The Words of the Orme Family
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The Words of the Orme Family |
Dennis
F. Orme
When asked of my testimony I rather shudder, one's life is built up of many seemingly small spiritual incidents that only together form a pattern. One cannot include all yet to relate bare facts is rather dull.
However spiritual experience begins at birth so I believe, mine began on 17th June 1938. I was fortunate to have a living physical Father, so many of his generation died in their youth in the First World War and many in the Second. Brought up in a Christian family -- father Anglican, mother Methodist -- I accepted my father's matter of fact view of Christianity. He had been a church warden in his younger days but had resigned because the church had neglected the working people. His advice was always belief in God, in Jesus, but be careful of priest craft. Hence our shell shocked village vicar seemed remote to the small boy attending church and it was all so very formal. I was baptized and confirmed in the Anglican Church not so much out of conviction as by habit.
School was fine until I went to public school, which in England are private excepting those like myself who won scholarships. That cramped my spirit so at the age of 15 I confounded my father and mother by applying for the training ship H.M.S. Conway. Winning a scholarship by the Grace of God I went to sea. Serving as cadet, midshipman and navigating officer my travels brought me to China, Japan, Malaya and other far eastern countries where I gained first-hand experience of the Orient. I frequently felt that we of the west were somewhat barbaric and my respect for the oriental grew.
Quietly my spiritual life was moving forward although outwardly my life with its constant travel, sporting activities and general reading combined with many personal experiences was very wide ranging. My relationship with God was not very pious I regret to say, made conditions with God. I would say to God "Now if you do this… I will do that" It was a genuine relationship, I never tried to fiddle, he was after all my best friend. In this 1 was frowned upon by my more religious sister. God was a reality -- my best friend. The church 1 regret seemed less than real. My energetic nature led me to explore the philosophies of Communism, Socrates, Buddha and others whilst travelling around the world. I must mention that it was Socrates whose sheer logic embedded into me the logical nature of God. Exploring the minds of the great thinkers like Albert Schweitzer, Albert Einstein and Newton caused me to ponder about the nature of the universe and the nature of man and his mind. By now I navigated ships during the 8-12 watch. Many evenings I read for two hours before going on watch, then I would check the compasses and navigation, in the ocean it would take fifteen minutes. Then I would retire to the wing of the bridge, under the canopy of stars glittering across the sea, interrupted only by the occasional cry of the helmsman, I would think deeply about Man, the Universe and God. I was a fortunate young man.
Gradually I resolved that I had better apply myself to something more constructive than navigating ships. Philosophy was so very interesting, but in itself the way you thought depended upon one's background. Occidental, Oriental, Christian, Buddhist where does one begin and end? Philosophy itself was not the problem. The problem that interested me was: What are the dimensions of man; whether in fact he has metaphysical properties and if so what are they? I reasoned that Psychology -- the study of the soul -- should give me a clearer grasp. Fate had placed in my hands what I later discovered to be the best "Text-book of Psychology" written by William James in 1894.
Announcing to my astonished parents that I was giving up the sea to try and enter university I confounded them again. To cries of you were never much good at school, I set about passing my examinations.
Once more with the Grace of God intervening I succeeded and entered University. The faculty I entered had a fine reputation, but they should have called it animal science. They certainly did not attack the problem of exploring the dimensions of man. Further they trained rats, mice and fish in learning experiments whilst William James was dismissed as old fashioned. It was as if statistical madness engulfed them. I mastered statistics but that didn't solve anything. I was confused by their narrowness. I reasoned with my supervisor -- the professor -- over the nature of the aura, its colors and the chakras to no avail. I showed him books, diagrams and he suggested. I was mentally ill. For three years I quietly argued my case. In my second year I put forward a project backed by one of the leading pathologists in the country to investigate means of recording by photographic and electrical apparatus the aura. My knowledge of physics, of spiritual work, of psychiatry and psychology convinced me that this must be done. Until we can observe the spirit -- mental health will never get off the floor. This was my go and I knew the benefits from it would be untold. Freud in his later life said he had been guessing as to the natures of man, yet here were men peddling guesswork under the guise of science. Psychology had ceased to be what William James knew it to be-it had become Animal Science. Under their attitude "Do not disturb the soul of man, my boy, that belongs to religion." a noble endeavor had been betrayed.
Although psychology turned up a blind alley I realized that progress in this field must now lie with neurologists, pathologists, biochemists and micro-biologists and others interested in psychosomatic disorders who have a more scientific approach to the nature of man. I wrote a 26,000 word thesis on "The Energy Structures of the Mind" for the benefit of pathologists and the like. I wrote it knowing that if somewhere the research is done then Nobel Prize will await those who finally release mankind from the confusion of beliefs prevailing in contemporary western psychology.
Once again I had confounded my parents. I received encouragement from the U.S. and I determined to leave my native England where my ideas had fallen on deaf ears. Before crossing the Atlantic I intended visiting the island of Iona of the west coast of Scotland where there exists the remains of an early Christian abbey and community. My life had brought me into contact with one of the finest spiritual healers in the country, who taught me about the aura. I counted my good fortune, sold my car and took a lift to Scotland with a friend.
I visited the community he was beginning to establish and began to help him. I studied further into the spiritual nature of man and remained digging, concreting and levelling ground whilst laying the foundations. Twice I left the community, but the Father always guided me back there. Somehow I knew the Father wanted me to stay there although all my friends said "For goodness sake why don't you leave?"
Then one day up to the far north of Scotland came Doris Walder and Marion searching for babies. That morning the 11th of May 1968 in the sanctuary Doris sang and spoke to the Heavenly Father. Whilst listening prayerfully I received that I must protect her. This itself was unusual but the day before she arrived I had felt a most beautiful presence. It must have been Jesus or one of the elect. I had heard previously of a very great soul living in Seoul -- Mr. Moon -- but whenever I enquired further no one would say anymore. Doris began to speak about Mr. Moon and his teaching. At the time I made an important decision, that I must endeavor to retain the spiritual content of all she said. I gave up eating dinner in the evening lest I fall asleep in the evening. So began three days of spiritual revelation and intense interest. The spiritual vibrations were so high, and each day brought deeper understanding whilst I listened eagerly and asked many questions. Then Doris had to leave suddenly. I was able to take them over the train and they disappeared southwards. Three days later after further revelation I left Scotland for London to study Principle. I knew a completely new chapter of my life was opening. The Father had guided me through many difficulties. The Divine Principle grew gradually and still grows within me. I was fortunate to understand the limitations of my intellect in that I realized I could not decide whether or not it was true. Instead I asked the Father to show me which he did in no uncertain terms.
My path had been unusual. I had wrestled with Theories of Light proving that particles must move in excess of the speed of light hence establishing the existence of the realms of matter, the spiritual realms. I had sought to solve one of the great issues facing man -- that of mental health. Now in the north of Scotland I had found the answer. As usual the Heavenly Father had worked in unusual ways. I think often of Noah building his ark on top of the mountain so that when the rains came it floated completely clear of land. Can man match the mighty majesty of God's wisdom? I doubt it. The Father had led me to where he could help me understand the Divine Principle. Not being a scholar of the Holy Bible the Divine Principle was completely new. Away from the hustle and bustle of civilization I had time to digest the most remarkable revelation ever revealed to man.
In 1969 I was privileged to meet the Messiah and listen to him and Mother. I know my debt to them is infinite. So too I am indebted to the countless thousands of nameless people who have allowed me to live at this precious time. My debt runs to those pioneers who protected and served Our Master passing on the Divine Principles in order that I may hear them in the north of Scotland.
Looking back over my life I know my greatest debt is to the Heavenly Father who bears His Heart to mankind through His Son -- Sun Myung Moon. It is a privilege to bear witness to Our Leader. To rid man of his own satanic nature is not easy. No wonder the Bible describes him as "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace."