The translation was done by Mr. Jacques Weiss, living in Paris. The Urantia Book was brought to his attention shortly after its first publication in Chicago, by a lady who was in contact with the spiritualistic realms. Weiss himself also stood in contact with what he calls his hierarchy.

After Weiss had translated a substantial portion of the book, he went to Chicago. He got permission to complete his translation, and in due time a contract was signed. There was, however, no unanimity in the Foundation. The then President voted against the contract.

And there was good reason for this, because the contract constituted a transgression of the Foundation's Declaration of Trust. The Trustees are, according to this Trust, under two basic obligations.

Article 3.1 states: "It shall be the primary duty of the Trustees to perpetually preserve inviolate the text of the Urantia Book." Though here no translations are mentioned, we may deduce that it is also the duty of the Trustees to preserve the text of the Urantia Book in translated form, in other words, to effectively control and correct the text of any translation, before authenticating it. This, however, was hardly done. Only one person spent a few days in Paris to do this most important work that actually requires a competent team and, if done conscientiously, takes at least as much time as making the first-draft translation.

Soon after publication of the translation, complaints reached the Foundation about its quality, and rather soon the Trustees were convinced that either a thorough revision or a wholly new translation was necessary.

Transgression of the mandates of the Trust is even more evident with respect to Article 3.3: "It shall be the duty of the Trustees to retain absolute and unconditional control of all plates and other media for the printing and the reproduction of the Urantia Book and any translation thereof..."

Actually the plates were never under the control of the Foundation, but under that of Weiss, and they are still in France. Weiss was the person who had the plates made, who directed the printing, made the contracts with the printer and the distributor, and therefore actually was the publisher instead of Urantia Foundation. The contract pays only lip service to the Declaration of Trust as it repeatedly states that the Foundation wants to have absolute and unconditional control while it utterly fails to institute effective measures that would insure such control. All depended on the condition of the good conduct of Weiss. Moreover, such measures can hardly be taken if the book is not printed and published in the U.S.A.

The contract shows that the reason for these transgressions was an attempted shortcut of the Father's "slow, but sure way", how well intentioned this attempt may have been.

The contract provided Weiss with the permission to advertise his translation, partially even at the cost of the Foundation. Even more, the Foundation itself, who became co-distributor, reserved for itself the right also to advertise the translation. To promote further the sale of books, the contract stipulates, "because of the size of the book and its cost", that the translation may be published in three volumes and sold separately, which actually occurred, in contradiction of the expressed intention of the authors on page 215. As a part of the text does not adequately represent the whole, this was another violation of the text.

To promote further the sale of books, the title of the Urantia Book was changed to ‘La Cosmogonie d'Urantia, "The Cosmogony of Urantia", which was accepted by the Foundation. Besides prevailing on the prerogatives of the authors, the French title presented a contradiction in itself. ‘Cosmogony' means: the science of the formation of the cosmos, the universe (Chambers), not of the planet Urantia. (It is remarkable that this science-aspect predominates so often in France today.)

These are in short the facts that characterized the beginning of the expansion of the fifth epochal revelation to the French speaking peoples. No wonder that the results were so disappointing. Do we always sufficiently realize that we are dealing with an epochal revelation, an undertaking of the universe on and for Urantia?

What could be the viewpoint of the invisible supervisors on such conduct of their agents? An important point in trying to get some answer on this question is to ascertain the character of the mandates in the Declaration of Trust. Are they mandates of the revelators or simply human recommendations? The Declaration of Trust itself gives the answer. Article 1.1 says: "We, the undersigned, acting for and in behalf of....those whose inspirations have this conceived...." Though this does not imply that the Declaration of Trust has been literally inspired word by word, it does say that the Declaration of Trust as such has been inspired, and it is simple logic that its most important mandates especially were inspired. They are mandates of the supervisors.

According to the philosophy of the universe, as for instance explained on page 754-755, transgression of such mandates accompanying an epochal revelation, may be called an error, a default, or a rebellion. Error it would be if the transgression was done unknowingly. Default it is when the transgression, though done knowingly, is done with good intentions. The contract with Weiss clearly shows that the Trustees knew the mandates.

Rebellion it is when done knowingly and willfully. It would take too much room here to go deeper into the reasons why our book calls such conduct a default. But being itself an epochal revelation, our book is not vague in this respect. The papers on the Adamic default and on the Lucifer rebellion give several definitions of what constitutes in the eyes of the universe a default; e.g. page 842 says of Eve's conduct: "... it constituted evil (not error, HB) because it represented the wrong way to achieve righteous ends, because it departed from the divine plan." (Which she knew.)

In itself it is of little use to accuse persons of having defaulted in the past. But a default has its consequences, and with these consequences we are confronted today.

In France very soon divergences and conflicts arose between the Foundation and Weiss, finding their culmination in a lawsuit which the Foundation in 1975 in first instance won. Then a stalemate ensued. The Foundation, owning the copyright, stopped the further printing of the Cosmogonie, while Weiss, having the legal moral right of a translator, prevented a revised edition to be published by the Foundation. Moreover, the relationship had become such as between bitter enemies. Weiss being the personal center of the whole Urantia movement in France, this enmity did not remain limited to the relationship between the Foundation and the person of Weiss; it pervaded the whole of France and farther.

As Weiss refused to co-operate in publishing a corrected edition on the conditions of the Foundation, we came to think that a wholly new translation would be the only possible way out of this stalemate. I tried to form a team in France that could make anew translation in a reasonable time, but this failed. Now the Foundation is making an effort by hiring professional translators in America. This way has been chosen mainly because the moral right does not exist in U.S.A. as it exists in the other countries that signed the Bern convention. If however, a translator moves to another country, like Canada or France, he regains his moral right, regardless what may have been stipulated in his contract with the Foundation, because the moral right is a legal, immaterial right which is inalienable.

But the main objection against this procedure is, that it forms a repetition of the grave mistake to give the translation of the highly spiritual Urantia Book in the hands of persons without sufficient spiritual insight, which will inevitably result in another violation of the text.

In France and the other French speaking countries there was in the meanwhile a strong demand for the Cosmogonie, which lead to a wild edition. When I heard that the printing (photo-copying it was called) was already in progress, I contacted the man who did it and offered him to try to get a permit from Chicago, if he would promise to adhere strictly to the conditions that the Foundation should find necessary. At that time I had not yet realized the significance and meaning of the mandates of the Declaration of Trust that, for the sake of absolute and unconditional control, necessitate all printing to be done by the Foundation. As a Field Representative I saw in this co-operation an opportunity to attain a measure of the so much desired unity in France.

The Foundation gave its permission. there were in the beginning some minor difficulties which I could solve personally. But then I got hold of a circular letter of Weiss, which proved that he was involved. As this was a matter for the foundation, a Trustee came to Paris and it was decided to seize the copies. I objected because, in my opinion, the Foundation had already by letter given their permission, though no contract was signed yet. the later sentence in court, $0.25 (twenty-five cents) for moral damages, I see as a confirmation of my viewpoint. But the Trustee took the standpoint that no contract was signed, and I went along. So, without discussion or consultation with the other party, a minor part of the completed photo-copies were seized, but not the press. The seizure was easy because through the negotiations we knew where to seek. Later the Foundation tried, with the help of a detective, to seize the press also, but did not succeed. A few weeks ago the case was judged in court. The sentences were mild, about $1250.00 for physical damages indebted by the printer and Weiss each, and $0.25 each for moral damages. These sentences are not likely to prevent the printing from going on. Weiss has brought in an appeal already.

In the meantime there had occurred something. The Foundation had written a long letter to some Urantians in Paris, which letter was an answer to a petition of them eight months (!)[sic] earlier, for a limited reprinting of the Cosmogonie, as there was a great need for books. In their answer the Foundation refused this and gave as their reason a recapitulation of the conduct of Weiss. When asked for my opinion about this letter, it struck me that it only gave half of the truth, omitting the big mistakes the Foundation itself had made. Further study of this letter, in combination with old correspondence and the Declaration of Trust made me realize the true position of the Foundation as having transgressed its mandates. This realization threw a wholly new light on the situation. Realizing that these mandates were of celestial origin, it suddenly and awfully dawned upon me that what we really were confronted with was a default. However sad it was, it explained very much, while at the same time I recognized that we could not fight Weiss cs. from the starting point -- he is wholly wrong and we are wholly right.

Never, in all my discussions and correspondence with the Trustees had this wrong beginning come to the surface, though the Trustees knew it very well. This is proven by the proposal they made to Weiss in 1974, in which they required of him to send the plates to Chicago, to consent in a correction of his translation, while a new edition should be printed in the U.S.A. and published by the Foundation. But they kept this secret from me and other interested Urantians. A request of mine to send me a copy of the 1974 proposal was not answered.

I have always strongly and steadfastly backed up the Foundation, as many Urantians, who know me, well know. To me the Foundation is the visible foothold of the invisible brotherhood on our planet. I understand why it has been instituted as a non-democratic body that fills its own vacancies, with Trustees that cannot be voted out of office by the Brotherhood. I realize and accept fully that through the registered marks the Foundation has final authority over the Brotherhood. This viewpoint I still maintain. But on the other side this places an extraordinary moral and spiritual responsibility on the Trustees. Neither do I fight persons when I state that the mandates have been transgressed and that we are confronted with a default. the Trustees as persons are under the jurisdiction of the powerful superhuman supervisors. But every true Urantian is confronted with the consequences of this default.

And therefore I anew considered the Weiss affair.

It is not right to fight Weiss from the starting-point; we are right and you are wrong. This is not the whole truth and therefore a falsehood. But this does not mean that I would defend the conduct of Weiss. Neither that I would deny the Foundation the right to defend the copyright up to bringing a case to court. It is even its duty. I decided to go personally to Weiss for the following goals:

• 1. To try to establish a personal, friendly, if possible a brotherly relationship with him. Without such a personal relationship it is practically impossible to surmount the tremendous barriers.
• 2. To try to come to an agreement with him that could be acceptable to the Foundation as complying with the mandates of their Declaration of Trust.
• 3. Such an agreement should include a correction under the sole authority of the Foundation.
• 4. A revised edition should be printed and published by the Foundation.
• 5. this edition should become the standard textbook, to be used in all study groups. To achieve this goal of removing as far as possible the old editions with the violated text, it seemed necessary to offer all possessors of an old edition in exchange a copy of the revised edition without cost. The Foundation could afford financially to make this offer as it would save the very considerable cost of hiring professionals to make a new translation.
• 6. The standard edition should be backed up by Weiss as well as by the Foundation to establish unity among the Urantia Book readers in France.

During my four visits with Mr. Weiss, at his office and at his home, a few times accompanied by Mrs. Begemann, I succeeded rather well, thanks also to the hearty co-operation of Mrs. Weiss. Weiss consented in principle to my plan, but he also had a condition. He has worked for five years on a Concordex of his own. He wanted permission to publish that. Having arrived at this point I needed the Foundation. The Foundation however, strongly condemned my action and plan. They even tried by means of telegrams and telephone to array the Parisian Urantians against me.

After some time two Trustees came to Paris. We arranged a meeting which was also attended by some Parisians who had been informed by the Foundation. After arriving two hours late, the Trustees practically refused any co-operation with the plan that was being supported by the Parisians. The Concordex was done away with by the argument: "We don't like Concordexes." Their behavior was such that even these French Urantians lost much of their sympathy for them, which however the Foundation so urgently needs.

When we discussed their plan to make a new translation in Chicago by non-believing professionals, it became evident that the quality of that new translation was of less importance to them than the fact that it would be the Foundation's translation and a weapon in the battle with Weiss. A few weeks later I received from the Foundation in a few lines a formal rejection of my plan, with again putting all blame on Weiss.

It will be impossible to find a real solution for this endless conflict if there occurs no change of heart, not only with Weiss, as the Foundation demands, but also with the Trustees themselves. there should be the willingness to recognize in humility the transgression, its motivation, and its consequences. Only then can we attain that vantage point where we can sincerely and honestly ask the Father to show us the way, his way, without reserve, unconditionally. Only then can we be assured of the help of all his ministers.

If the Trustees maintain their fighting attitude, which serves to cover up the default, the prospects in France and in the French speaking countries are very dark indeed. The illegal printing will go on. This time it was easy to seize the copies. In the future it will be much more difficult. Weiss has friends all over France and in other countries. the Trustees did not succeed in seizing the press, thought they did use a detective office. Even the Germans did not succeed in preventing the publishing of underground literature. The Trustees could only succeed if they should have the full co-operation of loyal Urantians in France and elsewhere. But they no longer have that.

The Trustees cherish the hope that their new translation will defeat Weiss. I am afraid this will prove to be an illusion. In the first place the Foundation thinks that a good translation can be produced in three or five years. From personal experience and from the experience of other translators, and when compared with the Bible translations, I know this is an illusion. Such a translation will not be good. The more so if the translators are non-believing professionals. How can the blind lead the blind?

If this new translation is published, Weiss or his successors will at once fight it in court as a plagiarism. the two translations will resemble each other of course, and it will be hard to prove that the new one has not profited from the old one. To decide this the judge needs time to have experts study the case and probably he will hold up the new translation until he has passed judgment. This may take years while the outcome is uncertain.

So Weiss cs. will have ample time to further distribute the illegal copies. For the time being these copies are sold for a high price to cover also the risk and loss of seizure. But if need be they can sell far below the price of the Foundation, as they have no translators to pay, nor the considerable cost of type-setting. They could even have the printing done in a low-cost foreign country that has not signed the Bern convention. French bookshops are not shy to sell such books.

In the study groups the Cosmogine is used. Introducing a new translation with text-differences will give rise to continual debate. Just imagine that in America different Urantia Books were used. The confusion will increase if in the new translation corrections are made, as the Trustees suggested as a means to get ultimately a good translation, and as an excuse for hastening the publication of the new translation. Instead of bringing about unity, more confusion will be the result, which is the goal of the invisible enemy.

What is needed is a standard translation, backed up by Weiss and the Foundation, and the old books being replaced by the standard edition. If we take the mandates of the Declaration of Trust seriously, it is not allowed to publish a translation that is not good, neither to leave in circulation a translation that is not good.

This letter is not an attack on the Foundation as such, which I fully accept. Neither is it an attack on the persons of the Trustees. That is outside my competence. Besides, there are competent, wise supervisors. And though it may seem as if I am more or less for Weiss cs., this is not true, even if I in this letter mostly deal with the conduct of the Trustees. But they are the custodians of our epochal revelation, and Weiss is not. the conduct of the Trustees can really endanger through confusion and disunity the purpose of this epochal revelation as far as it concerns its preliminary function of preparing the planet for the new era. And I get the impression that this confusion is not limited to France.

This revelation is under continual attack by a sly and desperate invisible enemy, who knows that he will be doomed finally when this preparatory phase for the new era will be completed. Disunity, that breaks the power of our movement, is his goal.

The fifth epochal revelation surely can be put in its planned course again. But as far as I can see, the supervisors cannot do this arbitrarily. Our co-operation is needed. So, what can we do? Meditative prayer and worship are powerful. Collective prayer with the purpose of re-establishing our epochal revelation in its planned course, is a tremendous spiritual force. "When a group engages in community prayer for moral enhancement and spiritual uplift, such devotions are reactive upon the individuals composing the group; they are all made better because of participation. Even a whole city or an entire nation can be helped by such prayer devotions. Confession, repentance, and prayer have led individuals, cities, nations, and whole races to mighty efforts of reform and courageous deeds of valorous achievement." 998; 5,2

But let "courageous deeds" unfold only from such true prayer. Let us beware most of all of gloating over the difficulties of the Trustees, if anybody should feel so inclined. If we yield to that, we are immediately cut off from "the personal spiritual forces." Let us rather meditate on, and be comforted by Jesus' words: "Happy are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God."