St. John Writes That His Revelation as Contained in the Bible Was Merely a Vision He Had While in a Trance

September 7, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, John of the Revelation.

I saw you studying the Bible, or rather those portions of the book which treated of the salvation of mankind through the blood of Jesus, and that you made extracts from the Revelation, which declared that the blood of Jesus washed away sins of mankind and redeemed them.

Well, I want to say that while I wrote a Revelation or rather dictated it to another to write, I never wrote the words declaring the salvation of mankind through the blood of Jesus, which declared that the blood of Jesus washed away sins of mankind and redeemed them, for I did not believe any such doctrine and had never been taught such a belief by Jesus.

Much of the matter contained in the Revelation I never wrote; but men or scribes who professed to copy the description of my vision, added to it for the purpose of incorporating therein the views of the Christians of that early day, so that their views might be emphasized and in union with similar views that had been added to the Gospels and Epistles in the copies which these same persons or their predecessors in these views had made.

The Revelation is merely a vision which I had when in a trance and was undoubtedly intended to illustrate or predict those things which would be visited upon the believers and the nonbelievers in the truths of God as taught by Jesus and his apostles.

At the present day, I cannot see that this book can serve any good purpose in making men acquainted with the truths of God, or with the relationship of man to God. Many of the things therein contained are not true as a Truth, but were used merely to illustrate a truth. There are no streets of gold or pearly gates or dragons or beasts or white horse or other material things which are depicted in that book; and it is valuable only so far as imagery may show to mankind some spiritual truth.

And besides it has been so embellished and added to, that many of its figures or images do not illustrate any truth, or anything else, but merely serves to give the book the character and appearance of a book of mysteries.

So I advise you in attempting to search for the truths that the Bible contains, do not waste your time in trying to discover the meanings of the various dark sayings and mysterious descriptions which this book contains.

There are enough truths in the Bible, though mixed with many errors, to lead men to the light and to salvation. Love is the great principle, and the fact that God is waiting to bestow that Love on mankind, if they will only seek for it, as it is the principle which is sufficient to lead men to the Celestial homes and happiness.

I am not an advocate of all the "isms" which men draw or formulate from the Bible, but on the contrary, deplore and condemn the misconstruction of the truths which it contains, and which men may understand, if they will search for them in humbleness and in the spirit of a little child.

But whatever of errors may be written in the Bible will be shown by the messages which Jesus shall write to you, and after they are transmitted and made known to mankind there will be no occasion for men to accept or believe these errors.

So I tell you that while the Bible, even as now written, is a grand old book, yet, it is not the true mouthpiece of God in very many particulars, and is a stumbling block to man's acquiring a correct knowledge of the truths of God.

These truths will not conflict with the reasoning of the normal man who is not prejudiced by views which are erroneous, either in the scientific or the religious world.

A man who believes what is not true is just as much an infidel whether that belief relates to the sciences or to religion. A belief in the false is a want of belief in the true and, hence, as to the true, he is not a believer. I will not write more tonight.

So will say goodnight and God bless you and your work.

Your brother in Christ,
John of Revelation