We had a wonderful time in these beautiful surroundings. The days were used not only for bathing, long walks and cycling tours but also for interesting discussions on various passages from the newly published "Livets Bog (The Book of Life)".

We agreed that it would be lovely if we could get some holiday cottages somewhere, a little holiday colony, where we could meet in the summer and so extend the winter study circles in a pleasant way.

One day in May 1934 one of our friends came and showed me an advertisement that he had seen in Berlingske Tidende (a Copenhagen newspaper).

"Here is exactly the piece of land we should have." he said.

The piece for sale was a large area by the beach in Odsherred near the little village of Klint. The area was partly planted with pine trees, and the price was only 5 øre per square alen (One alen equals approximately two feet or 0.63 metres.)

We agreed that we had to see this piece of land.

One of our acquaintances who had a car was willing to drive us to Klint. We set off one day at the beginning of June. There were four of us in the car: Gerner Larsson came too. None of us was familiar with Odsherred, but after some searching we found a place we thought to be the right one.

We thought that there was a lovely atmosphere about it.

"If only this is the right place!" we exclaimed spontaneously.

It was rather far from the nearest houses, but we asked around and decided that we had found exactly the right place. It was so large that it could easily accommodate at least twenty holiday cottages.

When, later in the day, we returned to Copenhagen we were agreed that we had to acquire this lovely beach area.

Next day we contacted the vendor and arranged to meet him on Constitution Day, 5 July. He would meet us on the piece of land with an estate agent.

We set off and reached our destination by noon. The vendor arrived a little later with the estate agent. After some conversation we agreed the price and where the boundaries should be.

The land was situated beside the Kattegat, and parallel with the water the boundary was formed by a narrow, rectangular plantation with newly planted pine trees. An old drainage channel, which emptied into the sea, formed a natural boundary along one side.

The deal went through, and now the land was to be built on. We agreed first to build seven holiday cottages beside each other with a view of the sea. The cottages were to be built in the plantation at a suitable distance from each other.

We decided jointly how the cottages should look. They were to be built of wood and there was to be sleeping accommodation for four in each. Fixen sent a couple of his apprentices to Klint and they began building the cottages in July.

It was possible for me to acquire this large beach area and build these seven cottages only because of the financial support of several of my friends.

Next spring the cottages were finished and the opening took place on 15 May 1935.

Gerner Larsson, his wife and I lived in one of the cottages during the first three seasons. It was the cottage that lay furthest from the channel.

It was while I lived in this cottage that I wrote my book "Logic".

The other six cottages were filled the entire summer with our holiday guests who appreciated this beautiful, peaceful spot.

It was, however, not so easy for me to get peace to write in this place. Every time I showed myself outside the cottage I was surrounded by holiday guests who wanted to talk to me.

We realised that the holiday colony had to be extended quickly, and before the next season started seven more cottages had been built. These new cottages, which were smaller and had sleeping accommodation for only two, were built along the channel at right angles to the first, down towards the sea.

We didn't realise that one had to have official permission to use such a flag, and we had therefore to apply in writing to the Ministry of State. We received the answer shortly after: it was a rejection; it could not be permitted. So I went to the Ministry of State myself. At that time Stauning was the Prime Minister. I was not, however, granted an interview with Stauning himself but with a permanent undersecretary.

I wanted to know why we had been rejected. I pointed out mat on all the shopping streets of the town there were masses of flags of every possible size and colour.

He answered very amicably, "Yes -we don't normally give permission for that kind of thing. But nothing has ever been done about it!"

"That means then that we don't need to apply for permission?"

He wouldn't really say yes to that but he promised that he would do what he could to help us.

It must not be possible to confuse the flag with a national flag; there was therefore one condition - there had to be some lettering on it.

I went home with that answer, and we then decided that the letters "L.B.B." could be placed at one corner of the flag. They stood for "Livets Bog's Bureau".

As I said, the flag was to be dedicated on Whit Sunday. It was 31 May. I had informed people about it during my public lecture in March.

On the day of the initiation almost 100 people turned up at the holiday colony, which was remarkable. The weather was anything but wonderful, and at that time there were very few families with a car.

The time for the ceremonial raising of the flag was set for 12 noon. The people gathered around the flagpole and I gave a little speech, an extract of which follows:

"We are assembled here today because we have the pleasure of witnessing the symbol of the holy spirit, the mathematical formula for the divine world plan, the expression of the eternally perfect world picture, in the form of a banner, now raised for the first time on Earth.

"I will not give a long explanation here since you know the details and particulars from my work and from the study circles. I will go straight on to carrying out this ceremony!"

"As you know from my work the coloured fields each symbolize the six basic energies through which the composition of the universe manifests itself. The white triangle or pyramid with the rays symbolizes 'the divine something', that is that which experiences life in every organism, while the violet field symbolizes the divine creative ability.

"This holy symbol, as you see it now waving in the wind, is an outer visible expression for the very highest thought-climate. And, by virtue of its identity as a symbol of love, it could not be flown in the service of war and unrest without constituting a parody of its intention.

"Where this symbol of light shall rightfully fly in the world, all war, brutality and unrest must be anathema. And in the same way a mental copy of this must fly in our hearts. Here it is also a matter of its not being torn to shreds by the strong storms of passion and of its always being able to fly and gleam in an atmosphere of the fresh breezes of forgiveness and love.

"So I would like to close by asking you to accept my most heartfelt and warmest thanks for turning up here so faithfully and in such numbers to be by my side when I, for the first time, raise this for us so holy symbol!"

The next year the holiday colony was extended considerably; a large area behind the plantation was acquired. Here there was space for a lecture hall, a nursery garden, an orchard, a guest-house and some more holiday cottages.

An old farmhouse, whose ground adjoined this newly acquired area, had already been bought and renovated the year before.

Gerner Larsson found good use for his training as a gardener; he now began realising our plans for an orchard and a nursery garden with greenhouses and garden frames. The goal was to make the holiday colony self-sufficient in vegetables.

While Gerner Larsson was busy establishing the orchard and the nursery garden, others began erecting a lecture hall. The lack of such a hall had been very noticeable during the first two seasons.

In order for it to be financially possible to build a lecture hall the work had to be carried out almost exclusively by some of my faithful friends working voluntarily in their spare time. They began the work on the fourth Friday after Easter (Bededag or Prayer Day - a Danish public holiday) and finished it by the Ascension Day holiday.

I inaugurated the new hall on Whit Sunday - it was Sunday, 15 May 1937 - and the hall was full to capacity; it could seat about 150 people. When the holiday colony's third season started a little over a month later I gave lectures in the hall twice a week.

He was a great idealist and was very interested in our work. For many years he had, as a globetrotter, travelled in unknown areas of Asia and Africa; he was known for his travel-writing in Familie Journalen (Family Journal) and other publications.

He had often told me about his exciting experiences in distant countries, and he showed me various things that he had brought home from his travels. Now he wanted to hand over the villa to us on very favourable and moderate terms; the furniture and all fittings were included.

Since the villa had a red-tiled roof he called it "Red Hood (Rødhætte)", but we renamed it "Villa Rosenberg". Gerner Larsson began felling trees that grew too close to the house and in their place planted flowers and fruit bushes.

We took possession of the house in the spring of 1938.

In Copenhagen in April 1939 we moved our office and my private residence to a larger flat on the first floor of 33 Glahns Allé. Here the office could get a much-needed extension, and my secretary could run study circles for 40-50 people.

I took a couple of rooms for myself where I could have peace for my work.

One evening I was walking along Øster Voldgade by the Botanical Gardens. It was late in the evening and there was not a soul in sight. Suddenly five young men stepped out from behind some shrubbery. They took up a threatening attitude, and one of them was just about to punch me in the face when the largest of them, who was apparently the gang leader, shouted, "No, don't hit that man!"

He then stepped forward to me and said calmly, "We only want your wallet and your watch."

I took in the situation equally calmly and answered, "I'm sorry I don't have my wallet on me, but I have this pocket watch. If you think you have more right to it than I have, then you must take it!"

He took the watch and went over to the four others. He stood there a moment and conferred with them. Then he came back and said, "No, we don't want your watch after all. You can have it back. You just have to stand here a moment until we are gone - and then this matter is closed."

I realised that in the future I must be more careful about walking in dark, lonely places.

One day I was walking along Nørregade when suddenly a tramcar stopped right beside me. The tram-driver shouted to me, "Martinus, Martinus!" Now I recognised him. He was one of my old fellow-marines. His name was Alfred and he was very pleased to see me. He could not forget that I had once helped him out of trouble; now in return he would like to give me a free ride all the way home to my door.

It was one day when we were both marines posted to the Naval Barracks that I had done him a favour. He had to appear at an enquiry because he had shouted at a petty officer one morning. The petty officer in question came into our dormitory every morning at 6 o'clock and woke us. That morning Alfred had shouted back at him. This the petty officer would not tolerate.

He saw to it that an enquiry was held in which Alfred had to appear before a superior officer. I was called as a witness because I had seen the episode from my bed in the dormitory. My bed was right beside Alfred's.

During the enquiry I was asked if I could confirm that Alfred had shouted. I could certainly confirm this, but I had to mention that I lay almost every night listening to Alfred shouting in his sleep; he had almost certainly not been completely awake on the morning in question.

The affair ended with Alfred getting off with a warning.

In 1940 the colony was extended by 7 more cottages, a guest-house and a little grocer's shop.

The Second World War, which had broken out in 1939, put a damper on our activities. Even though Denmark was a neutral country we were all the same invaded by Hitler's Nazi army on 9 April 1940.

I was on a lecture tour of Jutland when the invasion took place. One Monday evening, 8 April, I gave a lecture in Vejle. Early the next morning I was woken in my hotel room by the noise of the Germans' tanks and huge aeroplanes. I realised what had happened: Denmark had been occupied. I had this confirmed when I went down to the restaurant a little later.

The German troops had already paralysed Copenhagen. With great difficulty I succeeded in making telephone contact with the office in Copenhagen. My secretary and the others in the office were of course very frightened by the violent events and they wanted me to break off my lecture tour immediately and return home. But I calmed them down, and, since I didn't want to let the audiences down, I went ahead with the tour; that same evening I gave my lecture as planned in Horsens.

But on returning to Copenhagen the following week I took a rest from lecturing. This was temporarily the end of my big public lectures. There was no reason to draw the Germans' attention to us unnecessarily. Now I could, on the other hand, devote myself entirely to my writing.

In the spring of 1941 a very large flat became available on the 4^th floor of the property in Glahns Allé, where we lived on the 1^st floor. We took over this flat and moved from the 1^st to the 4^th floor. In this flat by turning two large rooms into one we made a lecture hall for 80 people. In this hall my secretary and I gave lectures alternately, but because of the German occupation there was admittance only for those who had enrolled in advance.

I also had my private flat on this fourth floor. It had a fine view; it was a lovely place to live.

I was still writing my main work, "Livets Bog", and in between times I wrote some shorter articles for our monthly magazine, KOSMOS: "Doomsday", "Peace", "On the Creation of Livets Bog", "Microcosmos" and "Leaves of God's Picture-Book", to name only a few.

"Livets Bog" came to fill 7 large volumes. With the exception of the first volume the books were published, 16 pages at a time, as a supplement to our magazine. So I had to write 16 pages per month. In addition I had still to draw new symbols and prepare my lectures.

And through the years I had to talk to many hundreds of unhappy people who sought me out with their sorrows and problems in order to get help and comfort.

For a long time I searched without result for a term that could be used to describe our activities. I did not think that words like "enterprise" or "business" were suitable. As a temporary solution I used the term "my cause" or "the cause"; this term was gradually accepted by all.

The many short articles that I had written in our magazine over the years were to be published as small books, but it wasn't until 1942 that we succeeded in publishing three of them. Our finances were constantly strained, but now one of the good friends of my cause wanted to finance the publication of "The Ideal Food", "On the Birth of My Mission" and "Easter". These three books came out in the autumn of 1942.

The newly furnished lecture hall in our flat in Glahns Allé could accommodate, as I said, only 80 people, but that was far from enough when I gave lectures. I had often to give the same lecture twice in the same week in order more or less to accommodate the large audiences. But this took too much of my time.

I realised that we would before long have to look for more spacious accommodation.

It had long since become a tradition in my work that problems are solved in a wonderful way when they are at their most pressing. Now this problem too was solved. One of the faithful friends of my cause, a wholesaler named J. Jespersen, offered us his large property at Mariendalsvej 94-96 in the Fuglebakke quarter of Frederiksberg on extremely moderate and easy terms.

I had known Mr. Jespersen since the summer of 1932. He was at that time staying for a couple of weeks at Løkken Seaside Hotel in the west of Jutland, and here he had happened to come into possession of the first volume of "Livets Bog", which had just been published. The book interested him enormously, so he quickly got in touch with our office; since then he has been one of my close friends. He had also on an earlier occasion given my cause a helping hand.

This beautiful building was originally built by a spiritualistic community, who had held their séances here. Later this community was disbanded and the building lay empty for several years.

During this period the youth of the area had amused themselves by breaking windows, breaking into the building and causing damage.

But then Mr. Jespersen had bought the building and put it in fine order. He was very interested in spiritualism and other spiritual subjects, and he had, I suppose, thought that séances would again be held in the building. For this reason he furnished the hall as a church with an organ, church benches, large chandeliers and a rostrum with plush velvet and golden fringes.

But now he offered us the possibility of taking over the building very cheaply. He had already spoken to me two years previously about this matter, and I had then had the opportunity to view the building. But at that time I was afraid that my cause was as yet too small for this large building.

He had therefore temporarily found some tenants for the two flats that the building contained.

His renewed contact with me came as a lifeline.

We could not, however, move in immediately and take possession of the building because the lecture hall, as I mentioned, was furnished as a church. Radical changes had to be made - light colours, modern lighting and new chairs.

Jespersen could not really understand that this was necessary. But I explained to him that the people who would come here are finished with the church, and if they came and saw this, they would be frightened off; they had had enough of that sort of thing.

We moved into our new home on 15 August 1943; I came to live in the flat on the first floor where there was a balcony. My secretary and his wife moved into the other flat in the building.

I inaugurated the hall with a lecture on Sunday 3 October 1943. Because of the occupation of our country there was still only admittance for those who had enrolled in advance. Since over 400 had enrolled I had to give my initiation lecture at both 2 o'clock and 5 o'clock.

As I said, there was good potential for extending the building, and before two years had passed, a cellar was built under the entire house so that we had acquired enough space for a printing-room, a book-binding-room, an office and a store-room.

Harald Isenstein, the sculptor, gave us a beautiful figure called "Mother and Child", which was put in the little flower patch in front of the building.