The series of articles comprising "In Search of the Apostleship of Herbert W. Armstrong" by Ron Brendel originally appeared on the now-defunct "Real Christian Forum" message board.  The articles have been slightly reformatted for The Missing Dimension.

 

This begins a series of articles examining the claims of Apostleship for Herbert W. Armstrong:

 (1) A man who was first ordained by one of the branches of the Church of God (7^th Day) [hereafter referred to by me as COG7]

(2) A man who had his ministerial credentials officially revoked by the COG7 offshoot he followed in its rebellion against church authority

 (3) And a man who personally rebelled at least three times against COG7 authority which had ordained him.

The claim has been made on Real Christian Forums message board that:

(1) According to COG7 records Herbert W. Armstrong was duly ordained as a minister just as his autobiography claimed

(2) It was COG7 custom to ordain their ministers as "Apostles" at the time of Armstrong’s ordination

(3) Armstrong had no need to lay hands on himself to be ordained to the position of Apostle as it was done for him by the COOG7.

Since evidence from the records of the COG7 has been entered as proof of Armstrong’s apostleship I will be using their records as evidence for my case against such a claim. I will also present as evidence the written words of Armstrong, himself. The evidence will clearly show that Herbert W. Armstrong hypocritically lived his life by a self-serving set of rules entirely different from the ones he used to rule over the Radio/Worldwide Church of God with a heartless rod of iron.

I will begin with quotes from "Must God’s Ministers Be Ordained BY THE HAND OF MAN?" by Herbert W. Armstrong, which originally appeared in Good News, January 1960, Vol. IX, Number 1. Any commentary by me will be inserted in bracketed bold red letters into the text. I used bold black letters to emphasize some of Armstrong’s statements.

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Jesus conferred upon His called ministers of His Church the keys of the Kingdom of God. He vested them with AUTHORITY to guide His Church, and carry on His work, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

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Every example in the New Testament, however, shows that Christ carried on affairs in His Church according to HIS GOVERNMENT, and in definite order. There is no doubt, therefore, that THESE PROPHETS WERE SENT from Jerusalem BY AUTHORITY OF THE APOSTLES.

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Now CHAPTER 13. At this time there were, at the Antioch Church, PROPHETS and TEACHERS (no apostles). But God's authority was vested in the Church at Jerusalem, and authority there was vested in the APOSTLES, who undoubtedly, in process of GOD'S GOVERNMENT, HAD SENT the prophets to Antioch. Barnabas and Saul were included among the TEACHERS at Antioch.

VERSE 2: While they were worshipping and fasting, GOD, thru the Holy Spirit, gave order: "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for THE WORK TO WHICH I HAVE CALLED THEM." THAT IS, ORDAIN THEM! UP to this time, Saul HAD NOT ENTERED UPON THE WORK TO WHICH CHRIST HAD CALLED HIM. He had been merely gaining preparatory experience. What is the Bible definition of "ORDAIN"? From "Cruden's Concordance," it is: "To appoint, or design to a certain end or use. To choose, or SET APART for an office."

So here we see in operation THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD IN HIS CHURCH, THROUGH His human officers chosen by Him, headed by prophets sent by Apostles! Verse 3: "And when they had fasted and prayed, AND LAID THEIR HANDS ON THEM, they SENT THEM away.

THERE IT IS! Barnabas and Saul, renamed in verse 9 PAUL, were then and there OFFICIALLY ORDAINED, after fasting and prayer, BY THE LAYING ON OF HANDS of those in authority, SENT there by the Apostles, and as DIRECTED by the Holy Spirit! God did not ordain Paul privately, secretly or INDEPENDENTLY of His CHURCH. He was ORDAINED BY THE HAND OF MAN, according to God's ORDER OF GOVERNMENT, as directed by Christ the HEAD of the Church, but THRU THOSE HUMAN INSTRUMENTS according to God's own ORDER.

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What is God's order of authority in His Church?

You find it in Ephesians 4:11-12: "And He (Christ, the HEAD of the Church) gave some, APOSTLES, and some, PROPHETS, and some, EVANGELISTS, and some, PASTORS (leading or presiding elders of local churches), and TEACHERS; for the perfecting of the saints, for THE WORK of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: TILL we all come to the UNITY OF THE FAITH ..." In other words, to PREVENT separate, INDEPENDENT, and competing work which would introduce confusion, and division, driving many out of the Body of Christ, GOD HAS ORGANIZED GOVERNMENT in His Church. That government is the government of GOD.

It operates from GOD, at the top, on down. It is government of and by and from GOD the Father, thru CHRIST, thru God-called and ordained APOSTLES, thru EVANGELISTS, thru PASTORS, thru TEACHERS, IN THAT ORDER. This government means TEAMWORK. It works for UNITY, not division.

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Teamwork Between Paul and Peter

Before Saul did any more than a little preparatory preaching, asserting that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah -- even before his ordination as an apostle -- he went to Jerusalem to see Peter -- to report to Peter his vision from Christ, and the commission Christ had given him. It is evident from the Scriptural account that Peter accepted him. During his 15 days with Peter in Jerusalem, he roomed with Peter (Gal. 1:18).

The Prophets with the teachers, who, under direct instruction from Christ, ordained Paul at Antioch, had come from Jerusalem. And in the operation of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD within His Church this could not have been except by authority from Peter and the Apostles. Nothing was at any time done contrary to, or in opposition to, Peter or the Apostles. There was always perfect harmony and cooperation.

Later, 14 years after his conversion (Gal. 2:1), Paul went up to Jerusalem again, with Barnabas, taking Titus also. God had revealed to him the command to go. He then communicated privately to Peter and the Apostles the Gospel he preached among the Gentiles. This was the same visit to Jerusalem recorded in Acts 15. It was a coming to the HEADQUARTERS Church, where the Apostles sat in COUNCIL, with AUTHORITY, for decisions inspired by the Holy Spirit, thru APOSTLES, God's chief human offices under Christ.

Upon seeing that the work of the Gospel to the Gentiles had been committed BY CHRIST to Paul, as chief apostolic office for that work, even as the chief apostolic office for the work of the Gospel to ISRAELITES had been committed to Peter -- that the SAME HOLY SPIRIT worked in both, but in their different, non-conflicting, non-competing fields -- they gave to Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship in this APOSTOLIC MINISTRY -- Paul as Christ's Apostle in first authority under Christ in the work to the Gentiles; Peter as Christ's Apostle in first authority under Christ in the work to Israelites.

But still there was perfect harmony. There was no conflict. There was no abridgment of God's GOVERNMENT, thru Christ, thru Apostles -- IN THAT ORDER! And even so, Paul's position and office was recognized and accepted by Peter and other APOSTLES.

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Titles of Office

It is well, here, to explain the titles God uses for those in office in His government. We have just considered such offices as those of APOSTLE, PROPHET, EVANGELIST, PASTOR, TEACHER. But what about such titles as "Elder," "Bishop," "Overseer", or "Presbyter." All these are used in the New Testament. Actually, all these latter four mean exactly the same thing. A Bishop, or an Overseer, is an Elder -- and the Presbyters are, simply, elders.

But some Elders hold higher office of AUTHORITY than others. Actually, Apostles are also elders, and the assistant pastors, or even non-preaching teachers and leaders in local churches are elders. The Apostle John called himself an Elder (II John 1, and III John 1). The Apostle Peter called himself an Elder (I Pet. 5:1). In other words, ALL ministers of Christ, no matter how high or low the office of authority, are Elders. All Apostles are Elders, BUT ALL ELDERS ARE NOT APOSTLES!

In the New Testament Church, the Elders, or Presbyters, were the same as Bishops -- the general title for ALL spiritual offices of authority over the Church.

God Works Thru only ONE Body

God's Church is CHRIST'S BODY. When Jesus was on earth in human flesh, He said that of Himself He could do nothing -- the Father that dwelt IN HIM, thru the Holy Spirit, did the works. The Spirit, or Power, of God, then, did the WORK OF GOD for that time thru the one human body of Jesus!

But Jesus said to His disciples that they should do the same works He did, because He would go to the Father, and send the SAME SPIRIT to work IN THEM. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the SPIRIT of GOD entered into the human bodies of those God had put into HIS CHURCH, and now worked THRU THEM as His human instruments. Thus THE CHURCH is the BODY of CHRIST -- the human body (composed of its many human members) by which, empowered by the Holy Spirit, THE WORK OF GOD is carried on.

The Word of God clearly teaches us that there is but the ONE Spirit, and the ONE Body. (I Cor. 12:12-13, 20.) God cannot, and does not, carry on HIS WORK thru ONE BODY, with headquarters at Pasadena, California, and also thru some one man, or different Body, working independently and out of harmony with the Pasadena Body, in Pittsburgh, and another man pulling in a still different direction of opposition, in New York.

[Of course, Armstrong, with his sliding standard, could carry on a work independently and out of harmony with the headquarters Church that ordained him. His inability to work in harmony with other ministers of the COG7 was the reason his ministerial credential was revoked by that body, as I will demonstrate, later, by the testimony of one who was there.]

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God ALWAYS Ordains by Hand of Man

That ONE BODY of Christ, carrying on HIS WORK, must function as a UNIT. It must work in harmony and unity, with teamwork, for God is not the author of confusion. There must be no pulling off in different directions by different men IN that one Body. There must be no competition, or division. And anyone who knowingly promotes, or encourages anyone in promoting, such disharmony, competition, and division, becomes the enemy of God, and is serving the devil and not God!

[By his own standard, Armstrong’s words and actions demonstrated he was "serving the devil and not God."]

In order that this ONENESS -- this UNITY of purpose and action -- this HARMONY and co-operative teamwork, be maintained and preserved in GOD'S WORK, God has ordained GOVERNMENT IN HIS CHURCH. And He has empowered His Church with DIVINE AUTHORITY.

That government in God's Church is government from God, thru Christ, thru apostles, thru evangelists, thru pastors, thru other elders, IN THAT ORDER!

Now suppose God did NOT have these various officers ordained by the hand of man. What would happen? One man in New York would APPOINT HIMSELF, and come up and say, "I claim equal office and authority with those ordained from Pasadena. I wasn't ordained by the hand of man, but direct by the hand of God." And then this man carries on his own independent work. Such a work CANNOT be a PART of the work of GOD'S TRUE CHURCH, for the simple reason that sooner or later it will start pulling off in an opposite direction -- unless there is DIRECTION from Christ on down, in ONE CHURCH ORDER OF GOVERNMENT as God ordained. Sooner or later competition, misunderstanding, strife, and division will result! CHRIST IS NOT DIVIDED!

So you see, Brethren, WHY God always ordains men to office THRU HIS OWN CHURCH, THRU HIS OWN ESTABLISHED ORDER, as laid down in HIS WORD! GOD ALWAYS ordains to office BY THE HAND OF MEN, whom HE has placed in office. THERE IS NOT ONE EXAMPLE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WHERE ANY MAN WAS SELF-APPOINTED, OR ORDAINED WITHOUT THE HAND OF MAN, SEPARATE FROM AND INDEPENDENT OF HIS ORDERED CHURCH!

[He forgot Jesus, the Head of the Church. Jesus was a man. No other man ordained him.]

Any such claims to ordination or office are WITHOUT A SHRED OF SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY!

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JOHN 15:16: Jesus Christ Himself ORDAINED His Apostles -- by His Hand in Person, direct. Also Mark 3:14.

ACTS 1:22: Matthias, after God thru the Holy Spirit directed that he be chosen, was ORDAINED thru the other eleven as one of the TWELVE APOSTLES (Also verses 23-26).

ACTS 14:23: Elders were chosen and ORDAINED in every city, by the hands of Paul and Barnabas, with fasting and prayer.

I TIM. 2:7: Was Paul actually ORDAINED, or just made an Apostle by God direct without ordination? Paul here says plainly, HE WAS ORDAINED!

II TIM. 1:6 AND 4:1-5: Timothy was sent out by Paul as an evangelist, clothed with AUTHORITY to appoint and ordain elders and deacons in the local churches, and given authority over local pastors and churches. God did this THRU THE HAND OF PAUL, and in this Scripture, we see Paul had laid hands on Timothy. If for receiving the Holy Spirit, then certainly also for his ordination.

TITUS 1:5: Paul gave to Titus the evangelist authority to ORDAIN elders in every city, AS PAUL HAD APPOINTED HIM. Thus Titus was ordained to this authority by the hand of Paul, and elders in many churches were ordained by the hand of Titus, the evangelist. Here is the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, operating from Christ, thru Paul THE APOSTLE, thru Titus, THE EVANGELIST, thru local ELDERS, in the order of God's authority in His Church according to Eph. 4:11.

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And so it goes. There is not one example in the New Testament showing that any man was ever ordained to an office of authority WITHOUT the hand of man!

[He forgot Jesus, again.]

The ONLY examples and instructions we have show God doing it thru the hand of men of His choosing!

WHICH Is Christ's ONE Body?

Either the Church of God with headquarters in Pasadena is the ONE AND ONLY true Body of Christ, thru whom Christ carries on HIS WORK, or else it is deceived, or it is a fraud.

[Unfortunately for those who trusted Armstrong it was the "or else."]

There is no other possibility. You MUST FACE IT, and DECIDE WHICH ALTERNATIVE IS TRUE. If it IS the Body thru whom Christ works in carrying on HIS WORK to the world for this time, then it is THE ONLY BODY that is being used of Christ. CHRIST IS NOT DIVIDED!

Ordained, and Under Authority

[Who ordained Armstrong? Whose authority did he place himself under?]

Finally, brethren, though I have mentioned it in the Autobiography, many may not realize the significance of the fact that I personally was fully ORDAINED by the laying on of hands after fasting and prayer of those in authority in GOD'S CHURCH. It was in the summer of 1931. I had held a short evangelistic campaign for the Oregon Conference, Church of God (Stanberry, Mo.), six months before, after three and a half years of receiving instruction in the Gospel from Christ, thru His written Word. In the summer of 1931 those in authority in this Church of God asked me to enter the full time ministry, starting with a tent campaign in Eugene, Oregon.

[Armstrong stated he was "fully ordained" by the authority of the Oregon Conference, Church of God (Stanberry, Mo.). His statement, as we will learn later, was not fully accurate.]

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An abbreviated account of those early years in the ministry -- of being UNDER authority -- of preaching where and when I was SENT by those over me in authority.

[Here Armstrong plainly admits he was under authority of those who ordained him. How did he get out from under their authority to start his own church?]

-- of being SENT by them to the country school house west of Eugene, Oregon, in 1933, from where the present work and the "Philadelphia" era of the Church blossomed forth -- was published in the December GOOD NEWS, in Herman L. Hoeh's article "God Demands Teamwork.

There is not space in the present article to repeat this history of early experience -- of being considered, and accepting the status, of the LEAST of the ministers in the Church

[By his own words, Armstrong was considered and accepted the status of being the LEAST of the ministers of the Church. He said, as quoted earlier, government in the Church is:

(1) GOD the Father,
(2) through CHRIST,
(3) through God-called and ordained APOSTLES,
(4) through EVANGELISTS,
(5) through PASTORS,
(6) through OTHER ELDERS,

IN THAT ORDER!

If Armstrong was considered and accepted the status of being the LEAST of the ministers in the Church, then he was considered and accepted the status of being the least of the OTHER ELDERS. APOSTLES are not the LEAST; they are the HIGHEST-RANKING MINISTERS, according to Armstrong’s own words.

Why did Armstrong never make a claim to apostleship based on his ministerial credential from the COG7? To do so would have been to acknowledge that there were Apostles in the COG7. For by Armstrong’s own words, only an Apostle has the rank to ordain another Apostle. That would have destroyed his self-serving claim of being the one-and-only end time Apostle. It would have also made people ask why it was OK for Armstrong to rebel against the authority of the Apostles who ordained him, but not OK for anyone to rebel against the authority of the "Apostle" Armstrong. Armstrong chose instead to poison the minds of his followers towards the COG7 to hide the plain truth of his own checkered past.]

But to continue!

God COULD ordain those He has called to office and authority in His work secretly and direct, without the hand of man. But there is no instance in the history of His Church where He ever did! God COULD do all His work HIMSELF, direct, without using any ministers or human agencies at all! BUT THAT IS NOT GOD'S WAY! God did His work on earth thru the human body of Jesus Christ while Jesus was on earth. Now, according to God's own Word, HIS CHURCH, with its many human members, is CHRIST'S BODY thru whom God carries on His work. There is no example in the Bible where God carried on HIS WORK under the New Covenant by any single individual OUTSIDE OF, INDEPENDENT OF, HIS ORGANIZED CHURCH AND HIS ORDER OF GOVERNMENT IN THE CHURCH.

[The following quotes are from an article written by John Kiesz entitled "The Worldwide Church of God Versus The Church of God (7th Day). Any commentary by me will be inserted in bracketed bold red letters. I used oversized bold black letters to emphasize some of Kiesz’s statements.]

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Since the early 1960s we have often been asked, mostly through letters, what we know about Herbert W. Armstrong, whether he has ever been a member of the Church of God (7th Day), and if so, why is he not with this church today, was he disfellowshipped or did he leave of his own accord, and if so why; can one rely on his autobiography, and what do you think of his present work, his attitudes, and teachings?

Our first knowledge of him was in late 1931 or early 1932 while I was office editor of the Bible Advocate, which was then published at Stanberry, Missouri. At that time he and Robert Taylor were publishing the Messenger of Truth, in Oregon, in which appeared articles written by both of these men. One of the articles which interested me very much was on the "secret rapture" fallacy, written by Herbert Armstrong, which I in turn reprinted in the Bible Advocate. I believe some of his writings had appeared in the Bible Advocate previously, and perhaps several later.

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In 1931 he was ordained to the ministry, and in 1932 he received his Ministerial License Certificate from the Oregon Conference of the Church of God, signed by O. J. Runcorn as President, and Mrs. I. E. Curtis as Secretary.

[Kiesz, like Armstrong, was incorrect in stating Armstrong was "ordained" in 1931. The "Ministerial License Certificate," dated 1932, is the one appearing in Armstrong’s autobiography. As we will learn later, Armstrong was not "ordained" in 1931 and the "Ministerial License Certificate" of 1932 did not make him an ordained minister.]

The headquarters of the General Conference of the Church of God (7th Day) had been at Stanberry, Missouri, since the late 1880's. In the fall of 1933 there was a division in the Church of God organization, one group retaining Stanberry, Missouri. This newly formed group instituted what was termed Apostolic form of organization, with the Twelve, the Seven, and the Seventy.

[Apostolic form of organization, not because it had Apostles, but because it was based on a model derived from the New Testament, i.e., Apostolic times.]

My name appeared in the list of the Twelve, and Herbert's in the list of the Seventy.

[The New Testament lists twelve Apostles immediately after the resurrection of Christ (Acts 1:26). "The seventy" (from Luke 10) are never called Apostles. If the Church of God, Seventh Day, organization’s purpose was to strictly imitate the New Testament example, Armstrong would not have been an Apostle for he was not one of the Twelve; he was one of the seventy. Kiesz, on the other hand, would have been an Apostle under such a construct.

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So, in the fall of 1934 he received his credentials from the Salem branch of the Church of God.

[This, as we will learn later from the COG7, itself, is the instrument that actually made Armstrong an ordained minister. Notice he jumped ship from the Stanberry branch of the COG7 he began with to accept this ordination from the splinter group in Salem.]

As mentioned previously, I was then a member of the executive board of the church, which decided on who was eligible for those papers.

It was in the fall of 1937 when Elder Armstrong's credentials were revoked by the Salem Church of God organization. The reason given by the Board of Twelve for this action was because he taught and kept the annual Feast days. But the real reason seems to have been because of his uncooperative attitude.

[Armstrong was fired, his credentials revoked—he was no longer an ordained minister—because of his uncooperative attitude and his insistence on teaching doctrine contrary to those in authority over him in the COG7]

One writer, in his published book, says that Armstrong was asked to surrender his credentials to A. N. Dugger, and that Dugger at that time was president of the Salem Church of God. That is not true. Dugger never was president of the Salem branch. I was on the Board of Twelve when Armstrong was issued ministerial credentials in 1934, and also when his credentials were revoked in 1937.

[Armstrong has now deserted one Church of God organization and been fired by a second.]

May I state that I personally did not participate in the revoking procedures.

Following this incident of revoking Armstrong's credentials, he and I remained close friends, although not in full agreement on several points of doctrine, yet we had many things in common and worked together. Without going into details why, at this time, I will state that about eight or nine months later I submitted my ministerial credentials to the Salem Church of God organization, 1938. Sister Kiesz and I assisted in the Feast of Tabernacles at Eugene, Oregon, in 1941, and again in 1944, and the last one I attended by myself at Belknap Springs, sixty miles east of Eugene, 1945. We lived in Canon City, Colorado, most of the time from 1940 to 1950. It was during part of January and part of February, 1945, that Herbert held us a fairly successful evangelistic campaign in Canon City.

It is a mistake for anyone to state, as was done by Marion J. McNair in his book, that Armstrong continued as an unofficial organization, between 1937 and 1946, until he incorporated as the Radio Church of God. Actually, he organized the Churches of God in Oregon shortly after his credentials were revoked. In the month of July, 1940, ministerial credentials were issued to me — John Kiesz — signed by the following Board Members: 1. Herbert W. Armstrong, 2. Jeremiah M. Day, 3. Claud V. Ellis, 4. John Davison, 5. D. T. Henion, 6. O. J. Runcorn, 7. F. W. Beard.

[So now Armstrong had jumped ship, been fired, then returned to the original ship where he "organized the Churches of God in Oregon"—even though his ministerial credentials had been revoked—and then, shockingly, issuing "ministerial credentials" to others.

How does a fired, defrocked minister with no credentials of his own have the authority to issue ministerial credentials to others?]

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It is true that Herbert was not always able to work harmoniously with other ministers. Perhaps it was not his fault alone. He had a feeling, evidently, that some folks were always undermining him, and trying to destroy his work. In time, I observed that he possessed (and probably still does) a "persecution complex."

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Another area in which folks have concerned themselves with, is his Autobiography. I have been asked: "Do you believe everything written in the biography is true?" Since he reported in his Autobiography, in the August, 1962 issue of the Plain Truth, the three and a half weeks meetings he held for us in Canon City, Colorado, during part of January and February, 1945, and since about half of his report was either distorted or false, I have to question his other reports too. For instance, he wrote in his Autobiography about his trying in the early 1930's to work with men like Taylor, Oberg, Ray, and Daily, and how all of them worked against him. I did not get personally acquainted with Taylor, but I did with the rest of them. I did not find them as bad as he pictured them. I'd say that not everything published in the Autobiography is reliable.

I used to consider Herbert a humble man, but when he began to write that for 1800 or 1900 years the true gospel was not being preached until he (Armstrong) began his work, I had to change my mind about his modesty. To me, such an attitude is too presumptuous. Our heavenly Father has always had a true and faithful people in every age, or else he would not have fed and nourished them in the wilderness for 1260 years (Rev. 12:6,14) He has also indicated from time to time that the Almighty chose him as a special Apostle, and that what he has been preaching and publishing has been revealed to him directly by Jesus Christ, whereas the fact is that what truths he has been preaching he originally learned from the Church of God (7th Day). We must admit, however, that he has been teaching additional concepts which are not scriptural truths.

I remember the time when Herbert wrote and taught strongly against church organization as it was generally carried on, but later became so strongly organized that he became to his followers what the Pope of Rome is to the Catholic Church. Many of his followers have come to believe that he is God's prophet, and these actually fear him. We have heard some of his people say, after they were shown some of the discrepancies, "Well, if Mr. Armstrong says it then it is so."

When one claims that he has been ordained of God, Baptized by Jesus Christ, and has consistently, for many years, been preaching the one true gospel of the Kingdom of God, and dared to tell in specific, point-by-point, and in detailed order, the events that are to occur, the real meaning of the mysterious books of prophecy, and that his work is the only genuine work which is carrying out Jesus' very commission — he ought not have preached and published contradictory messages, nor should he have made predictions which never came to pass, nor ever will.

We admit that all prophetic students can make mistakes, and have made mistakes, in interpreting Bible prophecies. But the way Herbert Armstrong and some of his fellow-writers have written articles in the Plain Truth, and in the Good News, and in his Letters to Co-workers, stating that no one but he and his group understand these things, and that for over 1800 years the true gospel was not preached until he started to do so, and if he is God's true prophet for these times, he should never have made such predictions as have miserably failed, as will be shown below, for the Almighty Himself knows everything and makes no mistakes. He does not reveal things to His servants which never come to pass.

It has been stated at times in the Plain Truth that whatever article he was then considering, that he had taught certain things as far back as 28 years ago, when no one would believe him, and that those predictions have now come to pass, or are now coming to pass. But he usually does not tell you of the miscalculations or misinterpretations he then published and preached. I wish to point out a few of those here...

[He then lists a number of Armstrong’s false prophecies.]

So, on and on. One writer claims that some sixty prophecies failed. Now all of the references to false predictions must be measured and weighed in the light of the Holy Scriptures; namely, if a prophet speaks in the name of the Eternal, if the thing does not come to pass, it is what the LORD did not speak. So it seems only fair to conclude that Herbert Armstrong is a self-proclaimed prophet.

[Under the Old Covenant "law" he misinterpreted and so ruthlessly enforced Armstrong would have been stoned to death as a false prophet. Instead his deluded followers continue to throw stones at anyone who dares to call him the false prophet he was.]

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The majority of his adherents have been thoroughly brainwashed, and there is nothing anyone can do for them anymore, as far as directing them into the right channels is concerned.

[A most succinct description of what Armstrongism does to those held captive by it.]

The following quotes are from "A History of the True Church Traced From 33 AD to Date" by Andrew N. Dugger and Clarence O. Dodd, Chapter 22, "Eighteen Hundred To Present AD." This chapter is describing events leading up to and during the rebellion against the authority of the Church of God, Seventh Day, lead by Elder Dugger, over the subject of church government. My commentary will be inserted in bracketed bold red letters. I used oversized bold black letters to emphasize some of Dugger and Dodd’s statements.

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They were writing to one another in different places of the evils manifest in state and general elections of presidents, vice presidents, and suggesting the need of the restoration of the Scriptural organization of the twelve to look after the spiritual affairs of the church, and seven to take charge of the financial business, and also the seventy to go forth two by two in giving the warning message for the hour.

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Hence they had set their hearts to prayer, and were consequently led in one accord to stand for a clean church without worldly spot or wrinkle; also to form the Scriptural organization, so when Jesus came to receive his bride, he would find her prepared and ready, having cast to one side the organization patterned after the civil organizations of this world, and with world headquarters moved to the place he himself had chosen. Thus the reorganization became more and more impressed upon the church, and its needs more apparent. A set time and place therefore were chosen to perform this work. It was set for November 4, 1933, and the place chosen was Salem, West Virginia, U.S.A.

[Elder Dugger had lost a power struggle for control of the COG7. He set the example for Armstrong and all the offshoots that sprang from him by leading off a group to start another "true" church with himself in control.]

The following account of the reorganization meeting is copied from the Bible Advocate published at Salem [USA headquarters for the group in rebellion against the Stanberry headquarters.], Nov. 6, of that year.—THE CHOOSING OF THE TWELVE, THE SEVENTY AND THE SEVEN

In Salem, the city of peace, many hearts rejoiced with love, and the sacred presence of God hallowed the meeting.

The meeting was opened by singing, "Oh, To Be More Like Jesus"; "The Church of God"; and "Humble Thyself to Walk With God." Beginning on Friday afternoon, we began to fast and remained in prayer until the early morning hours of the Holy Sabbath, then letters were gone over from ministers and names gathered, sent in from far and near. One hundred and forty names were presented, and a box was prepared from which to draw the names according to the leadings of God, for these respective offices. As we approached the set time, it seemed we could feel the presence of God. The power of His presence through the world circle of prayer was keenly apparent, and hearts rejoiced in the hope and joy of his salvation.

The congregation then made choice of three men whose names were placed on separate slips of paper, and dropped into the box. A prayer was given that God would make choice of one of these three, whom He could best use and guide in drawing out the ministers names for the twelve and the seventy. Elder Dodd drew out one slip which contained the name of Brother John Adams of Salem.

Ministers' names were then placed into the box, and a brief silent prayer given. It was just a few minutes past eleven A.M., Washington time. The names for the Twelve were drawn out in the following order, by Brother Adams:

No. 1, Elder J. M. Oren-Naerem, of Norway; No. 2, Elder F. C. Robinson, of Missouri; No. 3, Elder R. A. Barnes, of Arkansas; No. 4, Elder R. L. Taylor, of Oregon; No. 5, Elder C. Heywood, of Michigan; No. 6, Elder W. W. McMicken, of West Virginia; No. 7, Elder C. E. Groshans, of Indiana; No. 8, Elder Henry Wood, of Massachusetts; No. 9, Elder Raymond Saenz, of Mexico; No. 10, Elder H. Negby, of Palestine; No. 11, Elder John Kiesz, of Missouri; No. 12, Elder Chas. L. Royer, of Connecticut. A prayer of thanks was now given by Elder Dodd.

[Note that each of the Twelve is referred to by the title of "Elder," not "Apostle."]

These names were written down one by one as chosen, by Elder O. D. Grimm, acting as Secretary pro tem. Another short season of silent prayer was then called, and the names of the Seventy were chosen one by one. They were as follows in the order of choice:

Elder John Anderson, Mo.; Elder D. Davis, Mich.; Elder H. Tavel, C. A.; Elder Adolph Gusman, Mex.; Elder William Bodine, Ark.; Elder Otto Haeber, Calif.; Elder E. H. Shadel, Ark.; Elder Robert Nance, Ark.; Elder L. M. Jackson, Ala.; Elder William Berry, South America; Elder W. A. Summers, Okla.; Elder John Brenneise, S. Dak.; Elder V. Amos, India; Elder Samuel Brown, London, England; Elder Will Barnes, Ark.; Elder Andrew J. Williams, Texas; Elder J. E. Benson, Pan.; Elder J. D. Bagwell, Ala.; Elder N. P. Daniel, India; Elder E. O. Bradberry, Ark.; Elder G. Flores, Elder L. F. Claspell, Ind.; Elder Kenneth Freeman, W.Va.; Elder V. J. Benjamin, India; Elder B. Israel, South India; Elder Pete Bartschi, Ark.; Elder S. A. Oberg, Ore.; Elder H. Snyder, Wash.; Elder J. A. Ijames, Jr., N.C.; Elder A. H. Stith, Idaho; Elder T. V. Taylor, La.; Elder D. B. Garcia, Mex.; Elder E. Campos, Mex.; Elder E. P. Roche, Mich.; Elder J. E. Codrington, Pa.; Elder Noah Barnabas, Palestine; Elder C. Sobers, New York City; Elder A. C. Turner, Mich.; Elder E. Echiavaria, Tex.; Elder Herbert Armstrong, Ore.; Elder A. Steede, Mich.; Elder J. W. Tarver, La.; Elder J. A. Ijames, N.C.; Elder J. E. Hamilton, C. A.; Elder Allen Castor, B.W.I.; Elder J. G. Smith, Cal.; Elder L. W. Runyon, Okla.; Elder C. O. Vallery, La.; Elder J. M. Rodriguez, Tex.; Elder J. Servantes, Mex.; Elder W. W. West, Calif.; Elder E. J. Younce, Ill.; Elder V. J. Joseph, India; Elder C. O. Dodd, W. Va.; Elder J. Siler, Mich.; Elder Archie Craig, Okla.; Elder Roy Kanady, Ark.; Elder B. Bernsten, China; Elder G. Thompson, Panama Canal; Elder James Relford, Kan.; Elder Chas. J. Ellis, British West Indies; Elder Charles Welch, Okla.; Elder E. H. Jenkins, Ark.; Elder Ed. Severson, Okla.; Elder W. C. Bryce, Tex.; Elder Albert Bodine, Ark.; Elder Arthur Barnes, Ark.; Elder Hugh Brown, London, England; Elder Will Briley, Ark.; Elder F. G. Zoller, Neb.

[As with the Twelve, note that all the Seventy were referred to by the title of "Elder," not "Apostle."]

Following a prayer of grateful thanks to our dear heavenly Father for leading in this work, the assembly proceeded as in Acts 6:1 to 6 in choosing the seven men to place over the business affairs of the church.

["Over the business affairs of the church," i.e., in charge of the money, the real power. Naturally Dugger, the leader of the rebellion, was chosen as one of the seven.]

The choice resulted as follows:

A. N. Dugger of Missouri, C. O. Dodd of West Virginia, John Brenneise, of South Dakota, Hugh Miller of Nebraska, F. L. Summers, of West Virginia, John Adams of West Virginia, R. E. Winsett of Tennessee.

A prayer service followed in which the hands of those of the Twelve present were laid upon the Seven who were at this meeting and they were thus set apart for the work assigned, as in Acts 6:6.

[Notice the Twelve laid hands upon the Seven, but no one ever laid hands on the Twelve. Remember what Armstrong said about God ordaining through men. No MAN ordained the Twelve or the Seventy to their position in this "apostolic church organization."

Factually, there was no apostolic succession in the COG7.]

A prayer then followed for the officers chosen who were not present, that God would lead them and fully set them apart for the life duties thus involved.

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The brethren voted unanimously for the world headquarters to be Jerusalem, Palestine, and money was secured for the purchase of a building there for the headquarters building, and the work there began progressing with a great and wonderful future. While Jerusalem was chosen for the world headquarters, the United States headquarters was Salem, West Virginia; the Mexican headquarters, Mexico City, Mexico, D. F.; European headquarters, Rosenburg, Egersund, Norway; Indian headquarters, Jonnalapalem, Penumentra, W. Godavaria, South India.

Apostolic Succession

"The view that a wise and perfect form of church government and organization was set in order by the New Testament founders of the church, which has right to continue, and that that order has been handed down by the apostolic succession, was maintained by many foreign adherents of the Reformation." "In England this was taught by Richard Cartwright, the Puritan opponent to Hooker, and by an entire school of his day." "They appealed to history, and especially to that of the Alexandrian church, and more especially to St. Jerome." -- Britannica Encyclopaedia, volume 5, page 759, article, "Church."

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That the succession of apostolic power has come down unbroken to the days of our pilgrim ancestors, as taught by the school in the days of Richard Cartwright, is further proven by Cotterill's Genesis of The Church, where mention is made of the "Seven," who looked after the business of the church, before the divisions of Eastern and Western Rome, 395 A.D. This view of apostolic succession, and heavenly virtue being thus transferred unbroken to the days of the Puritans, is strongly supported by the history of the Eastern churches, as well as by living schools of the Anglican.

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Britannica Encyclopaedia, volume 2, page 194, says, "Very early, however, the notion that the apostleship is essentially an hierarchical office, found entrance in the church. Irenius and Tertullian regard the continuation of the apostolic function." "This view," it says, "is further developed by Cyprian."

[Why is Elder Dugger using this information referring to the opinions of Catholic Fathers? What strange bedfellows necessity does make!]

Succession in Apostolic Ordination

The Scriptures teach us most emphatically that the apostolic virtue and power was handed down from apostle to apostle by the divine ordinance of laying on of hands and prayer. -- Numbers 8:10, 27:28; Acts 6:6; 13:3; I Timothy 4:14; II Timothy 1:5.

That the Sabbath-keeping "Church of God," has a most definite link of connection back through holy men to the days of the apostles is certain. The very same faith, and practice in divine worship, have been definitely handed down to the present time by strong men of God, filled with His blessed Holy Spirit, zealous for the precious commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, fervent in zeal, and faithful unto death.

The following extract of history shows how careful the Church of God has been, from time remote, to preserve this sacred link of divine virtue, that the true church with apostolic power and purity might truly be manifest in the world when Jesus returns to make up his jewels.

[All this talk about "apostolic power" and "apostolic succession." Armstrong stated only Apostles could ordain other Apostles. Yet, as we saw earlier, no one ordained the Twelve or the Seventy in the organization formed from the rebellion led by Elder Dugger. Why was there no one to ordain the Twelve?

Because the COG7 unlike the Catholic and Anglican Churches had not been practicing "apostolic succession." There were no ordained Apostles to pass on the mantle.]

The following information is from "History of the Seventh Day Church of God, Chapter XI. Two Groups: Stanberry and Salem, 1933 - 1949" by Richard C. Nickels. My commentary will be inserted in bracket bold red letters. I used bold black letters to emphasize some of Nickel’s statements.

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Another Look at Salem Organization

[The breakaway group, led by the rebellion of Elder Dugger, which issued Herbert W. Armstrong his ministerial credentials, then fired him for his inability to work in harmony with other ministers.]

Elmer T. Clark's book, The Small Sects in America (1937), mentions the Salem group as the Church of God (Seventh Day). He grouped the church with Holiness and Pentecostal churches as the Church of God (Salem, West Virginia). Clark termed it an Adventist body that arose from a schism in the Church of God (Adventist) in 1933. When Dugger, the leader of the Church of God (Adventist) returned from Palestine, dissension arose over matters of church government. Dugger insisted that it be patterned more closely after the Biblical pattern, but he was deposed as leader by a majority of the General Conference. He then went to Salem, West Virginia, and formed the Church of God (Seventh Day), and established a periodical, the Bible Advocate, the name of the paper long published by the parent body at Stanberry.

[Setting the pattern for the rebellions of Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, Gerald Flurry, and all the other "ministers" who instructed lay persons to submit to the "government of God" even when they couldn't understand or weren't in agreement with it, yet openly rebelled when they couldn't have their own way.]

Clark listed the following as Salem's chief tenets of belief and practice: Officers chosen by drawing names out of a hat, Dugger insisting that the Bible shows nothing of democratic elections. There were 12 apostles, 70 evangelists, and 7 elders or business committeemen. Although Dugger's name was not drawn, he remained leader of the sect (the 1936 Census lists Dugger as "General Overseer").

[Is any one surprised? Dugger, one of the 7 deacons, was over the 12 "apostles" and 70 "evangelists" in the "apostolic form of government" he set up in his breakaway group. "Apostles," not ordained to their office by other Apostles—as Herbert W. Armstrong stated they MUST be—ordained a DEACON to be over them! (That is what "the 7" in the New Testament were: deacons.)]

In an official report submitted by A.N. Dugger for publication in the 1936 Census, the organization of the Salem group was described as follows:

This body retains the apostolic form of the primitive church and consists of: The Twelve, The Seventy, The Seven, the elders, the overseers, the helpers, and the disciples. The Twelve have the oversight over the body of believers as a whole; The Seventy give themselves to the evangelistic ministry of the Word; The Seven have general oversight and management of the business of the church; the elders give themselves to the ministry of the Word and to prayers; the overseer under the supervision of the Twelve has general care over the church as a whole and has assistant overseers to care for the affairs of the church in States, territories, or various countries, as the need may require; the helpers give themselves to the advancement of the work and the truth, as the Lord has given them talents and opportunities; and the disciples give themselves wholly into the Lord's hands to use as He will.

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Organization of Stanberry

[The original group that Herbert W. Armstrong claimed had "fully ordained" him and which he and Elder Dugger were in rebellion against. Armstrong returned to this group after being fired by Dugger's breakaway rebellion.]

Stanberry did not have a 12, 70 and 7 organization like Salem. Although it did have an executive committee of seven men.

Ministerial candidates were first issued licenses on recommendation of a church or conference. After having gained experience and proven their calling, they were ordained into the ministry by prayer and the laying on of hands in a public service by other ordained ministers of the church. "Elder" was the only title allowed by the Stanberry group.

Following are quotes from "Herbert W. Armstrong: 1892-1986" by Richard C. Nickels. I underlined sections of the text for emphasis.

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The gospel message was always soft-pedaled so as not to offend others. During World War II, the excuse was that wartime censorship would have taken him off the air if he was too strong. In the 1940s, Burdette Marrs, a leading COG7 elder, made the following comment after hearing Armstrong preach: "That was just a newscast." There were always excuses for avoiding a clear, frank, doctrinal statement of belief to the world, and a really straight-from-the-shoulder message. It might offend someone!

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I got another viewpoint of Mr. Armstrong when I sat in the home of Milas C. Helms, the man who HWA admits got him into the ministry. Helms' handsome son Mike is a big strapping man, the very one whose healing Mr. Armstrong recorded in his Autobiography. M.C. Helms pictures Armstrong as one of the biggest dividers in the Church of God, Seventh Day. For Helms, Armstrong was a "radical" who should have been put out of the Church and who was out to become successful in making himself a millionaire. Helms said that Armstrong's broadcasts had little Bible, and merely appealed to current issues to get people's interest.

Because of HWA's tolerant and independent stance, Elder Unzicker of the COG7 refused to baptize Armstrong. HWA states that he had a Baptist minister in Portland baptize him, about 1927 (see The Good News, August 1969, page 4). Who ordained HWA into the ministry of the COG7? That remains somewhat of a mystery, although my historical deduction is that Elder Arvin Stith of Idaho was the minister who performed the ordination of HWA sometime in the summer of 1931. Stith's relatives and associates maintain that Stith claimed he baptized Armstrong. If this is true, then Armstrong was later rebaptized after 1927. I have deduced that this is a slight memory lapse and it was Stith who ordained rather than baptized Armstrong. (Note: According to COG7 member Orville Traver, Elder Ray Benight said that he and Alice Henion were baptized in 1930 in the Dever District in a creek six miles west of Jefferson, Oregon, by Elder Stith. They were ages 16 and 14 respectively. Alice Henion Benight said that Stith also baptized Herbert Armstrong, near Salem.)

c

It has been correctly observed that Mr. Armstrong could never work closely with other ministers. His experiences prove this.

c

As late as the 1940s, Armstrong was considered just another independent COG7 minister.

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It is ironic that during the early years, HWA flourished in the "local autonomy" and "liberal" group rather than the strong lay member Church government group. His 1939 article on Church Government, widely circulated today among ex-WWC members, shows his disdain for a centralized Church government at that time. The reason for this practice is clear: the loosely organized groups were the only Sabbath- keepers that would even listen to Armstrong's teachings about the Holy Days.

c

After the Everett, Eugene, and Cottage Grove local ministers carried this local autonomy so far as to break with him, Armstrong in the early 1950's did an about-face and instituted a strong centralized Church government. All ministers were paid from headquarters and were under headquarters control. This is what he himself had refused to do with regard to the Salem and Stanberry COG7 organizations.

The recollections of surviving Eugene Church members paint a chilling picture of young Raymond C. Cole being sent from Ambassador College as one of the first graduates to institute "law and order" in the rebellious Eugene Church. It almost sounds like Cole was a tough sheriff cleaning up a town of lawlessness.

c

Ed Blenis moved to Oregon in 1909 and probably led the first organized COG7 effort in the Pacific Northwest in what he calls the "cottage program." This is where small groups met in homes for Sabbath Bible Studies. He became state secretary and collected tithes and sent some to Stanberry. Blenis led the 1937 Harrisburg meeting in which Herbert Armstrong was asked to leave the Oregon Conference and work alone. This is revealing, because more than any other COG7 leader I have spoken with, Blenis is the one most opposed to rulership of the ministers in the Church. He staunchly supported democratic control of the lay members, and thought that a lay member and not a minister should be Conference President. In 1971 when I met the aged Blenis, he was as sharply opposed as ever to centralized Church control. Even that of his own Denver organization. Did Blenis think that Armstrong wanted his own centralized Church government, and did this result in his leading the effort to break all ties between the COG7 and Armstrong?

c

Kiesz relates, "In his autobiography he maintained that he never was a member of the Church of God (7th Day), which is incorrect for we did not grant credentials without one being a member."

c

Was Herbert W. Armstrong ever a member of the Church of God, Seventh Day? From the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong, Volume I, we find:

On July 11, 1928, a little more than a year after his conversion, Armstrong wrote a letter to A.N. Dugger, leader of the Church of God at Stanberry, Missouri, declining his invitation to affiliate actively with the COG7. Elder Stith had approached him also on the same subject. Armstrong felt the Lord was preparing him for an important mission, and did not feel led to join any organization (page 478).

In June of 1931, a former SDA minister, Robert L. Taylor, who was then affiliated with the COG7, came to Oregon from California. "It was decided by the officers of the [Oregon] Conference that on the next all-day meeting I was to be ordained. All the brethren -- as many as could get their hands through to my head -- laid their hands on me -- on my head, my shoulders, my chest and my back…I was ordained by, and under the authority of, the Oregon Conference of The Church of God, separately incorporated; not the Stanberry, Missouri, headquarters" (pages 364-366).

After the 1933 COG7 split, Armstrong admits that Salem considered him one of "the Seventy." "If the Salem' re-organization did accept me as one of the 70' in spite of the opposition of Messrs. Ray and Oberg [who were against Armstrong's stand on pork], we would go in. Otherwise, we would remain independent." The Eugene church co- operated with Salem, but "did not join' in the sense of becoming an integral part of it. I then began to send in regular minister's reports. We co-operated fully as brethren in Christ. But I did not accept salary or expense money from them. None in our local church put himself under their authority. We kept ourselves free to obey God as set forth in the Scriptures, should any differences come up" (pages 471, 473)

In a member letter dated May 2, 1974, Armstrong admitted, "For some years I worked in cooperation with the [Seventh Day] Church of God…I never joined them -- never became one of their members…I received no salary or remuneration of any kind from either the Salem or Stanberry organization…The story that I went out from them…is 100% false! I was never even a member of them."

Robert Gerringer, in the 1977 issue of Ambassador Report, pages 68-69, cites a host of witnesses disputing Armstrong's statements. In a letter written to the Salem, West Virginia Church of God, by Herbert W. Armstrong on January 29, 1934, just three weeks after his radio work had begun in Eugene, Oregon, Armstrong states: "I hasten to follow your suggestion, and enclose herewith my acceptance of the ministry of one of the Seventy." The acceptance states:

I am anxious to begin on the ministry…in the one body, and am determined…to live and teach the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, as found in the Holy Scriptures, and as outlined in the Constitution of the Church of God…Will you please record this my acceptance, and have credentials issued to me…

Although Armstrong said that he began the Philadelphia era began in August, 1933 (Autobiography, page 492), in January, 1934, he affirmed in writing that the Salem Church of God was "the one body" -- God's one true church.

In a letter to Salem, West Virginia, dated August 15, 1934, HWA affirmed his views were "in harmony and accord" with their "40 Points of Doctrine" and that his teaching was "not out of harmony with that of the other ministers of the church."

COG7 Elder E.A. Straub referring to a confrontation with Herbert in 1935, says

When he [HWA] said that he never received that money, Elder Haber [the treasurer] went to his briefcase and he got a check, over $500. It was over $500 which was cancelled by Herbert. He said, Herbert, what is this here? You never received any money from this organization? What is this here?'… That was too convincing, I mean, that was an open falsehood.

A ledger book from the Church of God Publishing House in Salem, West Virginia, in 1937, also shows that Armstrong received pay at that time.

Why did Armstrong leave the Church of God, Seventh Day? According to David M. Kauer, secretary-treasurer of the COG7,

"It was basically his teaching on British Israel and the observance of the Feast Days which led to his separation from the church" (letter to B.R. Guillory, dated March 19, 1974). However, at a Ministerial Conference in May 1974, HWA claimed that he did not leave the Church of God, Seventh Day because of doctrinal reasons, but because he merely got so busy that he "just didn't have time to work with them anymore."

Following are quotes from "Herbert W. Armstrong: 1892-1986" and "History of the Seventh Day Church of God, Chapter XI. Two Groups: Stanberry and Salem, 1933 - 1949"by Richard C. Nickels; and "Did Christ Reorganize The Church?" by Herbert W. Armstrong. My comments will be inserted in bracketed bold red letters. I used oversized bold black letters and underlining to emphasize some of Nickels and Armstrong’s statements.

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Failure to Give Credit to Others

The truth is that Herbert W. Armstrong learned much from others. Instead of giving credit to those he learned from, Armstrong often made grandiose claims that he, like the Apostle Paul, learned the Truth straight from the Savior, Galatians 1:11-12. During the Ministerial Conference of May, 1974, Armstrong quoted the above passage, and added:

"I say the same thing, brethren!" Armstrong claimed that he, too, learned "by the revelation of Jesus Christ," going on to say, "I was not converted as the result of the teaching or preaching of any man."

[Actually is was as the result of the teaching and preaching of a WOMAN. The ex-Seventh Day Adventist who convinced Armstrong's wife of the Sabbath "truth."]

Again,  "I did not go to any minister, to any seminary, to any religious school, to any religious denomination, any man or group of men, but I was taught by God in His Book."

In a sermon on July 24, 1976, Armstrong declared,

"I came to the truth in a way I know of no other church leader. I know of no other minister who ever came to it by himself through the leading of God in that way."

[Armstrong was a liar. The following three paragraphs are only a portion of the evidence demonstrating the facts of how he "came to the truth."]

It has been noted that in many respects, Armstrong's book, The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy, resembles the much earlier book by J. H. Allen, entitled Judah's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright (published in 1902, copyrighted in 1917, still available from Destiny Publishers, PO Box 177, Merrimac, Massachusetts 01860). Allen's book was written three decades before Armstrong's "exhaustive study" of the Anglo- Israel issue (see Autobiography, pages 315-316). Armstrong should have given credit where credit was due.

The booklet, The Proof of the Bible, by Herbert W. Armstrong, was copyrighted by Ambassador College in 1958. However, there are many instances of nearly identical language, as well as the order and structure between this booklet and an earlier Seventh Day Adventist publication Prophecy Speaks, which was later re-named David Dare. Its author, Earle Albert Rowell, copyrighted David Dare in 1933. Again, Armstrong did not give Rowell credit.

And finally, there is the remarkable similarity between Herbert W. Armstrong's teachings and that of Seventh Day Church of God independent G.G. Rupert (1847-1922), as I have noted in my article, "The Remnant of Israel," contained in the book Six Papers on the History of the Church of God. On at least two occasions, different employees of Ambassador College have discovered boxes of Rupert's works in Herbert Armstrong's basement, including his magazine, The Remnant of Israel. There is no question that Armstrong studied the teachings of G.G. Rupert, who died before Armstrong's baptism.

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Armstrong's Ministerial License Certificate, issued March 2, 1932 by the Oregon State Conference of the Church of God, certified that

"H.W. Armstrong is a recognized licensed minister, and apostle of the true primitive faith, that he has labored for Jesus, and among this people for the required period before being recognized in this capacity. He is a man of high Christian character, able to defend the true doctrines set forth by Christ and the apostles, qualified and commissioned to preach the gospel, and administer the ordinance of baptism."

[Remember, as was pointed out in Part VII of this series, ministerial candidates were first issued licenses on recommendation of a church or conference. After having gained experience and proven their calling, the ministerial candidates were THEN ordained into the ministry by the laying on of hands in a public service by other ordained ministers of the church.

Armstrong was not ordained to the ministry of the Church of God by the Oregon State Conference of the Church of God. They had no power to do so. That power was vested in the Church of God, Seventh Day (Stanberry, Mo.). The Oregon State Conference could only dedicate Armstrong to the ministry as a ministerial candidate.

The contention was made on Real Christian Forum message board that Armstrong's license from the Oregon Conference made him an apostle. That claim is incredulous in light of the fact that the license in question made Armstrong only a "ministerial trainee" (to use the corresponding Worldwide Church of God terminology).

What did Armstrong think himself? Did he think this license made him an Apostle? Did he point to this document as proof that the hands of Apostles were laid on him—as he said they MUST be—to make him an Apostle?]

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Did Christ Reorganize The Church?

by: Herbert W. Armstrong

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The word "apostle" means "one sent." The definition in Cruden's Concordance is "one sent forth. Used as referring (1) chiefly to one of the 12 disciples of Christ; or (2) to any of various other followers of Christ who did evangelistic work."

An apostle does not mean one IN authority, but one UNDER authority -- one SENT by the authority of another! The only power and authority Jesus ever gave even His original twelve was to heal the sick, and cast out demons. And He SENT them, not to rule, but to PREACH -- not to BEAR authority, but to MINISTER, to serve!

Nowhere in the Scripture do we find the slightest hint that the twelve constituted a higher-up church board, and nowhere were they even given power to rule, or govern, or decide what doctrines the other disciples must believe.

[Armstrong refuting Armstrong.]

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Is there any statement that others later called "apostles" -- ones SENT to preach -- merely evangelists -- such as Paul, Barnabas, etc., were "one of the twelve?"

[Not only does Armstrong make no claim of being an Apostle himself, he refers to Paul and Barnabas as "apostles" (in parenthesis)—"merely evangelists" showing he felt, at the time, that only the Twelve were truly Apostles. It was only later, when it was self-serving and convenient that Armstrong dubbed himself "the only end-time Apostle."]

There is no such statement in the Bible! Rather Paul and Barnabas, after they were called apostles (as in Acts 14:14), went up to Jerusalem UNTO THE APOSTLES, Acts 15:2. And here, at this conference, the Holy Spirit revealed truth TO BE WRITTEN AS PART OF THE INSPIRED SCRIPTURES, which were not yet, at that time, complete. Surely no "12 apostles" are authorized by the Scripture to receive such special instruction from the Holy Spirit, to made part of the Holy Scriptures, TODAY! Such an implication is little short of blasphemous!

[In "The 19-Year Time Cycles—What HAPPENED January 7—What My Commission IS!" (February 1972) Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:]

"In a special group festival held at Belknap Springs, in Oregon, in the autumn of 1951, I was shocked -- and so were those there -- to hear Herman L. Hoeh, then recently graduated from Ambassador College, say with conviction, as if with authority, "Mr. Armstrong IS NOT A PROPHET -- but a man called to the same kind of commission as the original evangelists and apostles of the first century Church of God -- to proclaim the Message -- the Announcement -- the Good News of the Kingdom of God -- the Message that Christ brought from God and taught His disciples."

I shook my head in astonishment that he would make that statement. I KNEW WELL I was not a prophet. I simply knew I had been called to proclaim Christ's Gospel of the Kingdom of God -- to get a job done -- but I had no illusions about being an evangelist, or an apostle, or anything more than my own part in proclaiming and publishing this Great NEWS, as a witness, to as many as I could reach. I had no vision then of a worldwide ministry."

[Here we have, from his own published testimony nearly twenty years after the ministerial license pictured in his autobiography, ARMSTRONG HAD NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT BEING AN APOSTLE. This factually demonstrates, that whatever the words of the ministerial license issued to him by the Oregon State Conference of the Church of God (Seventh Day), Armstrong did not claim that instrument ordained him as an apostle.

Then who or what did?

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In Herbert W. Armstrong’s Autobiography, Vol. I, there is a photograph of a ministerial license. The photo is captioned: "The second ordination certificate issued to Herbert W. Armstrong in 1932. It was then the custom to renew the certificates annually." The certificate states it was "issued by the State Conference of the Church of God," which would have been the Oregon State Conference. The content reads, "H.W. Armstrong is a recognized licensed minister, and apostle of the true primitive faith, that he has labored for Jesus, and among this people for the required period before being recognized in this capacity. He is a man of high Christian character, able to defend the true doctrines set forth by Christ and the apostles, qualified and commissioned to preach the gospel, and administer the ordinance of baptism."

Based on the information from the autobiography the following claims were made on Real Christian Forum message board.

(1) "According to COG7 records, Herbert Armstrong was duly ordained as a minister just as his autobiography claimed."
(2) "It was their custom to ordain their ministers as "Apostles" back then."
(3) "If you still have his autobiography (vol. 1), just look at his ministerial credentials in the photos in the center of the book. You'll see I'm right."
(4) "One might be tempted to say he was a "card carrying" Apostle."

ALL FOUR OF THESE STATEMENTS ARE FALSE, as I will now demonstrate.

(1) Armstrong stated in the autobiography that he was "fully ORDAINED" by the Oregon Conference of the Church of God. I personally contacted the COG7 for information on the subject and found out the following. Armstrong was dedicated to the ministry by the Oregon State Conference of the Church of God. They were not empowered to grant ordinations.

Dedication was not the same as ordination. Dedication granted Armstrong only a Ministerial License, which was considered an entry-level document by the COG7. Before being "fully ORDAINED" with a Ministerial CREDENTIAL, which only the General Conference (equivalent to "Headquarters" in the WCG) could grant, Armstrong was expected to prove himself.

Armstrong did not become "fully ORDAINED" until he received a Ministerial Credential from the Salem branch of the Church of God in 1934.

 AFTER HIS MINISTERIAL CREDENTIAL WAS REVOKED IN 1937 BY THE SALEM ORGANIZATION ARMSTRONG WAS NOT ONLY "AN AMBASSADOR WITHOUT PORTFOLIO," HE WAS A "MINISTER" WITHOUT A MINISTERIAL CREDENTIAL.

THE WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD WAS FOUNDED BY A DEFROCKED MINISTER WITH NO CREDENTIAL! HE WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF NO CHURCH OTHER THAN HIMSELF. HE WAS NOT ONLY NOT AN APOSTLE, HE WAS NOT EVEN A MEMBER OF THE CLERGY!

THE WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD AND ALL THE BRANCHES WHICH SPRANG FROM IT HAVE ONLY ARMSTRONG AS THEIR FOUNDATION. HE IS THEIR ONLY AUTHORITY. THEY STAND OR FALL ON THE FOUNDATION OF A SELF-APPOINTED "MINISTER" WHO MADE HIMSELF AN "APOSTLE."

(2) It was not the custom of the Church of God (Seventh Day) to ordain their ministers as "Apostles." They state they never gave Armstrong any title other than "Elder." They further state they know of NO ONE in the Church of God (Seventh Day) who was EVER given the title "Apostle," including the Twelve in the "apostolic organization" of Elder Dugger.

(3) The photo in the autobiography does not show "his ministerial credentials," it shows his ministerial license. Big difference. Reread above if you still don’t understand why.

(4) Judas Iscariot may have been a "card carrying" Apostle, but Armstrong, who shared some of Judas’ bad character traits including his treachery and love of the moneybag, was never one.

Even IF Armstrong’s ministerial license had made him an apostle—which the COG7 says did not—he was FIRED, DEFROCKED, HIS MINISTERIAL CREDENTIALS REVOKED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH WHICH HAD ORDAINED HIM. FROM THAT MOMENT ON HE HAD NO CLAIM TO ANY TITLE, STATUS, OR POSITION THE CHURCH OF GOD (SEVENTH DAY) HAD PREVIOUSLY GRANTED HIM!

Who made Herbert W. Armstrong "the only end-time Apostle"?

He appointed himself.

A self-credentialed "minister" started his OWN "church," "ordained" other "ministers" solely by HIS OWN "authority," made HIMSELF—a high school drop out—the grantor of "doctorates" at HIS OWN unaccredited college, and presented HIMSELF not only as just the "ONE END-TIME APOSTLE" but also as having the THIRD MOST POWERFUL GOVERNMENTAL POSITION IN THE UNIVERSE—JUST BELOW GOD THE FATHER AND JESUS CHRIST.

In Herbert W. Armstrong’s evil worldview others had to go through him to get to God. We can all be thankful it was a lie.