October 24, 1974  
October 24, 1974 - Brethren & Co-Workers Letter
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Herbert W Armstrong 

AMBASSADOR COLLEGE
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG, Chairman
Publisher of The PLAIN TRUTH Magazine

EXTENSION DEPARTMENT
An educational service at all levels
for all people worldwide

Bangkok, Thailand
November 18, 1974

Dear Inner Family of Co-Workers with Christ:

   I have just arrived here from Tokyo, to conclude arrangements for a big public appearance campaign. Two of my "Japanese sons" — high ranking members of the Japanese Diet (Japan's law making body, like our Congress), are accompanying me. From here we fly on to Cairo for what is expected to be the largest "testimonial dinner" so far.

   More and more we need to realize the seriousness of events plunging us to the END of this present world. More and more, governments with which I have been in close contact, are being overthrown.

   Just last Sunday violent mass demonstrations against President Nguyen Van Thieu of South Vietnam injured 36 policemen. I have had close personal contact with President Thieu and those close to him in Saigon. I had planned a large public appearance campaign for Saigon within the next two or three weeks. It had to be postponed because of the danger of assembling such a crowd as we had anticipated in the university stadium — outdoors. The government feared a possible bombing by the North Vietnamese.

   I had planned such a public campaign in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia beginning mid-October, more than a week ago. But that government has been overthrown by a military revolt and a new military government has taken over. One of the last things Emperor Haile Selassie did, before the army seized him and took him away from his palace a prisoner, was to send me a telegram of congratulations on my birthday. I have to suddenly realize that I have to move as fast as possible in getting the true Gospel into these nations around the world. Time is fast running out. Soon it will be too late. But I know that the Eternal God is holding back this worsening worldwide condition, at least long enough to get His last Message into what, in His eyes, is a large enough number of nations.

   The whole world today is SICK. Never in the history of mankind have world conditions been so bad. And GROWING WORSE! Bringing on the prophesied GREAT TRIBULATION (Matt. 24:21-22) — world troubles "such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved [alive]: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" by divine intervention.

   The whole world is undergoing a SICK ECONOMY. In all countries there is INFLATION with runaway prices. Banks are in trouble, trade is ailing, crime is escalating. VIOLENCE breaks out all over the earth. More and more GOVERNMENTS ARE BEING OVERTHROWN!

   The very fact that TWO of my public appearance campaigns planned for this October and November had to be postponed or cancelled due to the overthrow of the government in Ethiopia, and threatened overthrow and war scare in South Vietnam — means that we must SPEED UP our efforts to get to more and more countries before their governments are overthrown.

   Even more threatening is the mushrooming spread of NUCLEAR POWER. Now SIX NATIONS have NUCLEAR WEAPONS. At least twenty-four other nations have the capability to develop them. Even if the United States and Russia refrain from using such frightful power, some smaller nation now could start dropping a hydrogen bomb, a second smaller nation could retaliate, and in a matter of hours both the Soviet Union and the United States might find themselves drawn into a NUCLEAR WORLD WAR which could wipe all human life off this planet!

   That actually could happen now — IF the Great Creator GOD were not to intervene supernaturally!

   Co-Workers, we need to be alerted to realize we are not living in normal times. The very END of this present troubled world is closing in on us. The living GOD has called us — you, as well as me — to the MOST IMPORTANT commission in 1900 years — if not in ALL TIME! This is a dying world. The leaders of the teeming MILLIONS of people do not know or understand WHAT is happening — WHY it is happening — WHY humankind was placed on this earth — what our stupendous potential and future REALLY IS.

   I want you to fully REALIZE just what our calling and great commission really IS! God has made us all you Co-Workers and Brethren in Christ as well as myself, Garner Ted, and those full- time in this Work — as His WATCHMEN to KNOW and UNDERSTAND what is happening — WHY it is happening all over the world — what is now ABOUT TO HAPPEN — and to GO INTO ALL THE WORLD with His true Gospel Message warning the rulers and leaders of the masses of people in the world of the SOON COMING KINGDOM OF GOD!

   It is similar to the case of Ezekiel 33, where the watchman was to warn Israel when he saw the sword coming on the land — that is, the army of an enemy attacking. If the watchman failed to WARN the people, God would require the lives of the unwarned of the watchman's hands.

   Brethren, WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOSPEL, which has NOT been proclaimed to the world, save by us, since the first century. If we fail, each of us, in his part of giving that last Warning Message to those responsible for their peoples' spiritual welfare, GOD MAY REQUIRE THE LIVES OF THESE MASSES AT OUR HANDS!

   That Gospel Message which Christ brought us more than 1900 years ago involves the CAUSE of all the world's evils and sufferings. It involves the fact that THE NATIONS have REJECTED the GOVERNMENT OF GOD on this earth — and that rejection is the CAUSE of all world troubles. It involves the WARNING that that very GOVERNMENT OF GOD, through the KINGDOM OF GOD, is now SOON to be RESTORED to this earth, bringing WORLD PEACE, universal prosperity, happiness and joy to the earth.

   That was Christ's MESSAGE from GOD the Father. That is the message — the world rejects it. A DIFFERENT GOSPEL went out to the world!

   Notice that in your own Bible. Turn to Galatians 1:6-7. To the Churches at Galatia, the Apostle Paul wrote: "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto ANOTHER GOSPEL: ...there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." The true gospel Jesus brought from God has been perverted since the first century. We must FINISH giving out of the truth!

   Again, to the Church at Corinth, Paul wrote: "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted... For if he that cometh [false ministers] preacheth another Jesus, ...or if ye receive another spirit, ...or ANOTHER GOSPEL, ..." (II Cor. 11:3-4).

   Then Paul continued, same chapter: "For such [false ministers] are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers [Satan's] also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; ..." (II Cor. 11:13-15).

   The world is full of "gospel programs," "gospel crusades," etc., etc., but NOT ONE (except as we proclaim) is the GOOD NEWS MESSAGE God sent by Jesus Christ. In fact, all these counterfeit "gospels" tend to NULLIFY the true message God wants given to the world RIGHT NOW, before it is too late!

   If I fail to walk through these doors God is opening before kings, presidents, prime ministers, and those heads of governments who are responsible for the spiritual welfare of their millions upon millions of people, God will require their blood at my hands. It's the same with YOU Co-Workers if you fail in your part — whether it be your earnest, prevailing PRAYERS for the Work, or your tithes and offerings, according as God has made possible.

   And just WHAT do we mean by "THE WORK"? We mean Christ's Great Commission, "Go ye into ALL THE WORLD and preach the GOSPEL." And that means the VERY Gospel of the Kingdom of God — not any of these counterfeit so-called "gospels"!

   Your earnest and continuous PRAYERS are vitally needed. By the thousands and thousands you Co-Workers and Brethren are assuring me you are BACK OF ME and GARNER TED in this work one hundred percent. That staunch backing is needed now as never before!

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

Publication Date: October 24, 1974
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