President's Message

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by Richard Keeler
President, Board of Trustees

In 1730 in a sanctuary in Sussex, England, were written these words: "A vision without a task is but a dream. A task without a vision is a drudgery. A vision and a task is the hope of the world."

On page 2082, paragraph 7 of The URANTIA Book are written these words:

But paganized and socialized Christianity stands in need of new contact with the uncompromised teachings of Jesus; it languishes for lack of a new vision [emphasis added] of the Master's life on earth. A new and fuller revelation of the religion of Jesus is destined to conquer an empire of materialistic secularism and to overthrow a world sway of mechanistic naturalism. Urantia is now quivering on the very brink of one of its most amazing and enthralling epochs of social readjustment, moral quickening, and spiritual enlightenment.

The man who designed and built the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco had a vision which led to a task. But it began as an idea in his mind. Every notable achievement in human history began as a vision which led to a task. The Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, the Panama Canal, walking on the moon-all began as visions in the human mind.

I believe that God has a mighty vision and task for readers of The URANTIA Book. The vision is that all the peoples of this planet can live as one spiritual family, brothers and sisters living in peace and love and in service to God and to one another. The task is to promulgate this mighty vision globally and to labor to build the Kingdom of God on earth.

There is no greater vision on earth. And there is no greater task on earth than doing the will of God. And "whosoever will, may come" (The URANTIA Book, p. 1567, par. 0). All are called. How many of us will choose to answer the call?

Effort is attendant upon clarification of spiritual vision [emphasis added] and enhancement of cosmic insight (p.1097, par. 6). Each one of us can undertake the sublime task [emphasis added] of finding God and striving to be like him (p. 2079, par. 9).

But, "A vision without a task is but a dream."

Let me illustrate from my personal experience. As a boy, I imagined how wonderful it would be if I could go into partnership with God and help change this world for the better. A thrilling vision! But what task could I undertake to fulfill that vision? Then in 1959 I found The URANTIA Book. Some of the early leaders told us, among other things, that much money would be necessary to publish, translate, and protect this great revelation to all mankind.

So I became a commodity trader, but a commodity trader, not only with a vision, but also with a task. Then in 1989 I was elected to the Board of Trustees of URANTIA Foundation. Through these two positions, Trustee and commodity trader, I have witnessed firsthand how a boyhood vision can become a grown-up's task — the task in this case being to help publish, translate, and protect the fifth epochal revelation to this war-weary, soul-searching world!

And the task of promulgating the teachings of the fifth epochal revelation to Urantia is a task to which many readers are called, a task born of a vision, which, I venture to say, we can all share.

URANTIA Foundation and its sister organization, the International URANTIA Association, are working interdependently to help proclaim the greatest truths mortal man can ever hear-the living gospel of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man (p. 2086, par. 7).

We have a vision. We have a task. May God help us be loyal to our trust.