and to aid man in constructing a new and logical philosophy whereby he can arrive at an understanding of his sure and settled place in the universe.

But why is The Urantia Book so revealing in its extent of universal truth? Why is it "out of step" in its upstepping? I believe that modern Agondonter man has been given a unique challenge, and it’s not what you’re thinking - live The Urantia Book teachings in our lives, disseminate the book - it’s much more than that.

Let’s go back for a moment to the Bestowal Commission. Remember what Immanuel said to Michael in the final words of the bestowal charge:

"Your great mission is to reveal God to man, and "....exhibit in your one short life in the flesh, as it has never before been seen in all Nebadon, the transcendent possibilities attainable by God-knowing humans during the short career of mortal existence; and make a new and illuminating interpretation of man and the vicissitudes of his planetary life to all superhuman intelligences of all Nebadon, and for all time."⁽¹³²⁸⁾

On the morning of April 7, AD 30, two thousand years ago, as he stood before Pilate, Jesus did just that.

He raised us all up in the eyes of his universe. He demonstrated that man on a backward planet could champion all his vicissitudes. He validated for eternity the Father’s ascension plan. He exhibited once and for all, that faith-children of the realms are undauntable. His life exemplified that all of humanity’s transcendent possibilities are attainable when man goes in partnership with God. Two thousand years later, The Urantia Book is our wake-up call to that partnership. And, it is Jesus’ illumination of man’s maximum human potential that beckons us to our task.

We are now in partnership with God in a unique and unprecedented plan for the spiritual and social reconstruction of the planet. It’s the biggest deal ever made, and we need a universe perspective to understand our partnership role.

Look at the missions of the divine sons on an average plant. The great social achievement of the Planetary Prince Age is the emergence of family life. Next, the culminating development of the following era, the Adamic Age, is universal interest in true philosophy, and the crowning achievement of this age is Social Brotherhood. Then, with brotherhood flourishing, the Magisterial Avonal Sons arrive to begin their work of spiritual uplift. Anywhere from 25 to 50 thousand years they work to bring the planet to its highest ethical standard and to a fullness of a great spiritual awakening. And when the planet is ripe for spiritualization, a Bestowal Son arrives to demonstrate "the new and living way." ^{(Paper 52)}

The established plan is always social brotherhood first; and then comes the spiritualization of humanity. On our world the plan fell into disarray and modern man is now floundering in his predicament of intellectual progress hindered by spiritual stagnation. So in our case, we are going to have to do it the other way around. On Urantia it is the upstepping of the spiritualization of humanity which will lead us to the next required evolutionary goal which is universal social brotherhood.

That’s the purpose of our task.

The challenge, from on high, is that this tremendous task has been given to Agondonters.

Can we, the early receivers of the Urantia Revelation, collectively in the next century and progressively during the next millennium, harness our potential and successfully broadcast the new teachings for the advancement of all evolutionary religions and for the spiritual and cultural enlightenment of all mankind? Will we be the men and women who will presage the eventual flowering of a new and universal philosophy on earth? That is not to say we are to become philosophers. Our role is to be the teachers of expanded truth. "Religion needs new teachers who will dare to depend solely on Jesus and his incomparable teachings."

The quickest way to realize the brotherhood of man on Urantia is to effect the spiritual transformation of present-day humanity.⁽⁵⁹⁷⁾

"Urantia is now quivering on the very brink of one of its most amazing and enthralling epochs of social readjustments, moral quickening and spiritual enlightenment. And if Christianity continues to neglect its mission, then the spiritual renaissance will await the coming of these new teachers of Jesus’ religion. And these souls will quickly supply the leadership and inspiration for the social, moral, economic and political reorganization of the world."⁽²⁰⁸²⁾ We’re also told that this new and oncoming social order will not settle down for a millennium, and that these progressing changes in the upstepping of social relations can result in lasting brotherhood only by the ministry of religion. ⁽¹⁰⁸⁶⁾

In the drama which is about to unfold, the cast of characters does not include superhuman personalities. Thousands of lead parts have been handed out, freely given to any outstretched hand. And, with confidence from unseen directors, we have been given blank scripts. Dissemination plans were not part of the revelation. It’s up to us to chart a wise course.

Let us start out with the understanding that in the modern era we must be the evangels of new and advanced spiritual truth which will pave the way to the universal acceptance of the golden rule. Regarding the future, we can’t revive primitive Christianity, but we can baptize the world with a new revelation of Jesus’ life and illuminate mankind with the spiritual truths of his gospel.

We are told that it is not the first mile of compulsion, duty or convention that will transform man and his world, but rather the second mile of free service and liberty-loving devotion that betokens the Jesusonian reaching forth to grasp his brother in love and guide him toward the higher and divine goal of mortal existence.

In delivering his Epochal Sermon, Jesus concluded by stating: "I declare to you that I have come to proclaim spiritual liberty, teach eternal truth and foster living faith." On that day he inaugurated the final, spiritual phase of his gospel: Divine Sonship, Spiritual Liberty, Eternal Salvation.

Teachers of expanded truth, with leadership and inspiration, are called to carry forward the restatement of this triune message of Jesus with new meaning and power.

In preparation, we would do well to review Immanuel’s Bestowal charge to Michael:^(1328.5)

"Function largely as a teacher; first, give attention to the liberation and inspiration of man’s spiritual nature; next, illuminate the human intellect; heal the souls of men, emancipate their minds from age old fears; set rebellion segregated man spiritually free."

These particular words of counsel should be taken to heart by the teachers of advancing spiritual truth. We are to so conduct ourselves that the effect we have will be to illuminate, liberate, and inspire all those we come in contact with.

"...with leadership and inspiration..."⁽²⁰⁸²⁾

We know that when religious groups form, that act of formalizing often destroys the very values for the promotion of which the group was organized. This can be significantly minimized if the religionist remains socially fragrant. A group of socially fragrant religionists working together can illuminate their objectives so long as their leadership is motivated by unselfish and loving social service.

Teachers/leaders need to consider the words of advice on page 1089: "Transition Difficulties." It points out that, for man, the difficulty is in forsaking the religions of fear without immediately grasping the revelatory religion of love. For the world, the difficulty lies in the confusion which presently exists as Urantia struggles with its many contending philosophies of religion.

The prerequisite for going forward is to start out with wise leadership, consisting of inspired and socially fragrant religionists, who understand that the way forward requires character in the face of difficulty.

These words of Jesus, issued to his apostles, must be our charge:

"Your mission to the world is founded on the fact that I lived a God-revealing life among you; the truth that you and all other men are the sons of God; and it shall consist in the life which you live among men, the actual and living experience of loving men and serving them, even as I have loved and served you." ⁽²⁰⁴³⁾

"Go preach this salvation of sonship with God; remember that salvation is a free gift and those who have willingly received this gift will immediately show forth the fruits of the spirit in their loving service to their fellows.⁽²⁰⁵⁴⁾

With the foregoing in place, the way is truly simple:

Know the Message: Teach the new spiritual brotherhood of Jesus:

Divine Sonship

Spiritual Liberty

Eternal Salvation

Know the Goal: Planetary Social Brotherhood

Do it with spiritual fragrance, as we pass by; show forth the fruits of the spirit

Do it with inspired leadership

Armed with the message and nourished by the fruits of the spirit for the way ahead, let us take up the challenge and go forward as true soldiers of the circles towards the goal of a spiritually inspired, socially transformed human society where man loves his brother and calls a loving God his Father.

The School of Meanings and Values, through Abbey Tape Duplicators in Chatsworth, CA, has just completed the re-mastering of 28 single 1958-59 lecture series tapes by Bill Sadler. These tapes are now in the public domain having been circulated since the early seventies, and are not copyrightable. The sound is not perfect, but one who listens will be interested in the remarkable content. Bud Kagan describes the history of the Bill Sadler tapes:

The Mystery Monitors are not thought helpers, they are thought adjusters. They labor with the material mind for the purpose of constructing, by adjustment and spiritualization, a new mind for the new worlds and the new name of your future career. Their mission chiefly concerns the future life, not this life. They are called the heavenly helpers, not the earthly helpers. They are not interested in making the mortal career easy; rather are they concerned in making your life reasonably difficult and rugged, so that decisions will be stimulated and multiplied. The presence of a great Thought Adjuster does not bestow ease of living and freedom from strenuous thinking, but such a divine gift should confer a sublime peace of mind and a superb tranquillity of spirit.

Your transient and ever-changing emotions of joy and sorrow are in the main purely human and material reactions to your internal psychic climate and to your external material environment. Do not, therefore, look to the Adjuster for selfish consolation and mortal comfort. It is the business of the Adjuster to prepare you for the eternal adventure, to assure your survival. It is not the mission of the Mystery Monitor to smooth your ruffled feelings or to minister to your injured pride; it is the preparation of your soul for the long ascending career that engages the attention and occupies the time of the Adjuster.

The Thought Adjusters would like to change your feelings of fear to convictions of love and confidence; but they cannot mechanically and arbitrarily do such things; that is your task. In executing those decisions which deliver you from the fetters of fear, you literally

supply the psychic fulcrum on which the Adjuster may subsequently apply a spiritual lever of uplifting and advancing illumination

Although the divine indwellers are chiefly concerned with your spiritual preparation for the next stage of the never-ending existence, they are also deeply interested in your temporal welfare and your real achievements on earth. They are delighted to contribute to your health, happiness, and true prosperity. They are not indifferent to your success in all matters of planetary advancement which are not inimical to your future life of eternal progress.

Adjusters are interested in, and concerned with your daily doings and the manifold details of your life just to the extent that these are influential in the determination of your significant temporal choices and vital spiritual decisions and, hence, are factors in the solution of your problem of soul survival and eternal progress. The Adjuster, while passive regarding temporal welfare, is divinely active concerning all the affairs of your eternal future.

There was a group of nature lovers that enjoyed hiking up a beautiful canyon. It was quite a lengthy hike and especially arduous during the hot summer months. But the canyon was beautiful beyond description and the view from the top was celestial.

The group had been hiking this canyon for more than 40 years. During one hike, several of the newer members spied what looked to be a shortcut that could save several hours of hiking to the top. They exhorted the group to try it, but the leaders advised that making the new shortcut path could severely erode the beautiful canyon walls. But the new members tried the shortcut anyway.

After two or three years it became evident that the new trail was being used by most hikers and the trail rangers were powerless to close it off. Each year the rains came and eroded the canyon walls around the shortcut trail. The beautiful canyon became scarred and altered over the years.

After about seven years there came many weeks of torrential rains. When the sun finally appeared the already eroded canyon walls had collapsed in a landslide which filled the canyon floor, permanently closing it off to everyone.

K. Brendi Poppel, a member of our Teaching Staff, recently presented a discussion and review of The Urantia Book at the Santa Barbara Borders Book Store. Included in her talk were the important concepts of the book and its integration of science, religion and philosophy. She also told her own dramatic story of how she came to read and how it transformed her life. Brendi has been a student of The Urantia Book for over 25 years and has given public introductions in LA sponsored by our School, and has led seminars and introduced The Urantia Book on Santa Barbara Cable TV.

We are pleased to announce that Dorothy Elder of Los Angeles has become the newest member of our Teaching Staff. Dorothy was an original founder / director of the School and has always believed in the purpose and mission statement which she herself contributed to. Her unusual understanding of the Urantia teachings, her expertise as a presenter, and her commitment to service are outstanding.

The SMV staff extends a special thank you to Valerie Becker and Darlene Sheatz for their computer and secretarial help over the past years. Valerie has been providing desktop publishing on the Conjoint Reader and formatting articles and

study aids for our web site. This collaboration, accomplished in spite of 1000 miles of distance, is due to the amazing technologies at our fingertips, and Valerie’s sincere expression of love and service.

Darlene assumed the responsibilities of secretary after Valerie’s departure from California. She served us faithfully in spite of her hectic life as a single parent and working two jobs. Service beyond the call of duty!

The School, along with First Society of Los Angeles (FSLA) jointly sponsored a Urantia Book Booth at the annual UCLA Book Fair on April 25-26. Stella Religa, an SMV Advisor, and Norman Ingram arranged for and headed up the booth activities.