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History of Foundation Church of the New Birth, Inc.TM, SM
FORMATION
In 1954, Dr. Stone made the acquaintance of Dr. Daniel G. Samuels [in photo], who also possessed the psychic gift of receiving automatic writings from the spirit world. It was in November of that year that Jesus, urging Dr. Samuels repeatedly to seek the inflowing into his soul of the Father's Divine Love, chose him as his second brain and hand instrument. With the development of his soul and the elevation of his thoughts and brain by the Divine Love, Samuels' rapport with Jesus was strengthened to the degree that he was enabled to receive automatic writings of high import.
As in earlier years Dr. Stone had been present on many occasions when Mr. Padgett was receiving truths from Jesus and other high Celestials, he now became a regular attendant when the writings commenced through Dr. Samuels. Jesus acknowledged Dr. Stone's presence while he was communicating and from time to time he referred to others who were present, including Rev. John Paul Gibson, D.D.
In late 1954, Jesus directed Dr. Stone and Dr. Samuels to form a trust to be called The Padgett Foundation, to serve as the repository for the truths which he had revealed through Mr. Padgett. However, when Padgett's name could not be used due to the objections of a living relative, Jesus honored Dr. Stone, and on December 21, 1955, the Dr. Leslie R. Stone Foundation was incorporated in the District of Columbia to serve the noble purpose for which The Padgett Foundation was to have been created.
Working closely with Jesus after being designated by him in 1954 and 1955 as his disciples and trustees, were Dr. Stone, Dr. Samuels, and Rev. Gibson, who became the Founding Trustees of the movement on earth. In 1958, in order to gain federal tax-exempt status, the church was incorporated in Washington DC and the name of the Foundation was changed to Foundation Church of the New Birth, Inc.
In a message to his Trustees dated September 26, 1958, Jesus expressed his desire and that of his Celestial co-workers to establish the true religion of mankind on earth, in these words:
"I and all of us spirits in the Celestial Heavens are anxious that such a church come into being, with leaders and members who are imbued with the entire conception of the Father's Divine Love for His children and how the souls of His children may become divine in the soul sense: through prayer to Him for the coming of His Love; and that through His Love may come healing power beyond what one has been able to accomplish in the area of the United States, proposed as the site of the Mother Church; and that the members and elders of this church understand in their minds and know in their hearts that salvation of the soul and healing of the flesh, through the Father's Loving-Kindness, may be granted to mankind; and that they open up their souls to the Father's Love in all earnestness of prayer in their souls-and then will the church be a success as a manifestation of God's Love and mercy on earth, and the members and elders be blessed in abundance."
Through Dr. Samuels, Jesus continued his close supervision with written directives and requests to be carried out by his Trustees, who then accomplished a great deal of work in order to achieve the goals of a nonprofit religious organization.
Meanwhile, for the purpose of clearing up centuries-old myths and errors found in the Bible, Jesus had extended Dr. Samuels' instrumentality to include his authoritative writings on both the Old and the New Testaments. During 1954 to 1966, a large volume of writings of historical nature were delivered, resulting in the publications entitled 76 Sermons on the Old Testament of the Bible by Jesus and New Testament Revelations. They have provided a reservoir of valuable historical insight to those interested in the Judeo-Christian aspect of the Foundation Church of the New Birth ministry.
In 1960, referring to the volumes published and addressing a suggestion that had been made by a member, Jesus declared emphatically that the truths contained in True Gospel Revealed Anew by Jesus did not need additional explanations or to be expounded upon; nor did he give his consent to present the contents in a logical or practical manner. One cannot attain the Divine Love through law and logic, he asserted, for God and God's greatest attribute are Soul and Spiritual, and proof of God and His Love can only be proven through our souls and spiritual perceptions.
He emphasized that the task was to bring these truths to the attention of mankind and let each man choose as he will. The Trustees, taking Jesus' greater knowledge and wisdom to heart, did not then, nor do the present Trustees now, consent to change in any way the contents of True Gospel Revealed Anew by Jesus.
With the continuing help of Dr. Stone on editing Volume III of the messages, Rev. John Paul Gibson [in photo] worked tirelessly until four volumes were completed, with the final, Volume IV, being published in 1972. The four volumes remain to this day the most accurately transcribed and comprehensive collection of the more than 1500 messages received by Mr. Padgett.
Rev. Gibson also created material from the volumes suitable to be used in training ministerial candidates, and with the approval of Jesus he began the training program, ordaining more than 25 Ministers to serve the needs of the growing Church. He also initiated and began publishing the New Birth Christian Commentary magazine with the blessing of Jesus.
Following the passing in 1982 of the Rev. John Paul Gibson, D.D., there was only one remaining trustee, Rev. Jocelyn Harleston. The Church went through several administrative changes until December 1984. The church continued its incorporation status and Rev. Harleston and many other dedicated individuals continued to maintain the church post office box, to preserve the archives, and to mail out literature.
In 1991, the Foundation Church of the New Birth, Inc. formed a new board of trustees, headed by its sole remaining trustee from 1984--Rev. Harleston--and has continued to preserve and disseminate the Padgett and Samuels' messages.
