Ken Glasziou, Qld., Australia

    In our previous issue, we discussed an article written by Dr G. Gamow in 1942 entitled Neutrinos VS Supernovae that was published in that year's January issue of the journal, The Scientific Monthly. This article had been identified by Matthew Block as being one of the sources for statements in The Urantia Book about the collapse of aging stars. Also mentioned was a long-suppressed document in which Dr Sadler noted that additions and alterations had been made to the Urantia Papers during the period, 1935 to 1942.

    Our Jan/Feb. article notified readers that a further discussion would appear in the next issue of Innerface on a paper by C.W. Sheppard entitled The Evanescent Mesotron--also identified by Matthew Block as one of the sources of Urantia Book statements. Sheppard's paper was published in Scientific American of October, 1940, and is about the structure of the nucleus of the atom.

    The uncovering of these human sources is almost entirely due to the untiring and dedicated efforts of Matthew Block in a work that undoubtedly will prove to be of enormous value for the proper assessment and appreciation of The Urantia Book.

    It is factual that the revelators clearly stated that they used in the order of three thousand human sources in constructing the text of the book. They also informed us that the terms of their mandate included "the proscription of the impartation of unearned or premature knowledge." (1109) Because of these restrictions, the revelators concluded that some of their statements, particularly those relating to the physical sciences and cosmology, would soon stand in need of revision. As well, the revelators said that, where considered essential, their mandate permitted them to provide key information that would fill  missing gaps in our knowledge or restore lost knowledge. (1109/1110)

    Many readers, when first coming to The Urantia Book, have taken the word "revelation" to imply that the total text of this book falls into the category of divinely-revealed and hence infallible truth. Some have suggested that the discovery of even one error would disqualify the book as being revelatory. But longer exposure to the book, plus a careful and unbiased reading of the mandate and other statements made by the authors usually causes most such readers to modify this extreme view.

    In its widest sense, the meaning of the word "revelation" is contained in the definition, "Any fact which gives knowledge is a revelation." The different meanings that individuals give to "revelation" is wide-ranging and subjective, with all individuals being their own "authority."

    Nowhere do the revelators of The Urantia Book lay claim to divine authority or infallibility for their revelation. In fact, they reject their own infallibility by informing us that only the Creators possess it. (1768) And they do tell us that when truth is linked with fact, that both time and space condition its meanings and correlate its values, thus relegating such concepts to the domain of relative cosmic realities. (1297) "Truth is relative and expanding; it lives always in the present, achieving new expression in each generation of men." (888) There is nothing in The Urantia Book to support the thesis that its authors considered its text to be infallible. On the contrary, they recognize that truth is living, expanding, evolutionary and relative; it must never be permitted to become static--for static truth is dead truth. (1949)

     Provided that we are sufficiently open minded to accept that the revelators were required to work within the framework of "the proscription of the impartation of unearned knowledge," then surely we must appreciate that The Urantia Book has given us a unique overview of the total creation that permits us to better comprehend its purpose, our role therein, even to attain an understanding of "free will" and the consequential sin, evil, and iniquity.  As such, it is the most valuable work currently available to the human race.

    With all that in mind let's get on with examining Sheppard's evanescent mesotron paper and its contribution to The Urantia Book text. Readers need to be aware that the word "mesotron" was coined in the early 1930's to imply all particles of mass between the masses of the electron and the proton.

    In his presentation of evidence that a particular work is among the sources used by the revelators, Matthew Block brings the text from the two works together in a two-column layout, the comparable sentences or paragraphs being placed adjacent to one another for ease of comparison. Viewed in this way, the degree of correspondence between the works is made evident. Eventually Matthew's work is to be published, hence in this article we will take a different approach and examine material that the revelators did not use, rather than comparing what they did use.

    The third paragraph of Sheppard's paper states: "As most persons know, the atoms out of which matter is constructed are tiny 'solar systems.' Each has a central nucleus and a number of electrons revolving around it, like planets around the Sun."

    The Urantia Book has: "Within the atom the electrons revolve about the central proton with