More About Our Cover*..

I A n unusual perspective in our cover photo makes mas-

sive Mount Sinai seem smaller than it actually is in

comparison to the persons in the foreground. But dont let that fool
you - its 7,482 feet tall! View is looking south from Israels place
of encampment. Beginning on page 11 of this issue, the second article
in a two-port spries retraces the route of the Exodus and explores
some intriguing findings on and around Mount Sinai.

Good News
International magazine of

THE CHURCH OF GOD

ministering t o its members
scattered abroad

July 1971
Volume XX

Number 3

Ambossodor College Photo

What our READERSSAY

Second E f f o r t
Id like to comment on the article
Success Through Second Effort! It
really hit my thoughts because Ive been
worrying about how I could increase the
monthly amount we send in for the Building Fund. Were on such a tight budget
and w e send in such a small amount I
almost felt as if our little bit would do
n o good whatsoever. After reading the
article, I realize that even o u r little bit
will help. And if we save all our change as
suggested, we could increase our offering
by at least a half more. Thank you for
a good article and I hope everyone will
try a little second effort. I have such a
avmrlerful feeIing knowing I can give a
little more and that every little bit, no
matter how small, will help.
Mrs. G. T.,
Klamath Falls, Oregon

I received your letter of April 5 which

explained the dire and difficult circumstances in which the Building Fund finds
itself. 1 thank you for writing. I hope that
i t wont be necessary to stop the building
program and especially the House for God.
I am going to make a second effort as
recnmmended in The GOOD NEWS article.
Very inspiring article. I will increase my
pledge from $10.00 a month, to $15.00 a
month, plus I am starting a daily piggy
bank which I hope will come to about
5 o r 10 dollars additional each month. I
counted all the pennies I had around and
found 49. So I started with those 49 pennies and now I have 84 cents and growing,
plus 2 Canadian pennies and one Mexican
centavo. I sincerely hope that each and
every one of us in Gods Church worldwide will send his pennies and nickels and
quarters as the article in The GOOD
NEWS said so we can have about
$1,3OO,OOO extra in a years time, which I
know will help the Building Fund in a fine
way. W e will hold up your arms as the
people of old did Moses. I know God is
going to help all of us do the job which
He s o lovingly has put on our shoulders.
I thank Him for that.
M. R.,
Flushing, New York
Enclosed i s a cheque for $30.24 which
we would like to contribute towards the
building of the House for God. We, as a
childrens club, held a bottle drive to
collect the money. W e want to see the

House for God being built and would like

to do our part in helping out.
Junior Activity Club,
Calgary, Alberta

Timely Article
Thank you for the November-December
issue o f The GOOD NEWS. I have been
looking forward to receiving it for a long
time. Some of the articles were enjoyable
to read -one of them hurt. Mr. Catrozzos
timely article on spiritual pitfalls was
almost like my biography. It really hurt
and was sobering. Its going to take more
effort than I have been putting forth to
receive power from God to overcome. Of
myself J seem ~n helpless.
You mentioned putting ones whole
heart into Gods Work is the key to overcoming. Enclosed is a check for $20 as
only
just a small part of my heart-the
part I can mail. This Work of God counts
more than any one individual, but thank
you for the concern the entire staff and
ministry has for every member.
Mrs. L. L.,
Liberal, Kansas

Louis Jubert
The article on Mr. Louis Jubert in the
November-December 1970 GOOD NEWS
was much appreciated. It was a very moving story and amplified again the hard
work involved in rhe building of a congregation of true Christians. It showed
how God brings His plans to fruition
through human instruments who respond
to His call. W e are thereby strongly
reminded that we cannot be doers by
sitting on our duffs.
Articles such as these, by providing
additional knowledge of the worldwide
aspects of Gods Church, help u s to be
more specific and meaningful in our
prayers for all of Gods ministers and the
breihren.
Earl W.,
Westerville, Ohio

Published at Pasadena. California

Church of God

0 1971 Worldade

EDITOR

HERBERT
W. ARMSTRONG
EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Garner Ted Armstrong

MANAGING EDITOR

David Jon Hill

SENIOR EDITORS

Roderick C. Meredith

Albert J. Portune
L. Hoeh

Herman

Asrociate Editors
Ronald Kell!
Richard H. Sedliacik
Canrvibuiing Edir0v.r
David Albert
Dennis G. Luke1
David L. Antion
Ernest L. Martir
Dibar K. Apartian Leslie L. McCullougf
Bill L. McDowel
Prank Brown
Alfred E. Carrozzo
Raymond F. McNai
C. Wayne Cole
L. Leroy Nef
Raymond C. Cole
Richard F. Plachc
William Dankenbring
John E. Portun
Ronald L. Dart
John Robinsot
Charles V.Dorothy
Paul S. Roye
Norman A. Smit2
Charles F. Hunting
Paul W. Kroll
Dean R. Wjlsor
Robert L. Kuhn
Clint C. Zimmermar

Lawson C. Briggs, Copy Editor

Tom Haworth, Art Editof
BUSINESS MANAGER

Albert J. Portune
ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS to the Editol
P. 0. Box 111, Pasadnra, Califuruia 91109.
Cnnadian members should address P. 0. Box

44, Station A, Vancouver 1 , B. C., Canada.

Our members in United Kinadom. Europe, and

Africa should address the Editor, P. 0. Box 111,

St. Albans, Herts., England.

Correspondence Course
I just received a letter telling me of the
new policy concerning the Ambassador
Correspondence Course. Because I have
completed Lesson 48, I will not he receiving any more lessons under the new policy.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank
all thc peoplc that had a part in enabling
(Continired on back covei)

South Africa: P. 0. Box 1060, Johannesburg,

T r m s v a d , R. S. A.
Members in Australia and Southeast Asia should
address the Editor. P. 0. Box 345. North
Sydney, NSW 2060. Australia
In the Philippines, P. 0. Ron 1111, Makati,
Rizal D-708.
BE S U R E TO NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY of any
change in your address. Please include both old

and new address. IMPORTANT!

FAITH
a vital dimension in Gods Work
The power of our collective faith in what God is doing in
His Work is a vifal force that will move more than rnountains. Gods Church must unite in believing faith to finish
the gun lap of His Work!
b y Albert J. Portune

how important is the dimension

of FAITH in the completing of Gods
end-time Work on this earth?
We are all aware of the many admonitions in Gods Word about personal
faith - faith in God, faith to be saved,
faith to be healed, etc. But how aware
are we of the need for the collective
faith and confidence of the Body of
Chiist in the things Christ is inspiring
His Work to do ?
UST

If the body of Christ - the Church

- lacks the deep abiding confidence
and faith in what Christ is doing
through His Work in these last days,
then Gods Work will lack one of the
most vital strengths needed to get the
job done.
Throughout the Bible collective faith
is proved to be an ABSOLUTE REQUISITE
in humans for the accomplishment of
Gods will through human instruments.
Example of Israel
The ancient nation of Israel - called
personally by God to accomplish a
purpose here on earth - is a classic
example .
When Israel collectively believed and
had confidence in what God was doing
through them, they were blessed, were
successful, triumphed over adversity and
achieved their objectives.
When they lost faith and confidence
in the things God led them to do, when
they doubted things were inspired by
tiod, when they stopped believing
strongly in Him, they failed, were

cursed and did not accomplish their

objectives - they went down and out!

We are taught to look back at that

example - and warned not to make the
same mistake! Now all these things
happened unto them [Israel) for ensamples: and they are written for our
admonition, upon whom the ends o f
the world [age) are come. Wherefore
let him that thinketh he standcth tuke
heed lest he fall (I Cor. 10:11-12).
The tompleting of Gods Work in
these last days is VITAL to God. The collective faith, confidence and trust in
what God is doing is so crucially necessary that God let a whole nation of
people perish in the wilderness as an
example to warn us how important our
united faith and confidence is !
In verse 5 Paul writes, But with
many of them God was NOT WELL
PLEASED. . , . The basic underlying
cause of Gods displeasure was their
lack of faith and belief that H e was directing them. Hebrews l l :6 clearly
shows why: But without faith it is impossible to please him.
Brethren, Gods Work is entering its
most critical phase of this age. God is
opening tremendous doors. He is revealing improved systems and methods to
accomplish His Work. He is bringing
His Work and His apostle into relationships with key people in high places
which are so far-reaching in their implications and import as to stagger the
imagination !
Divinely guided, everything is falling

into place for the completing of Gods

Work. Everything - but perhaps that
vital dimension of unified faith and
confidence in what God is doing.
Brethren, Gods Church as a whole
needs to collectively and unitedly become CONFIDENT and FILLHI WITH
FAITH and get totally behind what God
is doing. Then the fantastic strength of
lhat collective faith will electrify the
body of Christ and bring the blessings
and strength we need to finish the
Work!
Paul wrote to the Hebrews whose
faith and confidence in the New Covenant was vacillating and fading: Cast
not away therefore your Confidence,
which has GREAT RECOMPENSE OF REWARD (Heb. 10:35).
And in verses 38 and 39 we read:
Now the just shall live by faith: but if
any man draw back, my soul shall
have no pleasure in him. But we are not
of them who draw back unto perdition,
but of them that believe to the saving
of the soul.
W e cant allow ourselves to draw
back! W e must have strong confidence
and faith in what God is directing us to
accomplish.
Phenomenal Growth in
Organization
Looking bark Over the last several
years, we can see God has inspired fantastic innovations which have prepared
us for the final gun lap of HIS Work.

T h e PLAIN TRUTHmagazine has

undergone a transition which has

catapulted it into an internationally recognized, worldwide news magazine
dealing with the vital issues of the
world today and the world tomorrow.
Instead of reaching only religiously oriented people, who represent only a
minor percentage of the population, it
is reaching the broad spectrum - including people in high offices, the rulers
and leaders - with the vital issues of
the Bible, but in language they understand and will accept. W e were never
rcaching those people before.
Then TOMORROWS
WORLDmagazine was inspired to be published. It
now reaches more people than The
PLAINTRUTH
formerly reached. And it
is theologically oriented, carrying articles on deeply Biblical subjects.
Do we realize how important these
two innovations are? Do we realize
what God has done - in just a short
time?
Now, we have broadened the scope
and our booklets
of The PLAINTRUTH
to where the vital issues of Gods Word
are presented in everyday language.
They are being read by and arc influencing the lives of millions who were
never reached before.
The radio and television programs
are functioning on the same dynamic
principle.
For those whosc cxposure to these
issues causes them to want stronger
meat, TOMORROWSWORLDmagazine
is available to ever-increasing thousands
who are beginning to hunger for Gods
Truth.
The hand of God in bringing this
transition is so obvious when we reflect
upon it.
But there is much more !
As people hear and view the
programs and read the pages of The
PLAINTRUTII,they write for thc litcrature which deals in more detail with
these vital issues. And so in this same
period God has inspired important
changes in the booklets.
Many new booklets have been
published which deal with the important subjects of today - pollution,
crime, dope addiction, evolution, sex,
child rearing, education, agriculture and
the like. Many of these booklets contain the Biblical solutions in language

The GOOD NEWS

the public will read and understand.

But further, a new chaining system
has been developed which keys each
booklet to other important booklets
which the reader is invited to send for.
This way his progress is guided constantly toward more Biblical issues as
his appetite and interest develop. TOMORROWS WORLD
magazine is one of
those vital steps in the system.
Do we now begin to see and have
more confidence in what God is doing?
Personal Correspondence
Department

Another new development God has

inspired in the last several months is the
expansion of the Personal Correspondence Department, called P. C. D. by
US at WrddqUdfierS.
With the help of new computer systems we have greatly improved our
ability to answer persoilally multiple
thousands of letters from our readers.
Within this system each letter which
shows dcep interest and involvement is
personally handled by a specialist who
can view our record of the individuals
previous correspondence on a video terminal in order to tailor a personal answer, or recommend just the right
literature for his spiritual growth.
Through this system new Co-workers
who truly want to support Gods Work
are given personal help to grow in
knowledge and understanding, to become stronger spiritually and to increase
in thcir cffcctivcness in doing Gods
Work.
What tremendous progress God has
inspired in His Work to hclp us build
our faith and confidence and complete
the job !
Data Processing
I mentioned new computer systems
for the new P.C.D. department. But
thats only part of the story!
By September of this year our new
Systcm 370 computer will be installed
and in operation. The marvelous Model
360 which we have leased from IBM
for the last several years is now an outdated system. Since they now have perfected a fourth-generation system 370,
we are phasing out the old system and
replacing it with the new at only
slightly increased cost.

July 1971

The new 370 has EIGHT TIMES the

capacity of the 360 - yet occupies less
space. With the completion of this installation we will have the capacity to
store 10 MILLION names on our mailing
list - all with the ability of instant display and review for personal handling.
In addition to these benefits the new
computer will be supporting literally
hundreds of other systems in accounting, receipting, tabulation and internal
data that would take hours to tell you
about.
How about that for progress and
growth?!
Ambassador College Presb
By fall, too, the Press will have completed the reorganization and development phase it has been undergoing in
the last three years. The new c-38
Miehle press will have been installed
together with other components, giving
us the capacity to produce 10 MILLION
copies of The PLAINTRUTH- with
less manpower and less space.
The Press has also ordered a Harris
Intertype Fototronic 1200 Phototypesetting System. This computer-operated
photo-composition system will enable us
to set type with greater speed and much
higher quality! Included with the system
is the latest thing in editing - a
Harris 1100 Editing and Proofing Terminal - which will enable corrections
to be made on the tape before it goes
into the phototypesetting unit. This
marvelous editing system was just introduced on the market within the last
year !
I wonder if we truly do realize there
has been a powerful unseen Hand guiding this Work in which we can have
S i KUNG LUNFIDENCE

Public Impressed by Facilities

Literally thousands of people visit
and tour Gods facilities here in
Pasadena each year. Many are highly
trained and sophisticated professionals
from differing fields of business. They
are deeply impressed with the beauty
and the radiant happiness they find
here. But they also are quite outspoken
in their praise of our professionality
and sophistication.
Our highly progressive and efficient
Data Processing Department is a by-

July 1971
word in that industry. Our television
production is highly respected in its
field, to say nothing of the press and
mailing functions which draw admiration and respect.
Our Food Service Department is a
model for its efficiency and computercontrolled menus. Bankers consult our
business department for financial advice. Our architectural and engineering
departments are respected in the trade
and by the city planners in Pasadena
and surrounding areas.
Brethren, the general public realizes
there is something here. They dont
know what it is even though they might
suspect. But we do!
And if we do, why dont we all let
the knowledge that the Almighty God
is directing this Work inspire us to have
strong faith and confidence - living,
active faith that believes, prays, hopes
and strives for the finishing of this
Work?
Present space wont permit me to tell
you at this moment of all the other areas
in editorial, overseas in the foreign
work, Church organization, Festival
planning, academic affairs, etc. where
Gods hand is everywhere at work and
inspiring tremendous growth. But I
think we already know thats true.
Graduate School Lectures
Perhaps one of the most inspiring
things God has led His Work to begin
in recent months is the Ambassador
College Graduate School of Theology
Lecture Series - or otherwise called the
Tomorrows World Bible Studies.
The first lecture series was conducted
in Long Beach, California and was very
successful. Now others are under way.
Thousands are going to be brought that
last step into firm action in the months
ahead. If the angels in heaven rejoice
over one sinner brought to repentance,
how much should we rejoice over this
wonderful, inspired program !
The spin-off from all the changes
which God has inspired over the last
few months and years is thousands of
people who have been nurtured and are
now ready to be harvested.
Gods systems are really producing
fruit !
W e can now see how the whole
picture is taking shape. Like the links

The GOOD NEWS

of a chain, God is putting together the

inspired program for finishing His
Work. These Bible lectures help to
complete the chain.
What an inspiration to know God is
i n His Work guiding us to fulfill His
purpose. What strong assurance H e
gives us when we meditate on His
works.
God said to the Israelites, . . . How
long will it be ere they believe me for
ALL THE SIGNS which I have shewed
among them? (Num. 1 4 : l l . )
Unique Contacts
W e have all read Mr. Armstrongs
recent letters and articles abuut contacts

with heads of state and key people

around the world. Only we in Gods
Church can bcgin to realize the deep
import and meaning of these contacts
and what they portend for the future.
Bul uiie thiiig is clearly evideiil.
These unique contacts and open doors
are not the by-product of human
ingenuity.
The foundation is being laid to bring
light, understanding and a witness to
this world. Its happening before our
very eyes. Were a part of it. And the
part we play is more vital than we
realize. .
God doesnt want us vacillating, unsure, lacking faith - but confident,
sure, f d l of faith. If Gods people at
this time unitedly coalesce into a single
body in belief and faith to support
what God is doing, we will see a surge
forward unprecedented in our time.
Our everyday lives need to be filled
more and more with Gods purpose so
we are constantly exerting the positive
force of faith, hope, desire and confidence in God. When we pray for
the accomplishment of Gods purpose
through His Work, we must be singleminded in strong, positive faith.
James says: But let him ask in
faith, NOTHING WAVERING. For he that
wavereth [in faith and confidence)
is like a wave of the sea driven with the
wind and tossed. For let not that man
think that he shall receive ANY THING
of the Lord. A double minded man
{vacillating in faith] is unstable in a 1
his ways (James 1 :6-7).
All of Gods begotten sons unwaveringly believing in fdith with strong con-

fidence that God is in His Work and

that His will is being accomplished can
exert a force so strong that more than
mountains will be moved!
In verse 17, James tells us: But
every good endowment that we possess
and every complete gift that we have
received must come from above, from
the Father of all lights, with whom
there is never the slightest variation
01 shadow of inconsistency (Phillips
Translation).
W e can be sure - have confidence
- that what God has planned, He will
accomplish. And just as there is no
variation or inconsistency with God,
brcthreri, so we too rieed that assurdlice,
that steadfast confidence in Gods Work
and in His leadership so that there will
bc no variation or inconsistcncy with
us!

Our faith must be backed up with

works! Works which are expressed in

what we think, how we feel, what we

say. Our lives need to be filled with this
Work - thinking positively, faithfully
- speaking encouragingly - praying
with hope and desire - yearning for
the fulfillment of Gods purpose.
This link of the chain MUST be there
and be strong or the job will not be
accomplished.

Be a Caleb
In a classic example of lark of faith,
ten of the twelve spies who searched
out the land of Canaan brought back
an evil report t h a t rliwnntaged the pen-

ple and turned them from faith in

God. But Caleb (and Joshua) remained
faithful. Caleb said to the people: Let
US go up at once, and possess it; FOR
WE ARE WELL ABLE TO OVERCOME
IT! (Num. 13:30.)
Caleb looked squarely at the signs
and works that God had wrought and he was confident - full of faith.
W e need to have Calebs faith and belief today.
Brethren, with all our hearts totally
in and behind Gods Work in believing, confident faith, we will not only be
doing all we can physically, but we will
collectively be bringing forth the sweet
savor of faith and united confidence
which will bring into action the mighty
power of God and His Spirit in even
greater measure!
0

BUILDING A
EW FEAST SITE
The construction of a new Feast site is not a n easy undertaking. It requires planning, surveying, good weather,
equipment, hard work - and time. Read, in this concluding
installment, just w h a t it takes to get a new Feast site ready
for Gods people to use and enjoy.
by Raymond

last issue we saw how Feast

sites are selected. But what then?
Once we have made the purchase,
what goes into its preparation before
Gods people arrive to keep the Feast of
Tabernacles ?
How much work does it take to
build a Feast site? What kind of
work? How much time?
When you see the answers to these
questions, your appreciation for the
Feast of Tabernacles should be greatly
enhanced. In time order, lets consider
the step-by-step operation from beginning to end.

N THE

T h e Project Begins!
Before construction of a Feast site
can begin, an accurate topographical
survey is essential so that building, grading and storm drain locations may be
chosen.
The topo, as it is called, consists of
stakes set in the ground in straight lines
which cross each other at right angles at
predetermined intervals. Intervals may
vary from five feet to one hundred feet,
very largely depending on the specific
use intended for the property. Mountainous or hilly areas obviously not
suited for major construction will be
covered with large intervals. The more
critical construction areas are covered
with intervals varying from five feet to
twenty-five feet.

C. Cole

With the aid of a good transit, target

rod and appropriate note pads and
paper, the surveyor commences the task
of determining elevations at the intersections of the lines. These elevations
are usually recorded as so much above
mean sea level. As the surveyor progresses in his task, it is also essential
that he note any unusual landscape features - such as trees, out-cropping of
rock, unusually low or high areas and
objects of interest.
After the surveyor has taken elevations at each peg station and noted any
landscape irregularities he deemed necessary, his notes are submitted to the office for study.
Behind the Scenes
From the surveyors grid, office personnel in the engineering department
commence the drawing of contour and
topographic maps - the next vital step
in the development of a Feast site.
What are the purposes of contour
and topographic maps?
From the contour map we can
develop the master plot plan, design
new grades - new contours for the terrain - and make accurate determination of location and amount of earth
which has to be moved. From the topographic maps we can locate all landscape features and construct storm
drains.

But these maps are just a beginning.

Since public buildings are subject to
state codes and regulations, designs and
plans for new buildings must be submitted to various state departments for
approval. They want to see detailed
plans - foundations, architectural,
plumbing and electrical - for the
administration building, convention
center and control booths.
Still other plans are necessary. A
complete utility plot plan - a plan indicating trenching for the water system,
the storm drain system, the area lighting
system, the sewer system, catch basins
and manholes - must be furnished.
For our own use, many schedules and
specification sheets are required. These
schedules indicate types and quality of
construction materials - including
masonry, carpentry, electrical and
plumbing supplies, windows, doors,
exterior and interior finishes - even the
acoustical tile, floor coverings, interior
electrical fixtures, hardware and furnishings that will complete the job.
With complete, well-detailed specification sheets, our field men can efficiently
operate. Their blueprint for success
proceeds from the office. On the other
hand, lack of vision and competent
planning could cause us much anxiety
as well as loss to the Church of the
savings which can be realized from
skilled organization.

Ambassador Collesebhotor

7.

--.

AA
B I
CC
W
CE
W -a' W
JJ'
KK
LL
MY
W
PP
OQ
RR
Surveyors (top left) compile data on ground contour and topography at beautiful Estes Park, Colorado, from which grid
map (portion shown above) was made. Pencil on map points to topographical grade stake 29EE (top right). Below i s master
plan for Wisconsin Dells site, scheduled to be ready for use in the fall of 1972.

WOODED

4 REA

S8

The GOOD N E W S

July 1971

Ambassador College Photos

After our building plans are completed, there must be plans for parking
places and means of traffic control. Adequate roadways, ample parking, carefully planned and constructed walkways
from parking lots to the convention
center are fundamental to the Feast
operation, and must be designed with
the members and the overall conduct of
the Feast in mind.
These, briefly, are the general engineering requirements for the development of a Feast site.
Now we are ready to begin the actual
excavation of earth and construction of
facilities !
The weather is favorable. Equipment
is serviced. Crews are ready and eager!
Now, at last. . .

The Earth Moves !

D-day arrives. Calculations have been
completed. The equipment moves to the
field - D 9 Caterpillar tractor, #621
motorized scrapers (sometimes called
pans), wedge and sheepsfoot compaction rollers with power units,
self-propelled steel wheeled rullers,
pneumatic roller and vibra-pac roller.
Quite an array of equipment. But where
do we start?
If topsoil exists, it must first be
stripped and stockpiled for future
usage. Topsoil, filled with humus and
other organic material, should not be
used as base material.

The first 621 motorized scraper

bites the earth. With the aid of the
D 9 Caterpillar tractor - commonly
referred to as the pusher - the 621
scoops up a capacity load of about 21
or 2 2 cubic yards. Once loaded, the
scraper travels rapidly under its own
power, carrying earth from cut areas
to those to be filled. Two such scrapers
alternate, each hurtling back and forth
as many as 90 to 115 times to move a
total of 3,500 to 5,000 cubic yards
daily.
With topsoil removed, the more
granular soil underneath may be moved.
High areas are cut down and the lower
ones are filled. For efficiency and to
minimize costs, scraper runs are kept as
short as possible.
The average excavation requirement
for a completed Feast site is from 250,000 to 300,000 yards. Moving an average of 4,000 yards daily, it will take
the excavation crews at least sixty to
seventy-five working days to complete
the job. Considering week-ends, weather,
and breakdown time, that will be a
calendar time u l approximately five
months.
As areas are filled, care must be exercised in the deposition of the disturbcd
soil. The greater the fill, the greater the
care. Soil improperly compacted can lead
to disastrous conscquenccs - buildings,
roadways and parking lots will settle,
pipes will break and other problems

A giant 621 scraper bites great

chunks of earth. The D-9 Caterpillar behind is used as a
I/

pusher.

Right: Thousands of

feet of cable must be laid at

each: new Feast site. Far right:
Vital storm drains must be installed at each Feast site.

arise. And repair is both inconvenient

and expensive.
To accomplish maximum original
compaction, the soil should be laid
down in lifts or layers having a depth
of no more than four to six inches. Before subsequent depositions, compaction
equipment must roll and compress the
soil. Type and weight of equipment
used varies according to the composition, density and moisture content
of the soil.
Gradually, as the days roll by, the
new contours indicated by the master
plot plan begin to emerge.
New Contours

For aesthetic reasons, an elevation

slightly higher than the surroundings is
achieved for the administration building. A large apron area - on which the
convention center will be built - is
graded to the appropriate slope for
drainage. Roadways and walkways are
graded to specifications. Parking lots are
designed so as to add variety and interest. The sewage lagoon, and lakes, if
any, are dug and shaped. Broad and

The GOOD NEWS

July 1971

spacious landscape areas are created.

Viewed as a whole, the total picture
emerges - a Feast site of interest and
beauty. It is a most thrilling experience
to see the development of our conceptions and aspirations.
Yet, we are still a long way from
completion.
T h e Unseen Half
The average person who uses these
facilities will take much of the construction for granted. But every facet of the
operation is vital. Now, we must go
underground. Lets come to appreciate
those little services which are serving us
so routinely, yet very effectively.
In a single Feast site there are miles
of underground work. Typically, there
will be over a mile - from 5,000 to
8,000 feet - of underground electrical
cable serving various buildings, area
lights and the water system. Water lines
to serve all areas of the site will require
over two miles of trenches.
Storm drains of corrugated metal
pipe will be laid in excess of one mile.
To feed into these, catch basins - collection points for the voluminous
amounts of water flowing from parking
lots, roadways, walkways, roofs and surrounding landscaped areas - must be
constructed. Water shed from the roofs
of the convention center and the administration building alone will total at
least 69,000 gallons in a typical one

inch rainfall. But most areas have much

heavier rains than one inch, so our facilities must be constructed to handle the
ultimate eventuality.
Rainfall of four inches will produce a
flow of 275,000 gallons from the two
buildings. From the parking facilities
and roadways, the system would be required to handle 3,685,000 gallons.
And all of this - frequently - in no
more than two to three hours !
How much water is that?
The average American uses 50 gallons of water per day for domestic
purposes - bathing, showers, car wash,
lawns, etc. At that rate, the volume of
water which might fall on our property
in a period of two to three hours would
satisfy the demand of 200 Americans
for one whole year.
As you can plainly see, this amount
of water could pose a very real problem.
Unprovided for, it could be disastrous to
the physical plant, to say nothing of its
effect upon you at Feast time.
A completed sewage system will require at least another 3,500 feet of
trenching. The sewer pipe has to be laid
and manholes constructed, enabling
both cleaning out the system and changing the destination of flow. Service connections to buildings must also be made.
More trenching is required for the
construction of foundations for the
buildings. Footings must be poured,
and foundation walls laid rising to pre-

determined ground level. Beneath the

future buildings themselves, underground electrical conduit and necessary
sanitary piping must have been
positioned.
All in all, a total underground network of seven t o ien m i h of cable,
piping and conduit is laid. As each part
of this underground work is completed,
the trenches are filled and care is
exercised to bring compaction back to
acceptable standards.
Now actual construction above
ground can begin. A full unseen half of
the project has been accomplished.

Now: Above Ground

Once all foundations are laid, the visible part of the administration building
can begin to rise into view. Walls rise,
stone is laid, trusses are positioned,
beams placed, decking and sheeting are
nailed down. Now we may begin roofing - using very handsome cedar
shakes. Gables, facia boards and soffits
come next.
Windows may be set in at this time,
and epoxy work, with exposed marble,
may be completed.
The outside is now basically finished.
O n the inside, interior walls begin to
manifest each rooms configuration. Dry
wall goes up. Paneling is glued and
nailed. Ceilings are hung.
Concurrently with this construction,
considerable plumbing and electrical

work is done. Heating and air conditioning systems are installed.

Then finish work commences - trim
work, painting of walls, staining of
wood, laying of carpets and tile, hanging of electrical fixtures and final
placing of plumbing fixtures. The
administration building nears completion. Last-minute details, such as
cleanup and the forming and pouring
of sidewalks are accomplished.
On to the convention center! The
red iron and sheeting has arrived in
readiness for this hour. O n the underground bearing pillars, footings and
foundation walls, previously prepared
iidged wall flames a i r >el up. Next tlle
center columns go up. The area begins
to look like a young forest. O n top of
the columns the beams which support
the roof are placed. Stabilizing sidewall
girts and roofing purlins are bolted in
place. With this network of steel in
place, we are ready to commence the
sheeting.
Lastly the floor is laid, restroom facilities built, doors hung, electrical and
plumbing work completed. The meeting
hall is now complete.
Crews now begin the final buildings
- the two control booths. Footings and
foundation walls in place, the buildings
rise rapidly. With a rustic design, they
blend harmoniously with the around.
As the buildings near completion, the
site is basically ready for the fall Feast.
But where are the parking lots? The

The GOOD NEWS

July 1971

roadways and walkways ? These also are

very necessary for your convenience and
safety.

evenly and graded smooth over areas to

be landscaped. W e are ready for Gods
final touch of beauty.

Laying a Black Carper

T h e Final Decoration

During the time of building construction, continuous compaction and final

grading are in process. Roadways have
been shaped, given their final crown,
curves and shoulders. Parking lots have
been graded to perfection and walkways
staked out.
W e are now ready to lay down approximately 50 a c y e ~ of bituminous
asphalt paving. There are over seven
acres in the apron area alone, over
twenty-eight acres for general parking,
and two to four acres for close-in special
parking, at least twelve acres in roadways and firially a good two to three
acres in walkways. This is the approximate equivalent of twenty miles of any
standard country road about twenty fcct
wide.
That is a lot of blacktopping for each
Feast site, but what a convcniencc! It
must surely add immeasurably to your
enjoyment of the Feast. With parking
lots and roads properly graded, storm
drain system adequately sized, walkways
elevated - there should be no mudholes to wade through. This is our sincere and conscientious aim.
But we are not quite finished yet. Remember that stockpile of topsoil ? W e
are ready to replace it. With the help of
our scrapers, this soil will be distributed

Now the green thumbs go to work.

Areas to be covered with grass will be
either seeded or sodded - whichever
will be more effective in that particular
area. The carpets of green will be interrupted occasionally with well-planned
gardens of flowers and shrubs.
In every area, the convention facilities have sparked considerable community interest, because the design and
landscaping makes each one a place of
beauty. Our purpose is to continually
improve on this phase of the work. For
our God is a lover of beauty. W e strive
to have the most beautiful, interesting
and well-maintained facilities possible.
With the finishing touches accomplished, the project is complete. W e are
ready for you to attend the Feast.
Summary Facts
The completion of one Feast site requires the work of about fifty men for a
period o f one year - that is a total of
2,000 man-hours per week - over
100,000 man-hours for the year. Labor
alone costs upwards of one half million
dollars !
Brethren, this is the behind-the-scenes
story of the development of a new Feast
site. It is an exciting story, especially for
(Contimed 011 page 1 0 )

Ambassador Collage Photos

Left: Mr. Raymond Cole does not confine his work to

a desk! Here he helps with paving at the Pocanos site.
Asphalt laying equipment (above) stands beside an
area of finished pavement.

The GOOD NEWS

10

HAVE YOU SENT IN YOUR

TITHE OF THE TITHE?
Mr.
IN

i s articles,
Raymond Cole has given us the inside story
about the planning and development of our Festival sites.
He also explained briefly about OUR responsibility. Not only
are we the recipients, the benefactors, of all that God has
inspired to b e planned and built, but we are also responsible
for the continued success of Festival development!
At the Feast of Tabernacles we dwell in temporary abodes
(motels, cabins, tents), symbolizing that we are wayfarers
that we do not belong to this worlds system. W e look forward
to dwelling in peaceful surroundings for seven days, picturing
the millennium
the peaceful, wonderful world tomorrow
under Gods rule. W e look forward to inspired messages and
spiritual fellowship at the places God has chosen and caused to
be developed for the enjoyment o f His people.
But brethren, unless we provide the finances and put our
prayers into this vitally important function of Gods Church,
the entire Festival operation could be severely restricted now
and in the years ahead. Without additional SPECIALLY PREPARED Festival sites like the Poconos, the Ozarks, and the
Wisconsin Dells, our whole observance of the Feast could be
greatly impaired. And remember that it takes a great deal of
money to maintain the sites we have already developed.
God has inspired this Festival development program for
His Church during the end time period of this age. He has
provided the way to finance the construction of beautiful Festival sites by inspiring the creation of a special fund for Festival
development. As most o f you know, its called the tithe of the
tithe. The article, Whats a Feast? which appeared in the
January-April issue of the GOOD NEWS explained how this
special fund was established.
We, the members o f Gods Church, the users
the ones
who assemble to worship God at the places He has chosen should finance Feast development by paying a tithe (10%)
of our second tithe. The giant Festival operation that you are a
part of DEPENDS on your tithe of the tithe!
Festival planning must continue to move forward. It must
keep pace with the growth o f Gods Church. The tithe of the
tithe, NECESSARY for the Festival operation, i s desperately
needed now. If you have not already sent in your tithe of the
tithe this year, then please include it with your regular tithes
and offerings which are collected in your local area, and then
forwarded to Headquarters. Please do i t this week if at all
possible.
Simply estimate the amount o f second tithe you will have
saved this year and send in one tenth of that amount as your
tithe of the tithe. But dont forget to label this amount a s
tithe of the tithe, otherwise it will be counted along
with your regular tithe and offering.
When you send in your tithe of the tithe, remember Gods
instruction that we are also responsible for the Levite, the
stranger, the fatherless and the widow. If it is possible, therefore, for you to estimate now your fall second tithe needs and
send along a portion of your surplus for them, it would greatly
help us to assist a large number o f those who will need help to
attend the Feast of Tabernacles this fall.
Thank you, brethren, for taking this to heart and for your
response!

--PAUL

S.

ROYER

July 1971

those of us who see the progress day by

day. It is also very rewarding work,
when we see thousands of you thoroughly enjoying and benefiting from
the Feast and making full use of the
facilities God has provided.
Do you enjoy a nice convenient place
to keep the Feast? Do you appreciate
dry, asphalt parking lots? The administration building?
You do? Fine! But you have yozlr
part - your prayers and faithful contributions - your tithe of the tithe.

Your Part

God commands us to keep the Feast.

He commands us to eat of the tithe of
thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil,
and the firstlings of thy herds and of
thy flocks. However, nothing here implies that our total second tithe is to be
consumed by our appetites. It is but one
of our Feast oriented expenses. There
are others.
Continuing: If the way be too long
for thee.. . o r if the place be too far
from thee, which the Lord thy God shall
choose to set his name t h e r e . . .then
shalt thou turn it [the second tithe of
your increase] into money. . . and shalt
go . . . (Deut. 14:23-25).
So the second tithe is also used for
Feast travel. And here is the principle
regarding the use of your second tithe:
Second tithe is used for all your Feast
expenses.
W e go to a designated place. W e eat.
And lodge. But have we kept tlir Feast?
No ! Tourists accomplish these things
almost every day of the year.
What is the real purpose of our
going? To keep a Jpiritual Feast in fellowship with God and His children.
But this requires the physical Feast
plant. So until you have used a portion
of your second tithe - the tithe of the
tithe - to help provide for this need,
you are not at liberty to spend it all on
yourself.
This is what, years ago, God led His
niinisters to see.
When you have faithfully done your
part to be& provide the facilities, and
have come to the place where we are
ordered to convene, then truly Thou
shalt REJOICE, thou, and thine household - and live the full abundant
life before God !
0

Ambassador College Photo

In March of this year two editors of the GOOD NEWS

Drs. Hoeh and Martin
together with Vasili Constantinos
of the Jerusalem dig, were guests of the Israeli Military
Government of the Sinai. While there they traced the route
of the Exodus, beginning at Marah near the Mitla Pass.
This second report commences with Israels crossing of the
Red Sea.

by Herman L. Hoeh

ISRAELcrossed
the Red Sea during the final night
of the last high day of the Feast
of Unleavened Bread. That night corresponded to the night at the end of
Tuesday and the beginning of Wednesday.
Exodus, chapter 15, tells us the
children of Israel spent the daylight
part of that second annual Sabbath in
song and triumph, for their enemies all
lay dead on the seashore. Now notice
what happened immediately after that
triumphal occasion.

HE CHILDREN OF

T h e Next Three Days

Journey
So Moses brought Israel from the
Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three
days in the wilderness, and found no
water (Exodus 15 :2 2 ) .
The wilderness of Shur ? Three
days journey?
W e have already met this wilderness
in a previous verse - Exodus 13:20.
And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the

Looking north from the southeastern edge of the rim of Mt.

Sinai. Dr. Hoeh is atop rock on
inside of eastern rim. Little valley
inside Sinai is to left, below.

edge of the wilderness. Etham, where

Israel had earlier encamped, was on the
very border of Egypt and the wilderness
of Shur in northwestern Sinai. If the
Israelites had, at that time, proceeded
immediately into the wilderness, instead
of turning to Pihahiroth, they would
have left Egypt before the days of
Unleavened Bread were fulfilled. But
since leaving Egypt is a type of leaving
sin, God planned that they should take
seven days, not five, to come out of
Egypt.
It was a three-day journey from the
shore of the Red Sea to their next major
encampment in the Sinai. That is, three
days journey from that Wednesday,
Nisan 21, the last day of Unleavened
Bread. Three days journey from
Wednesday brings us to a weekly Sab-

The GOOD NEWS

12

DISASTER AT THE RED SEA!

NCIENT

Arab historians have pre-

A served the tradition that some time

in the distant past the coastlands of the

Red Sea and the environs of Mecca were
devastated by a great catastrophe. The
dating of this memorable destruction
has great significance for Biblical
studies.
What was the cause of this calamity,
and when did it occur?
Several Arab historians have preserved this tradition of a terrible destruction. The account handed down by
Abul Faraj in his Book of Songs is as
follows :
The tradition reports that the Amalekites violated the privileges of the
sacred territory and that the Almighty
God sent against them ants ot the
smallest variety which forced them to
desert Mecca. Afterwards the Lord
sent drought and famine and showed
them the clouded sky at the horizon.
They marched without rest toward
those clouds which they saw near
them, tiut were not atile to reach
them; they were pursued by the
drought which was always at their
heels. The Lord led them to their
native land, where He sent against
them toufan - a deluge (trans. F .
Fresnel, Journul Asiutique, 3rd Series,
vol. VI (l838), p. 207).

The same catastrophe is also recorded

by Masudi. The children of Hadoram
(Gen. 10:27) - Jorham in Arabic were among the first who had settled in
the vicinity of Mecca. Here they lived in
proximity to Amalekites and lesser
tribes, until an ~ J J I ~ K ~ U U Uturrerrt
J
swept them all away in a single night
(Masudi, Les Prairies &Or, trans. Barbeir de Myenard and Pavet de Courteille, vol. I1 [Paris, 19651, page 359).
Quoting the ancient poet al-Harith, a
descendant of the few Jorhamite survivors, Masudi reflects:
From al-Hajun up

to

as-Safa all

became desert; in Mecca the nights

are silent, no voice or pleasant talk.
We dwelt there, but in a most tumulNOUS night in the most terrible of
deuurtutions we were destroyed
(Masudi, vol. 11, p. 359).

When did this great cataclysm take

place? Again, Masudi provides the answer. He records the tradition that Ishmael, the son of Abraham by Hagar
(Gen. 16:15), settled in Mecca where
he married the daughter of Modad, a

Jorhamite. After Ishmaels death, his

son Nebajoth briefly ruled the city.
Next the Amalekites became powerful,
but won the Jorhamite Arabs, under
their leader al-Hareth, defeated them
and maintained predominance over the
city for about three hundred yearr.
At the end of this period, when the
Jorhamites were being ruled by another
Sheikh called Modad, they were defeated by the Ishmaelites, who had
grown in numbers, and were forced to
leave Mecca. The tribe retreated northwest to the Red Sea coast, where shortly
afterward an impetuous torrent swept
them all away in a single night
(Masudi, pp. 358, 359).
Umayya ben Abu es-Salt alluded to
this event in the following words:
In the days of old the Jorhamites
settled

in

Tchnmn

[rhc

low-lying

coastal plain of the Red Sea), and

knlont , f W -cx&J .rhntr all
away (ibid., p. 359).

jl

Wtk +hrkkhifa -emfr +.& $ r c z -A

little over 300 years after the death of
Ishmael. There are just over 300 years
from that date m f i l /be Exodvs (Gen.
17:24, 25; 25:17; Ex. 12:40).
What the Arabs experienced wdb
most likely nothing other than some of
the effects of the catastrophes and
plagues which devastated Egypt! The
impetuous torrent which is known
by the name of Idam (fury) could
have been the huge tidal wave generated
by the collapse of the waters after the
Israelites had crossed through the Red
Sea. Imagine the force generated by
two five-mile long walls of water suddenly crashing together. Preceded by a
violent storm (Ex. 14:21, 24, 2 5 ) , this
fsunami raced up and down the narrow
land-locked sea, wreaking havoc along
the low-lying coast. Whole coastal tribes
were swept away. Even Mecca, which is
on the edge of the plain, lay in ruins.
Survivors were either absorbed among
the other descendants of Joktan and of
Ishmael, or else dispersed abroad.
Thus the flood that engulfed
Pharaohs host may indeed still live in
the memory of the Arabs as a very real
Frc,bcrgr
cataclysmic event !

July 1971

bath - Nisan 24 that year. Count it!

Saturday is three days from Wednesday.
Now we will begin to see that the
recorded encampments in Sinai were
a series of weekly Sabbaths. Though the
people stopped to rest daily, or several
times a day, to eat, sleep and take care
of their personal needs, it was every
Sabbath that they encamped to rest for a
day. They were being taught the habit
of Sabbath keeping !

The Miracle a t Marah

At Marah our journey from Jerusalem
into the Sinai met the route of the
Exodus. W e took the little-traveled route
across the northern Sinai over which the
Israeli tanks sped to the Mitla Pass.
Here, at the Mitla Pass, we first peered
out westward across the wilderness of
Shur to modern Egypt across the Suez.
To either side of the Mitla Pass are
low mountains. The mountain (594
meters or 1950 feet high) to the south
of the pass is called Gebel Marah on
present-day maps. The meaning in
L ~ ~ Y S I 1Y3- iDN; LMCIXA.ikr &C w l i a h m
of Shur a little to the southwest of Mt.
Marah the children of Israel must have
encamped that first Sabbath in Sinai. A
wadi (dry river bed) in this area
receives the runoff from Mt. Marah
whenever a desert thundershower
occurs.
In this area there is to this day only
one source of water for traveling bedouin - a single well on the edge of the
wadi ( 3 2 O 48 east longitude). I t was
in all likelihood into the waters of this
well that Moses cast a tree, after which
the water - by supernatural intervention - became sweet or fresh.
In years past I used to query why it
was that God showed Moses a tree
which Moses cast into the water. The
answer is that throughout the Sinai, in
wadis onc can find half-buried palms
and other trees that have been uprooted
by the torrents of rushing waters after
thundershowers. The trccs may be
carried many miles and are deposited in
the wadis whenever the waters recede.
Thus

we

read

in

Exodus

. . . and

15:25,

the Lord shewed him (Moses)

a tree - probably barely visible in the
sand and gravel overburden
which
Moses ordered cast into the waters.
It was not the fallen tree which made
~

The GOOD NEWS

14

the water potable. It was the God of

Israel who did it! But the people had
their part in the miracle. They had to
work at dragging that tree to the well.
Faith without work, or works, is dead!
They had to believe, while laboring and
sweating, that when they had finished
their part God would do His !
Thus we read: . , .there he [the
Lord] made for them a statute and an
ordinance, and there he proved them,
and said, If thou wilt diligently hearken
to the voice of the Lord thy God, and
wilt do that which is right in his sight,
and wilt give ear to his commandments,
and keep all his statutes, I will put
none of these diseases upon thee, which
I have brought upon the Egyptians: for
I am the Lord that healeth thee
(Exodus 15:25-26). Just as the waters
of Marah were healed, so today God
heals - but we have our part, the calling of the elders, anointing the sick and
the prayer of faith.
All this was a very important lesson
about healing which the Israelites
should have learned on that Sabbath.
Northern Route, or Southern?
There is significant controversy
among scholars today as to the route of
the Exodus in Sinai. The traditional
view is that the children of Israel
turned southward to the traditional Mt.
Sinai in the southern part of the peninsula. A majority of modern critical
writers prefer one or more (possible
northern routcs.
W e had the enlivening experience of
participating in a discussion of this very
matter with the former and the present
Israeli Governors-General of the Sinai.
T h e present Governor-General resides
at the traditional Mt. Sinai in the south
of the peninsula. W e were his guests
and ate at his table. He invited us to his
quarters on our first evening at the
traditional Mt. Sinai. His special guest
was the former Governor-General of the
Sinai - Major Rothem. Tngether they
discussed the route of the Exodus and
the site of Mt. Sinai. The northern
route was espoused by our host, the
traditional route by the Major.
Naturally no agreement was reached.
But the answer is plainly found in the
Biblical record. The children of Israel
encamped by the Red Sea (Numbers

33:10-11) on their route from Marah

to Mt. Sinai. There would have been no

need to return to the Red Sea if Mt.

Sinai is somewhere in the northern Sinai
peninsula. This verse makes sense only
if a southern route is followed - the
traditional route. W e shall see this
proved as we follow the Biblical
account of the encampments.
T h e Springs of Elim
From Marah the children of Israel
journeyed to Elim - a word meaning
mighty ones in English. And they
came to Elim, where were twelve wells
of water, and threescore and ten palm
trees.. . (Exodus 15:27). This is not
an accurate rendering of the original
Hebrew. There were not twelve wells,
but twelve springs. The Jewish
Publication Society translation renders it
correctly: And they came to Elim,
where were twelve springs of water. . . .
In Numbers 33:9 the King James
Version translates twelve fountains of
water, and the Jewish translation uses
twelve springs of water.
It is significant that, traveling southward from Marah, the next logical stop
a week later brings us to the only area
in all the Sinai where there are to this
day an abundance of natural springs the region of Gebel Sumar. Present-day
maps show eleven springs along several
wadis flowing into Wadi Wardan. In
Moses day these springs - and a
twelfth one - must have flowed more
extensively, pouring their waters into
the wadi along which the Israelites over two million of them - were encamped that Sabbath, the first day of
the second month, Iyar 1.
The area of Elim by Wadi Wardan is
still significant, for at present the
Sinais largest airport is located nearby.
And they [the Israelites) removed
from Elim, and encamped by the Red
Sea (Numbers 3 3 : l O ) . As we journeyed south along a modern Egyptianhuilt mad, the land hecame mote
mountainous near the coast along the
Gulf of Suez. No longer could the arm
of the Red Sea be seen far to the right,
as we had commonly been able to see it
between Marah and Elim. T h e mountains began to hem us in. Then suddenly, as we drove through the
narrowest pass there opened before us

July 1971

the unexpected. breathtaking view of

the Red Sea directly ahead! The sun
was dropping low toward the western
horizon.
Anyone who has traveled this route
knows that the only pass along the
western Sinai coast is at this point. The
children of Israel had no choice but to
encamp by the Red Sea after journeying
through the pass. And there are no
recorded complaints, either. It is one of
the most beautiful regions in the whole
of the Sinai. Up until the Six Day W a r
there existed an Egyptian officers
retreat near the pass overlooking the
Red Sea.
The time of this encampment would
have been Sabbath, the eighth day of
the second month. From the Red Sea
encampment the children of Israel journeyed slowly along the foot of mountain bluffs that extend nearly into the
sea at this point.

The Next Sabbath

The Biblical account now continues:

(.. . and all the congregation of the children of Israel came into the wilderness
of Sin, which is between Elim and
Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second
month after their departing out of the
land of Egypt (Exodus L6:l).
Two important points must be noted.
One is the place. It is the wilderness of
Sin, the desolate, nearly uninhabited
sandy plain along the southwestern
coast of the Sinai Peninsula. It is still
known by that name among bedouin
today. The Israelites entered only its
northern region before turning eastward
into thc intcrior of thc pcninsula.
The second point is the time. It is the
fifteenth of the second month. This is
exactly a week after the eighth of Iyar,
the postulated time of the previous encampment. There can be no doubt.
These were Sabbath encampments. Since
the Passover, Abib 14, was a Wednesday that year, Iyar 15 is consequently a
weekly Sabbath.
Now observe what occurred this
particular Sabbath in the wilderness of
Sin: And the whole congregation of
the children of Israel murmured against
Moses and Aaron . . . (Ex. 16:2).
That day, the 15th of the month, a Sabbath, the Lord said to Moses: Behold,
I will rain bread from heaven for you;

16

The GOOD NEWS

and the people shall go out and gather

a certain rate every day, that I may
prove them, whether they will walk in
my law, or no.
Here was Gods law - before Sinai!
Continuing: And it shall come to
pass, that on the sixth day they shall
prepare that which they bring in: and it
shall be twice as much as they gather
daily (Ex. 16:4-5). They were told in
advance to prepare for the following
Sabbath by gathering twice as much the
coming Friday.
When was this miracle to begin?
And Moses and Aaron said unto all
the children of Israel, At even, then ye
shall know that the Lord hath brought
you out from the land of Egypt (verse
6 ) . And it came to pass, as Aaron
spake unto the whole congregation of
the children of Israel, [near the close of
the Sabbath], that they looked toward
the wilderrless, a i d , Lrliold, Llir glory
of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And
the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I
have heard the rnurmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying,
At even [between the two evenings, at
dusk] ye shall eat flesh, and in the
morning ye shall be filled with
bread. . . . And it came to pass, that at
even [at the end of that Sabbath] the
quails came up, and covered the camp:
and in the morning [of the very next
day, Sunday the 16th of the second
month) the dew lay round about the
host. . . (verses 10-14). Out of the
dew manna appeared

Then for six days, the children of Israel slowly journeyed eastward to
Dophkah (Num. 33:12) in the northern part of the wilderness of Sin.
Journeying Through
W a d i Feiran
From the plains of the northern wilderness of Sin we also turned east along
the only major road that leads to the
interior of Sinai. The road, at this point
today, is not paved. It is a gravel road
that runs along the broad and most
beautiful wadi in the whole of the Sinai
- Wadi Feiran. In this wadi, about a
weeks travel time for the mass of Israelites from their previous encampment, is the modern oasis of Feiran.
This could hardly be other than the ancient Dophkah of Numbers 33:12. It is

the largest oasis in all the Sinai. No Israelite complaints here !

Here, at Dophkah or the oasis of Feiran (33 39 east longitude and 28 43
north latitude), they encamped on the
Sabbath the 22nd day of the second
month. The previous day Moses had
said: This is that which the Lord hath
said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy
Sabbath unto the L o r d . . . (Ex.
16:23). At Dophkah, on the 22nd,
. . . Moses said, Eat that to day, for
to day is a Sabbath unto the Lord. . .
(verse 2 5 ) .
Some disobeyed. They went out looking for manna that Sabbath morning
and found none. God thundered,
( I . . . How long refuse ye to keep my
commandments and my laws? . , . So
the people rested on the seventh day
(verses 28 and 30).
From Dophkah the Israelites jouriieyed to Alush (Numbers 33:13),
reaching it and encamping the last day
of the month, the 29th, another weekly
Sabbath. Alush is locatccl 33 57 easl
longitude and 28 41 north latitude.
Along Wadi Feiran we, too, reached
another oasis - the only othcr important one along the entire route of the
wadi. It could hardly be other than the
Alush of the Bible. From here it would
have taken them about a days journey
to reach their next unexpected encampment - Rephidim, where there was
no water for the people to drink
(Num. 33:14). Rephidim, to this day,
is recognized by the local bedouin as a
broad area in Wadi Feiran adjoining
the pass where the wadi turns south.
(IJp to this point one travels in the
wadi in a general easterly direction.)
So angry had the people become from
lack of water (summer was approaching) that they could have stoned Moses.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on
before the people, and take with thee of
the elders of Israel; and thy rod.. . . Behold, I will stand before thee there
upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt
smite the rock, and there shall come
water out of it, that the people may
drink. And Moses did so in the sight of
the elders of Israel (Ex. 17:5-6).
Finding the Rock
Notice that while the children of Israel were temporarily encamped in

July 1971

Rephidim, the elders of Israel hurriedly

accompanied Moses to Horeb. Horeb
was near Rephidim.
Moses took off in a fast pace up the
wadi southward to Horeb, where Mt.
Sinai is located. And there, in the upper
reaches of Wadi Feiran, which encircles
Mt. Sinai, we saw what must be the
rock Moses struck !
It is the only rock in all Sinai with
twelve natural water stains indicating
where water once supernaturally flowed
out of the side of the rock !
It is not a natural outcrop of rock. It
is a fallen angular boulder lying near
the western foot of Mt. Sinai on the
edge of the wadi. (Major Kothem and
several bedouin children led us to it
after we had climbed Mt. Sinai.)
It is one of the most remarkable evidences of divine miraculous power preserved anywhere in stone. The water
could not have been from a natural
spring, because this rock is not an outcrop through which springwater might
iialurally xep. It is uiie of iiiaiiy fallen
boulders around Mt. Sinai, but the only
one with water stains!
The waters pouring from the rock
flowed along the western side of the
mount, then northward to Rephidim
where the thirsty Israelites were
encamped.
The next day, apparently Monday, a
battle broke out with a large detachment of Amalekite soldiers (Ex. 1 7 : s )
who must have come from the north
through a wadi that joins Wadi Feiran
near the pass. It was an all-day struggle.
Moses, atop one of the ridges along the
pas, held np his hands all day to
heaven, imploring God to intervene on
behalf of the rebellious Israelites.
Theirs was the victory.
Next day Moses father-in-law arrived, together with his daughter,
Moses wife, Zipporah. (There is a well
named after her at the foot of the
northern side of Mt. Sinai.) W e read of
this event in Exodus 18:12, And it
came to pass on the morrow, - apparently Tuesday - that Moses sat to
judge the people: and the people stood
by Moses from the morning unto the
evening. The place where Moses sat is
traditionally a unique rock outcropping
at the pass by Rephidim. It is the most
unusual reddish natural rock anywhere

along the wadi. If we had had to choose

a place to sit while listening to peoples

problems, this rock outcropping would

have been our logical choice. It has the
character of a high-backed chair in its
contour.
When Jethro saw how long it took
Moses to judge the people, he suggested
others be appointed to help. That was
done the very next day, Wednesday of
that wcek. Jcthro then Icft.
Encamped at Mt. Sinai
The next day, Thursday, the children
of Israel reached the foot of Mt. Sinai.
Here is the Biblical account of this
arrival, giving the exact day of thc
week. In the third month (Sivan),
when the children of Israel were gone
forth out of the land of Egypt, the ~ u m c
d q came they into the wilderness of
Sinai (Ex. l 9 : l ) .
The same day as what?
Why, the same day as they were
gone forth out of the land of Egypt!
They left Egypt on the fifth day of the
week - what we call Wednesday night
and Thursday today. They arrived at
Mt. Sinai the same day of the week,
Thursday. That Thursday, coincidentally, was not only the fifth day of the
week, but also the fifth day of the third
month, Sivan.
Near the foot of Sinai, in this valley
of the encampment, is a small hill, not
at all beautiful, atop which Aaron
placed the golden calf. Nearby, along
the edge of the wadi northwest of Mt.
Sinai is a natural eroded basin in the
rock. Locals claim it is where Moses
stamped the golden calf to powder.
And he took the calf which they had
made, and burnt it with fire, and
ground it to powder, and strewed it
upon the water [flowing from the rock
farther up the wadi], and made the
children of Israel drink of it (Exodus
32 :20, Jewish translation).
The next day after their arrival, Friday, Moses made two trips up Mt. Sinai
(see Exodus 19:3, 7-9). It took US
about an -hour and a -half on the long,
modern eastern trail up the face of Sinai
to reach the top. W e took it at a leisurely
pace. Moses probably climbed up and
descended on the steeper northern face
of Sinai - the ordinary route down
from the top of Sinai taken by most

tourists who visit the mountain today.

The following day, Sabbath the 7th
of Sivan, . . . the Lord said to Moses,
Go unto the people, and sanctify them
to day and tomorrow, and let them
wash their clothes, and be ready against
the third day: for the third day the
Lord will come down in the sight of all
the people upon Mount Sinai (verses
10, 11). That Sabbath Moses climbed
Sinai once. Upon returning to the camp
he sanctified the people - that is, set
them apart, commanding them to remain clean and prepare thcmselvcs for a
special day. The next day, Sunday, they
washed their clothes and made everything ready. The third day, Monday,
they gathered at the foot of Sinai and
saw the cloud in which God descended,
accompanied by terrible thunder and
earthquakes and falling rocks.
That famous Monday was the first
Pentecost 1 Tt rommemorates the giving
of the Law. Much later, on another
Pentecost (Acts I ) , the Holy Spirit of
God came to imbue Jesus disciples and
enable them to keep the Law according
to its spirit and intent!

The Valley of Assembly

While at Sinai we asked ourselves the
question: In which valley or wadi at the
foot of Sinai did the Israelites assemble
to hear the giving of the Law? They
were encamped to the north, but it
would hardly be fitting for the people
merely to stand at their tent flaps while
the God of Heaven spoke to them in
majesty! The only wadi in which they
could have assembled away from their
tents would have been at the eastern
foot of Mt. Sinai. (The Wadi Feiran
which extends along the west and
southwest of the Mount is too small
and, besides, was filled with running
water from the rock.)
Is it significant that at the eastern
foot of Sinai one had to face west, not
e a t , to view the top of Sinai and Gods
presence? And later, when a temple was
built in Jerusalem for Gods presence,
one also had to stand to the east, and
face west, to view the front of the
temple! lhe wadi to the east, at the
foot of Sinai, where Israel assembled, is
called by the native Arab bedouin the
Valley of Seven. (There is no 6aturaI
characteristic of seven features in the

wadi. The native bedouin know nothing

of the name.) Is it significant that one
counts seven weeks and then comes the
day of Pentecost, the day the Israelites
stood in this valley to hear the Law!
And is it significant that the only valley
or wadi around Mt. Sinai from which
one can view the uppermost peak of
Sinai is from the east, not the north?
(The highest point of the mount is on
the southrdst, not the north.)
Climbing to the Top of Sinai
Today one normally approaches the
top of Sinai from the east by a route
built and hewn out during the Turkish
occupation of Sinai. This route gently
moves up the talus-covered foot of the
mountain in hairpin curves. Higher up,
the trail rises steeply, until it cuts
through the face of the eastern slope
near the northeastern rim of the mount.
Rim? Yes, rim. For although Sinai is
not volcanic, the mountain has a natural
rim with a miniature high valley inside,
near the top! There is no other moun
tain like it in all Sinai. One cannot see
this miniature valley until one has
reached the top of the rim and looks
down into the heart of Sinai. There, a
few hundred feet below are trees, a
well, and an Orthodox chapel erected
during the Byzantine period. This
valley is reputedly the hiding place of
Elijah to which the prophet fled in the
days of Jezebel. It was here, according
to local tradition, that God spoke to him.
And to this miniature valley ascended
the seventy elders to eat in the presence
of the Lord God of Israel (Exodus
2 4 : l - 2 , 9-11). Moses and the elders
came up the north side and descended
into this miniature valley over the north
rim. But Moses alone proceeded on that
occasion to the very top. He would have
had to walk up to the inner face of the
eastern rim, join the trail on which we
walked, and climb, barefoot because of
the presence of God. along the . i n w
face of the rim to the highest point.
The view from atop Sinai is spectacular. To the east, a large valley, then
mountains. To the north, the entire
stretch of the Sinai Peninsula lies open
to view. To the southwest, another
mountain - slightly higher than Sinai,
but lacking its majesty.
Mount Sinai truly is magnificent! 0

Reuders Suy

+ +

(Continued from inside front cover)

me to receive this Bible Correspondence
Course. This course helped me to get on
the road to the right way of livingGods way. I am a baptized member of
Gods Church and Ill continue to use those
Bible lessons, in addition to sermons and
other helps for review, and as a base for
continued study of the Bible. Also, Ill be
praying the new, condensed 24 lessons of
the Correspondence Course will help others
to learn to lead happy, productive lives.
Mrs. Anita W.,
New York

Closer to Headquarters
Thank you very much for sending Mr.
Antion to speak to us in the Sioux Falls
Church. Everyone I talked to after the
services felt that Mr. Antion brought us
into clearer contact with this great Work
of God, and made us more directly
involved and inspired to back up future
doors that open up. I was interested in and
appreciated the comments about the Work
in South America and Mr. Flores, as I
have not heard any report previously. It
isnt easy for him.
As a professional pilot, I am very happy
that the college has been allowed to retain
both the jet airplanes for the Work.
It is much safer than commercial airlines.
My family feels this is an answer to prayer,
and we will continue to ask God to allow
the jet aircraft for both the Armstrongs
and other personnel at Headquarters.
These airplanes are definitely not extravagant in view of the peace of mind their
safety and efficiency provide in air travel.

w. L.,

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Good Examples
My wife has been taking your Correspondence Course fnr nearly two years now. It
has proved many things contrary to what
I was taught. I found it very hard to
believe and admit that I was very wrong.
My wife has saved all her lessons from
the beginning, probably hoping I would
become interested in them, never saying
too much, but always willing to answer
any questions I had. She is a very understanding person. I now have started to
work on them. I am only on lesson four,
but they have renewed my interest in the
Bible and taught me many things. Enclosed
is my check. I have always given to my
church, but somehow I have felt unhappy
with it. NOW I see they have not been
preaching the true word of God as given
in the Bible. I thank God very much for
making me see my wrong ways and h e l p
ing me get started in the rieht wavGods Wiy.
Charles Z.,
South Saint Paul, Minnesota
v

Congratulations
A friend of mine who is a subscriber
to your magazine, showed me one of your
co-worker letters. I was very interested
to know partly how you did, and do, this
fine work. For several years students,
emplo ees, etc., of your college have
helpeg us usher in our Rose Parade
grandstands across from your campus in
Pasadena. I have been very favorably

impressed with these people each year and

understand they donate their earnings to
the college. Each year I hear more about
your colleges and work, and would like
to tnke this opportunity to congratulate
your worldwide Christian operation.
Jack M.,
Sherman Oaks, California

Different People
I was very fortunate, since I am a Continental Trailways bus driver, to have
taken a group from Chicago tn the l a k e
of the Ozarks convention in October. I
really enjoyed the services, but the only
gripe I have-it
didnt last long enough.
I was there for eight days and time flew
so fast. I met many interesting people
while being there and found out that the
people who attend these meetings and
read your literature, living by the laws
that you teach, are really a different kind
of people.
Jim C.,
Steger, Illinois

I am very happy to enclose this amount

along with our rcgular tithe and offering,
for a wonderful blessing received during
our third tithe year. W e won a new car
and sold it for $I550! And this is our first
third tithe year, God is providing for us
in many ways.
Mr. & Mrs. Willard N.,
Walnut Ridge, Arkansas
Here is the final monthly third tithe
for our first third tithe year. During rhese
twelve months we have been extremely
blessed, and a complete catalog of these
blessings would f i l l up at least fwo pages.
Suffice it to say that I made over $Z,OoC
more in the past year than I did the year
before. W e were able to eliminate two
major bills we had for some time
one
for a car and the other for an enryrlopedia
set. Our entire family was healthy during the whole year; we were able to
make some new acquaintances which
enriched our lives physically as well as
other ways; we were able co meet twice
with Gods ministers this year
Mr.
Antion and Mr. Menassas in St. Johns,
and Mr. Wilding and Mr. Roper here in
Goose Bay. The list could go on, but I
think you can see by the above that we
have been very well blessed.

w. P.,

Goose Bay, Newfoundland

Grateful for Assistance

I wish to take this time to thank the
Church of God for making it possible for
my children and me to go to the Feast of
Tabernacles in the Ozarks last year. It truly
was a blessing for us and we enjoyed every
minute of it. Every day that goes by has
a new discovery as to why obeying Gods
laws bring so much happiness words cannot describe. Without Gods laws I do not
know how I could ever raise three boys
all by myself. Then we have all these blessings heaped on us. So again, thank you very
much.
Mrs. Peggy B.,
Evansville, Indiana
I have just received your letter telling
me you hnvc approved my request for second tithe assistance, and I am very happy
and just wanted to thank you. This will
mean so much to me since I havent been
able to attend in four years. My children
can hardly wait, and I am longing for the
spiritual knowledge I will receive there
since I dont get to attend services very
often and I really need it. Also, my
unconverted husband could hardly believe
you were giving us something. He said
no other church would do that. So again,
thank you and all those who have made
this 1970 Feast of Tabernacles possible
for us.
Mrs. L. S.,
Pine Knot, Kentucky

Third Tithe Year Blessings

This is my last payment of my third
tithe year and I wanted to write you to
tell of one of my blessings. I was very
npprchensive about my third titlie year.
In fact, I couldnt see how it was possible
to pay it. But after I set my mind to pay
it, something very fantastic occurred. I
received a $1500 pay increase in the year.
Not only that, but it has made it possible
for me to get a tax refund of approximately
$500. which was the amount of third tithe
I paid for the entire year! Truly you cant
nutgive God.
Kenneth T.,
Evansville, Indiana

Friendliest, Kindest People

Saturday was my first time to attend
Sabbath services in the Church of God in
Kansas City, Kansas. It w a s a very enjoy.
able experience.. . I, and my sister also,
met the friendliest, kindest people we have
ever known. They are just filled with
energy and enthusiasm for this wonderful
Work. I feel u u l y privileged to have been
invited to the services and am looking
forward to each Sabbath with eager
anticipation.
Janice C.,
Bedford, Iowa

Grateful Teen-ager
I am thirteen and a half years old
and attend the Worldwide Church of God.
I am very thankful that I have this privilege. My parents, three brothers and I
started attending shortly after Thanksgiving of 1969. I know it is the true Church.
It makes me long to have my friends in it
so they can have true happiness and peace.
This is a sickening world and Im glad
Im not a part of it. However, sometimes
the bright lights of it blind me and lead
me astray. 1 am thankful I have such a
good foundation as the Church to lean
on for help.
Jenifer B.,
Mechanicsvik, Virginia

Changed Girl
I have no idea who will read this, but
I just wanted to let you know how grateful
I am for what you have done for our
daughter. She was home from your campus
for a couple of weeks just recently, and
though she has always been a very sweet
girl (thou& a little headstrong), she
seems to shine from within. She was much
more understanding and tolerant. Being
her mother, no one understands better than
I her desire to be independent, to speak
and act as she pleases. I thank God for
her instructors and whoever was responsible for helping to keep her in line. She
told me she had been baptized. 1 also
thank God and you people for that.
J. B.,
California