PAPER 35
THE LOCAL UNIVERSE SONS OF GOD
35:0.1 THE Sons of God previously introduced have
had a Paradise origin. They are the offspring of the divine Rulers of the
universal domains. Of the first Paradise order of sonship, the Creator Sons,
there is in Nebadon only one, Michael, the universe father and sovereign. Of
the second order of Paradise sonship, the Avonal or Magisterial Sons, Nebadon
has its full quota -- 1,062. And these "lesser Christs" are just as effective
and all-powerful in their planetary bestowals as was the Creator and Master
Son on Urantia. The third order, being of Trinity origin, do not register in a
local universe, but I estimate there are in Nebadon between fifteen and twenty
thousand Trinity Teacher Sons exclusive of 9,642 creature-trinitized
assistants of record. These Paradise Daynals are neither magistrates nor
administrators; they are superteachers.
35:0.2 The types of Sons about to be considered are
of local universe origin; they are the offspring of a Paradise Creator Son in
varied association with the complemental Universe Mother Spirit. The following
orders of local universe sonship find mention in these narratives:
1. Melchizedek Sons.
2. Vorondadek Sons.
3. Lanonandek Sons.
4. Life Carrier Sons.
35:0.3 Triune Paradise Deity functions for the
creation of three orders of sonship: the Michaels, the Avonals, and the
Daynals. Dual Deity in the local universe, the Son and the Spirit, also
functions in the creation of three high orders of Sons: the Melchizedeks, the
Vorondadeks, and the Lanonandeks; and having achieved this threefold
expression, they collaborate with the next level of God the Sevenfold in the
production of the versatile order of Life Carriers. These beings are
classified with the descending Sons of God, but they are a unique and original
form of universe life. Their consideration will occupy the whole of the next
paper.
1. THE FATHER MELCHIZEDEK
35:1.1 After bringing into existence the beings of
personal aid, such as the Bright and Morning Star and other administrative
personalities, in accordance with the divine purpose and creative plans of a
given universe, there occurs a new form of creative union between the Creator
Son and the Creative Spirit, the local universe Daughter of the Infinite
Spirit. The personality offspring resulting from this creative partnership is
the original Melchizedek -- the Father Melchizedek -- that unique being who
subsequently collaborates with the Creator Son and the Creative Spirit to
bring into existence the entire group of that name.
35:1.2 In the universe of Nebadon the Father
Melchizedek acts as the first executive associate of the Bright and Morning
Star. Gabriel is occupied more with universe policies, Melchizedek with
practical procedures. Gabriel presides over the regularly constituted
tribunals and councils of Nebadon, Melchizedek over the special,
extraordinary, and emergency commissions and advisory bodies. Gabriel and the
Father Melchizedek are never away from Salvington at the same time, for in
Gabriel's absence the Father Melchizedek functions as the chief executive of
Nebadon.
35:1.3 The Melchizedeks of our universe were all
created within one millennial period of standard time by the Creator Son and
the Creative Spirit in liaison with the Father Melchizedek. Being an order of
sonship wherein one of their own number functioned as co-ordinate creator,
Melchizedeks are in constitution partly of self-origin and therefore
candidates for the realization of a supernal type of self-government. They
periodically elect their own administrative chief for a term of seven years of
standard time and otherwise function as a self-regulating order, though the
original Melchizedek does exercise certain inherent coparental prerogatives.
From time to time this Father Melchizedek designates certain individuals of
his order to function as special Life Carriers to the midsonite worlds, a type
of inhabited planet not heretofore revealed on Urantia.
35:1.4 The Melchizedeks do not function extensively
outside the local universe except when they are called as witnesses in matters
pending before the tribunals of the superuniverse, and when designated special
ambassadors, as they sometimes are, representing one universe to another in
the same superuniverse. The original or first-born Melchizedek of each
universe is always at liberty to journey to the neighboring universes or to
Paradise on missions having to do with the interests and duties of his order.
2. THE MELCHIZEDEK SONS
35:2.1 The Melchizedeks are the first order of
divine Sons to approach sufficiently near the lower creature life to be able
to function directly in the ministry of mortal uplift, to serve the
evolutionary races without the necessity of incarnation. These Sons are
naturally at the mid-point of the great personality descent, by origin being
just about midway between the highest Divinity and the lowest creature life of
will endowment. They thus become the natural intermediaries between the higher
and divine levels of living existence and the lower, even the material, forms
of life on the evolutionary worlds. The seraphic orders, the angels, delight
to work with the Melchizedeks; in fact, all forms of intelligent life find in
these Sons understanding friends, sympathetic teachers, and wise
counselors.
35:2.2 The Melchizedeks are a self-governing order.
With this unique group we encounter the first attempt at self-determination on
the part of local universe beings and observe the highest type of true
self-government. These Sons organize their own machinery for their group and
home-planet administration, as well as that for the six associated spheres and
their tributary worlds. And it should be recorded that they have never abused
their prerogatives; not once throughout all the superuniverse of Orvonton have
these Melchizedek Sons ever betrayed their trust. They are the hope of every
universe group which aspires to self-government; they are the pattern and the
teachers of self-government to all the spheres of Nebadon. All orders of
intelligent beings, superiors from above and subordinates from below, are
wholehearted in their praise of the government of the Melchizedeks.
35:2.3 The Melchizedek order of sonship occupies the
position, and assumes the responsibility, of the eldest son in a large family.
Most of their work is regular and somewhat routine, but much of it is
voluntary and altogether self-imposed. A majority of the special assemblies
which, from time to time, convene on Salvington are called on motion of the
Melchizedeks. On their own initiative these Sons patrol their native universe.
They maintain an autonomous organization devoted to universe intelligence,
making periodical reports to the Creator Son independent of all information
coming up to universe headquarters through the regular agencies concerned with
the routine administration of the realm. They are by nature unprejudiced
observers; they have the full confidence of all classes of intelligent
beings.
35:2.4 The Melchizedeks function as mobile and
advisory review courts of the realms; these universe Sons go in small groups
to the worlds to serve as advisory commissions, to take depositions, to
receive suggestions, and to act as counselors, thus helping to compose the
major difficulties and settle the serious differences which arise from time to
time in the affairs of the evolutionary domains.
35:2.5 These eldest Sons of a universe are the chief
aids of the Bright and Morning Star in carrying out the mandates of the
Creator Son. When a Melchizedek goes to a remote world in the name of Gabriel,
he may, for the purposes of that particular mission, be deputized in the name
of the sender and in that event will appear on the planet of assignment with
the full authority of the Bright and Morning Star. Especially is this true on
those spheres where a higher Son has not yet appeared in the likeness of the
creatures of the realm.
35:2.6 When a Creator Son enters upon the bestowal
career on an evolutionary world, he goes alone; but when one of his Paradise
brothers, an Avonal Son, enters upon a bestowal, he is accompanied by the
Melchizedek supporters, twelve in number, who so efficiently contribute to the
success of the bestowal mission. They also support the Paradise Avonals on
magisterial missions to the inhabited worlds, and in these assignments the
Melchizedeks are visible to mortal eyes if the Avonal Son is also thus
manifest.
35:2.7 There is no phase of planetary spiritual need
to which they do not minister. They are the teachers who so often win whole
worlds of advanced life to the final and full recognition of the Creator Son
and his Paradise Father.
35:2.8 The Melchizedeks are well-nigh perfect in
wisdom, but they are not infallible in judgment. When detached and alone on
planetary missions, they have sometimes erred in minor matters, that is, they
have elected to do certain things which their supervisors did not subsequently
approve. Such an error of judgment temporarily disqualifies a Melchizedek
until he goes to Salvington and, in audience with the Creator Son, receives
that instruction which effectually purges him of the disharmony which caused
disagreement with his fellows; and then, following the correctional rest,
reinstatement to service ensues on the third day. But these minor
misadaptations in Melchizedek function have rarely occurred in
Nebadon.
35:2.9 These Sons are not an increasing order; their
number is stationary, although varying in each local universe. The number of
Melchizedeks of record on their headquarters planet in Nebadon is upward of
ten million.
3. THE MELCHIZEDEK WORLDS
35:3.1 The Melchizedeks occupy a world of their own
near Salvington, the universe headquarters. This sphere, by name Melchizedek,
is the pilot world of the Salvington circuit of seventy primary spheres, each
of which is encircled by six tributary spheres devoted to specialized
activities. These marvelous spheres -- seventy primaries and 420 tributaries
-- are often spoken of as the Melchizedek University. Ascending mortals from
all the constellations of Nebadon pass through training on all 490 worlds in
the acquirement of residential status on Salvington. But the education of
ascenders is only one phase of the manifold activities taking place on the
Salvington cluster of architectural spheres.
35:3.2 The 490 spheres of the Salvington circuit are
divided into ten groups, each containing seven primary and forty-two tributary
spheres. Each of these groups is under the general supervision of some one of
the major orders of universe life. The first group, embracing the pilot world
and the next six primary spheres in the encircling planetary procession, is
under the supervision of the Melchizedeks. These Melchizedek worlds
are:
1. The pilot world -- the home world of the
Melchizedek Sons.
2. The world of the physical-life schools and the
laboratories of living energies.
3. The world of morontia life.
4. The sphere of initial spirit life.
5. The world of mid-spirit life.
6. The sphere of advancing spirit life.
7. The domain of co-ordinate and supreme
self-realization.
35:3.3 The six tributary worlds of each of these
Melchizedek spheres are devoted to activities germane to the work of the
associated primary sphere.
35:3.4 The pilot world, the sphere
Melchizedek, is the common meeting ground for all beings who are
engaged in educating and spiritualizing the ascending mortals of time and
space. To an ascender this world is probably the most interesting place in all
Nebadon. All evolutionary mortals who graduate from their constellation
training are destined to land on Melchizedek, where they are initiated into
the regime of the disciplines and spirit progression of the Salvington
educational system. And never will you forget your reactions to the first day
of life on this unique world, not even after you have reached your Paradise
destination.
35:3.5 Ascending mortals maintain residence on the
Melchizedek world while pursuing their training on the six encircling planets
of specialized education. And this same method is adhered to throughout their
sojourn on the seventy cultural worlds, the primary spheres of the Salvington
circuit.
35:3.6 Many diverse activities occupy the time of
the numerous beings who reside on the six tributary worlds of the Melchizedek
sphere, but as concerns the ascending mortals, these satellites are devoted to
the following special phases of study:
35:3.7 1. Sphere number one is occupied with the
review of the initial planetary life of the ascending mortals. This work is
carried on in classes composed of those who hail from a given world of mortal
origin. Those from Urantia pursue such an experiential review together.
35:3.8 2. The special work of sphere number two
consists in a similar review of the experiences passed through on the mansion
worlds encircling the premier satellite of the local system
headquarters.
35:3.9 3. The reviews of this sphere pertain to the
sojourn on the capital of the local system and embrace the activities of the
remainder of the architectural worlds of the system headquarters
cluster.
35:3.10 4. The fourth sphere is occupied with a
review of the experiences of the seventy tributary worlds of the constellation
and of their associated spheres.
35:3.11 5. On the fifth sphere there is conducted
the review of the ascendant sojourn on the constellation headquarters
world.
35:3.12 6. The time on sphere number six is devoted
to an attempt to correlate these five epochs and thus achieve co-ordination of
experience preparatory to entering the Melchizedek primary schools of universe
training.
35:3.13 The schools of universe administration and
spiritual wisdom are located on the Melchizedek home world, where also are to
be found those schools devoted to a single line of research, such as energy,
matter, organization, communication, records, ethics, and comparative creature
existence.
35:3.14 In the Melchizedek College of Spiritual
Endowment all orders -- even the Paradise orders -- of the Sons of God
co-operate with the Melchizedek and the seraphic teachers in training the
hosts who go forth as evangels of destiny, proclaiming spiritual liberty and
divine sonship even to the remote worlds of the universe. This particular
school of the Melchizedek University is an exclusive universe institution;
student visitors are not received from other realms.
35:3.15 The highest course of training in universe
administration is given by the Melchizedeks on their home world. This College
of High Ethics is presided over by the original Father Melchizedek. It is to
these schools that the various universes send exchange students. While the
young universe of Nebadon stands low in the scale of universes as regards
spiritual achievement and high ethical development, nevertheless, our
administrative troubles have so turned the whole universe into a vast clinic
for other near-by creations that the Melchizedek colleges are thronged with
student visitors and observers from other realms. Besides the immense group of
local registrants there are always upward of one hundred thousand foreign
students in attendance upon the Melchizedek schools, for the order of
Melchizedeks in Nebadon is renowned throughout all Splandon.
4. SPECIAL WORK OF THE MELCHIZEDEKS
35:4.1 A highly specialized branch of Melchizedek
activities has to do with the supervision of the progressive morontia career
of the ascending mortals. Much of this training is conducted by the patient
and wise seraphic ministers, assisted by mortals who have ascended to
relatively higher levels of universe attainment, but all of this educational
work is under the general supervision of the Melchizedeks in association with
the Trinity Teacher Sons.
35:4.2 While the Melchizedek orders are chiefly
devoted to the vast educational system and experiential training regime of the
local universe, they also function in unique assignments and in unusual
circumstances. In an evolving universe eventually embracing approximately ten
million inhabited worlds, many things out of the ordinary are destined to
happen, and it is in such emergencies that the Melchizedeks act. On Edentia,
your constellation headquarters, they are known as emergency Sons. They are
always ready to serve in all exigencies -- physical, intellectual, or
spiritual -- whether on a planet, in a system, in a constellation, or in the
universe. Whenever and wherever special help is needed, there you will find
one or more of the Melchizedek Sons.
35:4.3 When failure of some feature of the Creator
Son's plan is threatened, forthwith will go a Melchizedek to render
assistance. But not often are they summoned to function in the presence of
sinful rebellion, such as occurred in Satania.
35:4.4 The Melchizedeks are the first to act in all
emergencies of whatever nature on all worlds where will creatures dwell. They
sometimes act as temporary custodians on wayward planets, serving as receivers
of a defaulting planetary government. In a planetary crisis these Melchizedek
Sons serve in many unique capacities. It is easily possible for such a Son to
make himself visible to mortal beings, and sometimes one of this order has
even incarnated in the likeness of mortal flesh. Seven times in Nebadon has a
Melchizedek served on an evolutionary world in the similitude of mortal flesh,
and on numerous occasions these Sons have appeared in the likeness of other
orders of universe creatures. They are indeed the versatile and volunteer
emergency ministers to all orders of universe intelligences and to all the
worlds and systems of worlds.
35:4.5 The Melchizedek who lived on Urantia during
the time of Abraham was locally known as Prince of Salem because he presided
over a small colony of truth seekers residing at a place called Salem. He
volunteered to incarnate in the likeness of mortal flesh and did so with the
approval of the Melchizedek receivers of the planet, who feared that the light
of life would become extinguished during that period of increasing spiritual
darkness. And he did foster the truth of his day and safely pass it on to
Abraham and his associates.
5. THE VORONDADEK SONS
35:5.1 After the creation of the personal aids and
the first group of the versatile Melchizedeks, the Creator Son and the local
universe Creative Spirit planned for, and brought into existence, the second
great and diverse order of universe sonship, the Vorondadeks. They are more
generally known as Constellation Fathers because a Son of this order is
uniformly found at the head of each constellation government in every local
universe.
35:5.2 The number of Vorondadeks varies in each
local universe, just one million being the recorded number in Nebadon. These
Sons, like their co-ordinates, the Melchizedeks, possess no power of
reproduction. There exists no known method whereby they can increase their
numbers.
35:5.3 In many respects these Sons are a
self-governing body; as individuals and as groups, even as a whole, they are
largely self-determinative, much as are the Melchizedeks, but Vorondadeks do
not function through such a wide range of activities. They do not equal their
Melchizedek brethren in brilliant versatility, but they are even more reliable
and efficient as rulers and farseeing administrators. Neither are they quite
the administrative peers of their subordinates, the Lanonandek System
Sovereigns, but they excel all orders of universe sonship in stability of
purpose and in divinity of judgment.
35:5.4 Although the decisions and rulings of this
order of Sons are always in accordance with the spirit of divine sonship and
in harmony with the policies of the Creator Son, they have been cited for
error to the Creator Son, and in details of technique their decisions have
sometimes been reversed on appeal to the superior tribunals of the universe.
But these Sons rarely fall into error, and they have never gone into
rebellion; never in all the history of Nebadon has a Vorondadek been found in
contempt of the universe government.
35:5.5 The service of the Vorondadeks in the local
universes is extensive and varied. They serve as ambassadors to other
universes and as consuls representing constellations within their native
universe. Of all orders of local universe sonship they are the most often
intrusted with the full delegation of sovereign powers to be exercised in
critical universe situations.
35:5.6 On those worlds segregated in spiritual
darkness, those spheres which have, through rebellion and default, suffered
planetary isolation, an observer Vorondadek is usually present pending the
restoration of normal status. In certain emergencies this Most High observer
could exercise absolute and arbitrary authority over every celestial being
assigned to that planet. It is of record on Salvington that the Vorondadeks
have sometimes exercised such authority as Most High regents of such planets.
And this has also been true even of inhabited worlds that were untouched by
rebellion.
35:5.7 Often a corps of twelve or more Vorondadek
Sons sits en banc as a high court of review and appeal concerning special
cases involving the status of a planet or a system. But their work more
largely pertains to the legislative functions indigenous to the constellation
governments. As a result of all these services, the Vorondadek Sons have
become the historians of the local universes; they are personally familiar
with all the political struggles and the social upheavals of the inhabited
worlds.
6. THE CONSTELLATION FATHERS
35:6.1 At least three Vorondadeks are assigned to
the rulership of each of the one hundred constellations of a local universe.
These Sons are selected by the Creator Son and are commissioned by Gabriel as
the Most Highs of the constellations for service during one
dekamillennium -- 10,000 standard years, about 50,000 years of Urantia time.
The reigning Most High, the Constellation Father, has two associates, a senior
and a junior. At each change of administration the senior associate becomes
the head of the government, the junior assumes the duties of the senior, while
the unassigned Vorondadeks resident on the Salvington worlds nominate one of
their number as candidate for selection to assume the responsibilities of
junior associate. Thus each of the Most High rulers, in accordance with
present policy, has a period of service on the headquarters of a constellation
of three dekamillenniums, about 150,000 Urantia years.
35:6.2 The one hundred Constellation Fathers, the
actual presiding heads of the constellation governments, constitute the
supreme advisory cabinet of the Creator Son. This council is in frequent
session at universe headquarters and is unlimited in the scope and range of
its deliberations but is chiefly concerned with the welfare of the
constellations and with the unification of the administration of the entire
local universe.
35:6.3 When a Constellation Father is in attendance
upon duties at the universe headquarters, as he frequently is, the senior
associate becomes acting director of constellation affairs. The normal
function of the senior associate is the oversight of spiritual affairs, while
the junior associate is personally occupied with the physical welfare of the
constellation. No major policy, however, is ever carried out in a
constellation unless all three of the Most Highs are agreed upon all the
details of its execution.
35:6.4 The entire mechanism of spirit intelligence
and communication channels is at the disposal of the constellation Most Highs.
They are in perfect touch with their superiors on Salvington and with their
direct subordinates, the sovereigns of the local systems. They frequently
convene in council with these System Sovereigns to deliberate upon the state
of the constellation.
35:6.5 The Most Highs surround themselves with a
corps of counselors, which varies in number and personnel from time to time in
accordance with the presence of the various groups at constellation
headquarters and also as the local requirements vary. During times of stress
they may ask for, and will quickly receive, additional Sons of the Vorondadek
order to assist with the administrative work. Norlatiadek, your own
constellation, is at present administered by twelve Vorondadek Sons.
7. THE VORONDADEK WORLDS
35:7.1 The second group of seven worlds in the
circuit of seventy primary spheres surrounding Salvington comprise the
Vorondadek planets. Each of these spheres, with its six encircling satellites,
is devoted to a special phase of Vorondadek activities. On these forty-nine
realms the ascending mortals secure the acme of their education respecting
universe legislation.
35:7.2 The ascending mortals have observed the
legislative assemblies as they functioned on the headquarters worlds of the
constellations, but here on these Vorondadek worlds they participate in the
enactment of the actual general legislation of the local universe under the
tutelage of the senior Vorondadeks. Such enactments are designed to
co-ordinate the varied pronouncements of the autonomous legislative assemblies
of the one hundred constellations. The instruction to be had in the Vorondadek
schools is unexcelled even on Uversa. This training is progressive, extending
from the first sphere, with supplemental work on its six satellites, on up
through the remaining six primary spheres and their associated satellite
groups.
35:7.3 The ascending pilgrims will be introduced to
numerous new activities on these worlds of study and practical work. We are
not forbidden to undertake the revelation of these new and undreamed-of
pursuits, but we despair of being able to portray these undertakings to the
material mind of mortal beings. We are without words to convey the meanings of
these supernal activities, and there are no analogous human engagements which
might be utilized as illustrations of these new occupations of the ascending
mortals as they pursue their studies on these forty-nine worlds. And many
other activities, not a part of the ascendant regime, are centered on these
Vorondadek worlds of the Salvington circuit.
8. THE LANONANDEK SONS
35:8.1 After the creation of the Vorondadeks, the
Creator Son and the Universe Mother Spirit unite for the purpose of bringing
into existence the third order of universe sonship, the Lanonandeks. Although
occupied with varied tasks connected with the system administrations, they are
best known as System Sovereigns, the rulers of the local systems, and as
Planetary Princes, the administrative heads of the inhabited
worlds.
35:8.2 Being a later and lower -- as concerns
divinity levels -- order of sonship creation, these beings were required to
pass through certain courses of training on the Melchizedek worlds in
preparation for subsequent service. They were the first students in the
Melchizedek University and were classified and certified by their Melchizedek
teachers and examiners according to ability, personality, and
attainment.
35:8.3 The universe of Nebadon began its existence
with exactly twelve million Lanonandeks, and when they had passed through the
Melchizedek sphere, they were divided in the final tests into three
classes:
35:8.4 1. Primary Lanonandeks. Of the highest
rank there were 709,841. These are the Sons designated as System Sovereigns
and assistants to the supreme councils of the constellations and as counselors
in the higher administrative work of the universe.
35:8.5 2. Secondary Lanonandeks. Of this
order emerging from Melchizedek there were 10,234,601. They are assigned as
Planetary Princes and to the reserves of that order.
35:8.6 3. Tertiary Lanonandeks. This group
contained 1,055,558. These Sons function as subordinate assistants,
messengers, custodians, commissioners, observers, and prosecute the
miscellaneous duties of a system and its component worlds.
35:8.7 It is not possible, as it is with
evolutionary beings, for these Sons to progress from one group to another.
When subjected to the Melchizedek training, when once tested and classified,
they serve continuously in the rank assigned. Neither do these Sons engage in
reproduction; their number in the universe is stationary.
35:8.8 In round numbers the Lanonandek order of Sons
is classified on Salvington as follows:
Universe Co-ordinators and Constellation
Counselors . 100,000
System Sovereigns and Assistants. . . . . . . . .
. . 600,000
Planetary Princes and Reserves. . . . . . . . . .
.10,000,000
Messenger Corps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 400,000
Custodians and Recorders. . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 100,000
Reserve Corps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 800,000
35:8.9 Since Lanonandeks are a somewhat lower order
of sonship than the Melchizedeks and the Vorondadeks, they are of even greater
service in the subordinate units of the universe, for they are capable of
drawing nearer the lower creatures of the intelligent races. They also stand
in greater danger of going astray, of departing from the acceptable technique
of universe government. But these Lanonandeks, especially the primary order,
are the most able and versatile of all local universe administrators. In
executive ability they are excelled only by Gabriel and his unrevealed
associates.
9. THE LANONANDEK RULERS
35:9.1 The Lanonandeks are the continuous rulers of
the planets and the rotating sovereigns of the systems. Such a Son now rules
on Jerusem, the headquarters of your local system of inhabited
worlds.
35:9.2 The System Sovereigns rule in commissions of
two or three on the headquarters of each system of inhabited worlds. The
Constellation Father names one of these Lanonandeks as chief every
dekamillennium. Sometimes no change in the head of the trio is made, the
matter being entirely optional with the constellation rulers. System
governments do not suddenly change in personnel unless a tragedy of some sort
occurs.
35:9.3 When System Sovereigns or assistants are
recalled, their places are filled by selections made by the supreme council
located on the constellation headquarters from the reserves of that order, a
group which is larger on Edentia than the average indicated.
35:9.4 The supreme Lanonandek councils are stationed
on the various constellation headquarters. Such a body is presided over by the
senior Most High associate of the Constellation Father, while the junior
associate supervises the reserves of the secondary order.
35:9.5 The System Sovereigns are true to their
names; they are well-nigh sovereign in the local affairs of the inhabited
worlds. They are almost paternal in their direction of the Planetary Princes,
the Material Sons, and the ministering spirits. The personal grasp of the
sovereign is all but complete. These rulers are not supervised by Trinity
observers from the central universe. They are the executive division of the
local universe, and as custodians of the enforcement of legislative mandates
and as executives for the application of judicial verdicts, they present the
one place in all universe administration where personal disloyalty to the will
of the Michael Son could most easily and readily intrench itself and seek to
assert itself.
35:9.6 Our local universe has been unfortunate in
that over seven hundred Sons of the Lanonandek order have rebelled against the
universe government, thus precipitating confusion in several systems and on
numerous planets. Of this entire number of failures only three were System
Sovereigns; practically all of these Sons belonged to the second and third
orders, Planetary Princes and tertiary Lanonandeks.
35:9.7 The large number of these Sons who have
lapsed from integrity does not indicate any fault in creatorship. They could
have been made divinely perfect, but they were so created that they might
better understand, and draw near to, the evolutionary creatures dwelling on
the worlds of time and space.
35:9.8 Of all the local universes in Orvonton, our
universe has, with the exception of Henselon, lost the largest number of this
order of Sons. On Uversa it is the consensus that we have had so much
administrative trouble in Nebadon because our Sons of the Lanonandek order
have been created with such a large degree of personal liberty in choosing and
planning. I do not make this observation by way of criticism. The Creator of
our universe has full authority and power to do this. It is the contention of
our high rulers that, while such free-choosing Sons make excessive trouble in
the earlier ages of the universe, when things are fully sifted and finally
settled, the gains of higher loyalty and fuller volitional service on the part
of these thoroughly tested Sons will far more than compensate for the
confusion and tribulations of earlier times.
35:9.9 In the event of rebellion on a system
headquarters, a new sovereign is usually installed within a comparatively
short time, but not so on the individual planets. They are the component units
of the material creation, and creature free will is a factor in the final
adjudication of all such problems. Successor Planetary Princes are designated
for isolated worlds, planets whose princes of authority may have gone astray,
but they do not assume active rulership of such worlds until the results of
insurrection are partially overcome and removed by the remedial measures
adopted by the Melchizedeks and other ministering personalities. Rebellion by
a Planetary Prince instantly isolates his planet; the local spiritual circuits
are immediately severed. Only a bestowal Son can re-establish interplanetary
lines of communication on such a spiritually isolated world.
35:9.10 There exists a plan for saving these wayward
and unwise Sons, and many have availed themselves of this merciful provision;
but never again may they function in those positions wherein they defaulted.
After rehabilitation they are assigned to custodial duties and to departments
of physical administration.
10. THE LANONANDEK WORLDS
35:10.1 The third group of seven worlds in the
Salvington circuit of seventy planets, with their respective forty-two
satellites, constitute the Lanonandek cluster of administrative spheres. On
these realms the experienced Lanonandeks belonging to the ex-System Sovereign
corps officiate as administrative teachers of the ascending pilgrims and the
seraphic hosts. The evolutionary mortals observe the system administrators at
work on the system capitals, but here they participate in the actual
co-ordination of the administrative pronouncements of the ten thousand local
systems.
35:10.2 These administrative schools of the local
universe are supervised by a corps of Lanonandek Sons who have had long
experience as System Sovereigns and as constellation counselors. These
executive colleges are excelled only by the administrative schools of
Ensa.
35:10.3 While serving as training spheres for
ascending mortals, the Lanonandek worlds are the centers for extensive
undertakings having to do with the normal and routine administrative
operations of the universe. All the way in to Paradise the ascending pilgrims
pursue their studies in the practical schools of applied knowledge -- actual
training in really doing the things they are being taught. The universe
educational system sponsored by the Melchizedeks is practical, progressive,
meaningful, and experiential. It embraces training in things material,
intellectual, morontial, and spiritual.
35:10.4 It is in connection with these
administrative spheres of the Lanonandeks that most of the salvaged Sons of
that order serve as custodians and directors of planetary affairs. And these
defaulting Planetary Princes and their associates in rebellion who choose to
accept the proffered rehabilitation will continue to serve in these routine
capacities, at least until the universe of Nebadon is settled in light and
life.
35:10.5 Many of the Lanonandek Sons in the older
systems, however, have established wonderful records of service,
administration, and spiritual achievement. They are a noble, faithful, and
loyal group, notwithstanding their tendency to fall into error through
fallacies of personal liberty and fictions of self-determination.
35:10.6 Sponsored
by the Chief of Archangels acting by authority of Gabriel of
Salvington.
