Loren,

Thank you for addressing an extremely relevant topic. This past Sabbath I was sitting next to someone in church reading the Marcussen during worship!

I once had a pastor who encouraged zealous members' efforts in his other church to put the Marcussen book on car windshields in a Catholic church parking lot one Sunday. Needless to say... "How to Win Friends and Influence People" was obviously not on his reading list. It probably should have been, as well as on those of many others who think that following, and winning people to Christ is primarily about this.

Thanks...

Frank

Even after we, quite properly I think, dismiss or at least heavily discount extreme voices such as Marcussen (and I've been mailed that tract multiple times) there is a more foundational issue here. We Adventists have historically been pretty fixated on eschatology. Much of that is a pioneer legacy plus the frequent presumption of a near inerrant Ellen White. And the questions asked about the 2nd Coming have mostly been of the 'how' (end time scenarios) & 'when' categories.

But very little of the 'why'. That is, what might the prerequisite criteria for the eschaton be? The one area within Adventism where this has been explored (and is very controversial) is whether God is looking for some kind of perfection in His people. However, what I haven’t seen is any thorough examination of why the 2nd Coming should or should not happen. A few years back, for example, our Conference President preached at my church, speaking about why God is delaying. And, with due respect to a good guy, his rationale was beyond weak. Reasons like God wants all our relatives to make it, for example. Well, the way it’s going on planet earth, if that's why God is delaying, we’re never gonna see it happen as the unreached population is outstripping the reached.

So now – concerning the current financial turmoil - why does everyone get all 2nd Coming hyped whenever something like this happens? Jesus isn’t coming because the markets are in turmoil. So why is there a delay? Still pouring over the books since 1844? Other worlds still undecided whether Satan is a bad guy? Earth’s ‘cup of iniquity’ not yet full? Uncle Joe still needs time to decide?

We put forward a lot of reasons. But the ones I’ve heard all seem pretty lame to me. So where is the hard thinking we should do on this question? We seem instead to be mesmerized by the scary headlines.

You forgot to mention that when the stock market dropped the other day it dropped 777 points. When I saw that on the news I just knew that there were a lot of Adventists who were going to attach special symbolism to that day.

Your questions Rich are very good ones--I've been wondering about those same questions for quite some time now!

Perhaps international bankers are more of a threat than the dreaded papacy. Perhaps Satan tells the international bankers what to do...and they tell Popes and Presidents what to do. The subversion of the Teachings of Jesus and the U.S. Constitution are much more important than a Sunday law. Do we have a 'deer in the headlights mentality' where we just huddle and wait for all the bad things to happen to us...rather than actively attempting to right the wrongs in this messed up world?

Rich,

I believe that one of the negative practical implications of Adventist eschatology beyond perfectionism is escapism.

The world is, financial or otherwise, falling apart at the seems, and instead of trying to figure out what to do to fix it, we throw up our hands and wait for the end.

I find myself thinking this way all the time! How does one balance a healthy sense of hope/expectation/preparation without becoming "no good" in the practical/political sense of the word? This is the question I find myself wrestling with.

Zane,
I hear you. For what it's worth, nothing motivates me to clean house today like knowing guests will be arriving tomorrow. Unfortunately, without that expectation it's likely that my clothing will be organised on the floor in two piles, clean and dirty. Not good!

Zane

You are correct. The Adventist Church has lived with a "chicken little" complex for generations. We have a run for cover fixation while the Dispensationalists have a gloat glow.

You ask the penetrating question:"How does one balance a healthy sense of hope/expectionation/ preparation?"

The best we have come up with is "run and hite!" What was there about Paul and Silas that compelled the Jailer to ask: "Sirs what must I do to be saved?" Seems we could use a little of that rather than "I told you so!"

One thing we do know, perfectionism isn't the answer. Maybe procclaiming a pefect Savior might be--it sure worked for Paul. Tom

Because our church gives biblical prophecy its deserved place and weight it changes our outlook a bit in comparison with other faiths.
Prophecy wasnt put in the bible just for a lark and a hoot.
It also isnt an inescapeable perfect discription we find in the bible.
Therefore, we are always looking for the signs and comparing them to the biblical template.
Some people get ahead of themselves and when they find the first superficial correlations they start running around with their heads cut off.
I see our Adventist perspective as a good thing. I also see individual persons a bit off the mark.
It would be wrong to mis label or confuse the two.

Johnny,

Lol. How true. The problem for many us, though, is the definition of "house." To many times it's limited to "my life", for the more communally minded Adventists, "our denomination." Rarely, I would claim, are we talking about "our world."

"Cleaning" is understood as improving our own personal "perfection"/"sanctification"/"cleanliness" and this generally understood as withdrawal from the world instead of engagement with (as Tom points out) it or the care/love of it.

(Tom, did you mean "run and hit"?)

(Tom, did you mean "run and hit"?)

Posted by: Zane (not verified) | 07 October 2008 at 6:22

I took it as Run and Hide

Michael

Yes it was run and hid. Sorry. The End-time advice in G.C. was written in 19th century geography. The best place to hid now would be in a mall or a Sunday at the ballpark. Or take a lesson from Al Quiada. Tom

Please understand that I am not arguing against our "blessed hope" in the soon coming of Jesus. The Bible teaches that the end time is coming. As I said in the article, at some time our expectation is going to be correct!

We just need to remember that the goal and purpose of the eschaton is Jesus. The particular approach to eschatology I wrote about is unhelpful and unbiblical. The focus is on surviving the physical discomforts of the end times, with less regard to whether we're ready to actually meet Jesus!

Loren Seibold

Having spent my teen years in the militia-rich region of NE Washington during the 90s - post Ruby ridge and Waco - I've always been very interested in how American conspiracy theories mix with Adventist eschatology. Many of my friends came from families without SS numbers and talk of the Illuminati, international banking, the Jews, Rockefeller, both political parties, Europe, recent immigrant and Rev. 13 was often more in present, than future tense.

I remember attending a Light Bearers camp meeting in '94 and listening to G. Edward Reid - attorney and stewardship director for the North American Division - preach on his hot book at the time, Sunday's Coming. With "liberal" Bill Clinton fresh in everyone's mind and the Christian Coalition showing its strength with the Republican Revolution, coupled with every "serious" male Adventist reading Malachi Martin, Reid was invoking Waco and declaring the end very, very neigh, i.e., before now.

Pastor Seibold does a terrific job of sharing texts that note that end-watching based on the news will ALWAYS be a losing game.

I see some of the same fear and ignorance leaps in logic during these troubling times.

One of the major problems is that these folks don't actually read much of the news so when information breaks through it tends to have an "extra" affect.

A question I'd like to explore is the roots of the very white Protestant American fear still in the 21st century of paying income taxes and central banking. Yeah, I like my money too, but it's just weird to see grown men carrying on and whining that the big plan is to abandon the dollar for something called the "amero."

The young smart conservatives at the American Scene put this economic turmoil in perspective with the Great Depression.

It's a little hubristic at the end, and yes, all societies change over time, beyond the usual ancient examples, but really almost all civilizations (but not all governments, often for the better) are still around after all these years.

http://theamericanscene.com/2008/10/06/winning

Seeing how national/social identity and loss means so much to people, I'd be very interested in studies on how our sense of civil identity relates to our consciousness as humans.

Jeannieb43

Living in California, we have had an "earthquake kit" prepared and waiting in our front hall closet ever since the big Northridge quake of '94. Unfortunately, I realized last year that it reeked of a terrible smell, coming from the rancid energy bars and the fetid water bottles. I tossed it all out (including the expensive duffel bag which held it), and decided that when the earthquake comes, I'll just have to make do with the flashlight and good sturdy shoes I always keep by my bed. (Hopefully I'll always go to bed wearing something decent in which I can be seen should the Big One strike while I'm asleep.)

How in the world I would ever be able to carry that big duffel bag with me if I were running away from devastation, I'll never know. I believe the same thing applies to my relationship with God. I can't "carry" my salvation with me at the last minute. It has to be an ongoing relationship with Him. And I trust Him enough to put my full confidence in Him for my eternal life -- regardless of where or when I meet Him (if He's coming in the clouds of the sky - or, after my resurrection, as I'm being wafted up to meet Him in the air).

I still need to memorize more passages of Scripture, however, now while it's available to me, for use when I (on the run, perhaps) am away from the printed Scripture. Or, in the format which I learned as a child, when I may be called upon to testify before a court of law as to my faith. But I don't cower in fear; God is good. He will draw me to Himself, and will *redeem* me to Himself, unless I *actively* resist Him.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.

Alexander asked: 'A question I'd like to explore is the roots of the very white Protestant American fear still in the 21st century of paying income taxes and central banking. Yeah, I like my money too, but it's just weird to see grown men carrying on and whining that the big plan is to abandon the dollar for something called the "amero."'

I reply: The following video may be a partial answer to your question:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-515319560256183936

What upsets me is how upset people get about politics, religion, and money. Can't we just get along?

Frank, my car windshield was one of the ones in past years. I have had to exert much self-control not to respond in kind. Pass the word along that it not only gains no converts, but really really angers us.

Fr. Jim

Fr. Jim

If you haven't watch the WWII film Battleground--an attempt to show the battle of the bulg. In one scene near the end,
the Germans lobbed big shells in with propagranda. As soon as the shelling stopped. The guys all ran out and picked up as much paper as they could. Then one by one they went off into the woods with their trenching tools.

Your windshield paper might have been a little too slick.
But it is an idea!

Eight years at Marquette, we never tried to convert the other.
We did tell a few "Good" stories on each other in good fun. Tom

Orthodoxymoron,

I was talking about the roots for these conspiracy theories, not expressing an interest in seeing them again.

Please do not repost this hilariously armchair economics 3.5 hr. video from 1996 - I like how Bill Still "proves" his groundbreaking point that the Federal Reserve is not "federal" by showing that it doesn't appear in the gov. section in a phone book. (Do people use those anymore?)

In fact, as anyone knows who has taken intro economics in college, the Fed. is designated a public/private system. Very sinister: like the Riverside County Library System, the Las Vegas Monorail and Central Park.

And that's just the beginning. Bill Still that the government has no control over the Fed. when in fact:

The seven members of the Board of Governors are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to serve 14-year terms of office. Members may serve only one full term, but a member who has been appointed to complete an unexpired term may be reappointed to a full term. The President designates, and the Senate confirms, two members of the Board to be Chairman and Vice Chairman, for four-year terms.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/frseries/frseri.htm

There are people who check facts and there seem to be people who just parrot videos.

This video is so full of holes, including the bogus idea that the average American is poorer today then before the Fed. Here's a chart of per person GDP in America.

Finally, conspiracy theory author, Bill Still, behind the video (also the one who spends most of the time in front of the camera) has also written:

1. The best-seller, New World Order, the Ancient Plan of Secret Societies, (Lafayette, LA.,
Huntington House, 1990)
2. Legend of the Lance, (Lafayette, LA, Huntington House, 1991), a novel about the Holy Lance
of Longinus which pierced the side of Christ and then became the most sought-after object of the
Holy Grail quests.
3. The Hormone Headache, (New York, Macmillan, 1995), shows the relationship between
women's hormonal fluctuations and their chronic headaches .
4. The Truth About TMJ: How to Help Yourself. (Winchester, VA, Reinhardt & Still, 1994),
Millions of women suffer from unbearable pain from problems with their jaw joint (TMJ).
Despite the fact that some dentists call themselves TMJ specialists, there are no treatments
proven to be safe and effective. In other words, TMJ treatments are a scam in the dental
profession.
5. The Little Brown Book of Restaurant Success, (Winchester, VA, Reinhardt & Still, 1994),
written with top restaurant consultant, Bob Brown, shows waiters how to do their jobs better.
6. On the Horns of the Beast: the Federal Reserve and the New World Order, (Winchester, VA,
Reinhardt & Still, 1995), an exposé of the privately-owned central bank scam in general and
the problems caused by the Federal Reserve System in particular.
7. The video version, The Money Masters (Winchester, VA, Still Productions, 1996), two 90-
minute video tapes on VHS and DVD.

Oh look, it's self-produced.

It's fascinating to see so many of a certain generation of mostly white men discredit themselves by playing follow the leader with these demonstrably false ideas.

Alexander,

Thank-you for your corrective response. I am amazed that you critiqued a 3.5 hour video so effectively after reflecting upon it for just over an hour. I am chastened and contrite. I thought the video was quite good and relevant to the current international banking crisis, and that it helped to answer your question. Live and learn.

Could you provide us with links to superior videos on the subjects of International Banking, Fractional Reserve Banking, the History of the Federal Reserve and Central Banking? Also, could you provide us with links to audits of the Federal Reserve and audits of Fort Knox Gold over the past 20 years. Finally, could you provide us with a link to the law which requires Americans to pay a Federal Income Tax?

I eagerly await your reply. There is so much disinformation out there to mislead simple white folks, such as myself.

We have lived with Eschology for 164 years in that entire time the Gospel raised it ugly head about three or four times. Each time it has been beaten with the stick of E.G. White. The closest she came was 1888. Then it was to regain control of the brethren in Washington. Now we doubt everything from Genesis to Paul and defend E. G. White with our jobs or pay checks. So if there is a mark of the Beast what evidence does the Church have to offer than it will be true to the Gospel?
Do we defend Christ or do we defend an discredited institution? If the state of the world is any indicator, we are at the point of fish or cut bait.

Running and hidding failed in the hills of California and the piney woods of Georgia/Tenn. The best bet is to get out and lead the parade, not on gay marraiges, not on a perfect final generation, not on how Moses wrote Genesis et al, but How Jesus Christ redeemed all and any who would believe that his life, ministry, death, and resurrection were necessay and sufficient for our salvation. That is the only amazing fact. That is the only assurance in a time of trouble. That is the high water mark of the universe and my life and the life of those I bought forth. It is a rare church that one can find that will speak truth to the people. If the music of the dons of yesterday didn't exist and musicians who couldn't or wouldn't praise God with those words and music, the Church would be vain indeed.

Spectrum. the elite of the Adventist World, would rather demonstrate is erudition than its confidence in a risen and soom coming Savior. If any journal every became marginalized, it was Spectrun. Born in a time of discourse on critical issues, it has become a sounding board for eveny news cast or every editorial from the Review,even self published ego-centric theocentric propositon every religious aberration, every cause of any deviate insistence. Now I know, I'll get it, big time. But if one doesn't have courage to day, when will one? Tom

Orthodoxymoron,

I gave you three clear cases in which these conspiracy theories get basic facts wrong with sources. Beyond posting a video, you've doing nothing except attack me. You're a free citizen; do your own research.

Thank-you Alexander. But where did I attack you? Wasn't it the other way around? I waved the white flag as I headed for the library.

Spectrum. the elite of the Adventist World, would rather demonstrate is erudition than its confidence in a risen and soon coming Savior. If any journal ever became marginalized, it was Spectrum. Born in a time of discourse on critical issues, it has become a sounding board for every news cast or every editorial from the Review, even self published ego-centric theocentric propositon of every religious aberration, every cause of any deviate insistence. Now I know, I'll get it, big time. But if one doesn't have courage to day, when will one? Tom

Posted by: Tom Zwemer | 07 October 2008 at 7:20

I'll support your right to say what you think here Tom.

Forget about the sabbath/sunday conflict.
Think instead in terms of humanism.
The current situation? One small step for a few men, one giant leap for mankind. Backwards, that is.

Fair enough, Oxy, you're right. Between you and Tom I was feeling a little beat down there for a moment, but it's cool.

Alex,

I sent you a private message. Giving it more thought, I think Henk is on the ball better than I. My main problem is: Is Jesus Christ the Savior of mankind or is He not? In Christ ministry, He attributed every symbol of the Hebrew ritual to Himself. The Lamb, The Water, The Light, The Bread,
The Covering: He referenced Abraham as seeing His day and being glad, He referenced the serpent on the tree, He fillfilled the law, He rose again the third day. John even fought the Gnostics in all of his writing. Yet we dig up doubt, we try to rewrite Scripture, We question God's mind set, Twenty years later we can't stop talking about Des Ford's faith--where were we when it counted? The Introduction to this quarter's Sabbath Schoo lessons were well written, yet Spectrum chose to fight an old argument totally unrelated to the thrust of the lesson outlines. We are in the midst of a world wide change and we point fingers.

I am an old man, but I have lovely children, grand children, and great grand children. I want them to grow up with the love of Jesus Christ I learned at my parents knees, around the dinner table, and in the generosity to those who came to the door. I would be delighted if my great grandson grew up to be a pastor like Paul Heubach. Philip Yanecy, Graham Maxwell, I really don't need any argumentation or one upsmanship. Now is the time to be singing: "He's got the whole world in His Hand"

Yes, Abraham came out of Persia, Yes, the Israelites spent 70 years there, yes the three wise men came out of the East. No
The Gospel of John, The Letters of John, and the Book of Revelation are not Gnostic writings. Nor does the Sevent-day Adventist Church have any proprietary hold on any of them.

This world is in one big heap of trouble and we with it. Now is the time to give the trumpet that certain sound!!! Jesus Loves Me This I Know for the Bible Tells Me So! Now is not the time to try and pad one's C.V. or resume. Now is the time, for prayer and healing. I need some, thanks you. Tom

In a closing comment to one of Spectrum’s threads, I asked the question:
“Was Jesus tempted by a myth?” I was first labeled as a literalist and then
denigrated as a farce.

During, the night season, I thought of two other literalists: Paul and John.

I didn’t do an exhaustive review of the canonical writings of either but extracted several typical observations of each:

“ Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph. 6: 11,12 KJV

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, and the old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Rev. 12: 7-9 KJV

“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.” Rev. 20: 1,2 KJV

Which leads me to a story: The Sunday School teacher was telling the children the story of Jesus feeding the 5 thousand. She concluded by saying, Of course, children this story is just an illustration how the words of Jesus were so compelling that the people lost all thoughts of hunger. A little girl raised her hand and asked: “Teacher, what about all those baskets of leftovers?”

Cheers. Tom

Here's the Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the US - 2004 Report - yes, it's what's available. I believe that to be a better measurement of whether the average American is doing better or worse in terms of wealth.

You can see that Real Median Household Income decreased by a .2% from 2003 to 2004. See page 10 in this file.

http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p60-229.pdf

GDP is the market value of all good produced within our country - it is not a measurement of household income. It is more a measurement of our countries output for a specified period of time.

According to Ellen G. White Satan as a fallen angel bent on evil is referenced as follows:

Christ Object Lessons 23 times
Education 3 times
Great Controversy 46 times
Desire of Ages 36 times
Mount of Blessings 15 times
Ministry of Healing 20 times.

Of Course she was wrong on the IJ so give her a little slack.

Her best quote is in G. C. pages 516-517 "None are in greater danger from the influence of evil spirits than those who, notwithstanding the direct and ample testimony of the Scripturres, deny the existence and agency of the devil and his angels."

Not being a fundamentalist, it is difficult to defend a position so many intellectuals deny. But so be it. Happy hunting. Tom

BW: are you responding to my posting of the GDP rate per person? If so, can you contextualize your comment to the Fed. conspiracy discussion or the earlier discussion about the market in general?

I'd like to stay on the topic raised by Pastor Seibold to wit: how info/news mixes with eschatology in Adventism. I certainly don't have any answers, but I have been trying to point out that in some cases turning to these totalizing conspiracy scenarios comes from a lack of comparative analysis on competing facts regarding significant civic events.

Amen! Jesus said to prepare, but do not worry. Alden Thompson's article "The Angels Always Say the Time is Near", an unpublished chapter of Inspiration, is similar and excellent reading.

Colin MacLaurin God in All .org

Many thanks are in order to Loren Seibold for raising the issue. Like him, I’ve received a flood of email following the economic roller coaster of recent times.

But I have a couple of observations. First, Adventists need not beat themselves up over their inherited attachment to eschatological scenarios.

Second, Adventism cannot be responsible for every alarmist email forwarded by one of its members.

The Catholic Church and its clergy during the Middle Ages did little to quell the fears of the medieval mind as the year 1000 approached. So many in that period thought surely the Lord was going to come. Just something about that number, and about the tragic and confusing contemporary events, led many to fear the end was very soon. But the year 1000 came and went.

Not just Adventists, but Catholics too, forward email irresponsibly. There is a tendency to want to see ultimate meaning or prophetic fulfillment in every headline. Especially when times are bad, the non-profits with a religious orientation begin to send out newsletters begging the faithful to contribute. The Apocalypse has arrived, but fundraising continues!

I received a fundraising letter from Amazing Facts. Of course it premised its call for contributor dollars on the recent visit by Pope Benedict XVI to America. The letter left the impression that something sinister was afoot. Apparently the Pope had a hidden agenda other than visiting the Catholics in America, and perhaps secret meetings with the highest levels of American government were part of that, calculated of course to begin -- you guessed it! -- the implementation of the National Sunday law.

I don't know if the letter raised money to keep Amazing Facts in the black, but it sure highlighted its black and white views of eschatology. You either believed every detail of EGW's eschatology, or you were not an authentic Adventist.

Adventism shouldn’t feel it is judged by what every individual member may say in an email message any more than it feels it can be judged by what Amazing Facts sends out. Neither the anonymous email nor Doug Batchelor can claim to speak "ex cathedra" for Adventism. You’ve got to wonder about a person who once lived in a cave and who now argues that only the most conservative and reactionary form of Adventism is authentic Adventism.

In these difficult times, hot polemics is not what the world needs to hear but rather calm irenics. What Christians – whether Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox – share in common eschatologically is far more important than the differences.

Catholics and Adventists, for example, agree that Jesus is Lord, and that he foretold his death, resurrection, and return. Catholics and Adventists agree that humankind by its fallen nature has made a mess of things here. Catholics and Adventists believe we are called to faithfully and joyfully await the return of our Lord Jesus Christ who alone can and will make all things new. Catholics and Adventists believe the long-awaited Parousia was something Jesus taught us all to be vigilant for and prepared for -- in the same metaphorical and deeply profound sense of the wise virgins who brought extra lamp oil.

Adventists since the middle 1800s have believed the return is imminent. Catholics believe it “could be tomorrow or a thousand years from now.” If one searchingly explores what Adventists can mean by imminent, it’s not clear that there is a significant distinction between the two positions. (Could any Adventist have imagined that imminent could mean 164 years?!)

Despite our theological differences, Catholics and Adventists agree that a posture of expectancy, readiness, and charity ought to characterize those who take Jesus' teachings to heart.

It is not so much the WHEN of the return but of the absolute fact and CERTAINTY of the return that we affirm, announce, and anticipate. To the Christian, our time here on earth is bounded, either by the Parousia or our own individual deaths, and yet we celebrate and stand by the gift of life God has granted each of us. With every breath we acknowledge that no man (or woman) knows the hour, but we all do know that God is indeed coming.

Long before there were denominational lines, long before the Protestant Reformation of 1517, and even long before the split with Orthodox Christianity in 1054, Christians proclaimed that Jesus will come again. This proclamation predates even the New Testament. And that good news has not become dated or changed, though end-time scenarios have multiplied over the years. The good news of Christ's return is ever true.

And whether times are comfortable or difficult, whether framed by affluence or fraught with danger, our eyes should be affixed to Jesus Christ and our lifestyles should exhibit lives of faith, hope, and love -- ever mindful that each day could be our own last day on earth, and that, therefore, each day is a gift to live abundantly and to the fullest as sons and daughters of God.

There has been a trajectory in history of the Christian emotional response to eschatology: from fear and trembling to joyful anticipation. There may be those who have, alas!, like Doug Batchelor, A. Jan Marcussen, and those who forwarded the alarmist emails, been somewhat immune to such developments. At least their writings leave that impression. Perhaps the demands of modern fundraising requires such attention-getting communiqués. I don’t know. I'm not a marketing expert.

But this I know: we can best help them – and anyone else who might find these times troubling or disconcerting – by modeling the serene joy of a Christian who believes what Jesus said ("let not your heart be troubled") and knows Jesus meant what he said. He will come again!

Those who have kept their eyes on him in this life have nothing to fear, because the Beatific Vision of our Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise continues into the next. Maranatha.

David A. Pendleton
Kailua, Hawaii

David, your message is so sensible and lacking in sensation that one can appreciate the serenity and peace that you have. Those hyper-Adventists who see in every news item a significant sign which indicates they should run for the hills, still attracts those people who need sensationalism in their religion.

Speaking of tracts, I received one yesterday from Hope International, which mostly had ads for herbal supplements under the name of "Hope of Health" and one was labeled "Sunny Day" which was touted as reliever of depression and mood swings. Another claimed to help such conditions as: hypothyroidism, Eczema, poor digestion, hair loss, breast and colon cancer, gout, food poisoning, radiation poisoning, high cholesterol, acidic body, anxiety/stress and inflammatory arthritis. "Cure in a bottle."
They also offered Ellen White Study Bibles with her commentgs alongside the Bible chapters. Don't delay, they are out of print and only a few left!

David,

One of the most balanced, beautiful, uplifting, and and hope filled posts I have ever read on this site.

Thank you!

Frank