Our first knowledge of him was in late 1931 or early 1932 while I was
office editor of the Bible Advocate, which was then published at
Stanberry, Missouri. At that time he and Robert Taylor were publishing
the Messenger of Truth, in Oregon, in which appeared articles
written by both of these men. One of the articles which interested me
very much was on the “secret rapture” fallacy, written by Herbert
Armstrong, which I in turn reprinted in the Bible Advocate. I
believe some of his writings had appeared in the Bible Advocate
previously, and perhaps several later.
As for Herbert’s origins in religious matters, as far as his
associations with the Church of God (7th Day), who gave Loma a Bible
study on the Sabbath question. Loma rejoiced in this newfound truth, and
rushed to tell Herbert about it. To him that was the worst news he had
ever heard. He became very much upset, and considered divorcing her, he
told me in later years, but that seemed too drastic, so he decided to
study and prove to his companion from the Bible that Sunday is the
Christian Sabbath. After studying intensively for six months, he became
convinced that the weekly seventh‑day Sabbath, together with the annual
Sabbaths, must be observed.
After his conversion, Armstrong naturally began seeking for the true
Church. He checked out the Seventh‑day Adventists, the Seventh Day
Baptists, and the Church of God (7th Day). Although the latter‑mentioned
church was the smallest group, it had more Bible truths than any other.
So he began to fellowship with the scattered few members in Oregon. It
was in 1927 that he was baptized, but I do not recall his ever telling
me that he was baptized by a Baptist minister, instead of minister of
the Church of God (7th Day), until I read it in one of his writings. It
appears that he decided to be baptized by a minister who would not make
him join that denomination.
The Oregon Brethren urged him from time to time to preach to them, but
becoming a preacher was the very last thing he ever wanted to be, he
said. However, in 1928 he preached his first sermon, and many more
sermons followed at the Church of God meetings for several years. In
1931 he was ordained to the ministry, and in 1932 he received his
Ministerial License Certificate from the Oregon Conference of the Church
of God, signed by O. J. Runcorn as President, and Mrs. I. E. Curtis as
Secretary.
The headquarters of the General Conference of the Church of God (7th
Day) had been at Stanberry, Missouri, since the late 1880s. In the fall
of 1933 there was a division in the Church of God organization, one
group retaining Stanberry, Missouri. This newly formed group instituted
what was termed Apostolic form of organization, with the Twelve, the
Seven, and the Seventy. My name appeared in the list of the Twelve, and
Herbert’s in the list of the Seventy.
As mentioned before, Herbert and I commenced corresponding with each
other from late in 1931 or early in 1932, which we kept up until the
fall of 1945. Much of our correspondence during 1934 was concerning his
stand as to when to baptize new converts, and the other concerning his
understanding about the law of the clean and unclean foods. He wanted us
to know how he stands on these matters before accepting his position on
the Seventy, since he was considering on working with the Salem group.
So, in the fall of 1934 he received his credentials from the Salem
branch of the Church of God. As mentioned previously, I was then a
member of the executive board of the church, which decided on who was
eligible for those papers.
It was in the fall of 1937 when Elder Armstrong’s credentials were
revoked by the Salem Church of God organization. The reason given by the
Board of Twelve for this action was because he taught and kept the
annual Feast days. But the real reason seems to have been because of his
uncooperative attitude. One writer, in his published book, says that
Armstrong was asked to surrender his credentials to A. N. Dugger, and
that Dugger at that time was president of the Salem Church of God. That
is not true. Dugger never was president of the Salem branch. I was on
the Board of Twelve when Armstrong was issued ministerial credentials in
1934, and also when his credentials were revoked in 1937. May I state
that I personally did not participate in the revoking procedures.
Following this incident of revoking Armstrong’s credentials, he and I
remained close friends, although not in full agreement on several points
of doctrine, yet we had many things in common and worked together.
Without going into details why, at this time, I will state that about
eight or nine months later I submitted my ministerial credentials to the
Salem Church of God organization, 1938. Sister Kiesz and I assisted in
the Feast of Tabernacles at Eugene, Oregon, in 1941, and again in 1944,
and the last one I attended by myself at Belknap Springs, sixty miles
east of Eugene, 1945. We lived in Canon City, Colorado, most of the time
from 1940 to 1950. It was during part of January and part of February,
1945, that Herbert held us a fairly successful evangelistic campaign in
Canon City.
It is a mistake for anyone to state, as was done by
Marion J. McNair in
his book, that Armstrong continued as an unofficial organization,
between 1937 and 1946, until he incorporated as the Radio Church of God.
Actually, he organized the Churches of God in Oregon shortly after his
credentials were revoked. In the month of July, 1940, ministerial
credentials were issued to me — John Kiesz — signed by the following
Board Members: 1. Herbert W. Armstrong, 2. Jeremiah M. Day, 3. Claud V.
Ellis, 4. John Davison, 5. D. T. Henion, 6. O. J. Runcorn, 7. F. W.
Beard.
Lest anyone concludes that I have ill feelings, or malicious designs
against Herbert Armstrong, let it be said that I would not in the past,
nor now, have had anything to say or write about the man and his work,
were it not for the information that has been requested from time to
time. It is true that it hurt me personally when he dropped me as a “hot
potato” during or after the 1945 Feast of Tabernacles meeting, after
enjoying good fellowship for ten years. One question, among others, I
have been asked is: “Why did Mr. Armstrong drop you?” Well, in “telling
it like it is,” it was because I believed in the Baptism of the Holy
Spirit.
It is true that Herbert was not always able to work harmoniously with
other ministers. Perhaps it was not his fault alone. He had a feeling,
evidently, that some folks were always undermining him, and trying to
destroy his work. In time, I observed that he possessed (and probably
still does) a “persecution complex.” Not long before he decided to drop
me, he told me at his Eugene, Oregon office, that he will start a
college and train his own men for the ministry, so they will all speak
the same thing, and his problems in that area will be over. I did not
say it then, but felt sure that his proposed course would work nicely
for a while — until some of these men would think for themselves, and
then trouble would start in his own organization. I did not think then,
however, that it would take so many years until his movement would be
fractured.
Another area in which folks have concerned themselves with, is his
Autobiography. I have been asked: “Do you believe everything written
in the biography is true?” Since he reported in his Autobiography,
in the August, 1962 issue of the Plain Truth, the three and a
half weeks meetings he held for us in Canon City, Colorado, during part
of January and February, 1945, and since about half of his report was
either distorted or false, I have to question his other reports too. For
instance, he wrote in his Autobiography about his trying in the early
1930s to work with men like Taylor, Oberg, Ray, and Daily, and how all
of them worked against him. I did not get personally acquainted with
Taylor, but I did with the rest of them. I did not find them as bad as
he pictured them. I’d say that not everything published in the
Autobiography is reliable.
I used to consider Herbert a humble man, but when he began to write that
for 1800 or 1900 years the true gospel was not being preached until he
(Armstrong) began his work, I had to change my mind about his modesty.
To me, such an attitude is too presumptuous. Our heavenly Father has
always had a true and faithful people in every age, or else he would not
have fed and nourished them in the wilderness for 1260 years (Rev. 12:6,
14) He has also indicated from time to time that the Almighty chose him
as a special Apostle, and that what he has been preaching and publishing
has been revealed to him directly by Jesus Christ, whereas the fact is
that what truths he has been preaching he originally learned from the
Church of God (7th Day). We must admit, however, that he has been
teaching additional concepts which are not scriptural truths.
I remember the time when Herbert wrote and taught strongly against
church organization as it was generally carried on, but later became so
strongly organized that he became to his followers what the Pope of Rome
is to the Catholic Church. Many of his followers have come to believe
that he is God’s prophet, and these actually fear him. We have heard
some of his people say, after they were shown some of the discrepancies,
“Well, if Mr. Armstrong says it then it is so.”
When one claims that he has been ordained of God, Baptized by Jesus
Christ, and has consistently, for many years, been preaching the one
true gospel of the Kingdom of God, and dared to tell in specific,
point‑by‑point, and in detailed order, the events that are to occur, the
real meaning of the mysterious books of prophecy, and that his work is
the only genuine work which is carrying out Jesus’ very commission — he
ought not have preached and published contradictory messages, nor should
he have made predictions which never came to pass, nor ever will.
We admit that all prophetic students can make mistakes, and have made
mistakes, in interpreting Bible prophecies. But the way Herbert
Armstrong and some of his fellow‑writers have written articles in the
Plain Truth, and in the Good News, and in his Letters to
Co‑workers, stating that no one but he and his group understand
these things, and that for over 1800 years the true gospel was not
preached until he started to do so, and if he is God’s true prophet for
these times, he should never have made such predictions as have
miserably failed, as will be shown below, for the Almighty Himself knows
everything and makes no mistakes. He does not reveal things to His
servants which never come to pass.
It has been stated at times in the Plain Truth that whatever
article he was then considering, that he had taught certain things as
far back as 28 years ago, when no one would believe him, and that those
predictions have now come to pass, or are now coming to pass. But he
usually does not tell you of the miscalculations or misinterpretations
he then published and preached. I wish to point out a few of those here.
The first one goes back to 1935. In the July issue of that year of the
mimeographed Plain Truth, in big headlines on the front page, he
wrote:
“Mussolini goes to WAR. Even as you read this, he is marching to
Armageddon!”
“We learn that the ‘beast’ symbolizes a revival of the ancient Roman
Empire, by a federation of ten nations within its territory.”
“Verse 41 — ‘He shall enter also into the Glorious Land — Palestine!
Great Britain controls Palestine, so that will involve him with war with
Great Britain, and then it will be difficult indeed for the United
States to keep out! When Mussolini takes PALESTINE, then the nations
will be plunged into the great, last and final WORLD WAR.”
“When Mussolini takes Palestine, he not only will force England in, but
then Russia and Turkey will enter the war, for they are allied together
for the express purpose of REGAINING PALESTINE, at any cost!”
“Mussolini is starting a war that shall end AT ARMAGEDDON! It is the
START of the final world WAR! It is NOW STARTING! Do you really REALIZE
IT? It is STARTING NOW!”
The Plain Truth
(also mimeographed), Vol. V, No. 2 Published by Herbert W. Armstrong, at
Eugene, Oregon, APRIL‑MAY, 1940, had this headline:
DEMOCRACY DOOMED! THE FACTS, Today!
“Verse 45 — Mussolini shall establish his palace, as capital of the
revived Roman Empire, at JERUSALEM! Zech.14:2 says the city shall be
taken! ‘Yet he shall come to his end, and NONE shall help him!”
“Democracy went, yesterday, in England! Today England is a DICTATORSHIP,
as absolutely as that of Adolph Hitler or Benito Mussolini. The king is
still there, as always. He will remain on his throne over the British
Commonwealth of Nations until Jesus Christ comes and removes that very
throne to Jerusalem! But Winston Churchill rules England as absolutely
as Hitler does Germany! The government of Churchill OWNS England — OWNS
every man, woman and child — has absolute power over every person, every
dollar, every resource. Yesterday we heard over short‑wave broadcast
from London these ominous words:
“Men will work when and where, and for what pay, the government will
direct.”
“And WHEN the United States gets into the war — as we are CERTAIN to do
sooner or later — THE SAME THING WILL HAPPEN HERE!...”
“This is acknowledged by all who KNOW. As now in England, the President
will become Dictator absolute and not only soldier, but factory worker,
farmers, every dollar of our money and wealth — all will be CONSCRIPTED!
And it is THEN according to the Bible prophecies, the Great Tribulation
shall come, and the MARK of the Beast will be enforced! THE TIME IS AT
HAND. IT IS time for us to AWAKE!”
“...Armageddon, we believe, must be at least three or four years
away...”
The NOVEMBER‑DECEMBER, 1940 Plain Truth Magazine had an article
entitled:
TURKEY WIPED OUT BY BRITAIN
“For, make no mistake about it, Palestine and Egypt are to be captured
by the Roman Axis powers!”
Later, in the Plain Truth, 1943, he wrote:
“The Axis armies meantime shall have poured into Palestine. Hitler and
the False Prophet shall set up the tabernacle and the palace there
(Dan.11:41, 45) — move their headquarters there...”
Much more could have been quoted from his writings over the years, but
this shows how miserably some of his predictions have failed.
Mussolini marched into Ethiopia and conquered the country, but lost it
again in 1941. He did not march to Armageddon, neither did he enter
Palestine, nor did he establish his headquarters there. Mussolini has
been dead for many years and Armageddon is still future. Remember, in
1940 he thought it was three or four years away.
The President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, did not
become absolute Dictator, as Armstrong declared he would to the extent
that every dollar of our money and wealth would be conscripted. Neither
did the Great Tribulation and the enforcement of the Mark of the Beast
come then.
Turkey was not wiped out by Britain. Palestine and Egypt were not
captured by the Roman Axis powers. Hitler and the False Prophet did not
set up the tabernacle and the palace in Jerusalem.
Just as sure as he failed in some of his former predictions, just so
sure will he fail in some more of his current predictions.
He says that
the United States, England and Canada will be taken into captivity by
the Germans. If this were true then these could not be present in the
Battle of Armageddon in the Near East, to oppose Russia and her hordes.
But the lion (England) and the young lions (her offspring) will be
present to fight against Russia according to Ezekiel 38:10‑13.
The Plain Truth,
Vol. 13, June 1948, contained a lead article on “Jews Are a Nation
Again! Prophecy Fulfilled?” Notice that he left the heading with a
question mark. He stated in that article that instead of being a nation
at all, it is a colossal illusion. It was further stated that the return
of the Jews to Palestine was not the prophesied exodus, but a man‑made
blundering and CONFUSION.
Even as late as May 1965 (The Plain Truth) printed this: “Yes,
Jesus Christ was able to look down into the future and accurately
predict that the Jewish people would be scattered throughout the world,
and that the old city of Jerusalem would remain trodden down under the
heal of the Gentiles until the ‘times of the Gentiles’ were fulfilled.
Many prophecies show that the ‘times of the Gentiles’ have not yet
ended. The greatest proof that the ‘times of the Gentiles’ have not yet
ended is the simple fact that the Gentile Arabs are still in possession
of the old city of Jerusalem. They will remain in control of this city
until the Second Coming of Christ, at which time He will deliver
Jerusalem, the Jews and all Israel from Gentile domination.
As known from his previous teachings; namely, that the Jews are not
fulfilling prophecy, but all Israel will at the Second Advent he had to
change his ideas, as reflected in his PERSONAL from the Editor, in
The Plain Truth, June, 1967.
JEWS TAKE JERUSALEM
“What is the real significance? The Israelis won a flash war — a
blitzkrieg, Israeli style! The news reporters do not know what it means.
But you can know! For this is one of the major fulfillments of Biblical
prophecy! There will be a Jewish Temple built in Jerusalem, with animal
sacrifices once again being offered, probably within about four and one
half years. It is going to take some time to build such a Temple. And I
don’t see how they are going to have another month to spare — in taking
over the ‘old city’ now in Arab hands — if they are going to have the
Temple built by the time indicated by prophecy.”
Now to the Plain Truth, March 1968: “Watch Jerusalem! Watch
Israel!”
“The recent Israeli victory gave them complete control of the city of
Jerusalem — including the original site of Solomon’s Temple. The stage
is now set for the construction of the ‘Temple’ prophesied in II
Thessalonians 2:4 and Revelation 11:1, 2.”
Referring again to his prophecy concerning Turkey, in the
November‑December issue of The Plain Truth, he maintained that
the Edomites (descendants of Esau) are identified with the Turkish
nation today, and that the prophecy of Obadiah is about Turkey.
This is a bad perversion of the facts. It is the Arab world of today who
are the descendants of Esau (Gen. 36:8, 9; Deut. 2:1‑5; Obad.) They are
Semites. This is not true of the Turks, for they are descendants of a
Mongolian race of peoples. Every history student should know that the
Seljuk Turks from Turkestan (the Steppes of Asia) settled in Asia Minor
during the eleventh Century, and that the Ottoman Turks from Asia later
settled among the Seljuks. They were largely Moslem in religion, but
blended with the various strains of people who had lived there. In 1453
they caused the fall of Constantinople. There is plenty of evidence that
the present race of Arabs are referred to in Obadiah and in Ezekiel 35.
The casting of lots for the possession of Jerusalem (Joel 3:3, Obad.11)
was carried out under former President Harry Truman’s administration. It
is not Turkey but the Arabs who are fighting Jacob today. How could
anyone overlook what is actually happening in the Near East?
So, on and on. One writer claims that some sixty prophecies failed.1
Now
all of the references to false predictions must be measured and weighed
in the light of the Holy Scriptures; namely, if a prophet speaks in the
name of the Eternal, if the thing does not come to pass, it is what the
LORD did not speak. So it seems only fair to conclude that Herbert
Armstrong is a self‑proclaimed prophet.
Not only has Armstrong seriously misinterpreted some of the prophecies,
but there are also discrepancies in his doctrinal teachings and
practices.
Armstrong is off with his interpretation as to the time when one is born
again. He teaches that one is born again when he is resurrected or
translated at the second coming of the Messiah. According to our
Savior’s warning, it will be too late then. I suggest that you order our
tract on “The New Birth.”
He teaches that Melchizedek is or was the Son of God, whereas the Bible
states that Jesus is “another priest” made after the “order of
Melchizedek.” See Hebrews 7:11‑17.
In Bible Story Vol. III p. 32, you read that the Scapegoat, as
pictured in Leviticus 16th chapter, represented the Devil. Every Bible
student knows, however, that the Son of God is the Sin‑bearer or the
Scapegoat (Isa. 53:10‑12; 1 Pet. 2:24).
He uses fermented wine in place of grape juice at the Lord’s Supper. But
the fruit of the vine has gone through a process of fermentation or
corruption by the time it is fermented wine. Our Savior’s blood saw no
corruption, so the corrupted wine cannot symbolize his uncorrupted
blood.
He teaches, like the “Oneness” people, that the Jehovah or Yahvah of the
Old Testament is the Jesus of the New. With several exceptions, the YHVH
of the Old Testament is the Father who created everything through His
Son, however. Write for a compilation of the “Christological
Controversy,” which deals with this matter.
He teaches that the earth was created long — perhaps billions of years —
before man, whereas the inspired Word says that “in six days the LORD
made (not remade) heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is...”
He opposes the moving of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the saints, or
in the services, and has even contended that those who claim that they
have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, have really been deceived by
the Devil.
I well remember the time when Herbert apparently was as much against
worldly pleasures as I was: such as attendance at the movies, dancing,
drinking, card‑playing, and the wearing of excessive jewelry. At one
time he told me that his people need my type of preaching, but now all
these things are permitted in his groups. One cannot be spiritual and
worldly at the same time (1 John 2:15‑17)
Another question often asked is: “Brother Kiesz, what do you think will
be the outcome of the Worldwide Church of God?” This has been questioned
especially since the recent fractures in what some have termed the
“Armstrong Empire.” I have no answer for this, except that I know that
quite a number of splinter groups have been formed (perhaps about
thirty), while some have joined the Church of God (7th Day).
Many of those who have been associated with the Worldwide Church of God
have become completely disillusioned, are bewildered, not knowing which
way to turn.2
Some, however, have turned. Some have given up completely,
some are very bitter, some have given up even some of the basic truths
of the Word, some have gone back into Sunday‑keeping, and some have
turned extremely in the opposite direction of what they had been taught.
For example: Armstrong taught his people to pay
three tithes, and some
now teach that no tithes need to be paid at all. It is sad, indeed, to
realize the confusion and trauma some are experiencing.
There are some deserved commendations for Herbert Armstrong after all.3
He has been a hard worker in the gospel field, and has been the means of
bringing many thousands into the light of the Sabbath and other basic
truths.4
Originally, he sacrificed much,5
that I personally know of, in
order to spread the Good News as he understood it.6
I believe in giving
credit where credit is due.
I knew him as a humble man.7
But things have changed over the years. He
grew too big for his own or anyone else’s good, as far as spirituality
is concerned. The majority of his adherents have been thoroughly
brainwashed, and there is nothing anyone can do for them anymore, as far
as directing them into the right channels is concerned. His claiming
that the Church of God (7th Day) is “the dead Sardis church,” has
affected many thousands, so that their prejudices keep them from
investigating what the disclaimed church is really like. So, with all
the apparent good8
that has been accomplished,
much harm has also been
done. The final judgment remains with the Creator.
By John Kiesz
Note: John Kiesz, an elder in the Church of God
(Seventh Day), Denver, CO, was editor of the COG (7th Day) magazine, the Bible
Advocate in the early 1930's. He was very close friends with Herbert
Armstrong from 1935-1945 when HWA suddenly broke off the friendship.
Kiesz died in the spring of 1996.
Footnotes by ESN:
1 HWA made over
200 false prophecies and
these
can be found on the internet. Also read: Did Herbert W.
Armstrong Set Dates?
2 For more on this period of time and the confusion that
ensued, see articles under WCG Changes and
History Revision.
3 Read: Why Herbert W. Armstrong
Could Not Have Been God's True Apostle and
Questioning Herbert W. Armstrong
(articles.)
4 The Sabbath was
given to bring us to Jesus, who is our Rest. HWA, on the other hand, put
his flock in bondage under the Mosaic Law. (See:
Questioning HWA's doctrines for articles and our
Booklist.)
5 HWA worked hard and invested much because he knew that
he would have much to gain personally.
6 HWA took the true gospel and actually hid it. Read:
Mystery of the
Ages (a critical review)
7 HWA was a good actor. He put forth a certain persona,
but it was only an act. Many were deceived into thinking he was humble,
until they read and researched about the hypocrisy and lies of his life.
8 HWA had little "apparent good." (See above links.)
John Kiesz did not know the full truth about Herbert Armstrong. At this
writing he still "trusted the perpetrator."
Home