TRIBUTE TO A PASSING
GENERATION
Grace Stephens
The Urantian Journal of Urantia Brotherhood
Winter, 1980
"The perfected grand universe of those future days will be vastly different from what it is at present. Gone will be the thrilling adventures of the organization of the galaxies of space, the planting of life on the uncertain worlds of time, and the evolving of harmony out of chaos, beauty out of potentials, truth out of meanings, and goodness out of values. The time universes will have achieved the fulfillment of finite destiny. (*1293:2)
Youth seeks recognition. Maturity tends to change the individual's perspective with a leavening of the importance of self. The Urantia Book honors those who serve quietly behind the scenes. We are told that a reservist is chosen because of his ". . willingness to serve without human recognition and rewards." (*1257:5)
Urantia Brotherhood seems to be entering a transition period when the old is giving way to the new. Let me admonish those to whom we are entrusting the safekeeping of our revelation not to reject the historic leadership of the many dedicated men and women of the past who have done so much in contributing to the organization of the Brotherhood and have given their lives to the dissemination of these teachings.
With the utmost respect we commend these early men and women for their unprecedented way of launching this fifth epochal revelation of Urantia. We marvel at their foresight and wisdom in putting this great book into print as well as in organizing an entirely new and unique group of individuals on this planet. Only eternity can evaluate the work of the sincerely dedicated teachers who put in untold hours of preparation for their evening classes of Urantia Brotherhood School. There are those who worked long hours at headquarters, packaging and sending out books, getting out publications, and co-ordinating the various phases of this new movement. Many worked late into the night, and they still do, ending their day in utter exhaustion. We pay tribute to these men and women of the past who all remained true to their trust!
We exhort the young leaders who are slowly taking our places to faithfully safeguard the new truths which are being placed in their hands. We admonish them to heed the advice of our unseen friends regarding the slow and evolutionary way of presenting advanced truth to the world. Listen to the voices who say that The Urantia Book is not for this age, but rather for the day when our world has reached a more settled period. Haste and circumvention are destructive forces! We entreat our successors to remain ever loyal to the true teachings of The Urantia Book, ever avoiding all personal interpretations and interjections, and always remembering that a preponderance of words has a way of veiling true meanings. Human nature is very frail, but, as in Amadon, it is capable of rising to great heights of trust.
I am reminded of the beautiful elegy written by the English poet, Thomas Gray, especially when he says:
"Full many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear;
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air."
The names of the greatest among us are not emblazoned in lights. The world tends to ignore and forget, but the Creator Father knows his own, and in his eyes they are beautiful.
-Grace E. Stephens Downer's Grove, Illinois
Editors note: Grace Stephens graduated to the Mansion Worlds in January, this year(1981).
A Service of
The Urantia Book
Fellowship