Dropping back to Part 2 papers on the Local Universe before we continue with the history of the planet as some Beings need to be introduced and other factors learned before we get to the Planetary Prince and his entourage coming to the planet.It is this Prince and entourage that have given rise to so many of the 'myth's and 'stories' that have reappeared once again in the late 20th,and early 21st centuries...
Paper 37
Personalities of the Local Universe
37:0.1 (406.1) AT THE head of all personality in Nebadon stands the Creator and Master Son, Michael, the universe father and sovereign. Coordinate in divinity and complementary in creative attributes is the local universe Mother Spirit, the Divine Minister of Salvington. And these creators are in a very literal sense the Father-Son and the Spirit-Mother of all the native creatures of Nebadon.
37:0.2 (406.2) Preceding papers have dealt with the created orders of sonship; succeeding narratives will portray the ministering spirits and the ascending orders of sonship. This paper is chiefly concerned with an intervening group, the Universe Aids, but it will also give brief consideration to certain of the higher spirits stationed in Nebadon and to certain of the orders of permanent citizenship in the local universe.
37:1.1 (406.3) Many of the unique orders generally grouped in this category are unrevealed, but as presented in these papers, the Universe Aids include the following seven orders:
37:1.9 (406.11) Of the first order of Universe Aids, the Bright and Morning Stars, there is just one in each local universe, and he is the first-born of all creatures native to a local universe. The Bright and Morning Star of our universe is known as Gabriel of Salvington. He is the chief executive of all Nebadon, functioning as the personal representative of the Sovereign Son and as spokesman for his creative consort.
37:1.10 (406.12) During the earlier times of Nebadon, Gabriel worked quite alone with Michael and the Creative Spirit. As the universe grew and administrative problems multiplied, he was provided with a personal staff of unrevealed assistants, and eventually this group was augmented by the creation of the Nebadon corps of Evening Stars.
37:2.1 (407.1) These brilliant creatures were planned by the Melchizedek's and were then brought into being by the Creator Son and the Creative Spirit. They serve in many capacities but chiefly as liaison officers of Gabriel, the local universe chief executive. One or more of these beings function as his representatives at the capital of every constellation and system in Nebadon.
37:2.2 (407.2) As chief executive of Nebadon, Gabriel is ex officio chairman of, or observer at, most of the Salvington conclaves, and as many as one thousand of these are often in session simultaneously. The Brilliant Evening Stars represent Gabriel on these occasions; he cannot be in two places at the same time, and these superangels compensate for this limitation. They perform an analogous service for the corps of the Trinity Teacher Sons.
37:2.3 (407.3) Though personally occupied with administrative duties, Gabriel maintains contact with all other phases of universe life and affairs through the Brilliant Evening Stars. They always accompany him on his planetary tours and frequently go on special missions to the individual planets as his personal representatives. On such assignments they have sometimes been known as “the angel of the Lord.” They frequently go to Uversa to represent the Bright and Morning Star before the courts and assemblies of the Ancients of Days, but they seldom journey beyond the confines of Orvonton.
37:2.4 (407.4) The Brilliant Evening Stars are a unique twofold order, embracing some of created dignity and others of attained service. The Nebadon corps of these superangels now numbers 13,641. There are 4,832 of created dignity, while 8,809 are ascendant spirits who have attained this goal of exalted service. Many of these ascendant Evening Stars started their universe careers as seraphim; others have ascended from unrevealed levels of creature life. As an attainment goal this high corps is never closed to ascension candidates so long as a universe is not settled in light and life.
37:2.5 (407.5) Both types of Brilliant Evening Stars are easily visible to morontia personalities and certain types of super-mortal material beings. The created beings of this interesting and versatile order possess a spirit force which can be manifested independently of their personal presence.
37:2.6 (407.6) The head of these super-angels is Gavalia, the first-born of this order in Nebadon. Since the return of Christ Michael from his triumphant bestowal on Urantia, Gavalia has been assigned to the ascendant mortal ministry, and for the last nineteen hundred Urantia years his associate, Galantia, has maintained headquarters on Jerusem, where he spends about half of his time. Galantia is the first of the ascendant super-angels to attain this high estate.
37:2.7 (407.7) No grouping or company organization of the Brilliant Evening Stars exists other than their customary association in pairs on many assignments. They are not extensively assigned on missions pertaining to the ascendant career of mortals, but when thus commissioned, they never function alone. They always work in pairs — one a created being, the other an ascendant Evening Star.
37:2.8 (407.8) One of the high duties of the Evening Stars is to accompany the Avonal bestowal Sons on their planetary missions, even as Gabriel accompanied Michael on his Urantia bestowal. The two attending superangels are the ranking personalities of such missions, serving as co-commanders of the archangels and all others assigned to these undertakings. It is the senior of these super-angel commanders who, at the significant time and age, bids the Avonal bestowal Son, “Be about your brother’s business.”
37:2.9 (408.1) Similar pairs of these superangels are assigned to the planetary corps of Trinity Teacher Sons that functions to establish the postbestowal or dawning spiritual age of an inhabited world. On such assignments the Evening Stars serve as liaisons between the mortals of the realm and the invisible corps of Teacher Sons.
37:2.10 (408.2) The Worlds of the Evening Stars. The sixth group of seven Salvington worlds and their forty-two tributary satellites are assigned to the administration of the Brilliant Evening Stars. The seven primary worlds are presided over by the created orders of these super-angels, while the tributary satellites are administered by ascendant Evening Stars.
37:2.11 (408.3) The satellites of the first three worlds are devoted to the schools of the Teacher Sons and the Evening Stars dedicated to the spirit personalities of the local universe. The next three groups are occupied by similar joint schools devoted to the training of ascending mortals. The seventh-world satellites are reserved for the triune deliberations of the Teacher Sons, the Evening Stars, and the finaliters. During recent times these super-angels have been closely identified with the local universe work of the Corps of the Finality, and they have long been associated with the Teacher Sons. There exists a liaison of tremendous power and import between the Evening Stars and the Gravity Messengers attached to the finaliter working groups. The seventh primary world itself is reserved for those unrevealed matters which pertain to the future relationship that will obtain between the Teacher Sons, the finaliters, and the Evening Stars consequent upon the completed emergence of the super-universe manifestation of the personality of God the Supreme.
37:3.2 (408.5) Archangels are one of the few groups of local universe personalities who are not normally under the jurisdiction of Gabriel. They are not in any manner concerned with the routine administration of the universe, being dedicated to the work of creature survival and to the furtherance of the ascending career of the mortals of time and space. While not ordinarily subject to the direction of the Bright and Morning Star, the archangels do sometimes function by his authority. They also collaborate with others of the Universe Aids, such as the Evening Stars, as is illustrated by certain transactions depicted in the narrative of life transplantation on your world.
37:3.3 (408.6) The archangel corps of Nebadon is directed by the first-born of this order, and in more recent times a divisional headquarters of the archangels has been maintained on Urantia. It is this unusual fact that soon arrests the attention of extra-Nebadon student visitors. Among their early observations of intrauniverse transactions is the discovery that many ascendant activities of the Brilliant Evening Stars are directed from the capital of a local system, Satania. On further examination they discover that certain archangel activities are directed from a small and apparently insignificant inhabited world called Urantia. And then ensues the revelation of Michael’s bestowal on Urantia and their immediately quickened interest in you and your lowly sphere.
37:3.4 (409.1) Do you grasp the significance of the fact that your lowly and confused planet has become a divisional headquarters for the universe administration and direction of certain archangel activities having to do with the Paradise ascension scheme? This undoubtedly presages the future concentration of other ascendant activities on the bestowal world of Michael and lends a tremendous and solemn import to the Master’s personal promise, “I will come again.”
37:3.5 (409.2) In general, the archangels are assigned to the service and ministry of the Avonal order of sonship, but not until they have passed through extensive preliminary training in all phases of the work of the various ministering spirits. A corps of one hundred accompanies every Paradise bestowal Son to an inhabited world, being temporarily assigned to him for the duration of such a bestowal. If the Magisterial Son should become temporary ruler of the planet, these archangels would act as the directing heads of all celestial life on that sphere.
37:3.6 (409.3) Two senior archangels are always assigned as the personal aids of a Paradise Avonal on all planetary missions, whether involving judicial actions, magisterial missions, or bestowal incarnations. When this Paradise Son has finished the judgment of a realm and the dead are called to record (the so-called resurrection), it is literally true that the seraphic guardians of the slumbering personalities respond to “the voice of the archangel.” The roll call of a dispensation termination is promulgated by an attendant archangel. This is the archangel of the resurrection, sometimes referred to as the “archangel of Michael.”
37:3.7 (409.4) The Worlds of the Archangels. The seventh group of the encircling Salvington worlds, with their associated satellites, is assigned to the archangels. Sphere number one and all of its six tributary satellites are occupied by the personality record keepers. This enormous corps of recorders busy themselves with keeping straight the record of each mortal of time from the moment of birth up through the universe career until such an individual either leaves Salvington for the super-universe regime or is “blotted out of recorded existence” by the mandate of the Ancients of Days.
37:4.2 (409.7) From time to time we thus benefit from the ministry and assistance of such Paradise-origin beings as Perfectors of Wisdom, Divine Counselors, Universal Censors, Inspired Trinity Spirits, Trinitized Sons, Solitary Messengers, supernaphim, seconaphim, tertiaphim, and other gracious ministers, who sojourn with us for the purpose of helping our native personalities in the effort to bring all Nebadon into fuller harmony with the ideas of Orvonton and the ideals of Paradise.
37:4.3 (410.1) Any of these beings may be voluntarily serving in Nebadon and hence be technically outside our jurisdiction, but when functioning by assignment, such personalities of the super- and central universes are not wholly exempt from the regulations of the local universe of their sojourn, though they continue to function as representatives of the higher universes and to work in accordance with the instructions which constitute their mission in our realm. Their general headquarters is situated in the Salvington sector of the Union of Days, and they operate in Nebadon subject to the over supervision of this ambassador of the Paradise Trinity. When serving in unattached groups, these personalities from the higher realms are usually self-directing, but when serving on request, they often voluntarily place themselves wholly under the jurisdiction of the supervising directors of the realms of assigned function.
37:4.4 (410.2) Most High Assistants serve in local universe and in constellation capacities but are not directly attached to the system or planetary governments. They may, however, function anywhere in the local universe and may be assigned to any phase of Nebadon activity — administrative, executive, educational, and others.
37:4.5 (410.3) Most of this corps is enlisted in assisting the Nebadon Paradise personalities — the Union of Days, the Creator Son, the Faithfuls of Days, the Magisterial Sons, and the Trinity Teacher Sons. Now and then in the transaction of the affairs of a local creation it becomes wise to withhold certain details, temporarily, from the knowledge of practically all of the native personalities of that local universe. Certain advanced plans and complex rulings are also better grasped and more fully understood by the more mature and farseeing corps of Most High Assistants, and it is in such situations, and many others, that they are so highly serviceable to the universe rulers and administrators.
37:5.1 (410.4) The High Commissioners are Spirit-fused ascendant mortals; they are not Adjuster fused. You quite well understand about the universe-ascension career of a mortal candidate for Adjuster fusion, that being the high destiny in prospect for all Urantia mortals since the bestowal of Christ Michael. But this is not the exclusive destiny of all mortals in the pre-bestowal ages of worlds like yours, and there is another type of world whose inhabitants are never permanently indwelt by Thought Adjusters. Such mortals are never permanently joined in union with a Mystery Monitor of Paradise bestowal; nevertheless, the Adjusters do transiently indwell them, serving as guides and patterns for the duration of the life in the flesh. During this temporary sojourn they foster the evolution of an immortal soul just as in those beings with whom they hope to fuse, but when the mortal race is run, they take eternal leave of the creatures of temporary association.
37:5.2 (410.5) Surviving souls of this order attain immortality by eternal fusion with an individualized fragment of the spirit of the local universe Mother Spirit. They are not a numerous group, at least not in Nebadon. On the mansion worlds you will meet and fraternize with these Spirit-fused mortals as they ascend the Paradise path with you as far as Salvington, where they stop. Some of them may subsequently ascend to higher universe levels, but the majority will forever remain in the service of the local universe; as a class they are not destined to attain Paradise.
37:5.4 (411.2) After attaining the Nebadon Corps of Perfection, Spirit-fused ascenders may accept assignment as Universe Aids, this being one of the avenues of continuing experiential growth which is open to them. Thus do they become candidates for commissions to the high service of interpreting the viewpoints of the evolving creatures of the material worlds to the celestial authorities of the local universe.
37:5.5 (411.3) The High Commissioners begin their service on the planets as race commissioners. In this capacity they interpret the viewpoints and portray the needs of the various human races. They are supremely devoted to the welfare of the mortal races whose spokesmen they are, ever seeking to obtain for them mercy, justice, and fair treatment in all relationships with other peoples. Race commissioners function in an endless series of planetary crises and serve as the articulate expression of whole groups of struggling mortals.
37:5.6 (411.4) After long experience in problem solving on the inhabited worlds, these race commissioners are advanced to the higher levels of function, eventually attaining the status of High Commissioners of and in the local universe. The last registration recorded slightly over one and one-half billion of these High Commissioners in Nebadon. These beings are not finaliters, but they are ascendant beings of long experience and of great service to their native realm.
37:5.7 (411.5) We invariably find these commissioners in all the tribunals of justice, from the lowest to the highest. Not that they participate in the proceedings of justice, but they do act as friends of the court, advising the presiding magistrates respecting the antecedents, environment, and inherent nature of those concerned in the adjudication.
37:5.8 (411.6) High Commissioners are attached to the various messenger hosts of space and always to the ministering spirits of time. They are encountered on the programs of various universe assemblies, and these same mortal-wise commissioners are always attached to the missions of the Sons of God to the worlds of space.
37:5.9 (411.7) Whenever fairness and justice require an understanding of how a contemplated policy or procedure would affect the evolutionary races of time, these commissioners are at hand to present their recommendations; they are always present to speak for those who cannot be present to speak for themselves.
37:5.10 (411.8) The Worlds of the Spirit-fused Mortals. The eighth group of seven primary worlds and tributary satellites in the Salvington circuit are the exclusive possession of the Spirit-fused mortals of Nebadon. Ascending Adjuster-fused mortals are not concerned with these worlds except to enjoy many pleasant and profitable sojourns as the invited guests of the Spirit-fused residents.
37:5.11 (411.9) Except for those few who attain Uversa and Paradise, these worlds are the permanent residence of the Spirit-fused survivors. Such designed limitation of mortal ascent reacts to the good of the local universes by insuring the retention of a permanent evolved population whose augmenting experience will continue to enhance the future stabilization and diversification of the local universe administration. These beings may not attain Paradise, but they achieve an experiential wisdom in the mastery of Nebadon problems that utterly surpasses anything attained by the transient ascenders. And these surviving souls continue as unique combinations of the human and the divine, being increasingly able to unite the viewpoints of these two widely separate levels and to present such a dual viewpoint with ever-heightening wisdom.
37:6.1 (412.1) The Nebadon educational system is jointly administered by the Trinity Teacher Sons and the Melchizedek teaching corps, but much of the work designed to effect its maintenance and up-building is carried on by the Celestial Overseers. These beings are a recruited corps embracing all types of individuals connected with the scheme of educating and training the ascending mortals. There are upward of three million of them in Nebadon, and they are all volunteers who have qualified by experience to serve as educational advisers to the entire realm. From their headquarters on the Salvington worlds of the Melchizedek's, these overseers range the local universe as inspectors of the Nebadon school technique designed to effect the mind training and the spirit education of the ascending creatures.
37:6.2 (412.2) This training of mind and education of spirit is carried on from the worlds of human origin up through the system mansion worlds and the other spheres of progress associated with Jerusem, on the seventy socializing realms attached to Edentia, and on the four hundred and ninety spheres of spirit progress encircling Salvington. On the universe headquarters itself are numerous Melchizedek schools, the colleges of the Universe Sons, the seraphic universities, and the schools of the Teacher Sons and the Union of Days. Every possible provision is made to qualify the various personalities of the universe for advancing service and improving function. The entire universe is one vast school.
37:6.3 (412.3) The methods employed in many of the higher schools are beyond the human concept of the art of teaching truth, but this is the keynote of the whole educational system: character acquired by enlightened experience. The teachers provide the enlightenment; the universe station and the ascender’s status afford the opportunity for experience; the wise utilization of these two augments character.
37:6.4 (412.4) Fundamentally, the Nebadon educational system provides for your assignment to a task and then affords you opportunity to receive instruction as to the ideal and divine method of best performing that task. You are given a definite task to perform, and at the same time you are provided with teachers who are qualified to instruct you in the best method of executing your assignment. The divine plan of education provides for the intimate association of work and instruction. We teach you how best to execute the things we command you to do.
37:6.6 (412.6) The progression of eternity does not consist solely in spiritual development. Intellectual acquisition is also a part of universal education. The experience of the mind is broadened equally with the expansion of the spiritual horizon. Mind and spirit are afforded like opportunities for training and advancement. But in all this superb training of mind and spirit you are forever free from the handicaps of mortal flesh. No longer must you constantly referee the conflicting contentions of your divergent spiritual and material natures. At last you are qualified to enjoy the unified urge of a glorified mind long since divested of primitive animalistic trends towards things material.
37:7.1 (413.2) The Mansion World Teachers are recruited and glorified cherubim. Like most other instructors in Nebadon they are commissioned by the Melchizedek's. They function in most of the educational enterprises of the morontia life, and their number is quite beyond the comprehension of mortal mind.
37:8.2 (413.5) The Solitary Messengers, when functionally attached to the local universe administration, render invaluable service to us in our efforts to overcome the handicaps of time and space. When they are not thus assigned, we of the local universes have absolutely no authority over them, but even then these unique beings are always willing to help us with the solution of our problems and with the execution of our mandates.
37:8.3 (413.6) Andovontia is the name of the tertiary Universe Circuit Supervisor stationed in our local universe. He is concerned only with spirit and morontia circuits, not with those under the jurisdiction of the power directors. It was he who isolated Urantia at the time of the Caligastia betrayal of the planet during the testing seasons of the Lucifer rebellion. In sending greetings to the mortals of Urantia, he expresses pleasure in the anticipation of your sometime restoration to the universe circuits of his supervision.
37:8.4 (413.7) The Nebadon Census Director, Salsatia, maintains headquarters within the Gabriel sector of Salvington. He is automatically cognizant of the birth and death of will and currently registers the exact number of will creatures functioning in the local universe. He works in close association with the personality recorders domiciled on the record worlds of the archangels.
37:8.6 (414.1) The Universal Conciliators are the traveling courts of the universes of time and space, functioning from the evolutionary worlds up through every section of the local universe and on beyond. These referees are registered on Uversa; the exact number operating in Nebadon is not of record, but I estimate that there are in the neighborhood of one hundred million conciliating commissions in our local universe.
37:8.10 (414.5) Each universe has its own native angelic corps; nevertheless, there are occasions on which it is very helpful to have the assistance of those higher spirits of origin outside the local creation. Supernaphim perform certain rare and unique services; the present chief of Urantia seraphim is a primary supernaphim of Paradise. The reflective seconaphim are encountered wherever the super-universe personnel is functioning, and a great many tertiaphim are of temporary service as Most High Assistants.
37:9.6 (414.11) These natives of the local creation, together with the Spirit-fused ascenders and the spironga (who are otherwise classified), constitute a relatively permanent citizenship. These orders of beings are by and large neither ascending nor descending. They are all experiential creatures, but their enlarging experience continues to be available to the universe on their level of origin. While this is not wholly true of the Adamic Sons and midway creatures, it is relatively true of these orders.
37:9.7 (414.12) The Susatia. These marvelous beings reside and function as permanent citizens on Salvington, the headquarters of this local universe. They are the brilliant offspring of the Creator Son and Creative Spirit and are closely associated with the ascendant citizens of the local universe, the Spirit-fused mortals of the Nebadon Corps of Perfection.
37:9.8 (414.13) The Univitatia. Each of the one hundred constellation headquarters clusters of architectural spheres enjoys the continuous ministry of a residential order of beings known as the univitatia. These children of the Creator Son and the Creative Spirit constitute the permanent population of the constellation headquarters worlds. They are non-reproducing beings existing on a plane of life about halfway between the semi-material status of the Material Sons domiciled on the system headquarters and the more definitely spiritual plane of the Spirit-fused mortals and the susatia of Salvington; but the univitatia are not morontia beings. They accomplish for ascending mortals during the traversal of the constellation spheres what the Havona natives contribute to the pilgrim spirits passing through the central creation.
37:9.9 (415.1) The Material Sons of God. When a creative liaison between the Creator Son and the universe representative of the Infinite Spirit, the Universe Mother Spirit, has completed its cycle, when no more offspring of the combined nature are forthcoming, then does the Creator Son personalize in dual form his last concept of being, thus finally confirming his own and original dual origin. In and of himself he then creates the beautiful and superb Sons and Daughters of the material order of universe sonship. This is the origin of the original Adam and Eve of each local system of Nebadon. They are a reproducing order of sonship, being created male and female. Their progeny function as the relatively permanent citizens of a system capital, though some are commissioned as Planetary Adams.
37:9.10 (415.2) On a planetary mission the Material Son and Daughter are commissioned to found the Adamic race of that world, a race designed eventually to amalgamate with the mortal inhabitants of that sphere. Planetary Adams are both descending and ascending Sons, but we ordinarily class them as ascending.
37:9.11 (415.3) The Midway Creatures. In the early days of most inhabited worlds, certain superhuman but materialized beings are of assignment, but they usually retire upon the arrival of the Planetary Adams. The transactions of such beings and the efforts of the Material Sons to improve the evolutionary races often result in the appearance of a limited number of creatures who are difficult to classify. These unique beings are often midway between the Material Sons and the evolutionary creatures; hence their designation, midway creatures. In a comparative sense these midwayers are the permanent citizens of the evolutionary worlds. From the early days of the arrival of a Planetary Prince to the far-distant time of the settling of the planet in light and life, they are the only group of intelligent beings to remain continuously on the sphere. On Urantia the midway ministers are in reality the actual custodians of the planet; they are, practically speaking, the citizens of Urantia. Mortals are indeed the physical and material inhabitants of an evolutionary world, but you are all so short-lived; you tarry on your nativity planet such a short time. You are born, live, die, and pass on to other worlds of evolutionary progression. Even the superhuman beings who serve on the planets as celestial ministers are of transient assignment; few of them are long attached to a given sphere. The midway creatures, however, provide continuity of planetary administration in the face of ever-changing celestial ministries and constantly shifting mortal inhabitants. Throughout all of this never-ceasing changing and shifting, the midway creatures remain on the planet uninterruptedly carrying on their work.
37:9.12 (415.4) In like manner, all divisions of the administrative organization of the local universes and super-universes have their more or less permanent populations, inhabitants of citizenship status. As Urantia has its midwayers, Jerusem, your system capital, has the Material Sons and Daughters; Edentia, your constellation headquarters, has the univitatia, while the citizens of Salvington are twofold, the created susatia and the evolved Spirit-fused mortals. The administrative worlds of the minor and major sectors of the super-universes do not have permanent citizens. But the Uversa headquarters spheres are continuously fostered by an amazing group of beings known as the abandonters, the creation of the unrevealed agents of the Ancients of Days and the seven Reflective Spirits resident on the capital of Orvonton. These residential citizens on Uversa are at present administering the routine affairs of their world under the immediate supervision of the Uversa corps of the Son-fused mortals. Even Havona has its native beings, and the central Isle of Light and Life is the home of the various groups of Paradise Citizens.
37:10.1 (416.1) Besides the seraphic and mortal orders, who will be considered in later papers, there are numerous additional beings concerned in the maintenance and perfecting of such a gigantic organization as the universe of Nebadon, which even now has more than three million inhabited worlds, with ten million in prospect. The various Nebadon types of life are much too numerous to be cataloged in this paper, but there are two unusual orders that function extensively on the 647,591 architectural spheres of the local universe, that may be mentioned.
37:10.2 (416.2) The Spironga are the spirit offspring of the Bright and Morning Star and the Father Melchizedek. They are exempt from personality termination but are not evolutionary or ascending beings. Neither are they functionally concerned with the evolutionary ascension regime. They are the spirit helpers of the local universe, executing the routine spirit tasks of Nebadon.
37:10.3 (416.3) The Spornagia. The architectural headquarters worlds of the local universe are real worlds — physical creations. There is much work connected with their physical upkeep, and herein we have the assistance of a group of physical creatures called spornagia. They are devoted to the care and culture of the material phases of these headquarters worlds, from Jerusem to Salvington. Spornagia are neither spirits nor persons; they are an animal order of existence, but if you could see them, you would agree that they seem to be perfect animals.
37:10.5 (416.5) Always there is attached to the universe service a corps of ascending mortals, including the glorified midway creatures. These ascenders, after attaining Salvington, are used in an almost endless variety of activities in the conduct of universe affairs. From each level of achievement these advancing mortals reach back and down to extend a helping hand to their fellows who follow them in the upward climb. Such mortals of temporary sojourn on Salvington are assigned on requisition to practically all corps of celestial personalities as helpers, students, observers, and teachers.
37:10.6 (416.6) There are still other types of intelligent life concerned with the administration of a local universe, but the plan of this narrative does not provide for the further revelation of these orders of creation. Enough of the life and administration of this universe is being herewith portrayed to afford the mortal mind a grasp of the reality and grandeur of the survival existence. Further experience in your advancing careers will increasingly reveal these interesting and charming beings. This narrative cannot be more than a brief outline of the nature and work of the manifold personalities who throng the universes of space administering these creations as enormous training schools, schools wherein the pilgrims of time advance from life to life and from world to world until they are lovingly dispatched from the borders of the universe of their origin to the higher educational regime of the superuniverse and thence on to the spirit-training worlds of Havona and eventually to Paradise and the high destiny of the finaliters — the eternal assignment on missions not yet revealed to the universes of time and space.
37:10.7 (417.1) [Dictated by a Brilliant Evening Star of Nebadon, Number 1,146 of the Created Corps.]
Paper 38
Ministering Spirits of the Local Universe
38:0.1 (418.1) THERE are three distinct orders of the personalities of the Infinite Spirit. The impetuous apostle understood this when he wrote respecting Jesus, “who has gone to heaven and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.” Angels are the ministering spirits of time; authorities, the messenger hosts of space; powers, the higher personalities of the Infinite Spirit.
38:0.2 (418.2) As the supernaphim in the central universe and the seconaphim in a superuniverse, so the seraphim, with the associated cherubim and sanobim, constitute the angelic corps of a local universe.
38:0.3 (418.3) The seraphim are all fairly uniform in design. From universe to universe, throughout all seven of the super-universes, they show a minimum of variation; they are the most nearly standard of all spirit types of personal beings. Their various orders constitute the corps of the skilled and common ministers of the local creations.
38:1.1 (418.4) Seraphim are created by the Universe Mother Spirit and have been projected in unit formation — 41,472 at a time — ever since the creation of the “pattern angels” and certain angelic archetypes in the early times of Nebadon. The Creator Son and the universe representation of the Infinite Spirit collaborate in the creation of a large number of Sons and other universe personalities. Following the completion of this united effort, the Son engages in the creation of the Material Sons, the first of the sex creatures, while the Universe Mother Spirit concurrently engages in her initial solitary effort at spirit reproduction. Thus begins the creation of the seraphic hosts of a local universe.
38:1.2 (418.5) These angelic orders are projected at the time of planning for the evolution of mortal will creatures. The creation of seraphim dates from the attainment of relative personality by the Universe Mother Spirit, not as the later co-ordinate of the Master Son, but as the early creative helper of the Creator Son. Previous to this event the seraphim on duty in Nebadon were temporarily loaned by a neighboring universe.
38:1.3 (418.6) Seraphim are still being periodically created; the universe of Nebadon is still in the making. The Universe Mother Spirit never ceases creative activity in a growing and perfecting universe.
38:2.1 (419.1) Angels do not have material bodies, but they are definite and discrete beings; they are of spirit nature and origin. Though invisible to mortals, they perceive you as you are in the flesh without the aid of transformers or translators; they intellectually understand the mode of mortal life, and they share all of man’s nonsensuous emotions and sentiments. They appreciate and greatly enjoy your efforts in music, art, and real humor. They are fully cognizant of your moral struggles and spiritual difficulties. They love human beings, and only good can result from your efforts to understand and love them.
38:2.2 (419.2) Though seraphim are very affectionate and sympathetic beings, they are not sex-emotion creatures. They are much as you will be on the mansion worlds, where you will “neither marry nor be given in marriage but will be as the angels of heaven.” For all who “shall be accounted worthy to attain the mansion worlds neither marry nor are given in marriage; neither do they die any more, for they are equal to the angels.” Nevertheless, in dealing with sex creatures it is our custom to speak of those beings of more direct descent from the Father and the Son as the sons of God, while referring to the children of the Spirit as the daughters of God. Angels are, therefore, commonly designated by feminine pronouns on the sex planets.
38:2.3 (419.3) The seraphim are so created as to function on both spiritual and literal levels. There are few phases of morontia or spirit activity which are not open to their ministrations. While in personal status angels are not so far removed from human beings, in certain functional performances seraphim far transcend them. They possess many powers far beyond human comprehension. For example: You have been told that the “very hairs of your head are numbered,” and it is true they are, but a seraphim does not spend her time counting them and keeping the number corrected up to date. Angels possess inherent and automatic (that is, automatic as far as you could perceive) powers of knowing such things; you would truly regard a seraphim as a mathematical prodigy. Therefore, numerous duties which would be tremendous tasks for mortals are performed with exceeding ease by seraphim.
38:2.4 (419.4) Angels are superior to you in spiritual status, but they are not your judges or accusers. No matter what your faults, “the angels, although greater in power and might, bring no accusation against you.” Angels do not sit in judgment on mankind, neither should individual mortals prejudge their fellow creatures.
38:2.5 (419.5) You do well to love them, but you should not adore them; angels are not objects of worship. The great seraphim, Loyalatia, when your seer “fell down to worship before the feet of the angel,” said: “See that you do it not; I am a fellow servant with you and with your races, who are all enjoined to worship God.”
38:2.6 (419.6) In nature and personality endowment the seraphim are just a trifle ahead of mortal races in the scale of creature existence. Indeed, when you are delivered from the flesh, you become very much like them. On the mansion worlds you will begin to appreciate the seraphim, on the constellation spheres to enjoy them, while on Salvington they will share their places of rest and worship with you. Throughout the whole morontia and subsequent spirit ascent, your fraternity with the seraphim will be ideal; your companionship will be superb.
38:3.1 (420.1) Numerous orders of spirit beings function throughout the domains of the local universe that are unrevealed to mortals because they are in no manner connected with the evolutionary plan of Paradise ascension. In this paper the word “angel” is purposely limited to the designation of those seraphic and associated offspring of the Universe Mother Spirit who are so largely concerned with the operation of the plans of mortal survival. There serve in the local universe six other orders of related beings, the unrevealed angels, who are not in any specific manner connected with those universe activities pertaining to the Paradise ascent of evolutionary mortals. These six groups of angelic associates are never called seraphim, neither are they referred to as ministering spirits. These personalities are wholly occupied with the administrative and other affairs of Nebadon, engagements which are in no way related to man’s progressive career of spiritual ascent and perfection attainment.
38:4.1 (420.2) The ninth group of seven primary spheres in the Salvington circuit are the worlds of the seraphim. Each of these worlds has six tributary satellites, whereon are the special schools devoted to all phases of seraphic training. While the seraphim have access to all forty-nine worlds comprising this group of Salvington spheres, they exclusively occupy only the first cluster of seven. The remaining six clusters are occupied by the six orders of angelic associates unrevealed on Urantia; each such group maintains headquarters on one of these six primary worlds and carries on specialized activities on the six tributary satellites. Each angelic order has free access to all the worlds of these seven diverse groups.
38:4.2 (420.3) These headquarters worlds are among the magnificent realms of Nebadon; the seraphic estates are characterized by both beauty and vastness. Here each seraphim has a real home, and “home” means the domicile of two seraphim; they live in pairs.
38:4.3 (420.4) Though not male and female as are the Material Sons and the mortal races, seraphim are negative and positive. In the majority of assignments it requires two angels to accomplish the task. When they are not encircuited, they can work alone; neither do they require complements of being when stationary. Ordinarily they retain their original complements of being, but not necessarily. Such associations are primarily necessitated by function; they are not characterized by sex emotion, though they are exceedingly personal and truly affectionate.
38:4.4 (420.5) Besides designated homes, seraphim also have group, company, battalion, and unit headquarters. They forgather for reunions every millennium and are all present in accordance with the time of their creation. If a seraphim bears responsibilities which forbid absence from duty, she alternates attendance with her complement, being relieved by a seraphim of another birth date. Each seraphic partner is thereby present at least every other reunion.
38:5.1 (420.6) Seraphim spend their first millennium as non-commissioned observers on Salvington and its associated world schools. The second millennium is spent on the seraphic worlds of the Salvington circuit. Their central training school is now presided over by the first one hundred thousand Nebadon seraphim, and at their head is the original or first-born angel of this local universe. The first created group of Nebadon seraphim were trained by a corps of one thousand seraphim from Avalon; subsequently our angels have been taught by their own seniors. The Melchizedek's also have a large part in the education and training of all local universe angels — seraphim, cherubim, and sanobim.
38:5.2 (421.1) At the termination of this period of training on the seraphic worlds of Salvington, seraphim are mobilized in the conventional groups and units of the angelic organization and are assigned to some one of the constellations. They are not yet commissioned as ministering spirits, although they have well entered upon the precommissioned phases of angelic training.
38:5.3 (421.2) Seraphim are initiated as ministering spirits by serving as observers on the lowest of the evolutionary worlds. After this experience they return to the associate worlds of the headquarters of the assigned constellation to begin their advanced studies and more definitely to prepare for service in some particular local system. Following this general education they are advanced to the service of some one of the local systems. On the architectural worlds associated with the capital of some Nebadon system our seraphim complete their training and are commissioned as ministering spirits of time.
38:5.4 (421.3) When once seraphim are commissioned, they may range all Nebadon, even Orvonton, on assignment. Their work in the universe is without bounds and limitations; they are closely associated with the material creatures of the worlds and are ever in the service of the lower orders of spiritual personalities, making contact between these beings of the spirit world and the mortals of the material realms.
38:6.1 (421.4) After the second millennium of sojourn at seraphic headquarters the seraphim are organized under chiefs into groups of twelve (12 pairs, 24 seraphim), and twelve such groups constitute a company (144 pairs, 288 seraphim), which is commanded by a leader. Twelve companies under a commander constitute a battalion (1,728 pairs or 3,456 seraphim), and twelve battalions under a director equal a seraphic unit (20,736 pairs or 41,472 individuals), while twelve units, subject to the command of a supervisor, constitute a legion numbering 248,832 pairs or 497,664 individuals. Jesus alluded to such a group of angels that night in the garden of Gethsemane when he said: “I can even now ask my Father, and he will presently give me more than twelve legions of angels.”
38:6.2 (421.5) Twelve legions of angels comprise a host numbering 2,985,984 pairs or 5,971,968 individuals, and twelve such hosts (35,831,808 pairs or 71,663,616 individuals) make up the largest operating organization of seraphim, an angelic army. A seraphic host is commanded by an archangel or by some other personality of co-ordinate status, while the angelic armies are directed by the Brilliant Evening Stars or by other immediate lieutenants of Gabriel. And Gabriel is the “supreme commander of the armies of heaven,” the chief executive of the Sovereign of Nebadon, “the Lord God of hosts.”
38:6.3 (421.6) Though serving under the direct supervision of the Infinite Spirit as personalized on Salvington, since the bestowal of Michael on Urantia, seraphim and all other local universe orders have become subject to the sovereignty of the Master Son. Even when Michael was born of the flesh on Urantia, there issued the superuniverse broadcast to all Nebadon which proclaimed, “And let all the angels worship him.” All ranks of angels are subject to his sovereignty; they are a part of that group which has been denominated “his mighty angels.”
38:7.1 (422.1) In all essential endowments cherubim and sanobim are similar to seraphim. They have the same origin but not always the same destiny. They are wonderfully intelligent, marvelously efficient, touchingly affectionate, and almost human. They are the lowest order of angels, hence all the nearer of kin to the more progressive types of human beings on the evolutionary worlds.
38:7.2 (422.2) Cherubim and sanobim are inherently associated, functionally united. One is an energy positive personality; the other, energy negative. The right-hand deflector, or positively charged angel, is the cherubim — the senior or controlling personality. The left-hand deflector, or negatively charged angel, is the sanobim — the complement of being. Each type of angel is very limited in solitary function; hence they usually serve in pairs. When serving independently of their seraphic directors, they are more than ever dependent on mutual contact and always function together.
38:7.3 (422.3) Cherubim and sanobim are the faithful and efficient aids of the seraphic ministers, and all seven orders of seraphim are provided with these subordinate assistants. Cherubim and sanobim serve for ages in these capacities, but they do not accompany seraphim on assignments beyond the confines of the local universe.
38:7.4 (422.4) The cherubim and sanobim are the routine spirit workers on the individual worlds of the systems. On a nonpersonal assignment and in an emergency, they may serve in the place of a seraphic pair, but they never function, even temporarily, as attending angels to human beings; that is an exclusive seraphic privilege.
38:7.5 (422.5) When assigned to a planet, cherubim enter the local courses of training, including a study of planetary usages and languages. The ministering spirits of time are all bilingual, speaking the language of the local universe of their origin and that of their native superuniverse. By study in the schools of the realms they acquire additional tongues. Cherubim and sanobim, like seraphim and all other orders of spirit beings, are continuously engaged in efforts at self-improvement. Only such as the subordinate beings of power control and energy direction are incapable of progression; all creatures having actual or potential personality volition seek new achievements.
38:7.6 (422.6) Cherubim and sanobim are by nature very near the morontia level of existence, and they prove to be most efficient in the borderland work of the physical, morontial, and spiritual domains. These children of the local universe Mother Spirit are characterized by “fourth creatures” much as are the Havona Servitals and the conciliating commissions. Every fourth cherubim and every fourth sanobim are quasi-material, very definitely resembling the morontia level of existence.
38:7.7 (422.7) These angelic fourth creatures are of great assistance to the seraphim in the more literal phases of their universe and planetary activities. Such morontia cherubim also perform many indispensable borderline tasks on the morontia training worlds and are assigned to the service of the Morontia Companions in large numbers. They are to the morontia spheres about what the midway creatures are to the evolutionary planets. On the inhabited worlds these morontia cherubim frequently work in liaison with the midway creatures. Cherubim and midway creatures are distinctly separate orders of beings; they have dissimilar origins, but they disclose great similarity in nature and function.
38:8.1 (423.1) Numerous avenues of advancing service are open to cherubim and sanobim leading to an enhancement of status, which may be still further augmented by the embrace of the Divine Minister. There are three great classes of cherubim and sanobim with regard to evolutionary potential:
38:8.2 (423.2) 1. Ascension Candidates. These beings are by nature candidates for seraphic status. Cherubim and sanobim of this order are brilliant, though not by inherent endowment equal to the seraphim; but by application and experience it is possible for them to attain full seraphic standing.
38:8.5 (423.5) While the second and third groups are somewhat limited in growth potential, the ascension candidates may attain the heights of universal seraphic service. Many of the more experienced of these cherubim are attached to the seraphic guardians of destiny and are thus placed in direct line for advancement to the status of Mansion World Teachers when deserted by their seraphic seniors. Guardians of destiny do not have cherubim and sanobim as helpers when their mortal wards attain the morontia life. And when other types of evolutionary seraphim are granted clearance for Seraphington and Paradise, they must forsake their former subordinates when they pass out of the confines of Nebadon. Such deserted cherubim and sanobim are usually embraced by the Universe Mother Spirit, thus achieving a level equivalent to that of a Mansion World Teacher in the attainment of seraphic status.
38:8.6 (423.6) When, as Mansion World Teachers, the once-embraced cherubim and sanobim have long served on the morontia spheres, from the lowest to the highest, and when their corps on Salvington is overrecruited, the Bright and Morning Star summons these faithful servants of the creatures of time to appear in his presence. The oath of personality transformation is administered; and thereupon, in groups of seven thousand, these advanced and senior cherubim and sanobim are re-embraced by the Universe Mother Spirit. From this second embrace they emerge as full-fledged seraphim. Henceforth, the full and complete career of a seraphim, with all of its Paradise possibilities, is open to such reborn cherubim and sanobim. Such angels may be assigned as guardians of destiny to some mortal being, and if the mortal ward attains survival, then do they become eligible for advancement to Seraphington and the seven circles of seraphic attainment, even to Paradise and the Corps of the Finality.
38:9.1 (424.1) The midway creatures have a threefold classification: They are properly classified with the ascending Sons of God; they are factually grouped with the orders of permanent citizenship, while they are functionally reckoned with the ministering spirits of time because of their intimate and effective association with the angelic hosts in the work of serving mortal man on the individual worlds of space.
38:9.2 (424.2) These unique creatures appear on the majority of the inhabited worlds and are always found on the decimal or life-experiment planets, such as Urantia. Midwayers are of two types — primary and secondary — and they appear by the following techniques:
38:9.3 (424.3) 1. Primary Midwayers, the more spiritual group, are a somewhat standardized order of beings who are uniformly derived from the modified ascendant-mortal staffs of the Planetary Princes. The number of primary midway creatures is always fifty thousand, and no planet enjoying their ministry has a larger group.38:9.4 (424.4) 2. Secondary Midwayers, the more material group of these creatures, vary greatly in numbers on the different worlds, though the average is around fifty thousand. They are variously derived from the planetary biologic up-lifters, the Adams and Eves, or from their immediate progeny. There are no less than twenty-four diverse techniques involved in the production of these secondary midway creatures on the evolutionary worlds of space. The mode of origin for this group on Urantia was unusual and extraordinary.
38:9.5 (424.5) Neither of these groups is an evolutionary accident; both are essential features in the predetermined plans of the universe architects, and their appearance on the evolving worlds at the opportune juncture is in accordance with the original designs and developmental plans of the supervising Life Carriers.
38:9.6 (424.6) Primary midwayers are energized intellectually and spiritually by the angelic technique and are uniform in intellectual status. The seven adjutant mind-spirits make no contact with them; and only the sixth and the seventh, the spirit of worship and the spirit of wisdom, are able to minister to the secondary group.
38:9.7 (424.7) Secondary midwayers are physically energized by the Adamic technique, spiritually encircuited by the seraphic, and intellectually endowed with the morontia transition type of mind. They are divided into four physical types, seven orders spiritually, and twelve levels of intellectual response to the joint ministry of the last two adjutant spirits and the morontia mind. These diversities determine their differential of activity and of planetary assignment.
38:9.8 (424.8) Primary midwayers resemble angels more than mortals; the secondary orders are much more like human beings. Each renders invaluable assistance to the other in the execution of their manifold planetary assignments. The primary ministers can achieve liaison co-operation with both morontia- and spirit-energy controllers and mind circuiters. The secondary group can establish working connections only with the physical controllers and the material-circuit manipulators. But since each order of midwayer can establish perfect synchrony of contact with the other, either group is thereby able to achieve practical utilization of the entire energy gamut extending from the gross physical power of the material worlds up through the transition phases of universe energies to the higher spirit-reality forces of the celestial realms.
38:9.9 (425.1) The gap between the material and spiritual worlds is perfectly bridged by the serial association of mortal man, secondary midwayer, primary midwayer, morontia cherubim, mid-phase cherubim, and seraphim. In the personal experience of an individual mortal these diverse levels are undoubtedly more or less unified and made personally meaningful by the unobserved and mysterious operations of the divine Thought Adjuster.
38:9.10 (425.2) On normal worlds the primary midwayers maintain their service as the intelligence corps and as celestial entertainers in behalf of the Planetary Prince, while the secondary ministers continue their co-operation with the Adamic regime of furthering the cause of progressive planetary civilization. In case of the defection of the Planetary Prince and the failure of the Material Son, as occurred on Urantia, the midway creatures become the wards of the System Sovereign and serve under the directing guidance of the acting custodian of the planet. But on only three other worlds in Satania do these beings function as one group under unified leadership as do the united midway ministers of Urantia.
38:9.11 (425.3) The planetary work of both primary and secondary midwayers is varied and diverse on the numerous individual worlds of a universe, but on the normal and average planets their activities are very different from the duties which occupy their time on isolated spheres, such as Urantia.
38:9.12 (425.4) The primary midwayers are the planetary historians who, from the time of the arrival of the Planetary Prince to the age of settled light and life, formulate the pageants and design the portrayals of planetary history for the exhibits of the planets on the system headquarters worlds.
38:9.13 (425.5) Midwayers remain for long periods on an inhabited world, but if faithful to their trust, they will eventually and most certainly be recognized for their agelong service in maintaining the sovereignty of the Creator Son; they will be duly rewarded for their patient ministry to the material mortals on their world of time and space. Sooner or later all accredited midway creatures will be mustered into the ranks of the ascending Sons of God and will be duly initiated into the long adventure of the Paradise ascent in company with those very mortals of animal origin, their earth brethren, whom they so jealously guarded and so effectively served during the long planetary sojourn.
No comments:
Post a Comment