Paper 46 Overview: The Local System Headquarters

Jerusem, the headquarters of our local system Satania, represents an architectural masterpiece that functions as the administrative center for 619 inhabited worlds and 56 transitional-culture spheres. Despite past disruptions from the Lucifer rebellion and Michael's bestowal on Urantia, Jerusem now operates efficiently, gradually restoring order and good will throughout the system. This capital sphere features unique physical characteristics including a specialized lighting system, controlled climate, and various administrative and residential sectors organized into circles, squares, rectangles, and triangles.

The architectural design of Jerusem accommodates all forms of universe life and demonstrates the perfect blending of material, morontia, and spiritual existence. Residential areas are arranged in concentric circles for different orders of beings, while administrative functions occupy departmental squares organized into ten divisions. The physical beauty and functional design of Jerusem help fulfill its purpose as both an administrative headquarters and a transitional home for ascending mortals progressing through the universe.

Jerusem serves as the headquarters of Satania and represents a typical local system capital despite certain irregularities in its history. The system has experienced turbulent periods due to the Lucifer rebellion and Michael's bestowal on Urantia, but it is currently functioning with increasing efficiency. As time passes, the lingering effects of past disharmony are being systematically eliminated from the system.

Order and good will are gradually being restored to Jerusem, and conditions continue to evolve toward the heavenly status envisioned by most twentieth-century religious believers on Urantia. The improving state of the system capital increasingly reflects the divine pattern intended for it, making it closer to the paradise-like realm that humans have traditionally associated with heaven.

Jerusem is organized into one thousand latitudinal sectors and ten thousand longitudinal zones for administrative purposes. The sphere maintains seven major capitals focused on different activities, with the System Sovereign making at least an annual visit to each major capital. These administrative centers coordinate the complex operations that manage the hundreds of worlds within the Satania system.

The standard measurements on Jerusem differ significantly from those on Urantia, with a standard mile equaling approximately seven Urantia miles. The basic weight unit, the "gradant," equals about ten ounces by earth standards, while a Satania day equals slightly less than three Urantia days. The system's energy is expertly managed by Master Physical Controllers, maintaining an equable temperature around 70 degrees Fahrenheit during full light periods and about 50 degrees during light recession. The lighting system consists of rarefied energies projected upward through the atmosphere and reflected back as a gentle, even illumination that appears to come from all directions rather than a single source.

Unlike Urantia with its mountain ranges and varied weather patterns, Jerusem lacks earthquakes, rainfall, storms, and other meteorological phenomena. Instead, the landscape features beautiful highlands and uniquely designed topographical variations, with large areas maintained in their "natural state" for aesthetic appreciation. The planet contains thousands of small lakes but no raging rivers or expansive oceans, and moisture is provided through a subsurface circulation system that extends throughout the sphere.

The atmosphere of Jerusem consists of a three-gas mixture similar to earth's air but with an additional gas that supports morontia life forms. Transportation systems utilize energy currents located at ten-mile intervals, allowing material beings to travel at speeds ranging from two to five hundred miles per hour. The planet exhibits ten standard divisions of physical life characteristic of Nebadon's architectural spheres, with a striking intermingling of physical and morontia life forms artistically arranged by celestial artisans. Mount Seraph, the highest elevation at nearly fifteen thousand feet, serves as the departure point for transport seraphim, with vessels leaving every three seconds during light periods.

Broadcasts from the superuniverse, Paradise, and Havona are received on Jerusem through specialized technology involving the polar crystal and the sea of glass. Three distinct groups of receiving stations process broadcasts from local worlds, constellation headquarters, and the local universe capital. These communications are automatically displayed in the central broadcast amphitheater where they can be perceived by all types of beings present, making this activity one of the most engaging pastimes for ascending mortals on Jerusem.

The broadcast-receiving station is encircled by an enormous amphitheater constructed of scintillating materials that can accommodate over five billion beings of both material and morontia nature, as well as innumerable spirit personalities. This popular gathering place operates continuously, even during the light recession period when most other planetary activities slow down. Periodically, messages from Paradise are enhanced by the Uversa friends who add reflectivity phenomena to make the broadcasts visible as well as audible, providing ascending mortals with foretastes of the beauty and grandeur awaiting them on their inward journey.

Jerusem allocates significant portions of its surface to residential areas for its diverse inhabitants, while other sections are dedicated to the administrative functions necessary for supervising 619 inhabited spheres, 56 transitional-culture worlds, and the system capital itself. The organization of space follows a specific pattern with circles serving as non-native residential areas, squares housing executive-administrative functions, rectangles providing space for lower native life, and triangles containing the local administrative sectors.

Beyond these formal divisions, Jerusem features numerous other beautiful estates, including those of the Material Sons of God who are permanent citizens. The planet benefits from specialized service beings like the spironga, who function as transition servants between higher morontia creatures and morontia helpers. As a headquarters world, Jerusem uniquely exhibits all three phases of universe existence—material, morontial, and spiritual—allowing beings of all types to feel at home there. The physical and morontia structures are exquisitely designed, with spiritual zones equally impressive in their appointments.

The residential areas assigned to major universe life groups are designated as Jerusem circles, comprising seven distinct groupings: the Sons of God, angels and higher spirits, Universe Aids, Master Physical Controllers, ascending mortals, courtesy colonies, and the Corps of the Finality. Each grouping consists of seven concentric and successively elevated circles surrounded by far-reaching enclosures that form extensive promenades, allowing visitors to observe the activities within each area.

The circles of the Sons of God feature magnificent crystal walls with numerous pearly crystal gates and house different orders including Magisterial Sons, Trinity Teacher Sons, and Melchizedeks, each occupying different circles. The circles of angels accommodate various spirit beings from Higher Personalities of the Infinite Spirit to transition ministers. Other notable areas include the circles of ascending mortals with their 619 planetary memorials representing each inhabited world, and the circles of the finaliters with a mysterious sealed temple at their center bearing Michael's insignia and the inscription "Undedicated to the seventh stage of spirit—to the eternal assignment."

The executive-administrative functions of the system operate from one thousand departmental squares, each divided into one hundred subdivisions containing ten subgroups. These squares are organized into ten grand divisions that handle different aspects of system management: physical maintenance and energy, arbitration and ethics, planetary and local affairs, constellation and universe matters, education and Melchizedek activities, scientific domains, morontia affairs, spirit activities, ascendant ministry, and grand universe philosophy.

These administrative structures are transparent in design, allowing student visitors to observe all system activities. This transparency reflects the open nature of governance on Jerusem and provides educational opportunities for ascending mortals to understand the complex operations that maintain the system. Each department performs specialized functions critical to the smooth operation of Satania and the progress of its inhabited worlds.

The one thousand rectangles of Jerusem are occupied by the lower native life forms of the headquarters planet, with the vast circular headquarters of the spornagia located at their center. Visitors to Jerusem are often amazed by the agricultural and landscaping achievements of these remarkable beings who cultivate the land primarily for aesthetic and ornamental purposes rather than for sustenance.

Spornagia are intelligent landscape gardeners who employ both animals and mechanical devices in soil cultivation. Although they do not possess Adjuster-indwelt survival souls, they enjoy long lives of forty to fifty thousand years and develop unique individualities that can experience reincarnation when their physical bodies deteriorate. These bisexual creatures combine traits of faithful horses and affectionate dogs with intelligence exceeding the highest type of chimpanzee, and they can recognize not only material beings but also morontia creations, lower angelic orders, and some spirit personalities.

The routine local affairs of Jerusem are administered from one hundred triangular areas clustered around ten structures that house the local government. These triangles are surrounded by a panoramic depiction of the system's history, though currently there is an erasure spanning over two standard miles in this circular display. This gap represents events related to the Lucifer rebellion and will be restored when Satania is fully readmitted to the constellation family.

The adjudication of the Lucifer rebellion remains in progress with the tribunal of the Ancients of Days, preventing Satania's complete return to the constellation fellowship while it still harbors high-created beings who fell from light into darkness. When this adjudication concludes, Urantia and other isolated worlds will be restored to the system circuits and regain the privileges of interplanetary communication. The supreme rulers are merciful and patient, but the law regarding deliberately nourished evil will ultimately be executed through the eternal obliteration of rebels and rebellion.