This message was delivered at the Church of the Open Door, 536 So. Hope St., Los Angeles, Calif.

This Is One of the Gone With the Wind (s) Series

What Is the So Called Mighty I Am Presence?

A NEW RELIGION has been turned loose upon the American people. Many of our people have thus far proved exceedingly gullible, as can be proved by the number who have followed the self-appointed religious prophets and inspired writers—Joseph Smith into Mormonism, Mrs. Ellen White into Seventh Day Adventism, Mrs. Towne into New Thought, Mr. Fillmore into Unity, Mrs. Eddy into Christian Science, Madam Blavatsky into Theosophy, Pastor Russell and Judge Rutherford into Millennial Dawn and Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mr. Buchman into the Oxford Movement, the Fox Sisters and others into Spiritism, and many false prophets into Anglo-Israelism; to say nothing of the Rosicrucians, Christadelphians and a host of others. In spite of the fact that this is called a Christian land and a land of Bibles, the American people have proved themselves easy victims for every Satanic counterfeit of Christianity that has been propagated in the United States.

Now comes this new religion known as the “I am” movement. Who turned this loose to find so many gullible victims? I will present the evidence and then permit you to be the jury and bring in the verdict.

The “I am” religion is at present under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Ballard. Mr. and Mrs. Ballard and their son, Donald Ballard, all of Chicago, are regarded as the founders of the movement and the accredited messengers of Saint Germain. Saint Germain and Jesus, with others, are the ascended masters.

This week I attended one of the sessions of the “I am” convention being held in the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, (July 1 to July 17, 1938). I was ushered out of the auditorium because I refused to commit idolatry and worship a fictitious character, one who does not exist and never did exist, except in the mind of a deluded false-prophet, a blind leader of the blind, all together headed for the ditch. However, before my sudden and unexpected exit I heard the messages of Mr. Ballard, Mrs. Ballard and Donald Ballard. So I received firsthand information from the accredited messengers themselves.

In examining this religious system in the light of “What Saith the Scriptures,” we shall be truthful in our statements concerning the strange doctrines of this peculiar cult, and, therefore. we realize that it is wiser to quote from their writings, as we have learned by experience that such messengers and their followers do not hesitate to deny some statements quoted from their oral messages. But I shall refer to several statements in a number of oral messages which I have heard. I have found a number of them confirmed in the writings of Mr. Ballard and his accredited associates.

Before I go into the written statements of the “I am” messengers I would like to tell you what led to my expulsion from the Shrine auditorium on the afternoon of July 12th. After the three Ballards had given their instructions to more than five thousand people, Mr. Ballard closed with a question. With a very decided smile on his face he asked his audience if they would like to hear a secret. Virtually the entire audience nodded their assent, smiled and uttered their eagerness to hear the secret. There was profound reverence for the special messenger and undivided attention as he told his secret to his worshipful devotees. Here was the secret: “Daddy loves you”. “Mammy loves you” . . . “Saint Germain loves you.” He called this his three-fold secret. It was a message from their “Ascended Master” and his accredited messenger. At the name of Saint Germain the entire audience of five thousand literally sprang to their feet. Some eyes were closed and the worshippers of Saint Germain took in more light, but on the faces of most of the deluded people there was a look of serenity and satisfaction. However, I did not have very much time to look at all the faces, for I was looking into the faces of some ushers who rushed toward Pastor L. T. Talbot and me as we remained seated and refused to join in their idolatry. We were ordered by the several men to arise and honor Saint Germain or to get out of the building. Though we had listened with silence and respect, without the slightest ridicule or gesture, we were forced from the auditorium. If we had remained seated it would have been a splendid test case to learn if one American citizen could use such force upon a fellow-citizen who refused to commit the great sin of idolatry.

In the messages of the Ballards they implored “the mighty I am presence” to break down in America all opposition and resistance to their particular philosophy of life and defeat every stubborn will of every American citizen and bring them to the understanding of the “cosmic law” and the true source of life, love, health, prosperity and perfection. They claimed great loyalty to the United States, and in their literature they emphasize love for the country and urge their disciples to pray for the release of light in such a measure as to bring America into the knowledge of their philosophy of life, which will hasten the subjection of all people to the blessed truth concerning “the mighty I am presence”.

Note these words spoken by revelation from “Jesus the Christ”

“When such great freedom is at your door, just for your acceptance and application, can you understand how great is our love and desire to fully enable you to grasp these simple majestic laws, that you may have the same freedom which we experience? However, this can only come through your joyful willing acceptance and application of this truth which we give.” The Ballards and other “I am” messengers are dogmatic and positive in their statements that only those who embrace their “Light” philosophy can be assured of permanent success prosperity and happiness in things material as well as spiritual. However, they do not like the word “spirit”. They prefer to use “mind”.

This new religion is only new in spots. They call it a philosophy. It is a very strange mixture. It is a concoction of Unity, New Thought, Christian Science, Theosophy, and some other things with here and there a touch of Spiritism. Many of the adherents have forsaken Mrs. Eddy, Mr. Fillmore, Madam Blavatsky and Anna Besant, saying these religions were simply the steps to the high and perfect truth. The “I am” philosophy is the ultimate, the final and the perfect cosmic law that will bring all humanity through re-embodiments to perfection and ascension. Note what ascension and perfection mean:

“All should understand, that when one has made his ascension, he becomes a wholly perfect being of such beauty and radiance that all who contact him, realize that he is superior in every way to all other beings. He is no longer subject to any of the limitations of the outer world, for he has the full use of the power of precipitation, can take his body any where he desires instantly, transcends time and space and is such an outpouring of light, love and peace, that all who contact, him know instantly that he is a god being manifesting marvelous perfection in every way.”

“Where the physical body has red blood in the veins, at the moment of ascension, it becomes a liquid golden light pouring its radiance through the flesh until the rays of golden light fill the aura.”

However before quoting further from the writings of Mr. Ballard and his associates, I shall refer to instructions which I received from two well-informed disciples of Mr. Ballard. Before I attended the public meeting at the Shrine auditorium on the afternoon of July 12. I conferred with a number of the leaders and asked them to put me in touch with one of their men who was well-informed concerning all the teachings of the movement and who would give me nothing but reliable information. Immediately several of them agreed upon a gentleman, and I was turned over to him. He was very willing, and very courteous. He not only gave me the general information as to what was taught by the messengers of Saint Germain, but he was very patient and thorough in answering my questions.

On July 14 I attended one of the morning sessions of the convention. In the auditorium at 2600 South Hoover Street, Los Angeles, which is the local headquarters of the “I am” movement, I heard Mr. and Mrs. King of Kansas City and Mr. and Mrs. Sindelar. Mr. Sindelar has his headquarters and printing plant at this Los Angeles address. The monthly magazine of the “I am” movement, printed by the Sindelar Studios, is called “The Voice of the I Am”. Presently I shall refer to some very strange statements which were uttered in the addresses of these four messengers to whom I have just referred and shall also quote a number of statements from “The Voice”. But first, I desire to state that at the close of this particular meeting, I had the opportunity to be instructed by a very intelligent lady who has been a teacher in the “I am” movement for the last three years. She, too, was most courteous and patient. She gave me full instruction as to how to use the ‘light’ chart. She knew every detail, and spent more than an hour and a half as my teacher. She confirmed virtually everything that I had read in the writings of Mr. Ballard and other.

From the gentleman teacher at the Shrine auditorium and the lady teacher at the Los Angeles “I am” headquarters I gathered some very interesting statements concerning reincarnation. The gentleman was a very intelligent-looking man and quite prosperous-looking. He informed me that Saint Germain was none other than Samuel the prophet priest and judge, who anointed King Saul and King David to be ruler of God’s nation. He told me that when the early patriots of America hesitated to sign the Declaration of Independence Saint Germain suddenly appeared in Independence Hall and told them not to fear Great Britain, that all was coming out well, for he as the “ascended master” had a special supervision over this country. From this gentleman and my lady instructor I received further information concerning their strange reincarnation doctrine. I was told that not only was Saint Germain here in one of his embodiments as Samuel, but he was also on earth at the time Jesus was here, that he and Jesus had many conferences together. According to their theories Saint Germain came back for a new incarnation and reached the state of perfection in the seventeenth century. One who reaches the state of perfection through the work of the “mighty I am presence” experiences ascension. By the way, I was given some very interesting information; that is that on Sunday, July 17, 1938, (next Sunday) twenty-five men and women will reach the state of perfection and experience ascension. This will take place at Mount Teton, which is one of the earthly abodes of Saint Germain.

Concerning the Ballard family, I was told that Mr. Ballard was George Washington, that Mrs. Ballard was Joan of Arc, and that Donald Ballard was Lafayette. Even more interesting than that, the lady said that long before Mr. Ballard was here as George Washington he was that centurion of great faith mentioned in Matthew 8 and Luke 7.

Right here we quote concerning the doctrine of reincarnation two paragraphs from “The Voice” for February, 1937:

REINCARNATIONS

“The ascended master is as far above a disembodied individual as light is above darkness. The ascended master is the conqueror over so-called death, while the one who has passed through death has failed to hold the mastery or control of its substance and energy Therefore, he must return in another baby body grow up and try again to attain his victory, by keeping his physical body harmonious long enough for his presence to release through it the full power of light and love, and thus expand the perfection of itself, which is the ascended master’s victory— the ascension.

This is the only means by which you can become free from the wheel of birth and rebirth, free from the hundreds and perhaps thousands of embodiments in which you have lived. Any one who thinks it is not necessary or imperative to use the violet consuming flame will find his great mistake, too late. There is no human being on earth that is an exception to this mighty law.”

Here you will note that in this religious system some individuals must experience thousands of embodiments before they are made perfect. Before we go further into the teachings of Mr. Ballard and his associates we quote from this same edition of “The Voice”

“This magazine is not an outlet for articles from the students, but is the outpouring of the help from the ascended masters and has no human concepts in it.”

Here you will note that the messengers of the “I am” movement state in no uncertain terms that their written articles have in them no human concepts. We accept this as their own acknowledgment, and then we make this statement: Every true child of God believes that the Bible is God’s inspired Word, and that every Divine concept which the true God has revealed to man is in the Bible. As every strange doctrine taught by the “I am” messengers is unscriptural, we dogmatically, un-hesitantly and positively state that there is not one Divine concept in any of the writings of the Ballards or their associates.

Inasmuch as the “I am” messengers do not believe that there are human concepts in their writings and we shall prove that everything that they teach is contrary to the sound doctrines of the inspired Word of God, then there can be but one other source from which this antichrist system has come. We here quote I Timothy 4:1 to 4:

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.”

We have purposely covered the four verses because two of them have something to do with eating meat. In verse 1 we are warned against giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons; and surely every doctrine taught by Mr. Ballard and his associates is a doctrine of demons. Presently we shall refer to the devices and wiles of Satan, who is called in the Bible “the god of this age”. But first,

CONCERNING MEATS

Here we learn in God’s own Word that one of the strange doctrines of religious people would be a prohibition concerning meat, which, God says, is to be received with thanksgiving. Note what is said in I Timothy 4:5 concerning meat:

“For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

The “I am” people claim that “the mighty I am presence” cannot do his perfect work in anyone who eats meat. Mr. Ballard in his address at the Shrine auditorium said that the followers of Saint Germain should never eat anything that had a face. One claim is that the animals are filled with fear, and that fear is transmuted to the person who eats the animal. One work of “the mighty I am presence” is to rid the individual of fear, and, therefore, the eating of meat hinders his work. Another explanation is that the meat forms a film that interferes with the working of light.

By this time I can see many of the readers laughing, but I am sure, dear reader, if you are thinking of the poor lost souls who are being deluded by the damnable heresies of this Satanic movement, you would agree with me that it is not a comedy, but a tragedy. In the sessions of the convention I attended I have seen the faces of hundreds and hundreds with serious expressions. The matter of their “god” who is “light, intelligence and power,” and of the “cosmic law,” of the “cosmic light,” of the “divine director,” of the “ascended masters,” of the “mighty I am presence,” of the worship of Saint Germain, and of the individual’s world of activity is a very serious one. To know that men and women are actually receiving these pernicious doctrines is enough to make a child of God weep. Most heads were bowed with closed eyes, some with hands crossed on their breasts, others looking up, but all in deep meditation taking in the light from “the mighty I am presence” and trying to consume with a violet flame all the negatives of the discordant vibrations and activities surrounding their physical bodies. If it was a pitiful sight to a servant of the Lord, what must it be to the holy Son of God as He looks down upon a group of idolaters who drag His holy name into their ungodly demon worship.

CONCERNING LIGHT

How many, or how few, religious people or even Christians, can truthfully say what Paul wrote concerning Satan in II Corinthians 2:11: “We are not ignorant of his devices.” Again in Ephesians 6:11, 12 he wrote: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Paul under the direction of the Holy Spirit has instructed us concerning the devices and tricks of the devil. Our spiritual warfare is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers of world darkness and spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies. The poor, ignorant disciples of the Ballards seem to be wholly unconscious of the fact that they are taking in this darkness and wickedness from the very habitation of Satan in the heavenlies. This is accounted for in the words of II Corinthians 11:13 to 15:

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

The people of God should meditate upon these verses constantly during these perilous times when Satan, with all of his false-prophets, is trying with every religious concoction to deceive, if possible, the very elect.

Why would Satan transform himself into an angel of light, if it were not for the fact that in this camouflage he can make his religious victims take darkness and call it light? There is not the slightest suggestion in these verses that the messengers of Satan are degenerates or immoral men and women, but preachers of Jesus, preachers of the gospel preachers of righteousness, masquerading as the servants of Jesus Christ. Dear friend, God has warned us all through His Book. Note these solemn words in I John 4:1 to 3:

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”

Do we not have positive proof here that the Ballards and their associates are all antichrists? Here we have the mark of truth and error, of the servant of Christ and the antichrist.

MR. BALLARD CONCERNING THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

One of the positive proofs that the so-called messengers of “the mighty I am presence” are nothing less than blaspheming infidels, servants of Satan, is found in the message of “The Voice of the I Am,” May, 1936. In the messages from which we quote the writer assumes that he is Jesus Christ speaking from heaven, and he signs some of his articles, “Jesus the Christ.” If we were not living in the day of grace God would smite with awful judgment the blasphemer who penned such words. I quote two paragraphs containing messages which are presented to the victims of the Ballards to be the words of Jesus speaking from heaven.

“Even as I have joined our Beloved Saint Germain, in the endeavor to bring this freedom to America and the world, so is it fitting on this day to add my view of that great reality. Oh, my beloved ones! stand firm in that which you have come to know as the ‘great majestic presence’ which beats your hearts. It can perform all action, all service, all perfection for you, requiring only your attention to enable it to release the same power—the same great love and light—which it was my privilege to release from that ‘great presence’—the ‘mighty I am.’”

“All the ascended masters, and my beloved brother, Saint Germain, have made this possible. Unto him we give all credit for having had the courage, the conviction and strength to bring this forth to America and the world. We have all joined in that earnest service to enable the glory and light to fill the hearts of mankind more quickly and sustain its eternal victory.”

Here you will note that the Lord Jesus Christ is represented as giving His full endorsement to this mythical character and this Satanic system. Surely it is enough to drive God’s people to tears and prayer. Of course, you are asking the question being asked by multitudes, “how can any thinking, intelligent person be deceived by such absolute nonsense in which there is not one statement of Divine truth?” We have been asking this same thing about Christian Science, Unity, and Mormonism for many years. Apart from the deceiving power of Satan, the prince of the power of the air, there is no way to account for such vagaries and delusions. But as someone has truly said, “only a good thing is counterfeited.” Therefore, genuine Christianity must be a good thing, for there are so many counterfeits. Do not forget that Satan is transformed into an angel of light.

In the Los Angeles headquarters of the “I am” movement the pictures of the Lord Jesus and Saint Germain are being sold. The claim is made that the Lord Jesus for twenty-one consecutive nights appeared at midnight to Mr. Sindelar, and gave him the true picture of himself to have painted and printed. I heard this gentleman with my own ears tell his large audience of intelligent-looking people that he had a definite revelation, that he was going to have two pictures—one of Saint Germain and one of Jesus—which would be so radiant that the people who had accepted the “I am” teachings would be able to touch those pictures and receive a marvelous blessing of light.

I quote again from “The Voice” of February, 1936. This message, too, was written by an antichrist, but the article is signed “Jesus the Christ.” This is supposed to be a message from Jesus who is an ascended master of the sixth ray. (Saint Germain is an ascended master of the seventh ray.) In all of the meetings and in all of the writings it will be observed that Jesus comes second to Saint Germain. From this magazine we quote:

CONCERNING THE CHART AND BALLARD’S WRITINGS

“No one thing, since my ministry 2,000 years ago, is of more vital importance to mankind than the chart of the ‘presence’, which is available to the students; for in holding the vision of the Position of the ‘presence’ before the individual, it compels the outer consciousness to accept the truth that the ‘Presence’ is there—that it actually beats the heart of everyone.” “I urge the students everywhere, with all the love at my command, to forget everything else you have ever studied. Stand one hundred per cent in and with your ‘mighty I am Presence’ and the ‘I Am Discourses’ by Saint Germain, and you will have such freedom, such joy, such accomplishment, that will forever dissolve all doubt and fear from your consciousness.” We shall describe the chart later on, but here note that the accredited teachers claim that Jesus Christ endorses his writings.

BLASPHEMY

“To withdraw all power from human creation, of yourself or others, and give it to the ‘mighty I am presence’ where it belongs, is the key that unlocks the treasure-house of the universe to flow in a ceaseless stream, into the life of the individual, producing its perfection. This was the exact process that I used in my own experience, which enabled me to dissolve all undesirable qualities about individuals, and set then free in the light of their own ‘mighty I am presence’. It was thus that I was enabled to perform in the so-called miraculous healings.”

Today, any sincere student of the ‘I am’ can, with practice, produce those same miraculous healings and enable all, who will give sincere attention to the ‘presence’, to have complete and eternal freedom, from any undesirable creation or condition.

We, who have passed through this experience and have attained our complete freedom are truly enabled to be the way-showers, for those of mankind who have not yet attained their freedom; and those who can accept fully and joyously these words of truth which I speak, not only can but will have their complete freedom.

I agree with you that it is almost blasphemy to quote such infamy, but we do want to warn you against this hellish, damnable heresy.

Notice that Jesus, who is supposed to be an ascended master, is sending word to the deluded victims of the Ballards to stand one hundred percent by the revelations that Saint Germain gives to Mr. Ballard and his family. Mr. Ballard is supposed to be in constant touch with Saint Germain, who appears to him time and again. This ascended master comes in a very intimate and very special way to communicate with Mr. Ballard in Mount Teton. On one of the new “I am” charts you will find some mountains which are supposed to be Mount Shasta and Mount Teton, two of the earthly homes of the ascended masters.

Now, in spite of the fact that the death rate of the human race is still one apiece and that up to the present time there is no permanent cure for any physical disease, the messengers of Saint Germain are teaching that his worshipers and the disciples of the Ballards can perpetuate or duplicate all the miracles of physical healing performed by the Lord Jesus Christ when He was on earth. You can readily see that if these people were not so completely deceived they would ask their accredited messenger, Mr. Ballard, who has reached a higher plane than any other of Saint Germain’s worshippers on earth, to go out to the cemetery and duplicate the miracle of Jesus by raising a Lazarus from the grave.

I was told by several of the “I am” people that they had been completely healed of physical diseases by receiving light, love, intelligence and energy from “the mighty I am presence.” Most of them believe that they would have to have one or more additional incarnations or embodiments before they would reach the state of perfection and be ready for ascension. However, most of them are of the opinion that this religion will soon take on great proportions, converting individual Americans by the multitude, and winning over the chief high officials in charge of the government. Through the light that would radiate from America to the other nations, the golden “I am” age would soon be a reality. One man expressed to me the belief that he had reached his final incarnation, and was quite sure that “the mighty I am presence” had brought him to such a state of perfection that he was going to experience ascension without death. Now, remember that they were teaching that twenty-five would ascend on July 17, 1938. But the thing I could not understand, is why Ballard and his wife are supposed to be the furthest advanced, and yet, no one seems to think that they would be included in the twenty-five who are going up.

Note what one of the devotees of the Ballards wrote:

(From “The Voice of the I Am”—February, 1936)

“Never will I forget the last day, it was truly a love feast, the stage was beautiful with white floral pieces and decorations. Mrs. Ballard was a beautiful white lily with the face of a rose. Mr. Ballard and Don on either side of her were attired in white, and finally the staff all in white made a most impressive picture. Mr. Ballard was never more powerful and one seeing and hearing the Ballards could easily understand why St. Germain had chosen them as his beloved messengers. Don was a dynamo, his voice rang out in that vast place like a trumpet call to arms. They are the only people I ever met who really live the life. I have been closely connected with them day and night and have always found them loving, helpful and gracious, really living what they teach.”

“The lights were wondrous and everyone felt the presence of the ascended masters. I personally felt such an out-pouring of love that I expressed then, what I say now, “A lifetime of devotion and loving service could not half express my gratitude for the service these dear messengers are giving to the world. They have become a blazing torch carrying the light to countless millions of hungry souls, who have searched for years for this transcendent truth.” So when they went to other fields, our love and blessing went with them. May the mighty “I am presence” protect, guide and guard them forever.

And now again, they are back and the entire state of California is welcoming their return. Again they have flooded our city with such light as has never before been known. Light, light and more light, “The Light of God that Never Fails.”

THE “I AM” AFFIRMATIONS

From the writings of the accredited messengers we quote some of the affirmations which are recited in unison in the public meeting:

“Mighty I am presence”! charge me with the fulness of the ascended masters’ divine love! release all its qualities and attributes of perfection into dynamic action through me and my world at all times.

“Mighty I am presence”! charge me and my world with the pure electronic substance from the unfed flame in its cosmic activity of the ascended masters’ consciousness eternally sustained.

“Mighty I am presence,” great cosmic beings, great host of ascended masters! stand guard over me and my world forever; prevent any irritation from ever acting again! charge me with such almighty ascended master self-control, that only ascended master perfection can ever register within me, my world and all to whom my thought is directed and keep it eternally sustained.

Mighty divine director! we call unto thee in the name of the “mighty I am presence” to release whatever light and power is required throughout America and the world to awaken the consciousness of every human being to the mighty, reality of his own “mighty I am presence” and to make him feel and accept the fulness of its light and perfection even this hour claiming all into the service of the light—forever.

“Mighty I am presence”! qualify every detail of this activity with the ascended master’s amazing perfection, management and control forever.

I refuse acceptance to everything but limitless light and love.

“Mighty I am presence”! make your divine love alive and dynamically active within me (or—) consume all unlike itself and see that it is the only acting presence forever in me and my world.

I heard five thousand people join in these affirmations, then together in one meeting they said, “O Light we praise thee, we love thee, we bless thee we worship thee.” I ask you if the heathen sun-worshipers in the days of Israel were any worse than these idolaters? The next day in the meeting I heard one of the messengers say, “O Michael, archangel, thou true source of divine light, we praise thee, we bless thee, we serve thee, we worship thee.” In this connection I quote Colossians 2:18:

“Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.” Colossians 2:14 to 17

Here we note that God forbids the worship of angels, and every child of God knows that the worship of saints is an abomination in the sight of the holy God.

HOW TO ACQUIRE MATERIAL WEALTH

The disciples of Saint Germain and the Ballards have the guarantee of material prosperity. From the number of diamonds that the Ballards wear, surely material prosperity is coming their way. By way of income Mr. Ballard is getting a very high price for some books which he has written. On page 8 of “The Voice” of February, 1936, are found these words:

The students will be wise, indeed, no matter how great their inspiration, to stand steadfast in their use ‘Unveiled Mysteries’, ‘The Magic Presence’, ‘The I Am Discourses’, and ‘The I Am Adorations’ and Affirmations’, for those words are cups that carry the fullness of the ascended masters’ Perfection into the consciousness of the individual; and there is naught else in the outer world today, that will carry this conviction with so great a Power.

This message is signed “Jesus the Christ”. Here you will note that this man has the audacity to put in print that Jesus Christ has instructed people on earth to invest in the books of Mr. Ballard, especially the four books mentioned. These four books sell for $9.75. Again you join with me in asking, “How can people be thus deceived and thus exploited?” Perhaps the explanation can be found in II Peter 2:1 to 3:

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”

Here I think we are able to identify the Ballards as false-prophets who are bringing in their damnable heresies and making merchandise of their victims.

I heard both Mr. Ballard and Mr. Sindelar make the statement that the ascended masters, especially Saint Germain, wanted all the worshippers to be blessed with health and wealth. He wanted them to have every desire of their heart. He explained that money could be miraculously taken from someone who was opposed to the “I am” philosophy and be transferred to one conscious of “the mighty I am presence.” He acknowledged that the earthly blessings might not come in a hurry, but he urged his disciples not to be discouraged.

I noticed that for the most part the people assembled in the “I am” meetings were well-dressed and prosperous-looking. There were, however, a number of sickly people who were proving the statement of Satan recorded in Job 2:4: “All that a man hath will he give for his life.” Misfortune had overtaken a number of them in that they had lost what money they had, and in their poverty they were taking in light, intelligence and energy from “the mighty I am presence” in an endeavor to accumulate enough money to make them happy.

However most of the ladies who were receiving blessings from the cosmic law were freely using cosmetics.

CONCERNING SIN AND REDEMPTION

I asked one of the “I am” teachers whether or not the people of her religion did not believe that Christ died for our sins and that we had to believe on Him and His redemptive work to be saved from the consequences of sin. She told me that was just a myth or a fable contrary to divine truth. Then she took the “light chart” and presented their theory as to how an individual rids himself of that which we call sin. I learned that the followers of Mr. Ballard and Mr. Sindelar could not get along very well in their worship without having a copy of the chart-and, of course, these copies were $1.00 each! They can be printed for less than 5 cents. No heathen of darkest Africa worshipping his idol was ever a greater idolater than the “I am” disciples standing before the “light chart”. This chart is explained in detail in “The Voice” dated February, 1937, and we here give you the explanation of it:

EXPLANATION OF THE CHART

“The lower figure represents the human or flesh body; the upper figure represents the individualized presence of God, which is THE ELECTRONIC BODY of the “mighty I am presence”. Between “THE FLESH BODY” and the presence is “THE HIGHER MENTAL BODY,” a form just as tangible in its own octave as your flesh body is here, but not illustrated on the chart. It is your discriminating selective intelligence. The higher mental body knows the perfection of the presence and also the imperfection, the undesirable creation which the human has drawn about itself, but will not accept the imperfection into its world.

The ray of light, which goes from the heart of the presence, through the top of the head, anchoring within the heart of the flesh body, is the life, the light, the substance, the energy, the intelligence and the activity by which the physical body has life and is enabled to move about. When your attention goes to the “mighty I am presence,” this ray of light and energy begins to intensify and expand, until the point of light within every cell of the flesh body responds to it. Then the process of throwing off of the denser qualities of the flesh body begins. As this intensifies, the radiance forms a tube of light about the flesh body. You can call the presence into action to make it so invincible, so impenetrable that even a bullet cannot penetrate it. This becomes an “invincible wall of light” enfolding you and no human thought, feeling or suggestion can penetrate it or disturb you in any way. This is one of the greatest needs of mankind today.

The violet flame flowing up, through and around the lower figure, represents the violet consuming flame, which is released by your “mighty I am presence,” when you call for its action to be passed through you and your world to consume all discordant creation past and present.

The use of the violet consuming flame is imperative. It is the only means by which all undesirable accumulation can be forever dissolved, consumed and its cause and effect annihilated. Everyone should call the presence into action to pass the violet consuming fame from the feet up, through the physical, emotional and mental bodies like a blow torch, dissolving and consuming forever every undesirable thing or condition, which the human has drawn about itself. This is the only means by which you can become free from the wheel of birth and rebirth, free from the hundreds and perhaps thousands of embodiments in which you have lived. Anyone who thinks it is not necessary or imperative to use the violet consuming flame will find his great mistake, too late. There is no human being on earth that is an exception to this mighty law. Everyone in this world has felt discordant feelings, spoken negative words and thought, imperfect and discordant thoughts, which means just so much substance and energy qualified with discord, all vibrating within the body and around it in the individual’s aura.

Every one, who has ever accomplished the ascension, Jesus included, had to use this violet consuming flame to dissolve his own human creation, before the substance of his flesh body could vibrate at a rate that would enable it to ascend. All must do this some day and it is the only way by which anyone can free himself and become master everywhere he moves in the universe.

When you sincerely and firmly give attention to your “mighty I am presence,” your ascension begins that moment. The practical part of this true understanding is, that when you give your attention firmly to your presence, the ray of light and energy from your presence begins to intensify and expand, causing the rapid expansion of the light within every cell of your body, until the earth loses its attraction for the body. Then, as the attention continues to the presence the finer part of the flesh body ascends and is absorbed into the higher mental body. Thus, the transformation from the human into the divine takes place, all sense and appearance of age leaves the face and body, the hair returns to its natural color and the clothing dissolves into the garments of the higher octaves. Then the finer part of the flesh body is drawn into the higher mental body, and it ascends into the electronic body of the “mighty I am presence,” when the individual becomes the ascended being, which Jesus, Saint Germain and hundreds of others are. This is the individual’s eternal body of light that never changes. The ascended being can raise or lower the rate of vibration of his or her body and make it visible or invisible at will, in the human octave. This is how the ascended masters appear and disappear at will. There is nothing spiritualistic about this. It is just a mighty divine law of life in perfect action, heretofore not understood.

The ascended master is as far above a disembodied individual as light is above darkness. The ascended master is the conqueror over so-called death, while the one who has passed through death has failed to hold the mastery or control of its substance and energy. Therefore, he must return in another baby body, grow up and try again to attain his victory, by keeping his physical body harmonious long enough for his presence to release through it the full power of light and love, and thus expand the perfection of itself, which is the ascended masters’ victory— the ascension.

The color radiance around the presence represents the accumulation of all the good from all the past lives of the individual. It is a great storehouse of energy which the individual has earned. This great energy will be released into physical use, when enough attention has been given to the presence.

Around the lower figure or flesh form is the accumulation of whatever irritable, destructive qualities the individual has generated through the centuries. The great mercy of the “mighty I am presence” is, that few are ever permitted to see the discordant accumulation. This is why it is imperative to call the presence to use the violet consuming flame each day, until this is completely dissolved and consumed.

At the left of the lower figure is Mt. Shasta, where some of the experiences of unveiled mysteries took place. At the right are the Teton Mountains, where the retreat—the Royal Teton is located. It is in this retreat that the great assembly of the ascended masters meet twice each year, to render a mighty service of light, love and perfection for the freedom and blessing of mankind and the earth.

As “the mighty I am presence” put physical life into the individual as represented by the white light from the heart of the electronic body to the heart of the physical body, so by a similar process life continues as the light is taken in. Every human being will ultimately come to perfection and ascension by this philosophy. Every human being is eternal and has experienced many incarnations or embodiments. The sooner the individual comes into the truth of this philosophy of life and uses this cosmic law, the sooner his embodiments will cease.

There are many light rays which play a large part in this development. There is a special ray known as the ray from the heart of the sun. There is another special ray from the love star. That is peculiarly Jesus’ star; in fact that is the same star that led the Wise men to Bethlehem.

Of course the reader with the chart could better understand this nonsense. In the chart we find a man standing in a circle of light in which are found all the colors of the rainbow. This man is called “the mighty I am presence”. His body is called the “electronic body”. Below this man is the man on earth. His head also is in a circle of light, and he is surrounded by a coloring of violet. His body is called the “flesh body”. There is a white light going from the heart of “the mighty I am presence” above down to the mind and heart of the man in the flesh body. Between these two bodies there is another body which is not pictured on the chart. This is called the “higher mental body”. This body is a mediator who rather neutralizes the differences between “the mighty I am presence” in the electronic body and the doubt, fear and error in the flesh body. In addition to “the mighty I am presence” in his electronic body is the god of these idolaters whom they call “love, wisdom and power,” or “light, intelligence and energy.” Then there is another imaginary being or something which they call “the divine director”. All the colored radiance around the electronic body of “the mighty I am presence” represents the accumulated good that has gone up from the heart of people on earth; and, therefore, the reservoir of all that is good is with “the mighty I am presence.” From that reservoir people on earth must receive all that is good. The teachers emphasize the great importance of knowing that “the mighty I am presence” above knows nothing of any kind of evil or any kind of fear, and acknowledges nothing that is negative.

If you could see the chart in colors and hear the explanation and how frequently the speakers refer to precipitation, you would see that this idolatrous worship was perhaps suggested by the sun and the rain and the rainbow. In all of the meetings that I attended I heard the disciples salute one another each time they met with the words “God bless you”; but then I learned that they had no God, for they acknowledged that God is love, wisdom and energy, and these came to the individual being with the light from “the mighty I am presence” clothed in the electronic body, and as that light comes into the individual he becomes “the mighty I am presence,” and therefore the individual is God.

Their theory is that the first man was clothed with light, that that light was perfect because the man was perfect. Then something happened and the perfect light ended. From that time to this man has been surrounded by discordant activities and vibrations. Only as he gets back to the source of the true light and receives it and permit the violet flame to consume all that is contrary to true love and perfection will he make any headway on his journey to perfection and ascension. In order to make progress in this divine development, the worshipper must repeatedly say to himself, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE ASCENDED MASTERS ARE DOING FOR THE EARTH

We quote from “The Voice” of February, 1936. Note a few things that Saint Germain is doing for the earth.

Never in the history of the earth, has so much conscious blessing and protection been given to the earth, and this could only be given now, because of the incoming age of great perfection.

The tall master from Venus with his twelve associates started, last night, a tremendous service for the earth and its inhabitants. The nature of this activity, I may not describe to you at this time, but I call it to your attention, that through your attention, they can work to greater and greater advantage.

Cyclopea in directing the mighty currents of energy through the all-seeing-eye, and the call of the many students of the “I am”, drawing the walls of light around America, have rendered tremendous service, in that it has prevented a tidal wave striking the western coast, which was thought would have come into action the second of January, 1936.

In the coming six months, I will do everything possible the law of each one’s being permits to assist then to their eternal victory.

Only this teaching of the “mighty I am presence” which contains the words of the ascended masters, enfolded in their flame of divine love, can help anyone or solve any problem on earth today. It alone can release the light required to be the protection and strength which wins the victory and brings in the perfection all crave.

USE OF THE VIOLET FLAME

The flesh body is surrounded by this violet flame. What it is for and how to use it is told in “The Voice of May, 1936, from which we quote

“The conscious use of the violet consuming flame is the only means by which any human being can free himself from his own human discord and imperfection.”

“Through its use, they have dissolved all discordant creation of their past lives and become the ascended beings of Perfection which they are today. Every human being must do the same thing sometime, somewhere, before he is free from his own human creation-past and present.”

“Thus, he can reach up into the ascended masters’ octave of life and begin to draw forth more and more of their perfection, until he manifests the completeness of their mastery—the attainment of his ascension.”

“This is the grace which Jesus taught and the only way—in heaven or earth—by which any individual attains the state of the ascended master and becomes free from all the limitations and in harmony of earth.”

“The violet consuming flame is what Jesus referred to when He said: ‘Moses brought law but I bring grace.’ Grace means the bringing of all into divine order, through divine love and this is done by the use of the violet consuming flame—the ONLY WAY in heaven or earth, it ever was or ever will be done, because that is the way the great divine law maintains order permanently.”

ANOTHER MESSAGE FROM JESUS THE ASCENDED MASTER

Just this one other message which the Ballards said Jesus sent to be communicated through him, the authorized mediator, to his followers.

I want to say to the whole world: “Every human being who rejects my beloved brother, Saint Germain, rejects Me, and don’t forget it. My beloved brother, Saint Germain, is just as real as I am and is an ascended being. He is completing the work which I started two thousand years ago. May the whole world understand that and give obedience to it. The childishness of human minds and concepts that have drawn forth distorted ideas concerning Me, the world should no longer accept. Therefore, dear ones, the ascended masters, and there are thousands of them, are just as real as I am, and one day you will all find it out.”

“No great accomplishment ever occurred in the physical world, without the assistance of the ascended masters. Let no human being deny that! Because they do not see, know and become aware in the outer consciousness of that assistance makes no difference to the truth of it.”

Now, in order that the Ballards might keep absolute control of the movement, note what is printed in “The Voice” of February, 1936. This message is also signed “Jesus the Christ”. “Let no one desire to transcend or replace these beloved messengers, in this light and expression of the ‘I am’ that Saint Germain has given forth. They have proven their ability to stand in the light and with no personal desire, carry unselfishly the pure unadulterated message of the ‘mighty I am presence’, and until the ascended masters come forth in their tangible, visible bodies, they will remain the direct messengers of Saint Germain, Myself, and others of the ascended masters. It is only through their joyous and willing obedience to our slightest wish, that it has been possible to bring forth this expression and understanding of the ‘I am’ in the purity and clearness in which it is expressed today.”

MISCELLANEOUS

In “Unveiled Mysteries” Mr. Ballard writes that Saint Germain was king and emperor of the Sahara civilization 70,000 years ago. In the “Voice of the I Am” he wrote that Saint Germain was also Lord Francis Bacon. In the March, 1936 issue of The Voice the Ballards wrote “Saint Germain illumined and raised his body in 1684.” Saint Germain’s name is mentioned also in the religion of the Rosicrucian and Theosophical Societies.

In The Voice of July, 1936: “you can just as easily find $10,000 in your pocket as ten cents.” So says Mr. Ballard declares Saint Germain told him. Again we quote from “Discourses” “You can renew any nerve, any organ, and build any member of the body into its perfection almost immediately.” “Your ability to illumine a room is just as easy as physically illumining it through the electric lamp.” “Unfortunate indeed are those who criticize the Messengers of the work. Better had they never been born in this embodiment.” (A message from Jesus) “This work of Saint Germain and myself is entirely different from anything that has been given forth to the Western World, because in this work are no human concepts or opinions.”

In the book Magic Presence . . . “the two youthful attendants brought out a gorgeous Persian silk Rug of a most wonderful golden yellow . . . . We stepped upon it. In a moment, we all began to feel lighter . . . . We glanced down, saw that we were leaving the earth.. . We continued to rise until we were fully eleven thousand feet above the palace.”

In Unveiled Mysteries (page 123) is told the story of the bodies of the three Ballard in three crystal caskets at the Royal Teton. These three bodies had been preserved in a perfect state for many thousands of years, lifelike, golden hair and golden garments. Then what happened? Something that had not taken place for 70,000 years. The three Ballard stood by these caskets and “A marvelous radiance gathered and drew close around the bodies and around ourselves. In a few moments . . the caskets were empty . . . . We stood there clothed in those bodies we had laid aside so long.”

In Mr. Sindelar’s lecture, which I heard in Los Angeles, he said a number of times his work required him to have his hands in nitric acid. He never felt any harm until some one told him his hands were in the acid and immediately he was burnt.

We presume by this time, if you have read this expose of this diabolic vagary, you are sick at heart and dizzy in the head. But just think of the poor, blind, deluded people who are giving heed to this doctrine of demons, and are in the world, according to Ephesians 2:12, “without Christ . . . having no hope, and without God.”

We repeat that it seems unutterably impossible that any intelligent person who has access to the Bible, which is the Word of God, should permit himself to be deceived by such impostors, and go thus religiously to perdition. As the children of God. we love to think of the words of the Apostle Peter, found in his first Epistle:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (I Peter 1:3 to 5)”

How blessed it is to turn from the doctrine of demons to this glorious Divine message of salvation and eternal life, remembering that “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

According to God’s Word the Lord Jesus Christ is the believer’s hope, his life his peace, his righteousness, his holiness, and his redemption. Note this glorious message in Colossians 2:9 and 10:

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:9 and 10.

In this same Epistle we learn that Christ is “before all things and by Him all things consist.” We also learn in this same Epistle that in Christ “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” The believer is complete in Christ, and according to Colossians 3:4, “when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” According to Philippians 3:20 and 21, at that time these bodies of humility will be changed in the twinkling of an eye and be fashioned like unto the glorified body of Christ.

Any and every theory of progress through a multitude of reincarnations is the lie of Satan, and has long since been the doctrine of heathen philosophers. In Exodus 3:14 we have the record of the words of the eternal God where as Jehovah He reveals Himself as the great “I AM”. When the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, He was God manifest in the flesh. He was the only Man of his class and character who ever was or ever will be. In the beginning He was with God, He was in the form of God, He was God. According to God’s Word, the specific purpose of His incarnation was, to taste death for every man, to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 9:26). In God’s Book we read these words: “Let God be true. but every man a liar.” Hear this word of God

“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:12)”

“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. (I Timothy 2:4 to 7)”

In the presence of the holy God of heaven sin is a reality; sin is an awful thing. It was because of sin that the Lord of glory left heaven and went to the cross of Calvary to die in awful agony in order to pay the penalty of sin, to receive Divine judgment that the lost children of Adam might be redeemed from all the consequences of iniquity. Before Christ went to the cross He said, “Before Abraham was I AM”; and again, “If ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24). About twenty times in the Gospel of John the Lord Jesus referred to Himself as the “I am”. We call your attention to His words in John 11:25 and 26:

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”

Here we have the answer to job’s question and your question: “If a man die, shall he live again?” Jesus Christ had power to lay down His life and to take up His life. John 10:17 to 19. Remember His solemn words “If ye believe not that I AM ye shall die in your sins.” If you have been caught in this trap of the devil turn to the living glorified Christ, and live. In no other Scripture do we find the message of salvation so clearly set forth as it is stated in II Timothy 1:9 and 10:

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

Here we have the glorious truth of salvation on the basis of the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Eternal life is the free gift of God, and this includes the guarantee of incorruptibility at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed. Until that glorious day of redemption every believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit, the earnest of his inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. This Divine Spirit bears witness with the spirit of the regenerated sinner that he is not only a child of God, by faith in the crucified and resurrected Christ, but he is also a joint-heir with that Christ whose promise is, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Thus, we see that in Christ we have not only the Mighty I Am Presence, but the Almighty I Am Presence.

“I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Galatians 2:20

The only embodiment that any redeemed sinner will ever experience after leaving this body will be a glorious body like unto the body of our glorified Saviour. Philippians 3:20 and 21.

BEHOLD WHAT MANNER OF LOVE THE FATHER HATH BESTOWED UPON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED THE SONS OF GOD! THEREFORE THE WORLD KNOWETH US NOT, BECAUSE IT KNEW HIM NOT.

BELOVED, NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD: AND IT DOTH NOT YET APPEAR WHAT WE SHALL BE: BUT WE KNOW THAT, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; FOR WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS.

AND EVERY MAN THAT HATH THIS HOPE IN HIM PURIFIETH HIMSELF, EVEN AS HE (CHRIST) IS PURE. I John 3:1 to 3.

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” II Corinthians 4:3 to 5.

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way: and then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” II Thessalonians 2:7 to 14.