MO's Worldwide Family--Letters Nos.6,7,8

Dad
May 30, 2003

—MOJune 1974DFO No.311C

From Dad and Maria in Shangri-la

Copyright © June 1974 by The Children of God

P.O. Box 31, London WC2E 7LX, England or GPO Box 3141‚ San Juan‚ Puerto Rico 00936

Dear Family:

Greetings in Jesus' dear name!

1. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR GOOD LETTERS, reports, love notes, pictures, cards, gifts, etc. We devour every word of news like cold water for our thirsty souls!

2. MOST OF YOU HAVE BEEN VERY FAITHFUL IN WRITING, but we'll have to give some the credit for being the most diligent, consistent and regular in your reporting as well as thorough and comprehensive, although I don't think you need to bother us with some of these minor problems which I'm sure you're well able to handle and better able to decide than I since you are there. We still like to hear about it all, but hope you will continue to make your own decisions as much as possible and not be delayed in important matters by waiting to hear from us unless it is a major consequence and of such importance that you feel a word from us is necessary beyond the consensus of the Family members present. Thanks!

3. SINCE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES, LONDON, ARE PROBABLY THE GREATEST AND MOST IMPORTANT in the world as our world centre of communication and publications, not to speak of the greatest financial responsibilities, and your problems and vital decisions and actions are therefore probably the most numerous, we speak first to you: God bless you!

4. IT LOOKS TO US LIKE YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB and the best you can‚ and most of your ideas‚ decisions and moves seem to be very good, so I'll merely comment on a few:

5. YOU DON'T HAVE TO ASK US TO READ YOUR LETTERS and reports—we read every word!

6. WE LIKE BOTH THE NAME AND THE IDEA OF WILD WIND PRODUCTIONS and hope it works!

7. WE'RE GLAD YOUR DISTRIBUTION PROBLEMS WITH THE POLICE ARE LETTING UP. We believe this was caused by the recent bad publicity in the papers inspired by that complaint, and possibly other complaints from [those offended at that one MO Letter]. [They] are always the first and most vociferous to howl when hit or when they feel threatened or exposed; and often‚ like the Devil, are the first to accuse others of the very sins of which they themselves are the most guilty‚ particularly racial prejudice! They themselves are the most prejudiced of all along this line, but of course in their own favour, and no one must ever dare be so sacrilegious as to speak a word against them! However, they're extremely numerous and influential there. …

8. WE SUGGEST YOU WRITE THEM A LETTER OF APOLOGY AND EXPLANATION that we did not intend these remarks to apply to all … nor even necessarily to be deprecatory, but merely the facts as God revealed them to me, that the money situation is being greatly influenced by those of them who have great means and powerful influence in the financial world. … Maybe … dig up these compliments to soothe their frayed feelings and help to calm the storm which I knew they would raise over these remarks, which nevertheless had to be said because it's the truth, which often hurts!

9. HOWEVER, NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN SAID AND REJECTED, YOU CAN OFFER TO WITHDRAW THIS LETTER and any other along this line which might arouse further complaint from the same people. So in your letter you could offer to withdraw it from public distribution. …

10. BE VERY APOLOGETIC, AND EXTOL THE AUTHOR'S OWN … ORIGIN and background showing that he was not speaking of the [all of those] people in general but only of those very rich and powerful ones who are helping to manipulate the present money situation.

11. OR YOU COULD SIMPLY OFFER TO REMOVE THESE REMARKS REFERRING TO [THEM] AND PUBLISH INSTEAD A … EXPURGATED REVISED VERSION. … If you do publish a revised version be sure to add the paragraph of loving appeal which was suggested, as I now do in all recent letters. Let us hope this satisfies them.

12. IT'S OBVIOUS THE BRITISH BULLDOG IS NOW SHOWING HIS TEETH A BIT and doing a little growling and grumbling with some protest, so you may have to move upstairs a little more out of the way to try to please and placate him.

13. LIKE AMERICA, BRITAIN HAS HEARD OUR MESSAGE AND MAY NOW BE BEGINNING TO REJECT IT‚ which could mean‚ as it usually does, that they may ultimately reject us also so you'd better keep an eye open for alternate locations just in case: We took off and were flying South in that toboggan! (See 284.)

14. AS FOR MUSIC KINGS AND THEIR CONTRACTS: We had all suspected as much, and I have an idea some were actually going broke before they discovered us. Otherwise they might not have been interested in us. But since our services, equipment, talent, songs, etc., they apparently could get virtually free of charge, they were willing to take a gamble on us.

15. WITH GOD'S AND OUR HELP THEY ARE BEGINNING TO WIN THE GAMBLE and finding they fortunately picked a winner! But if they are not yet out of the woods financially, bringing too much pressure to bear by insisting on the same treatment and pay as other entertainers might truly kill the goose which is laying the golden eggs before the eggs are laid and thus make a goose of ourselves by discouraging them from proceeding further.

16. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD AT LEAST INSIST ON OUR FULL CONTRACT RIGHTS‚ including some knowledge of their present financial status along with our full share of whatever is coming in‚ as little as it may be, and not make the same mistake next time. Your lawyers could probably handle this.

17. SUCH ARE THE WAYS OF KINGS, particularly ungodly ones, and such are the problems of being unequally yoked together with unbelievers! So once we have derived all the benefits we can from their unequal association, I believe we may sometimes better do our own publishing and promoting. Maybe we had to go his way in order to learn the business, but once having learned, as poor David did under unscrupulous Saul, and as we once did under Fred, we don't have to keep on being had!

18. THERE USUALLY COMES A TIME WHEN WE'VE BEEN HAD ENOUGH! I don't believe any of us are strong enough to stand this kind of pressure and dominate this kind of men, so I believe what the situation sometimes needs is a lawyer to get the business straightened out the best he can. but also a good strong man with wisdom, conviction and the power of the Spirit can often talk up to these kings sweetly but firmly when necessary.

19. HO, YOU DID A MAGNIFICENT JOB IN PIONEERING EUROPE along with Faith and others and particularly London and England, and we are still building there on the foundations which you laid. It may be now that the doors in the South are somewhat closed until some later date, possibly elsewhere such as the last country you were in. And you have already had a hand in pioneering Paris and supervising the situation there, which I would now say is next in importance to London itself and may become even more important in the future due to English and world conditions.

20. YOU MUST BE STRONG ENOUGH AND DIPLOMATIC ENOUGH to stand up to your kings when necessary.

21. BUT IF THEY INSIST‚ SOMETIMES YOU MAY HAVE TO JUST LET' EM GO AHEAD AND RUN THEIR OWN SHOW regardless of the mistakes they make and suffer their own consequences as long as it does not involve us too much and cost us too much. They sometimes do a good job despite their mistakes, so maybe they can finish it if it doesn't finish them!

22. I BELIEVE IN LETTING PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO as much as possible, for then they usually have more faith for it and will put more into it as well as enjoy it more‚ from which we will all receive more benefit. I'm doing what I like to do and I enjoy it!—Are you? I hope so.

23. MEANWHILE, I AGREE WITH YOUR TRYING TO CONTROL ALL OUR WORLDWIDE COPYRIGHTS as much as possible and also supervise any further contracts with outsiders. As you may recall‚ when some first asked about signing contracts, I told them to get a lawyer to study them first which I don't know if you ever did. Anyhow‚ once you've given your word it's too late to back down unless they're so bad your lawyers think they should be broken if possible. You're proving yourselves good at this, so please keep up the good work!

24. FROM WHAT WE CAN SEE, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB IN LONDON and worldwide, and we're glad you're also getting Holland better organised. As for personnel, you'll always have to come to agreement with the parties concerned on that. I suggest in these personnel disputes, you let the persons themselves decide, under God! Amen? More later. Love, Dad.

MWWFL NO. 7—DF Only! 25/6/74

My Dear Precious Children:

Greetings in Jesus' precious name! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

25. IF THIS TYPING IS A LITTLE SLOPPY‚ JUST BLAME IT ON ME, BECAUSE I'M TYPING IT MYSELF! Our Dear Maria is very busy at the moment final-reading the rough draft of "LOVELIGHT!" and doing a little cooking. And I'm not used to this electric typewriter, so I my fingers keep barely touching the wrong keys and getting these weird results! But I'm just gonna leave'em so you can see how many mistakes I make!—It should encourage you! (Boy, I make the funniest mistakes just resting my fingers lightly on the keyboard!)

26. GEE SHIZ‚ I DIDNS'T REALISE IT'D BEEN FO LONG SINCE I'VE TYPED A LETTER ALL BY MYSELF! I've almost forgotten how!—Musta been clear back in Texxas!—Four years ago! Thank God for dear Maria! k OOpas! There we go again! I just stopped to talk to her as she's raving about the pankaces she just made, and this eager machine just starts typing all by itself! What a ridiculous contraption!

27. WELL, PRAISE THE LORD, THOSE PANCAKES WERE REALLY GOOD! SHE REALLY HAS GOTTEN TO BE A VERY GOOD LITTLE COOK, and most of all she enjoys it! She's like a little girl playing house! It's all a very thrilling story we're writing day by day, and it can be told some day but not now, We've had some almost unbelievable experiences here! Hallelujah!

28. WE'RE WRITING MOST OF IT DOWN, BUT IT'S STILL TOO HOT TO PUBLISH‚ especially while still here! But I think it will really be a help when the time comes‚ and a lot of you may need it soon! Of course, this is an almost unbelievable land too, a beautiful country with a wonderful people! It is the very place the Gypsy saw in her visions given last to Maria. It 's even had the very history she described, and the Lord has even given me more on it and why, and why we're here! Praise the Lord! He never fails if we trust! Tell you all about it later!

29. RIGHT NOW AS I TYPE I'M LOOKING OUT OUR WINDOW across our terrace and the city below. At night it's so quiet here! We have nearly a 360-degree view of city, mountains, sky and all!—From our rooftop little apartment it's so beautiful! I could hardly describe it all, praise the Lord! He is so good to us!

30. I GUESS HE KNEW WE NEEDED THE REST, AS YOU KNOW HOW SICK I WAS. You should see how healthy I am now! Hallelujah! I'm still going strong (as Maria knows!) and feeling better than ever! I was sick a little while, but am much better now, PTL! Thanks for your prayers. Keep on praying—we always need it! We pray for you too! Thanks.

31. MARIA HAS NOW GONE SHOPPING SO I'M STILL AT! IT'S SO CUTE HOW THE MEN ARE SO FRANK HERE; when she goes walking down the street with or without me all their heads turn and they whistle their approval and make various remarks openly, apparently a local custom! And when we look back, they're still looking and smiling and waving! They're such a happy, childlike people—So open and honest about everything and so uninhibited and expressive!—And you should see them dance! They are really wild—like us! They are so happy and healthy and carefree and have such childlike faith, it's no wonder God blesses them! They are so colourful, and their music is happy too!—Like ours should be!—Is it still?

32. THIS FORMERLY NATIVE, NATURAL AND UNDISTURBED AREA IS NOW BEING INVADED BY EUROPEAN CAPITAL, settlers and know-how, which has resulted in lots of modernisation, new hotels, etc.‚ so it now has the advantages of both cultures‚ a great combination! The Lord has told us that He prepared this place for us, and it would be the safest place for us when the storm sweeps the Earth! He's going to use us here greatly then too‚ to help the people. We already witness a lot, and we have a new way of expressing our faith when they ask us what our religion is: We say, "Love! We believe in love! Love for God and others‚ for God is love!

33. "THAT'S OUR RELIGION—LOVE!"—AND THEY LIKE THIS IDEA! We then say, "Love is everything, for without love there is nothing!—No friends, no families, no fathers or mothers or children or sex or health or happiness or God or Heaven—there could be none of these without love!—Love, health and happiness!—And none of these is possible without God, for He is love!" Most everybody claims to believe in love, so before you know it you have them confessing they must believe in God too—and of course, Jesus is His Word of love, and the Bible is His love letters! Keen, huh?—It really works great!—Try it!—Who can argue against love! Everybody wants love! So now we've got a lot of 'em toasting "To love!" Hallelujah!

34. THEY REALLY LOVE US HERE, TOO! THEY'VE ALL BEEN SO GOOD TO US, AND OF COURSE THESE SEXY MEN ARE ALL CRAZY ABOUT MARIA!—She has so many friends and lovers! They invite us to their homes for the fascinating native dinners and their wonderful hospitality and delicious wine! They are so generous you don't even dare say you like something or admire something in their home or they'll instantly insist on giving it to you and flatly refuse to take no for an answer! If I were to describe their personal religion that they live, I would say it was happiness and generosity—which are all of love! There is virtually no crime or violence or even real poverty here! They're all like one big happy family in a tiny land that time and the rest of the world almost passed by until lately, so they're still largely unspoiled. We're being well–received by both the people and officials alike, and everybody is being real good to us, praise the Lord—especially since we try to speak their language‚ which is a great help and makes everybody very helpful to us as well! I certainly agree with Mom on that!

35. OUR USUAL DAILY SCHEDULE IS UP LATE IN THE MORNING AFTER HALF A NIGHT OF DANCING FOR GOOD HEALTHY EXERCISE, fun and witnessing—which we'll describe soon in "Beauty and the Beasts!" God willing! We make lots of friends and good contacts that way too, and do lots of witnessing like above. The girls all love me and the boys all love Maria!—And we all have lotsa fun! After our breakfast health drink of a mixture of strong native coffee, milk, eggs, bananas, wheat germ and whatever else is handy to throw into the blender, we read the mail first if there is any, work on approvals or rough drafts or write letters, etc., during which the dear pretty little maids come in for their afternoon clean up and kiss and lively conversation. Then we have a little snack in the late afternoon, following which we go out and shop, mail letters, visit friends and sit in the Square for coffee and maybe another snack with more friends, where we also do a lot of witnessing and even pray for the sick! We're getting pretty well known for all this, but Abrahim said: "Your father must sit in the gates of the city with the elders of the people where he can be found in their time of need!" PTL! Isn't that something!—And it's really true!—They really come to us for counsel and help! Then we have dinner either out or in, depending on how Maria or I feel at about 10 p.m., after which we go dancing in the native nightspots! We usually steer clear of the tourist spots‚ as they don't need us like the common people and aren't as receptive. Thank the Lord! God sure knows what He's doing!—And He's gradually letting us know too!

36. DEBORAH: THANKS FOR YOUR GOOD LETTERS, ETC. YOUR "NEW WORLD FOR LITTLE PEOPLE" IS ABOUT THE PRETTIEST THING WE'VE PUBLISHED YET!—And a very good idea!—Also the "Little People's Tale"!—Although I'd like to see even more news in it! I think it's a great idea! Keep it comin'! But "New World" should be at least 25 cents or 10 p to pay all the expenses of such a production, which are a lot more than paper! You must figure into the cost of any publication your entire expense, including the whole Colony expense!—All is part of the cost of the production. Don't under-price and sell yourself too cheap! The folks can afford it, and if not, give it to 'em! Amen? PTL!

37. YOUR NEWS LETTERS ARE TERRIFIC! Congratulations to you all! We love 'em!—Especially these new Regional News Mags!—And the Poorboy Clubs News of skits and ideas are terrific!—Keep it up!

37a. WE'D STILL LIKE TO SEE A COMPLETE CHILDCARE BOOKLET as well as a prenatal care booklet, as well as a booklet of birth testimonies.—When are we gonna get 'em?—Stay home and tell the world! Amen? Amen!—And we love to read those MO Letter reactions from all the world! They're food for my soul! But why do the kids have to suffer all the hardships of camping out on a tour if we're such a big hit?—Where's all the money going from those records?—Or do they just want to camp out for the fun of it?—Better let your lawyers check on those contracts and finances! You need it! And God bless you for such a great job of taking care of those hectic girls of mine! I love you!—Wish I could come over and have some fun with you all in that Paris revolution!

38. FAITHY: THANKS, SWEETHEART, FOR YOUR AS USUAL WONDERFUL REPORTSKLJKL!—(This typewriter just keeps on typin' all by itself if I just rest my fingertips lightly on the keys! Wow!) Sounds like you guys are really reachin' the world! Keep it up!—And keep 'em comin'! Work wherever you're needed most—but remember that what you write or sing will reach the world! "Pick and Shovel" was great! The songs are great too‚ as long as they have the message and reach the kids! Tell Monty I like his song! It sounds to me like Jeremy might need to finish some of that French work before he goes to London to stay. London and Paris each have their place in God's plan—both are needed and have a vital ministry, each in its own field—and you must all get that through your thick heads! Some of your hearts are in Paris and there is possibly a greater opportunity for some of your talents there, but I just thought London might need you for a little while with Jeremy to get them over the hump, since Paris seems bent on stripping London of all its talent! Please give poor Jeth a break! London's coming!

39. MOM: THANK YOU, SWEETHEART, FOR ALL YOUR LITTLE LOVE LETTERS! I DEVOUR THEM EVERY ONE! And I still love you as always and think you're doing a great job as ever—sometimes even better! So glad you're there to help guide and counsel and be a good Mom to them all and that Steve can be such a help and blessing too!—We love your notes and ideas too, dearly beloved: Keep up the good work!—I can certainly tell Aaron is helping you! Hallelujah! Keep going!—But I've decided electric typewriters are not for me!—They're too damn sensitive! nWhesw!

40. RACHEL AND EMANUELE: WE DON'T ALWAYS HEAR MUCH FROM YOU DIRECTLY, but we've heard nothing but good about how well you're doing! God bless you for your faithfulness! Sorry if I offend now and then, but glad you survive it! PTL! The precious ring you gave me I wear daily, reminding me constantly to pray for you! Thanks!

41. MARTHA: THANKS FOR YOUR SWEET LETTER! MY CONGRATULATIONS TO IMRAH FOR HAVING WON YOUR HEART! If you want to give him your hand too, you have my permission—and I presume the rest of you will go along with it! No one can blame you for falling in love!—Little John needs a good father as well as Lizzy, and I'm sure Imrah will take good care of you all!—He'd better! If not‚ you can always come home again! If the Council agrees, you both have my blessing! God bless and keep you all and continue to make you a better blessing!

42. BECKY: WE'VE ALREADY WRITTEN YOU A LONG LETTER ON YOUR GOOD WORK. GBY! We love you so!

43. HO AND ESTHER: I DON'T HEAR VERY MUCH FROM YOU, but thanks for the letters we have just received. I'm so sorry that letter you last wrote … took exactly one month to get to me after you'd already left or I might have agreed to let you stay. What it cost us to send that big team for one month to the other place was astronomical! We just can't afford that kind of extravagance unless really compulsory and unavoidable‚ especially in a situation that is almost hopeless. Your procedures in [the neighboring country] were much more justifiable and commissioned with greater possibilities if you'd only gone on sooner as instructed, and then you might have been able to stay. Glad you had a little time of rest there, anyway, and hope you can return in the future if God so wills. But meanwhile I'm sure you'll find plenty to do at home!—Maybe too much!

44. BUT WE DO NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR FOREIGN MINISTRY‚ MR. MINISTER‚ and any new pioneering of same, as well as supervising Paris and other needy fields that need help. So please keep busy! Maybe you could even come pay us a visit sometime! We'd love to have you, and we could discuss lotsa things ("And probably get nothing done!"—Says Maria!)

45. SHUT UP, FAITH!—YOUR MUG IS TOO WELL KNOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD!—That's the price of being a star: No privacy! You belong to your public.

46. WHICH REMINDS ME, WE'RE LIVING CHEAPER HERE THAN BEFORE!—Our rent is less and we seldom eat out now that we've moved to our new apartment. Food is still pretty high, but within reason, as they grow most of their own right here, and if it weren't for the tourists, things would be a lot cheaper! But that's the price we have to pay for civilisation!—and its comforts and conveniences! Thanks to you all for helping to make our stay here possible. From your gifts, which we have from some of you received faithfully and regularly, we are able to pay all expenses and even have a little left over for any possible emergencies such as when I had to go to the hospital last week!

47. WOW! PRAYER IS A LOT CHEAPER THAN MEDICINE! God help us! I had burned my tongue and it got a little infected because I wouldn't let it rest and do my work, so it became so painful the doc made me take some shots, and it's all right now, PTL! I still know it was your prayers that did it, and not the shots—they just made it a little more bearable! So I've decided to stop loafing and talking so much and start getting my work done‚ including this letter, so I've felt better ever since! Hallelujah! Thanks for praying!

48. SO WE'RE GETTING BY PRETTY WELL, considering your twenty babes in London alone can earn in one afternoon what it costs to keep us for a whole month! PTL! We're a pretty inexpensive necessity! Our total expenses only cost the whole Revolution about half-a-penny per disciple! Think of that!—That's only 1/4 of a penny for each of us!—Maria and me!—Are we worth it?—I hope so! God bless you and keep you all!—Love, Dad.

MWWFL NO. 8—DFOnly!27/6/74

Greetings in Jesus' dear name! Praise the Lord! Maria is busy filing, so here I am again on this idiotic machine! But after reading the mail this morning, I felt inspired to tie up a few loose ends, so this is sort of like a P.S.

49. PARIS: THANK YOU, FAITHY, MIGUEL AND RUTHIE FOR KEEPING US SO WELL-INFORMED. It sounds to me like another Fred situation. Do you remember that when he began to resist Faithy and play her down and try to push her into the background and usurp her influence over the kids, it was the beginning of the end! He really thought he could get rid of her and keep the kids and run things all by himself!—Like all kings: Dump the prophet and keep the power and the people! But God will not tolerate it! "Touch not the Lord's anointed, and do His prophets no harm!—For He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of Mine eye!"

50. I BELIEVE THE MISTAKE WE MADE WITH FRED WAS THAT WE DIDN'T WARN HIM SOON ENOUGH that if he rejected our leadership he would lose the kids too—the whole show! We didn't make it clear enough that the kids wouldn't follow him without us in the lead. He really thought he could steal them and dump us! Like these Paris kings‚ he thought he'd found a gold-mine of free or cheap labour and talent, so he decided he wanted it all to himself without any prophet telling him what to do!—So he decided to try to kill the goose so he could get all the golden eggs at once! But you know what happened: He lost the eggs too!—They followed us out to a man! He must have been dumbfounded! He was really stunned on that first "Childless" show afterward! He just didn't believe it would happen!

51. KINGS ARE JUST THAT DUMB WHEN IT COMES TO SPIRITUAL THINGS AND THE WAYS OF GOD AND HIS PROPHETS! GOD WILL NOT TAKE SECOND PLACE! HE WILL NOT LET HIMSELF IN THE PERSON OF HIS PROPHETS BE PUSHED BACK INTO THE BACKGROUND!—WITH GOD, IT'S all or nothing at all! You either take Him and His Prophet with Him to get His blessings too, or you lose everything! Eventually, because they seldom go all the way with God, God seldom goes all the way with them, and they're left out hanging on a limb somewhere high and dry without Him! They think they can have it all and not share it with God, so they wind up with nothing!

52. BUT THE PROPHET'S MISTAKE IS NOT TO GIVE THE KINGS FAIR WARNING OF THIS! You must warn them fairly and in advance that either you do it God's way with His leadership or we will not follow the king! All you kids must make this very clear to your kings.—They always think. "Well, some will follow without the Prophet!"—and then they are surprised when everybody leaves! When I sent that letter of ultimatum to Fred that either the kids got the Coachella Ranch and what was coming to them, or they'd pull out, he really didn't believe it! When I encouraged you to tell him off and demand your rights‚ he thought he could just have the leaders arrested and evicted and his troubles would be over—everyone else would stay—but it didn't work that way!—Even though you had to camp out in the park and vacate both L.A. and the Ranch‚ he didn't get one of us!—Not one!

53. AND THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST WARN YOUR KINGS IN ADVANCE: IT'S ONLY FAIR TO THEM!—THAT IF THEY DON'T HONOUR GOD'S LEADERSHIP AND QUIT TRYING TO COMPROMISE OR SUPPRESS HIS MESSAGE, THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE EVERYTHING!—They'll wind up with nothing but a bunch of empty worthless contracts and no people! Many of those contracts are ungodly anyway because they despise your birthright for a mess of pottage!

54. ENGLAND'S FAILURE TO WARN HITLER THAT SHE WOULD REALLY ENTER THE WAR AND FIGHT IF POLAND WAS INVADED VIRTUALLY PRECIPITATED WWII! Because England had been so soft and compromising up till then, Hitler really thought she never would do it! Even when she finally at the last minute threatened to, he still wouldn't believe it!—But she did—And the war began and Hitler lost!—But England lost a lot too!

55. SO YOU MUST GIVE YOUR KINGS FAIR WARNING THAT IF THEY CONTINUE TO DISHONOUR OUR LEADERSHIP AND MESSAGE, THEY'RE GONNA LOSE EVERYTHING!—Make it clear and definite.—The only way labour ever gets anything out of management is by threatening to strike or striking if they don't get what is their due!—And you must make them believe you will really all do it too!—Take a vote by a show of hands of the kids right in their presence if necessary to convince them!—You've gotta do it to let'em know you mean business!—You've compromised and kowtowed and licked their boots long enough! You've been patient and kept sweet and taken a lot, like with Fred. But there always comes a time to get firm and set your foot down and say, "Thus far and no further!"—A time to rally 'round your leadership and take a stand for your convictions!

56. AS IN FRED'S CASE, THE DECIDING FACTOR OFTEN SEEMS TO BE THE ONE WHO CARRIES THE SPIRIT OF THEIR FATHER AND IS NO COMPROMISER!—Like Faith, who is a battlefront general and is always in the forefront of the battle if there is one—and there always seems to be one impending if your kings don't wake up and say they're sorry and ask God to forgive them—at least ask you to forgive!—And then give you their proper recognition and respect and at least listen to your suggestions! This whole thing is either of God and must be led by His Spirit or it will come to naught anyway!—If it be of man and you let man run it and run you down and even defy you and God, it will absolutely come to naught no matter how hard you all try!—It's gotta be God!

57. SO EITHER YOU TELL THOSE KINGS OFF NOW BEFORE GOING ANY FARTHER SELLING YOURSELVES TOO CHEAP AND SELLING GOD OUT, and take your stand for what is right and your place and your due‚ or you're going to be sorry!—And so will they!—It's now or never! "Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers!" Either they've got to accept you and your message or reject both!—Including your leadership!—They can't have their cake and eat it too!—They've got to share it: Read the Letters on kings and how far you can go with them—and go no farther! (Nos. 27, 193, 211‚ 212‚ 217‚ 218, etc.)

58. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTERS: I'M INCLINED TO AGREE WITH YOU!—And thanks for your faithful reporting—it helps us get the picture!—And thanks for your faithfulness to your convictions, Faithy, and for taking a humble seat when rejected. God never forces Himself on anyone!—He just gives them the opportunity to receive His blessing. If they refuse them, it's their loss!—And possibly London's gain! Maybe Deb can work it out—she seems better able to placate Systemites—but you and I are rebel fanatics! It's virtually impossible for us to compromise! It's just not in us! So keep sweet, but be firm: No shepherdess, no sheep! Amen?

59. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SWEET LETTERS! I LOVE YOU! You can see I need more secretaries, Maria's so busy right now.—Any volunteers? You're good little lovers too! I may need you yet!—Maybe to help us when the time comes—we'll see! In the meantime, if you are all happy, more love to you!

60. THANKS FOR YOUR FULL EXPLANATION OF THE SITUATIONS THERE: I'm sure you can all work it out for the Lord's glory and whatever is best for His Work. As I have suggested, it's nearly always best to let the person concerned make his own decision, then no one can blame you for that! Anticipation is 50-percent of enjoyment! Give it a little time and thought and I'm sure you can work it out. Please try to keep everybody happy, and most of all the Lord! God bless you!

61. TRY TO STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT AND KEEP THEM UNDER CONTROL. It would be nice if you'd keep more in touch, but we don't hear much from some of you.—Haven't you got a secretary? I'd like to get a weekly report from you leaders please. Thanks. Then maybe we'd be better able to know how to counsel you. However, it's a little hard when we don't hear from you, or hear too late. Stand firm! God's will be done! Please let us know what you think about each situation, if necessary. Those who communicate the most are the most likely to get the most answers! Love those frequent reports!

62. THANKS FOR YOUR GOOD LETTERS! IT SOUNDS LIKE THINGS ARE GOING GREAT! So glad you're taking good care of this vital ministry! God will bless you!—And already does!

63. THANKS! HOPE YOU CAN DECIPHER THIS AND MARIA TYPES NEXT! GOD BLESS YOU ALL! MUCH LOVE, —DAD.

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family