Hello Urantia friends!

Here is story #11 from "How I Found The Urantia Book," (1955-1969). After the story, you will find details on submitting your own account for inclusion in the next edition, which I intend to have ready for publication late next year

Since yesterday I have received an addition to Duane Faw's story. Thanks, Duane!

************************************* DICK BAIN Lilburn, Georgia Communications Engineer

I found The Urantia Book in 1966 when I was in my twenties, but I was not looking for it. Nevertheless, it was not an accident; my philosophy professor assigned a reading from this book. There just "happened" to be several copies of this book in the college library. I had been very interested in science and somewhat interested in religion for a long time. The assignment was to read a section regarding the nature of God, which I did. I was impressed by the quality of what I had read. When I noticed that the book also had some sections dealing with science and astronomy, and being quite interested in those subjects, I immediately had a strong attraction to it. I checked the book out from the college library over the summer and read as much of it as I could while keeping up with my three engineering classes.

I was an avid science-fiction reader, but as I recall the book didn't seem like science fiction or fantasy to me. It had enough of the ring of truth that I decided I had finally found something spiritual that was worth reading. In fact, I felt compelled to read it. During the fall semester I contacted the professor who had given me the Urantia Book reading assignment and learned that he and his wife hosted a study group for this book at their home. When I attended my first meeting, he sold me a copy of the book and I was on my way to becoming a lifelong Urantia Book student.

My relationship to God before The Urantia Book was pretty casual. Yeah, God existed out there somewhere but it didn't much affect me unless I hit a crisis and needed some help. After I read the book, I realized that he's not only out there, he's in here. One of the most profound things for me in the book is that God, through our Thought Adjusters, is a constant companion and friend. And when I think that everyone I pass on the street has this God presence in them, I am in awe. It makes me think I ought to respect that inner light in each person, no matter what I may think of that person otherwise.

Though it was the science that pulled me into the book, it was the spiritual content that kept me there. I have since found some flaws in the science content, but the spiritual content transcends any book or philosophy I have ever encountered. I was led to conclude that this book is, at least in part, a revelation, and as such it is the most important book I'll ever read. I remain profoundly grateful to that professor who gave me that reading assignment. By the way, the professor is Dr. Meredith Sprunger, who has retired from college life but not from promoting The Urantia Book!

Greetings agondonters!

Sorry for not posting a story yesterday but I was computerless, having my monitor repaired. Here is story #11 from "How I Found The Urantia Book." Virginia's story is another taken from Julia Fenderson's collection from the late '70s. After the story, you will find details for submitting your own story for inclusion in the next edition.

************************************* VIRGINIA LEE HALLOCK Seminar Consultant and Lecturer Salem, Oregon

My religious background was eclectic. My father, an intellectual, had been a Christian agnostic but an inveterate searcher for truth. My mother was a Southern Baptist, and it was the Baptist Church and its Sunday School that I had attended in Washington until we moved to Oregon. We made this move when I was thirteen, but the church was so conservative that I drifted over to the Episcopal Church most of my friends were attending.

Subsequently, I was confirmed by the Bishop of Eastern Oregon and I became a "pillar" of the Episcopal Church. I was president of the Altar Guild, and was the only woman in the state who was on the Bishop's Committee. For years I worked with the Episcopal Church and the very year that we moved from the small town to Salem, the church I had helped start was built.

My studies, I must add, had not been confined to the Episcopal Church. I had read Emmett Fox, Ernest Holmes, Judge Troward, and had even studied with the Rosicrucians. When I moved to Salem, I visited both Episcopal churches where I felt the emphasis was more social than spiritual, so for a time I church-hopped. I even attended some Baha'i meetings which I thoroughly enjoyed, yet I felt more Christian than they. A friend introduced me to Woodland Chapel, which was a Religious Science church. The minister was a thinker, a real searcher for truth, so I lingered there long enough to take three years of metaphysical philosophy.

The Urantia Book found me, since I actually found it on my table one morning. I had known my friend Marion for only a few months, but she is a responsive and generous friend. Knowing my interest in religion and philosophy, she had left a stack of books from her own library on my table. I hadn't even looked at them until the next morning.

On waking that morning I had meditated as usual and carried a special thought for a more poignant answer to truth than I had heretofore found. Before I even glanced at the morning paper I picked up The Urantia Book, scanned the table of contents, perused it further, and was hooked. I started to read from the beginning, and although I had assimilated everything from Holmes to Blavatsky to Troward, this book made sense. I could read, at first, only a few pages at a time. I called Marion and told her that it would take me at least two years to read this book, and I hoped she wasn't in any hurry for it.

As I became interested then, so did she, and we decided that I should get my own book. None of the bookstores in Salem had it in stock, and only one had even heard of it. The Ruff Times investment group, of which Marion was the leader, met at her house monthly, and at the September meeting one of us mentioned The Urantia Book. Surprisingly Bob, one of the members, overheard the comment and told us of his long acquaintance with it. It was through him that we visited a study group in Corvallis and met Julia Fenderson. It has been clear sailing since then. Like a sponge, my mind has been absorbing every shred of information about the book.

I am not sorry for my searching and my studying. All these years of various church experiences and omnivorous studying have paved the way for my acceptance of The Urantia Book. The book that Marion lent me, by the way, had belonged to Helen Steen whom Julia Fenderson knew well from their days together in Chicago as members of the Forum. Helen's son had given it to Marion along with other books from Helen's library.

Hello everyone!

Here is story #10 from "How I Found The Urantia Book." After the story, you will find details on submitting your own story for inclusion in the next edition.

************************************* JAMES IRWIN Florida Management Information Systems

I was working for a supermarket as a part-time stocking clerk in 1963 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. One evening, as I was gathering baskets from the parking lot, a woman approached me and asked, "Is your name James? James Irwin?"

"Yes," I answered, "and how might I help you?"

"Emma wants you to have this," she said, and handed me a large blue book.

"Emma who?" I asked her.

"Emma Christensen," she replied, then turned around and walked away. To this day I have no idea who the person is who delivered the book to me.

When I returned to the store, I opened the book to the first page and wrote Emma Christensen's name inside. I was only seventeen at the time, but any book of a theological nature naturally caught my attention. I recall reading it non-stop, day and night, until I finished it. I even took days off work to enable me to complete the book.

The Urantia Book has been my companion through all of my life's events. It went with me during my tour to Vietnam, on railroad trips to Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, Thailand, and on side trips to Korea, Cambodia, Laos, and China. (One time it took a side trip without me, but that's another story.) The Urantia Book has served me well these thirty-five years. Many kind folks have offered to replace it for me, as the cover has long since come off, and pages that came out are tucked inside, but I consider I'm only just beginning to break it in.

Eighteen years after the book had been given to me, I thought it might be time to thank "Emma," so I decided to call the Urantia Foundation in Chicago. I knew nothing of the Foundation, Emma, or anything else surrounding the book's origin. The purpose of my call was to thank this kind lady for giving me the book. Although people had since told me that Emma didn't answer the phone at the Foundation anymore by then, on that day she did. I asked if I might speak to Ms. Christensen.

"I am she," she replied.

The next few moments were extraordinary. I began, "My name is James Irwin..." Before I could add, "But you probably don't know me," she exclaimed, "Then you got the book?"

"Ahh, umm...yes," I replied.

"I'm happy that you called," she said, "even if it has taken you a while."

We talked of many things-the midwayers and their presentiments, the celestial hosts, various spirit beings, Michael-Jesus. She expressed her belief that her time was almost at an end here, and we spoke of the morontia life yet to be experienced.

It has been my privilege, honor, and humble opportunity to have had this book for these many years. I may be deluded, but I am convinced that my Thought Adjuster, guardian angels, and other hosts unknown to me placed these theological concepts in my life's path. Although I never met Emma face-to-face in this life, I look forward to our morontia life meeting. To this day, I do not know how Emma knew of me, but I shall always treasure our unforgettable phone conversation. Shortly thereafter, Emma left us to continue on in her life's journey.

Oh, by the way, Emma was the last living member of the six contact commissioners, and was the individual who typed the entire Urantia Book from the original papers.

Hi UBuddies!

Here is story #9 from "How I Found The Urantia Book." After Hal's story, you will find details on how to submit your own story for inclusion in the next edition of the book. Leftover copies from the first edition have been donated to help finance Norman Ingram's mission of bringing the UB to the east coast of Africa, which he hopes to undertake after he recuperates from leg surgery. More details after the story...

************************************* HAL KETTELL Arcadia, California Dentist

Sometime in the early '60s I was working on a fine elderly gentleman named Fred Squires in my dental chair. We talked about philosophy and religion. I was searching even then, having checked into reincarnation, Edgar Cayce, pyramids, UFOs, and the like. At one point I made the mistake of taking my hands out of Fred's mouth long enough for him to say, " I have a book that I think you might be interested in." He then told me a little about it. It sounded quite interesting, so I asked if I could borrow it.

"No way!" he replied, "But you can buy one at the bookstore."

I was not in the habit of buying everything recommended to me in the office, but I guess my guardian angel--or midwayers or Thought Adjuster--must have been needling me, because I made a trip to Vroman's bookstore in Pasadena to buy one. At the time, of course, I had no idea that I had a guardian angel or Thought Adjuster, but something motivated me to pursue the issue.

At the bookstore, when I asked for The Urantia Book (Fred had written the name down for me), the salesgirl said, "The what book?" When I repeated it, she said, "Okay, I'll look it up." She soon returned with the name of the publishers in Chicago where she could order it, but it would cost $12.50. Being a big spender, and having made a special trip to the store, I told her to go ahead.

In about two weeks I received a phone call saying my book had arrived. "What book?" I asked. "The Urantia Book you ordered," she replied. Well, that was the start of a new adventure into the universe for me. After thumbing through the table of contents and the authors with all of their weird names, I decided I had bought myself an enormous, expensive, paper-pack of science fiction. I enjoyed science fiction, so I started with the geological development of our planet. It was fascinating, and within a couple of weeks I was hooked on The Urantia Book as fact and not fiction.

Fred subsequently invited me to a study group at Helen Steen's home in Pasadena. Helen, Fred, and Julia Fenderson were all from Chicago, and had been a part of the Forum with Dr. Sadler. It was a fascinating study group, with charts for daily reading, summaries of the apostles, lists of Jesus' earth family, and some beautiful color drawings of the universes by Georgia Gecht.

After I read enough to know what it was about, I bought several more first-printing copies and gave them to my relatives. The results were predictable: one fundamentalist sister burned the book as the work of the devil; one of my brothers put it on the shelf of his library, and it was years before he blew the dust off it. So I learned. Now I just occasionally sow a few seeds, in the hope that they will take root and grow. Since then, a couple of my siblings have graduated to the mansion worlds, and I'm sure they were surprised on arrival.

How has The Urantia Book changed my life? I was somewhat prepared for something new, as my mother had switched to the Christian Science belief in my youth, and I was thereby exposed to it somewhat. And later on, my pastor, Dr. Banared, gave me an Edgar Cayce book, saying he thought that I might be interested in it. This was on top of my solid Presbyterian background of Sunday School teacher, superintendent, Christian Education chair, elder, and trustee in a large church. But something was always missing.

When I found the Urantia Book, the blanks in my faith were filled in. The "I 's were dotted and the "t's crossed in my belief. It also opened up many new questions for which I am still seeking answers. However, I now have a complete faith and trust in God as my Father and friend as I search to reach him. He is personal and real to me now, rather than a man in the sky with a long beard, waiting for me to make a mistake so that St. Peter can write it down in my book of life.

Most of all, the book has given me a real concept of Jesus as Michael of Nebadon, my elder brother and creator. I had almost become an anti-Jesus freak. My life is now becoming fulfilled, and I am more at peace with the real world of the spirit. What more can I ask for than to enjoy the journey?

Greetings Urantia-ites!

Here is story #8 from "How I Found The Urantia Book." (Polly is one of the first readers I met when I first found the book in 1977 and one of my dearest friends! :-)

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POLLY PARKE FRIEDMAN Ventura, California Teacher; Marriage and Family Counselor

My mom, Grace Walker [story #3], was a member of the Forum in the '40s, but I wasn't at all interested in her activities at the time. I was an intensely independent teenager who thought her mother was nice but a little wacky for her age.

After college, and two years into a teaching career, I was on the brink of marriage and went into a panic about my decision. Because my mother paid for his services, I went to see Dr. Sadler for advice. He was very formal, just like the psychiatrists in the movies. A large dog, like a Great Dane, stood at his side as a sentinel of affirmation. The doctor told me our statistics indicated that the marriage would not work out. Again I thought I knew best, and went through with the marriage to show this doctor he was wrong. Alas, years later, the marriage ended as predicted.

In the meantime I moved from Illinois to Southern California and became a Valley Girl. My mom, again on her toes, sent me a copy of the first printing of The Urantia Book in 1955. I put it on the shelf where I stored odds and ends and it sat there for about five years.

Sometime in 1960, while I was experiencing low physical health and mental uncertainties, I took the book down from the shelf, drew the drapes in the bedroom, shut the door, and began to read in secret. I was going to prove this was all a hoax and expose the real writers--whoever they were!

Well, the real truth started slowly to get to me in a big way. It was months before I told my mom, and then only after I had visited the one and only Los Angeles study group, then held in Hancock Park. There I met some beautiful people who, I discovered, were quite normal--at least for L.A! That was the beginning.

Trying to be cautious, I held off joining the Los Angeles Urantia society until 1965. It's been surprises and crises ever since, but the teachings have become a part of me that I cannot separate.

I'd like to be able to tell Doc Sadler that he was right on all counts, and that I liked his dog.

My Mom already knows.

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If you would like to receive a copy of the 344-page "How I Found The Urantia Book" in exchange for a donation to Norman Ingram's upcoming mission to the west coast of Africa, please contact Norman directly at norlastar@aol.com or visit his website http://woun.hypermart.net/buythe.htm

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You are also invited to email saskia@squarecircles.com your own story for inclusion in the second edition of the book. The new stories will be sandwiched in chronologically with those we already have. Please include information such as:

-year you found the book -town where you live -occupation -permission to edit for clarity of expression

You will have final approval of your story before it goes to press. The DEADLINE is when all 220 stories have been posted, so that gives everyone plenty of time to write an inspiring piece.

If you already have a story in the HIFTUB but want to revise it, please let me know and we can work on it together. This second edition will be a true bookstore version, with the purpose of inspiring non-readers to take a look at The Urantia Book. All proceeds will go towards keeping HIFTUB in print and finding a place for it on shelves in New Age bookstores.

Your universe co-worker, Saskia

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For a picture of the HIFTUB as well as other UB-related materials, please visit my website at http://www.squarecircles.com