Robert L. Odom

The pulse of the world is violently athrob. We are keenly aware that the long-waited crisis is imminent. Humanity's mighty struggle, involving both national and international issues, is fast taking on a reli­gious hue.…

On April 19, 1529, the Christian princes of Germany presented their famous protest at the Diet of Spires. It was one of the greatest pronouncements ever made in behalf of the Reformation of the sixteenth century. From…

Some time ago there appeared in The Ministry some articles I wrote concern­ing Mithraism and the introduction of the seven-day cycle into Roman usage. It was shown that Mithraism was introduced into the West in the first century B.C., and…

1. More light to come as scroll unrolls.

We may well expect that the Papacy will play a very prominent part in world af­fairs in the near future, particularly in seeking a solution to the international and social prob­lems which have turned the world upside down in recent years.…

In Revelation 13 the prophet foretells the rise of a new politico-religious power in the world—represented by the symbol of the ten-horned beast—and points out that "the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and gfeat…

The official residence of the Roman Pontifex Maximus was the Regia,¹ situated on the Sacra Via of the city of Rome, which was sup­posed to be the place of domicile of the ancient kings. In very early…

The intrinsic value of this series of six fully docu­mented articles is apparent from the titles of the re­maining five articles: (a) The Pontifical Power, (3) The Regulation of Holy Days, (4) The Controller of the Calendar, (5)The Head…

In an article written against the observance of the seventh day the author maintains that the idea that the Sabbath was to be observed as a day of public worship of God was unknown, among the Jews prior to their return to Palestine after…

Having sent the multitude away, the Master Teacher went into the house. There He gave some special instruction to that group of workers whom He was training for leadership in the proclamation of the gospel to the world.…

Some of our workers have fallen a Prey to the spuri­ous description of the Physical features of Jesus, allegedly written by Publius Lentulus. Such have used it in the pulpit, over the air, and in print—which is to…

The most perplexing aspect of the Revised Standard Version of the New Testament pub­lished in February, 1946, is the fact that the revisers have whittled down the sacred text. They have omitted numerous passages found…

In the time of Christ it was the custom of the Jews to divide the daylight portion of the day into twelve hours. Christ asked His disciples, "Are there not twelve hours in the day?" John :9. This is understood to mean…

Too often we hear some minister saying in public prayer something more or less after this manner: "We pray that Thou wilt bless us and draw us closer to Thee, and that we may serve You and do Your will more faith­fully."…

For those interested in the history of the Sabbath-Sunday controversy, here is an item from the article "Vespers," by Desmond A. Schmal, S. J., which appeared in The Cath­olic Mind (Jesuit) of December, 1946. The article is a reprint…

EDITOR, THE MINISTRY:

When we explain the two horns of the beast of Revelation 13:11, we use a different mode of interpretation from that used for the horns of the other beasts in symbolic prophecy. Why do we do this?

The…

The Dominican Fathers of Manila have issued, for use during 1948, what they term in English the National Catholic Almanack of the Philippines. Its Spanish title is Almanaque de Nuestra Senora del Rosario. A bilingual work,…

In 1 Corinthians 8 :1, 4 the apostolic pen turns to "things offered unto idols," particularly to the question of "eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols." Idolatry, in one form or another, was prevalent and…

Is it proper for a professed Christian father to sell his daughter?" The young woman who asked this question was a Christian, and had been married several months. Her young husband was an evangelistic worker in the denomination to which they…

[Seventh-day Adventists have a mandate from the Lord to share with the Jews the blessings of light and encour­agement that the Lord has given to us, and He has made wonderful promises which He will fulfill if we carry out His directive.…

Do you have a clear mental picture of the setting of the first celebration of the ordinance of humility as it is given in John 13? Some seem to imagine it something like this:

Jesus and His disciples, with dusty feet, arrived in the…

IN MEETING the argument that Acts 20:7-11 proves that Christians observed Sunday as a sacred day in apostolic times, a few of our ministers have denied, sometimes even in print, that Paul and the believers at Troas partook of the Communion,…

The Hurricane winds of social revolution in the twentieth century have hit all the great religious systems of the world with terrific impact. Judaism, in the form of various Jewish denominations, has felt the force of the storm. And as there…

Christ Himself through His prayer life gave to His disciples the training for the most intimate communion with the heavenly Father. Then, too, the Holy Ghost, to whom they willingly surrendered and whose gifts they used for the good of the…

It frequently happens that some  people hear Seventh-day Adventist ser­mons or Bible studies in which the state­ments are made that the laws the Lord gave to Israel by Moses were a code sepa­rate and distinct from that of the Deca­logue,…

An employee of the United States Government telephoned me and said he was having lunch with two friends in a cafeteria in Washington, D.C., and he added: "In our conversation, mention was made of Seventh-day Adventists and we began to wonder…

DID Christ die and receive burial on Wednesday afternoon? Did He stay in the grave exactly seventy-two hours? Did His resurrection take place on Saturday afternoon?

Herbert W. Armstrong, leader of the Radio Church of God pro­gram…

Biographical

THE editorial office of The Ministry has received nu­merous inquiries concerning Herbert W. Armstrong, spokesman of the "Radio Church of God," which broad­casts its teachings by radio and by mail from Pasadena, California.…

Making a distinction between clean and unclean animals, insofar as using their flesh for food is concerned, has long been a well-known practice among Jews. It plays a part in their kosher dietary today. During the centuries this custom has…

AT ONE time the Lord's messenger was shown two maps in a vision. The first one pictured the scope of the evangelistic progress the Lord had in mind for His people. She described it this way:

"I saw jets of light shining from cities…

THE increasing interest of Jews in Jesus and His teachings has excited considerable enthusiasm in some quarters, and much alarm in others.

One thing that has greatly impressed Jews who examine the New Testament records of the teachings…

Was Sunday generally observed as a day of rest by sun worshipers throughout the Roman Empire prior to March 7, A.D. 321, the date when the emperor Constantine issued the first civil law forbidding labor on that day?

Our…

In meeting the arguments of opponents concerning the meaning of 2 Corinthians 3:7, some of our workers, both past and present, have made much of the fact that the word "stones" in this passage is a noun in the plural form. On the strength…

WHEN did Christ begin His priestly ministry? Did He enter it before His ascension to heaven?

It is written concerning Christ that "he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in…

THE so-called British Chronological and Astronomical Association was originally established as a society in 1879. J. B. Dimbleby was still the head of it as late as as 1897, when its quarters were at Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, London,…

FOR some months several periodicals throughout the United States have published in varied forms a news report saying that astronauts and space scientists at Greenbelt, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., have discovered, by means of IBM computers,…

JESUS CHRIST stated that "the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day" (Matt. 12:8). Two other Gospel writers have recorded that significant fact (Mark 2:28 and Luke 6:5). What did He mean by it? The narrative relates that…

I. Revelation 1:10

THE apostle John, in telling of the revelation God gave him on the Isle of Patmos, says: "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice" (Rev. 1:10).

That statement had…

By W.R. French

The Pentateuch is the foundation division of the Bible. When read with this thought in mind, the superstructure is better understood. In the first chapter of Genesis…

Catholic Action and Public Opinion.—"The first objective of Catholic Action is that of forming consciences."—"Un Pro­grama de Accion Catolica" [A Program of Catholic Action], by D. Angel Herrera, president of the Central Board of Catholic…

At the time of Constantine's accession to the purple (306 A. D.), one part of the Roman populace was trying to exterminate another by the persecutions of Diocletian against the Christians. Political rivalry and civil war were gnawing out…

Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea, personal friend, flatterer, biographer, and adviser of the emperor, praised Constantine highly for appointing "one suitable day for prayers to be regarded, the truly chief, and first, and…

In the ancient pagan concept of the universe, the fixed center was supposed to be the earth, about which revolved Saturn (farthest), Jupi­ter, Mars, the sun, Venus, Mercury, and the moon (nearest). These orbs were called…

While the attention of mankind has been fixed on Abyssinia, a part of old Ethiopia, frequent mention is made by writers that the Sabbath is still being observed among the fol­lowers of the Coptic Church.

In working for Catholics many blunders are due to a failure to understand their mental attitude toward religious matters. There is a difference, first of all, between Catholics of Protestant lands and those of Catholic…