On January 11, 1975 URANTIA Foundation marked its 25th anniversary. During the last quarter century, much has been accomplished towards the laying of firm foundations for the eventual worldwide spread of the URANTIA teachings,not the least of which has been the quiet, unhurried and dignified dissemination of over 55,000 copies of "The URANTIA Book", and the appearance and functioning of URANTIA Brotherhood and its societies. URANTIA Brotherhood completed its 20th year of existence on January 2nd, as did "The URANTIA Book" on October 12th.
The momentum of the past 20 to 25 years is beginning to be felt. This anniversary year has been a busy one for all those helping with the wise dissemination of "The URANTIA Book." The Foundation and Brotherhood have been involved with formal and informal contacts throughout North America and many other countries throughout the world. On the international scene, the matter of translations is a very important concern of the Trustees. The more or less local scene has witnessed a great deal of activity concerning the preparations for the Fifth Printing of the English edition of "The URANTIA Book." The Trustees--the entire movement for that matter--have been most fortunate in having the quiet, able and unselfish assistance of Paul Rydell--so freely given over the years--towards the completion of this Fifth Printing. The unique combination of his congeniality and technical knowledge have rendered Paul an invaluable contributor to the success of the URANTIA message.
An accomplishment of more than passing interest was the achievement of the reclassification of "The URANTIA Book" by the Library of Congress in a category more consistent with the nature of the Book. With the able cooperation of the Library, "The URANTIA Book" has been classified BP 605 in the Library of Congress classification system, meaning "Other Beliefs and Movements" and in the Dewey Decimal System under No. 29g, meaning "Other Religions." A replica of the Library Catalog Card is being printed on the back of the title page of the Fifth Printing, reflecting recent changes. It is hoped that this measure will more rapidly bring the new classification numbers to the attention of librarians and booksellers everywhere.