VOL. XI, NUMBER 1

emsInternational Magazine ofTHE CHURCH OF GOD

JANUARY, 1962

How to Handle Your Finances!Many of you still find yourselves in financial trouble. Have youreally learned to USE YOUR PRESENT INCOME to its full

advantage? Read in this article how you can.

by Ronald Kelly

"I HAVE paid my tithes faithfully forsix months-still I have received

no raise in salary," complains one. An­other says: "1 am still en. debt after tith­ing two years." Or: "I thought you saidtithing would end my financial worries.

These statements are often broughtto God's ministers. Perhaps you haveprivately thought this very thing.

Brethren, we have frankly beenshocked at the financial problems of somany of you. It appears some have as­sumed that tithing is God's only finan­cial law-and you have tried to applyit selfishly-to satisfy fleshly lusts, whileneglecting God's other laws. Others ofyou are simply not tithing properly.

Let's understand this vital subject!

What God PromisedFirst of all God has not promised to

double the salary of everyone who be­gins to tithe. Read again what He says,"... prove me now herewith, saith theLORD of hosts, if I will not open youthe windows of heaven, and POURYOU OUT A BLESSING, that thereshall not be room enough to receive it"(Mal. 3: 10). Here is God's LIVINGPROMISE-a blessing so great that wecannot even receive it! Many haveassumed this would bring more moneyinto their bank accounts-make theminto financial giants. But stop to think

a moment-could you ever be givenenough money that you could not evenhave room to receive it? You mightthink so, but no one ever has! Multi­millionaires still want more money­they are never content with what theyhave. These men still might have finan­cial problems-but the trouble is notlack of money-the problem is GREEDFOR MORE!

We live in a world where money isthe standard of exchange. It is necessaryto live in this world. And this standardis allowed by God. Therefore, we mustLEARN TO USE MONEY PROP­ERLY-it is a vital lesson.

The apostle Paul was certainly ableto use what we today would call thou­sands and even millions of dollars topublish the Gospel to the Gentileworld. But there were many times whenhe did not have that abundance. Noticehis admonition to us, "Not that I speakin respect of want: for I have learned,in whatsoever state I am, therewith tobe CONTENT. I know both how to beabased (poor and without funds), and1 know how to abound (have sufficientand abundance): every where and in allthings I am instructed both to be fulland to be hungry, both to abound andto suffer need" (Phil. 4:11-12). YetPaul continually gave God thanks forHis abundant blessings! He even wrote

to the Ephesians, "Blessed be the Godand Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,who hath blessed us with ALL SPIRIT­UAL BLESSINGS in heavenly places inChrist" (Eph. 1: 3 ) ,

The Laws We Forget

God IS BLESSING US! We need tolearn to recognize it and how to handlethese blessings. The very first thing isto learn to be CONTENT IN WHAT­EVER STATE YOU FIND YOUR­SELF! This is an all-important lesson!Be content to live this way and underthese finances until God sees fit to in­crease your means. An increase is notthe GOAL! It is a blessing for whichwe must wait patiently-all the whiledoing what we can to improve our­selves.

Lack of WISDOM and FORESIGHThas caused more financial trouble thananything else! It seems some continuallyhave possessions taken from them orthey have need of a household itemwhich they cannot afford. Again, thereason is not always lack of funds! Muchof the reason is POOR MANAGE­MENT!! We should learn as childrenand teen-agers how to handle money­but very few do.

This nation is prosperous beyondimagination! And this nation has more

(Please continue on page 14)

2 The GOOD NEWS january, 1962

Letters to the Editor

Associaie Editors

EDITOR

Contributing Editors

NO.

David Jon Hill

Bryce G. ClarkRaymond C. Cole

Jack R. ElliottRonald Kelly

Ernest 1. MartinL. Leroy Nelf

Lynn E. TorranceClint C. Zimmerman

VOL. XI

Albert J. Portune

AUURESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS to the Editor,Box III, Pasadena, California.

Canadian members should address Post Office Box4·1. Station A, Vancouver I, B. c., Canada.

OUf members in United Kingdom, Europe, andAfrica should address rhe Editor, Ambassador Col­lege, Bricket Wood. St. Albans, Herts., England.

Members in Australia, the Philippines, SoutheastAsia should address the Editor, Box 345, NorthSydney, N. S. W., Australia.

BE SURE TO NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY of anychange in your address. Please inclose both oldand new address. IMPORTANT!

~~ooaltewsInternational magazine of

THE CHURCH OF GODministering to its members

scattered abroad

BUSINESS MANAGER

Vern R. Mattson

Editorial and Production Assistants

James W. RobinsonDonald G. McDonald

Published monthly at Pasadena, California.© 1962, by Radio Church of God.

Foods Consultants

Velma Van der VeerMary E. Hegvold Isabell F. Hoeh

SENIOR EDITOR

Roderick C. Meredith

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Garner Ted Armstrong

MANAGING EDITOR

Herman 1. Hoeh

Robert C. BorakerC. Wayne ColeCharles V. DorothySelmer HegvoldRaymond F. McNairC. Paul MeredithBenjamin 1. ReaBasil Wolverton

to train and prepare young men andwomen such as Mr. and Mrs. McNairto serve and minisrer to you brethrenwho are scattered. They are the fruit ofyour earnest prayers, and tithes andofferings.-Editor.

Thank Yon, Someone!"The package of clothing came yes­

terday. Thank you so much. They fitnicely. How happy you made all of us.We needed them so badly. Thank Godfor the good works you do. I know He'llreward you here and in the world tocome for such good deeds. I just hopeI can make someone else as happy asyou made me when I opened the box ofclothing. It was just wonderful. Unlessyou've been in need of clothing your­self, you'll never know what it meansfor a package to come to clothe yourchildren. I'm so grateful to you."

Woman from Newport, Tennessee

It does cost money to do God's work(Please continue on page 5)

We want to express our personalthanks to all those who have sent cloth­ing and have contributed to the poorfund so those brethren who are havingfinancial and other difficulties can behelped.-Editor.

Only 10% Believe It MoreBlessed tu Give!"Dear Mr. Armstrong:

"This month's PLAIN TRUTH (No­vember 1961) reveals that only 10% ofthe people feel impelled to assist in thepassing on to others of blessings similarto those they themselves have received.If only 10% believe it is more blessedto give than receive, then selfishnessmust be one of the most predominantsins of our race. It is amazing how Mr.Armstrong can make even a small dona­tion work. A pound given to him prob­ably does as much good as 5 poundsgiven elsewhere. His orations on theBible show up the weakness in themethod of most ministers who speak ontexts in isolation so that no harmoniouswhole ever exists in the minds of theirlisteners. Mr. Armstrong shows the in­terest and importance of each referenceagainst the background of man's history,both past, present and future, and it isrefreshing to hear a preacher who soobviously believes and understands themessage he was given to preach."

Subscriber from New South Wales,Australia

"Last Tuesday Mr. Carl McNair andhis wife Dorothy called on me andstayed for supper. I was really thrilledas they were the first people from God'sChurch I had ever seen. I wish there hadbeen more time for us to have talked. Ihope to see them soon again, and othersof God's Church."

From Raywick, Kentucky

"Dear Mr. Armstrong:

"I was very disappointed that I didn'tget to go to the Feast of Tabernacles,thinking my chance of meeting any ofthe ministers of the Church had goneby. I was praying that the Lord wouldmake it possible for me to meet someof the ministers or others of the Church.Then last Thursday night Mr. CarlMcNair knocked on my door. I justcan't tell you how much I appreciatethis. I really did enjoy their visit, couldhave talked all night to him and hiswife. I was so surprised, it must havecaught me off balance. Could I havebeen like the people in Acts 12: 16? Idon't know if they were praying thatPeter be released or not, but they wereastonished."

Woman from Bardwell, Kentucky

Weare all happy that God has madeit possible through Ambassador College

Scattered Brethren Visited

"Only God Himself can know thethrill I felt at actually having this lovelyyoung couple, dedicated to full servicefor Him, actually come into my home!I had remembered Carl so well becauseof his cheerful countenance. On this sec­ond meeting, I had felt that some ofthis was missing from him, but as hebegan to expound the scripture, I real­ized that here was a young man whohad matured greatly in the year since Ihad first met him. But, before he left,he had teased about women drivers andshown that underneath this commend­able maturity, there was still the humorwhich becomes him so welL Truly, Mr.Armstrong, I love this young couple asmy own children. Tell them for me,please. There was only one regret to ourmeeting. Mr. and Mrs. McNair had pre­viously arranged to eat with a BowlingGreen, Kentucky, family and were un­able to spend the night with me or haveme prepare supper for them."

Woman from Goodlettsville,Tennessee

fromthe

eW(j

CHURCH of GOD

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

AROUND THE WORLD!!by Albert J. Portune

GREETI NGS, again, brethren, fromGod's headquarters in Pasadena,

California!The growing enthusiasm and rapid

development of the local church newspapers in the last six months is a heart­warming evidence of the UNITY andGROWTH in God's Church.

A rew short months ago only a fewof the churches were beginning their"fledgling" first editions. Some weremimeographed, some printed, some werelarge, some small; each had a differentname and masthead.

Now, almost el'ery church area has itsedition of THE CHURCH OF GOD NEWS.All editions are now printed, are ofstandard size and all carry the samestandardized and unified name and mast­head-THE CHURCH OF GOD NEWS!

This is real progress!Heartening comments from members

around the world show how much theselocal editions of the Church News arcappreciated. God's Church is beingdrawn much closer in love and the bondof Christian fellowship from the inter­esting articles and features appearing inthese church papers.

Once again we would like to sharewith ALL you brethren in God's Churchsome of the interesting and heart-warm­ing articles appearing in the churchpapers around the world.

Australian First EditionJust a few days ago we received lhe

first copies of the Australian first edi­tion. This well-edited church paper re­places a former monthly newsletter thatwas distributed among the brethren.

Here is an article appearing on thefront page entitled "REJOICE INCHURCH GROWTH."

"Brethren, you should be encouragedto learn that God is adding an increase

to His Church here in Australia. Thefirst of a much-needed series of visiting­baptizing tours was recently completedby Mr. Clarence Huse and Mr. DexterFaulkner. These men traveled the coastalroute to Brisbane, spending the majorityof their 12-day tour in and around theBrisbane, Queensland area. Several ofthose presently attending the biweeklyBrisbane Bible studies were contactedand some wished to be baptized. Ofthese, 4 were baptized while an addi­tional 5 from the surrounding area werealso baptized and should now be attend­ing the studies regularly. Six other per·sons from local and outlying areas werealso baptized and should now be attend­ing the studies regularly. Six other per­sons from local and outlying areas wereinvited, thus bringing the attendance tonearly 45 adults and from 15 to 20children.

"Certainly, regular weekly Sabbathservices will be needed in Brisbane inthe very near future. What is holdingback the starting of a church?-the lackof MANPOWER-there aren't enoughministers to go around. The harvest isplenteous, but the laborers are too few.

"Of the 40 persons who met the tour,16 were baptized. This made an exact40 percent, which at first glance seemeda bit lower than the usual 50 percentwe would expect on these tours. (Overthe past years it has been a general aver­age that 1 Out of every 2 persons coun­seled [or baptism is ready.)

"Rain-muddy and washed-out roadshampered the tour's progress, but Godalways saw to it that the men reachedan area after the heavy wind and rainstorms had passed, and after the waterlevel covering the causeways in theroads dropped below 15 inches, allow­ing their car to get through. Water forthe baptizing also was always provided

in the form of creeks, shallow rivers,and even a shark-proof ocean bathingarea. We can all rejoice in this goodnews, especially in the fact that theBrisbane Bible study received a consid­erable increase.

"As previously indicated, other toursare desperately needed. In the five areasof northern Queensland, southwesternNew South Wales, Perth and environsof Western Australia, South Australia,and New Zealand there are over 80 per­sons desiring baptism and an additional27 requests for a visit. Thirty percent ofthe baptismal requests and almost 50percent of the visit requests are in theproximity of Perth in Western Austra­lia. You people in the West can rejoicein this news.

"Let us all rejoice in this growth, andrealize more the responsibility set be­fore each of us to pray for progress inthe WORK the Creator God has calledus to perform."

At HeadquartersSetting the pace for the world-wide

editions of THE CHURCH OF GODNEWS is the Pasadena, Headquartersedition. Copies of the Pasadena editionare mailed out to all the church-areaeditors - giving them the vital Head­quarter's news. Many articles from theHeadquarters edition are reprinted inthe local church papers. This helps tobind God's Church closer together inthe sharing of all the interesting andimportant developments at the nervecenter of God's work.

Here is an amazing r"port on thegrowth of God's work from an arti­cle entitled "RECORDS TOPPLE ASYEAR ENDS."

"The year 1961 closed another recordyear! More mail was received-moremoney banked and, most important,

4

more people served than ever before."In past years the upsurge in Decem­

ber has established the gait at which thework must progress during the comingnew year. A giant reflection is cast for1962.

"The mailing department, getting ex­tra help, working many added hours,finished November with the fantasticrecord of 1,033,877 pieces of mail­over ONE MILLION! This is for justone month and is approximately 300,­000 over the previous high!

"Resulting returns in Dec e m b e rblazed the way by setting an all-timehigh for letters received-a sta~gering

99,258! Mail lying in the post office un­sorted over New Year's would havemade it 100,000. Grand total for theyear-nearly 800,000!

'The Correspondence Course fileshave swollen to a whopping 60,000.

"The Letter Answering Departmentamassed some 24,500 personal repliesduring the year to help many bewil­dered people.

"Multiple tons of literature pouredfrom the printing presses-truck loadsrumbled to the post office daily.

"Millions of watts of additional radiopower from top-ranking stations beamthe Gospel to millions of new listeners.

"The very latest in electronic mailingand filing systems now occupies muchof the downstairs Press Building.

"Vast building programs are now un­der way. The new, ultra-modern officefor Mr. Armstrong is rapidly takingshape. The final plans for classroomsand' the stunning cafeteria that will bethe most fabulous eating place in South­ern California are approaching comple­tion.

"Pace-setting 1961 points toward aneven greater, record-smashing 1962-besure you grow with God's Work!"

Many other interesting articles andpictures fill the pages of the Pasadenaedition. God's people at Headquartersare encouraged and inspired each monthas the hundreds of copies come off thepresses.

British EditionTypical English wit, tempered with

dignity and character, marks the Britishedition. Printed at headquarters forBritain in Bricket Wood. the Britishedition serves all four church areas inEngland.

Here is an interesting and heart­warming article entitled "LONDONNEWS."

"Mirroring the racial melting pot ofthe sprawling city in which it is sit­uated, the London Church of God con-

The GOOD NEWS

rains members who have been calledout of over twenty different nations.These brethren have come together fromsuch widely-scattered places as Java, In­dia, Ausrralia, Africa, as well as the Brit­ish lsl~s, America and most Europeancountrres.

"Each Sabbath, over 200 persons areable to meet together in the relativepeace of Denison House, Victoria. Thisrapidly growing family of ours also in­cludes over 60 students from the Collegewho are able to travel to the service inthe comfort of a hired coach.

"Incidentally, about ten happy moth­ers-to-be are expecting good news with­in the next few months. It is so wonder­ful to realise that God has alreadyblessed us with nearly a score of babiessince 1959. This is certainly one wayto bolster our attendance figures.

"A warm, friendly atmosphere alwaysprevails in this church, although thetime in which brethren can fellowshiptogether is usually limited after eachservice. As a result, outside visits be­tween members are encouraged. Whilstat church, however, older members arekept on their toes by the zeal and en­thusiasm of the young students, who areeager to accommodate any questions.

"A crowded programme of meetingsis also arranged weekly with a TuesdayBible Study, a Thursday Spokesman'sClub and a Friday Bible Study at theCollege.

"As the centre of God's work in Eu­rope, the church in London has multi­plied five times in three years. There isnow a necessity to introduce a system­atic visiting programme, in order thatall the brethren may be counselledwithin their homes every two or threemonths.

"Week by week, God's mercy andblessings continue upon this church aswith all of the other churches. We con­tinually hear of healings, better livingand working conditions, resolved familyproblems, and examples of God's guid­ing hand working for the good of theLondon brethren.

"The future event that we are mostlooking forward to, second only to thereturn of Mr. Armstrong, is the comingwedding of Mr. Robin Jones and MissShirley Engelbarr. We rejoice in Robin'sblessing, especially since he was a pio­neer member in the early days of thisLondon church, and has been a witnessto its growth.

"We all send our prayers and bestwishes to those of you in the otherchurches that God has raised up in Brit­ain, and hope that we can meet each ofyou again before very lang."

January, 1962

Highlights from U. S. A.Here are a series of short articles

appearing in some of the local churchpapers from around the United States.

Pittsburgh - Akron"From a Small Mustard Seed"

"In June of 1958 a few people tim­idly assembled in room 102 of the Sol­diers and Sailors Memorial in Pitts­burgh. This inconspicuous group of 40individuals marked the beginning of theprolific growth of the Church of God inthe Tri-state area.

"One year later attendance was at anaverage of 90 members. In 1960, meet­ing at the present site of the EaglesLodge, attendance zoomed to 200 peo­ple and in the fall of 1961 reached anall-time high of 361. This does not in­clude 200 people meeting in Akronevery Sabbath.

"A little over 3 years after the firstmeeting the brethren assembled in thesame building to observe the Feast ofTrumpets. These people could not evenbegin to fit in room 102 for they num­bered 700 souls.

"The proof of a fruitful plant is inthe fruir.

'THIS IS THE WORK OF GOD!'

Gladewater - Minden"Letters to the Editor"

"Dear Sir:"Since I was placed on the roll to re­

ceive the [Church of God News} somefive issues ago, I have received manyblessings from it by learning about newbrethren and the various activities ofthe Church members. Though I live toofar away to attend Sabbath Services,Bible Study and other facets of theChurch, I live for the next issue so thatI can learn more about the Church Iwould attend if I were able. The breth­ren who are blessed in being able toattend should consider themselves for­tunate and thank God for permittingthem to do so,"

Man from Louisiana

Dallas - Houston"Roofing Party"

"A 'picnic' of another sort!"The Houston Church roofing party

struck again! This time at the home ofMr. and Mrs. Harold Treybig. With theexperience of several other roofing proj­ects behind them things went fairlywell.

"While Mrs. Treybig and a few ofthe other wives prepared a deliciousmeal the 'roofing crew,' with the helpof some of the children, succeeded inreroofing the Treybigs' home. Among

January, 1962

those present were: Mr. Ledbetter, Mr.Walker, the Doucet family, Tom Seeligand Gloria Hilborn, the LaVergne fam­ily, Paul Haecker, Mr. Ramsey and ofcourse Mr. Treybig. Later Mr. Gleasonarrived. During the afternoon Mr. Hor­ace Driver and family dropped by. Itwas uncertain if the Drivers came to theroofing party or simply dropped by fora visit, but nevertheless Mr. Driver wassoon drafted into service also.

"The only occurrence that caused anydifficulty at all was a shortage of nailaprons. This however was soon reme­died by Mrs. Treybig and her sewingmachine."

Tulsa - Oklahoma City"TIIlJcl Brethren Skate"

"Sore muscles, bruises, and black andblue spots were the aftermath of theTulsa Church Skating party. Bur laughs,fun, and friendly fellowship were hadby everyone attending.

"About 60 from the Tulsa Church of

The GOOD NEWS

God converged on the Mohawk SkatingRink on Thursday, November 9. Thechildren especially enjoyed the party.Also there were many of the adults­yuung at heart - who were on thewheels.

"Three hours of whirls and tumbleswas the entirety of the party. But forthose on skates it was enough. Severalhad good fellowship on the sidelineswatching."

Chicago - Midwest

"The Pyramid W idem"

"November 11th began a new phaseof God's work in Chicagoland. Duringthat Sabbath's service at La Grange, Illi­nois, Church, Mr. Raymond Roenspieswas ordained as a local elder.

"Mr. Roenspies' history of service be­gan amid the fledgling stage of the Chi­cago Church. He and his wife were ledinto the Truth of God when theystarted listening to 'The World Tornor-

5

row' progr~m (in late 1948) beamedfrom XEG. During this period theirminds were being opened to accept theproof of the Sabbath.

"Mr. Roenspies' 'soaring enthusiasm'is shared by his eldest son, David, whois attending God's College in Pasadena,

"The structure of Church organiza­tion has been given added balance as aresult of this new eldership. One of thegreatest needs today is for capable,yielded men whose God-given wisdomand Bible-based good judgment fit themfor being active helps in the expand­ing ministry of God's Church. As thepyramid widens, so does the effective­ness of the whole body, Brethren, prayabout these things!"

Portland - Salem - EugeneFinally, brethren, for that "spice" of

humor we all need for the right balancein God's service, here is a contributionfrom the Northwest, from the pen ofBasil Wolverton, below.

(Continued from page 2)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Brethren, I hope you have enjoyedour brief tour around the world throughthe eyes of THE CHURCH OF GOD NEWS.

and we are all very grateful for that1O'Ir' who are helping to get the Gospelto all the world before the end of thisage.-Editor.

Word of Encouragement"A word of encouragement to yOll

and all of God's ministers everywhere.We, the people of God, need you verymuch. We need the very wise counselyou can give us. Weare gratefUl foryour labour of love, your long hoursamong us-long hours of driving overcountries-your unselfish devotion inChrist's service, and we want you toknow that we are behind you 24 hoursa day giving you all you need, and ourGod has promised never to fail you.

Let's all realize these papers are partof the blessings that God provides inHis Church. I am sure God is pleased

The all-wise God placed you where youare now, because He knew your hearts.He tried them and found them afterHis own. We need more of you to tendto the flocks God is raising up every­where. We ask you to give the youngand new students and the potential min­isters among them every encouragement,and devote prayers that we may havethe labourers to come forth into the har­vest field of the world."

Member from Kirkaldy, Scotland

Aborigine ReceivesPLAIN TRUTH

"I would love one of your books ofthe story of the Bible as I am an Austra-

with the unity and oneness in Christianlove that these local newspapers areproducing in God's Church.

lian aboriginal and cannot read or write.My daughter reads all The PLAINTRUTH books to myself and my fam­ily. We all find these books most in­teresting and so do a lot of my friends.We have been listening to your servicesevery Friday night, and we really enjoylistening to you. I would like to becomea true Christian and hope you will beable to help me to be one."

Point Pearce, South Australia

Central AmericanListens Regularly

"I was overjoyed both spiritually andphysically when I received your BibleStory book. I read and reread it. I havefound it and all the other books veryinteresting, I love to receive your booksand look forward to their monthly ar­rival. I have a special interest in yourprogram, and I listen in on a lot of sta-

Orange Park, Florida

Your questions answered in these columns! Your opportunity to have

discussed those problems pertaining directly to members of God's Church,

Question Box

6

tions at different hours of the night."Man from Roatan Isla de Bahia,Republic of Honduras,Central America

Fungus Healing"I thank all of you and God that my

oldest son's ear trouble is almost gone,He has fungus in his ear from swim­ming here in Florida. It is usually nevergotten rid of. Our neighbor has had itfor 14 years and has seen every kind ofdoctor and tried all their medicines andit grows worse all the time, My son,who is eleven, said, 'Looks as if shewould know by now that doctors can'tcure anything.'''

Eyes Healed"At the time I wrote that I was losing

my eyesight and asked you to pray forme, I had given up trying to read print-it made me so nauseated, Even beforeI had received your letter with theanointed cloth, my sight began to clearup. I used the cloth as you instructed,and now, thank God, I am seeing allright again."

Woman from Mobile, Alabama

God's Ministers Speakwith Authority

"Recently I have received more knowl­edge about the Bible from listening toThe WORLD TOMORROW programand from the booklets I have receivedthan I have from attending church. Yourmethods are different. Until I first tunedin to one of your programs 3 monthsago, I misunderstood, and was dubiousof, the Bible, Now however, I'm begin­ning to believe in it more. One thingthat surprises me is that you speak withsuch authority about the meanings ofthe Bible prophecies. Recently at church,the preacher announced in a sermonthat the Christians should prepare forwhat is coming soon, which is eitherthe second coming of Christ or anatomic attack from Russia, he didn'tknow which."

Man from Newport, Oregon

Listener Healed of Dropsy"I know beyond all doubt that God

has used your ministry for the healingof my body. I am completely healed ofthe heart dropsy that kept me ill foralmosr two years,"

Woman from Marion. Kentucky

Headmaster in Nigeria Grateful"I am very grateful to you for your

letter and the inspiring articles in ThePLAIN TRUTH. You have, by this ges-

The GOOD NEWS

rure of kindness and generosity, donemore than any of the religious organiza­tions I ever heard of or saw, in givingfreely. I am also really indebted to youfor the interesting Dible Correspond­ence Course sent regularly to me on myapplication. These teachings have placedme in good stead, being a headmasterof a large school."

Reader from Idere, Nigeria

Australian Thanks for Broadcast

"Thanks a million for your broadcastin Sunraysia (Mildura ) , I personallydon't think we have the least chance ofever reaching 1975. Time has almost

Should we plant our crops by thesigns of the zodiac?

The zodiacal signs come from pagansuperstition and astrology.

Astrology is a form of idolatry', because it pur man's ideas before God.God prophesies that He will burn upastrologers (Isa, 47:13-14). The sever­ity of this penalty is proof that astrol­ogy is a frightfully evil practice,

In Matthew 13:3-8 Christ defined thetzattlral factors that govern crop produc­tion as soil types, weather, and weeds.He said nothing of planting crops onspecific days because of "influences" ofstars and the moon. If crops are plantedin their proper season and carefullycultivated they will grow normally.

There is also a spiritual aspect to suc­cessful production of crops. Those whoobey God are promised success in everyaspect of life-in crops, livestock, busi­ness, and family health (Deur. 28:1-13),

God also promises that if we are dili­gent in our work and pay His titbes toHim, He will rebuke the devourer forour sake and open up the windows ofheaven to pour out upon us a blessingwe will not be able to contain (Mal.3: 8-11 ). No astrology here!

Is it all right to watch a TV ballgame on the Sabbath?

Many pleasure programs shown onTV are a waste of time-whether onSabbath or en weekdays. Why sit forhours all wrapped up in something that

January, 1962

run cut. I really can't thank you enoughfor the grand work you are doing forthe British and Australian people."

Man from Victoria

Rejoicing in Kansas City"I want to tell you how happy I am

that we have a church in Kansas Cityand to have Me. Clark for our ministerand to have had the pleasure of hear­ing Me. Roderick Meredith, Me. DaleHampton and Me. Dlackwell. It's trulya blessing to be able to assemble eachSabbath to hear God's truth and to meetand fellowship with more of the breth­ren,"

Lady from Lawrence, Kansas

was designed for the sale purpose ofstultifying the mind and gratifying thesenses? Such a pleasure spree adds noth­ing to the development of character.

This, of course. does not mean thatail uieekday pleasures are detrimental tothe development of character. But thecommon habit of seeking pleasure forpleasure's sake-instead of using pleas­ure as a minor tool in a carefullyplanned life-is wasteful.

But the Sabbath is different. It is aspecial day. Even our conversation on theSabbath should be centered upon spirit­ual matters, and not pleasure, liveli­hood, business, or Sports on TV orradio.

This does not mean that it would bewrong to take a short walk on the Sab­bath to relax and enjoy the beaury ofGod's creation. Such a diversion is some­times needed as a means of relaxationbetween sessions of study or prayer.

The important thing to remember isthat the Sabbath is a special day, to beused in resting, in serving God, not inserring oneself by seeking pleasureon TV,

Is it permissible on the Sabbath tohelp those who are ill or havingtrouble?

The Sabbath is a day for spiritual.rejuvenation. On God's holy time weare allowed only that genuine emer­gency work that could not have beendone the previous day and must be doneto save life (Luke 14:5).

(Please continue on page 10)

YOU May NOT ESCAPEthe Tribulation!Some who think they are going to a place of safety MAY NOTGET THERE AT ALL! Read WHY and whether this could

include YOU!

by L. Leroy Neft'

GOD'S Church has heard many timesthe blunt warning of Jesus Christ:

"Watch ye therefore, and pray alwaysthat ye may be accounted worthy toescape" (Luke 21: 36) ,

We have been told many times towatch world conditions, to understandand know the prophecies of God, sothat we will know when the time comesfor God's people to escape, We havealso been taught many, many times insermons, in broadcasts, and in Churchservices that we are to pray consistentlywithout intermission, not neglectingprayer for a single day so that we mightbe accounted worthy to escape,But some are neglecting their duty!

Amazing Prophecy for TodayThe escape of God's Church to safety

is mentioned in Revelation 12, In thischapter is an amazing prophecy concern­ing the Church of God from ancienttimes until the return of Jesus Christ.

During our time Satan will be veryangry with God's people, since he knowsthat he has but a short time left to de­ceive the nations. He is going to in­crease the pressure against God's people,and is going to do all he can to increasethe persecution of deceived men againstus! This persecution will become sosevere that God will find it necessary tosupernaturally protect His people, andhelp them escape to a place of safety,before the full force of tribulation andworld trouble comes on the whole earth.

Notice the symbolism of this super­natural protection:

"And to the woman were given twowings of a great eagle, that she mightfiy into the wilderness, into her placewhere she is nourished for a time, andtimes, and half a time, from the face ofthe serpent" (Rev. 12: 14) .

Not all of God's Church will be ac­counted worthy to go to safety. Verse17 of this same chapter shows that afterthose in God's Church (who are doingtheir part in the Work of God) go toa place of safety there will be a "rem­nant" left. They keep God's Command-

ments and have the testimony of JesusChrist, but are not accounted worthy toescape. This remnant will be subject tothe full wrath of Satan the Devil. Hemakes war against them.

Why?This same remnant is implied in the

prophecies of Revelation, chapter three.In the second and third chapters wehave the various eras of God's Churchmentioned in detail. At the present timewe are in the Philadelphia era of God'sChurch. This particular Church is prom­ised that it will be kept from the hourof temptation which .rhall come llponall the world, to try those that dwell onearth. (Rev. 3: 10.) But not all who arewith us are spiritually of us-some arealready in a Laodicean spirit! The lastChurch, the Church of Laodicea, doesnot have this promise. They receive thefury of Satan. Very likely few of thesepeople will survive the terrible timesof trouble and torture that will follow.

We should all make our calling andelection Jure. We do not have time towait for a year, five years or ten yearsto get ready to be "spiritual." We can­not wait to grow in the grace andknowledge of our Lord and Savior JesusChrist. The time to be preparing is now!

Of those who regularly attend God'sChurch many are weak and carnal­minded. They have no zeal. They do nothave their hearts completely and totallyin God's work and are not doing withtheir might the great work that God hascommissioned all of us to do.

Moreover, only about half of the peo­ple listed on our records as baptizedmembers in God's Church go to theFeast of Tabernacles. Of course, somearen't able to go because of sickness.Others are not able to go because theirsecond tithe is not adequate to permitthem to go each year. Some women whohave unconverted mates are unable to

go because their husbands will not per­mit them. God understands this.

But that does not excuse the others!And of those who do attend God's

Festivals there is always a "mixed multi­tude" who are like the Israelites of old

who complain, who will not obey Godor respect the authority in His Church.

Do You Have the Wrong Goal?Many of you have the wrong goal­

and don't know it! You are looking for­ward to escaping to safety as your goalin life. In effect, you have exactly thesame belief and goal that many of thereligious sects have today.

In some churches it is called the rap­ture, In others it is escaping hell by"going to heaven." The idea of goingto a place of safety is exactly the sameto some of you as it is to those who be­lieve in the rapture theory.

The erroneous impression is that ifyou can be accounted worthy to escapeto a place of safety, all of your troubleswill be over. You have made the grade!Your entry into God's Kingdom is thencompletely assured. Your trials andtroubles will be over.

Don't be so sure!You need to understand more about

the circumstances that are propheciedconcerning the time when God's Churchdoes go to safety!

This is a time of extreme trouble forthe whole world. This is a time whenevery man's hand will be against hisneighbor. It will be a time of crime,war, of pestilence, famine and of super­natural occurrences in the weather andin the sky.

It is a time that will become so ter­rible that nothing like it has ever comeon earth before, We find an account ofit in Matthew 24. The gospel of theKingdom must first be preached to theworld, and after that the climax of thisage is going to come.

There will be the abomination ofdesolation that Daniel foretold. Whenthis abomination is set up, those whomay be in the land of Judea are com­manded to flee to the mountains, It willbe so pressing that Jesus said theyshould not even go into the house totake out clothes or other necessities.

It is a time so terrible and urgentthat those women who are pregnant, orthose who have suckling children will

8

h"ve great difficulty (verse 19). It is atime when those in Judea will take a"flight"-flee for their lives. God's peo­ple will be as "a brand plucked fromthe fire;' or as an animal snatched awayfrom a trap. A time of extreme distressand trouble not only on the world butalso on God's own people.

John describes this time of trouble inthe Book of Revelation as a time whenSatan in his anger is going to "cast outof his mouth water as a flood after thewoman, that he might cause her to becarried away of the flood" (Rev. 12:15). Every kind of snare will be laid forGod's people. But God intervenes super­naturally and helps the woman (verse16).

Paradise? - or Wilderness?It is not a time of ease, but a time of

trouble. You should begin to see nowthat for some, this will be the begin­ning of their problems, not the end.Some will find they have not grownspiritually enough to overcome thetrials and troubles. Some will fall by thewayside. Some people, as the Jews inEurope under Hitler, will look at thepaltry things they have accumulated inthis life, property, bank accounts, andcomfort. These must be left completelyand totally. Others will see loved onesand relatives who are not in God'sChurch. Some of these people will findthat when they count the cost, they willnot "leave all" literally, and follow JesusChrist. They will find that they cannotleave relatives} friends} or material con­venrences.

They will not be accounted worthyto escape. It will be a time of seriousdecision for God's people and many willnot make the right decision!

We know that the Faithful willescape to a place of safety, but where?Revelation 12:14 states that it will bein the "wilderness"-not a paradise! Inthe time of the end the ancient land ofEdam, Moab and Ammon shall escapeconquest by the revived Roman Empire(Dan. 11: 41 ). Here is a small desertarea which will be protected from thisFascist-Roman Catholic system. Theplace of escape in all likelihood will bewithin this desolate region.

The land anciently occupied by thesenations is to the southeast of the DeadSea!

In this region is a very famous nat­ural stronghold called Petra.

Certain scriptures seem to indicatethat this place may be the place of pro­tection. The Greek word Petra is Selain the Hebrew. This same word is oftentranslated Rock in the Old Testament.Isaiah 42: 1 states: "Let the inhabitants

The GOOD NEWS

of the rock (Sela or Petra) sing, letthem shout from the top of the moun­tain. There are few inhabitants of Petratoday, only a few bedouin Arabs live inthe area. This text speaks of God's peo­ple shouting from the top of the moun­tains giving glory to God because ofHis might and strength. Certainly thismust be referring to God's people re­joicing over the greatness and power ofGod who protects them in safety.

In Isaiah 16: 1-5 we have anotherprophecy which may be veiled referenceto the protection of God's people-"Myfugitives (or outcasts) "-in this area,

Even the book of Psalms refers tothis place. "Who will bring me to thefortified city? Who will lead me toEdom?" (Psalms 108: 10 ). The forti­fied city referred to here may well bethe natural fortified city of Petra whichis located in the area of ancient Edam.

There are other scriptures which alsoindicate that Petra may be the place ofprotection. But God will make this evi­dent and clear at the proper time andin the proper way.

Petra is such a rugged area that ap­parently only one airplane has everlanded there, It was a very tiny airplaneand the pilot risked his life in perform­ing such a precarious act. This was re­ported in oue uf the national maga­zines, and is a feat which is not ex­pected to be duplicated. With this inmind, don't think that God is going toprovide jet transportation direct fromyour home to Petra if you are accountedworthy to escape to safety.

Even if the prophecy of Revelation12: 14 would include transportation byair, it obviously would not take God'speople all the way to Petra.

There is no airport in Petra. Nor anymajor airports nearby. The only way tofly there would be by huge airplaneswhich probably could not land anynearer than Jerusalem, Amman, Jordanor Cairo, Egypt! It is still many diffi­cult miles to Petra! Remember the trialsof the Exodus under Moses?

Complainers Will be Unworthyto Escape

If you went three days into a hot,dusty desert without water would youcomplain? What if you had to fast forseveral days?

Would you complain and rebel againstJesus Christ?

Today, we complain about littlethings. Most of us have not had to gowithout food or water. We complainwhen the water doesn't taste right orwe complain when we do not have it

completely "balanced diet." We com­plain if we don't have fresh vegetables

January, 1962

or fresh fruit. We complain whet! weare not able to keep up to the samefinancial status of others who may bemore prosperous. We complain aboutthose whom God has set over us inaurbority, just as the ancient Israelitesdid.

We will never get to a place of safetywith such wrong and rotten attitudes!

What is Petra Like?If Petra is to be the place of safety

for those accounted worthy to escape,we ought to know a little bit aboutwhat it is like. There are library booksavailable about Petra and also certainmagazine articles. The February 1935issue and the December 1955 issue ofthe National Geographic Magazine hadarticles about Petra. These are usuallyavailable in used book stores or secondhand stores. If you still have a copy ofthe November 1956 issue of ThePLAIN TRUTH, or can borrow one,you will find an article by Mrs. HerbertW. Armstrong about Petra.

From one point of view, Petra is avery beautiful place. It is a very color­ful desert, and has many, many caues inthe sides of the mountains. These caveswere dug many centuries ago. The cavesare dirty. It is very dry and water is ex­tremely limited. The area consists al­most wholly of rock and wild figs andoleanders.

There are extremes of cold and heat.On page 865 of the December 1955issue of National Geographic we findthe following quotation: "In our owntime, the remoteness of Petra and itsintense summer heat and tointer coldhave limited exploration."

Petra is no garden of Eden. It is no"cloud 19."

If this is the place where God'sChurch goes to safety, it will be onewhich will present many physical diffi­culties.

If God's people are permitted to gothere they will be "cave dwellers" forthree and one-half years!

We have become used to soit living.We have become used to warm, cltybeds, hot and cold running water, cen­tral heating, and the many other multi­tudes of gadgets and appliances that arefound in the modern American house­hold. Petra is not like this.

From a physical point of view this isnor going to be the wonderful placethat many people have erroneously pic­tured. If you are looking forward to thisevent as a goal INSTEAD OF LOOKINGFOR THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST,you have the wrong goal.

(Please continue on page 10)

tion-on His Holy Sabbath. Isai-ah wasinspired to write: "... call the sabbatha delight, the holy of the Lord, honor­able; ... honor Him, not doing thineown ways, nor finding thine own pleas­ure, NOR SPEAKING THINE OWNWORDS" (Isa. 58:13). The Sabbath isthe one day we especially ought to speakof, and talk about, God's words-theBible.

At times some have even made theSabbath a burden and not a delight byspending most of their time at thehomes of brethren instead of prayingand reading and studying their Biblein their own home. The Sabbath is nota day for social fellowship-it is a dayfor personal spiritual fellowship withGod in Heaven, and with Christ. Ourspiritual fellowship with one another isalways through Christ. Most of our timeneeds to be spent with Him, in prayer,in reading and studying His Word.Then, if time permits, it is encouragingto visit on the Sabbath for a little whilethose brethren who are elderly, or af­flicted, or who have no other spiritualconract because of unconverted relativesand family. Read the Bible to them orthe magazines if they are unable to read.

But this does not mean you can beginregular visiting that leads to plannedBible study where you or someone elseinevitably becomes a kind of leader toteach all the others what he (or she)thinks he knows.

Notice what James was inspired to

write about visiting brethren: "If anyman among you seems to be religious,and bridleth not his tongue,"-talksabout worldly things, or wants to takethe lead over others in Bible study­"but deceives his own heart, this man'sreligion is vain. Pure religion and un­defiled before God and the Father isrhis, To visit the fatherless and widowsin their affliction, and to keep himselfunspotted from the world" (James1:26-27).

When the Holy Bible ceases to beyour guide, when you begin to wantyour own way, when your tongue be­gins to lead you astray-you have be­come spotted, contaminated by theworld. Your religion is vain! You have

When to VisitThe time to visit brethren as a social

occasion is during the week or after theSabbath, But being sociable does notmean being like the world. We are to

come out of the world, to be separatefrom the world, no longer to think andact like the world. Weare to think andact like God-like Jesus Chrisr. Weshould have our minds on spiritualtruth, not mundane, transitory physicalthings. If you have farm problems, talkit over from the Biblical point of view.If your brethren are feeling downcastand in need of social entertainment, in­vite them. Inspire them by your expe­riences-what God has done for andthrough you-and turn to the Bible andread Bible examples of what God didand has promised still to do for us today.

But if there is any doubtful problemthat you have never heard God's min­isters discuss before, and about whichyou are not clear, write us at Headquar­ters, or write your nearest local minister.Don't continue discussing it. Only hardfeelings can result if you are not in har­mony. This is the way God ordained tokeep unity in the Church,

The Sabbath day is not a day for so­cial visits. On occasion a convertedmate, living with an unconverted fam·ily, may feel the need to visit convertedneighbors for an hour or so for spirit­ual invigoration, But the practice of vis­iting on the Sabbath should be avoided.It is a day for us to study and pray, readand meditate on the Bible in privatecommunion with God, or togetherwherever there is a local church of God.Yet some brethren carelessly have ac­quired the habit of visiting on the Sab­bath without talking about the Bible.Shame on you!

God expressly forbids us to speak ourown words-worldly, material conversa-

What Should You Talk About?

TALK about the BIBLEwhen you visit one another!

Some brethren assume they should not TALK about the Biblewhen visiting one another, unless a minister is present. Let'sunderstand when and how we should talk about the Bible-

and to whom!by Herman L. Hoeh

minded, so worldly, that we no longerfind the Bible interesting, inspiring, theone book we most enjoy reading andtalking about? If you cannot talk aboutthe Bible with brethren during weeklysocial occasions, then you had betterstay at home, pray and read the Bibleby yourself.

We have never said you must nottalk about the Bible unless a ministeris present. We baue said you should notassemble as a local group for Biblestudy and teach each other without aminister. BUl that is something alto­gether different from occasionally visit­ing with brethren.

If the Bible isn't something youshould ever talk about, why talk at all?Why visit brethren, if you cannot talkabout the very Book that tells you boteto be brethren?

Why, the very reason you shouldwant to be with brethren, instead of theworld, is that you can discuss the Bibleand spiritual topics. If you cannot talkabout the Bible with each other, thenyou are no different from the world!The one thing that makes the peoplearound you worldly is that they havenothing else to talk about except mate­rial things and other people! The onething that ought to make your conver­sation different from the world is thatyou can talk about God and His Word!

The society around us became world­ly when it refused to retain God in itsknowledge. The world today has itsmind on the things of this world, thispresent age and time, this world's in­ventions and gadgets, its philosophiesand speculations. How many people ofthis world really talk about God and theBible and understand the Plan of God?

Are some of us becoming so material

H U N DREDS of you brethren still haveno local church. Yet you can and

do visit one another. Because God for­bids His people to assemble without aminister, some have hastily concludedthey should never discuss the Bible withbrethren unless a minister is present.

Several ministers have had brethren-who have no local church-tell them:"We visit each other on occasion dur­ing the week, sometimes on the Sab­bath. But we want you to understandthat we are especially careful 170t to talkabout the Bible! Wed iscuss personalthings, the weather, current events, bu:we keep away from Bible subjects!"

Brethren, let's understand.

10 The GOOD NEWS January, 1962

YOU May NOT ESCAPE the Tribulation!

with joyflliness and gladness of heart.God has given us abundance in our na­tion such as the rest of the world hasnot had. Do we appreciate these things?Some of us do not! Instead of beingappreciative, instead of being thankfuland giving praise to God for this greatabundance, we gripe and complain be­cause others have more, or because wedo not have what we would like tohave, or what we think we should have.

This lack of appreciation for thewonderful spiritual and physical bless­ings of God will bar some from goingto safety.

Our trials and temptations are smallnow. They are going to increase asSatan becomes more angry with God'sChurch. We must use the time wellthat God has given us to grow spirit­ually and to overcome the trials thatlie ahead. The wonderful physical bless­ings that God has given us now arcgoing to be taken away in a few years.Let's appreciate these blessings now,giving God thanks continually for sup­plying them for us. God wants us toenjoy these things to the full.

We must learn to pray daily, w ithoutintermission and with faith and fer­vency, believing God totally and com­pletely. We must learn to overcome ourown faults, to overcome Satan and theworld about us.

But one final warning.In I Cor. 10: 1-13 we are told by the

apostle Paul that all the things that hap­pened to the children of Israel in an­cient times were written ·down for ourinstruction and learning today. Are welearning these lessons? Or, are we rightnow making the same mistakes thatthey made. We must learn these lessonsor else we will never escape the thingsthat are coming on this earth.

Brethren, God is going to provide away of escape for his people. It is goingto be a hard, rutty and difficult way.But, it will be a way of joy.

Will you be among those who willbe protected and stand before JesusChrist at His coming?

Question Box(Contint~ed from page 6)

If you have a sick neighbor, it mightbe good to visit him on the Sabbath.But you should not do his chores forhim while on a Sabbath visit.

Offer your help if someone asks youonly if it is a genuine emergency-inthe case of an ox in a pit, a house onfire, or a similar situation. But do notsearch for people in trouble.

for a sor ial occ~sion, keep your conver­sation guided by what God thinks. Wedon't mean use pseudo-spiritual sound­ing phrases. It is not the spiritual wordsyou use that count, it is the spiritualthoughts you think and the spiritualdeeds you do that count! Keep yourmind on the goal-the Kingdom ofGod, and on your part in it-not on thelittle petty physical things around you.Your social visiting should never befrom a selfish, getting motive, but al­ways from a spiritual, giving motive­seeing how much you can inspire othersby your presence and conversation. Itis more blessed to give than to receive(Acts 20:36).

Lesson You Must Learn NowBut, there are important lessons that

we must learn now. "And take heed toyourselves, lest at any time your heartsbe overcharged with surfeiting (highliving), and drunkenness, and cares ofthis life and so that day come uponyou unawares" (Luke 21 :34) _ Many ofyou are over-concerned with the "highliving" of our day. You have becomeoverly concerned about the cares of thislife, and have not put the Kingdom ofGod, and the work that God has givenus to do, first in your life.

For such people the following warn­ing is sounded: "For as a snare shall itcome on all them that dwell on the faceof the whole earth" (verse 35).

"Watch ye therefore, and pray al­ways, that ye may be accounted worthyto escape all these things that shall come

(Contimted from page 8)

But it is not all bad! There will be to pass and stand before the Son ofdifficult problems, but by God's spirit man" (Luke 21:36).they can be overcome. From a spiritual Notice these things. The command ispoint of view this is going to be the to watch and pray always! Our prayersclimax and high point of the physical should be in accord with the insrruc-lives of those to whom God offers this tions that Jesus Christ gave in Matt.divine protection. This is going to be 6:9-13. With these instructions Jesusalmost a continuous "Feast of Taber- Christ gives us many things to praynacles." about in addition to praying that we

In addition to supernaturally protect- might be protected from the trials anding and guiding his people to the place temptations that are ahead. If we prayof safety, God is going to "nourish" faithfully and with our whole heart in(Rev. 12:14) his people. This nourish- this manner then we shall be accountedmerit certainly is both spiritual and worthy to escape. Some have had thephysical. erroneous idea that they should be pray-

This will be a time when God's peo- ing only to escape.pie will have opportunity to be shut This scripture does not say to prayaway from the world, to learn many to escape only but that because we praynew things about God's ways and His daily we can escape all of the thingscommands. It will be a time to grow mentioned in this chapter and stand be-spiritually. It will be a time of wonder- fore the Son of man. That is the impor-ful fellowship with God's own people. rant point that many people have over­

looked.Many are looking forward to escape.

They are not looking forward to thereturn of Jesus Christ.

For those who are not protected aremarkable and detailed prophecy isfound in Deuteronomy 28, concerningthe terrible siege and captivity that fol­lows the escape of the Church. "Becauseyou did not serve the Lord your Godwith joyfulness and gladness of heart,by reason of the abundance of allthings, therefore you shall serve yourenemies whom the Lord will sendagainst you, in hunger and thirst, innakedness and want of all things; andhe will put a yoke of iron upon yourneck until he has destroyed you" (Deut.28:47,48 RSV).

Here is one reason why some ofGod's called and chosen people will notgo to safety. They are not serving God

become like the world!It is your responsibility to properly

use your liberty to visit one another.You ought to be spiritually matureenough to know what to say.

Finally, brethren, remember this: youcan and should open your Bible andread verses about a subject that mightcome up in your conversation. How elseare you going to know exactly whatGod says about any problem? If you arenot sure about it, you have the Ambas­sador College Bible CorrespondenceCourse, the Good News and The PlainTruth and the booklets to check up in.If you don't find the answer, write us.

And when you do visit one another

IS JUDAISM the Law of Moses?This thirteenth installment reveals the truth about the Jews'laws which turned the Sabbath from a blessing into a burden-and how close some today approach this narrow-minded

attitude toward the Sabbath.by Ernest Martin

Synopsis:

W E found in the last issue that thePharisees were divided into two

Schools, the Hillel and Shammai.The Hillel School emerged the vic­

torious Pharisee group among the Jews.Within one to two hundred years afterChrist, the Jews, as a whole, gravitatedto complete devotion to the teachingsof this School. There remained rem­nants of the older denominations whichexisted in Christ's day, but these rem­nants were only individuals scatteredhere and there. Only Pharisaic Judaismbecame the real teaching of the Jews,and to this day it is the basis of con­temporary judaism,

Burdens Saddled on the PeopleThe many commandments that had

been enacted by the Pharisees from thetime of Joseph ben Joezer, "the Permit­ter," until a short time after the destruc­tion of Jerusalem, were compiled into abook about A.D. 200. This book waslater incorporated into the Jewish Tal­mud. It was called the Mishnah.

The Jewish Talmud was written overa period of years from A.D. 200 ur.t ilabout A.D. 500. The Talmud is com­posed of two sections: the originalMishnah and a commentary on theMishnah called the Gemara. The com­mentary, the Gemara, is the largest partof the Talmud. Both sections togethercomprise 34 huge volumes in the Eng­lish translation of the Jewish Talmud!

The Talmud is a vast storehouse ofJewish laws and commandments, plusthe discussions and commentaries onthem. It is not necessary to review thewhole of the Mishnah in order to un­derstand the spirit behind the Pharisaiccommands. Only certain special exam­ples of Jewish teachings are necessaryto notice. These examples illustrate thatthe Judaism of Christ's time was notthe religion of Moses!

The Perversion of the SabbathThe basic Sabbath Law of God was

not annulled by the Jewish leaders.However, it 1l'(IJ modified in many,many ways which are only hinted at inthe Scriptures.

In the divine Scriptures God does nottake volumes of texts to explain whata person's every activity on the Sabbath

should be. Rather, we find basic andfundamental principles of Sabbath ob­servance. See especially Isaiah 58: 13,14. But the Jews of Christ's day werenot content with Sabbath principles­the principles of rest from labor, of hav­ing time to study, pray, meditate and goto Sabbath service. They sought to dowhat the inspired Moses and the proph­ets never thought necessary.

The Pharisees enacted law after lawto regulate every single activity thatcould be done on the Sabbath. They dis­carded the plain principles of the Scrip­tures. They instituted in their place,without any Scripture authority, the coldand formal Sabbath rules of legalisticPharisaism, in which no real principleswere left-only a maze of exacting andover-burdensome laws.

The Sabbath laws of the Phariseeswere part of their erroneous teachingwhich prompted Christ to denouncetheir binding heavy burdens "whichwere grievous to be borne" (Matt. 23:4). And burdensome they were! Andabsurd!

Edersheim has this to say concerningthese man-devised Sabbath laws of thePharisees. "They will show ... how ur­rerly unspiritual the whole system was,and how it required no small amount oflearning and ingenuity to avoid com­mitting grievous sin" (Life and Timesof JeHU the Messiah, vol. ii, p. 779).

There is a direct analogy between thelaws of the Rabbis and those of theGreek philosopher Plato. The Jewishhistorian, Moses Hodas, admits: "Therabbis were men of faith, and their ob­ject was the service of religion, but theirmethod for securing discipline was, likePlato's, to provide authority for men'ss-mallest actions" (Hellenistic Cttltttre,p. 82). Such laws as enacted by theRabbis were never conceived until afterHellenistic influence had implanteditself strongly in Palestine.

Let us notice some of their man-madecommandments concerning Sabbath ob­servance.

First of all, the Pharisees decreed aperson would be guilty of breaking theSabbath if he carried from one place toanother any food which weighed asmrccb as a dried fig! Only the weightof half a dried fig or an olive was al-

lowed, otherwise it would be considered,by the Pharisees, as work, and was pro­hibited (Shabbath, 28a, 70b, 71a).

A person would also be guilty of des­ecrating the Sabbath, in their eyes, if hecarried more than one suialloio of milkor enottgh oil to anoint a smal] part ofthe body (Shabbath, 76b).

Even to carry a sheet of paper wasforbidden (Shabbath, 78a).

If a fire broke out on the Sabbath ina person's home, he could carry out onlythe necessary food for the Sabbath. Itwas interpreted in this manner: If afire broke out Sabbath evening (Fridaynight), the owner could take out enoughfood for three meals; if the fire brokealit on Sabbath afternoon, he could takeOut only enough .food for one meal. Allthe rest of the food had to be left toburn up with the building, for thePharisees prohibited putting out such afire-that would be working and con­stitute a grievous sin (Shabbath, 115a­U8b) .

Also, the victim could take out onlylleLe~~ary clothes. It was permissible,however, for a person to pllt on a fewextra clothes, as long as they were worn.Thus, a person could take out someclothes from the burning building, takethem off, then go back and put on moreclothes, continuing until he was unableto reenter the building (Shabbath,120a) .

It would be possible to go on and onwith a multitude of similar examples.Bur from these few, the carnal spirit ofSabbath legislation of the Pharisees canbe seen.

Christ's Teaching About theSabbath

Christ taught the Jewish people thetrue spiritual intent of the Sabbath.God's Sabbath is not a burden to man.It is a spiritual blessing. Christ said:'The Sabbath was made FOR man, andnot man for the Sabbath. Therefore theSon of man is Lord also of the Sabbath"(Mark 2:27, 28).

To do good works on the Sabbath,however, was forbidden by the Phari­sees. Notice how they sought to accuseChrist for healing a person on the Sab­bath.

"And He entered again into the syna-

12

gogue; and there was a man there whichhad a withered hand. And they watchedhim whether he would heal him on thesabbath day; THAT THEY MIGHTACCUSE HIM. And He saith unto theman which had a withered hand, Standforth. And He saith unto them, is itlawful to do good on the Sabbath days,or to do eZJil?" (Mark 3: 1-4). ThePharisees could hardly answer the ques­tion, and they did not! They knew thatthey could not say it was right to doevil. But they also knew that their lawsforbade doing this kind of good on theSabbath. So, the Pharisees "held theirpeace."

The Washing of the HandsThe Phnrisees had mnny other hllt­

densome commandments such as the rit­ualistic washing of the hands before eat­ing. The Bible records the attitude ofJesus and His disciples to these com­mandments of men.

"Then came together unto Him thePharisees and certain of the scrihes,which came from Jerusalem. And whenthey saw some of His disciples eat breadwith defiled, that is to say with un­washen hands, they found fault. For thePharisees and all the Jews, except theywash, they eat not ... Then the Phariseesand scribes asked Him, 'Why walk notThy disciples according to the traditionof the elders, but eat bread with un­washen hands?'" (Mark 7:1-5).

The Pharisees called this rite a cus­tom of the elders, of Moses and theprophets. But it was nothing of thekind. Edersheim gives reference to thefact that the washing of the hands wassimilar to rites that were used inheathen religious ceremonies (Life andTimes of Jesus the Messiah, vol. ii, p 9,note 2). There can be no doubt thatmany of these foolish rites of so-calledcleanliness came directly from heathen­ism during the time the Jews were un­der the domination of Hellenism. AsLauterbach says:

"Certain religious practices, consid­ered by the later teachers as part of thetraditional law, or as handed down fromMoses, originated in reality from other,perhaps non-Jewish sources, and had noauthority other than the authority of thepeople who adopted them. This, ofcourse, reflects unfavorably upon theauthority of the traditional law in gen­eral" (Rabbinic Essays, p. 241).

The first traces of the rrad irion ofwashing the hands before meals, in aritualistic sense (the rite was never in­tended to be strictly a Mosaic hygienicone), is found in certain Jewish writ­ings having their origin in Egypt imme­diately following the period of the reli-

The GOOD NEWS

gious anarchy-about 160 B.C. In theSibylline Books, there is mention ofsome Egyptian Jews continually wash­ing their hands in connection withprayer and thanksgiving (Sibyl, iii, 591593). The Jews in Palestine were alsousing this new custom. However, Eder­sheim tells us: "It was reserved forHillel and Shammai, the two great rivalteachers and heroes of Jewish tradition­alism, immediately bef~re Christ, to fixthe Rabbinic ordinance about the washing of hands ... This was one of the fewpoints on which they agreed ..." (Lifeand Times of Jesus the Messiah, vol.ii, p. 13).

This particular rite was made intoLaw just before the days of Christ.Edersheim continues, concerning thisrite: "It was so strictly enjoined, thatto neglect it was like being guilty ofgross carnal defilement. Its omissionwould lead to temporal destruction, or,at least, to poverty. Bread eaten withunwashen hands was as if it had beenfilth. Indeed, a Rabbi who had held thiscommand in contempt was actuallyburied in excommunication" (ibid., vol.ii, pp. 9, 10).

Washing of Pots, Pans, Cups,Tables

Connected with the religious rite ofwashing the hands before meals was thecustom of ritualistically cleansing anyarticle which might be considered tohave ever come in contact with any un­clean thing. The Pharisees were evermeticulous in matters such as this.

They were especially concerneel aboutcleansing any article that may have beentouched or manufactured by a Gentile.

"They [the Gentiles} should, so faras possible, be altogether avoided, ex­cept in cases of necessity or for the sakeof business. They and theirs were de­lileel; their houses unclean, as conraining idols or things dedicated to them;their feasts, their joyous occasions, theirvery contact, was polluted by idolatry;and there was no security, as if aheathen were left alone in a room, thathe might not, in wantonness or by care­lessness, defile the wine or meat on thetable, or the oil or wheat in the store.Under such circumstances, therefore,everything must be regarded as havingbeen rendered unclean" (ibtd., vol. i,p.92).

Theirs was a physical, carnal religion-not spiritual worship.

"Milk drawn by a heathen, if a Jewhad not been present to watch it, breadand oil prepared by them, were unlaw­ful. Their wine was wholly interdicted-the mere touch of a heathen polluteda whole cask; nay, even to put one's

January, 1962

nose to heathen wine was strictly pro­hibited!" (ibid., vol. i, p. 92).

Because the Pharisees did not wantto take any chances on any of theirutensils being defiled, they kept up themeticulous custom of washing theircups, potS, brazen vessels, and theirtables (Mark 7: 4). Indeed, not onlywere the Pharisees afraid the heathenmight deliberately defile some of theirutensils, but even the Common Peopleof the Jews were distrusted and lookedupon with disdain by the Pharisees.

"As an Israelite avoided as far as pos­sible all contact with a heathen, lest heshould thereby be defiled, so did thePharisee avoid as far as possibte contactwith the non-Pharisee, because the lat­ter to him included in the notion of theunclean Am ha-aretz [the commonJew}" (Schurer, The Jewish People inthe Time of Jesus Christ, sec. ii, voL ii,p.24).

The Common People of the Jewswere considered unclean by the Phari­sees because they did not hold to thestrict rules of the traditions of theelders. Notice some of the opinionsabout the Common People that thePharisees held, in the Talmud:

"The garments of the Am ha-aretz[the Common People} are unclean forthe Perushim (the Pharisees]" Chagiga,ii, 7).

"If the wife of a Chaber [an associate,member of the Pharisee fraternity} hasleft the wife of an Am ha-aretz grind­ing in her house, the house is uncleanif the mill stops; if it goes on grinding,only unclean so far as she can reach bystretching out her hand" (Tohoroth,vii, 4).

The meaning of the last quotation isthat only the flour that was in arm'sreach of the Commoner was unclean,all the rest, which could not be touchedby her, out of arm's reach, was stillclean.

From these quotations, you can seejust how ridiculous, how absurd thePharisaic commandments were!

Pharisees Could Not AssociateWith Common People

Even though the Pharisees were therulers of the synagogues, and thoughsome of the Common People consist­ently attended them, nevertheless, thePharisees remained aloof socially. ThePharisee was not to invite a commonperson into his home, nor was he togo into the home of a commoner.

"A Chaber [an associate of the Phari­see fraternity} does not go as a guestto an Am ha-arerz nor receive him asa guest within his walls" (Demai, ii, 3).

You can imagine what this snobbish

This Could be YOUR ChildThe frightening moral decay of Americanschools is revealed in this outstanding letter

quoted below!

January, 1962

exclusiveness of the Pharisees did to thereligious zeal of the Common People.No wonder that most of the peoplestayed away from the synagogues ruledby the Pharisees.

The Pharisees looked upon the Com­mon People as having on them a curseof God since they did not follow therules of the Pharisees. In the New Tes­tament it is recorded that the Phariseesaccusingly asked an officer: "Are yealso deceived? Have any of the rulersor of the Pharisees believed on Him?But this people [the multitudes, the Amha-aretz] who knoweth not the law arecursed" (John 7:47-49).

The example of Christ and the dis­ciples, by contrast, was one of love andcompassion for the people at large. Nowonder many of the people were begin­ning to believe on Christ-these werethe Am ha-aretz.

"And He went forth again by theseaside; and all the multitude [the Com­mon People] resorted unto Him, andHe taught them. And as He passed by,He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sit­ting at the receipt of custom, and saidunto him, 'Follow me.' And he aroseand followed Him. And it came to pass,that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house,many publicans [tax collectors] and sin­ners [the ordinary term used by thePharisees for the Common People] satalso together with Jesus and His dis­ciples: for there were many and theyfollowed Him. And when the scribesand Pharisees saw Him eat with publi­cans and sinners, they said unto His dis­ciples, 'How is it that He eareth anddrinketh with publicans and sinners?'When Jesus heard it, He saith untothem, 'They that are whole have no needof the physician, but they that are sick:I came not to call the righteous, butsinners to repentance" (Mark 2: 13-17 ) .Also Matt. 9:9-13 and Luke 5:27-32.

The Pharisees would not have thoughtfor a moment of going into the homeof a commoner and partaking of a mealwith him. That was just not done! Itwas the practice of Christ and His dis­ciples to eat with the Am ha-aretz­the Common People.

Christ's opinion of the ridiculous andsnobbish commandments of the Phari­sees is summed up in Mark 7:4-8.Notice! "And when they come from themarket [where many Common Peopleworked}, except they wash, they eat not.And many other things there be, whichthey have received to hold, as the wash­ing of ClIPS, and pots, brasen vessels, andof tables. Then the Pharisees and scribesasked Him, 'Why walk not Thy dis­ciples according to the tradition of theelders, but eat bread with unwashen

The GOOD NEWS

hands?' He answered and said untothem, 'Well hath Isaiah prophesied ofyou hypocrites, as it is written, Thispeople honoureth me with their lips,but their heart is far from me. Howbeitin vain do they worship me, teachingfor doctrines the commandments ofmen. For laying aside the command­ment of God, ye hold the tradition ofmen, as the washing of pots and cups:AND MANY OTHER SUCH LIKETHINGS YE DO.' And He said untothem, 'Full well ye reject the command­ment of God, that ye may keep yourown tradition.'''

Christ Kept Scripture CommandsChrist taught the disciples to obey the

commandments of God and reject thecommandments of men. Actually, Christcame to restore the Laws of God amonga people who had lost them. The Phari­sees had become blind leaders of theblind (Matt. 15: 14).

"Take heed and beware of the leavenof the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."The disciples, upon hearing this remarkof Christ, thought He was talking ofleavening that was put in bread to make

"Dear Mr. Armstrong:"Last Friday in the classroom of a

Brooklyn grade school, one of the pu­pils stole twenty-five cents from a teach­er's desk. When the children in theclass were called upon to identify theone who took the coin, a little nineyear old girl revealed the thief's name.The confederates of the crook thenmade a resolution to 'get her.'

"The teacher who indiscreetly showedsuch a fervent passion for her twenty­five cents failed to show the same con­cern for the one child who was willingto sacrifice her safety to truthfully saywhat had happened to the coin. Thechild was therefore left unprotected to

save herself from the vengeful mob." 'Yea,' as the prophet Isaiah has said,

'truth faileth; and he that deparrethfrom evil maketh himself a prey.'

"And after school, like unleasheddogs, over twenty self-bred little mani­acs jumped on the innocent child andproceeded to show her some of the prin­ciples of this 'Christian' society.

"Boys held her while the girl whostole the money-she already .has apolice record-clawed at the innocent

13

it rise. Then Christ answered: "How isit that ye do not understand that I spakeit not to you concerning bread, that yeshould beware of the leaven of thePharisees and of the Sadducees? Thenthey understood how that He bade themnot beware of the leaven of bread, butof the doctrine of the Pharisees and ofthe Sadducees" (Matt. 16:6-12).

Christ came to a Jewish world which,in most part, had totally left the simpleLaws of the Scriptures. Most of the peo­ple were not really religious at all. TheCommon People, over 95 % of the pop­ulation, were truly sheep without ashepherd.

Christ came into a world whichneeded Him and His Message. Theyneeded God's Laws and His command­ments restored. God the Father, at theappropriate time, sent His Son into theworld to give it the unadulterated Lawsof the Scripture in their full spiritualsignificance. Christ not only came to re­store the Scripture as the proper guide(Q the people. He also came with theNew Testament revelation which gavecompleteness to the Scripture.

(To be continued next issue)

child's face, bloodied and scarred it,knocked out one of her teeth, bruisedher lip, and continued with others toassault her as she frantically tried toyank herself free and race home.

"They finally left her as she reachedher house. The nightmare was over.

"Later, after her mother had com­forted her, washed her face, and exam­ined her swollen mouth, they learnedthat the tooth, although not then readyto come out, was not a permanent one.

"She might have been hurt consider­ably more had she lived too far to havekept running, or had she slipped andfallen.

"The following day Novella Eurewas at Sabbath services with her par­ents. She did not grumble or show anybitterness after the sickening heart­rending ordeal she had experienced. Shewas even joyful. Her attitude was in­deed an inspiration to all who knowwhat she had suffered.

"It is a blessing to know that theKingdom of God will be established onthis earth, when a child will not bemade to suffer for telling the truth.

"The instruction which enables us to

(Continued from page 1)

How to Handle Your Finances!

14

train our chidlren to be obedient in­stead of rebellious and to love insteadof hate in no way resembles the mod­ern psychotic methods of today's child­rearing authorities. Thank you so muchfor showing us God's way,

"May He continue to provide youwith the health, strength and guidance

people who complain about lack offunds! What a paradox!

Every person should begin right nowto LIVE WITHIN HIS MEANS!Never try to over-extend. Problemswould not result if this BASIC RULEwere followed diligently. Somehow peo­ple begin to think a certain wage in­crease will solve their problems. Thereis the idea that more money to spendwithout proper management will solveit. This is not the easel In fact, moremoney is usually a temptation to spendmore-whether you can afford it or nor.You can add insult to injury if you arenot ready for an increase!

Individuals who are unemployed­who have no income whatsoever-cometo God's ministers. Their problem is toget money coming in. But so many whohold good jobs making $75 a week orup to $200 a week still have moneyproblems. But just in case you still thinkyou would nor have problems if yoursalary were greatly increased read whatSolomon wisely advises, "The sleep ofa labouring man is suieet, whether heeat little or much: but the abundanceof the rich WILL NOT SUFFER HIMTO SLEEP" (Eccl. 5: 12 ). Better it is tohave a humble, happy home than toworry over how to handle and protectriches!

The love of money has caused asmuch war, striie, hatred, animosity, andturmoil as nearly anything in the world!Friends have parted, marriages havebroken up, children have left home, andmen have committed suicide-all be­cause of money! And yet, it is HUMANNATURE to want more money! Wecomplain and grumble if we don't getit. Remember always that you will nevercome to the point, of your own humanwill, that you will not want moremoney. You must learn God's way to

use your income!So learn to manage what you have!

There are principles of financing Godwants you to learn. It is absolutely nec­essary for you to learn these lessons ifyou ever will qualify to take over theentire head of government of states andcities under Jesus Christ! There you will

The GOOD NEWS

necessary in performing His work."Respectfully, in Christian love,

Andrew Martin Archer

PS. The opportunity to see and speakto you at the Feast gave great joy to myfamily and me. And thank you so verymuch for the sermon!

be a King or Priest handling finances.construction, and redevelopment of theentire world. Your position depends onyour ability to handle what you haveand improve by overcoming to the end.

God has instituted a system of financ­ing and apportionment which most ofthis world has totally ignored. It is theonly way to really learn proper man­agement. This system, which even Abra­ham practiced and obeyed (Gen. 14:20), is TITHING. Tithing enableseach wage earner to take a percentageof his increase to use for his own needs-90% of all he earns. The first 10%belongs to God and must faithfully beset aside and used by God's Church toproclaim the warning message to thisentire world before Jesus Christ comesto set up God's Kingdom on earth.Obedience to this principle yields God'smerciful blessings and leads to financialcapabilities never known before. But allthis is not without proper management.You must learn to handle that 90% ofyour earnings properly!

Because God does not always in­crease a salary, many have wondered ifGod will bless them. Members of God'schurch often read letters written to Mr.Atmstrong telling how much God hasadded after they began to tithe. Somereceive large inheritances. Others arepromoted on their jobs, or offered abetter job with higher pay. But on theother hand, some 10Je jobJ, or must takea position of lower pay for a period oftime.

What many fail to realize-even inexamples of decrease in pay-is thatafter tithes are taken OtIC that 90% al­ways goes as far, and in many casesfarther than the 100% ever did before.If you begin to rely completely on God,expensive doctor bills are eliminated,failures to crops are less and less, busi­ness appointments prove successful, andgeneral emergencies that cause cash out­go to increase happen far less fre­quently. All these add to greater bless­ings-and when we recognize it-Godwill add increase. Hundreds have re­marked there seems to be an unwrittenlaw which cannot be put down on paper

January, 1962

-a law that causes what money youhave to always stretch to be enough.

God has promised, "Seek ye first thekingdom of God, and his righteousness;and all these thingJ shall be added untoyou (all the necessities of life)" (Matt.6: 33). There are three necessities: (1)Food, (2) Clothing, and (3) Shelter.Expensive furniture, automatic washers,television and Hi-Fi sets, a second carfor the family, double ovens, and manyother modern "conveniences" shouldonly be peacbased as one is able and hasthe money. These are certainly wonder­ful to have-God would like everyoneto enjoy this type of physical prosperity-but onlv after we have learned tohandle them and use them properly.

The tithing system teaches us wemust get by on what we have-thenlook to God to provide what HeKNOWS we SHOULD HAVE! Outof the 90S';· we have, there are stillpercentages which God tells us how tohandle-he gives us advice on how toapportion our money to the best usepossible. Few have applied the princi­ples in the right way.

An important rule in financing is toAPPROPRIATE MONEY FOR THEMOST IMPORTANT ITEMS FIRST-leave the less important till last! Ifyou cannot afford something you wouldlike to have, wait until you can.

When you receive your check, howdo you treat it? What obligations doyou pay first? If you look to God forprovision, you will always set aside Histithe the very first thing.

The chances are that Uncle Sam willalready have his part taken out beforeyou even see your check. He is abso­lutely certain of that. However, taxesare still not the most important. Theyare not even second most important.But since they are raken Out we musthonor and respect the laws. Christ said,"... Then saith he unto them, Rendertherefore unto Caesar the things whichare Caesar's; and unto God the thingsthat are God's" (Matt. 22: 21). Thiswill probably take from 8% on up to

50% of your income, depending uponwhat your wages are. Generally it willamount to 15% as an average. Thegreater number of deductions, the lessthat will be also.

The next most important deductionis not a bill outstanding. It is somethingGod knows we would not do unless Hetold us. So He commands US to savewhat we would not ordinarily set aside.This is the SECOND TITHE! Althoughthis term is not found in the Bible, theLAW is very clear as to its use and thenecessity to save it. No matter howlarge or how small our incomes are,

January, 1962

Go~ deals with us on the same per­centage-another 10%. This is equal tothe first tithe and figured on the totalearning or increase. This is another lawof financing! Many have had the ideathis is to be saved when a family canafford it, or if any is left over after thebills are paid. And for tbis reason manywho should be attending God's Feast ofTabernacles every fall, are nor there!God instructs us in Deur. 14:22-23,"Thou shalt truly tithe all the increaseof thy seed, that the field bringeth forthyear by year. And thou shalt eat beforethe LORD thy God, in ibe place whichhe shall choose to place his name there,the tithe of thy corn, or thy wine, andof thine oil, and the firstlings of thyherds and of thy flocks; THAT THOUMAYEST LEARN TO FEAR THELORD THY GOD ALWAYS."

How important is it? So importantthat God commands it-it is not a sug­gestion-it is the only way to learn howto enjoy life and handle your finances!This is not mOlley ({J go into God'sChurch for the gospel. It is your own"VACADON FUND" to travel to

God's commanded Feast Days. Thosewho do not save this tithe DO NOTFEAR AND TREMBLE before Godand are going the way that leads tototal bankruptcy and total financial fail­ure in less than 15 years! At that timemoney will be worthless! Those whonow have a love in this world for richeswill abhor the thought of money andbeg forgiveness from God. God help LIS

to set our minds on the proper use ofmoney now so we can gain the truespiritual riches when Jesus Christ re­turns!

Next there is still a vitally importantlaw of financing which God tells us to

set aside. This is what we clarify inprinciple as the THIRD TITHE! Again,it is 10% of the total amount of in­come, equal in amount to the first titheand the second tithe. This, however, isnot taken every month or every year.It is to be taken only two times in aseven-year period counted from theyear you are baptized. The two yearsyou save this tithe arc the third andsixth. In each of these years you mustset aside 10% of that particular year'sincrease. This tithe is to be used inGod's Church for a special purpose. "Atthe end of three years THOU SHALTBRING FORTH ALL THE TITHEOF THINE INCREASE THE SAMEYEAR, and shalt lay it up within thygates: and the Levite, (because he hathno part nor inheritance with thee), andthe stranger, and the fatherless, and thewidow, which are within thy gates,shall come, and shall eat and be saris-

The GOOD NEWS

lied; that the LORD thy God may blessthee in all the work of thine handwhich thou doest" (Deur, 14:28-29).God gives us a special opportunity tobe of service in this way to those whohave no means of providing for them­selves.

The third tithe year is something to

make plans for during the two yearsleading into the third. For example, anew car should not be purchased in thethird tithe year if it will interfere withbills and payments ordinarily incurred.Buy a car, if needed, during the twoyears prior. Any other large purchasessuch as major appliances or furnitureshould be purchased in the same man­ner. Many are caught at this time withbig bills and then reason God does notexpect them to pay third tithe. Breth­ren, these tithes-all three of them­ARE ABSOU JTELY COMMANDEDOF GOD!! It is necessary to pay themif we ever expect to learn how to prop­erly manage our finances and get our offinancial adversity-to ever know whatit is like not to have bill collectors orto have valuable items repossessed.

Once these tithes are appropriatelyset aside you are ready to apportionyour earnings to your needs and theneeds of your family. This will naturallyvary grt:atly depending upon the sectionof the country in which you live. Butthere are definite principles which youmust follow if you properly budget yourmoney and expect to know how it isspent.

Often a member brings financialproblems to one of God's ministers.When we ask how they presently spendtheir money, very few are able to ac­count for more than the major expenses.In working out problems it is necessaryto keep records of approximately howmuch you spend for groceries, enter­tainment, clothing, car expense, andother minor items. If you do not keepsomewhat of a record, you will notknow how to save or cur down ex­penses. And it well could be you havenot used the money you do have verywisely!

How Much for Rent?How much should you spend for

rent? What should the average family'sgrocery bill be? Let's assume you are theaverage American family of four. Yourtwo children play an important part inyour planning. The chances are youmake an average salary of approximately$100.00 per week or nearly $5,000.00per year. However, many who live inrural areas don't make this much. Thereare widows and pensioners who onlyhave small incomes. No matter how

15

much less or more than this averageyou make, it still is necessary to handleyour. money wisely to use it to themaximum,

The rule of thumb is not to spendmore than 25% of your monthly in­come-after taxes and tithes are re­moved-for RENT. Your total housingexpense-rent or mortgage payment,urilities and repairs should not be overthis percentage. This is a major item.If you are older and have alreadypurchased your home, this will helpgreatly. Most must reconcile themselvesto this high rent and adjust whereverthey can. The place to adjust is not fromtithes-it is from living expense whichis to follow.

For Groceries?When you have a place to live, gro­

ceries and foodstu.ffs are the next mostimportant items. The average here is tospend abour 20% of the monthly in­come. Of course this is up to a point-and larger salaries can apportion agreater percent to other needs. Yourgrocery bill should include the ordinaryhousehold items pnrchased at the gro­cery store. Those in farming communi­ties will naturally have a much lowerfood bill than those in metropolitanareas. So learn what is best for you.Families with numerous children mustsee that their budget allows for an ade­quate, wholesome diet. Food is not theplace to skimp. Cut down elsewhere inyour wants.

If you are careful, watch for specials,learn to eat more fruits and vegetablesthan meat, you will cur down enor­mously. Many are totally unaware of thecost of certain items. Often wives arein roo big a hurry to notice prices. Inthis department the wife plays a veryimportant part. A woman who does notknow how to buy or prepare food is ahandicap to the family. Bur a diligentand wise woman is prized above rubies(Prov. 31: 10). If you will read Provo31 you will see how a woman can savein the family budgeting. "She riserhalso while it is yet night, and givethmeal to her household, and a portionto her maidens" (v. 15), "... with thefruit of her hands she planteth a vine­yard" (v. 16), "She perceiveth that hermerchandise is good" (v. 18), "Shelooketh well to the ways of her house­hold, and eateth not the bread of idle­ness" (v. 27), "Give her of the fruitof her hands; and let her own workspraise her in the gates" (v. 31). If careis used along with wisdom the bills canbe cut and the family can actually eatbetter.

From now on there are many minor

16

expenses. It is in these that a family canbecome bogged down and have finan­cial worry and grief. Automobile insur­ance, expense to travel for church serv­ices, if you live in a church area, ex­pense for travel to work, and repairs,become the next most important. With­out transportation you perhaps will bewithout a means to earn a living. Select­ing an automobile you can afford andkeeping it up are very important.

Insurance for your car and any life .insurance you may carry should be keptwithin your range. In some cases peoplego in the hole on insurance they do noreven need. In all cases carry at least theminimum insurance required by theState. Some, who have neglected tocarry insurance find after an accidentthat they are facing economic ruin. Re­member, to buy auto insurance is thebest way to save money! If you thinkaccidents cannot happen, read the articleon "Accidents Do Happen!" in a pastissue of the Good News. Never let thisget our of the proportion of about 5%.

Clothing will be a major item if youhave growing children. Here you mustbuy what you can afford-looking forsales and specials, but without compro­mising on quality! This should also beabout 5% of the monthly income. Per­haps other incidentals can be purchasedat random when you can cut cornersand save. Ali-in-all, there is not muchmore that can be done on the averagesalary. Certain sacrifices must be made.Be willing to go without until you havethe financial means. Keep in mind, also,that these percentages may zlary greatlyaccording to your needs. It may not costnearly as much for you to provide trans­portation in some areas as in others. Butjuggle them to fit your entire income.What each of us must do is calculatehow we can arrive at a means of balanc­ing our budgets to fit 0111 needs,

Don't Live Beyond Your MeansPart of the problem is that many peo­

ple want to live above and beyond theirmeans and invariably find themselves introuble! Many purchases are bought inhaste and regret follows when paymentscannot be made. As stated earlier, learnto be satisfied with what you have-im­prove as you learn, and with care!"Keeping up with the joneses" is an oldadage that has a lot of truth in it. Fortoo often families buy something outof covetousness, or jealousy for whatsomeone else has. Even people in God'sChurch can be guilty of this. When onebrother is able to buy a new set of fur­niture for the living room, anotherbrother feels he has to keep up or peo­ple will nor want to come to his house.

The GOOD NEWS

This is a major cause for financial woe.One family found itself in trouble by

building up large charge accounts-al­ways hoping to pay for it later. Theybought expensive clothing and house­hold items. The advertisement about"only $.50 a day" looked cheap. Butafter several such purchases he foundhimself obligated for over $100.00 permonth for the next three years andmore. He couldn't make payments andlost everything plus his original invest­ment of quite a sum. This brings up aquestion many have asked: "Should wehave charge accounts?" Or, "what aboutcredit cards?"

An ordinary charge account can bea good thing IF it is used properly-ifit is a convenience and not a handicap.NOT all people can handle them be­cause some will invariably overcharge.Others can keep them within theirbudget and are able to purchase thingsthey would have had to wait severalmonths for. You must judge yourself.It is better, in many cases, not to usethem. To pay cash is far better.

In making long term or monthly pay­ments you will usually have to pay atleast 10% interest- (don't let the signsfool you on low interest) -it is a largeamount in the long run, However, someof US could not purchase these items ifit were not for charge accounts-learnto use them properly and as little aspossible.

Naturally a new home will have tobe financed in most cases. If you everwill be buying a home it is acceptedgenerally to pay abour three times yourannual income for the home. So ifyou are the average American making$5000 a year you should purchase ahome for about $15,OOO-financing itfor 20 or 25 years will bring your pay­ments including interest and insuranceto about $100 a month in most cases.But many try to move into a $20,000home and find they lose their entire in­vestment. So use caution in purchasinga new home and be certain you canafford the payments according to yoursalary.

Also, each family should be layingaside a small sum for funeral expenses.Perhaps the cheapest way is to purchaseburial insurance if you have first care­fully examined it.

After all these necessities, you havestill nor cared for everything. One ma­jor item has been left till the last for aspecific reason. If we faithfully use wis­dom and discretion and OBEDIENTLYuse our money as God commands, Hehas promised to bless us even more.And according to these blessings wegive God special thanks as our ability

January, 1962

allows.God indicts this nation for ROB­

BING Him. When asked how we haverobbed Him, God answers, "IN TITHESAND OFFERINGS" (Mal. 3:8). Andthe Apostle Paul added in II Cor. 9:6-9,"Mark this: he who sows sparingly willreap sparingly, and he who sows GEN­EROUSLY will reap a generous harvest.Everyone is to give what he has madeup his mind to give; there is to be nogrudging or compulsion about it, forGOD LOVES THE GIVER WHOGIVES CHEERFULLY. God is able tobless you with ample means, so that youmay always have quite enough for anyemergency of your own and ample be­sides for any kind act to others .. :'(Moffatt Translation). God has grantedus abundance-even if it is a smallamount-and we are commanded to ex­press our appreciation to him in specialofferings.

Further, we can have a great part inthe very work of God by pledging tothe property fund-this is equally im­portant in your handling of finances.There can be no greater blessing thanyou have in being a part of the finalend-time WORK OF JESUS CHRIST.Although these may be last mentioned,they are by no means least important.Do your best to extend wherever pos­sible to make your part here evengreater!

These are principles to guide you indirecting your income more efficiently.These are not musts in every case. Thereare many exceptions to rules of budget­ing. The main thing is for you to learnwhere you can cut or save-to be awareof how you are spending what GODHAS GIVEN YOU! Learn to manageGod's way should be a motto in yourlife.

Consider now why you want yourfinancial worries solved. Is it so you canafford more and better possessions inthis world? Or is it so you can have agreater, more active part in God'sWork? James said, "Ye ask, and receivenot, because ye ask amiss, that YE MAYCONSUME IT UPON YOUR LUSTS"(James 4: 3). If you have wanted moremoney out of a lust for material wealth,if you have vanity and only want tokeep up with the neighbors, if youare jealous of another's prosperity, thechances are God will never add an in­crease to you. YOU MUST LEARNTHE LESSON of TOTAL SELFLESSNESS and have an attitude of GIV­ING! Then God will make it possiblefor you to have the active, PROSPER­OUS life that leads to satisfaction inserving! You will be a better managerand God WILL increase your income.'