Part Three: Why Has God had to Move His Storehouse in the Past?

(For Part Two in this series, please click here.)

 “I have been instructed to publish the early experiences of the cause of present truth, showing why we stand, as we do, a people separate and distinct from the world…. While Satan is stirring up many to depart from the faith, I am bidden to republish the experiences of the past and give the message of warning God sends, showing the dangers of the present time, and what will be in the future.—Manuscript 13, 1908.” — Publishing Ministry, p. 31.1

In part three of this series we are going to examine some reasons why God has moved His storehouse in times past by illustration with four specific cases in the New Testament era. In a subsequent video presentation we will follow the progression of storehouses through the Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi. In this way we can have a basis to determine if the storehouse has indeed moved again in recent years. By reviewing our history we can gain an understanding how God has led His people in the past and thus gather invaluable insight how God is leading His people today.

From the Jewish Church to the Apostolic Church

The Jewish church, in which reposed the truth up to the time of Christ, was ever to be “the storehouse,” and the priests were ever to be its stewards. But when they rejected Christ, they forced God to transfer His “storehouse” to the little handful who did accept the added message for that day. The unbelieving thereby unwittingly forfeited their stewardship. Their followers who paid tithes to them from then on were diverting the Lord’s money from His treasury to His enemies, to persecute His people. But those who were God’s true people, followed “the Lamb whithersoever” He went, and “as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostle’s feet.” Acts 4:34, 35.—Tract No. 4, p. 64

From the Fallen Roman Church to the Reformers

“Later, God again transferred his storehouse, entrusting its goods to the reformers who were stirred by the spirit of the down-trodden truth. Accordingly, His new and faithful stewards were appointed to care for the “candlestick,” church, from then on.”—Tract No. 4, p. 64

From the General Conference of S. D. A.’s to The Universal Publishing Association

“The instructions in The Shepherd’s Rod, Vol. 1, p. 251, “Pay your honest tithe and offering to your church, and feel that ‘IT IS’ your Father’s house,” came near the close of 1930, before the leading brethren, as a denomination, had rejected the sealing message. Clearly, then, The Shepherd’s Rod has faithfully discharged its duty in refusing to accept any tithes or offerings until after the books were scattered throughout the denomination, and after the brethren began bitterly to oppose the message. Now, though, since the opposition is no longer passive, but intensely active, and the proclamation of the message supremely urgent, the only course open is apparent. It will take an army of workers, including the tithes and offerings, to reach the people.

Consequently, as our leading brethren have inadvertently shown them-selves unworthy stewards of God’s “storehouse” for the time of the “Loud Cry of the Third Angel’s Message,” He has transferred the “candlestick” and is also calling for the tithes and offerings to be transferred into “His storehouse” of Present Truth.”—Tract No. 4, pp. 66, 67

From New Mt. Carmel Center, Elk, Texas to Arlington, California

The transition of God’s storehouse after the death of Brother Houteff is not as well known among present truth believers, since little has been published over the years and many rival factions have arisen each having their own story. Yet the key circumstances behind this movement are vital to understand. Fortunately, by the grace and mercy of God a persistent research effort over the past several years has unearthed a number of significant documents such as Symbolic Codes, Session reports, letters to the field, printed tracts. etc. that now allow us to put the pieces of the puzzle together and indeed marvel that God has maintained His storehouse through the “knock out blow” era. A brief summary will be given below on the first step in this movement with more details forthcoming in future presentations.

Brother Houteff died on Saturday evening February 5, 1955. The next day at 8:00 a.m. the remaining members of the Executive Counsel meet at the request of Florence Houteff, the residing Secretary on the Counsel. She laid out four requests that were eventually agreed upon by the end of the day which essentially effected her usurpation of the organization by removing the office of president and positioning herself into the permanent position of “vice-president” (see link below). The vacancy in the secretary’s office was filled by her brother, Oliver. From this point forward the work and mission of the Association would be led over the next few years into complete disarray and resulted in the liquidation of the remaining assets into the hands of a Texas lawyer by 1962. Her false prediction of a 42 month prophecy that would end on April 22, 1959 published in the Symbolic Code (Vol. 11, Nos. 1, 5) was a miserable failure that has cast a shadow of reproach over the Rod message that still haunts us to this day. This tragic episode became to be understood by faithful Davidians as the “knockout blow” that was predicted by Brother Houteff (WHR 33). As we are often reminded of this sad chapter in the history of the message the question must naturally arise, what happened to God’s storehouse during this drastic falling away?

Florence Houteff Executive Counsel Meeting Minutes, 1955 – 1959

Remarkably, God did preserve the Truth in a manner that is not well understood by all and is never discussed in the scholarly publications of the world that are focused primarily on the counterfeit Branch Davidian movement. Prior to the anticipated day for the fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 and subsequent events on the fateful day in April 1959 as nearly 1,000 Davidians gathered from various parts of the world to New Mt. Carmel Center in eager expectation, the voice of a few faithful brethren called into question the predictions of Florence Houteff and her apostate counsel that were being broadcast before the leading men in the conference. Their challenge was largely ignored and muzzled by Florence and her counsel, yet the record remained. A protest letter was sent into the General Conference Executive Committee on April 9, 1959 warning about the problems and how these predictions did not harmonize with full tenure of the Rod. After the date came and went, many Davidians left the message in a state of confusion and disappointment, yet a faithful few lead by two ministers called forth for a reorganization starting in 1960. By 1961 the Symbolic Code was reestablished and a Special Session was called and held in southern California in September of that year. A new Executive was chosen and the primary mission of bringing the Rod message to the church was reinstated with an special emphasis to republish the original “100% Rod only” message, most specifically the original Rod tract literature without addition or subtraction. Thus, by God’s miraculous providence, the storehouse of present truth was preserved through this dark era. How the storehouse progressed from this point forward during the 1960’s up to the present time is another most fascinating saga that will be addressed in future posts.  A remarkable publication entitled “Calling 144,000 Nathaniels: Under New Management” (download link below) contains the letters and documents showing how Florence Houteff and her apostasy was publicly opposed and made known to both the church leadership and the world.

Calling 144,000 Nathaniels: Under New Management