Here is Rod Meredith's take on his exile to Hawaii by Herbert Armstrong. It was NOT his fault! It was other men who wanted him gone.
It was not so much his rotten attitude or his mistreatment of members, but a bunch of pesky men who wanted him gone.
His god was so angry at all of those men that he has struck them all dead! Only God's most true servant is still alive.
Sometimes he lets human beings go off a little bit like he lets us humanly go off a little bit; even when we're converted we'll make mistakes for a while and then he'll jerk us up and we'll learn lessons from it. I know when I was sent to Hawaii in exile at one point I had to pray to God and literally fasted, twice a week for a while, asking God to deliver me, and about two or three weeks after I started that constant prayer and fasting – I'd already been studying and fasting a lot, but I intensified it – within about two or two and a half weeks a special, uh… [I] forget all the names of it, notarized, uh, he had to sign on it, Special Deliver Letter: Return Receipt Requested was sent me from Mr. Herbert Armstrong – he was kind of in his exile 'cause of his heart trouble, and other men were taking advantage of him and telling him lies – he sent it from me from Tucson telling me to go back to Pasadena and he appointed me to teach certain classes including the finishing class of the young people before they went into the field; the doctrines of the Worldwide Church of God. He said, "I have confidence that you will teach the right thing," and he brought me back and very soon after that put me back on the Council of Elders. Mr. Armstrong KNEW that something was up; God revealed to him what was happening, then he brought me back without even letting them know. I was back on campus before they could stop it; before they could go to him and try to argue with him. He brought me back and I was there before they even knew about it. Several times in my life, brethren, God has rescued me even when it looked like a judgment was wrong for a while, and God allowed me to have a time out there to study, to pray, to examine myself if [I was] that bad; no, I learned certain lessons. I learned to trust in God no matter what. And sometimes you will have to learn trust in God no matter what, but in the end God will deliver you. I've seen several times, without naming names, where some of these men that did that then, and others, were wishing that I was kicked out of the Church, or I was dead. They're all dead. I'm not rejoicing that, I'm just saying that God took care of it; it's kind of interesting how those things work. "He that digs a pit will fall into it." So if you're taken advantage of, if you put your faith and trust in God and you feel you've been wronged, pry it out to God; fast and pray and God will turn it around. But in the meantime you should try to learn every single lesson you can if you're corrected by the ministry. And I did do that, I said, "God, show me whatever." I prayed and beseeched God to help me do better. And I came back and I did do better, not that I'd ever been turned on Mr. Armstrong; never been disloyal I could just tell you that, PERIOD! But I had been too pushy and maybe talked too much in certain ways, and I was more careful, and God helped me learn lessons from that. It was those lessons that are still blazed in my brain; it was good for me, it was good for everyone concerned. But God turned it around – they didn't turn it around – God turned it around in a way that those men could never have foreseen. He will take care of it! God will guide you in the judgment and if God allows a human or a group of humans to make a wrong
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decision, Christ is the head of the Church; HE will turn it around, he will cause it to work out good – you may have to be patient for a while. (From his August 2015 Sermon)
Contrast that to Herbert Armstrong's letter to Rod Meredith while he was exiled to Hawaii.
LETTER FROM HWA TO RCM:
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD WORLD HEADQUARTERS
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91123
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
Tucson,
March 14, 1980
President and Pastor
Dear Rod:
Your letters of February 1 and March 7 show, I am sorry to say, that
either you still cannot understand WHY the living Head of God's Church, Jesus
Christ, had you sent to Hawaii, or you are unwilling to see or admit —
and I prefer to believe the former.
There is no point in telling you this letter is written in LOVE for YOU
— for you ought to know that without my saying it. But out of love for
you, and DESIRE to see you back as PART OF GOD'S TEAM, working in full
co-operation and right attitude with the rest o[f] us; I shall take time and
space to make it clear once for all this time.
I have tried to hold the mirror up for you to see yourself as others see
you. But still you don't see in that mirror the same YOU that others see-or
are unwilling — I hope not the latter. But now I must be SURE! I shall
speak plainly, candidly. If this letter hurts, I quote from a letter the
Apostle Paul sent to brethren at Corinth: "For though I made you angry
with a letter, I do not repent... for I perceive that the same epistle hath
made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye
were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance, for ye were made sorry
after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
"For godly sorry worketh repentance to salvation ... but the sorrow
of the world worketh death." (II Cor. 7:8-10).
Now I'm going to come with plainness of speech as Paul said — in I
Corinthians 2.
To overseas audiences, and to Kings, Emperors, Presidents and Prime
Ministers, I simmer down the WAY OF GOD and the WAY OF THE WORLD in two very
small words — "GET" and "GIVE." This world is
geared to the way of "GET." That is the way of VANITY,
SELF-centeredness, coveting, lust and greed, jealousy and envy, rebellion
against authority, competition which leads to strife, violence and war. The
way of "GIVE" is OUT-flowing LOVE, harmonious co-operation,
serving, helping, sharing, giving.
In spiritual PRINCIPLE, the latter is the way of God's Law, the Ten
Commandments-the former the way of Satan. I tell them that ALL the Unsolvable
problems, troubles and evils in the world are caused by the fact the world
lives by the "GET" principle.
Rod, WHY have so many who have worked [with you] said that you rub the fur the wrong way?
You are DOCTRINALLY correct, But in II Corinthians Paul says we are not to live
by the strict letter of the Law, but by the SPIRIT or obvious INTENT — the
basic PRINCIPLE of it (II Cor. 3:6
).
You are a model of doctrinal correctness
according to the LETTER — the strictness of the letter — but you do overlook
the SPIRIT from the heart. You won the mile in a state high-school meet,
You had know[n,] as Satan injects into us all from childhood, the spirit of
competition. You b[e]came a COMPETITOR. In conversion you learned and accepted
the strictness of the letter of God's Commandments. You wrote a good booklet on
the Ten Commandments. But now I hold the mirror up for you to see in yourself
what SO MANY who know you wIll see in you — the SPIRIT of COMPETITION is still
there!
You are not going to like this, Rod. Members of your family will resent it. But
I am the chosen apostle of Jesus Christ and in His name, I have to say these
things to you, for I want to have you with us IN GOD'S KINGDOM — and there will
be no contentions — no spirit of competition there! No one is going to be there
who strives for himself to take over the CHIEF SEAT!
Jesus Christ through me elevated you to the chief seat (which you had come to
me suggesting over the ministry of God's Church in what we then called CAD, you were a harsh task-master over
the ministers. You, yourself, find it difficult and perhaps impossible to TAKE
what you dished out. Dozens of ministers would testify to that. You rubbed the
fur the wrong way! That has been your life-style!
When you were made second Vice President, it became a standing joke among
leaders at Pasadena, the saying, "Well, after all, I am the second Vice
President."
Jesus said, "And whosoever of you will be chiefest, shall be servant
of all. For even th[e] Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister" (Mark 10:44-45). Jesus said further, "Beware of the
scribes which wear long robes, ...and [love] the highest seats in the
synagogue, and the chief rooms (offices-ranks-positions), at feasts"
(Luke 20:46). Rod, am I qualified to call to your attention, these things? I
came into the ministry more than fifty years ago, back in Oregon. I was never
a member of the Church of God, Seventh Day, headquartered at Stanberry, Missouri.
The church of Dugger and Dodd at Salem, W. Virginia, was an off-shoot, and,
like Ted's present "church". Ray Cole's, and other's, NOT the true Church
of God. However, I never became a member of the Salem offshoot. Half of the Oregon
brethren (while all were in Stanberry) had incorporated as a separate church,
"The Oregon Conference." I was ordained by them. Twice I was paid
by them-about four months at $20 a week, and 15 mon[n]ths later, from
February to July, 1933, at $3 per week.
But I did CO-OPERATE with the Stanberry people, from 1927 until ordained
by the Oregon Conference, June, 1931-without salary, I co-operated with the
Salem people after the start of the present Worldwide Church Of God (then
called the Radio Church of God), and WITHOUT RECEIVING FROM THEM A PENNY OF
FINANCIAL SUPPORT in any way, from 1934 (after both the World [T]omorrow
radio program was going, and The PLAIN TRUTH was being published) until
August, 1937. And after that, while building the present Church of God, Philadelphia
era, I co-operated at my own expense with the Stanberry (Sardis era) people
until October, 1945.
I DID NOT, as Ted claims (he was 5 years old when I ceased the co-operation
with them because of the pressure of the Work in the present Church of God).
I did not leave them to start something of my own. I continued working with
them-GIVING, not getting-at my own exp[e]nse co-operating — GIVING
— as long as my time allowed.
But the point I want to make is this: I SERVED — I HELPED — I
co-operated. And I did not have or seek any high position. I always
considered myself, just as the Sardis ministers did, that I was the LEAST of
the ministers-the TAIL-ENDER!
When I conducted the campaign in the Firbute school house (36 seats) in
1933, I stopped receiving even the $3 per week salary from the Oregon
Conference.
As the tail-end LEAST of the ministers, Christ started me in that little
36-seat school house, I constantly suffered persecution-first from Stanberry
ministers, then again from Salem, W. Va.-ministers, then again from
Stanberry. The 19 members we had from that Firbutte campaign was the START of
the present Worldwide Church of God. The brethren at the start were my own
converts-my own children in the Lord. NEVER in all my ministerial experience,
I once sought a higher position.
Jesus Christ gave me the Pastor position at the start. The Church grew, as
I held other campaigns in Eugen[e] and in Alvadore. Finally I appointed and ordained
two other elders, one a preaching elder and one a local elder, at Eugene,
beside two deacons. In those early years of this, our present Church, I
served as pastor of a Stanberry church near Jefferson, Oregon. There I
appoin[t]ed and ordained two elders, and two deacons — for THEIR
church. All the time I "GAVE" — I did not "GET."
Before that I had learned how Paul says, in II Corinthians 3:6, that we must
obey the SPIRIT or obvious INTENT of the Law, not the letter. I had dedicated
my life to "GIVE" and not to "GET." As the Work grew,
Christ used me in founding Ambassador College. After their graduation I
ordained m[y] son Dick, Raymond Cole, Herman Hoeh, Raymon[d] Mc Nair and his
brother. From there you know the history, Your uncle and yourself came along
about next, then others. I ne[v]er sought or moved up to a higher rank or
office. Jesus Christ raised up the Church through me. I came to the position
I hold as the simple result of what the living Head of this Church raised up
through me.
But others have sought higher Position. There has been, it seems, NO END
of worldly POLITICS at Pasadena Headquarters. As Christ blessed and prospered
God's Church and Work, and we came to have better than $100,000,000 of net
worth, and a near $80 million a year income, there devel[o]ped a mad scramble
for ever higher and higher rank. Sure, I made some mistakes. I naively
TRUSTED men like Al Portune, David Antion, my own son, Wayne Cole, many
others no longer with us. But now, f[o]r the first time since about 1967, there
is HARMONY and a spirit of Co-oper[a]tion at Pasadena. AND I AM DETERMINED TO
KEEP IT THAT WAY!
Now back to you.
You have demonstrated, as seen clearly by many others, a spirit of
rank-consciousness. In plain language that is coveting higher authority. I do
not think you have coveted more money. I do not think more money is what Ted,
Al Portune, Dave Antion, Ray Cole, Wayne or others really coveted. They
coveted POWER — more authority — like a 15-year old boy coveting
the POWER of a steering wheel and a throttle. We have gone through a House
CLEANING. We now have PEACE and CO-OPERATION at Pasadena. And eight to ten
others on the executive level there have voiced to me their fears and
convictions that if you now come back to Pasadena, that PEACE, and HARMONY,
and CO-OPERATION will be turned once again into constant contention,
irritation, and HARM TO GOD'S WORK! I do not like to tell you this. I haven't
mentioned this to all, but to those I mentioned your return, that is the
unanimous feeling.
If I have you come back as Dean of the Faculty, several say you would
delegate most or the real duties of the Dean, and devote yourself to trying
to make yourself the LEADER and boss of the College, and even of the
Chur[ch.] You have — and all are aware of it — been possessed
with the idea that I will not live much longer, and that YOU are the
"FIRST among equals" to take my place.
Rod, in
frankest candor, JESUS CHRIST will NEVER put any one at the head of His Work on
earth who is competitive, covetous of power and status, and self-righteous.
In brutal frankness, you lack the charisma to lead God's work You do not
attract-as I said before, you REP[EL-] people. You are a harsh taskmaster over those under you. THAT
IS YOUR RECORD!
When I wr[o]te you [] that a change of ATTITUDE is
needed, perhaps I have at last made myself clear.
You have said that you only said a few statements you probably should not
have made, but you didn't think you had said enough to warrant this six
months' leave of absence. Rod, I'm very well aware of the amount of words you
said against Christ's chosen apostle. But Jesus said, "of the abundance
of the heart (attitude) the mouth speaketh." What you did say, affirmed
to me by two witnesses, was sufficient, coupled with many other things, to
show me the [a]ttitude back of those words. You try to c[o]nvince me of how
glowingly and how numerous were the times you have shown loyalty by the
things you have said "hundreds" or "thousands of times".
But in this regard your attitude reflected [] OMISSION
rather than the sparse and sparing things you did say. Ted was leading a
conspiracy to destroy my credibility before the ministers and the brethren by
saying nothing about me — as if the human leader did not exist —
and blowing himself up. Radio and TV programs went under his name-no longer
The World [T}omorrow. He even started correspondence under HIS OWN [Letter
head] NAME, rather than that of the Church or College. Now I do not want any
of our ministers flattering me, or trying to see how often they can mention
my name.
But neither do I want it deliberately AVOIDED in both speaking and
writing, as if I did not exist. Jesus Christ — NOT MAN — has made
me the human leader under Christ. A leader cannot be a leader if all under
him IGNORE his very existence. I never did want anyone to go out of his way
deliberately to mention me — as you profess to have done. That is not
what I mean. But I do not want the other extreme, caused by a competitive
feeling, and deliberate non-mention.
Now another thing you cover in your letters. You imply that in what few
things you did say, you were FOLLOWING MY ORDERS. Rod, that is hypocrisy. It
is not a matter that I CHANGED MY MIND. Let me tell you how it [ac]tually
was. When I told you and Raymond, and perhaps another or two, that IF I were
no longer among the living, I wanted you to be su[re] Ted did not slip in and
take over. At that time, I had heard SO MUCH talk about my dying right away,
perhaps started by Ted, that for a while I was overly conscious of it.
It is not that later I changed my mind. But as time went on I began to
realize very deeply that God has not prepared ANYONE to take my place. You,
Rod, could never take it. I know that is 100% contrary to your own estimate
of yourse[l]f. You have a WILL to lead, but not the qualifications. I came to
realize that God raise[d] me [from the dead-f]rom total heart failure-in
August, 1977, FOR A PURPOSE.
I have felt like the Apostle Paul, when he said earlier in life it would
be more profitable for him to depart this life — and in the next
split-second of consciousness, be with Christ in the resurrection, but it was
more needful that he stay.
I did not CHANGE my mind. I did come to realize, as God caused me to realize,
that He had raised me up as His instrument to raise up His present Church and
Work — and that Work is not finished. So after my heart had completely
stopped, my breath — no pulse — no blood-pressure — by
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation I was br[o]ught back. I have not said I now
believe God will keep me alive until Christ comes. I have said and I say now
again, I do believe He will keep me alive AS LONG AS HE NEEDS ME!
You have taken the attitude that "some one GOT [you]." No one
did but your own self.
I have tried here to make clear what I mean by a CHANGE OF ATTITUDE. I
sincerely hope you "get the message" this time. Self-pity is not
your need. A change of ATTITUDE from "GET" to "GIVE" is!
If this letter does not get through to you, I shall not try again. So far you
have not admitted a wrong attitude. Your RIGHTEOUSNESS you have maintained!
But it has been only so much "filthy rags" to GOD! God said-rather,
Christ to His disciples, that he who would seek the top seat should be the
SERVANT of all. We should be as a little child.
So far, four months or more of your leave of absence has profited you NOTHING!
Rod, in a candor, HAVE YOU EVER REALY REPENTED? To repent means much more than
being sorry, or remorseful. It means a CHANGE OF HEART — a CHANGE OF ATTITUDE —
a CHANGE FROM "GET" TO "GIVE." From competition, vanity,
coveting power and position, to harmonious co-operation. BELIEVE ME, there is
PEACE, and HARMONY at Pasadena now. Our men there do not want it disturbed. I
have held up the mirror with BRUTAL frankness-in LOVE not only for you but also
for GOD'S WORK! The Work is
getting along wonderfully well now-without you. It can go on growing and
pleasing Jesus Chris[t] an[d] prospering under His blessing WITHOUT YOU.
I have written you are not coming back until I am CONVINCED BY THE FRUITS of a
real REPENTANCE, and CHANGE OF ATTITUDE. I hope at last I have MADE IT PLAIN.
In deep LOVE as a father to a son,
In Jesus' name.
Some have claimed that HWA was hood winked by Stan Rader and others into writing this letter and did not mean to send Meredith to Hawaii.
If you remember from above, Rod Meredith blames his exile on various men at Pasadena HQ, one of which was Stan Rader.
Aaron Dean weighed in on this in the late 1990's and says that Rod Meredith is not being truthful in his excuses.
That
is the letter that was in Mr. Armstrong's files. HWA did talk to not only RCM
[Roderick C. Meredith], but others about how he was wrong about Stan [Rader].
Mr. A didn't apologize to people, and had other ways of
apologizing—some of which could be misinterpreted. His discussion with
Rod about SRR [Stanley R. Rader], I imagine Rod took to be an apology. Of
course he wanted to see it this way. To RCM it seemed either he was right or
SRR was right. Since SRR turned out to be a 'bad guy' RCM assumed he was
vindicated. This helps to justify why he maintains he should be in charge. He
never understood the issue was not about him and SRR, but him seeing himself
as next in line.
It
did not change RCM's problem, as you can see from the letter RCM's problems
stemmed from well before SRR. The fact that HWA never reappointed RCM to a
position of power shows that he knew RCM still had the problem. The COE
[Council of Elders] was never a power body, although many seemed to see it as
that.
RCM
took the fact that those he disliked (and it is interesting to note they were
always the ones between him and the top) turned out to have problems, so it
seemed a vindication of his problem. Mr. Armstrong still felt the same way
about RCM up until his death.
One
thing HWA did say, was that "Rod will be personally loyal to me"
(HWA). Of course RCM wanted that same loyalty to himself, never realizing
that what HWA really wanted was loyalty to GOD. That is why HWA, amid the
confusion of the receivership did appoint RCM over Church Administration in
'79.
Unfortunately
RCM began immediately to try to solidify his position as heir to the church,
and had to be removed within the year, and was never reappointed to a high
administrative position. It was RCM's own words that caused him to be sent to
Hawaii, not anyone else. I pray
that he eventually can come to see himself, just as I pray for so many other
self appointed leaders.
—
Aaron Dean
See:
What Did Herbert Armstrong Really Think About Rod Meredith
See:
March 14, 1980 Letter From Herbert W Armstrong to Roderick C Meredith
