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I write to corroborate what Paul said, both as to the errors of the author of the book that you have been reading, and also of the Bible, upon which he bases his arguments and conclusions.
There are some of the epistles credited to me, and I did write some to the members of the church over which I had supervision, but the epistles as contained in the Bible are in many particulars untrue and conflicting with my beliefs, then and now, and I never wrote such conflicting statements. I never wrote that Jesus paid a ransom for mankind, or that his death on the cross saved men from the death which they inherited from Adam, or anything of the kind that insinuated that men were saved by any act of Jesus which satisfied the wrath of God, or, as the author said, satisfied Divine justice.
JUSTICE WAS NOT AN ELEMENT IN THE PLAN OF MAN'S SALVATION, ONLY LOVE AND MERCY, AND THE DESIRE OF THE FATHER THAT MAN BECOME RECONCILED TO HIM--THAT IS, COME TO HIM AND RECEIVE THE GREAT GIFT OF HIS DIVINE NATURE. NO BLOOD SHEDDING OR DEATH OF JESUS OR VICARIOUS ATONEMENT COULD HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS, FOR NONE OF THESE THINGS WOULD AFFECT THE SOUL DEVELOPMENT OF A MAN. THE MATTER OF SOUL DEVELOPMENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL MATTER, AND CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED WHEN MAN SEEKS FOR THE GREAT GIFT OF DIVINE LOVE, AND RECEIVES IT IN HIS SOUL AND DEVELOPS IT. THEN HE BECOMES A PARTAKER OF THE DIVINE NATURE AND ONE WITH THE FATHER.
How deplorable that men will teach this erroneous doctrine of blood atonement. How very much harm it is doing to mankind and to spirits as well, for many spirits come into the spirit world with their beliefs so firmly established in this doctrine that they frequently remain for years in that condition of belief, and consequent stagnation of their soul's progress, and of their obtaining a knowledge of the truth.
This author, when he comes to the spirit world, will undoubtedly have to pay the penalty of his erroneous teachings, and very probably that penalty will be that he will have to unteach them, if I may use the word, to all the spirits who when on earth believed in and followed his teachings of these false doctrines.
But some day men will know the truth, and the truth will make them free. You must try your best to get in condition to take the messages which the Master desires to write so they can be published to the world.
I am, your brother in Christ,
ST. PETERVol. II, p. 230
