NO. 318: GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST

No. 318

As is our custom for this time of the year we try to bring to our readers “Good Tidings of Great Joy” when so many people have the Savior uppermost in mind. Even though we can’t agree that December 25 is the correct date of our Savior’s birth, it matters not as the Scriptures do not mention that we should celebrate His birth. However, the Christian world in general has done so on December 25, and we are happy that our Savior is specially remembered by all those who rejoice in Jesus as their Redeemer. So we join with all who have the proper attitude of heart in this remembrance.

God’s promise that the Seed of Abraham should ultimately bless all nations has in­fluenced thought the world over, but particularly amongst those nations living contig­uous to Abraham’s home and northward and westward from there, in directions in which the message of Divine favor has gone. At first the Jews thought of this promise as be­ing fulfilled in them as a nation – that, without assistance from on High, they could approve themselves to God through obedience to the Law Covenant, and then, as instruc­tors of the world, they would teach all nations to keep the Divine Law, and thus bring the world to the blessed state of perfection, Divine favor and life everlasting. This hope was crushed out as they found themselves unable to keep the Law, going down into death, instead of attaining to perfection of life. Even Moses, the special servant of God, could not, and did not, attain the blessing of the Law.

Then God made them the promise of some better thing – of a greater Mediator and of a more successful Covenant through that Mediator. The Mediator of the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34) was to be greater than Moses; as he himself declared, “A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you from amongst your brethren like unto me (but greater) – him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you. And it shall come to pass that the soul that will not obey that Prophet shall be destroyed from amongst the people.” (Acts 3:22,23) Thenceforth their hearts and hopes looked down through the stream of time to when the glorious things hoped for through this great Prophet should be accomplished.

“THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS”

As surrounding nations and those afar off heard of Israel’s hope – that to them would come a great Savior, Deliverer, who would bless them and exalt them in the world and through them bless all peoples, the beauty of the thought took root in every direc­tion. Messiah was more or less looked for under various names, and the glories of His Kingdom were pictured by heathen poets as the Golden Age.

Thus it happened that when our Lord was born, when He was made flesh and dwelt amongst us, “All men were in expectation of him” – not of Jesus, but of the promised Messiah, whom Jesus was. Thus it was that wise men in the East were attracted to see and worship Him that was born King of the Jews. Thus it was also that during Jesus’ ministry certain Greeks came to the disciples saying, “Sirs, we would see Jesus.” They had heard of Him and recognized that in some respects His magic power implied a rela­tionship with the long-expected Messiah. And so it was with the multitudes of Palestine. They heard; they listened. That said, Is this He? The rulers said No, this is not the Messiah. Then the people asked, When Messiah cometh can He do greater works than this man? Never man spake like this man!

Nevertheless, there were few ready to receive Him, even amongst His own – only “Israelites indeed,” to whom, because of worthiness of heart, God specially revealed His Son. This was in harmony with the prophecy of old, “The secret of the Lord is with them that reverence him and he will show them his covenant.” (Isa. 49:8) Neither Jews nor Greeks nor Persian wise men knew to expect that Messiah would first appear to offer Himself, through obedience to the Truth, a living sacrifice for sinners. None of them knew that a long period must elapse from the time when Messiah would be the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, of whom the people would be ashamed, until He would appear in power and great glory to establish His Empire under the whole heavens, in fulfillment of the prophetic picture of Daniel 2:34; 7:13, 14-27.

Few understand God’s great secret or “mystery” hidden during past Ages and dispensa­tions (Col. 1:26), that, during this long period of the Gospel Age a saintly “little flock” would be selected from amongst men to be Messiah’s bride, and joint-heir with Him in His Messianic reign. Few see that this “little flock” has been selected during these nineteen centuries from every nation, people, kindred and tongue, and that they are all saints, in spirit of their minds, at least, and follow the Lamb, withersoever He goeth, walking in the footsteps of Jesus. Few understand that, as soon as these joint-sacri­ficers with the Master shall have filled up the measure of afflictions appointed, then the Kingdom of Glory will be revealed and all flesh shall see it together and all shall be blessed by it, the Jew, Abraham’s natural seed first, and also the Gentile – all the families of the earth.

A SAVIOR – CHRIST THE LORD

It was prophetically, of course, that the babe of Bethlehem was called Savior – He was to be their Savior, The Christ, the Lord. But as a babe He was none of these. He became the Christ before becoming the Savior and Lord. The word Christ signifies anointed. In the Divine purpose it was arranged that Messiah should be anointed High Priest of Israel on a higher plane than Aaron – after the order of Melchisedec. (Psalm 110:4) And every priest must be anointed to his office before he could fill it. Sim­ilarly, it was prophesied that Christ would be the great King, greater than David and Solomon, who were his types and foreshadows.

The anointing of Jesus was not with literal oil, but with that which the oil upon the head of the kings and priests of Israel typified – the Holy Spirit. He received this holy Spirit at the time of His baptism, the Spirit falling upon Him and abiding with Him, anointing Him for His great work of antitypical Priest and antitypical King of Israel, who, as the Messiah long-promised, would bless them, and through them, the world. But every priest was ordained to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins, and in this also they typified Jesus, who, under the Divine arrangement, must first offer up Himself as a sacrifice acceptable to God for the sins of mankind – in order that He might restore them and their earthly home to the glorious condition of perfection repre­sented in Adam and his Eden home. Hence it was necessary that Jesus should not only consecrate His life to the Divine service and be anointed with the holy Spirit, but that, sacrificially, He should lay down His life, even unto death – even the death of the cross. As a part of His reward He was raised to glory, honor and immortality, on the third day thereafter.

CONCERNING MESSIAH’S KINGDOM

Our understanding is that Messiah’s Kingdom will be a spiritual one, invisible to mortals, yet all-powerful, for the accomplishment of the great things promised in the Law and Prophets. The empire which He will establish, invisible to men, will take the place of the empire of Satan, of darkness. We now see the evils of Satan’s invisible presence, and will then see the righteousness of our Lord’s invisible presence in that blessed Kingdom. The King of glory will replace the prince of darkness. Principal amongst Messiah’s earthly agents and representatives will be Abraham, Isaac and all the Prophets, resurrected in full human perfection, we well as all the Worthies (Hebrews, Chapter 11). Instead of their being, as heretofore, the fathers, they shall be the children of Messiah, and all people will be privileged to come in under Israel’s New Covenant, then established by the great “Messenger of the Covenant, whom you delight in.” (Jer. 31:31-34) Jesus received the holy Spirit at the time of His baptism, the Spirit falling upon Him and abiding with Him, anointing Him for His great work of antitypical Priest and antitypical King of Israel, who, as the Messiah long promised, would bless them, and through them, the world.

The glorious Messiah, whom the Jews identify with “Michael, the great Prince, which standeth for the children of thy people” (Dan. 12:1), the Mohammedans also expect and identify with Mahamet of the Past. The Free Masons also expect the same glorious per­sonage and, in their traditions, identify him with Hiram Abiff, the great Master-Mason. This same great Messiah, Michael, the archangel, the antitypical Melchisedec, Priest as well as King, we identify as “the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (I Tim. 2:5,6) But when the great King shall appear in His glory and establish His Kingdom with Israel He will be, as promised by the Prophets, “the desire of all nations.” (Hag. 2:7) Then all the blinded eyes will be opened and the deaf ears will be unstopped. (Isa. 35:5) Then who He is and how He should be iden­tified with Abraham’s seed and David’s line, will be clearly known to all – in heaven and on earth. Not now, but when the King shall reign in righteousness – after this Time of Trouble – all shall fully understand the significance of Zechariah’s prophecy in Zech. 12:7-10. Content that Messiah shall show the Truth in His Day of Revealment, we are glad to point Jews, Mohammedans, Christians, and all, to the glorious Messiah and the great work of blessing for all the nations which He will accomplish through the seed of Abraham, according to God’s Covenant and His oath.

GOD’S DEALINGS UNDER DIFFERENT COVENANTS

The Decalogue of the Law Covenant was composed of probations – “Thou shalt not.” God’s dealings with those who will become members of the “House of Sons” seem to be dif­ferent from this. Instead of telling us what we shall not do, He tells us what we shall do.

How will it be with those with whom God will deal during the existence of the Mes­sianic Kingdom, under the New Covenant arrangement? We answer that during the reign of Christ they will be under a very similar arrangement to that of the Jews under Moses. Thou shalt, and Thou shalt not, will be enforced by the great Mediator. And the enforc­ing will be necessary, because of the sins and imperfections and degradation in which the people will be. In harmony with this we read that “Whosoever will not obey that Prophet will be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23) The word obey implies a command to be backed up by the authority to enforce.

The fact is that there will be a reign of Law in Messiah’s Kingdom: “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths; for out of Zion (the invisible Kingdom) shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem (the visible ruling power – the Worthies).” (Isa. 2:3) And those who will not fall into line with this Law will have tribulation that they may learn righteousness. “The judgments (the instructions of the Law) of the Lord will be abroad in the earth” (Isa. 26:9) – and the people will take notice of these. They will not be dealt with as under the Covenant of Grace. The will to obey will not be taken as instead of the deed. They will have the ability to obey all that is required of them.

They will not have an Advocate as those under the Grace Covenant who have the will to do but due to the imperfections of the flesh are unable to do perfectly. We are promised, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:9,10) “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1)

On the contrary, the great Mediator will, during the thousand years of the Mediatorial Kingdom, instruct and reward and bless and uplift all the willing and obedient, to the in­tent that all those during that reign who desire to be helped will be helped and will be ready to be turned over to the Almighty at the close of the Age. “And when all things shall be subdued under him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him, that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Cor. 15:28) Not until the end of that Age will any of the world, under the New Covenant arrangement reach sonship. But, by that time, they have been perfected as sons, and will endure the tests then given, the Father will accept them and give them the blessings of eternal life, etc., as sons.

A certain Scripture gives us intimation of how this will proceed. This Scripture shows us the injunctions and precepts God will put upon the world. “And this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jer. 31:33) He also says, “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh, and I will give them a heart of flesh.” (Ez. 11:19) This brief statement implies a full restitution to all that was lost in Adam.

Adam was created perfect, but depravity of mankind and the intensification of this in many cases have brought the world today in a condition of stoniness of heart, until the inhumanity of man toward man is appalling. The precepts of God will be gradually brought before the human mind and engraved and interwoven in the whole fiber of his be­ing, so that man at the end of the Millennial Age will be as Adam was in the beginning ­fully in accord with every principle of righteousness and unsympathetic with everything that is evil. This condition will come to be the very fiber of human nature again and only to such as will attain this will come the blessing of eternal life.

NEW COVENANT BENEFITS WORLD-WIDE

All mankind will receive some benefit from the New Covenant, irrespective of accep­tance of Christ. That benefit will be that they will be awakened from the tomb. As the Scriptures tell us, as by one man condemnation passed upon all, so likewise through one man justification to life is to pass upon all. (Rom. 5:12,18) Therefore, we would say that the benefits of the New Covenant will be applicable to everybody. If God had foreseen that nobody would adopt this arrangement, that fact no doubt would have altered His plan.

All of the accounts against humanity having been canceled by justice, mankind will be turned over to the Mediator. If man were not put under the Mediator. if he were kept under Divine justice, he would immediately be condemned, because of his inability to do right. Therefore the Father will not take cognizance of sinners. They will be left to the Mediator. All who will be obedient will receive the blessings of the King­dom, and those who do not become obedient under those conditions will go into the Second Death, from which there will be no recovery – unlike the Adamic death from which there will be a recovery by our Redeemer who died for us. “For the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice ... And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” – Krisis, Judgment. (John 5:28,29 – Also Acts 24:15)

FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS

The Scriptures tell us that “out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isa. 2:3) The Ancient Worthies are to be made princes in all the earth. (Psa. 45:16) This, of course, would appeal first and primarily to the Jew – those who have faith in God’s promises – who would naturally be the first to come under the new regulations, as the New Covenant will be made with the Jews. (Jer. 31:33)

We may not say that all of the Jews, who are Jews according to the flesh, will do so, but we believe that a considerable number of them will. The Jews who do not hold to God’s promises are not “Israelites indeed,” and will not be counted as Jews in the New Covenant arrangements. However, others will join them of every nation, and will come under the New Covenant with them. The Kingdom will be Israelitish. There are many good people who have not taken the vow of consecration during the Faith Age, but who would like to help rather than to hinder others. Such will in due time attach them­selves to the Kingdom, which shall be “the desire of all nations.” (Hag. 2:7)

In the case of the Worthies their freedom from imperfection will make them conspic­uous. As the world comes to know about these, they will say, Are not these God’s people? Mankind will perceive that God has rewarded the Worthies by giving them a better resur­rection, and will learn that their “better resurrection” was given because of the faith­fulness in the past. (Heb. 11:1,39,40)

SAVIOR OF THE WORLD

The fact is that Jesus is not merely the Savior of the Church, but that He is also the Savior of the world. In the past Bible students have overlooked this great truth, to their confusion. Now we see that God has provided two distinctly different salva­tions – one for the Church in the Gospel Age – the Faith Age – and the other for the world in the Age to follow this – the period of Messiah’s Kingdom. That period is the Judgment Day for the world. The world is under the sentence that was passed on Adam ­and are not sentenced for their own sins, but the sin they inherited from Adam. But in the Kingdom their judgment will be an individual one: all who love righteousness and hate iniquity will gain eternal life; and all who prefer unrighteousness will be cut off from among the people – will die the Second Death, from which there is no recovery. “Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world?” (1 Cor. 6:2) The Church’s sal­vation is the “great salvation” (Heb. 2:3), while the world’s salvation is the “common salvation” (Jude 3).

Not only do we see that there are two different salvations, but also that they are wholly different in kind. They are alike in some things, however. Both are salvations from sin and from its power and its penalty, the curse – sorrow, pain, crying, sighing and dying. Both are salvations to an everlasting happiness. But there the similarity ends; for the Church is to be saved by a change of nature, while the world is to be saved without a change of nature – by a resurrection to the perfection of human nature.

The Church’s salvation has its beginning in the “hearing” of faith. The message of God’s grace is proclaimed here and there by stammering lips, which do not appeal to many of the great or wise or learned, but chiefly to the poor of this world. “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he has prom­ised to them that love Him?” (James 2:5) These are charmed with the message of forgive­ness of their sins, as they approach and seek to draw near to God, who through His prov­idence draws near to them. If they continue to hunger and thirst after the Lord and His message, He will satisfy them and will show them His covenant. (Psa. 50:5) He will enable them to understand the terms and conditions upon which they may be received back into fellowship with God as dear children – no longer aliens, strangers, foreigners ­– no longer condemned to death, but on the contrary justified to life.

Here comes to them another test of their love of righteousness, their hunger for fellowship with God; for the requirements, as stated by the Master Himself, are: “If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself (renounce his own self-will), take up his cross (begin to live contrary to his own preferences in that he will do according to the Divine will, instead of according to his own will, where it crosses the Divine), and follow me.” Then he must continue to follow in the Master’s footsteps – faithful unto death. But we are not to think of those who reject the Lord’s cross and refuse to make a full consecration of their lives as being, therefore, condemned either to eternal torment or to anything else. The Gospel Age is a Faith Age, and some do not have faith, or sufficient faith to walk a “narrow way” during this Age. “For all men have not faith.” (2 Thes. 3:2) And if all men who do not have the faith for a Faith Age, God is not unrighteous to condemn them because they do not have enough faith to walk a “nar­row” way, but will open up a “way” for them in the Kingdom – a Highway of Holiness, that will be easier for them to travel. (Isa. 35:8)

THE COMMON SALVATION

The point we are here especially making is that God has provided a salvation for the world, as well as a salvation for the Church. The Bible tells us of the general facts of these salvations. It assures us that “God so loved the world (as well as the Church) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) We noticed at first that the sentence that is upon the world is not an eternal torment penalty, but the penalty that was passed on Adam – dying and death. (Gen. 3:19) Christ died that the race might not perish, but in due time recover from the death penalty through faith in Christ and obedience to Him. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23)

Only the few can exercise the great faith that is necessary to a place in the Heav­enly reward. It is an invitation to walk a “narrow way,” and not a command; but in the Kingdom it will be a command to walk up the Highway of Holiness if they attain eter­nal life. By and by, however, when the knowledge of God shall fill the whole earth as the waters that cover the great deep (Isa. 11:9; 26:9), all will understand; all will hear and be able to believe in God’s goodness and in His wonderful arrangement on man’s behalf. Those who will then believe, and who will then accept God’s favor on its terms of loyalty and obedience to the best of their ability, will be blessed by Messiah’s King­dom reign of righteousness.

The blessing, as the Bible describes it, will be the rolling away of the curse (Rev. 22:3) and the rolling on, instead of the curse, “the blessing of the Lord, which maketh rich; and he addeth no sorrow with it.” (Prov. 10:22) This work of rolling away the curse and the rolling on the blessing is the appointed work of Messiah’s Kingdom for a thousand years. We may be sure that by the time His Kingdom shall end, and shall be de­livered up to the Father, our Lord will have fully accomplished all the great work which was committed to Him of the Father and for which He has shown His worthiness by His co­operation in the Father’s plan, to the extent of dying for the race.

THE LAW COVENANT AND THE NEW COVENANT

There is a marked superiority in the Christmas message that has come through Jesus to the Law given at Sinai. The Law Covenant has two very distinct divisions: “Thou shalt” and “Thou shalt not.” While the New Testament does make clear mention against character depravities, its main theme is toward the development of the virtues and graces of the Holy Spirit as it works in those who have it. And all of this is presented in an ap­pealing manner; whereas, the Law Covenant is a definite command, which is typical of what the New Covenant will be like during the Kingdom. “God has given Him a name that is above every name; That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heav­en, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:9-11) We know that “every tongue” does not “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” today. If it would be a command while sin and evil are in the ascendancy all would have to do so. But in the Kingdom it will be a command, which will be obeyed by all who will get eternal life.

Note now the difference in the address to “all the saints in Christ Jesus”: “That ye may approve things that are excellent ... sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness ... unto the glory and praise of God.” (Phil. 1:10,11) Then Phil. 2:12: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (with great carefulness). Note well that this address is not given to the world. However, if the world would now repent of their sins and “seek meekness and righteousness” they would be better prepared for the Kingdom. (Acts 17:31)

As is it now in the Faith Age with those who walk a “narrow way,” that they are not, required to do more than they are able to do, it will be the same in the Kingdom – no one will be required to do more than he is able to do. All of our readers know full well that now “there is none righteous, no not one,” but our imperfect works are accept­able to God through the merit of Jesus who “bought us,” so long as we are faithful in all we are able to do. However, in the Kingdom no imperfect works will be acceptable, but all imperfection will be corrected in the truly penitent until such time as they will be able to offer perfect works and praise to God. They will then keep the Law perfectly ­just as Jesus did it when He was here: “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain (Kingdom) of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isa. 2:3) And “Whosoever will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23)

We trust that this Christmas message has made the Plan of God clear enough for all our readers to praise God for all His benefits toward us, as well as to thank God for His “unspeakable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15)—the gift of His only begotten Son for our Redeemer! Hallelujah what a Savior! “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psa. 107:31)

Our best wishes to all our readers for the Lord’s blessing during the Holiday Season and for a blessed New Year. Let the Lord be your trust and your guide – for “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” (Prov. 30:5)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!

It is rarely that I write you, but I think you will be interested in the following, although you may know most of it.

Recently we made a short trip to Valdese (near Morganton), a Waldensian settlement in which they have an outdoor drama about the history of the sect. It was interesting. We went to the Museum there, too, and I told the women there that the Waldensians were the oldest Protestant sect, dating from about the llth or 12th century. They didn’t seem to know that, so one of them went to look it up. She found a book of their history and came back and told me I was right. The book was for sale, so I bought it, and have been reading it. It is kind of sketchy and not a very well written book, but it does give quite a bit about the persecutions, even naming some who were martyred. It makes you stop and think about how we might act under such circumstances. Contemplation of their faithfulness and zeal is quite inspiring.

One interesting thing in the museum was a Bible all charred and burned. It had been found in the wall of a building, or house in one of the cities that had been ravaged by the Papal armies. Evidently, it was hidden, and, as I understand, was found not too many years ago.

According to this book, they protested the mass, transubstantiation, absolution, confessing one’s sins (except to God), special fasting days forbidden, forbidding of marriage; and they claimed there were only two sacraments – Baptism and The Lord’s Sup­per, at which they included fish with the Bread and Wine. They also spoke of the Cath­olic church as the Anti-Christ. Of course, they kept the errors of trinity, eternal torment and predestination.

Well, this is a long letter for me. But this, to me, was something to write about. I could say more, but I won’t burden you to read all about it. I’m sure you know some­thing about this anyway.

My warm Christian love and prayers are ever with you.

By His Grace, ------- (NORTH CAROLINA)

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Dear Sirs:

I am writing to you about your Church or faith. I read some about it in the book that is called, The Encyclopedia of America’s religions at Springfield, Ohio Library.

I am very interested in what you believe. Could you please send me some of your literature? I have read about Charles T. Russell’s doctrines as well as some of his books. They seem all right. So I would like it very much if you would send me some of your literature. Could you do this?

Thank you! ------- (OHIO)

(Note: The above writer is a former Jehovah’s Witnesses)

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The Epiphany Bible Students Ass’n:

Please send the Creation book and Daily Heavenly Manna to me. Check enclosed. Thank you!

Sincerely ------- (OHIO)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in our Lord’s Name!

I have received your letter and two papers. I have read both papers and enjoyed them very much. I am looking forward to receiving more from you. I would like to thank you, Brother Hoefle, for the letter you sent to me, and for putting me on your regular mailing list..........

I would certainly like to learn some of your thoughts on the Youthful Worthy class, I especially enjoyed what you had to say about Noah’s ark. Brother Hoefle, I want to thank you for your time and consideration. I’ll be in touch.

Your brother in Christ, ------- (CALIFORNIA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Christian greetings!

We trust you and Sister Hoefle are reasonably well and quite reconciled to Sister Dunnagan’s death. Sorry you were again saddened by the death of another of your relatives. We are sending you a card and trust it will be of some consolation.

As we are completely out of tracts, we will be glad if you would send us an assorted number at your earliest convenience.

All join in sending warm Christian love to you, Sister Hoefle and all the friends there.

By His grace ------- (TRINIDAD)

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Dear Hoefle Family:

This envelope has been “on hold” until I was certain the mails would go through. We are having telephone trouble since the last storm, and the repair man has been here all morning to locate our trouble.......... Just one of life’s minor problems!

The advance copy of the Armageddon paper is with my sisters. We all enjoyed it very much, and appreciate the fact you sent it to us. It follows so well the releas­ing of the Four Winds. It will be interesting to see just how much turmoil on this earth it will take to make people see that these are not ordinary times. Many I know do realize that something unusual is going on. Begin in Israel seems to have courage to take a more positive stand against the world – because I suppose he knows God is with them in the end. I hope he has some knowledge of the Truth. David Horowitz should be able to give him encouragement.

Just discovered a second telephone man has been called in. Hope we have a phone before the day is over.

Christian love to you all, ------- (OHIO)

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Dearly Loved Ones; Loving greetings in our Beloved Savior’s Name!

Our thanks are long overdue. We enjoyed the write-up on Horowitz – United Nation’s most human touch, etc., and the advance copy of Armageddon, very much. Also received tracts in good order.

It is very heart-cheering to observe the stately workings of our Heavenly Father and our Beloved Savior. Surely the dissolving of the nations is progressing! The handwriting is plain, But Oh, how we long for the blessing feature of His Kingdom!

How long, Oh-Lord! Heard reports on TV of the multi-million dollar business on foods, shelters, guns, etc., for dooms day or Armageddon. How good to have the assurance of His Word that all things shall work for our good. Also, seek meekness and righteous­ness, etc. His Grace is sufficient.

Trust this finds you comfortably well. Our thoughts and prayers are with you often for His peace and strength sufficient for every time of need. Thanks again for your kindness to us.

Our warm Christian love, ------- (MASSACHUSETTS)