Herman L Hoeh: Salute to a Pioneer (article - Origin of Nations

Herman L Hoeh. A salute to a Worldwide Church of God pioneer
Herbert Armstrong about the Sabbath and how Mr. Armstrong’s attempt to use the Bible as a
defense had led to him accepting the Bible as divine authority. Dr. Hoeh had struck it out in
his edits.
Sitting in his tiny office in Editorial Services (Dr. Hoeh humbly and personally chose that
space and refused any larger, more expansive office), I asked him why.
“Mr. Snyder,” he said, using the “Mr.” that always heralded the fact that I was about to
receive an important lesson, “you should realize by now that the Sabbath challenge as it
relates to the conversion of Herbert Armstrong is but a ‘happy illusion.’
“What led to the conversion and change of Herbert Armstrong was simply this: in a time of
severe need, Mr. Armstrong fervently prayed for relief and guidance. To his great
astonishment, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob answered.”
Dr. Hoeh was a man of humility and a true champion of diversity. He will be missed.
Michael Snyder, Indianapolis, IN
From James McBride
Greetings from England. While I worked at the Bricket Wood campus in the 60/70s my wife
and I 'entertained' Dr Hoeh in our home in one of the small College-owned cottages. He sat
in our kitchen eating home-made bread and (pretending!) he enjoyed it. While the great and
the good were living high in a posh hotel for breakfast he was in his room heating lentils on
the radiator. I also steered him around UK bookshops - always wondering when he would
stop for lunch!! He entertained John Hopkinson and me in his home in CA - with a glass of
refreshing goat's milk from his herd.
A fine man and an example for all. We, certainly, shall miss him.
From John Gill
Dr. Hoeh visited the Waco, TX, WCG back in the late 1980's. It was a double service with
a.m. and p.m. services. Something he said in the a.m. service inspired my daughter who was
about 5 at the time to draw a picture of a nature scene. She presented him with the picture
before lunch. After lunch, when he began to speak again, he took a few minutes to show the
congregation the picture and to thank her for it. He genuinely appreciated it. That was the
only time I met Dr. Hoeh, but that incident endeared me to the man. Critics can say what they
may, but from my perspective, this was one fine man.
From Jared Olar
Your obituary of Herman Hoeh probably sums up my own thoughts and feelings about him
as well. He'll be remembered in COG and ex-COG circles as an enigma, and an
Armstrongist minister who was, it appears, refreshingly un-ambitious ... I'm grateful that he
helped spark my interest in ancient and medieval history, or rather helped me discover that
the study of such things can be a source of joy...
From Giving and Sharing
The lanky minister walked slowly towards the podium, as over 10,000 people waited in
anticipation for his sermon to begin. Before reaching the lectern, he stopped, leaned over,
and picked up a piece of paper that someone had carelessly littered on the floor. Dr. Herman
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