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• The ultirnate ernergence of a
militarized
Vnited Europe
as a
major third power in the world,
alrnost certainly to include sorne
countries presently in the Soviet
orbit.
• The growing importance of the
volatile Middle East, with continu–
ing instability and upheaval leading
ultimately to a mornentous con–
frontation with oil-thirsty Europe.
• The increasingly influential
role of organized religion in sorne
European countries-both East and
West- includ ing dramatic steps
toward church unity.
• The continuing decline of the
economic, military and political
fortunes of the United States, Brit–
ain and other English-speaking
areas of the world- and an even–
tual crisis confrontation with a
United Europe.
• A precedent-shattering agree–
rnent between Europe and the Soviet
Union- possibly in the form of a
nonaggression pact, secret or other–
wise-accompanied rnost probably
by the disintegration of NATO and
the elirnination of U .S. influence on
the European continent.
• Continui ng Cornrnunist suc–
cesses in South Asia, ultirnately
bringing that entire region into the
Soviet orbit..
• An upswing in lawless ness
around the world, including in–
creasing incidents of terrorisrn and
assassination and a general rise in
crime and violence.
• A drarnatic increase in the
nurnber and severi ty of farnines,
earthquakes and disease epidemics
around the world.
Then, Good News!
But just beyond the perilous times
that líe ahead is unbelievably
good
news!
And
that
is the biggest news
of all!
That good news no major news
q1agazine is announcing-or can
announce. They simp ly do not
beüeve it! That good news involves
the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
(The word
gospel
rneans "good
news.") The worldwide Work of
which this magazine is a part is
actively fulfilling a comrnission giv–
en to us by Jesus Christ more than
1,900 years ago: "And the gospel of
February 1982
the kingdom [must first be pub–
lished-Mark 13:1
O]
in all the world
for a witness unto all nations: and
then shall the end [of this present
age] come" (Matt. 24:14).
We announce that the crisis at
the close of this age will usher in a
new and better age, when all
peoples everywhere will begin to
enjoy peace and prosperity under
the direction of God's divine ruler–
ship.
Meanwhile, continue reading
each issue of
The Plain Truth.
God's word is
truth.
And we make
it
p/ain.
That's why its narne is
The
Plain Truth!
o
AVOID BODILY INJURY
(Continued from page
17)
being you
must
notice it! For the
Lord and Giver of life comrnands us
all ,
"Thou shalt not
kili."
We are responsible for
our
lives as
well as others. So we must take care
how
we ride our bicycle, our motor–
cycle,
how
we use the power saw or
the knife sharpener. We must zeal–
ously teach and train our children to
take
care
of the precious lives and
limbs they have been given. And we
adults must be sure tbat Iittle chil–
dren are not endangered by sharp
objects or toxic substances left with–
in their reach, open fires or danger–
ous stairwells.
Older people must overcorne
false pride and
quit driving
wben
they have lost their reflexes or ade–
quate hearing or eyesight. They
rnust think of the danger to
others
as well as themselves. They must be
much more careful
in using stair–
'ways, in lighting fires , in reaching
for high objects.
Young and old, rich and poor, we
a/1
have a responsibility to our Mak–
er to protect and cherish the bodies
He has given us. "We must all
appear before the j udgrnent seat of
Christ; that every one rnay receive
the things done in bis body, accord–
ing to that he bath done, whether it
be good or bad" (11 Cor. 5:10).
Each of us rnust learn to be a
builder and protector of life and
happiness.
This is
our
responsibility. This 'is
the seventh law of health.
o
LENT?
(Continued from page 21)
no law to keep this feast . .. just as
rnany other custorns have been
established in individual localities
according to usage, so also the feast
of Easter
CAME TO BE OBSERVED IN
EACH PLACE ACCORDING TO THE
INDIVIDUAL PECULIARITIES OF THE
PEOPLES
inasrnuch as none of the
apostles legislated on the · matter.
And that the observance originated
not by legislation,
BUT AS A CUSTOM
the facts themselves indicate"
(chapter 22).
Did you notice that? Easter ori–
g inated as a custom of the people!
And so did Lent. Lent is merely the
introduction to Easter. Easter is the
clímax to Lent.
If
you have not already read the
TRUTH
about Easter, you need to
read our free booklet entitled
The
Plain Truth About Easter.
It
will
give you many astounding facts
about the origin of Easter-and it
will reveal what the New Testa–
rnent Church observed
instead of
Easter.
But frorn what city did the cele–
bration of Lent really begin to
spread throughout the professing
Christianity of the Roman
World?
Here is what the
Catholic Ency–
c/opaedia
records:
"In any case it is certain from
the 'Festival Letters' of St. Athana–
sius that in 331 [he] enjoined upon
bis flock a period of
FORTY DAYS
of
fasting preliminary to ... Holy
Week, and second that in 339
after
having travelled to Rome
and over
the greater part of Europe, [he]
wrote in the strongest terms to urge
this observance"-of Lent- upon
the people under bis jurisdiction.
Athanasius, bishop of Alexan–
dria in Egypt, was influenced · by
Rornan custorn. It was
at R ome
that not only Easter, but also
Lent , entered the C hristian
church. Irenaeus confirrned this
when he wrote in bis farnous let–
ter that Lent and Easter were
introduced during the time of
bishop Xystus of Rome. Tbis
bishop "did not perrnit those after
hirn" to observe the New Testa-
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