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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, SEPTEMBER 20,
1985
As Mr. Armstrong has explained <see •pastor General's Report,• August
17, 1984), if a person who has a contagious illness is anointed, he
. should
Jm.i.t
until all symptoms are gone and he is totally well before
coming back to services. Let him be healed on the strength of his
faith, but he should not return to services until every physical
symptom is gone, and the healing is complete.
Otherwise he could
possibly expose others.
God's law is a law of love. It is based upon true
concern
for the good
and well-being of others. God Himself authored the laws of quarantine
in the ancient nation of Israel. Those laws are based on love for
fellowman.
As God's spiritual Israelites today, we do not want to
become inconsiderate or selfish by attending services or activities
when we have illnesses that can be spread to others.
Also, regarding pregnant women attending the Feast, we reprint the
following excerpt from a letter dated September
14, 1962,
by Mr.
Herbert Armstrong.
In past years some pregnant women have journeyed to the Festi
val and had their baby deljvered at the Festival. This is
very DANGEROUS to such a woman and her unborn child.
Therefore, NO WOMAN who is to be as much as eight months along
by the end of the Feast should attend.
Also, any woman just a few months along in pregnancy should be
very CAUTIOUS about whether she attends the Feast at all! The
period from two to five months pregnancy is the time when most
miscarriages occur. The higher altitudes and colder climate
at Squaw Valley [a Feast site in
19621
might be too much for
some during this period. Big Sandy is oppressively hot, with
sudden change in temperature if a •norther• should blow in.
DON'T RISK MISCARRIAGE OF A PRECIOUS LIFE! REMEMBER, God does
not lay the same stress on attendance of women as He does men.
USE WISDOM! Check up with the doctor who is to deliver your
baby.
On another subject, the question has been asked whether every church
member is automatically appointed as an •official designated
representative• to attend the Feast of Tabernacles. The an�wer is no.
Hence, unless specifically appointed by Headquarters, the lay church
members are not authorized to deduct, on their income tax, their
expenses incurred in attending the Feast of Tabernacles on the theory
of being an officially designated representative.
Mr. Frank Brown returned recently from a trip to East Africa, and
reported that the morale of God's people there remains high despite
their many problems. He requests that we all continue to pray for our
brethren in Africa. He explained·that they •need to know they are not
alone in a world that can appear very hostile.•
Turmoil from guerrilla activity continues to affect the whole country
of Uganda. Sad to say, it looks as though the Feast will have to be
canceled there this year. Not only would it be dangerous to conduct
l