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is out. Again, remember, Jesus said no man will know the day or the hour. But He
did say we may know by world events when it is near--even at the door!
This will be my 55th year of keeping the annual Fall Holy Days. We did
not
come to realize the meaning and need to keep the entire Feast of Tabernacles
until
1945, though my wife and I began keeping the annual Sabbaths in 1927.
The Feast of Tabernacles pictures to us year after year the glorious
thousand
years just shortly ahead now of world peace, happiness and opportunity for
eternal salvation for all not previously called! It will be a world without
Satan! It
will be a world with Jesus Christ ruling with love!
It is a time for us to get away from the dreary routine of daily life in
Satan's
world and enjoy eight wonderful days with brethren in Christ and their families!
It
is the only time in the year that God provides a time when we may get away and
rest from our daily regular duties--to be with brethren in Christ to worship Him
and look forward to His utopia!
This year we shall have 22 Festival sites in the United States and
Canada.
Brethren, as God shows us the importance of attending this Feast, it is
equally important that all shall have been saving the second tithe to pay your
own
expenses and enjoyment at the Festival. Of course, part of that expense is
rental of
auditoriums or halls or convention centers and other expenses the Church must
pay. So, as always, be sure to send in a tithe of your entire year's second
tithe by
return mail. Mark or list it separate from your regular first tithe or offering.
And please do not forget the building fund. Although we did have 100
percent financing on the Auditorium and other headquarters buildings, that came
in the form of large multimillion-dollar loans from major insurance companies.
Of
course, much of the campus property is all paid out now, but payments are still
having to be made month by month on the Auditorium, Hall of Administration, etc.
So remember the special building fund, please. Remember we have been able to
use and enjoy these fine buildings for a number of years before we have had to
pay out these mortgages by which they were financed. And the interest we are
paying is the rate that was in effect before we built--now some years ago--and
much lower than now!
What a blessing from God that we have not had to borrow regularly at the
banks during all the last two years and so far this year. Formerly we had to
borrow
a million dollars in January and pay back out of Passover special offerings.
Then
we had to borrow another million in July to be paid back from the Fall Festival
offerings. Loan rates to largest bank customers have gone over 20 percent! What
a