Basic HTML Version
Church evangelist predicts grim U.S. future
RODERICK MER.EDITII
�p('aks at <\rnbassador
By DICK LLOYD
Staff Writer
Through Genesis, Deuterono
my, Jeremiah, Ezekiel. Isaiah.
Micah. Nahum. Obadiah and a
host of other books of the Bible,
Roderick C Meredith took his
audience on a prophetic trip
through scripture Friday . warn
ing that destruction is imminent
for the llnited States unless it
returns to
God.
It is the same message that his
mentor. evangelist Herbert W.
Armstrong. has preached over
thl' airwaves for more than 40
yea rs, he said -- one that fPw
other. if any, evangelists or
dlllrches proclaim.
Though Armstrong was not
there in person. his presence
deatlv was felt, as Meredith
repeatedly referred
to
the found
er of the Worldwide Church of
God and his prophecies
Meredith, in fad. was intro
duced as speaking fur Arm
strong. in the first of three C'On
secutive presentations bilh•d a�
'The Gathering Storm . . And
while his voice did not resemble
that of the magnetic Armstrong.
\frredith spokf' with the same
tervor and manner that has won
tor Armstrong a worldwide to!·
lowing
\\'1th arms waving and
\(lier
oscillating from loud to vcn
loud. MerP<iith warnen a halt lull
,\rnbassador Auditorium that ttw
vengeance" God 1s about to
pour out upon the nation that he
said has ungratefully received
the blessings of Abraham.
But the message is not ont' of
hopelessness. said Meredith, who
is now head of the ministry of
Armstrong's church. "Mr. Her
bert Armstrong has taught a way
of life
to
bring world peace.'' And
peace is coming, said Meredith.
though not until God's plan is
worked out and the wicked are
scourged.
Alreadv the
British
Common
wealth has nearly
reached
the
state of impotence prophesied by
the Bible . Meredith said. Once
the '·proud lion''
of
Biblical ref
erence, Britain now has lost its
strength and power, he said And
the same is
due for the
United
States.
He
traced the identity
of
the
two nations through the Bible, as
well as the other 10 "tribes of
Israel. .. showing in a slight de
gree where they are today and
thetr place in biblical prophecy
The world. said Meredith. is at
the ··end of an age,· or the last
days just before tribulation shall
co, er the earth m the form of
pt's!1IC'nce, famine. droui,:ht
earthquakes. wars, blasphemy.
pt'rversiun s . witchcraft and
many other plagues.
·\long wllh the ;wourge. he
'iilld. will come pNsecution ot the
true church.· wh1('h he said
1s
the Worldwide Church of <,od
That persecution is evidenced
in the state action against the
church. including Armstrong.
said Meredith He termed the
state interven tion which has
resulted in the imposition of a
receiver "Satanic."
In the more than four months
of investigation, no evidence has
been fo!.!�d to justify the charges
of
financial malfeasance. Mere
dith said.
"And as time goes on, It in
creasingly becomes evident that
nothing wrong will be found.·
Meredith said.
But
the
members
take
heart in
the fact that there will be a place
of refuge, said Meredith. "There
1s a place of safety on this earth
from tribulation." he said. · ·This
church, and this church alnn<'.
understands that," he said.
And that is the message that he
and Herbert W. Armstrong have
proclaimed for decades, said
Meredith
The per sonal appearance
campaign will continue at 7 · :JO
Saturday and Sunday evl'nings in
Ambassador Auditorium
It
follows by on!' week a per
sonaI appeararw1• by Armstr1Jng s
PJCcommunicatPd son. Garner
Ted Armstrong. at a rented hall
in Ar<'adia Garner Ted was at
tPmpting to gam support for his
nt•',\ ('hurch. thP ('hurch 0! c;on
Ir1:,,rnatwnal
t •
I
t -
N
C'W
C,
' '
'I �; d
t .
! '
I \ '
,'q
!
I '.
I 'l