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Box 111, Pasadena, California
September 10, 1948
GREETINGS! Brethren and Co-Workers:
Here we are only about a month from the Feast of
Tabernacles. It comes LATE this year---October 17th (evening)
thru, and including October 25th. Many have been planning for this
for a year. Many of the brethren have followed God's instruction
to lay aside a second tithe to provide for expenses of the trip.
Some have arranged to provide food and meat. We will arrive at
Belknap Springs, 65 miles east of Eugene, on October 17th, after-
noon before sundown, in time to get settled in our rooms and ready
for the first evening service. This evening, and thru the next
day, October 18th, is a holyday, one of God's annual Sabbaths which
He set apart and commanded us to keep.
Unfortunately a few of you have not been going the past
two or three years. Do you plan to go to the Feast of Tabernacles,
after Jesus returns? Of course we know that then there will be
both ordinary mortal humans, just as we all are today, and also the
saints then changed to immorality, in bodies of spiritual flesh.
Of those mortals not yet saved, including all heathen and gentiles
it is written that every one of them "shall even go up from year to
year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast
of Tabernacles."
But of course some of them will say "I can't come." Some
will say, "I can't afford it this year." Others will say, "I don't
believe in leaving home for the Feast of Tabernacles---I'd rather
stay right here at home and have it in our local church." Others
will make various other excuses. But God answers, "And it shall
be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth
unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep
the Feast of Tabernacles, even upon them shall be no rain."
But even this famine will only sour and embitter some.
They will say "God isn't fair," or, "now that we have famine I
can't afford it as well as I could before." God replies, "And if
the family of Egypt (sinners---those disobedient to God) go not up,
and come not, that have no rain, there shall be the PLAGUE, where-
with the Eternal will smite the heathen that come not up to keep
the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the PUNISHMENT of Egypt,
and the punishment of ALL NATIONS that come not up to keep the
Feast of Tabernacles." (Zech. 14:16-19).
As for the converted immortal saints,---well, if they KNOW
this will and warning of God---if they KNOW God has commanded us to
go to the Feast of Tabernacles---if they KNOW its holydays
especially are HOLY CONVOCATIONS where their presence is commanded
as a command of God, will they even BE saved immortals at the time
if they have made excuse or refused during these sober, serious
last days before the coming of Christ?
Brethren, we will do well to ponder this question---and
remember, we ourselves will not make the answer---GOD is the judge.
We will do well to consider how GOD looks at it, and to what degree
HE will hold us accountable.
But, as Jesus said about another occasion, "If ye know
these things, HAPPY are ye, if ye do them." The Feast of
Tabernacles is a glorious feast of REJOICING. It is a time of
HAPPINESS. We who have been going to Belknap Springs these past
few years all testify it is the happiest, most joyous eight days of
the year. Yes, the way God lays down for us is the BEST way---
always! Happy is the man who says humbly, "Not my will, but THINE
be done." We always have a WONDERFUL time.
Plan this year to come for the entire eight days. Every
year there have been a few who only plan to stay the first two or
three days, a few who come in the middle, and a few who come for
the last few days. THAT IS NOT THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT OR WANTS US
TO KEEP IT. Those who are there only part of the time do not get
the real benefit or value out of it. God knew what He was about
when He set apart this Festival for EIGHT DAYS. We who have been
there each year for the whole period know by experience that this
is exactly the proper duration for such a spiritual festival. It
is a REAL NEED.
This is God's appointed time of SPIRITUAL REVIVAL. Thru
the year some thru the cares of this world grow lukewarm
spiritually. We drift away a little from God. We grow spiritually
careless. We do not pray as often or as much, or as earnestly as
we should. We are not as close to God as we ought to be. But,
after eight days at The Feast of Tabernacles, out there AWAY FROM
THE WORLD,---eight enjoyable, glorious days spent just with other
brethren, many of whom we do not get to see and fellowship thru the
rest of the year---eight days of profitable services, Bible
studies, singing of hymns, praying, visiting---yes, and even
fishing and swimming and mountain-climbing for those who wish it
out there in God's great glorious out of doors---eight days away
from the worries and cares and routines of life at home---eight
days shut off from the WORLD, and in this beautiful, happy,
inspiring atmosphere with brethren who are close to God,---well, it
is the great and necessary---and HAPPY---spiritual revival of the
year.
Since we have been going to Belknap Springs, we all feel
it is the God-chosen place for us, for this time. It is a mile off
the highway, away from the outside world. It is one of the nicest
and best of the minor resort hotels of the Pacific Coast. We take
over the entire hotel, beside the scenic MeKenzie River, as well as
its dozen or more cottages. Each year we have been filled to
capacity, so GET IN YOUR RESERVATION, IF POSSIBLE, BY RETURN MAIL.
We have always been able to take care of those coming at the last
minute without reservation, but it will help us, and assure you of
perhaps better accommodations, if you will write ahead in advance
for reservations. We will try to hold the same reservations as
last year for those who comes every year, but please write me about
your reservations if you can. AND DO IT NOW! This will help.
This year we will follow again the program that has proved
so successful the last two years---two regular scheduled services
week-days, one morning, and one evening, leaving the afternoons
free for visiting, hiking, swimming, fishing. Then on the weekly
Sabbath and the two annual Sabbaths, there will be services
morning, afternoon, and evening, and Sabbath-school during the
morning of the weekly Sabbath. Our first year at Belknap we held
three services daily, but this proved to be too much. Just as one
can over-eat at the table, so we can wear ourselves out sitting
thru three services a day, trying to absorb, digest, and remember
more heavy spiritual strong meat than we can handle. We feel we
have found a well-balanced program, which gives time to think over,
and digest these spiritual meals at the morning and evening
services.
Again this year we will try to bring the moving picture
equipment, and show a number of interesting, educational pictures.
I know all the kiddies and young people will enjoy this. Also,
this year, we will learn and sing a number of our own new hymns
being composed for our own hymn book---the hymn-book of God's own
inspired words from the Psalms and poetic Books of the Bible, set
to music. We are making real progress with these beautiful hymns,
perhaps rather slow, but then one just doesn't compose such hymns
at the rate of several a day---it takes time. About 20 are now
ready for publication, and we hope to publish the first edition of
our new hymn book during the coming fall and winter, God willing.
You remember how well every one liked the two or three that were
sung for us last year. Well, I think you'll like many of the new
ones just as well or even better. If I am a judge of music, I
think they are very beautiful music. This year we will have the
music ready so the whole congregation can learn the hymns and sing
them, and I believe this will add a great deal to this Feast of
Tabernacles.
Again this year we will serve meals ourselves in the
dining room at cost. In fact it will cost you less than it does to
buy groceries at home, because some of the brethren are bringing
meat and vegetables which we will not need to charge for. I cannot
say definitely, until we arrive in Oregon and see what the food
will cost this year, what the price of meals will be. The first
two years we charged $1.00 per day per person, making no charge,
I believe, for the little kiddies. Last year we were forced to
raise that price. I hope we can keep it this year the same as
last, but if groceries are much higher we may have to raise it a
little. I cannot tell you at this writing what Mr. Bigelow, owner
of the hotel, will charge this year for rooms and cottages, but I
presume it will be the same very reasonable charge as last year,
unless a slight increase is necessary because of the increase in
price of everything. When it is considered that he makes no charge
for use of the large and beautiful lounge-room we use for service
and visiting, or the dining room and kitchen, and use of his
utensils, except that a portion of the charge of each room pays for
the use of all this and the beautiful wooded grounds, it should be
realized the charges are really very low.
If you occupy a cabin, BRING BEDDING---but if a hotel
room, DON'T bring bedding. The cabins are limited---don't count on
finding one vacant unless you reserve it ahead of time.
This year some of our new brethren from Pasadena and
Southern California, and some of the college students from
Ambassador College, will undoubtedly make the trip and be with us
---and you'll LOVE THEM ALL! We have baptized several here in our
own baptistery at the college during the past year---one more just
a week ago. Now brethren REMEMBER---this is not only something you
REALLY WANT TO DO, something you'll ENJOY more than anything else
thru the year, but something you OUGHT to do, are COMMANDED to do
by God Himself, and therefore MUST do. If we neglect, or refuse,
or make excuse now, how will we fare in the Kingdom? We in
Southern California are looking forward eagerly to this fellowship
with you all. Since the headquarters have been moved to Pasadena,
all the more reason to write in your reservation early. Address
all communications to me, at Pasadena.
With love, in Jesus' name,
Herbert W. Armstrong
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