June 7, 1990
To Whom It May Concern:
I became a member of the Forum in 1930. About 1940 the leaders of the Forum started working with qualified attorneys to draw up the proper and necessary documents for creating what would be Urantia Foundation and Urantia Brotherhood.
During the forties from time to time the leaders would report to the Forum progress being made and specifically stress that the two organizations would be separate and distinct with no tie together legally or in any other connection.
It was purposely designed with no connection between each organization.
In January, 1950, five individuals were selected to apply to the State of Illinois for a charter to create the Urantia Foundation. The charter was granted and these five individuals became the initial five trustees and officers. The constitution and by-laws were in place.
The Urantia Book was published in 1955.
In 1955 three individuals were selected to obtain a charter from the State of Illinois for the Urantia Brotherhood Corporation, the fiscal agent of the Urantia Brotherhood.
Two of the three individuals happened to be trustees of the Urantia Foundation, but that was not the basis for their selection. They were acting as individuals, not as trustees of the Urantia Foundation.
Also, in 1955 the Urantia Brotherhood came into being by the execution of a proper document signed by 36 Forum members who became the Charter Members of Urantia Brotherhood. The constitution and by-laws were a part of the official documents signed by the 36 Forum members.
The Declaration of Trust of the Urantia Foundation sets forth the purposes and the responsibilities of the trustees.
The constitution and by-laws of Urantia Brotherhood clearly set forth its purpose.
In the formulation of the documents during the 1940's it was stressed that the two subsequent organizations were not to be connected in any way.
In the final documents for both the Urantia Foundation and Urantia Brotherhood there is no possible interpretation of a tie-in of the Urantia Brotherhood to the Urantia Foundation.
This was fully understood by all.
William M. Hales
President of Urantia Foundation, 1950-1973
Trustee of Urantia Foundation, 1950-1973, 1975-1985
Trustee Emeritus 1973-1975, 1985-1989
Resigned 11/9/89
Signed and notarized June 7, 1990