THE ETERNAL
VOL. 5 NO. 6
“CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH WHICH WAS ONCE DELIVERED UNTO THE SAINTS.” JUDE 3
Australia Holds Its Biggest Mass Ever Adventists Join Short List of Corporate Affiliates
Louisiana Barber The Meaning of the Ticketed for Working Third Angel’s Message Norval F. Pease on Sunday Associated Press Tuesday , May 27, 2008 HOUMA, La. — Police in this town wouldn't cut a break for a barber who ran afoul of an obscure law barring him from working Sundays and Mondays. Clyde Scott had opened his shop May 19 just to trim up a few students getting ready for their graduation ceremony when an officer gave him a citation.
July 20, 2008—With over 400,000 people in attendance and millions more watching on television, Pope Benedict closed out his week-long trip to Australia with a final mass. Organizers for the event said that it was by far the largest Catholic Mass ever celebrated in Australia and the largest gathering of people in Australian history as well. The event was called World Youth Day 2008 and focused on revitalizing the Roman Catholic Church, especially among young people. About 225,000 youth were expected to descend on Sydney for the event. But the total number of pilgrims was much greater. Over 500,000 gathered to greet the pope as he arrived in Australia. About 300,000 people camped —continued on page 6
Biden's Catholic Faith Offers Risks, Rewards
A law on the books in Houma for decades bars barbers from working Sundays, Mondays, any of several holidays and even the day after Labor Day. "I didn't know it existed," said Scott, 32, who has owned Clippas —continued on page 4
He has turned to his faith to weather personal tragedy - including the deaths of his wife and young daughter in a 1972 traffic accident - and shape his political worldview. Biden attends Mass weekly and did not miss it on Sunday, either, attending services and taking Communion at St. Joseph on the —continued on page 7
“The light that we have upon the third angel’s message is the true light. The mark of the beast is exactly what it has been proclaimed to be.” Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 17. This does not mean, however, that we have exhausted t h e —continued on page 4
The Press and Journal (Scotland) April 7, 2008
Associated Press July 15, 2008
A newly-qualified Highland minister has criticised the organisers of a traditional Scottish game, after a senior shinty match was played on a Sunday for the first time.
ZAGREB, Croatia - The Croatian parliament has passed a law forcing shops to close on Sundays in a concession to the Roman Catholic church.
Mr MacColl said yesterday: “Such practices are a flagrant breach of God’s commandment to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and are an evidence of the spiritual darkness that increasingly —continued on page 4
Barack Obama's running mate is the son of working-class Irish Catholics, a career politician educated at a Catholic prep school who briefly considered the priesthood.
What does the third angel’s message really mean? Every Adventist, of course, can define what is symbolized by Noval F. Pease the beast, the image, and was President of the mark. It would be a La Sierra College waste of time to pause to from 1954-1960. prove these points. There has been no change in the Adventist interpretation of these symbols.
Shinty on the Sabbath Sunday Shopping Condemned Banned in Croatia
Free Presbyterian the Rev. Allan MacColl, 31, of Farrow Corpach, Fort William, delivered a religious yellow card to the Camanachd Association and cautioned it that the wrath of God will be brought down on the association and the shinty players for breaking the day of rest.
By Eric Gorski, Associated Press, Aug 24, 2008
Review and Herald May 7, 1953
The church has campaigned for years for Sundays to be devoted to family or Mass in Croatia, which is almost 90 percent Roman Catholic. But Croatians have begun spending weekends in shopping malls that have flourished across the country in the past few years and remain open seven days a week. The law was adopted Tuesday and goes into effect Jan. 1. It allows Sunday shopping over the summer and Christmas holidays. The law also allows stores in gas, bus and train stations to open on Sundays year-round, along with those in hospitals. Bakeries, newsstands and flower shops are also exempt from the ban.
McCain Holds more Private Meetings with Archbishop Chaput Catholic News Agency July 30, 2008 Senator John McCain is paying his second visit to Colorado in less than a week and on this trip he is taking time to meet privately with Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver. After arriving in Denver on Tuesday, Sen. McCain spoke at a 6:25 p.m. fundraiser at the Cherry Hills Village home of investor Charlie Gallagher. At 9:30 on Wednesday morning, John McCain and his wife Cindy met with Denver’s Archbishop Charles Chaput. The archbishop described the meeting as private and told CNA that no comment would be forthcoming.
page 2 the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 6
The Crisis Comes as an Overwhelming Surprise —By Pastor Ron Spear “Transgression has almost reached its limit. Confusion fills the world, and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings. The end is very near. We who know the truth should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise.” Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 28. What lies before us is a shocking warning of what will soon follow. Chaos, confusion, crisis, and an overwhelming surprise is awaiting our great nation, all levels of society, our beloved church, and even our homes. Tragically we have ignored God’s warnings by the prophet Ellen White and now the realties of God’s warnings will burst upon us as a great surprise. Most of our own people will be unprepared. This editorial is not to criticize, but it is to warn our people that the end is much nearer than our minds want to accept. “We are living in the time of the end. The fast-fulfilling signs of the times declare that the coming of Christ is near at hand. The days in which we live are solemn and important. The Spirit of God is gradually but surely being withdrawn from the earth. Plagues and judgments are already falling upon the despisers of the grace of God. The calamities by land and sea, the unsettled state of society, the alarms of war, are portentous. They forecast approaching events of the greatest magnitude. The agencies of evil are combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis. Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones..” Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 11. Things are happening faster than we can imagine. The Catholic Church in Europe has successfully pressured the government of Croatia to pass a National Sunday Law. It goes into effect January 1, 2009. We have been told in the book The Great Controversy p. 607 that “the church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and, in this work, papists and Protestants unite. As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment keepers.” Friends, are other nations soon to follow? What about here in America? Is it possible that only the hand of God is holding back the times so that His people can get ready. Financial Crisis in America—Millions of dollars have been lost in the stock markets. Investors are moving their money to other countries. Millions more have been lost during the recent housing crisis. Our national debt is over 9.5 trillion dollars. The two biggest home lenders, Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac, are $5 trillion in debt. Our government, which is already borrowing money to fund itself, is trying to bail out the housing market by offering to pay off some of the debts. The Washington Post reported [see page 3] that the final cost of the Iraqi War will be over $3 trillion dollars. The high cost in gas is caus-
THE ETERNAL GOSPEL HERALD PO Box 15138 West Palm Beach, FL 33416 1-800-769-2150 eternalgospel@att.net Subscription: FREE If you wish to receive a free subscription of this publication, please contact our office at: PO Box 15138, West Palm Beach, FL 33416 | 1-800-769-2150 email: eternalgospel@att.net Online Edition: www.eternalgospelherald.com Editor Raphael Perez Assistant Editor Andy Roman Copy Editor Patricia Rocco
Co-Editor Ron Spear Contributors Miriam Ponce Norma Perez Peter Prestol
The Eternal Gospel Herald is published from West Palm Beach, Florida, USA, by the Eternal Gospel Church, a ministry that was founded in 1992 by Seventhday Adventist believers to bring true, genuine, world-wide revival and reformation by proclaiming the Third Angel’s Message. The Eternal Gospel Herald is sent to you free of charge, with much love, work, and sacrifice. Every effort is made to insure the accuracy of the information contained herein. This publication is printed to communicate the issues and subjects pertaining solely to the development and fulfillment of the third angel’s message and the advance of Christ’s character in the lives of God’s faithful people. We hope and pray that you will not only enjoy it but that it will be informative and spiritually enlightening to all of you. It is only by the grace of God and the support of each of you that we are able to participate in publishing, radio, newspapers, billboards, and foreign missions.
ing the price of food to skyrocket. All of these things are taking a devastating toll on our economy. God gave us the warning of this crisis through His prophet before the turn of the century. This warning has now become a reality. “Men will invest in patent rights [also property rights, investment rights] and meet with heavy losses, and it is taken as a matter of course. But in the work and cause of God, men are afraid to venture. Money seems to them to be a dead loss that does not bring immediate returns when invested in the work of saving souls. The very means that is now so sparingly invested in the cause of God, and that is selfishly retained, will in a little while be cast with all idols to the moles and to the bats. Money will soon depreciate in value very suddenly when the reality of eternal scenes opens to the senses of man.” Evangelism, page 62, 63. Yes, the situation will get worse as we near the coming of the Lord. Some think that everything is going to recover and that men will soon get a handle on things, but what does the prophet say: “There are not many, even among educators and statesmen, who comprehend the causes that underlie the present state of society. Those who hold the reins of government are not able to solve the problem of moral corruption, poverty, pauperism, and increasing crime. They are struggling in vain to place business operations on a more secure basis. If men would give more heed to the teaching of God's word, they would find a solution of the problems that perplex them. ”Testimonies, Vol. 9, pp. 13, 14. Evidently, when God decides that the closing time has come men will be powerless to stay the hand of God. So what can we do? Is it too late now to invest in the true gospel that God has given to us as a people? No! We praise God that there is still time. Our Savior in His mercy is still telling the four angels to hold the four winds of destruction so that we can prepare ourselves and help others to get ready for what is about to come to this world as an overwhelming surprise. And the way to get people ready and to finish the work of the three angels—will be done mainly through publications, books, pamphlets, and the living preachers. So pray that this ministry will always obtain the support to carry on with the different billboards, radio programs, and newspaper publications so that the truth for this hour can be scattered abroad.
Letters
Eternal Gospel Church, Hello my name is Joseph Conklin. I was wondering if you could send me some Bible studies. About a year ago I was baptized. I have been reading the Bible but it’s hard to understand. I am a firm believer in Jesus Christ as Lord. I just want to learn more about Him. Well, thank you for your time. Joseph Conklin, Indiana. Dear Pastor Perez and Staff, Your Eternal Gospel Herald is the best, and I appreciate it very much because it keeps me up to date on what’s going on in our church. The reason why I’m writing you at this time is to inquire if you happen to have any extra copies on hand of the issue with Ratzinger and two other high ranking Roman Catholics with him going to the same school as Jan Paulsen. I shared my copy with someone and never got it back. Sincerely, Tril Greene, Idaho. Eternal Gospel Church, Greetings once again in the name of Jesus. It doesn’t look like the SDAs are doing much prison work, as there is little materials everywhere I go. Could you send me a copy again of the big newspaper style material. It’s the one with the Pope and the President. Any materials that you can send world be appreciated. We have several study groups both in Spanish and English. I am also giving some individual studies, as well. Please pray for these studies. God bless you always. ___________, Federal Correctional Institution, Texas. Dear Brethren in Christ, Christian greetings. I was so glad to have been blessed and reminded of the mission and movement to which I am a part of when a brother loaned me a couple of your magazines. I am praying that God continue to bless, strengthen and direct you all as you carry out a work that is most needed at this time in Adventism. Thank you all for reminding me that real Adventism has not died but is alive. It is surely good to know that there are brethren in Adventism who are standing up for truth though the heavens fall. May the God of peace be with you all. Juliette Campbell, Jamaica. Dear Brethren. I am writing to thank you for sending me The Eternal Gospel Herald. I only received one and I was inspired after reading the pamphlet. The articles are timely, spiritual and contains the end time message which the whole world needs. They reveal how prophecy is being fulfilled. People here in my country, Zambia, are eager to read these messages. People are ignorant as to what is actually happening. May God continue to guide you and the members of your team, Sincerely, Kalengili Gerald, Zambia, Africa. Dear Sirs, Please send the free information that was offered in the McAlster News Capital newspaper. Thank you, N. Rowland, Oklahoma.
the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 6 page 3
The Iraq War Will Cost Us $3 Trillion, and Much More
Oil prices threaten Latin American economies
By Linda J. Bilmes and Joseph E. Stiglitz The Washington Post, Sunday, March 9, 2008; B01
By Marla Dickerson Los Angeles Times, August 25, 2008
There is no such thing as a free lunch, and there is no such thing as a free war. The Iraq adventure has seriously weakened the U.S. economy, whose woes now go far beyond loose mortgage lending. You can't spend $3 trillion -- yes, $3 trillion -on a failed war abroad and not feel the pain at home. Some people will scoff at that number, but we've done the math.
In some countries, a gallon of gasoline now costs more than a typical day's wages. The region's food prices have escalated an average of 15 percent over the past year, according to the U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Prices of many staples have increased much more than that.
Why doesn't the public understand the staggering scale of our expenditures? In part because the administration talks only about the upfront costs, which are mostly handled by emergency appropriations. These costs, by our calculations, are now running at $12 billion a month -- $16 billion if you include Afghanistan. By the time you add in the costs hidden in the defense budget, the money we'll have to spend to help future veterans, and money to refurbish a military whose equipment and material have been greatly depleted, the total tab to the federal government will almost surely exceed $1.5 trillion. But the costs to our society and economy are far greater. When a young soldier is killed in Iraq or Afghanistan, his or her family will receive a U.S. government check for just $500,000, combining life insurance with a "death gratuity" - far less than the typical amount paid by insurance companies for the death of a young person in a car accident. The stark "budgetary cost" of $500,000 is clearly only a fraction of the total cost society pays for the loss of life -- and no one can ever really compensate the families. Moreover, disability pay seldom provides adequate compensation for wounded troops or their families. Indeed, in one out of five cases of seriously injured soldiers, someone in their family has to give up a job to take care of them. But beyond this is the cost to the already sputtering U.S. economy. All told, the bill for the Iraq war is likely to top $3 trillion. And that's a conservative estimate. Another worry: This war has been particularly hard on the economy because it led to a spike in oil prices. Before the 2003 invasion, oil cost less than $25 a barrel, and futures markets expected it to remain around there. The war changed that equation, and oil prices recently topped $100 per barrel.
The $5 Trillion Mess By Katie Benner Fortune Magazine, July 14, 2008 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were created by Congress to help more Americans buy homes. Now their shaky condition threatens the entire housing market. They own or guarantee $5 trillion worth of mortgages- - nearly half of all the country's outstanding home loan debt - and they're crashing. How could the companies end up in such awful straits? Given the way they were created and run, a better question might be: how could they not?
If gas and grocery prices continue their relentless climb, at least 100 million people worldwide may be drawn into the same downward spiral, the World Bank estimates. Food riots have erupted in Egypt, Cameroon and Burkina Faso, once known as the Republic of Upper Volta, in West Africa. Poor consumers have staged demonstrations in India and Indonesia to protest cuts in fuel subsidies. In fact, a slowing U.S. economy has retarded growth of remittances, which are a crucial economic lifeline to Central America. A weak U.S. dollar means the money sent home buys less than it used to. Many people in El Salvador, which embraced the greenback as its official currency in 2001, are longing for their old currency, the colon. To fight inflation, nervous central bankers in Chile, Brazil and Mexico have boosted interest rates. But that's threatening to slow the solid growth that has produced jobs and wealth.
The Growing Food Cost Crisis By Kent Garber US News & World Report, March 7, 2008 Sharp price hikes are hurting the poor and sparking violence. The troubles erupted early last year. First, there were the tortilla riots in Mexico City: 75,000 angry demonstrators, mostly poor, taking to the streets to protest the surging price of a food staple. Then in Italy, merchants from Milan began clamoring about the cost of pasta. By year's end, protests had broken out in at least a dozen countries: in India over onions, in Indonesia over soybeans, and, last month, in the small African country of Burkina Faso, where hundreds of looters burned government buildings to protest soaring grain prices. The United States, like most western countries, has been spared from riots, but the sharp hikes in food prices that have triggered violence abroad are also being felt here. According to the Department of Agriculture, grocery prices are rising at rates not seen since 1990. On the wholesale market, the country's biggest commodity crops—corn, wheat, and soybeans—are selling at record highs; wheat prices are up nearly 50 percent since the first of the year. To Americans, the combination of high food prices and social unrest is bound to stir up edgy memories of the early 1970s, when food prices were being pushed up by high energy costs and decreased supplies.
Energy costs are Harming the U.S. Economy By Don Sorensen Albert Lea Tribune, August 25, 2008 Southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa
The two companies are so-called government-sponsored enterprises, created by Congress in 1938 (Fannie) and 1970 (Freddie) to help more Americans buy houses.
Current energy costs are having a serious negative impact on the American economy. The cost of our imported energy habit adds up to between $500 and $700 billion a year. Do the math. Every man, woman and child in the country is paying about $2,000 for imported oil.
Their mandate is to maintain a market for mortgages - buying loans from banks, repackaging them as bonds, and selling those securities to investors with a guarantee that they will be paid.
There is, however, a much darker side to our current crisis. Currently, America imports 70 percent of its oil. The majority of our imported oil comes from the Middle East, which not only is unstable, but whose rulers are not supportive of the American way of life.
This makes lending more tempting for banks because Fannie and Freddie take on risks like missed payments, defaults and swings in interest rates.
The billions we send to the Middle East, in part, end up funding the very terrorism that we are fighting around the world. With their billions of oil revenue the Arabs are also investing in America, buying choice property and businesses. Are you aware that among their holdings the Saudis own 25 percent of the Wall Street Journal?
And yet, Fannie has fallen 32% this week and 65% since the beginning of the year. Freddie plunged 47% so far this week and is down 75% since January. Investors have lost faith that the companies can operate in their current incarnation without running into major problems. Now we will all have to pay for a company that has gone astray.
Should there be a crisis in the Middle East the oil spigot could be turned off. The result could not only push gas prices to $8 or more per gallon, but result in rationing. The question is not if, but when, and will we be prepared?
page 4 the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 6 —continued from page 1 “The Meaning of the Third Angel’s Message
—continued from page 1 “Louisiana Barber”
meaning of the term the third angel’s message. The quotation introduced in the last paragraph continues:
barbershop for about two years. "It's crazy."
“Not all in regard to this matter is yet understood, and will not be understood until the unrolling of the scroll; but a most solemn work is to be accomplished in our world.” Ibid.
Parish Council Clerk Paul Labat said he didn't know exactly how long the law has been on the books, but that it dates to the years before the parish and city governments merged in 1981. "It's still an active law," he told The Courier of Houma.
What we have already learned is true, but there is much more that we may learn. It is this large aspect of the third angel’s message that we wish to explore in this article. It is one thing to learn the multiplication tables and another to figure the lumber for a home. It is one thing to learn the parts of speech and another to write a book. And, my Seventh-day Adventist friend, it is one thing to know that the beast symbolizes the Papacy, that the image symbolizes apostate Protestantism, that the mark is Sunday observance; but it is another thing to relate the facts to the problems of practical Christian living.
Houma police spokesman Lt. Todd Duplantis said police discovered the ordinance after receiving complaints about people loitering outside the barbershop, and an officer was instructed to issue a summons. Duplantis said it was the first time he had heard of such a ticket being written in his 23 years with the department.
The third angel’s message refers to the Sabbath, but it must not be interpreted to mean that the mere keeping of a day ensures salvation. The opposite of the mark of the beast is the seal of God. According to Revelation 7:3 and 14:1, this seal is the Father’s name, or character, written in the forehead. This includes the Sabbath, but it includes much more, as may be seen in the following quotations: “Not all who profess to keep the Sabbath will be sealed. There are many even among those who teach the truth to others who will not receive the seal of God in their foreheads. They had the light of truth, they knew their Master’s will, they understood every point of our faith, but they had not corresponding works…
District Attorney Joe Waitz Jr. won't be prosecuting the case. In fact, he's asking the parish council to repeal the law as unconstitutional. "It's our job to prosecute criminals, not barbers," he said. James Adams, president of the Louisiana Board of Barber Examiners, the state licensing agency for barbers and their shops, said he thinks the law is a vestige of "strong-arm" tactics used by a barber's union in the 1950s and '60s. "I'm surprised such a law is still on the books," he said.
“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them…
—continued from page 1 “Shinty on the Sabbath”
“Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast. Those who are distrustful of self, who are humbling themselves before God and purifying their souls by obeying the truth – these are receiving the heavenly mold and preparing for the seal of God in their foreheads. When the decree goes forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity.” Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 216.
“No one has any right to transgress God’s moral law, and let the organisers, players and spectators at such events be assured that one day – whether in this life or in eternity – they will bitterly regret their sin of Sabbath desecration.”
“Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot before God – candidates for heaven.” Ibid. p. 216. What does this all mean? Language could not be plainer than the keeping of a false Sabbath by those who know God’s Sabbath is not the only way of ensuring the reception of the mark of the beast. Dishonesty, impurity, selfishness, deceitfulness, faithlessness—all these sins and many more will prepare men for this mark. Also Sabbathkeeping is not the only requisite for the seal of God. Faith, integrity, purity, unselfishness, devotion—these are part of the same pattern of obedience that includes loyalty to the Sabbath. “Our faith at this time must not stop with an assent to, or belief, in, the theory of the third angel’s message.” Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 155. This message is intensely practical. It touches all phases of life and practice, because its purpose is to seal men and women for the kingdom of God. Christ is the center of this message. Righteousness by faith in Christ has been said to be the third angel’s message “in verity.” The proclamation of the third angel’s message calls for the presentation of the Sabbath truth. This truth, with others included in the message, is to be proclaimed; but the great center of attraction, Christ Jesus, must not be left out.” Gospel Workers, p. 156. This message not only demands character but points out the only source of true character, Jesus Christ, the Savior of men. This third angel’s message is the core of our evangelistic message. Rightly presented, it has the power of converting and saving men. The effectiveness of our preaching of this gospel message depends largely on what it has done for us. The third angel’s message can be proclaimed effectively only by those whose lives have been transformed by it. That transformation touches the whole life as well as the day of worship. That transformation makes men and women like Christ. That transformation is the central fact of Christianity.”
prevails in our land.
Local Highland councillor Donald Cameron, who regularly attends Fort William Shinty Club’s matches, said: “I respect Mr MacColl’s view, but whether we live in a Christian or a secular society we certainly do live in a democracy. I personally do not see the harm in them watching young men carrying on a healthy pursuit on a Sunday. As far as I am aware this will not be a regular occurrence on a Sunday but I imagine there will be similar games happening in future.”
Syrian Leader Invites Papal Visit Catholic World News, Aug. 1, 2008
A top Islamic leader has issued an invitation for Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) to visit Syria during the current Pauline year, the Italian Apcom news agency reports. Sheik Ahmad Badereddine Hassoun, the grand mufti of Syria, told reporters that he hoped the Pope would visit "in the footsteps of St. Paul." He volunteered to travel to Rome to help the Pontiff prepare for such a trip. The Vatican acknowledged the invitation without making any commitment. Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, observed that the invitation was a sign of warm relations between the Holy See and Syria's Islamic leadership. The Syrian grand mufti has not always been so cordial in his attitude toward Pope Benedict. Following the Pope's Regensburg lecture, Hassoun said that the text revealed the Pope's "ugliness and extremism." More recently, however, Hassoun joined the other Islamic officials in the "Common Word" initiative designed to encourage talks between Catholic and Islamic leaders. The first session of those talks is now scheduled to take place in Rome in November.
the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 6
page 5
Religious Ad Fires up Debate in Talkeetna CATHOLIC CHURCH THE TARGET Florida-based group responsible. Anchorage Daily News, July 19, 2008 By ZAZ HOLLANDER zhollander@adn.com A sizeable crowd was expected at the Moose Dropping Festival, where thousands watch preserved poop dropped on a bull's-eye. Two climbers died on Mount McKinley, sad news for this, the last civilized stopover before base camp. But it was a two-page advertisement from an out-of-state religious group at the newspaper's center that's still got the town talking. LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE THREATENED," blares a headline above a photograph of President Bush bowing as he clasps the hand of Pope Benedict XVI. "SUNDAY WILL BE ENFORCED AS THE MARK OF THE BEAST." Another photo shows a billboard bearing the words, "Saturday the TRUE Lord's Day. Changed by Antichrist." The Florida-based Eternal Gospel Church, a splinter group of the Seventh Day Adventist Church with a reputation for controversy, bought the ad. It accuses the Catholic Church of pressing for enforcement of Sunday "blue" laws regulating moral activities. Seventh Day Adventists believe Saturday is the Sabbath. Huh? Alaska doesn't have any blue laws, and Talkeetna -population 850, sleepy winter mountain town, bustling tourist hub in summer -- sure doesn't seem like a place they'd start up any time soon. Then there's the fact that the Talkeetna Times, which prints about 10,000 copies every couple of weeks for free distribution in the Upper Susitna Valley, isn't exactly a hotbed of inflamed religious debate. The Times usually has such a hometown feel, said Renamary Rauchenstein, co-owner of Talkeetna's Swiss-Alaska Inn and parish director for the local Catholic Church, St. Bernard's. "So it was a real shock to see in the middle of the paper, during Moose Dropping, which is a huge festival in town, to see this two-page spread of distortion and hatefulness," Rauchenstein said. She dropped the Inn's advertising with the Times. Though designed to look like a newspaper article, the Eternal Gospel Church ad was not marked as an advertisement by the paper. That was "basically an oversight," said the paper's editor, Scott Anderson, who is running an editorial about the ad in Thursday's edition. Besides the loss of the Swiss-Alaska account, Anderson said, he had received just two or three complaints. He wanted to make two things clear: He and wife Cheryl do not endorse the opinions expressed in the ad. And the paper is not so hard up for money they had to take it. Anderson said he approved the ad before seeing the final copy. That won't happen again under a revised advertising policy banning ads "to be in poor taste or offensive to our readers." But he said he also wants to be careful about limiting free expression. The ad sure generated some of that. As soon as the Times hit the Fairview Inn, patrons jumped right to that center spread. "Bam! That's what they went to," said Mike Lindgren, general manager at the historic downtown watering hole. "It was amazing. They were just drawn to it." What followed was a violation of a cardinal rule of bar behavior: Never discuss religion or politics with a drink in your hand.
Here is a copy of the two-page, center-fold ad that was published in Alaska. "It got into hardcore religious talk, whether it should have been printed as an advertisement in a paper, especially that large of an ad and made to look like a newspaper story," Lindgren said. "Then, of course, everything got involved. Obama and McCain were in there." Another resident, 45-year-old Butch Sturdy, said he was disappointed rather than shocked when someone called his attention to the ad. "Honestly, around here, the churches for the most part get along really well," said Sturdy, who works in construction and attends Talkeetna Community Church. "I believe there's a million places that we can stand together on, so why do we focus on the three or handful that we don't? I just thought the focus was extremely wrong." While it's unclear why the Eternal Gospel Church would target the Times, the ad they placed matches a longtime strategy of inserting inflammatory notices grabbing attention for their message. Founded in 1992, the church has made headlines before for controversial billboards posted around the South as well as newspaper advertisements. The Miami Herald apologized to the Miami Archbishop in 1999 for a full-age ad that called the Roman Catholic Church the "Whore of Babylon" prophesied in the Book of Revelation, according to a report in Editor & Publisher, a media trade publication. Ken Crawford, president of the Seventh Day Adventist Church for Alaska, could not be reached in time for this article. The church, which is not connected to the Eternal Gospel Church, holds a yearly camp this week. Times editor Anderson said the original call about the ad came from someone in the Talkeetna area, but he did not identify the caller. He wouldn't say how much the church paid for the ad. Would he run it again, if he had it to do over? "Probably not," Anderson said. The church hoped to run a series of ads, he said. They'll have to comply with the paper's new advertising policy.
The Message Comes to Alaska By the grace of God we were able to reprint the three angels’ messages in a community paper in a town in Alaska. This was after we published this same ad in the Washington times and other papers with the same message. We praise the Lord because what we thought was going to be a small publication in a small community in Alaska, turned out that the whole state of Alaska was exposed to the truth for these last days. We had made the arrangement with a small paper to publish our message for six consecutive times in a row. We were trying to reach all the people and tourists who go to Alaska from all over the world during the summer months. But instead of publishing the message in just a local area, the Lord had a bigger purpose for His message. From the very first time the ad was published, it seemed like an earthquake hit Alaska. There was an immediate commotion. The biggest newspaper in Alaska, Anchorage Daily News, picked up the story and not only reprinted
page 6 the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 6 —continued from page 1 “Australia’s Biggest Mass” overnight in preparation for the final mass. Special Indulgences—The Holy See has even granted special “Plenary Indulgences.” According to the July 9, 2008 edition of The National Catholic Register, Pope Benedict XVI was offering special indulgences, or pardon for sins, to certain pilgrims who came to Australia. Here you have the German Pope reviving the medieval traditions of indulgences. It was these very abuses that helped launch the Protestant Reformation. You’ll remember that it was another Ger- July 15, 2008 Pope Benedict XVI man, Martin Luther, who de- meets with Australia’s Prime Minister nounced the Pope’s right to Kevin Rudd. grant pardons on God’s behalf. Luther, in his 95 Thesis, stated that those who taught that indulgences absolved a person from sin, according to the Holy Scriptures, were in error. The question that we must ask today as we see the papacy reestablishing medieval Roman Catholicism—where are the Martin Luther’s of the 21st Century. In addition to the daily masses, indulgences, relics, penance, confessionals, and all the other array of Roman Catholic rituals, World Youth Day 2008 provided many “vocation expos” aimed at trying to recruit young people into becoming nuns and priests. As you will see Seventhday Adventists were part of the infrastructure that helped sponsor the event. What business or responsibilities do we have as God’s people for these souls, if not for saving precious souls for the kingdom. “In the very time in which we live the Lord has called His people and has given them a message to bear. He has called them to expose the wickedness of the man of sin who has made the Sunday law a New Vatican Ambassador and former distinctive power, who has Australia's deputy prime minister Tim thought to change times and laws, and to oppress Fischer greets the pope. the people of God who stand firmly to honor Him by keeping the only true Sabbath, the Sabbath of creation, as holy unto the Lord.” Evangelism, p. 233. Special Legislation and State Sponsorship—This event was expected to be so big that two years prior to the Pope’s arrival the New South Wales Parliament passed the World Youth Day Act 2006. In this legislation the civil liberties of free speech was suspended during the pope’s visit. You could not protest or disturb any of the pilgrims who came to hear the pope. If you dare offend or annoy any of the Roman Catholics, you would be arrested and you would have to pay a $5,500 fine. [See article “Thou Shalt Not Annoy on Youth Day” on page 7]. Do we really understand what this means? Here we see the government protecting the rights of one religion over all others. To speak against or to expose what the Bible says about this institution was against the law. Could this be a prelude of what is about to happen in this world? Also, it is worth noting that the Australian government put out $86 million of its own taxpayer dollars to help offset he cost that the Roman Catholic Church had to pay for the entire event. That number was reported by ABC News April 21, 2008 in a story entitled, “World Youth Day to cost taxpayers $86m.” That is over half of the expenses the entire event cost! World Youth Day 2008 cost a total of $150 million dollars and the state government picked-up more than half of the expenses for the richest church/ institution/government in the world. Here we have a democratically elected, constitutional government paying to help promote and revitalize Roman Catholicism in Australia and throughout the world. Is this not a blatant violation and destruction of the principles of true Protestantism—the separation of church and state? The government’s argument for paying for this religious event was that the economic benefit would help to generate $200 million to the local economy. Friends, that is the voice of the dragon speaking. Don’t be fooled by those deceptive arguments. That is the same argument that will be used
to enforce the mark of the beast. You cannot violate a fundamental, constitutional principle for the sake of helping the economy. The constitution doesn’t really mean anything if you can violate it for these kinds of reasons. Sunday laws will come under the subtle deceptions. Notice the following inspired statement: “But the fact that a movement to establish error [violations of civil and religious liberties] is connected with a work which is in itself good [helping the economy], is not an argument in favor of the error. We may disguise poison by mingling it with wholesome food, but we do not change its nature. On the contrary, it is rendered more dangerous, as it is more likely to be taken unawares.” The Great Controversy, p. 587. Unique Corporate Sponsorship—Because hundreds of thousands of Roman Catholics were expected to come, many big businesses were flocking to the church doors wanting to help—of course in order to promote their own enterprises, get some notoriety, and maybe make a few bucks. It’s called corporate affiliates and sponsorship. The organizers for the World Youth Day 2008 works together with the Vatican and the Pope in selecting the corporate affiliates and suppliers as partners in hosting World Youth Day 2008. And of course, no business or individual will ever be accepted whose conduct is clearly inconsistent with the so-called “moral teaching” of the Roman Catholic Church. In other words, if you represent an organization that could be considered “unworthy” or “harmful” to Roman Catholic youth, then you would never be selected. Corporate sponsorship/affiliates is a partnership that is designed to create mutually beneficial relationships. The Vatican is very selective on who they will allow to host their events. For example, they wouldn’t allow any group who questions the Catholic faith, who expose Catholic leaders, or any other group that may be considered “bigots” against Roman Catholicism. Obviously, they would never allow a ministry like the Eternal Gospel Church to be involved because we would be promoting the three angels’ messages at their events. The actual list of corporate sponsorship is available online at official World Youth Day 2008 webpage (www.wyd2008.org). Some of the major sponsors were Coco-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, Quantas Airline, Telstra Telecommunications, The Daily Telegraph, Avis, Sanitarium, and about 15 others. Who is this health food corporation called Sanitarium? According to a May 20, 2003 article entitled “A Worldwide Health Trend: The Adventist Church’s Involvement” written by Wendi Rogers and published by Adventist News Network, the official News publication for the SDA church, we learn who actually owns the Australian food company called Sanitarium. In the article Wendi Rogers says, “The church [SDA] in Australia owns Sanitarium Health Food Company.” The Adventist Church in Australia, through its health food company Sanitarium, were part of the infrastructure that helped all the pilgrims who came from all over the world to go and see the Pope, participate in mass, and receive “plenary indulgences!” Unbelievable. Fulfillment of Revelation—Yes, we are a people who will fulfill Bible prophecy, but which ones? Sadly, it seems that we are fulfilling the wrong prophecies, especially the one that says, “And the kings [political leaders] of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants [corporate sponsorship] of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” Rev. 18:3. Have we come to a place where we care more about notoriety and promoting a business than we do about giving the final message of warning so that Jesus can come? Yes, we have a health message to give. But can we consciously give people healthy bread and then allow them to partake of the pagan, abominable, bread of communion, the fermented wine of Babylon and allow these souls to be lost? No. Notice what the servant of the Lord tells us: “The Lord gives a special truth for the people in an emergency. Who dare refuse to publish it? He commands His servants to present the last invitation of mercy to the world. They cannot remain silent, except at the peril of their souls.” The Great Controversy, p. 609. Instead of linking up with the world, with Coca-cola, Mercedes-Benz and all the merchants of the earth, and in stead of joining in with the harlot of Revelation, and with worldly governments, why can’t every Seventh-day Adventist embrace the final warning that God has for this time? God help us to open our eyes so that we can seek for and give the true Bread of Life that will bring eternal salvation to the perishing souls. The call is not to be merchandizing, seeking some kind of economic or worldly benefit with Babylon, but the work is to call God’s people out of that confusion and to follow that Lamb of God. —The Editors
the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 6
Thou Shalt Not Annoy on Youth Day By Jano Gibson, Linda Morris and Joel Gibson The Sydney Morning Herald July 1, 2008 EXTRAORDINARY new powers will allow police to arrest and fine people for "causing annoyance" to World Youth Day participants and permit partial strip searches at hundreds of Sydney sites, beginning today. The laws, which operate until the end of July, have the potential to make a crime of wearing a T-shirt with a message on it, undertaking a Chaser-style stunt, handing out condoms at protests, riding a skateboard or even playing music, critics say. Police and volunteers from the State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service will be able to direct people to cease engaging in conduct that "causes annoyance or inconvenience to participants in a World Youth Day event". People who fail to comply will be subject to a $5500 fine. The president of the NSW Bar Association, Anna Katzmann, SC, described the regulations as "unnecessary and repugnant". The Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said if someone exposed themselves in public, they faced a fine of only $1100 or six months' jail under the Summary Offences Act. "So if someone flashes a WYD participant they will face a $1100 penalty but if they wear an anti-Catholic T-shirt they could face a $5500 penalty," she said.
page 7
—continued from page 5 “The Message Comes to Alaska” the entire ad but also gave an explanation about the Sabbath, Sunday, and the issues that are just before us in this controversy. This of course created even a greater commotion. The main news during the entire week was over our two-page ad that was published. The local radio and television stations were also talking about the ad. They were saying that nothing like this had ever been published in Alaska before. People were ordering books, phone calls were coming into our office, the message was going out, but most importantly there were Adventists who were walking away from the faith who were in Alaska who were there to participate in the local festivities and were confronted with this message. They had just arrived during the same week the message was being published. And to their surprise when they opened the local newspaper, instead of turning their eyes to the local events, the Lord confronted them with the same message that God has been giving to each of us—to prepare us for His coming. As they themselves reported, “It was as though God was calling them to come back to the faith.” As a result of this, more newspapers have been coming out and we will continue to give you a report in our next Ministry Updates letter. As we can see, when we obey God by giving this message the way it was given to us...this three angel’s message not only calls the attention of the world, but will no doubt strengthen the faith of those who have already received it. In this, as on many other occasions, we have received calls from our brethren who are telling us that they are rejoicing to see how the Lord is working in these efforts. We are encouraging each one of you to become involved and help us to continue bringing this message to every major city and small community throughout America, and the rest of the world. Let us not forget what the Lord has shown us through His last day prophet. “The words were spoken to me with impelling power: Wake up the watchmen to carry the word of warning to every city in America. Build up the waste places. The righteous judgments of God, with their weight of final decision, are coming upon the land. Do not hover over the churches to repeat over and over again the same truths to the people, while the cities are left in ignorance and sin, unwarned and unlabored for. Soon the way will be hedged up and these cities will be closed to the gospel message. Wake up the church members that they may unite in doing a definite and self-denying work.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 10, p. 216.
A police source said causing an "annoyance or inconvenience" was a highly subjective offense. A police lawyer would define it in layman's terms for operational use by officers.
In our next Ministry Updates letter we will report to you how the Lord has been opening many other doors for these three angels’ messages to go to other states such as South Carolina, Nebraska, Colorado, and others. Please keep us in your prayers because the work is not finished yet. We realize that there is a lot more to be accomplished in such a short time.
Civil libertarians said they had never seen anything like the new powers and believed they are more extreme and broader in scope than those used during last year's APEC summit and the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
“I saw that the quick work that God was doing on the earth would soon be cut short in righteousness and that the messengers must speed swiftly on their way to search out the scattered flock. “ Early Writings, p. 50.
But the State Government said "World Youth Day is a happy and positive celebration of youth" and "no additional or 'APEC-like' police powers have been granted under the World Youth Day regulations".
—continued from page 1 “Joe Biden’s Roman Catholicism”
The president of the NSW Council of Civil Liberties, Cameron Murphy, said the broad meaning of "causes annoyance" had the potential to encompass any activity. "This sort of amendment is extreme, unnecessary and is likely to escalate conflict when officers issue directions," he said. "People are going to be unaware that they have the power to do this and will find themselves in court facing an enormous fine." Ms Katzmann said: "The mere presence in the vicinity of a person wearing the apparel or insignia of another religion might be annoying or inconvenient to a participant in a World Youth Day event." Ms Rhiannon said the regulations were about "shutting down protests and quarantining the Pope and visiting Catholics away from messages World Youth Day authorities don't approve of."
Brandywine near his home in Greenville, Delaware. By selecting a Pennsylvania-born Catholic as his No. 2, Obama is betting the potential rewards - including swaying elusive working-class Catholics in the Midwest - outweigh the risks. Catholics have been a swing vote for almost 40 years. Polls show white Catholics, who account for nearly one in five U.S. voters, evenly divided between Obama and Republican John McCain. McCain is leading among Catholics in battleground states Ohio and Florida. "Having Biden on the ticket covers the Catholic base," said David Gibson, a Catholic journalist and author. "But anytime you pick a Catholic, it's also courting controversy." Steven Waldman, editor of the faith-themed Web site Beliefnet.com, said Biden was probably Obama's best vice presidential choice in terms of religious politics because he is a cultural match with working-class Catholics and more centrist on abortion than most Democrats.
page 8 the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 6
From July 13 through July 31 an evangelistic campaign was held in the capital city of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. So many people showed up that loudspeakers were placed outside the building for the people who were standing out on the streets. The evangelistic campaign was advertised through the radio. Many of the local brethren passed out invitations for weeks before the event. Some went knocking on the doors around the neighborhood giving personal invitations. 15 precious souls were baptized including 1 police officer and about 25 more are preparing for baptism. There were former Seventh-day Adventists who had departed from the faith who have come back as a result of the campaign. In addition to doing outreach to the non-Adventists the campaign was also designed to strengthen our own people in our message. Many Seventh-day Adventists rededicated their own personal lives to the Lord. A new missionary zeal has been awakened. Heaven is rejoicing over the souls that are coming into the kingdom. What was exciting to see was the amount of young people who attended. There were about 40 every night with about half of them being nonAdventists. There were some local university students on a school assignment who came to interview the staff of the Eternal Gospel Church. They wanted to know why we came to their country to hold the meetings, why we are Seventh-day Adventists, and what is our message. We had the opportunity to witness to the students who in turn will share their experiences with their entire class.
The meetings were standing room only. Most nights we had over 200 people and most of them were visitors.
The Lord was truly with us. His hand was guiding everything. We thank God for all of you who support this ministry. Please continue to pray for all the seeds of truth that have been sown, so that soon, in God’s kingdom we can praise the Lord of the Harvest. —The Editors
Nineteen people respond to the alter call and choose to follow Christ all the way.
Three baptismal candidates are being publicly examined before being baptized.
On another night 13 people respond to the message and give their hearts to the Lord.
From left to right: Victor Brown, Andy Roman, and Dennis Simpson.
There were so many kids that special classes were given them.