Herbert W Armstrong

   Now, through the Ambassador Foundation and Ambassador College, we have been cooperating in working to help these refugees and train them in the English language, especially for those who are to be moved into English-speaking countries for some time.

   On my recent trip to the Far East, I visited Thailand again. It's king, I spoke before many of the people and spoke before a very prominent group while I was there.

   The World Tomorrow. The Worldwide Church of God presents The World Tomorrow with Herbert W Armstrong. Following is a special presentation of The World Tomorrow with Herbert W Armstrong.

   Bangkok the capital of the Kingdom of Thailand. A teeming city of over 4 million people, cars, motorcycles, trucks, bicycles, and buses fight for a place in the crowded streets while pedestrians throng the sidewalks. Thousands of vendors peddle their wares, which can be anything from an astonishing variety of food, tennis shoes, lawn mowers to the very latest products of modern technology.

   In the busy Chao Phraya River, merchant ships from all over the world are moored amid the constant flow of barges, passenger ferries, and canal boats. In the shadow of modern buildings, many of Bangkok's inhabitants still cling to the traditional way of life along the klongs, the canals that lace this city that has been called the Venice of the East.

   Outside of Bangkok is another world. The people of rural Thailand till their rice paddies and follow their ancient handicrafts, preserving the unhurried way of life that characterizes this tranquil land.

   Southeast Asia has seen so much turmoil and destruction during the last 50 years. In this troubled region, Thailand has been able to maintain relative stability. Thailand literally means the Land of the Free, and the Thais are proud of their long history as an independent nation.

   A key factor in this nation's success is the Thai royal family. Since 1950, King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit have served their people with sincerity and humility, and have provided one of the truly outstanding examples of leadership in the world today.

   The King and Queen have made it a point to visit every corner of their kingdom, acquainting themselves with the needs of their people. During their reign, they have initiated dozens of projects aimed at improving the well-being of their subjects.

   In his long friendship with King Bhumibol, Mr. Herbert W Armstrong has given his enthusiastic support to several of these projects through the Ambassador Foundation. Mr. Armstrong recently returned to Thailand, where he was received at Bangkok's Don Muang Airport by the Foundation's representatives in Thailand and Abbott Sapone, President of the Wat Thai Temple of Los Angeles, and a leading religious figure in Thailand and the United States.

   Mr. Armstrong was received by the King at his royal palace, where they discussed the continuing participation of the Ambassador Foundation in His Majesty's educational projects in Thailand. Through the Foundation, Mr. Armstrong has assisted with the Royal Hill Tribes Project in northern Thailand.

   These tribes live in an area where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Burma meet to form the notorious Golden Triangle. From this area flows much of the world's supply of heroin. The poppy, from which the drug is derived, is cultivated by the farmers of the region.

   The Royal Hill Tribes Project is aimed at training farmers in the Thai area of the Golden Triangle how to replace the opium poppy with food and cash crops. The King has taken an active role in teaching the mountain tribesmen how to improve their agricultural skills, as well as providing them with regular educational opportunities. He understands that education is the vital key to success in this venture. The King had first explained this project to Mr. Herbert Armstrong in February 1971.

   Mr. Armstrong immediately saw it could be effective and readily gave his support and assistance. Today, in those areas where the project has been introduced, the great majority of hill tribesmen are now engaged in productive farming.

   After the Indo-Chinese wars, hundreds of thousands of refugees sought temporary sanctuary in Thailand prior to resettlement in other countries. Many were illiterate tribesmen unprepared for life in the Western world. Ambassador College, in a joint program with Wat Thai of Los Angeles, began an educational project in Ban Tong refugee camp in Chiang Rai province to teach the refugees. Those who had been accepted for resettlement in the United States, Canada, and other Western countries needed basic English. The students also helped the refugees prepare for life in the Western world.

   The foundation also assisted Wat Thai in raising funds to improve the facilities of the Bicentennial school situated in Bangkok's Lumpini Park. This free vocational school gives instruction in useful trades and handicrafts to those who cannot afford to go to a formal college or university. A concert of Thai music and dancing was held in the Ambassador College auditorium at Pasadena. Thousands of dollars were raised towards the completion of permanent facilities for the free education center.

   During his visit to Thailand, Mr. Armstrong was driven to the office of the Prime Minister, where he was to receive an official decoration in appreciation of these efforts by Deputy Prime Minister Major General Brahman Adikan. On behalf of His Majesty, the king, upon his arrival, he was officially received by the Deputy Prime Minister. After their personal meeting, the formal presentation took place in the ceremonial room before a portrait of the king flanked by the United States and Thai flags. The protocol officer read the official citation:

   "Mr. Herbert W Armstrong, the Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God, Chairman and Founder of Ambassador College and Ambassador Foundation, is a person of high distinction and has rendered most benevolent services to the people and the government of Thailand. Mr. Herbert W Armstrong has been making regular contributions towards the hill tribe project of His Majesty, the king since 1971. He initiated the Ambassador College educational program, which provides English language instruction to the Laotian refugees in Thailand. In recognition of these valuable services, His Majesty the king, at the recommendation of the Royal Thai government, has been pleased to bestow the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand upon Mr. Herbert Armstrong. May Mr. Herbert W Armstrong be blessed with every success, happiness, and prosperity."

   Mr. Armstrong was then presented with the official insignia of a Commander of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand and a commemorative plaque. He responded with a toast to His Majesty, the king:

   "Now may I propose a toast to His Majesty, the king, who has so faithfully and diligently pursued his commitment that he made in his coronation in 1950, where he said, 'We shall reign with righteousness for the happiness and the welfare of the Thai people.' He has loved his people and has served them admirably all these many years. I propose a toast to His Majesty."

   At a congratulatory luncheon at Bangkok's Montien Hotel, Mr. Armstrong received further recognition from his friends in Thailand. First, Police General Pichit Kullavanijaya presented a plaque on behalf of Abbott Sapone in appreciation of Mr. Armstrong's assistance to the Bangkok Bicentennial School. And secondly, an official from the Ministry of the Interior presented Mr. Armstrong with a plaque in recognition of Ambassador College's educational project to Indo-Chinese refugees in Thailand.

   In his reply, Mr. Armstrong again expressed his admiration for the King of Thailand's fine example of service and leadership to his people.

   Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am certainly honored more than I can say. I have only wanted to help. I wanted to help in your king's project. His Majesty the king, on the occasion of his coronation in 1950, gave this commitment. He said, "We shall reign with righteousness for the happiness and the welfare of the Thai people." I've been so much impressed that your king has carried that out, and also Her Majesty, the queen, and the work that she is doing now. They are giving of themselves to help the country. They love their people and they are trying to serve and not to be served. Instead of ruling with an iron fist or something like that, they are trying to give and to serve, which is the most noble thing that can be done in this world today.

   Mr. Armstrong reminded the audience that, in spite of the best efforts of mankind, this world cannot solve its problems. As an ambassador for world peace, Mr. Armstrong then showed how these problems would be solved on a global scale, so that all humanity would one day be taught the way that leads to lasting peace.

   Now, we're living in a world that is in trouble. Very serious trouble right now. It is a strange paradox. We live in a world of awesome accomplishment, awesome progress, especially in this 20th century, and the advancement of science of modern technologies, the computer, jet aircraft flying to the moon and back, the many things that have been produced are absolutely awesome. But also, we are living in a world of appalling evils and troubles. Violence is increasing all over the world. Morality has gone down into the gutter. Immorality is ripping the people all over the world, and this world is in trouble. Most nations in the world are facing a very weak and troubled economy just now.

   The oldest recorded history, recording the history of mankind, is also a book that is more widely distributed and is possessed by more people than any other book on Earth. That is a book called the Holy Bible. The Christian religion is supposed to have received its belief from that book. But I find that that is not true. It records that civilization was built on the philosophy of "get," of self-centeredness, of selfishness, and not on the philosophy of giving, of sharing, of helping, of cooperating. The way to peace is the way of giving, of sharing, of cooperating, of helping one another, of being concerned about your fellow man. But the people in this world have been concerned primarily each one for his own self.

   There has to be a cause for trouble. This world is in trouble, and the cause is the way we live. One reason that we have been glad to help in this country and to help your king is that your king has been trying to serve and not to get, trying to help and to cooperate. And we want to help their majesties in that sort of thing because that is what we are dedicated to doing.

   Right now this world is very near its final climax. It is coming to a climax. It's a world that is in very deep trouble. The editor of a magazine that has a great circulation among businessmen and politicians and leaders in the United States said some little time ago that the condition in the world now seems to be so desperate and so evil that the only hope of civilization is the sudden intervention of a strong hand from some place. I am here representing that strong hand. My name is Armstrong, but I am not that strong hand. I merely represent him.

   I recently returned from a visit with leaders in Europe, both Eastern and Western Europe. And over there, they are now feverishly working to reunite Europe. It was united temporarily in the Middle Ages. They want to unite Europe again, and they are working feverishly to that end. It is not receiving much notice in the public media. The people are not hearing much about it, but I talked to the leaders, and I think that it is going to perhaps be completed in anywhere from 1 to 2, 3, or 5 years. One of the leaders of Europe, that is a leader in that movement, is coming to visit me in July. And I am very close to another leader in Europe. And this thing is coming in the book that I told you of that gives the history of mankind from the very beginning, farther back than any other history we have.

   We read prophecies foretelling the future and for telling that we now are living in a crisis, right at the close of this world civilization. This world has gotten into the place where it cannot solve its own problems and troubles. It is not able to solve its present economic troubles. It is not able to solve its moral troubles. It's spiritual troubles. That strong hand from some place is soon to come. However, the prophecies of this book that I told you of, the Holy Bible, say that Europe is going to unite. I have talked to leaders in Europe and they are working feverishly now to unite the nations of Europe. Even though they speak different languages, the only thing that unites them is the Catholic religion and it is moving rapidly. The Western Roman Catholic religion at Rome and the Eastern Catholic from Athens are getting together. The prophecy said that when that is accomplished, very soon thereafter, will come the final climax. And the eternal creator God, that strong hand from some place, will send His Son, the Messiah, who will come as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and rule all nations on the face of this earth. And will bring us peace and will teach us to love one another, will teach us to cooperate, to try to help one another, to share, to give instead of to be selfish and see how much we can get from everybody. I am glad that your religion here teaches that philosophy of giving. And so, we should do all we can do to bring peace, but we ourselves are not going to bring peace. The great power that created the universe is going to have to do it to us. We will not be able to do it of and by ourselves. But I am here to announce that it is coming and we are going to have world peace. And I'm glad that we've been able to contribute a little bit of that here. And I thank you so much, clear from the bottom of my heart, for your consideration and the honor that you have given me this week since I have been here. Thank you very much.

   What was the gospel of Jesus Christ? You know, the word gospel means good news. It's news. Do you know? I wonder how many realize I've said it a number of times. I know on this program that Jesus Christ came as a newscaster, he was giving news, but it wasn't news that had already happened. That would be olds, not news. His was news of the future. In other words, it was an announcement of news yet to come. His king, His gospel was the gospel of the Kingdom of God, the gospel of the Kingdom of God. And in the New Testament, a double curse is pronounced upon a man or an angel who would preach any other gospel. And yet that gospel was not preached to the world for 1900 years, but it is being preached on this program now.

   The Kingdom of God, what is the Kingdom of God? A kingdom is a government, a government over a nation. And in this case, it is the government to be administered by God over all of the nations on the face of the earth, administered by God through Jesus Christ. And Jesus Christ is going to administer it with and through those of His church that will then be changed from mortal to immortal. As He said, if we overcome, we will be granted to sit with Him on His throne. When He rules over all the nations of the earth, that's the United States, that's Canada, that's all the nations of Europe, that's Japan and China and Russia, the whole world under one government. It'll be a new world, an entire new civilization that should have begun with the first Adam but has already begun in any sense within this evil world. Through Jesus Christ and through the church.

   What is going to happen in that world to come? What is the World Tomorrow? This program has been called the World Tomorrow for many, many years. Many people yet don't know what it is. It's a different world altogether. I have a book that I think has only been announced about once on this program, "The Wonderful World Tomorrow What It Will Be Like?", what will it be like in the world when it happens? How will it be different from the world that you know now? What is it going to be like?

   I have a booklet here, oh, it's quite thick. You might call it a small book, and it's very well illustrated in color throughout. And yet, you could read it in one setting. And it will describe, as no other book that I know, what kind of a world you're going to be living in in a very few years, because it's coming in this time, our time, our generation. Now, this book is not for sale. You don't have enough money to buy it. We won't sell it. I'd like to give it to you. I'd like to just send it to you. It's just gratis. It's our. We believe in giving, not getting. As I said in Thailand, we try to help, we try to give. I'd like to give it to you. "The Wonderful World Tomorrow What It Will Be Like?". Read it and see what kind of world you're going to live in, into what kind of world you're going to really see, and it is coming.

   Now, at the same time, I'll give you a year's subscription at no charge, no subscription price, to the world's finest magazine. Now, one of the world's largest mass circulation magazines, with a circulation of 5 1/2 million. And we hope it will go up to over 7 million this year, called "The Plain Truth, A Magazine Of Understanding". It analyzes world news that is happening today, but in the light of Bible prophecy and where it is leading, and what is going to happen. Also, it talks about your life and family life and life in this world today. Highly illustrated, no advertising, no subscription price. There are millions of people all over the world reading "The Plain Truth". We'd like to add you to that list. Many are looking forward to it every month. We know that you will too.

   Just send your request to me, Herbert W Armstrong in Pasadena, California 91123. That's Herbert W Armstrong Pasadena, California 91123. Or you can go to the telephones a lot quicker. So why don't you do that? Just go to a telephone. There's a free call, no charge, whatever. Dial 800 then 423-4444, that's 800-423-4444. Now, in California, Hawaii and Alaska, however, you dial a different number and dial, collect this time and we'll pay for the call. You dial area code 213-304-6111, that's 213-304-6111. And if the lines are busy, please keep trying because many are calling in. So, until next time, this is Herbert W Armstrong. Goodbye friends.

   For the free literature offered on this program, write Herbert W Armstrong Pasadena, California 91123, in Canada Box 44, Vancouver BC or in the continental United States, you may call this toll-free number 800-423-4444 in California, Alaska and Hawaii call, collect 213-304-6111. If the lines are busy, please try again. The preceding program and all literature were produced and sponsored by the Worldwide Church of God.