Who was A.A. Zachow, author of the April 1977 article in Cosmic Frontiers Magazine, "Urantia, Cosmic View of the Architecture of the Universe"?

by Saskia Praamsma Raevouri (2010, 2019)

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IN 1952, former Forumite Harold Sherman alerted his friend Webster Stafford to the Urantia material [see The Urantia Diaries of Harold and Martha Sherman, Volume Five]. Stafford visited Chicago and joined the Forum but died in 1954, before the Urantia Book was published. Before that, however, Stafford had given awareness of the upcoming material to his friend, Rev. Benjamin Adams, who became a serious student of the published Urantia Book. On 9 March 1959 Adams wrote a critique and sent it to Dr. William S. Sadler, who responded:

"I was very happy to get your letter of March 9 and I think this is the first really valid criticism I have ever had from a minister as concerns the Urantia Book. I have gotten hold of several the last year, but it was evident that the critics had never even superficially read the Urantia Book. . . .

"You ask about others who have critically examined the Urantia Book. From a standpoint of general science I think the studies of the late Sir Hubert Wilkins were perhaps the most extended and exhaustive. For more than 20 years he periodically spent time in Chicago going over the Papers. He would work weeks at a time, ten hours a day, and his final conclusion was that the Papers were consistent with the known facts of modern science.

"Since the Book was published, a young physicist in Philadelphia has been a very careful student of the physics of the Urantia Papers. About a year ago he wrote a paper, with many diagrams, for the Gravitational Society, in which he advocated that the cosmology of the Urantia Book was the only one possible from the gravitational standpoint. . . ."

The "young physicist," we have since learned, was Arnold (A.A.) Zachow. (Read the early correspondence between Zachow and Urantia Brotherhood, in Chapter 12 of The Urantia Chronicles, "Scientists and Metaphysicians.")

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In March 1965, Urantia Book enthusiast Joseph Crossen wrote to Harold Sherman that a friend of his, Arnold Zachow,

"has been relating material in the Book with current astronomical data and has come up with a most fascinating hypothesis. He constructed models of various star systems showing how the counter rotation affects both radio and optical observations here."

In August 1966, Zachow informed Marian Rowley, Secretary-General of Urantia Brotherhood, that he would be in Chicago in early September and would like to

"present a lecture on my Graphical Cosmology which I presented to four of your members in September 1961. As you may recall, it incorporates all of the Urantia Universe structure within the now known radio and optical telescope astrophysical data. Such a lecture might take 2-1/2 to 3 hours and would only make good sense to those members who have thoroughly read the scientific side of Urantia."

Marian declined Zachow's offer saying that would be the vacation season and the members would be scattered; that he would not be able to see Dr. Sadler, now 91, but invited him into the office on September 10 for a talk. This date was not possible for Zachow, so instead they talked for over half an hour on the phone. Marian reported to the Brotherhood:

"He is not doing anything with the maps he gave us. Said he hadn’t done anything with them since that time. I asked if he gave lectures using the Urantia material and he said definitely not. He feels most minds aren’t up to the material, so when he talks about the concepts it’s individually to people he feels can understand. He thinks it's important to get young people interested. Has talked recently with young scientists and they are very receptive to the concepts. I pointed out that the spiritual part of the book is most important and the science secondary. He said he realized that, but felt that in this scientific age we had to approach many through the science angle."

A week later Rowley wrote to Zachow:

". . . I gather from our conversation that you are not using material from the Urantia Book which would violate the copyright, but in any event I am sending you the statement from the Urantia Foundation regarding use of the material. This was issued recently on advice of our lawyer.

"I am also enclosing 'Basic Concepts of the Urantia Book,' by Ruth Burton. There might be some ideas here that you could use in introducing the book to new people. . . . "

* * *

In April 1972 Zachow again corresponded with Rowley, saying,

"Attached you will find a copy of a paper we have just recently finished, 'Linear Gravity GL, the Force-Charge of Isotropic Space,'² which we believe you will find highly interesting. We are sure you remember the early work that we did back in 1957 and 1958 when we presented you the results of our integrating optical and radio telescope data and the proof of the existence of the arrangements provided in the Urantia Book. . . . Finally, after all these years, we have gathered enough information to be able to put this picture together in a fairly solid formal mathematical and technical presentation. We feel sure Rev. Meredith J. Sprunger will enjoy reading the paper."

Rowley forwarded the paper to Sprunger, with the comment that she had originally given the article to Alvin Kulieke, then Dean of the Urantia Brotherhood School, and:

"Edith [Cook] read part of this and discovered many errors. Alvin agreed with Edith and said he was trying to rewrite the Urantia Book. I wrote him acknowledging receipt of the article, saying it was way beyond me, but I was passing it on to others who might be interested. No one has pointed out to him that he is in error and I doubt if we should bother. We have tried to correct him several times and it has had no effect. When you have finished it, you might return it to me with our comments and we will file it. Don’t go to any great trouble to evaluate it, for I’m quite sure we will do nothing about it."

Meredith Sprunger, in returning the article for the Brotherhood's files, said,

"I cannot follow his thinking. It appears he has arbitrarily taken some Urantian cosmological concepts and attempts to relate certain data from astrophysics to these concepts. It seems to me that he has very weak logic for 'dragging in' his cosmological picture."

* * *

Writing to John H. White, editor of Psychic Magazine in April 1973, Zachow said,

"Not having personally ever heard Carl Sagan talk, I was intrigued to learn that one of the outstanding scientific minds of America is very definitely attuned to cosmic events. . . . Attached are the reports I promised you on the Urantia Book, plus a recent note for the Urantia Foundation. The paper on The Mind at Mischief by Dr. William Sadler is not very revealing, but I met with and discussed all the facts in the other paper with Dr. Sadler before he died. When we have a chance to get together, I will gladly discuss same with you. . . ."

* * *

Joseph Crossen, in a February 1978 letter to Harold Sherman, said,

"I have known Zachow for quite a few years, and I like him; although I feel he permits his enthusiasm on certain subjects to run away with his otherwise good judgment. It was Arnold Zachow who first brought Urantia to my attention. How he became aware of it, I forget. But I do remember him telling me about his trip to Chicago to meet Dr. Sadler."

Crossen then recounted that he had met Zachow when looking for someone who had accurate knowledge about so-called "free" and "natural" energies. A client had come to Crossen's design studio to have a letterhead made, a man with a background in electrical engineering who was starting a distribution business for electrical products, wanting a logo that looked like a "free energy device."

Crossen asked him what he knew about the subject, and the client replied that he, personally, knew nothing, but that he had a friend named Arnold Zachow who was researching "natural" energies, and giving lectures about it.

Concludes Crossen,

"This is how I came to know Zachow. Through him, I have learned a bit more about a number of ESP areas, including the Urantia Book. In turn, my interest in the latter subject caused me to fly out to Arkansas to meet Harold Sherman. . . . As for Zachow, I think he is just another confused searcher, but underneath I have found him to be a very decent human being."

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Using the stationery of Advanced Concepts, Inc., on 9 April 1976, A.A. Zachow wrote to the Urantia Foundation with the intention of purchasing

"20 to 25 Urantia Books which will be used for resale at a symposium to be held in May. Please indicate what the price will be and if you extend consignment privileges as we receive from the other book publishers."

In response, on 14 April John Hales of Urantia Brotherhood informed Zachow that their policy allows them to sell Urantia Books at discounts to bookstores only, adding,

"To offer this to other groups places them in competition with bookstores, a practice which is frowned upon by the book trade. As you may be aware, our primary mission is not the sale of the Urantia Book, but rather making it available to those who have expressed an interest in the teachings. This is done in a quiet person-to-person manner which avoids all mass advertising or other promotional activities.

". . . The cost of the book is $20.00 plus .57 postage per book. . . . The cost of 20 books plus postage would be $407.58.

"You indicate a symposium you are conducting in May. However, you did not say whether this was a gathering to discuss the Urantia teachings or if it involves some other material. Possibly you could let us know."

In a BCC to Brotherhood official Stephen Dreier, Hales wrote:

"Steve, we have quite a bit of correspondence with Mr. Zachow from years past. He is of scientific bent, but we have no idea of his commitment to the Urantia Book, or how he blends it with other of his ideas. . . ."

By return mail Zachow responded,

"I am not surprised you did not recognize the above stationery as I have always corresponded under my own name. If you will check with Miss Marian Rowley you will find I have been one of the few outsiders pushing the Urantia Book since 1958. I have convinced more than 100 individuals to purchase same on the Eastern seaboard. Also I submitted to Dr. Sadler and Ms. Rowley in 1958 a detail graphical presentation of the Grand Universe. At that time I was able to prove [that] all known astrophysical data fitted within the arrangements given in the Urantia Book without conflict. All data gathered [since] then by the satellites and probes still does not conflict. But my technical fraternities have not been able to accept the concept.

"The fact that you will not grant me a discount for selling the books, as every other publishing house does, dismays me. I do not plan to wholesale the books but provide them only to persons who are serious in developing their understanding of the Spirit Realm. Part of my lecture, which will be 'Cosmic Structure, Energy and Rhythms,' will involve principles of the Urantia Book and give credit to it. I expect to awaken another 200 people to its existence.

"I will consider the direct purchase of 20 volumes if you will give me the standard bookstore discount. May I hear from you as early as possible."

In reply, John Hales informed Zachow on 22 April 1976 that Zachow's request

"does not come under our policies, but I will present it to the next monthly meeting of the Board of Directors on May 8. I will let you know promptly of their decision."

* * *

The next correspondence is between Zachow and Meredith Sprunger, then President of Urantia Brotherhood. On 25 April 1978, Zachow wrote:

"It has been many years since I corresponded with you, I believe back in 1960. At that time I had completed an analysis of the Grand Universe including the detail arrangement and the numbering of major, minor, universe, constellation and local systems, with their relationship to earth. I recall you were surprised any mortal could determine God’s hierarchy. Since then I have worked to spread the concepts of the Urantia Book in many diverse ways, including many symposiums in NYC, through which over 100 copies of the Urantia Book have been sold. Recently I have had a number of copies drop-shipped through the book store in Bryn Mawr, PA, the Stacks. In March 1978 I ordered an additional eight copies for a special class I have been teaching.

"In April 1977 I did an article on the Urantia Book for a magazine Cosmic Frontiers. The article must have been well done and accepted because of numerous letters received, including one from Julia Fenderson in Culver City, CA. But it was considered in poor taste by your legal department as per the letter of June 23, 1977, copy attached [do not have—Ed.]. I am truly sorry the Foundation took offense to the article. I feel I am one of your silent workers who does not seek notoriety but only the truth. Hence, if you have the time I would appreciate your reviewing the article yourself and tell me where I have offended the Urantia Foundation.

"It is because of this situation with the article that I am now writing you. I have after 20 years of research been able to integrate some of the great knowledge from the Urantia Book with some of my other research. The result is a book, Your Energy Print from Earth to Eternity. I have completed a rough draft from which I have taught a ten-week course. The book has been written for everyone, particularly the young, who are seeking to understand their relationship to others and to God’s cosmic universe. Because I refer to information in the Urantia Book in different chapters, I would like to ask you who I should send the preliminary draft to for review. I am enclosing the first chapter if you would care to review it. In writing the book I have not put quote marks around information taken from the Urantia Book but have used the technical reference notation technique. I would be willing to use whatever method is acceptable to the Foundation."

In his 29 April 1978 response, Sprunger thanks Zachow for his enclosed materials and recalls corresponding with him many years ago. He adds,

"It is good to know that you have been one of the quiet workers disseminating the teachings of the Urantia Book.

"Concerning questions regarding your article in Cosmic Frontiers and your manuscript, Your Energy Print from Earth to Eternity, I can only give you personal opinions. All copyright matters are handled by Urantia Foundation, the owner of the copyright to the Urantia Book. Urantia Foundation and Urantia Brotherhood are separate organizations. Urantia Brotherhood is primarily interested in disseminating the teachings of the Urantia Book through study groups and fellowship.

"My guess is that the legal counsel of Urantia Foundation objected to your article in Cosmic Frontiers because it contains material copied or paraphrased from the Urantia Book which constitutes copyright infringement. I would further conjecture that the Foundation found errors like 'the fourth section was not finished until 1941' and references to a transporting station in Brown Mountain, N.C., and UFOs not only objectionable but since these observations have nothing to do with the Urantia Book, they are clearly misleading.

"You must get permission from Urantia Foundation if you wish to use material from the Urantia Book in your new book. Mr. Thomas Kendall is president of Urantia Foundation. The Foundation has granted very few such requests. My personal advice, therefore, would be to not use material in your book which would constitute copyright violation. This may be frustrating but it is also a challenge to one’s creativity. As I understand it, ideas cannot be copyrighted; but words, phrases, and paraphrasing are covered by copyright law. In any case, you must contact the Foundation for permission to use Urantia material.

Best wishes to you in your desire to share these great teachings. I hope you will find a creative, legal way to do this."

* * *

Arnold August "Zach" Zachow passed away on 5 November 2011 at the age of 88 in a retirement home in Pennsylvania. He was survived by his wife of 65 years, two sons, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His obituary describes his many accomplishments:

He was born on August 31, 1923 in Pascagoula, MS and was the son of the late Arnold and Celeste Zachow of Gulfport, MS. Zach served with the US Navy during World War II and was assigned to the Navy's V-12 program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY where he studied aeronautical engineering, and was awarded both bachelors and masters degrees in engineering. After the war, Zach worked for many companies including Bell Aircraft in Buffalo, NY where he designed and tested missile systems; Module Incinerators of Philadelphia, where he designed a unique commercial waste incinerator. At General Electric in Valley Forge, Zach worked on various engineering teams focused on the space program. In addition, Zach taught Physics classes at Drexel and classes on Ancient Civilizations, Parapsychology and Astronomy in Adult Evening Classes. After retirement, Zach and his wife traveled extensively. He had a great interest in ancient civilizations and visited many ancient cities of the world. In addition Zach researched astronomy and wrote a number of manuscripts describing the structure of the Universe.

 A.A. Zachow, revelation worker, may you continue your fine work on the mansion worlds!