Meredith Sprunger's Synopsis of The Urantia Book
Synopsis of Paper 25
THE MESSENGER HOSTS OF SPACE
1. Ranking intermediately in the family of the Infinite Spirit are the Messenger Hosts of Space. These versatile beings function as the connecting links between the higher personalities and the ministering spirits. The messenger hosts include the following orders of celestial beings:
1. Havona Servitals.
2. Universal Conciliators.
3. Technical Advisers.
4. Custodians of Records on Paradise.
5. Celestial Recorders.
6. Morontia Companions.
7. Paradise Companions.
2. The Havona Servitals are the joint creative work of the Seven Master Spirits and their associates, the Seven Supreme Power Directors ... In personality relationships the spiritual is dominant over the material, even though it does not now so appear on Urantia; and in the production of Havona Servitals the law of spirit dominance prevails; the established ratio yields three spiritual beings to one semiphysical.
3. In large numbers they are dispatched, from time to time, to serve on the study worlds encircling the headquarters spheres of the seven superuniverses, the worlds devoted to the final training and spiritual culture of the ascending souls of time who are preparing for advancement to the circuits of Havona ... Sorrow cannot exist in the face of the consciousness of divine duty faithfully performed. And when man's ascending soul stands before the Supreme Judge, the decision of eternal import will not be determined by material successes or quantitative achievements; the verdict reverberating, through the high courts declares: "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few essentials; you shall be made ruler over universe realities."
4. On superuniverse service the Havona Servitals ... serve only on the educational worlds surrounding the capitals of the seven superuniverses ... Here they are your companions; they have come down from your next career to study you and to inspire you with the reality and certainty of your eventual graduation from the universes of time to the realms of eternity.
5. For every Havona Servital created, seven Universal Conciliators are brought into being…every time the Master Spirits associate themselves with the power directors for the purpose of creating a group of Havona Servitals, there is a simultaneous focalization upon one of the Reflective Spirits in each of the superuniverse groups, and forthwith and full‑fledgedly an equal number of Universal Conciliators appear on the headquarters worlds of the supercreations.
6. In each superuniverse the Universal Conciliators find themselves strangely and innately segregated into groups of four...made up as follows:
1. The Judge‑Arbiter
2. The Spirit‑Advocate
3. The Divine Executioner
4. The Recorder
When in session a commission functions as a group of three since the advocate is detached during adjudication and participates in the formulation of the verdict only at the conclusion of the hearing. Hence these commissions are sometimes called referee trios.
7. The conciliators are of great value in keeping the universe of universes running smoothly. Traversing space at the seraphic rate of triple velocity, they serve as the traveling courts of the worlds...These referee trios do not pass upon matters of eternal import...But when a commission has once accepted jurisdiction of a problem, its rulings are final and always unanimous; there is no appeal from the decision of the judge‑arbiter.
8. The younger and less experienced commissioners begin their service on the lower worlds,, worlds like Urantia, and are advanced to the adjudication of greater problems after they have acquired riper experience. The order of conciliators is wholly dependable; not one has ever gone astray.
9. When these administrative and jurisdictional difficulties have been placed in the hands of the conciliators for study and adjudication, they are supreme in authority. But they will not formulate a decision until all the evidence has been heard ... The commissioners' decisions are placed on the planetary records and, if necessary, are put into effect by the divine executioner. His power is very great...Their work is sometimes carried out for the apparent welfare of the realm, and sometimes their acts on the worlds of time and space are difficult of explanation ... they do ofttimes effect their strange doings ... in accordance with the higher laws of the system administration.
10. The moment the Creators bring into existence evolving individuals with the power of choice, that moment a departure is made from the smooth working of divine perfection; misunderstandings are certain to arise, and provision for the fair adjustment of these honest differences of viewpoint must be made ... the Creators ... have ... provided the mechanisms and the means for composing all these differences and for harmonizing all this seeming confusion.
11. Not many problems developing on the constellation headquarters fall under their jurisdiction...If the contention is honest, if the difficulties arise out of sincere differences of opinion and honest diversity of viewpoints,, no matter how few persons may be involved, no matter how apparently trivial the misunderstanding, a conciliating commission can always be had to pass upon the merits of the controversy.
12. From stage to stage they are evolving from arbiters of differences to explainers of mysteries— judges evolving into interpretative teachers. Arbiters of those who through ignorance permit difficulties and misunderstandings to arise, they once were; but they are now becoming instructors of those who are sufficiently intelligent and tolerant to avoid clashes of mind and wars of opinions. The higher a creature's education, the more respect he has for the knowledge, experience, and opinions of others.
13. From time to tine, as the numbers of the superuniverse conciliators increase, they are translated to the council of perfection on Paradise, from which they subsequently emerge as the co‑ordinating corps evolved by the Infinite Spirit for the universe of universes...By experiential ascent and Paradise training they have acquired a unique grasp of the emerging reality of the Supreme Being, and they roam the universe of universes on special assignment.
14. The Technical Advisers are recruited from, the ranks of the following personality orders:;
1. The Supernaphim.
2. The Seconaphim.
3. The Tertiaphim.
4. The Omniaphim.
5. The Seraphim.
6. Certain Types of Ascending Mortal.
7. Certain Types of Ascending Midwayers...
Ascending mortals and ascending midway creatures serve on these advisory commissions while pursuing the Paradise ascent, but they do not enter the regular courses of training for Technical Advisers, nor do they ever become permanent members of the order.
15. As you journey toward your Paradise goal, constantly acquiring added knowledge and enhanced skill, you are continuously afforded the opportunity to give out to others the wisdom and experience you have already accumulated; all the way in to Havona you enact the role of a pupil‑teacher. You will work your way through the ascending levels of this vast experiential university by imparting to those just below you the newfound knowledge of your advancing career. In the universal regime you are not reckoned as having possessed yourself of knowledge and truth until you have demonstrated your ability and your willingness to impart this knowledge and truth to others.
16. These advisers are more than legal experts; they are students and teachers of applied law, the laws of the universe applied to the lives and destinies of all who inhabit the vast domains of the far‑flung creation ... They are able so to counsel the workers of space as to enable them to function in harmony with the requirements of Paradise; they are the teachers of all creatures concerning the technique of the Creators.
17. Technical Advisers are dedicated to the work of preventing delay, facilitating progress, and counseling achievement. There is always a best and right way to do things; there is always the technique of perfection, a divine method, and these advisers know how to direct us all in the finding of this better way.
18. Technical Advisers are selected and tested beings; I have never known one of them to go astray ... There is no known limit to the domain of their service, neither has any been placed upon their progress. They continue as advisers even to the portals of Paradise; the whole universe of law and experience is open to them.
19. From among the tertiary supernaphim in Havona, certain of the senior chief recorders are chosen as Custodians of Records, as keepers of the formal archives of the Isle of Light, those archives which stand in contrast to the living records of registry in the minds of the custodians of knowledge, sometimes designated the "living library of Paradise." ... From Urantia to Paradise, both recordings are encountered: in a local universe, more of the written records and less of the living; on Paradise, more of the living and less of the formal; on Uversa, both are equally available.
20. Every occurrence of significance in the organized and inhabited creation is a matter of record. While events of no more than local importance find only a local recording, those of wider significance are dealt with accordingly.
21. The Celestial Recorders ... are the recorders who execute all records in duplicate, making an original spirit recording and a semimaterial counterpart—what might be called a carbon copy ... Celestial Recorders are not created as such; they are ascendant seraphim from the local universe ... In your transition experience, as you ascend from this material world, you will always be able to consult the records of, and to be otherwise conversant with, the history and traditions of your status sphere.
22. The recorders are a tested and tried corps. Never have I known of the defection of a Celestial Recorder, and never has there been discovered a falsification in their records. They are subjected to a dual inspection, their records being scrutinized by their exalted fellows from Uversa and by the Mighty Messengers, who certify to the correctness of the quasi‑physical duplicates of the original spirit records.
23. The Morontia Companions are simply gracious hosts to those who are just beginning the long inward ascent. They are also skillful play sponsors and are ably assisted in this work by the reversion directors. Though you will have earnest and progressively difficult tasks to perform on the morontia training worlds of Nebadon, you will always be provided with regular seasons of rest and reversion. Throughout the journey to Paradise there will always be time for rest and spirit play; and in the career of light and life there is always time for worship and new achievement.
24. The Paradise Companions are a composite or assembled group recruited from the ranks of the seraphim, seconaphim, supernaphim, and omniaphim...Aside from permanent status on Paradise, this temporary service of Paradise companionship is the highest honor ever conferred upon the ministering spirits.
25. Almost every other being you mortals will encounter during your Paradise sojourn—aside from your fellow pilgrims—will have something definite to do with you or for you; but these companions are assigned only to be with you and to commune with you as personality associates. They are often assisted in their ministry by the gracious and brilliant Paradise Citizens. Mortals come from races that are very social. The Creators well know that it is "not good for man to be alone," and provision is accordingly made for companionship, even on Paradise.
26. If you, as an ascendant mortal, should reach Paradise in the company of the companion or close associate of your earthly career, or if your seraphic guardian of destiny should chance to arrive with you or were waiting for you, then no permanent companion would 'be assigned you.
27. You may be certain of being warmly welcomed when you experience the resurrection into eternity on the everlasting shores of Paradise. Reception companions are assigned during the terminal days of the ascenders sojourn on the last circuit of Havona, and they carefully examine the records of mortal origin and eventful ascent through the worlds of space and the circles of Havona. When they greet the mortals of time, they are already well versed in the careers of these arriving pilgrims and immediately prove to be sympathetic and intriguing companions,
28. If an ascending pilgrim met defeat in the Deity adventure while traversing Havona in the company of an ascending seraphim, the guardian angel of the mortal career, she would elect to accompany her mortal associate. These seraphim always volunteer and are permitted to accompany their long‑time mortal comrades back to the service of time and space.
29. But not so with two closely associated mortal ascenders: If one attains God while the other temporarily fails, the successful individual invariably chooses to go back to the evolutionary creations with the disappointed personality, but this is not permitted. Instead, a call is made to the reserves of the Paradise Companions, and one of the volunteers is selected to accompany the disappointed pilgrim.
Discussion Questions
1.What type of education gives one respect for the knowledge, experience, and opinion of others?
2. During these early years of the Fifth Epochal Revelation, how do we impart this knowledge and truth to others?
3. Since we lack the use of Technical Advisors, how do we learn the “best and right way” of doing things?
4. Since we do not have Conciliators, what techniques are available to us to deal with honest differences of opinion?
5. Should our educational system be reorganized to require students to teach pupils below them or to work for a period of time in society applying what they have learned?
6. Where could we set up committees of experienced advisors to facilitate planetary growth?
7. Since the early leaders of the Foundation and Brotherhood on the Mansion Worlds can follow the history and traditions of our world, what do you think they are saying about the current history of the Urantia movement?
A Service of
The Urantia Book Fellowship