The seven courtesy colonies sojourn on the architectural spheres for a longer or shorter time while engaged in the furtherance of their missions and in the execution of their special assignments. Their work may be described as follows:
1. The Star Students, the celestial astronomers, choose to work on spheres like Uversa because such specially constructed worlds are unusually favorable for their observations and calculations. Uversa is favorably situated for the work of this colony, not only because of its central location, but also because there are no gigantic living or dead suns near at hand to disturb the energy currents. These students are not in any manner organically connected with the affairs of the superuniverse; they are merely guests.
The astronomical colony of Uversa contains individuals from many near-by realms, from the central universe, and even from Norlatiadek. Any being on any world in any system of any universe may become a star student, may aspire to join some corps of celestial astronomers. The only requisites are: continuing life and sufficient knowledge of the worlds of space, especially their physical laws of evolution and control. Star students are not required to serve eternally in this corps, but no one admitted to this group may withdraw under one millennium of Uversa time.
The star-observer colony of Uversa now numbers over one million. These astronomers come and go, though some remain for comparatively long periods. They carry on their work with the aid of a multitude of mechanical instruments and physical appliances; they are also greatly assisted by the Solitary Messengers and other spirit explorers. These celestial astronomers make constant use of the living energy transformers and transmitters, as well as of the reflective personalities, in their work of star study and space survey. They study all forms and phases of space material and energy manifestations, and they are just as much interested in force function as in stellar phenomena; nothing in all space escapes their scrutiny.
Similar astronomer colonies are to be found on the sector headquarters worlds of the superuniverse as well as on the architectural capitals of the local universes and their administrative subdivisions. Except on Paradise, knowledge is not inherent; understanding of the physical universe is largely dependent on observation and research.
2. The Celestial Artisans serve throughout the seven superuniverses. Ascending mortals have their initial contact with these groups in the morontia career of the local universe in connection with which these artisans will be more fully discussed.
3. The Reversion Directors are the promoters of relaxation and humor—reversion to past memories. They are of great service in the practical operation of the ascending scheme of mortal progression, especially during the earlier phases of morontia transition and spirit experience. Their story belongs to the narrative of the mortal career in the local universe.
4. Extension-School Instructors. The next higher residential world of the ascendant career always maintains a strong corps of teachers on the world just below, a sort of preparatory school for the progressing residents of that sphere; this is a phase of the ascendant scheme for advancing the pilgrims of time. These schools, their methods of instruction and examinations, are wholly unlike anything which you essay to conduct on Urantia.
The entire ascendant plan of mortal progression is characterized by the practice of giving out to other beings new truth and experience just as soon as acquired. You work your way through the long school of Paradise attainment by serving as teachers to those pupils just behind you in the scale of progression.
5. The Various Reserve Corps. Vast reserves of beings not under our immediate supervision are mobilized on Uversa as the reserve-corps colony. There are seventy primary divisions of this colony on Uversa, and it is a liberal education to be permitted to spend a season with these extraordinary personalities. Similar general reserves are maintained on Salvington and other universe capitals; they are dispatched on active service on the requisition of their respective group directors.
6. The Student Visitors. From all the universe a constant stream of celestial visitors pours through the various headquarters worlds. As individuals and as classes these various types of beings flock in upon us as observers, exchange pupils, and student helpers. On Uversa, at present, there are over one billion persons in this courtesy colony. Some of these visitors may tarry a day, others may remain a year, all dependent on the nature of their mission. This colony contains almost every class of universe beings except Creator personalities and morontia mortals.
Morontia mortals are student visitors only within the confines of the local universe of their origin. They may visit in a superuniverse capacity only after they have attained spirit status. Fully one half of our visitor colony consists of “stopovers,” beings en route elsewhere who pause to visit the Orvonton capital. These personalities may be executing a universe assignment, or they may be enjoying a period of leisure—freedom from assignment. The privilege of intrauniverse travel and observation is a part of the career of all ascending beings. The human desire to travel and observe new peoples and worlds will be fully gratified during the long and eventful climb to Paradise through the local, super-, and central universes.
7. The Ascending Pilgrims. As the ascending pilgrims are assigned to various services in connection with their Paradise progression, they are domiciled as a courtesy colony on the various headquarters spheres. While functioning here and there throughout a superuniverse, such groups are largely self-governing. They are an ever-shifting colony embracing all orders of evolutionary mortals and their ascending associates.