August 13, 1959  
August 13, 1959 - Brethren & Co-Workers Letter
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Herbert W Armstrong 

The WORLD TOMORROW
A WORLDWIDE BROADCAST

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG

Proclaim to the World the GOOD NEWS OF THE WORLD TOMORROW

Box 111, Pasadena, Calif. 91109

Publishing: The PLAIN TRUTH a Magazine of UNDERSTANDING

August 13, 1959

Dear Co-Workers with Christ:

   Here it is, almost the middle of August. I wonder if we are really awake to what is taking place. Once again Mrs. Armstrong and I are on a train, on a business trip to Houston, Texas.

   TREMENDOUS things are happening in the world. If we are not asleep, we can just see world events hurling us rapidly toward the prophesied END of this world! The Geneva conference failed. Of course, we knew it would! The people of America do not know the real facts back of this Berlin controversy.

   As World War II was ending, the heads of American and British governments were too timid to demand an ever-widening strip of East Germany, starting at West Berlin and widening like a triangle westward to allied-occupied West Germany.

   One under-secretary in the State Department foresaw the need of this, and sketched a map showing allied occupation of such a widening strip from West Berlin to West Germany. Remember, Berlin is deep into Russian-occupied EAST Germany. The United States, Britain and France occupy the western two-thirds of the city of Berlin. But West Berlin is like an ISLAND, entirely surrounded by Russian-controlled COMMUNIST Germany. United States and allied forces have no way to get supplies, food, and necessities of life into West Berlin, except to go through many miles of RUSSIAN territory across East Germany—or to fly planes over this Russian-held territory.

   But in 1945, United States officials were afraid they might offend the Russians if they demanded the allied control of territory leading from West Germany to Berlin. They LEFT THEMSELVES AT THE MERCY OF THE SOVIET. For 14 years American forces have been getting supplies back and forth to and from West Berlin ONLY by Russian permission! THAT IS WHAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD!

   Now look what happened at Geneva. Secretary Herter went there in the position of trying to talk the Russians into "PLEASE PERMITTING" Americans to continue crossing Russian territory so West Berlin may remain FREE from Russian domination. The Russians want to take over ALL of Berlin. Last fall Khrushchev issued a sort of ultimatum to the allies to GET OUT of West Berlin. West Berlin reflects GERMAN PROSPERITY, built from American dollars. Cross the street into East Berlin and the contrast is shocking! East Berlin, under Communism, is poverty-ridden. West Berlin is a "Democratic" SHOWCASE deep inside Communist territory. It shows tremendous PROSPERITY for capitalism, and shocking POVERTY under Communism! No wonder Khrushchev wants to gain control of West Berlin—and reduce it to Communist poverty.

   Now, in face of the FACTS, what chance did Mr. Herter have at Geneva? WHAT CHANCE will President Eisenhower have in a summit conference? ABSOLUTELY NONE! The only chance is to "KEEP TALKING" —to prolong hopeless conferences—to DELAY the Russians from shutting off West Berlin and taking it over, as long as they can!

   MEANWHILE, notice the REAL IMPORTANCE of all this!

   How do you suppose this looks to the Germans? I do not mean those in East Germany—THEY ARE PRISONERS OF THE RUSSIANS. I mean West Germany. West Germany is back on its feet. West Germany is PROSPEROUS! It is filled, in important key positions, with Nazis who went underground in 1945, and are planning to come back and CONQUER THE WORLD!

   Over this weekend news has come from Europe that not ONLY West Germany, but also France and other nations in Europe, are beginning to realize THEY MUST UNITE in order to gain POWER in the world to protect their own interests. They see themselves as a group of separated, divided, helpless nations IN THE MIDDLE. On one side—at their very borders—is this giant bear, Communist Russia, HUNGRY to trample them down and absorb them.

   The very FACT that Khrushchev now demands West Berlin means HE IS STARTING TO TRY TO ANNEX ALL WESTERN EUROPE! The Germans see only TWO major powers in the world—Russia at their borders, and the United States, across the ocean. They see themselves as small SATELLITES of the United States, with Russia ready to gobble them up and make them Russian satellites, like all the EAST European nations already are!

   Over this past weekend, news from Europe shows those nations are becoming desperate! They are saying that if they UNITE in a UNITED STATES OF EUROPE—if they COMBINE their strength in ONE great kingdom—then they can be MORE POWERFUL than either Russia or America! If they do not unite, they are helpless, at the mercy of the Russian bear!

   THESE are the world events OF THIS VERY MOMENT that are fulfilling PROPHECY! For 25 years I have been telling the world that Europe WILL UNITE! It will be the resurrection of the old ROMAN EMPIRE! No one believed me 25 years ago. No one believed me 10 years ago. Not many believe it, even yet. But today the news dispatches ARE FULL OF IT, if you do not ignore them!

   And PROPHECY, which is SURE, says that WHEN this union does come, IT IS THE SYMBOLIC "BEAST" THAT IS GOING TO ATTACK, CONQUER, AND DEVOUR AMERICA!

   I say now to you, dear Co-Workers—GOD HAS CALLED YOU, and me, TO WARN THIS NATION, and to proclaim to the whole world the GOOD NEWS (Gospel) of the WORLD TOMORROW (the Kingdom of GOD, to rule the world and bring universal peace, freedom, prosperity, and salvation!). I say to YOU, now, that your money—your home—every material thing you have—will be taken from you SOON—probably in 12 to 13 years, certainly in 15 or less!

   BUT—if you and I lay up TREASURE IN HEAVEN by putting our SELVES, and our all into THE WORK OF GOD, now, while there is yet time—God Himself promises—IF we are watching and praying always— we shall be taken to a PLACE OF SAFETY and completely PROTECTED from all the frightful things to come! Two thirds of all Americans will die or be killed in the approaching famine, disease epidemic, and nuclear WAR! THIS IS NO PIPE-DREAM! THIS IS stark reality!

   Riding on the train this morning, I was reading in my Bible. I was reading in Romans 15. Paul was writing that he was going to Jerusalem to minister to the poor saints (Verse 25). They were poor and in need of food. The brethren in Macedonia had made a contribution to the physical NEED of their Jerusalem brethren. Then Paul said that if these Gentile-born Christians in Macedonia had been partakers of the SPIRITUAL truths and blessings and riches of the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, then they were actually IN DEBT to now minister to the Jewish brethren in MATERIAL need, or carnal things (Verses 26-28). So, Paul spoke of PERFORMING this ministry—this PHYSICAL ministry of sending them FRUIT to eat (Verse 28).

   Then again, in I Cor. 16, Paul wrote of this same thing— this same physical and material NEED of the poor saints at Jerusalem—in his letter to the brethren at Corinth. Paul had given ORDERS to the churches in Galatia to send fruit and material supplies to the needy Christians at Jerusalem. And now, in the same way, Paul is instructing—actually giving ORDERS—to the saints at Corinth to do the same. NOTICE there is GOVERNMENT in God's Church, and in the work of God. Christ had given Paul AUTHORITY to carry out Christ's orders. Paul now ordered each Gentile-born Christian at Corinth to LAY BY him—IN STORE—that is, to lay by and store up, BY HIM—at his own farm or home—according as God had prospered him in physical goods. This was a "collection" for the poor and needy saints at Jerusalem (I Cor. 16:1). Each one was to LAY BY, and STORE UP, this fruit and food and supplies for the needy saints, ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK.

   God's tithe, like the "FIRST FRUITS," is always the first tenth, not the last. Likewise, this special GATHERING of fruit and food from the field was to be gathered up and laid by IN STORE, at the very BEGINNING of the week—the first work-day of the week, not later on in the week. And why were they to STORE THIS UP? Notice verse 2—"that there be no GATHERING when I come." Paul was NOT talking about a collection-plate in church on Sunday morning. He was talking about GATHERING (I Cor. 16:2) FRUIT (Rom. 15:28) and food for the POOR saints (I Cor. 16:1 and Rom. 15:26), and LAYING IT BY—STORING IT UP—each by himself, at home (I Cor. 16:2).

   When Paul arrived at Corinth, he would send THEM (more than one—I Cor. 16:3) to carry these supplies to Jerusalem. This was NOT an order to give an offering in church on Sunday morning for the SPIRITUAL work of the church—as the churches OF THIS WORLD think. It was an order to go out into the field on Sunday morning, and GATHER fruit and supplies for hungry, needy saints at Jerusalem. It was an order for the Gentile-born Christians to MINISTER with their MATERIAL means to the saints who had ministered to them SPIRITUALLY.

   Then we find the same thing spoken of again in II Cor. 8. In verse 4 Paul speaks of this ministering to these needy saints as a FELLOWSHIP with them. It was the kind of Christian fellowship that DID SOMETHING about it—PERFORMED a good deed. They even GAVE THEIR OWN SELVES to the Lord (Verse 5). He is speaking now of the brethren at Macedonia (Verse 1). In verse 8, Paul asks the Corinthians to PROVE the sincerity of their love by this physical ministry to the poor saints. Then, verse 9, he illustrated the GRACE of Jesus toward us all. Though He had been RICH—sharing the very GLORY AND POWER OF GOD—yet, for our sakes, He became poor —took on Himself HUMAN nature, subject to weakness and death—in order that we, through His spiritual poverty, might become RICH spiritually, until we ultimately, at Christ's coming, shall BE LIKE HIM, sharing His GLORY, which He has now again, since His resurrection!

   Then, verse 11, Paul tells them to now PERFORM this service of giving to the poor saints, with a willing mind (Verse 12), according to what each has, not according to what he does not have. So, verse 14, "your ABUNDANCE" (in material goods) may supply their want—that "their abundance" (in SPIRITUAL things) may "supply your (spiritual) want."

   And so, dear Co-Workers with me and with Christ, I do again call on YOU, to GIVE GENEROUSLY to this very work of God of your material means, in order that WE, together, MAY GIVE GENEROUSLY IN THE SPIRITUAL MINISTRY of the one and only original TRUE Gospel of CHRIST to the whole world!

   Yes, here we are deep into August—but still in the difficult summer months. During these months radio reception is not so good. Many are not able to get the program. OUR MAIL DROPS OFF 30% to 50%, under the fall, winter, and spring months.

   BUT it still takes just as much money to pay the bills of this great world-wide WORK OF GOD! We have managed to stay on nearly all of our radio stations through the summer—BUT, unless we quickly catch up in paying for all broadcast time, WE WILL BE SHUT OFF THE AIR ON OUR LARGEST STATIONS by September or October—and THAT is when good reception starts in again!

   As the Moffatt translation states it, God does not expect you to give "what you have not got." He expects you to GIVE GENEROUSLY, and WILLINGLY, and CHEERFULLY, according to what you have—according as God prospers you!

   THAT IS WHERE PRAYER COMES IN! Do you really PRAY earnestly, and in faith, that God will prosper you more, FINANCIALLY, in order to make it possible for you to GIVE MORE FOR HIS WORK? Do you PRAY earnestly, believingly, and continuously— DAILY—that God will prosper ALL THE OTHER CO-WORKERS, so that THEY may have more to put into the precious WORK OF GOD? Do you PRAY intensively and prevailingly, that God will lay this burden SO HEAVILY on those few who are able to send in LARGE sums of from one to several thousand dollars—so that they will be willing?

   PUT YOUR HEART into these prayers! PRAY FOR ME, my son Garner Ted, and all of God's ministers, that God will give us wisdom, guide us, correct us where we need it, and PROTECT us from physical accident or harm, or from Satan and his demons. We are all praying for YOU! If we all pray for one another continually, in this manner, THIS WORK OF GOD WILL LEAP AHEAD WITH GREATER MOMENTUM THAN EVER!

   This work is bearing TREMENDOUS fruit! We are beginning to receive many letters from the recently started broadcast on Radio Monte Carlo. It will reach out FAR more effectively in another two months but already we are getting letters in Russian, French, and other languages, from listeners to this station. Some, who understand our Russian-language broadcasts are writing us in French. We are sending them the booklets in the French language.

   Yes GOD IS BLESSING HIS WORK! Seven baptizing teams of two men each have called on more than a thousand people this summer who had requested baptism. HUNDREDS have been baptized—HUNDREDS thoroughly converted, begotten as children of GOD! God is certainly doing HIS part! ARE WE DOING OURS?

   God's work is in great financial NEED! RUSH your letter air-mail! THANK you, and GOD BLESS YOU abundantly! It is a precious PRIVILEGE to have a PART in the wonderful work of God!

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

Publication Date: August 13, 1959
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