Plain Truth 1962 (Vol XXVII No 08) Aug - Lcgmn.com

August, 1962
Tbe PLAIN TRUTH
Page 3
In This Issue:
What our Readers Say ___________ 2
A GAIN 1 am writing from my study
.Ll. in ou r cottage on the grounds of
Ambassador College in England_
On one side of my study, double glass
doors open onco a stone terrace.
We have a very beautiful and very
proud peacock on the co Uege grounds.
His hen, at present, is secring on three
of her eggs in a small thatched-roofed
one4[Qom gardeners' tool house past the
far edge of the beautiful Japanese gardens.
She won't move from her nes[.
Our gardeners rake food to her. But this
strueting peacock is perfectly willing to
move from the vicinity of the nest.
Do yOli know, I almost think he must
be endowed with a bit of human nature!
When the gardeners let him out for tbe
day, I usually find him on the terrace
JUSt outside my glass doors looking in.
And when he is not there, he is quite
likely to be found looking in the Hoorlength
glass windows which extend
across one side of our living room.
Repeatedly, again and again and again,
I have tried to shoo that peacock away
from our terrace. But always he comes
back_ Today our head gatdenet explained
the reason. In his best Welsh accent,
he said:
"That proud bird StrutS up on your
terrace because he can see and admire
himself in the glass of the windows and
the doors!"
lr is quite evident this peacock thinks
very well of himself. He can't have many
brains-there simply is n't room in his
small but btill iantly-colored blue head_
But then it doesn't seem to take a large
head to be filled with vanity, pride, and
self-adm iration! Yes, sometimes 1 think
our peacock is almost human-and he
can be JUSt about as annoying!
This bird is ALL SELFf
And is that so different from mosr
humans? Suppose we PUt mher things
ur of mind for a few moments and give
this a little serious (hought!
[n the April numbet of The Piai"
Trlltb I wrote in (his column about
the worSt sin anyone could possibly
commit.
Every really good rhing comes from
GOD. He is CreatOr, Suscainer, Ruler of
the Universe! He alone can fill us wirh
happiness and joy-rid us of fears and
worries-give peace of mind and security
and faith-supply every need-make
OllI lives interesting, th rilling, ABUN4
DANT-give tiS every BEAUlY, in the
around, and the \"iehin! He alone can
give us every blessing now, and eternal
life forever! The greatest possible sin
is thae which CutS one off from rhe
Giver of all blessings, here, and hereafter!
To break the very first Command4
meDt-co have another god before the
one and only tme God-that is the
greatest sin.
Yer knowingly or unknowingly, everY4
one has committed it. Bue that, of itself,
is not the unpardonable si n. God has
provided a way of forgiveness, justifi4
cation of the guilty past, and direct contaer
with HI M.
That way is co crucify (he false god
of SELF-che way of REPENTANCE toward
God, and FAITH coward Jesus
Christ. Bue what is REPENTANCE? lc
seems most do not know! J USt coday I
have received a letter from one of our
baptizing teams touring America this
summer, visiting the hundreds who have
written to rne requesting baptism. The
first condition before baptism is REPENT4
ANCE. This is what the leader of this
baptizing team wrote:
"So many of chose we have met are
JUSt not repencant. They are quite proud
of their past, saying how sincere they
have been, and how rhankful they are
that God has rewarded their effo[(s and
allowed them co fi nd the truth." Like the
Israelites of old, with whom God was
grieved forry years, they arc GOOD m
their own eyes!
You know, I think [his peacock is
good in his own eyes, roo! But how
much GOOD is rhere in human beings?
Yes, HOW MUCH? H ow much GOOD is
Personal from the Editor .......... 3
What's Behind New Shift in U.S .
Foreign Policy ..._..........._.._..... 5
The Curse of III Health ______________ 9
Autobiography of
Herbert W. Armstrong _......_._ J 3
Listen to The World Tomorrow . J 7
Radio Log _______ ____________________________ J 8
Why a Church? __________________________ 24
Short Questions .. _..........._....._..._.30
The Necessity for Christ1s
Second Coming ___ __________________ 3 J
The Bible Story _________________________ 33
Is There a Real Hell Fire? _____ __ _ 43
OUR COVER
EaStern Europe is the continental
gateway to the Middle East. Our
cover picrure illustrates the meetin
p: o f East and West-Q( European
civilization and Islamic cultu re.
The old-type building, center, with
minarets, provides an o ld-world
contrast with the modern buildings
rising majesticall)' in the background.
These public buildings
were ereCted during Bulgaria's sec·
ond five-year plan-the Communist
method of creating public housing.