You who listened to these reports for many years know full well that the time has not yet arrived for the active functioning of this committee in fostering and developing fraternal relations and good will with the churches of various denominations and with the religions of the world to the end that the purposes of Urantia Brotherhood may be advanced.
There is little need to review the cases where negative results followed well meant efforts to interest men of the cloth in the Urantia Book. It would appear self evident that the religious hierarchy the world over is not yet ready to accept the Urantia Book as their source of ecclesiastical authority.
Happily there are in our own ranks a few outstanding exceptions of ministers who have taken this revelation as the inspiration, the consuming motivation of their lives. Note, however, that they are not engaged in any effort to crash the gates, to invite a direct confrontation with the established order.
But do not think that the winds of change are now blowing through the church. The Chicago Daily News recently called attention to the losses being sustained by seminaries throughout the land. It cited (on June 26) the University of Chicago Divinity School facing a decline of nearly 35% in student enrollment this coming fall as compared with two years ago. The Episcopal Church contemplates eliminating 6 of its 12 seminaries, possibly by mergers. The comptroller of Union Theological Seminary in New York thinks that the total of 125 accredited seminaries in the nation is "about four times too many."
On the more dramatic side, consider the recent move by a small group of priests in their censure of Cardinal Cody—a prince of the church; an action that would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago.
One wonders: Will these winds accelerate into the whirlwind that will hasten change beyond our present expectation? But we really do not know.
It is for us to continue to seek out the individual who may be receptive to the message of the Book.
We are told that while the Most Highs rule in the kingdoms of men, Michael of Nebadon is ever and always interested in the individual, which he so superbly demonstrated when he lived here among men and "went about doing good."
If the life of our Creator Sovereign inspires us to continue our emphasis on working with the individual, ultimately the leaven will spread until it involves men of all creeds and all races.
Thus we can carry on, while in the large area of our relations with the church, we patiently await the development of the Divine plan, the evolutionary outworking of the Father’s will on this planet.
Respectfully submitted,
Albert H. Dyon