April 22, 1976  
April 22, 1976 - Brethren & Co-Workers Letter
QR Code
Herbert W Armstrong 

WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
WORLD HEADQUARTERS
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91123

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
President and Pastor

Rome, Italy
April 22, 1976

Dear Co-Workers and Brethren,

    Here in Rome the big news is the Italian political crisis. Combined with other events, this could lead to an explosive WORLD CRISIS such as never shook this world before.

    It's not my intention to report the news, but to EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANS—WHERE IT MAY LEAD—how it may shake up YOUR LIFE! News reporters and newscasters may report the news. But they cannot EXPLAIN it! They do not know what IS PROPHESIED.

    Here, first, are the briefest highlights of the EXPLOSIVE SITUATION at the moment.

    In Rome violence is mounting. Communists are now predicting a win in the forthcoming national election. It's the struggle between Communism and Capitalism. An oil company executive was shot in ambush here yesterday. The government—Premier Aldo Moro now exists only in name—is actually in chaos. In big print on the cover of Newsweek, on newsstands here yesterday, is the question: "ITALY ON THE BRINK?" with the picture [and inside cover story] of Communist leader Enrico Berlinguer.

    Put this together with the Communist uprisings in Spain and Portugal and other European countries and you have a more EXPLOSIVE situation than is realized!

    Put all this together with the mounting troubles within the Roman Catholic Church—and put this together with BIBLICAL PROPHECY— and the stage is all set for the greatest crisis of world troubles in the history of this world.

    Within the Roman Catholic Church, more and more priests and nuns are breaking the church traditional authority and are marrying. An ever-increasing number of lay Catholics in America and Europe are defying the church edict on marital sex relations. The Vatican must know that unless this drift away from church authority is broken by sharp and drastic action, disintegration threatens the largest church or religion in the world.

    Biblical prophecy indicates the strong possibility right now of a sudden sensational and world shaking drastic move by Pope Paul—or, the possibility of his abdication and the emergence of a new Pope of iron will—who will propose what the nations of Europe have all wanted, but have been unable to bring about—a politically united Europe!

    The political leaders of Europe have been unable to bring this political union about. But an offer from the Pope to use the power of his office to join the nations together in a resurrection of the "Holy Roman Empire" would bring it about.

    If antireligion Communism wins political dominance of Europe as the present TREND indicates, that would just about sound the death knell of Roman Catholicism in Europe.

    This unprecedented situation now calls for sudden and drastic action. It would mean UNION once again of church and state in Europe. It would mean a common currency for a union of ten nations in Europe. It could mean one military force, which would be as strong—possibly more so—as the U.S.A. or the U.S.S.R.

    The loss of Europe's faith in America to protect her from the Soviet Union is another trend leading directly to such an eventuality as I have described.

    Sooner or later such a European union will take place. I have predicted this for 43 years!

    It will ASTOUND and DUMBFOUND the WHOLE WORLD when it happens. The time is now RIPE!

    All over the world, TERRORISM and VIOLENCE are mounting.

    Headlines in this morning's English language Rome newspaper: "TERRORISM WAVE HITS U.S. PROPERTY IN GREECE." "P.L.A. MOVES INTO BEIRUT BUFFER ZONE, DIVIDES FOES." "INDIA, BANGLADESH, ACCUSE EACH OTHER OF BORDER ATTACKS." "WEST BANK TENSION RISES IN FOURTH DAY OF ARAB RIOTS," etc., etc.—all on the front page.

    Put some more current happenings together with the foregoing analysis. As I have repeatedly said recently, the governments of nations are being overthrown at the rate of one a month around the world. There has been a recent major shakeup in the government of Red China. The cover story of this week's Time shows many Eastern European nations within the "Iron Curtain" of Communism, looking at Western prosperity, becoming more and more dissatisfied with Russian domination. This sets the stage for some of these Communist nations— possibly East Germany, Poland, Romania, etc.—breaking with Moscow in the event of the resurrection of the "Holy Roman Empire" and coming into the new United Europe.

    Put all this together with Secretary of State Kissinger's new "domino theory" of Europe—he sees the possibility of one European nation after another toppling and going Communist—and, as I have said, the stage seems set for this tremendous event.

    BUT WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN TO US—in the Work of the Living God for this end time? It means IT MAY BE MUCH LATER THAN WE THINK! It means our work may be finished WHEN this happens!

    It means an upsurge of income for God's Work is now a MUST!

    And the stage is set for that, too. While here in Italy there is almost economic disaster, the lira is in a serious low, American business is doing much better! Economic conditions are much improved in the U.S.A. This should make it possible for our co-workers, as a whole, by making rigid sacrifices, to greatly increase tithes and contributions for God's Work! Certainly God has done HIS part! I'm trying with all out effort to do mine.

    Garner Ted is doing his part; new radio and television stations are being added continually, as we continue to step out on faith in shouting this warning message. I know most of you are striving to do YOUR part; sacrificing to hold up our hands as we continually work to find more powerful and effective ways to reach the whole world with Christ's Gospel of the Kingdom. Will you PRAY with us that many MORE will be inspired to HELP SHARE this great burden? Ask God to open thousands of hearts and minds to see the great need; prevail upon Him to somehow move many more to HELP in this great Work! To all of you who are helping with all you can, THANK YOU, so much! To those who can do more—please pray about the need— it is great!

    THANK YOU!

With much love, in Jesus' name,
Herbert W. Armstrong

Publication Date: April 22, 1976
Back To Top