0\ magazine ofundercStandi1tfl-YOLo xx, NUMBER 7 SEPTEMBER, 1955

What Are theTIMES of the GENTILES?

Here is an amazing prophecy, which few understand,yet which explains the real meaning behind Russia'sstruggle for world dominion. It explains what's goingto happen to our nation IN THE NEXT TWENTY YEARSI

by Herman L. Hoeh

ON E THIRD of the world is in slav­ery under Communist tyranny.Abject poverty engulfs a large

portion of the rest of the world. There issomething terribly wrong with the Gen­tile nations!

Why?The answer to this chaotic condition

is revealed in an amazing prophecy forour time. It is the "Times of the Gen­tiles."

Jesus' Amazing Prophecy

Let's notice Jesus' prophecy in Luke21:24.

When speaking of the Jews, Jesustold his disciples that "they shall fall bythe edge of the sword, and shall be ledaway captive into all nations, and Jeru­salem shall be trodden down of the Gen­tiles until the Times of the Gentiles befulfilled."

Notice that this prophecy is not speak­ing of a period of peace, but of war. It isa time when the Gentiles are conqueringand destroying, when they are rulingthemselves contrary to the way of Godwho is Creator and RULER.

Remember that one of the keys to un­derstanding this prophecy and all proph­ecy is DUALITY. There is always a fore­runner which is a type of ANOTHER

FINAL GREAT FULFILLMENT. Jesus wasspeaking of the destruction of Jerusalemin 70 A.D. by the Roman legions as atype of terrible world war soon to surgethrough our United States. Even Pales­tine and Jerusalem will again be troddendown by Gentile armies until the timesof the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Exactly what did Jesus mean by thetimes of the Gentiles?

When did they begin? How long willthey last? When do they end?

Common Teachings in Error

It is the common assumption that thetimes of the Gentiles are a period ofblessing on the nations. It is argued thatsince God took away the blessing of be­ing great and dominant nations fromIsrael and Judah and since the Gentilesfor centuries have been dominant na­tions, that human rule is a blessing be­stowed upon the Gentiles.

Nothing could be further from thetruth!

Then again, many claim that the timesof the Gentiles are synonymous with thetimes of Judah's punishment, that theGentile times have already ended-somesay in 1914, others say in 1917 or 1936.Some even think that it might end thisyear. But all these supposed dates for the

ending of the times of the Gentiles aremere guesses!

The truth is that almost no one reallyknows what the times of the Gentilesare. And yet without an understandingof the meaning of this prophetic period,you can not grasp the real significance ofpresent day world-shaking events or un­derstand what's going to happen in thenext twenty-five years. Let's not assume,let's study the Bible itself to see whatthese times really are.

Times of Israel's Punishment aKey to Understanding

Israel was promised great nationalblessings, including national greatness ifthey would obey God. But God alsopromised that if they obstinately refusedto obey Him, if they refused to followHis laws and let Him rule their lives,then He would punish them for a periodcalled seven times (Lev. 26).

The Bible itself defines this period ofseven times for us. If you turn to Revela­tion the twelfth chapter, and compareverses 6 and 14 you will see that theword time in prophecy simply means ayear, hence seven times would he sevenyears or 2520 days.

Now let's notice another key. In Num­bers 14: 34, God said Israel would bear

Page 2

their iniquities in the wilderness afterthe number of days they searched theland of Canaan, forty days, each day fora year.

Then seven times or 2520 propheticdays would equal 2520 literal years! Thisperiod of seven times or 2520 years pun­ishment did come upon Israel becausethey went their own ways and wouldno. submit to the rule of God. Israelwent into captivity about 721 B.C. anddid not become a great people again un­til their times of punishment ceasedabout 1800 A.D. At that time the de­scendants of the ancient House of Israel-America and Britain and the demo­cratic peoples of the world --began torise to such wealth and power as theworld has never enjoyed before-all be­cause of the promises made to Abraham.

Also Palestine, after a punishmentagainst the House of Judah, that beganabout 604 B.c., was brought back fromthe Gentile Turks in 1917-exactly 2520years later, when it came under the con­trol of Great Britain, and finally theJews.

The seven times of Israel's punish­ment was a period of great privation andsuffering, of slavery and war becausethey would not submit their Wills andtheir ways to God, because they wouldnot allow Him to rule their lives by Hisperfect laws, which could have broughtthem peace and prosperity and dominion.

The Original ProJ?hecy Foundin Dame!

Now that we understand the seventimes punishment on Israel, let's under­stand the meaning of the times of theGentiles.

The original prophecy to which Jesushad reference is found in the fourthchapter of Daniel. Jesus understood thatthis prophetic vision of the great treehad reference to the times of the Gen­tiles as well as to Nebuchadnezzar's lit­eral punishment.

Notice Daniel 4: 17. This striking vi­sion was not only to teach Nebuchadnez­zar that God rules, but it is also "to theintent that THE LIVING may know thatthe most High rules in the kingdom ofmen, and gives it to whom he will andsets over it the basest of men."

So the Bible itself interprets thisprophecy to have reference not only to

the king of Babylon in that day, but alsoto teach the living-yes, all uf the na­tions today-that God is Supreme Ruler.

Now notice verses 20 and 22 of Dan­iel 4. The great tree represented theking. And what was to happen to him?

"Let his heart be changed from man's,and let a beast's heart be given him; andlet seven times pass over him" (verse16) .

The king was to lose his understand­ing-to be cursed with insanity-he was

The PLAIN TRUTH

to act and think like a wild ravenousbeast, until he learned that the Creatorrules over the affairs of men, till helearned that the only way to peace andsecurity is through submission to therule and laws of God instead of yieldingto lust and human pride.

But the world and its leaders have notyet learned this needed lesson. The na­tions today still devour one another inwar like wild beasts as they struggle to

gain world conquest.

The King Only a Type

Most of the misunderstanding aboutthis important prophecy results from notrealizing that the seven literal times oryears that passed over King Nebuchad­nezzar were a type of the seven prophetictimes of punishment upon the. Gentiles.

Now turn to Daniel 2, verses 38 and39 where this is clearly explained. Theking saw a great image composed ofdifferent metals and clay. The head ofthis image represented the kingdom ofBabylon. Daniel tells King Nebuchad­nczzar, "Thou art this head of gold. Andafter thee shall arise another kingdom."

The divisions of the great image rep­resented various kingdoms of the Baby­lonish system. Yet Daniel designated thefirst kingdom by its supreme dictatorialking Nebuchadnezzar. The king, then,was a type of the kingdom of Babylon.because he had absolute power. Also bycomparing Daniel 7: 17, 23 you will seethat king and kingdom are used synony­mously.

Remember that one of the punish­ments on the king was that his heartshould be changed "from man's, and leta wild animal's heart be given him:'

Have you ever noticed that Babylon,after it ceased conquering and when Godbegan to deal with its leaders, was alsogiven the heart of a man?

Read Daniel 7:4. It stood "upon thefeet as a man, and a man's heart was giv­en to ir."

Now let's notice what happened. KingNebuchadnezzar had the heart of a manbur because of his sins he was afterwardpunished seven literal years. The ancientChaldean kingdom had the heart of aman-it ceased to attack, conquer anddestroy other nations-but because Baby­lon continued to sin and live contraryto God's ways it was punished for sevenprophetic years or 2520 literal years,

Notice how the type is being fulfilledin the anti type. King Nebuchadnezzarbecause of his stubborn refusal to sub­mit to the rule of God-the only waythat would have brought him peace ofmind and satisfaction-was punishedseven years by having his mind changedto that of a wild animal-until helearned that God ruled. He was de­throned and lived among the wild beasts.

In like manner, the Chaldean Empire,

September, 1955

of which he was a type, was defeatedand its dominion was taken from it. Butjust as Nebuchadnezzar continued tolive like a wild beast, so the Babylonishsystem. has continued with leaders hav­ing the minds of wild beasts. The Per­sians, Greeks, Romans-Europeans evento the days of Hitler and Mussolini­have all been cursed with leaders whothink and act like wild animals, leaderswho glory in war and conquest.

Not one of the beasts, which followedthe Chaldean Empire as described inDaniel 7, was given a man's heart. Theyall were like ferocious wild animals­conquering, pillaging, destroying oneanother by intrigue, alliances and war.

Nebuchadnezzar was forced to liveamong the wild beasts just as the suc­cessor nations of the Babylunish systemhave had to fight and struggle constantlyagainst other Gentile nations WHO AREALSO CURSED WITH THE SAME MIND-­THE SAME DESIRES TO CONQUER ANDRULE THE WORLD. That is why theBabylonish system under Hitler andMussolini struggled against Russia. Andthat is why Russia today is plotting to

rule the world by intrigue and stealthand lying and deception. The leaders ofRussia think and act like cunning wildbeasts.

The ancient Chaldean Empire wouldnot submit to God's rule and ways butwanted to rule its own way-the great­est curse that could happen to any na­tion. As a punishment God has allowedeven to this very day the Gentile nationsto rule themselves until they learn thatonly His ways are right and that He rulesin the kingdoms of men. Just as Nebu­chadnezzar finally regained his rightmind and acknowledged God's authority,so the Gentile nations when their pun­ishment is over, will come up to thekingdom of God and ask to learn of hisways (Micah 4: 1-3) so that they alsomay become begotten and finally borninto His kingdom as members of theruling family of God.

What GOOD NEWS there is ahead!

Amazing Prophecy for Today!

Notice how present day events areexplained by this prophecy.

All nations have been made drunkwith the false teachings of the Babylon­ish system that has gripped this worldfor thousands of years until this worldhas become so confused and divided thatpeople don't know which way to turn(Rev. 18:3).

Russia is seeking to conquer and rulethe world. Millions in Asia are turningto communism as their last desperatehope. In our own land more people thanever before are becoming interested inreligion-but they don't know which isthe true church in this Babylon of reli-

( Please continue on page 10)

SPIRITISMFraud . . . or Fact?Can men actually communicate with departed spirits?What about the witch of Endor? What does the Sible

say of Spiritism?

by Herbert W. Armstrong

I s THERE anything to Spiritism?Granted there is trickery and decep­tion. Houdini, one of the greatest

trick-artists of modern times, exposednumerous frauds. So also have Thurston,Walsh, Gearson and many another. Someleading Spiritists have been convicted of"plain dishonesty" or "common fraud"and imprisoned.

Yet not all Spiritism is fraud or slightof hand!

When all the fraudulent phenomena,the tricks, the deceptions are carefullyand scientifically sifted out, there remainssomething to be accounted for-somereal SUPERNATURAL EVENTS that cannotbe explained away!

Wicked Spirits in Control

Whether or not human beings like to

admit it, the Bible plainly teaches thatsupernatural powers control and operatethis world. The apostle Paul was inspiredto write that human beings must struggle"against powers, against the rulers ofthe darkness of this world, againstwicked spirits in high places" (Ephe­sians 6:12, margo reading).

Jesus Christ never contested Satan'sclaim that all the nations of the worldwere his. Said Satan: "All this power"-the control of the nations-"will Igive thee, and the glory of them: forthat is delivered unto me; and to whom­soever I will I give it. If thou thereforewilt worship me, all shall be thine"(Luke 4:6-7).

Little wonder, then, that Spiritismshould be manifest in a world controlledand operated by wicked spirits in highplaces!

Modern Spiritism had its birth atHydesville, New York, in 1848. It beganwith the famous Rochester knockingsheard by the Fox sisters. Within less thana century Spiritism has obtained millionsof followers. It is a RELIGION masquerad­ing under the name of Christianity.

Spiritism is based on the devil's firstrecorded lie! The devil has continued todeceive millions into believing that thedead can talk with the living!

The Dead Cannot Talk with theLiving!

Notice what Jesus said about the dead,"Marvel not at this: for the hour is com­ing, in the which all that are in thegraves SHALL HEAR his voice, and shallcome forth . . . unto the resurrection"(John 5:28-29).

The dead cannot communicate withthe living!

But the DEVIL must perpetuate hislie! He must make it appear that thedead can communicate with the living.That is why the manifestations of Spirit­ism exist-to perpetuate a lie!

Spiritism is a work of DARKNESS! Paulwarns us: "Have NO FELLOWSHIP withthe unfruitful works of DARKNESS, butrather reprove them" (Eph. 5: 11 ). Mil­lions of dollars have been filched fromunthinking people who have lost lovedones and who have sought to contactthem in the DARKNESS of Spiritistseances. GOD'S blessings come "withoutmoney and without price." But it costsmoney to fellowship Spiritism's DARK­NESS!

Extorting money from innocent vic­tims on behalf of the dead is a RACKETALMOST SIX THOUSAND YEA RS OLD' Theracket is controlled by Satan the devil.Spiritism, however, is not its only form.This racket even manifests itself inpowerful denominations. Sorrowing rela­tives are asked to pay to relieve theirloved ones from suffering supposedlyoccurring on the other side of death!

Two Kinds of Angels

Since not all Spiritism is trickery­and since the dead CANNOT communi­cate with the living, then what powercauses the phenomena of Spiritism?

Remember that this world is con­trolled by SUPERNATURAL SPIRIT POW­ERS. Satan is called the prince of thisworld in three distinct Scriptures-John12: 31, 14: 30 and 16: 11. He is the godof this age whom the world worshipsin ignorance! Paul said, ". . . the godof this world (or "age") hath blinded

the minds of them that believe not, lestthe light of the glorious gospel of Christ,who is the image of God, should shineunto them" (II Cor. 4:4).

The Bible reveals that there are onlytwo classes of spirit beings created byGod. Man is NOT spirit. He is mortalflesh. Paul wrote of man: "For this cor­ruptible must pttt on incorruption, andthis mortal must put on immortality"(l Cor. 15:53).

Here are the two classes of spirits:1) Obedient angels of God. Paul

wrote: "But to which of the angels didHe say at any time: Sit on my righthand, until I make thine enemies thyfootstool? Are they not all ministeringspirits, sent forth to minister for themwho shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb.1:13-14). Obedient angels are Spi1'itssent to minister to mortal, fleshly humanbeings who are heirs to salvation-heirJto immortality!

2) Demons or fallen angels, subjectto the princely authority of Satan thedevil. Satan is the "prince of demons"(Mark 3:22). We read of Satan andhis angels in Revelation 12:9: "And thegreat dragon was cast out, that old ser­pent, called the Devil, and Satan, whichdeceiveth the whole world: he was castout into the earth, and his angels werecast out with him." The apostle Peterwrote of them: "For if God spared notthe angels that sinned, but cast themdown to hell, and delivered them intochains of darkness, to be reserved untojudgment" (II Peter 2: 4).

The two classes of created spirit beingsare both angels. The only difference isthat one class is obedient, the other classDISOBEDIENT.

The spirits manifesting themselvesthrough Spiritism are of the second class-WICKED spirits.

Cause of Demon-Possession

The demons manifest their powers invarious ways-sometimes in the dark­ness of Spiritist seances, sometimesthrough possessing the mental and physi­cal attributes of human beings. This lat-

Page 4

ter form is often termed "demonpossession." There are several interest­ing cases recorded in the Bible. Turn to

Acts 16: 16-18 and notice one example:"And it came to pass, as we went to

prayer, a certain damsel possessed witha spirit of divination met us, whichbrought her masters much gain by sooth­saying: The same followed Paul andus, and cried, saying, These men are theservants of the most high God, whichshow unto us the way of salvation. Andthis did she many days. But Paul, beinggrieved, turned and said to the spirit,I command thee in the name of JesusChrist to come out of her. And he cameout the same hour."

Notice that evil spirits can possessthe mental and vocal faculties of humanbeings. They impersonate or pretend thatthey are human beings. They often mani­fest their powers in connection withreligion to deceive innocent victims­or to bring reproach upon the name ofGod by their misconduct, as in the ex­ample in Acts 16.

In other instances they utilize humanfaculties in a violent manner. Institu­tions for the insane are filled with help­less human beings possessed with spiritsof violence. Notice the example round inMatthew 8:28-33:

"And when he [Jesus) was come tothe other side into the country of theGergesenes, there met him two pos­sessed with demons"-the King JamesVersion incorrectly uses the word "devils"-"coming out of the tombs, exceedingfierce, so that no man might pass bythat way. And, behold, they cried our,saying, What have we to do with thee,Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou comehither to torment us before the time?And there was a good way off fromthem an herd of many swine feeding. Sothe demons besought him, saying, Ifthou cast us out, suffer us to go away intothe herd of swine. And he said untothem, Go. And when they were comeout, they went into the herd of swine:and, behold-the whole herd of swineran violently down a steep place intothe sea, and perished in the waters."

Here is an example of the power ofevil spirits-the very evil spirits im­personating lost loved ones in Spiritistseances!

Spiritism Condemned in Bible

God condemned Spiritism centuriesago. Here are His words: "Regard notthem that have familiar spirits, neitherseek after wizards, to be defiled by them:1 am the Lord your God" (Lev. 19: 31).

A familiar spirit is a particular spiritwho associates itself with a Spiritist me­dium who is usually a woman. A familiarspirit is often called a "guide" becauseit guides or controls the seance for themedium. A wizard is a male human

The PLAIN TRUTH

heing who acts as an instrument ofwicked spirits. In this verse in Leviticus,God warns His people not to attributedivine power to women or men who actas slaves of evil spirits nor to regardwhat they say. Weare to regard whatGod says and to attribute power to HIM!He is the Eternal your God!

Again, notice, God's condemnation ofSpiritism in Deut. 18:9-12:

"When thou art come into the landwhich the Eternal thy God giveth thee,thou shalt not learn to do after theabominations of those nations. Thereshall not be found among you anyonethat rnakerh his son or his daughter topass through the fire, or that usethdivination, or an observer of times, or anenchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or aconsulter of familiar spirits, or a wizard,or a necromancer. For all that do thesethings are an ABOMINATION unto theEternal: and because of these ABOMINA­TIONS the Eternal thy God doth drivethem [the Gentiles} out from beforethee."

Spiritism is an ABOMINATION to God.He drove out the Gentiles in the daysof Joshua for permitting Spiritism. Andthe same punishment is coming uponour nations for permitting Spiritism andits kindred arts to flourish!

Notice that God condemns the witch-a woman who pretends to contact the"spirit" of a beloved one who has re­cently died-and a consulter of familiarspirits-usually a woman who contacts aparticular spirit for information-and awizard and a necromancer--one whoprofesses to predict the future by theart of communicating with the dead.

These are all forms of Spiritism. Allthese forms are condemned by God Al­mighty. Spiritism is evil. It is a directinstrumentality of the DEVIL. Because itis so evil, God condemns those who prac­tice Spiritism and those who seek tocontact the dead in its seances! Godmeans business. It is a question of fol­lowing Spiritism and rejecting eternallife or of rejecting Spiritism and obey­ing God in order to receive eternal life.Spiritism perpetuates the devil's lie thatthe dead are not really dead. God sayswe must come to HIM to OBTAIN eternallife: "For the wages of sin is DEATH;but the gift of God is eternal life throughJesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).

Spiritism is condemned as one of theproducts of human carnality-as a fruitof the flesh. Paul wrote: "Now the worksof the flesh are manifest, which are these;Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, las­civiousness, idolatry, WITCHCKAFT, hatred,variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedi­tions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunk­enness, revellings, and such like: OFTHE WHICH I TELL YOU BEFORE, AS IHAVE ALSO TOLD YOU IN TIME PAST,THAT THEY WHICH DO SUCH THINGS

September, 1955

SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OFGOD" (Galatians 5:19-21).

Saul's Experience with a Witch

One of the most noted portions ofscripture-yet one of the least under­stood-is the case of Saul and the witchat Endor. This story is found in I Samuel28. Notice verse S of this chapter: "NowSamuel was dead, and all Israel hadlamented him, and BURIED HIM IN RA­MAH, even in his own city,"

Notice that Samuel was dead andburied. He was not alive.

Continuing, "And Saul had put awaythose that had familiar spirits, and thewizards, out of the land. And the Philis­tines gathered themselves together . . .and when Saul saw the host of the Philis­tines, he was afraid, and his heart greatlytrembled. And when Saul inquired ofthe Eternal, the Eternal ANSWERED HIMNOT, neither by dreams, nor by Urim[through the high priest}, nor by proph­ets" (Verse 6).

God would not listen to Saul. Saulhad been disobedient. Samuel had beeninspired to tell Saul: "For rebellion isas the sin of witchcraft" (I Sam. 15: 23).

What did Saul do? "Then said Saulunto his servants, Seek me a womanthat hath a familiar spirit, that I may goto her, and inquire of her. And hisservants said to him, Behold, there is awoman that hath a familiar spirit atEndor" (Verse 7).

Remember that Samuel was buried inRamah, located in the territory belong­ing to the tribe of Ephraim (I Sam.1: 1, 19). But the Philistines and Saulwere now near Lake Galilee, in MountGilboa, near Endor-about 50 milesfrom the place in which Samuel wasburied. The night before the battle "Sauldisguised himself, and put on otherraiment, and he went, and two men withhim, and they came to the woman bynight: and he said, I pray thee, divineunto me by the familiar spirit, and bringme him up, whom I shall name untothee" (Verse 8).

Saul sinned by seeking a witch. IfGod would not answer Saul by a prophetbecause of Saul's disobedience in govern­ment administration, how much morewould God refuse to answer Saul by aprophet when Saul seeks to a witch!Remember that Samuel was a prophet(Acts 13:20) and a judge (I Sam. 7:6,15-17). And God would not use aprophet to answer Saul! In other words,God would not use Samuel the prophetto answer Saul; neither would God useany other means, for that matter. GoJabsolutely refused to listen to Saul be­cause of his rebellious attitude.

The Spirit Masquerades as Samuel

But notice what happened: "Then said(Please continue on page 11 )

WHY So Many ReligiousDenominations?

Is Christ divided? There are more than 250 main denom­inations in America-and other hundreds of little groups

and sects. WHY? When did this confusion originate?

by Herman L. Hoeh

I T'S HARD to believe, but it's TRUE!The actual facts of history-bothBiblical and secular-are astonish­

ing!It's time we looked behind this cur­

tain! It's time you knew how, when, andwhere all this religious babylon started.The truth will come as a shock!

Every thinking person-every denom­ination-realizes that, at some time inhistory, there has been a great apostacyor falling away from original TRUTH.Protestants and Catholics may disputethe time of its occurrence, but they knowthat it happened!

Only One Church

Jesus Christ did not found many de­nominations! Christ said, "I will buildmy Church." He did build it! ONEChurch, commissioned to preach and topublish His Gospel-the very MessageHe brought from God-to all the world!

But what do we find today? Hundredsof different and disagreeing churches, allfounded by MEN, each professing toteach the truth, yet contradicting anddisagreeing with all the others-a mod­ern religious babylon!

The Church in Prophecy

Surprise number one, for most peopletoday, is this:

While most people today suppose thatthe true CHURCH was rapidly to growBIG, to become a powerful organization.exerting powerful influence on theworld, making this a better world, be­coming the stabilizing influence of theworld's civilization, actually Christfounded His Church for no such pur­pose!

Christ's instruction to His Church,thru the New Testament, was NOT toparticipate in this world's politics andaffairs in an effort to make this world abetter world. Instead, His command LO

His Church is, "Come out from amongthem, and be ye separate."

In His final prayer for His ONEChurch, Jesus prayed: "I pray for them:I pray not for the world . . . Holy Fa­ther, keep through thine own name thosewhom thou hast given me, that they maybe ONE, as we are. I have given them thy

word, and the world hateth them, be­cause they are not OF the world, even asI am not OF the world. 1 pray not thatthou shouldest take them out of theworld, but .rhat thou shouldest keep themfrom the evil. They are not OF the world,even as 1 am not OF the world" (John17: 9-16).

Jesus did command HIS BODY-thecollective Body thru which the Spirit ofGod does the WORK of God-to go intoall the world and preach and publish HisGospel. But those of His Church are de­scribed as being strangers and foreignersin this world-AMBASSADORS for Christ-ambassadors representing HIS King­dom which is foreign to this world-yetnever being OF the world!

To Be Scattered

This true Church of God was to bePERSECUTED-SCATTERED! "If they havepersecuted me, they will also persecuteyou," said Jesus to His disciples (John15: 20 ). "ALL that will live godly inChrist Jesus shall suffer persecution" (IITim. 3:12).

On the night Jesus was siezed to becrucified, He said: "It is written, 'I willsmite the shepherd, and the sheep shallbe scattered'" (Mark 14:27). After HE,the Shepherd, was crucified, the "sheep,"-His CHURCH-were to become scat­tered! Previously, that same evening,Jesus had said to His disciples: "Ye shallbe scattered" (John 16:32).

This persecution and scattering beganearly. Notice Acts 8: 1: "And at thattime there was a great persecutionagainst the Church which was at Jerusa­lem; and they were all scattered abroadthroughout the regions of Judaea andSamaria, except the apostles."

The prophet Ezekiel foretold this scat­tering-chapter 34. Daniel foretold it:"When he shall have accomplished toscatter the power of the holy people( Church), all these things shall be fin­ished." That is, the end of the age! (Dan.12:7) .

Nowhere is there any prophecy thatthe One True Church should becomegreat and powerful, exerting influencein this world. Rather, Jesus called it the"Little Flock." Despised, persecuted,

scattered BY the world-separate FROMthe world! Scattered, but NEVER DIVIDED!Always ONf Church, speaking the SAMEthing-never many differing sects!

You haven't read much of the historyof THAT Church! Even the historiansnever knew where to look for the TRUEChurch-for they didn't even knowWHAT the True Church is!

WORLD'S Churches Deceived

On the other hand, in the WORLD, allthe prophecies foretold apostacy, decep­tion, counterfeit "Christianity," and di­VIsion.

Jesus foretold the very first event to

come on the world--GREAT DECEPTION-climaxing, in our day now JUSt ahead,in GREAT TRIBULATION!

"Take heed," He said, "that no mandeceive you. For MANY shall come in myname, saying 1 am Christ; and shall de­ceioe MANY!" (Mat. 24: 4, ').

Notice carefully! It was not the fewwho were to be DECEIVED-but theMANY. It was the FEW who were to be­come true Christians!

Jesus had pictured this same condition,when He said: "Wide is the gate, andbroad is the way, that leadeth to destruc­tion, and MANY there be which go inthereat: because strait is the gate, andnarrow is the way, which leadeth untoLIFE, and FEW there be that find it"(Mat. 7:13-14).

That isn't what the world believes, isit? Probably that isn't what you havealways heard, and come to assume. Butit's what CHRIST SAID! How deceivedthis world has become!

Satan is pictured in the Bible as thegod of this world. He appears, not as adevil, but as a GOD-as an angel ofLIGHT. And in Rev. 12: 9, you read of"Satan, which decen/etb the WHOLEWORLD."

Yes, the MANY would come in Jesus'name, proclaiming that Jesus is theChrist-yes, preaching CHRIST to rheworld! -and yet, actually DECEIVING theworld!

Clever Counterfeit

ASTOUNDING? Of course it is! Hardto believe? Yes, but it's TRUE! How?

Page 6

PlAINlRUIH-' IIIIpzlne oFtmtIeTisImttJiv.

VOL. XX No.7

HERBERTW. ARMSTRONGPublisher and Editor

Herman L. HoehExecutive Editor

Roderick C. MeredithAJSociate Editor

Sent FREE to all who request it,as the Lord provides. Addressall communications to tbe editor.

Copyright, September, 1955By the Radio Church of God

Simply by preaching about the PERSONof Christ-extolling His virtues, wor­shipping Him, yet denying His MESSAGE-His GOSPEL-by substituting paganbeliefs while preaching ABOUT Christ!

What a clever counterfeit! And many-perhaps most---of those so preachingin Christ's name are sincere-the11He~1Jes

deceived! It is SATAN who has deceivedeven them! It is SATAN who has madehimself the GOD OF THIS WORLD-andthus is worshipped AS GoJ. This worlddoesn't know the true God, strange asthat may seem! This world believes thatif one "accepts Christ"-"makes his de­cision for Christ"-"WORSHIPS Christ"­he is saved!

That's what many preach today! Butwhat did JESUS preach? Did He say itwas impossible to WORSHIP Him, andstill be unsaved?

Listen! "In VAIN do they worshipME," said Christ, "teaching for doctrinesthe commandments of men . . . makingthe word of God of none effect throughyour tradition" (Mark 7: 7, 13).

That's pretty hard to believe, isn't it?You've been so drugged, so poisoned, sodeceived, by this world's deceptions­Satan's COUNTERFEITS-that even thewords of CHRIST are pretty hard to be­lieve! Well, GOD HELP YOU TO BELIEVECHRIST! It's one thing to believe ONChrist-that is, in His Person-andsomething altogether different to BE­LIEVE CHRIST-to believe what He SAYS.

Yes, shocking tho it is, the overwhelm­ing majority have been deceived by min­isters who come in the name of JesusChrist, proclaiming that Jesus is theChrist, but who teach a different Gospeland a different faith! They are thosewho, themselves being deceived fromchildhood, brought up in these deceptivebeliefs, enter the ministry to earn a liv­ing, who choose it as their vocation orjob, who decide to appoint themselves

The PLAIN TRUTH

as Christ's representatives, yet who werenot called by Christ to be His ministers!They have hired themselves out to thepeople, and therefore must preach whatthe PIJOPLIJ want to hear! They do notcorrect or reprove their congregationsof the things JESUS raughr and the BIBLEdefines as SIN!

A Lesson to be Learned

The apostles, instructed directly byJesus Christ, constantly warned theChurch about the great departure fromthe FAITH that would begin to occur atthe close of their ministry--not 1500years later during the Protestant Refor­mation!

Scarcely twenty years after the cruci­fixion of Jesus, the apostle Paul, in one ofhis first inspired letters, cautioned Chris­tians not to be deceived by false preach­ing, or by false letters purporting to befrom the apostles. "Let no man deceiveyou by any means; for that day"-thetime of God's intervention in human af­fairs when Jesus Christ will return torule the nations-"shall not come exceptthere come a falling away FIRST" (IIThess. 2: 3 ) .

The wholesale departure of Christiansfrom the truth was the FIRST eventprophesied to befall the true Church.Yes, today's hundreds of denominationswere prophesied. God is allowing humanbeings to form their own churches, tolearn by hard cruel experience, that everyteaching contrary to the way of life re­vealed in Sc:ripture will end. in sorrou/and. death. The world has not yet learnedthis lesson fully. The world doesn't wantto receive the truth, but would rather be

TV LOGHerbert W. Armstrong reveals the

startling significance behind today'sworld troubles with the prophecies ofThe WORLD TOMORROW!

EVERY SUNDAY:CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

WRKR, Channel 7-9:00 A.M.LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

KTLA, Channel 5-10:30 P.M.PORTLAND, OREGON

KLOR, Channel 12-9:30 P.M.DENVER, COLORADO

KLZ, Channel 7-10:30 P.M.TYLER, TEXAS

KLTV, Channel 7-10:45 P.M.SAN FRANCISCO-STOCKTON,

CALIF.KOVR, Channel 13-10:30 P.M.

TEXARKANA, TEXASKCMC, Channel 6-10:30 P.M.

SEATTLE-TACOMA, WASH.KTNT, Channel 11-10:30 P.M.

HUTCHINSON, KANSASKTVH, Channel 12-2 :30 P.M.

KANSAS CITYKMBC, Channel 9-10:30 P.M.

HOUSTON, TEXASKPRC, Channel 2-11 :30 A.M.

September, 1955

lulled to sleep by False ministers whopreach what the people want to hear.

Apostles Knew What Would Happen

In Acts 10: 29- 39, the teacher of theGentiles explains how the apostacywould begin. He gathered the elders( ministers) of the church at Ephesus todeliver them a final message concerningtheir responsibility over the local con­gregations. "For," said Paul, "I know this,

(Please contmlle on page 14)

RADIO LOG"The WORLD TOMORROW"

Herbert W. Armstrong analyzes to­day', new" with the prophecies ofThe WORLD TOMORROW!

TO THE U.S. & CANADA

WLS - Chicago - 890 on dial ­10:00 P.M., Mon. thru Fri.,8:30 Sunday night.

WWVA-Wheeling, W. Va.-1I70on dial-Sundays, 11:05 P.M.Eastern time. 10:15 P.M.,Mon. thru Fri.

WRVA-Richmond, Va.-1l40 ondial-Sundays, 11:05 P.M.Eastern time.

XELo-800 on dial, every night,9:00 P.M. Central Standardtime. (8 :00 P.M. MountainStandard time.)

XEG-1050 on dial, every night, 8:30P.M. Central Standard time.

WKBW-Buffalo, N.Y. - 1520 ondial-Sundays, 8:00 P.M.

WXYZ - Detroit, Mich.-1270 ondial-Sundays, 12:30 P.M.

WCAE - Pittsburgh, Pa.-1250 ondial-4:oo P.M. Sundays.

KXOK-St. Louis--630 on diaJ­6 :25 P.M. Sundays.

HEARD ON PACIFIC COAST

KGER-Los Angeles-1390 k.c.­12:30 P.M., Mon. rhru Fri., 12noon Saturday, 2 P.M. Sun.

KBLA- Burbank -1490 k.c.-7:30A.M. daily. 9:30 A.M. Sunday.

KPDQ - Portland- 800 on dial­8:30 A.M. daily.

KVI-Seattle-Tacoma-570, first ondial-l0:30 P.M. every night.

TO ALL OF EUROfJE

RADIO LUXEMBOURG-23:30Mondays, Greenwich time

TO ASIA & AlRICA

RADIO CEYLONTuesday: 10:15-10:45 P.M. India­Pakistan Beam and Ceylon Beam.Wednesday: 11:30-12:00 noon Af­rican Beam. 5: 15-5:45 P.M. S.E.Asia Beam.

RADIO LOURENCO MARQUESSaturday 10:00-10:30 P.M.

Don't Let TelevisionBecome a Curse!

America is becoming addicted to a powerful habit·forming DRUG-putting Television to a wrong uselPerhaps YOU are being ensnared. Check up, and SEEI

by Garner Ted Armstrong

YOU LIVE in a society gone mad!Statesmen are worried. Scientistsare frankly frightened!

They know monstrous technologicaldevelopments are making it possible toblow all human-kind to oblivion! Theyknow there are MAD-men in seats of ab­solute power, responsible to nobody-inthe Kremlin, in China and other foreignaggressor nations-and it is in their pow­er to lay waste our entire continent over­night, without warning!

And yet-in the face of the awesomepossibilities of TOTAL WAR--our nationhas gone to sleep! The lethargic, drowsyspirit of SLUMBER that is drugging theminds of hundreds of thousands makesthem utterly OBLIVIOUS to the stark, ter­rifying DANGER they face!

Society's Dizzying Pace

In the modern world of such breath­taking scientific inventions--capable ofimagination-defying destruction, the de­velopment of the society, and of its veryfoundation, the family, has not kept pace.

Increasingly more terrible weapons ofhate and war have served to build a cal­loused resistance against shock in theminds of most "civilized" peoples. Ourgreat grandparents would have beenAWE-STRICKEN to see jet airplanes whip­ping across the skies at speeds fasterthan sound. But in this modern society,guided missiles, atom and hydrogenbombs, poisonous gases and rumors ofeven more POTENT weapons fail to dis­turb the self-satisfied complacency set­tling down like a blanket over a nationbent on PLEASURE-SEEKING!

Our people have found an avenue ofescape. By not thinking about it, the av­erage person somehow manages to con­vince himself that the reality does notexist!

Methods of Escape

The urgent demand of the senses seek­ing satisfaction has led society through amaze of amusements, so the achingthirst for diversion can be temporarilyassuaged. Man has invented dozens ofeffective blindfolds against realism. First

came the novels of illicit love, hate andkilling with their soothing visions ofpseudo-situations designed to entrancethe reader.

Then, in more modern times, camethe motion pictures. The development oftalking films swept the nation with anew era of entertainment like a rampag­ing prairie fire! The hundreds of minordiversions kept growing, too! The indi­l'idual began inventing his own types ofamusements. And the new home, thenew automobile, the sports world, andthe gambling, gaming and gay world ofthousands of night clubs added theirvoices to the already deafening shout of"enjoy yourself!"

Idolatry from Afar

On the heels of the tremendous popu­larity of motion pictures came hundredsof fan clubs and movie magazines, aseager Americans devoured hungrily thefalse exterior details of their newfoundidols-e-rhe movie stars. Thousands ofAmericans who couldn't have told youwhich end of the Bible contained thebook of Revelation could answer readilyany question about their movie favorites-with the height, weight, color of hairand eyes, personal habits, likes and dis­likes and latest divorce and remarriagedata.

Yes-Hollywood had captured theimagination of the nation.

Quick to catch the vision, the bigcommercial interests began cashing in bytelling the public which kind of cig­arette their personal idol smoked, orwhich type of hand cream, deodorant,hair set or soap lay handily in the houseof their idol.

Idolatry from Closer UpThen suddenly, a new craze began

sweeping the nation. The invention oftelevision had lowered the level of classentertainment. The factory workers,common laborers, farmers and pension­ers could be co-owners, together withthe appliance store, of a television set!

Hollywood was suddenly a lot closer!Now it was possible to bring America's

most popular form of entertainmentright into the living room!

There were no cover charges, no nicesuits and neckties required, no tippingof waiters, no standing in lines, and notickets to buy. The truck driver and themillionaire sat in their respective homesand watched with fascinated interest thesame shows.

No longer was it a matter of week-endpleasure-seeking! The glitter of self-sat­isfaction and sensual enjoyment could behad EVERY SINGLE DAY AND NIGHT fora small monthly payment.

Television began changing America'shabits! The motion picture industry be­gan fighting for survival. Hundreds oftheatres closed-hundreds franticallylowered prices, cried for better movies,while hundreds more were seriouslythreatened. The movies fought back.They invented cinemascope, cinerama.They had rechnicolor,

In the midst of it all, the blank-mind­ed citizen watched the giant industriescombat each other in a duel for his per­sonal favor. The horror of a world inturbulent revolution, about to plunge it­self into one last gigantic eruption ofwar, could be forgotten for a while, asthe pleasure-mad public continued topoke at itself whatever medium of tem­porary diversion and sensual thrill wasavailable.

Millions of Americans are beingLULLED TO DREAMLAND! Perhaps YOUare SOUND ASLEEP to the awful realitvof world-shaking events around you'!One of the major national listener-sur­veying organizations reported that dur­ing the month of February, the averagetelevision viewer sat hunched in front ofthe blazing parade of entertainment foralmost SIX SOLID HOURS EVERY DAY.

THINK OF IT!

Addiction to a Drug

The misuse of television has blendeditself into a diabolical DRUG! MILLIONSof people filled with the LUST of the fleshsit complacently before their glitteringparades of nonsense as the big commer­cial interests shove dozens of products

Page 8

at them-designed to further SATISFYTHE SENSES!

The major TV sponsors represent thebig tobacco, liquor and cosmetic com­panies, with every TV "commercial"aimed at PLEASING THE SELF!

Scientists have revealed that thousandsof children--allowed to sit in ghoulishlydeformed positions for HOURS andHOURS EVERY SINGLE DAY are actuallybecoming DEFORMED in their bodiesfrom watching television! Many parentsregard television as an excellent "auto­matic baby sitter! "

ANYTHING to ESCAPE their God-givenresponsibility of teaching, chastising andtraining their children! Yes-s-childrenwho should be out in the fresh air andsunshine, building up their bodies, areallowed-even ENCOURAGED by theirparents to sit for HOURS before a seriesof programs featuring ROBBING, FIGHT­ING,ILLICIT LOVE, HATE, VIOLENCE ANDMURDER-STUFFING their minds withabsolute nonsense!

Scientists have warned the irresponsi­ble parents of this nation of future gen­erations acquiring pitiful deformitiesdue to the abject STUPIDITY of parentswho allow their children IF! sl#mp i}zlo

bent-backed positions for hours watchingtelevision!

Wrong nse

Television of itself is not a sin! It isthe wrong use of television that is a sin!

Television could be one of the great­est BLESSINGS we have ever experienced.Used rightly in extreme MODERATIONand depicting the true values of life,showing methods to IMPROVE our hab­its, our way of life-yes, used to impartthe knowledge of God to a nation thathas TOTALLY FORGOTTEN God-televi­sion could truly be a wonderful blessing.

But think for a moment. Is TV USEDIN THIS WAY? Do children receive ad­monition, constructive and upbuildingEDUCATIONAL benefits from their hoursof television watching? No!

Instead they are swept through vary­ing degrees of violence, hate and murderin make-believe situations-filling theirinnocent, undeveloped minds with aHAZE OF LETHARGY AND DROWSY UN­REALITY!

The programs presented for the olderviewers are concerned with useless panelshows, crazy, slapstick comedy and va­riety shows, murder mysteries anddivorce, adultery, violence, and all kindsof vice. There are very few programs ontelevision devoted to upbuilding-toconstructive thought!

The few news programs and usefulshows presented on TV are usually spon­sored by the big tobacco, liquor andcosmetic interests-offering the same de­grading products, designed to please

The PLAIN TRUTH

self and to satisfy the physical senses'!

Does Television Have a Right Use?

Educators know the most effectivesingle method uf teaching is through themedium of both sound and sight at thesame time. Television answers these re­quirements.

And now-God has opened the wayfor the RIGHT use of television to Hiswork! You will be able to actually SEEand hear simultaneously Mr. Armstrongas he gives you FROM THE BIBLE thePlain TRUTH of God, and you can betaken into Mr. Armstrong's study withhim-you can actually GO to Palestine,to Tyre and Sidon, to the far-flung cor­ners of this earth-as the World T 0­

morrow program goes on television!First, you'll see a picture of the mag­

nificently landscaped Ambassador Col­lege campus, with a great, kingly LIONlying peacefully on our campus by alamb and a little girl! You'll SEE Mr.Armstrong as he opens the astoundingPROPHECIES of the Bible to you. You'llsee television being put to a use thatis destined to CHANGE lives! UsedRIGHTLY, this powerful medium of ex­pression could be such a real BLESSINGthat mankind cannot grasp the tremen­dous benefit it could become.

But-the fact remains that television,in the main, is being used exactly CON­TRARY to the way it should be! Instead ofbuilding up, enlightening, educating-­television programs on the whole aredesigned to DESTROY, to DARKEN MINDS,giving MIS-EDUCATION to the innocentlyunaware viewers.

What Does God Say AboutTelevision?

God commands every Christian toCOME OUT-to have NOTHING TO DOWITH THIS WORLD! (James 4:4). In­stead, thousands of professing Christianshave found a new method of bringingthe ways of this world right into theirliving rooms!

The protection offered by the CRE­ATOR-RULER of this universe to thosewho really SEEK HIM comes from havingDRAWN APART-having separated them­selves from this present Babylonishworld! (Rev. 18:4). Many people puttheir television sets ahead of the Al­mighty God! THIS WRONG USE OF TELE­VISION IS AN ABOMINABLE IDOLATRY!

The real hungering and thirstingChristian who is eagerly trying to learnmore of God's way of life will not haveTIME to spend SIX HOURS A DAY-OREVEN ONE HOUR A DAY-hunched inthe gloomy darkness of his living roomin avid admiration before his televisionset-soaking up the knowledge of THISWORLD with its totally FALSE values­its WARPED and TWISTED WAYS OF

September, 1955

LIFE that are contrary to the commandsof God!

God says, "If you then be risen withChrist, seek those things which are above.... Set your affection on things above,NOTON THINGS ON THE EARTH!" (Col.3: 1-2). Are you thinking of spiritualthings-getting closer to God while youview a crime-thriller or a panel show?

No-s-you're allowing yourself to thinkwith a CARNAL MIND! You're plungingyourself into the CARNAL, PHYSICALWAYS OF THIS WORLD! "For to be car­nally minded is DEATH; but to be spiritu­ally minded is life and peace" (Rom.8:6).

Is DEATH the result you're looking for?Do you really hunger and thirst for ulti­mate, everlasting DEATH? Or ought youto be seeking to become more spirituallyminded-more like GOD?

You are told in Philippians 2: 12 toWORK out your own salvation with FEARand TREMBLING! Are you glorifyingChrist-WORKING out your salvation­as you sit in front of MURDER STORIES,ENVY, HATE, JEALOUSY, DIVORCE TRI­ANGLES, WORLDLY SITUATIONS?

Television in Prophecy

The Apostle Paul, in writing toTimothy, foretold of these exact times!"For know also, that in the last daysperilous times shall come. For MbNSHALL BE LOVERS OF THEIR OWNSELVES ..." Yes, a pleasure-mad nationbent on utter depravity is engrossed inthe love of SELF as they seek satisfactionof the sensual lusts!

"Traitors, heady, high-minded, loversof pleasures more than lovers of God..." PUTTING TELEVISION AND SATIS­FACTION OF THE SENSES IN THE PLACEOF GOD-which God labels IDOLATRYand the committing of spiritual ADUL­TERY with this present world - thisBabylonish system of confusion in whichyou live!

"Having a form of Godliness, butDENYING THE POWER thereof!" (IITimothy 3: 1-5). Yes, people professChristianity-they attend Church-theyhave a FORM of Godliness, but that mereoutward FORM and CEREMONY is notenough! "How shall we escape, if weNEGLECT so GREAT SALVATION?" asksGod, in Hebrews 2: 3.

"Love NOT the world, neither thethings that are in the world. If anyman love the world, the love of theFather is not in him. For all that is inthe world, the lust of the flesh, and theLUST of the EYES, and the pride of life,is NOT OF THE FATHER, but is OF THEWORLD. And the world passes away, andthe lust thereof; but he that DOETH theWILL OF GOD abiderh FOREVER!" (Ijohn 2:15-17).

(Please continue on page 12)

How NOT to Studythe Bible

Millions seem unable to understand God's Word. Othermillions disagree upon what they THINK the Sible says.

Here's WHY!

by Roderick C. Meredith

THE PITIFUL spectacle of over fourhundred disagreeing "Christian"denominations and seers ought to

sicken the heart of any sincere believerin Christ. Why do men seem unable toagree upon what God is like and whatHis Word says?

Yes, WHY?Men seem to agree pretty well on

what books about physics, mathematics,history and philosophy say. But appar­ently they cannot-or WILL NOT-agreeon what the Bible says.

Somebody has to be WRONG!Jesus warned: "He that rejecreth me,

and receiveth not my words, hath onethat judgeth him: the word that I havespoken, the same shall JUDGE him in thelast day" (John 12: 48).

Paul instructed Timothy: "Preach theWORD" (II Tim. 4: 2). Then he was in­spired to give this prophetic warning:"For the time will come when they willnot endure sound doctrine; but aftertheir own lusts shall they heap to them­selves teachers, having itching ears; andthey shall turn away their ears from thetruth and shall be turned unto fables"(Verses 3,4). Notice that Paul warnedmen would "heap to themselves teach­ers"-false ministers who would teachwhatever the people wanted. And there­fore they would TURN AWAY from theTRUTH.

Since Jesus said the Word of Godwould JUDGE you in the last day, it isvital that you check up and make surewhether or not you or your preachercould be among those who have been"turned unto fables."

Cause of Confusion

There is one basic reason why mostpeople-and most preachers-are insuch disagreement and confusion aboutthe Bible. They do not fully comprehendand apply the PURPOSE of God's Word.

This all-important purpose is given inII Timothy 3: 16. Study it. "All scripturois given by inspiration of God, and isprofitable for doctrine, for reproof, cor­rection, for instruction in righteousness."

Now notice these points: (A) ALLscripture is inspired by God. Paul hadjust got through telling Timothy: "From

a child thou hast known the holy scrip­tures}. which are able to make thee wiseuntO salvation" (verse 15). We knowthat the only "scriptures" in existencewhen Timothy was a child were the OldTestament scriptures. So here is aNewTestament proof that the Old Testamentas well as the new is for our modern dayChristian instruction and was inspired byGod. The Old Testament has NOT been"done away."

(B) The inspired scriptures are profit­able for certain things: (1) For DOC­TRINE-we are not to JUSt assume anypoint of our belief to be true unless itcan be prn1Jed in the scripture. We arenot to try to read our doctrine. into theBible, but rather study with an openmind and accept the Bible doctrine.

(2) For REPROOF-God's Word is"quick, and powerful, and sharper thanany two-edged sword" (Heb. 4: 12 ). Wemust be u:illing to let it cut us and pointout our SInS.

( 3) For CORRECTION-the Bible wasnot written to substantiate what men be­lieve, but to correct them where they arewrong.

( 4) For INSTRUCTION in righteous­ness-in His Word, God gives us farmore than just the docrrines and princi­ples of true spirituality, He gives us liv­ing examples of how those principles areto be applied in every phase of life.Through the Bible, we have a continu­ing wealth of instruction on how to con­stantly grow to spiritual perfection. Weneed not seek this instruction in theideas of men, but in the Word of God.

So we find from these points, given inscripture, that the Word of God as con­tained in the Old and New Testamentsis the direct revelation from our Creatorto teach us spiritual truth. And we seethat its primary PURPOSE is to show uswhere we are WRONG-and then to teachus the right instruction so we may growto spiritual maturity.

The shocking truth is that most peo­ple-and most preachers-REJECT andmake null and void this very PURPOSE ofscripture in the way they study and han­dle the Word of God.

Probably YOU have been guilty of thisvery thing! Maybe you don't mean to-

but the chances are that you have hadan entirely wrong attitude and wrongapproach '0 the study of the Bible.

This very attitude may be the verything that is leading you to REJECT Bi­ble truth-and to thereby sin againstGod and bring on yourself the penaltyof DEATH!

It will PAY you to honestly-withoutprejudice-look into this matter.

Wrong Approach to BibleYou have undoubtedly met so-called

"students" of the Bible who like nothingbetter than to argue and debate aboutscriptural points. The members of cer­tain Jenominations and sects are notedfor this.

One of their outstanding characteris­tics is the fact that they will seldom-x­and often never-admit any error ontheir part in the course of the discussion.You can go down the line and showthem point by point what the Bible saysclearly and constantly on some subjectthey are mixed up about, and they willtwist clear-cut scriptures out of their set­ting, or they will try to change the sub­jeer, or resort to anyone of a dozenmethods of self-deception in order tohide their face from the facts.

It makes no difference whether or notyou will admit error on some point whentalking to such "Christians." They willliterally run away from the truth ratherthan admit that they might be wrong onsome subject.

Let's not "kid" ourselves. Such peopleare DISHONEST-intellectually, spiritual­ly, however you may wish to describe it.

In addition to twisting and pervertingscripture, changing the subject, or just"running away" from the subject, some"Christians" even REJECT certain por­tions of God's Holy Word in order toavoid repenting and admitting error.

I recently received a letter from sucha person who was attempting to refutean article I had written. In doing so, thisman was compelled to admit that theepistles of Paul as preserved in your Bi­ble did back up what I wrote. But in or­der to "kid himself" and refuse to admithis mistake, this man decided to rejectall the scriptures inspired through Paul.

(Continued from page 2)

What Are theTIMES of the GENTILES?

Page 10

With that kind of attitude, I franklydoubt whether this man-or any suchperson-has a Godly fear and a respectfor any of God's Word. But for thosewho do, listen to what Peter was in­spired to write: "Paul also according tothe wisdom given unto him hath writtenunto you; as also in ALL his epistles,speaking in them of these things; inwhich are some things hard to be under­stood, which they that are unlearned andunstable wrest (or twist), as they doalso the OTHER SCR1PTURES, unto theirown destruction" (II Pet. 3: 15-16).

Notice that Peter asserts that ALL ofPaul's epistles are inspired SCR1PTURE.They are given by our Creator and areto be obeyed just as any other part of theWord of God.

When this man, or YOU, or anyonerejects any part of me Bible, you are re­jecting part of the very Word which willJUDGE you on judgment day. You areon very DANGEROUS ground!

Contradiction of ScripturesAnother device very familiar to some

"students" of the Bible is the habit oftrying to use one Bible test to contradictanother.

Usually, when confronted with somepoint of truth which they cannot honest­ly deny but stubbornly will not accept,they attempt to find some vague scrip­ture and use it-by careful "twisting-c­to contradict the clear, logical chain ofscriptures which abundantly prove theTRUTH they refuse to accept.

God says: "I change not" (Mal. 3:6).And again: "Jesus Christ, (who is theWord) the same yesterday, today, andforever" (Heb. 13: ~). God does NOT

say one thing one rime and then reverseHis Word later!

Jesus said: "The scripture CANNOT bebroken" (John 10:35). You cannotprove any scripture to be untrue, andyou cannot find one scripture that reallvcontradicts another.

God does NOT contradict himself!That seems to be the self-assumed pre­rogative of men who are trying to finda way to reject God's truth.

And therein lies the crux of the wholematter.

Attitude Is Key FactorThe really important thing in studying

the Bible is that you have the right atti­tude of heart and mind.

God says: "To this man will I look,even to him that is of a contrite spirit,and TREMBLETH at my word" (Is. 66:2).

What about you?Do you tremble at God's Word? Do

you respect the authority and power be­hind that word so much that you areafraid to reject or disobey it?

Do you grasp the great difference be­tween this attitude and the type of car-

The PLAIN TRUTH

nal, argumentative attitude so many "Bi­ble students" have?

The very first prerequisite to real con­version and becoming a Christian is torepent-to change your way.r. Jesus said,"REPENT ye, and believe the gospel"(Mark 1: 15) .

Peter said, "REPENT, and be baptized. . . and ye shall receive the gift of theHoly Spirit" (Acts 2: 38) .

As shown in Romans 6: 3-6, baptismpictures the death and burial of the oldself. It is an outward sign that you re­alize that you are worthy of death-youare symbolically buried with Christ:"Not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke22: 42).

Then, after receiving God's Holy Spir­it, a real Christian will be willing tochange-to "grow in grace and knowl­edge" (II Pet. 3:18). He will "hungerand tbirst after righteousness" (Mat. 5:6) .

Such a real Christian will WANT tofind God's way-whatever it is. He won'targue and debate over the precious Wordof God!

He is not seeking his own way. He ishonestly, sincerely, zealously seekingGOD'S way.

The Word of God then becomes prof·itable to that person, because it can cor­rect, and reprove him where he is wrong-and instruct him in righteousness.Thus he can be taught by God, and fash­ioned into the perfect spiritual characterGod intends-finally to inherit eternalltfe in God's kingdom.

Your Most Important DecisionThese are things for YOU to think

gious sects, denominations and divisions.This terrible predicament that con­

fronts the nations today, as well as whatis SOON going to happen, is made clearin this prophecy of the times of the Gen­tiles.

When Did the Times of theGentiles Begin?

The seven times of the Gentiles are acurse upon them just as the seven timesof Israel's punishments were a curse.This curse upun the Gentiles did not be·gin with the fall of Judah but years later.It was after the fall of Judah that Godfirst began to deal with the ChaldeanEmpire. He allowed them ample time to

prove they would not submit to his will.Ancient Babylon was weighed in the

September, 1955

abour-honcJtly and without prejudic~'.

Are you really willing to be shownnew truth? Will you permit God's Wordto correct you-to show you where youare wrong? Or are you bound and de­termined to close your mind to any­thing new-to blindly defend what youalready believe without really lookinginto the matter?

Perhaps you are one of the thousandswho are beginning to realize that Mr.Armstrong is the only voice on radio attelevision who really understands thegreat PURPOSE being worked Out herebelow-and who Can go through theBible chapter by chapter, verse by verse,and make it clear and meaningful.

But if God is opening your mind andcalling you to real understanding throughthis or any other means, you are sooncoming to a crossroads. You will beshown some point of truth in the Biblethat corrects and reproves you.

You will have the temptation toargue, to twist the scripture, to "runaway." This is what the Bible describesas a carnal mind. And it is written: "Tobe carnally minded is DEATH" (Rom.8:6).

But if you ask Him to and want Himto, God will give you the spiritual "back­bone" to acknowledge your error andsurrender your will to Him. If you keepthis up, you will eventually give yourlife to Him. And in return, He will giveyou LIFE eternal.

It all depends on your attitude as youstudy and hear God's Word.

Do you really TREMBLE at the Wordof the God who made you?

balances and found wanting. The de­struction of the Cbaldean Empire beganthe 2520 years of terrible punishmentthat has continued to this very day.

Since we can determine the time ofthe fall of Babylon, we can determinethe beginning of the seven times of pun­ishment upon the Gentiles.

According to the latest and most ac­curate knowledge, Babylon fell in the au­tumn of 539 B.C. In a book on archaeol­ogy by J. Finegan, entitled Light fromthe Ancient Past, pp. 190-191, you canread this: "On October 13, 539 B.C.Babylon fell to Cyrus the Persian. Thedate is given by the Nabunaid chroniclewhich also tells that. . . Cyrus first en­tered the city of Babylon in person onOctober 29. The fall of Babylon is nar-

(ContJnued from page 4)

SPIRITISMFraud . . . or Fact?

September, 1955

rated not only in the Nabunaid chroniclebut also in the inscription on the famouscylinder of Cyrus."

So Babylon fell in October, 539 B.c.,and 2)20 years later is October 1982.That's when the seven times of punish­ment would be fulfilled!

That is less than thirty years [romnow! But remember, we cannot be sureof the accuracy of this date. We publishit as the most accurate calculation weare able to arrive at now. It may comesooner than this!

Yes, these times are very close to com­pletion, very close to the second comingof Jesus Christ to rule the nations and ,0teach them the ways of peace.

But many catastrophic world eventsare going to happen between now andthe time that this punishment upon theGentiles is finished!

the woman, Whom shall T bring upunto thee?" Notice that the womanspirit medium claimed to contact thedead by supernaturally bringing themup from rhe grave;: through the familiarspirit. This form was practised whenthe people believed that the dead werein their graves. Today spirit mediumshave the familiar spirit produce a voicefrom the air-because it is commonlybelieved today that the dead are not intheir graves but somewhere else'

Saul replied to the woman: "Bringme up Samuel."

Instead of the familiar spirit appear­ing first, and then the visionary form ofa dead person, the woman saw first aform that looked exactly like Samuel!"And when the woman saw Samuel, shecried with a loud voice: and the womanspake to Saul, saying, Why hast thoudeceived me? for thou art Saul Andthe king said unto her, Be not afraid:for what sawest thou?"

Notice that the familiar spirit did notmanifest itself first at Saul's seance. In­stead, the familiar spirit produced theform of Samuel which ONLY THE WOM­AN SAW! Saul did not see it! He askedthe woman what she saw!

"And the woman said unto Saul, I sawgods ascending out of the earth" (Verse13, last part). This is an incorrect trans­lation. The word translated "gods" iselobim in the Hebrew. It can mean eitherthe true God, pagan gods or judges. InExodus 22: 8, 9, the Hebrew word elo­him is translated judges. In I Samuel28: 13, the verse should have been trans­lated: "I saw a judge ascending out of

The PLAIN TRUTH

These terrifying world-shaking eveu;swill take place in less than thirty years­in your life time, this very last genera­tion that is destined to live in twoworlds!

Remember wh:u Jesus said in Luke21: 24? That Jerusalem would be troddendown of the Gentiles until the very com­pletion of the times of the Gentiles!

Since Zechariah 14: 1-3 shows thatJesus Christ will return in order to de­liver Jerusalem from the Gentiles, it isplain that THE SECOND COMING OFCHRIST WILL OCCUR SHORTLY BEFORETHE TIMES OF THE GENTILES ARE FUL­FILLED! (Isaiah 27: 13; I Cor. 15: 52).

As Christ said, of the second coming,"But of that day and hour, knoweth noman!" But today's world-occurrenceswarn us that even now, it is near! Yes,it's LATER THAN YOU THINK!

the earth." This is proved by what fol­lows:

"And he said unto her, What form ishe of? And she said, An old man comethup; and he is covered with a mantle.And Saul perceived that it was Samuel,and he stooped with his face to theground, and bowed himself" (Verse 14 ) .

A Deception

Notice that Saul still did NOT set:anyone! He only perceived by reasoningthat the form which the woman saw wasthat of Samuel! Here we have a perfectillustration of the impersonation ofhuman beings by evil spirits. The fa­miliar spirit produced an illusion whichonly the woman saw. To her the illusionwas that of a judge rising out of theearth. Remember that Samuel was actu­ally buried about 50 miles away, not :'tEndor where the seance was occurring!Samuel was not resurrected. The wholething was a SUPERNATURAL FRAUD!

While impersonating Samuel, thespirit spoke to king Saul thus: "AndSamuel said to Saul, Why hast thou dis­quieted me, to bring me up?"-noticethe lying spirit. Satan lied to Eve in asimilar manner! "And Saul answered, Iam sore distressed; for the Philistinesmake war against me, and GOD IS DE­pARTED FROM ME, AND ANSWERETHME NO MORE, NEITHER BY PROPHETS,NOR BY DREAMS: therefore I have calledthee, that thou mayest make known untome what I shall do."

The spirit continues to impersonateSamuel by reprimanding Saul for all hisevil deeds. Finally the spirit concluded

Page 11

by saying: "Tomorrow shalt thou and thysons be with me: and the Lord also shalldeliver the host of Israel into the handsof the Philistines" (Verse 19).

How did the spirit know what was tohappen? Because God often makes Hisplans known to evil spirits! Notice IKings 7.2:22-23 and II Chronicles 18:21­22. God permitted "lying spirits" toknow His plans. God rules over all. ButHe has allowed Satan and his demonsto control and influence this entire world.The familiar spirit of the witch at Endormust have known that God would de­liver Saul that next day. So it told Saulwhat would happen in order that itsimpersonation of Saul might seem real!

Saul's Punishment

Now read what happened to Saul forinquiring about the future from a spiritmedium: "So Saul died for his trans­gression which he committed againstthe Eternal, even against the word of theEternal, which he kept not, and also forasking counsel of one that had a familiarrpirit, to inquire of it,' and inquiredNOT of the Eternal: therefore He slewhim, and turned the kingdom untoDavid the son of Jesse" (I Chronicles10:13-14).

That is exactly how serious God re­gards Spiritism! He took the life of Saulfor seeking information at a seance!

In His Revelation to the apostle John,Jesus warns us of the growing influenceof wicked spirits. They will become soinfluential in world affairs that the rulersof nations will act upon their deceptive,lying words. The control of these wickedspirits, described in Revelation 16: 13-16,will lead to ARMAGEDDON!

TODAY we are warned: "Believe notevery spirit, but TRY THE SPIRITS wheth­er they are of God" (I John 4: I). Weneed to prove whether spirits are goodor evil.

Notice what Isaiah wrote: "And whenthey shall say unto you, Seek unto themthat have familiar spirits, and untowizards that peep, and that mutter:should not a people seek unto their God?for the living to the dead? To the lawand to the testimony: if they speak notaccording to this word, it is becausethere is no light in them" (Isa, 8: 19-20).

Evil Spirits Pretend to Bring LightThe spirits who masquerade as human

beings at Spiritist seances pretend tobring LIGHT and knowledge. Here iswhat Paul wrote of them: "For such[ministers who pretend to serve JesusChrist} are false apostles, deceitful work­ers, transforming themselves into theapostles of Christ. And no marvel; FORSATAN HIMSELF IS TRANSFORMED INTOAN ANGEL OF LIGHT. Therefore it isno great thing if his ministers also be

Page 12 The PLAIN TRUTH September, 1955

Don't Let TelevisionBecome a Curse!

How to Overcome Your Problem

If you are honest with yourself, andwith God, you will be able to see veryclearly the great PRINCIPLE of characterbehind this television craze that issweeping the nation.

But-simply agreeing in PRINCIPLEwill gain you nothing. Putting a decision,once the right decision has been reached,into ACTION is where the real characterIS necessary.

If you can MASTER yourself and CON­QUER the TV habit-beginning to watchonly the constructive, thought-provoking

What to Do About It

The biggest question in your life couldbe-what are you going to DO about It?"Be ye DOERS of the word, and nothearers only" (James 1: 22).

Is your mind attuned to the thingsof God? "Let this mind be in you, whichwas also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2: 5 ) .If you have the mind of Christ, will yousit and soak up the ways of this worldfor hour after hour when you shouldbe studying your Bible-training yourchildren-spending your time in realearnest PRAYER, helping others, beingbusy and productive?

No, of course you won't! But is theLUST inherent within you too strnnf,

for your will power to overcome? "Forof whom a man is overcome, of the sameis he brought in bondage" (II Peter2: 19). Are you a SLAVE-a WHIPPEDSERVANT OF YOUR TV SET? God warnsyou, "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ,and make not provision for the flesh, tofulfill the LUSTS thereof"! (Rom.13: 14). The real test is, WHAT ARE YOU-yes, YOU, GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

Jesus Christ explained the conditionof many MILLIONS of Americans whenHe gave the parable of the sower. Readit in your own Bible! In Matthew the13th chapter, beginning with the 18thverse. And in verse 22, "He also thatreceived seed among the thorns is he thatHEARETH the word; and the care of thisworld, and the deceitfulness of riches,choke the word, and he becometh un­fruitful." God asked, through Elijah,"HOW LONG HALT YB BETWEEN TWOOPINIONS? if the LORD be God, FOLLOWHIM!" (I Kings 18:21).

transformed as the rmrusrers of right­eousness; whose end shall be accordingto their works" (II Cor. 11:13-14).

James tells us what to do when the in­fluence of wicked spirits is present:"Submit yourselves therefore to God.RESIST THE DEVIL, and he will flee fromyou" (James 4:7). You must not obeythe devil by yielding to his temptations.Instead, ask God for help. Refuse to

yield to satanic influence. Submit toGod's correction. Let Him guide you.

The most important chapter in all theBible relating to our combat with evilspirits is found in Ephesians 6, beginningwith verse 10. Here is what we read:

"Finally, my brethren, be strong inthe Lord, and in the power of His might.Put on the whole armour of Gael, thatye may be able r stand against thewiles of the devil. For we wrestle notagainst flesh and blood, but against prin­cipalities, against powers, against therulers of the darkness of this world,against wicked spirits in high places.Wherefore take unto you the wholearmour of God, that ye may be able to

withstand. . . . Stand therefore, havingyour loins girt about with TRUTH"­Jesus said the trztth shall rnike us free(John 8:32). God's Word-the Dible-is truth. We need to understand it.

Continuing, "And having on thebreastplate of righteousness"-righteous­ness is defined as keeping all God's com­mandments (Psa. 119: 172 ). "And yourfeet shod with the preparation of thegospel of peace"-we must all work,that the good news of the kingdom ofGod may reach the whole world.

"Above all, taking the shield of FAITH,wherewith ye shall be able to quenchall the fiery darts of the wicked"-ab­solute trust in God for deliverancedespite all obstacles-and take the hel­met of salvation, and the sword of theSpirit, which is the WORD of God"-usethe Bible to know what to do and toknow what to resist. It is the only swordwhich can vanquish evil spirits, andwhich can overcome sin and produceself-mastery!

"Praying always with all prayer andsupplication in the Spirit, and watchingthereunto with all perseverance and sup­plication for all the sainrs't-e-don't slackoff in praying, don't become negligent.PRAY with perseverance, not only foryourself, but for all those whom Godhas called.

We are all in this battle together! Itis a titanic struggle.

Our eternal life depends upon whetherwe overcome the temptations of the deviland submit to the rule, the AUTHORITYof God over our lives.

It is high time we recognized theevil powers which manifest themselvesthrough Spiritism!

( Continued from page 8)

Are you NEGLECTING your salvation programs - asking yourself, "Would-throwing away with impunity your Jesus watch this?" at all times; if youopportunity for ETERNAL LIFE-for the can keep your TV viewing in extremeshoddy, corrupt, temporary lusts of the MODERATION according to the word offlesh? God, then you will have learned a valu­

able lesson-c-one that will strengthenyou and add to your character.

But if, like many people, you areUNABLE to master yourself-to FORCEyourself to control this HABIT, then readwhat Christ said in Matthew 18: 7-9.YES, SELL YOUR TV SET. GIVE IT AWAY!Do whatever is necessary-but GET RIDOF IT! Then you'll have rooted out thesource of tempatation. But first ask Godto give you the strength you lack tohelp you CONQUER yourself!

The way to replace bad habits is to

exchange them for the right habits. Toget the air out of a bottle, you must puta liquid into the bottle. Are you makingthe most of your time? (Eph. 5: 15). AreyOll Jtudying to improve your mind?(II Tim. 2: 15). Are you going FOR­WARD--GROWING in grace and knowl­edge? (II Pet. 3:18). God has providedthe WAY to keep you engrossed in HISTRUTH-to keep you so FILLED withinterest, and zeal that you'll remainSTEADFAST until the end (Matt. 10: 22) .

If you do not have a TV set, we DO

NOT advise you to buy one. Not evento see "The WORLD TOMORROW" pro­gram.

You may hear the "World Tomorrow"program at least once daily ON RADIO.You can read "The PLAIN TRUTH" maga­zine every month, and now, you maytake the Ambassador College BIBLE COR­RESPONDENCE COURSE. This uniquecourse will open up the Bible to you­make it a clear, sparkling with interest,LIVING. book; so interesting you'll beeager to search its pages for the livingTRUTH of God!

If you really want to put your sparetime to a PROFITABLE use-then writein immediately for the CorrespondenceCourse. There's NO CHARGE! Not ONECENT of tuition! But you've got to reallyMEAN it! You must be willing to spendat least ONE HOUR OR MORE EVERY DAYto really study your Bible! Write inNow-while you're thinking about it,and request this amazingly differentSTUDY course of the Bible.

God says, "See, I have set before youthis day LIFE and GOOD, and DEATH andEVIL ... CHOOSE LIFE, that both youand your seed may live!" (Deut, 30:15­19) .

WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE GOING TO BE?

Thou Shalt Not!Are the ren Commandments IINEGAr'VEII and therefore

a WRONG form of law?

by Herbert W. Armstrong

OFTEN we hear the basic Law ofGod impugned as negative, andtherefore not good. God is often

conceived as a stern, wrathful God, whoangrily says to us: "THOU SHALT NOT!"God's truth is sometimes looked upon as"a religion of FEAR," and therefore notdesirable for modern, advanced, enlight­ened man. It ought to be POSITIVE, theysay, not negative.

Thus God, the Truth of God, the pur­pose and plan of God, the method ofGod, and the Law of God are relegatedto the primitive, the imperfect-some­thing enlightened man has now out­grown. Modern man thereupon looksupon himself as elevated to a plane ofrational thinking, and knowledge higherthan God, or Christianity, or God's Law.Of course, when we UNDERSTAND, God'sTRUTH is the most positive religion orphilosophy there is-it eradicates fear!It is the way of FAITH!

But is the negative form, "Thou shaltnot," then, wrong? Is it outmoded?Should a PERFECT law contain only"DO'S" and no "DON'Ts"?

Just what is TRUE CHARACTER? Justwhat is the perfect life?

I have defined character-that is, true,righteous, holy character-as 1) comingto the KNOWLEDGE of the true, as op­posed to the false values-the right, in­stead of the wrong way; 2) making, ofone's own free will and volition, thechoice to do the right instead of thewrong; 3) the exercise of the will in ac­tually doing the right instead of thewrong.

Character, then, once the true knowl­edge is acquired and the right decisionmade, involves SELF-DISCIPLINE. Thetruly educated person is a self-disci­plined person.

What, then, does this SELF-DISCIPLINEinvolve?

Two things: 1) self-restraint to resistthe lower impulses and pulls in humannature-to restrain the self from desires,impulses, habits, or customs which arecontrary to the RIGHT WAY; and 2) self­propulsion or determined initiative todrive the self to do those things whichought to be done. In other words, intrue character in action there is thePOSITIVE and the NEGATIVE.

Suppose one rejects the negative as

faulty and something to be discarded al­together. Suppose one applies the posi­tive only. He impels the self to DO thosepositive things to be done, but he exer­cises no restraint to resist those thingswhich, by habit, impulse, desire, or cus­tom of others ought not to be done. Be­cause human nature is what it is, thevery nature in such a man will pull himconstantly in the wrong direction. ThusCHARACTER is destroyed. He is out ofbalance.

We find present in NATURE both thepositive and the negative. Electricityfunctions and performs its work by useof both the positive and the negative. Allelements are either alkaline or acid. Allliving things and beings in this world ofmatter are male and female. There areSINS both of OMISSION and COMMIS­SION.

Frequently we read the pitiful, feebleefforts of a man who fancies in his ig­norant egotism he is wiser than God,setting forth his idea of TEN POSITIVECOMMANDMENTS. Ten "do's," and no"don't's." And what do we find? Howmuch character would such a list of"commandments" produce? Just about asmuch character as an electric light bulbwould produce light with merely theone positive wire leading into it. JUStabout as much character as the malealone, without the female, could repro­duce his kind. He might DO a few goodthings, but all his good things would benullified and cancelled out by the unre­strained evil he would commit.

No basic LAW OF LIFE, forming thebasis of perfect CHARACTER, could be aperfect law unless it contains, in perfectbalance, both positive and negative.

Examine now again God's basic code,upon which all His laws, social, eco­nomic, civil, and religious, hang:

1. "THOU SHALT have no other godsbefore Me." This is actually stated in thepositive form, implying we SHALL wor­ship and obey the true God. In a sense,this commandment contains both thepositive and negative, directing us posi­tively, "Thou SHALT," to the true God,and restraining us from false gods.

2. "THOU SHALT NOT make unto theeany graven image, or. . . bow down thy­self to them, nor serve them." This isnegative, restraining from either making

or worshipping any THING as a god; alsofrom either worship, or obedience to,such false god. To the true God we oweboth worship and obedience. Notice theprinciple of GOVERNMENT in this, as inall the commands. THE WHOLE ISSUE ISONE OF GOVERNMFN·r. Adam and Everejected God's govern -nent, refused Hisrule over their lives, disobeyed four ofthe Laws of His government. Christcame preaching the "KINGDOM of God,"which is the government of God­commanding men to repent of theirrejection of that government and thetransgression of its laws (sin is thetransgression of the law-I John 3:4)­providing the way of atonement for thattransgression, and reconciliation to theworship and government of GOD.

3. "THOU SHALT NOT take the NAMEof the Eternal thy God in vain." This isa restraint-negative-to prevent cut­ting man off from the POWER and BENE­FITS of the right use of GOD'S NAME. Ifwe repent of sin, and come to God byJesus Christ, He puts within us the im­pregnating gift of His Holy Spirit, andthus we become His actual begottenchildren-begotten into HIS FAMILY­bearing HIS NAME (the true name ofHis Church is Church of GOD) -andhaving access to all the BENEFITS, BLESS­INGS, and POWER of that name. Thiscommand is a negative, making possiblethe POSITIVE and vitally needed blessingsthru that NAME!

4. "REMEMBER the Sabbath Day, toKEEP IT HOLY. . . the seventh day is theSabbath of the Eternal thy GOD." Here isanother POSTTTVE command-the onlyone God specifically commanded us to"REMEMBER," and the very one mankindinsists above all upon forgetting. Is it notan indicting commentary on the unre­strained human nature, and irrationalthinking of the self-professed RATION­ALS who imagine themselves superior toGod, and who insist His Commandmentsought to be all POSITIVE and not nega­tive, that this mosr positive of all theCommandments they flout and disobeywith greatest impunity. Again, notice theperfection-here again is a commandincluding both positive and negative, forwhile it is primarily positive, yet it in­cludes negative restraints to make possi­ble that positive-"in it thou SHALT NOT

( Continued from page 6)

WHY So Many ReligiousDenominations?

Page 14

do any work, thou, nor thy son, etc.5. "HONOR thy father and thy moth­

er." Do you see any negative statementin this command? Here is a POSITIVEcommand, with a definite promise ofblessing. This heads the six commandsregulating .nan's relationship withneighbor. However, the negative oppo­site is implied, tho not stated.

6 thru 10. "THOU SHALT NOT kill,commit adultery, steal, bear false witnessagainst, or covet." Here are the famousnegatives, yet each implies the oppositePOSITIVE: as, THOU SHALT love and havecharitable tolerant patience toward yourneighbor; BE TRUE to your wife and RE­SPECT your neighbor's property.

Here is a PERFECT LAW (Psalm 19:7). It outlines, i'.l broad detail, man'sright relationship with the true GOD thathe may have all the needed guidance,help, and blessings from God; and alsoman's right relationship toward humanneighbors-including parents, children,husband and wife, and all neighbors.This Law provides for both WORSHIP ofGod, religiously, and OBEDIENCE TOGod, and BLESSINGS FROM God-everyneed of man for his own good in living.active, continuous relationship with theall-wise, all-powerful, all-loving God.

This perfect Law forms the basis ofALL human relationships, as well asman's God-relationship. It provides thewide, basic general rules affecting everyphase of his life-

a) Religious, in his relationship tilGOD;

b) Family, in his relationship to par­ents, children, wife and husband, and isdesigned to preserve the blessed sanctityand dignity of the HOME:

c) Next-door and personal neighborsand friends;

J) Civil relationships - here arcfound the very BASIC civil laws respect­ing murder, larceny (theft), adultery,perjury;

e) Economic life-honesty, not covet­ing other's money, goods, or property orpossessions, which coveting is the veryroot source of today's economic princi­ple of competition;

f) Social life-such commands asthose respecting adultery, false witnessagainst, coveting, stealing, form thefoundation principle of right social atti­tude and relationship with neighbors.

This Law, in its basic principles, de­fines 'tHE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN (Eccl.12: 13 ). It is the basis, in principle, forALL THE BIBLE, The entire Bible is, sofar as its TEACHING is concerned, a mag­nification in specific detail of these basicprinciples.

This Law is COMPLETE. It contains, inbrief summation-principle, all the posi­tive and negative obligations of the PER­FECT, rightly-balanced life. It expresses

The PLAIN TRUTH

and reflects the very character of God.The whole Law is summed in one

word, LOVE. It is like God, for God isLOVE, just as His Law is LOVE. It was

that after my departure shall grievouswolves enter in among you, not sparingthe flock. Also of your own selves shallmen arise, speaking perverse things,"why?-"to draw away disciples afterthem." To gain a personal following forthemselves! To start a new denomina­tion!

Do you catch the full significance ofthese two verses? The elders or minis­ters were especially assembled because,immediately after Paul would leave Eph­esus-not at the time of the ProtestantRevolt, but IMMEDIATELy-there wouldrome within the local church congrega­tions false ministers, wolves in sheep'sclothing, to make a prey of Christians;and even from those elders already in thechurch congregations some would per­vert the doctrine of Jesus to secure a fol­lowing of "Christians" themselves.

HOW It Happened

The city of Ephesus was located in theRoman province of Asia, which em­braced the western part of Asia Minoror Turkey today. After preaching in theprovince of Asia at Ephesus, Paul had toseparate the disciples from Jews whowould not follow the teachings of JesusChrist (Acts 19:9 ). Those Jews espe­cially hated Paul because he broughtGentile converts, uncircumcised in theflesh, into fellowship with convertedJewish brethren. This so incensed themthat they were everywhere spreadinglies abou t rhe reach ings (Acts 21: 21 ) .

The apostle warned Titus about the"many unruly and vain talkers and de­ceivers, specially they of the circumci­sion" who were spreading "Jewish fa­bles, and commandments of men thatturn from the truth" (Titus 1: 10, 14).

It was from the stubborn Jews thatthe original trouble arose in the Chris­tian community. They followed Paul toJerusalem to accuse him falsely (Acts2 I: 27; 24: 18). Not long after this, theyhad so poisoned the minds of the Chris­tians at Ephesus that Paul had to writeTimothy: "This thou knowest, that ALLthey which are in Asia be turned awayfrom me" (II Timothy 1: 15 ) .

Notice, in a few short years, ALL in

September, 1955

given in love for us, and LOVE is the ful­filling of the laW-LOVE IN ACTION,

It is love to GOD, and love to NEIGH­BOR. It is PERFECT. It is COMPLETE.

the province of Asia were deceived intoturning from the truth which Paulpreached. It was not the few, but themany-ALL-who were deceived; yetthey thought they were still Christians.

The apostle John later wrote to theEphesians: "Remember, therefore, fromwhence thou art fallen, and repent, anddo the first works" (Rev. 2: 5 ). Here isPROOF that heresy overtook many Chris­tians while the apostles yet lived!

Although much of the opposition de­veloped originally from Jews who triedto impose their human traditions andfables which were contrary to the law ofGod (Mat. 15: 3), as the number ofGentile converts increased, there arose afeeling of antagonism between Jewishand Gentile converts, especially aboutthe time of the destruction of Jerusalem.Such a contention naturally would leadto CHANGING the days celebrated by pro­fessing Christians. Dislike of Jews, whocelebrated almost the same days as theearly true church, caused unconvertedcarnally minded Gentiles in the churchto substitute the pagan holidays.

Gentile Deception Prophesied

Not only Paul, but also Peter warnedthe churches that MANY would be mis­led. There were false teachers amongChristians who would bring in heresies,"and MANY shall follow their perniciousways; by reason of whom the way oftruth shall be evil spoken of" (II Peter2:2) .

When Paul wrote his second letter tothe Gentile-born Thessalonians, he in­structed them against the "mystery ofiniquity" which "doth already work" (IIThess. 2: 7 ) .

Notice, the cleverly disguised teach­ings of iniquity or LAWLESSNESS were atwork in Paul's day. The Roman worldwas being filled with numerous mysteryreligions which stemmed from the oldfun-11Jnnhipping mysteries. It was Paulhimself who was restraining lawlessnessuntil he should be "taken out of theway."

False teachers secretly professed rogiving a hidden, yet easy way to evadethe consequences of breaking God's law.

September, 1955

Jude had to include in his letter the ad­monition that every Christian "shouldearnestly contend for the faith which wasonce delivered unto the saints. FORTHERE ARE CERTAIN MENCREPT IN UN­AWARES, who were before of old or­dained to this condemnation, ungodlymen, TURNING THEGRACE OF GOD INTOLASCIVIOUSNESS, and denying the onlyLord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ ...These be they who separate themselves,sensual, having not the Spirit" (Jude 3and 19).

These false teachers crept in unawares-professing to come in the name ofJesus Christ. Yet they deny that Jesus isthe Christ by rejecting the only sign thatproves that He is the Messiah (Mat. 12:39,40) and substituting for it the "GoodFriday-Sunday Resurrection" tradition.

They also turned the grace or unmer­ited pardon of God into a license to dis­obey the commandments, claiming thatgrace makes you free to commit sin!

Jude says these preachers separatedtheir followers from the body of believ­ers. By the time John wrote his epistle,he had this sad note to include aboutthose preachers who at first crept in un­awares: "They went out from us, butthey were not of us; for if they had beenof us, they would no doubt have con­tinued with us; but they went out, thatthey might be made manifest that theywere not all of us" (I John 2: 19) .

Those who departed were no longerChristians. They separated themselvesfrom the true church and organizedthemselves into their own church.

True Christians Forced Out

Although numerous deceivers, calledGnostics, left the church, drawing awaydisciples after them, there was an evenmore dangerous apostacy which has de­ceived this whole world.

In instructing the evangelist Timothy,the apostle to the Gentiles instructedhim to "reprove, rebuke, exhort with alllong suffering and doctrine. For the timewill come that they will not enduresound doctrine; but after their own lusts"-the congregations wanting to do whatthey please-"shall they heap to them­selves reachers't-s-elect ministers whowill preach what they want to hear­"and they shall turn away their ears fromthe truth, and shall be turned unto fa­bles'} (II Timothy 4:3, 4).

This was in the days of the apostlesand evangelists, not at the Protestant Re­volt! MANY who fellowshipped in thelocal congregations of the early church,after about two generations, did not en­dure sound doctrine because they hadnot repented and received the Holy Spir­it. They elected teachers who, for thesake of money, pleased their wishes bypreaching fables--doctrines assumed to

The PLAIN TRUTH

be Christian, today!-the enticing fablesof mysticism and sun-worship that wereengulfing the Roman Empire. The lettersof Paul were twisted by them to giveanother meaning than intended (II Peter3:15-16).

But instead of leaving the local con­gregations and forming their own sects,as some Gentiles did at first, the falsepreachers remained within the congrega­tions and soon began to expell the trueChristians.

In the letter of the apostle John toGaius, we read: "I wrote unto the church,but Diotrephes, who loveth to have thepre-eminence among them, receiveth usnot. Wherefore, if I come, I will remem­ber his deeds which he doeth, pratingagainst us with malicious words: and

"What Denomination

Do We Represent?"Daily we receive letters asking,

"Who are you? What denominationdo you represent?" No one seemsable to guess. And no wonder.

For we are not denominational!The "WORLD TOMORROW" radioand television programs and ThePLAIN TRUTH magazine are NON­sectarian (I Cor. 1:12-13).

What denomination did JESUSjoin? Few ever stopped to think ofit in that way. The religious sects ofHis day were the Pharisees, the Sad­ucees, the Essanes, the Samaritans,etc. Jesus joined none of them. Onthe contrary. He called His disciplesout of them-out of all organizationsof men. The Greek word "ecclesia"translated "Church" in English hasthe meaning of "called-out ones."

The Eternal God called me fromthe field of business to a life of sep­aration for the mission being carriedout in His work. Consequently, incomplete surrender to Him, withoutpreconceived notions, doctrines, andconvictions, and with the guidance ofHis Spirit, I prayerfully approachedthe study of the Bible as a businessman would approach a business prob­lem. God started this work through usas small as a work could start, and onand with nothing but FAITH.

We are utterly independent of de­nominations, sects, or organizations ofany kind-wholly DE-pendent uponour heavenly Father for guidance, forfunds-for EVERYTHING.

I speak and write, not in the nameof any denomination, but solely inthe name of JESUS CHRIST!

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG

Page 15

not content therewith, neither doth hehimself receive the brethren, and for­biddeth them that would, AND CASTETHTHEM OUT OF THE CHURCH" (III John9 and 10). .

The true Christians, who alone, com­prised the true Church, were being putout of the visible} organized congreg,l­tions. They were the SCATTERED ones ofwhom John said: "Therefore the worldknoweth us not" (I John 3: 1 ). In theWestern Roman Empire, where Pauldied, the state of Christianity was evenmore advanced along the paths of error.The name Christian was being borneaway by leaders who crept into the fel­lowship of the Church of God and who,in the name of Christ, deceived theMANY into followint:, their false teach­ings and into organizing with humangovernment a universal or catholicchurch over the whole Roman Empire.

The Age of Shadows

Following the destruction of Jerusalemin 70 AD. and the deaths of the apostles,a strange phenomenon is witnessed. Thetrue church almost disappears from his­tory, and false churches arise! Of thisperiod, the famous historian Gibbottsays: "The scanty and suspicious ecclesi­astical history seldom enables us to dis­pel the dark cloud that hangs over thefirst age of the church" (Decline endFall of the Roman Empire, ch. XV).

The truth was obscured by error!Jesse Lyman Hurlbut gives us even

more details in his book The Story of theChristian Church} page 41: "We wouldlike to read of the later work of suchhelpers of St. Paul as Timothy, Apollosand Titus, but all these ... drop out ofthe record at his death. For fifry yearsafter St. Paul's life a curtain hangs overthe church through which we strive vain­ly to look; and when at last it rises, about120 A.D., with the writings of the earliestchurch-fathers, WE FIND A CHURCH INMANY ASPECTS VERY DIFFERENT FROMTHAT IN THE DAYS OF" Peter and Paul.

Those inspired young men who out­lived the apostles left almost no mark inthe record of Church history for one par­ticular reason. They were the last van­J;;uard of the true apostolic church whichfought against the rising tide of proph­esied apostacy immediately after the daysof the apostles. The [alse ministers inchurch offices, against whom the evan­gelists preached, are the very ones re­corded in the history of the universal orcatholic apostacy at the close of the firstcentury.

Some of those ministers may havebeen honestly deceived, but many, manyothers were deceivers who had "men'spersons in admiration because of advan­tage"-financial advantage (Jude 16).They taught a mixture of truth and error;

Page 16 The PLAIN TRUTH September, 1955

cd ..he com.nandmenrs of God, and per­verted the gospel of the Kingdom. .

Instead of the churches coming nearerto the FAITH of the Bible, each new"reformation" has brought more errorinto the world under the guise of "re­stored" truth. Today the Christian worldis in hopeless confusion, not a single oneof the churches being able to agree onexactly what constitutes the gospel ofJesus Christ. Each has a slight portion oftruth in its doctrine, but a great dealmore error that is deceiving the MANY.

So many ask: "How can you ~ublish a lIlIjIazine,without subscription price, and Without adverllSins?"

The answer is simple. The GOSPEL mUSt 'A tothe whole world, and it must go FREE. It muSt notbe sold like merchandise. "Freely ye have received,"Jesus said to His disciples whom He was sending toproclaim the Gospel, "Freelr 9IVE." Withoutmoney and without price, is God's way. We pro­claim a FREE salvation. Therefore, we cannot put aPRICE upon the PLAIN TRUTH.

We have been called of God to conduct this work.It is not our work, but God's, We have set outto conduct God's work God's way. We rely, inFAITH, upon God's promises to supply every need.

God's way is the way of LOVE--and that is theway of giving, not gettins. God expects everyuuechild of His to GIVE of tithes and offerinss that Hiswork may go FREE-that His true ministers mayGIVE the precious Gospel to others, We simplyTRUST GOD to lav it on the minds and hearts ofHis people to give of their tithes and offerinss thatwe may be enabled to GIVE the good thinss ofGod's Word to the hundreds of thousands who hearthe Message over the air, and the scores of thousandswho read The PLAIN TRUTH.

Many times our faith has been severely tried, butGod has never failed us. We must not fail HIM!

but with each succeeding generation theydeparted further from the truth andadded more and more pagan supersti­tion.

The writings of those early Catholicsprove that they corrupted the faith oncedelivered by developing false doctrineswhich have passed into the churches to­day from the sun-worshipping pagans.

Heathenism in Apostolic Days

Inspired Christianity under the apos­tles converted many men and womenwho had been spiritually blighted bypagan practices and festivals of tlie;: Ro­man State religion. Together with therapid growth of true Christianity, dozensof religions were also propagated in theEmpire and corning to the capital, Rome.Most of these relzrons were attempts tofill the spiritual ernpriness of the statereligion by "saviors" and sunworship.The Roman Emperors, seeing the need ofrevivifying their degenerate system, al­lowed admittance to many of these sects,the most important of which wasMithraism.

"Towards the close of the first centuryA.D. Mithraism began to make its in­fluence felt in Rome and the westernprovinces" (A History of Rome tr 565A.D., by Roak, p. 392).

As the false ministers were seekingprestige and converts for themselves,

their natural tendency was to alter Chris­tianity to meet the prevailing desires ofthe spiritually sick multitudes of theRoman Empire. He-ire, apostatizingChristians developed, very early, doc­trines that were parallel to the mysteryreligions which were pagan counterfeitsof the way of the true Savior of theworld. There were now pagan and"Christian" mysteries to deceive everyclass of people.

Notice how many features of pagan­ism were adopted by Catholics in orderto gain members for their church. Myth­raism "had so much acceptance that itwas able to impose on the Christianworld its own Sun-Day in place of theSabbath, its Sun's birthday, 25th of De­cember, as the birthday of Jesus ... andvarious of its Easter celebrations." Thisrevealing extract is from page 74 of TheHistory of Christianity in the Light ofModern Knowledge.

Deception Continues Today

It took those original false teacherscenturies to weed out all the inspiredpractices of the early church. They grad­ually rejected the Holy Days of God andsubstituted the centuries-old festivals ofpaganism, calling them by Christiannames. They rejected the government ofGod and slowly organized a dictatorialform of human government. They twist-

WHY THE PLAIN TRUTH HASNO SUBSCRIPTION PRICE

The PLAIN TRUTHPrinted in the U.S.A.

lox lll-Pasadena, California

RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED

FORM 3547 REQUESTED

Nonprofit OrganizationU. S. POSTAGE

PAIDPermit No. 703

Pa.adena, California