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HISTORY OF THE

PENTECOST DOCTRINE

(This page is set up to document the evolution of the doctrine within the WCG)

Radio/Worldwide Church of God Pentecost observances:

*Charles Dorothy's research:

It should be acknowledged that along with Raymond McNair, he was also instrumental in the doctrinal change on Pentecost (ie Monday to Sunday observance). According to The Calendar of Christ and the Apostles by Carl D Franklin (2004), p. 82: 

“A great controversy over whether Pentecost was on a Sunday or a Monday was raging at this time [ie 1973]. Dr. Ernest Martin had left the fellowship of the Worldwide Church of God the year before, taking a good many brethren with him. Dr, Martin, of course, believed and preached that Pentecost should be observed on Sunday, not Monday. Dr Charles Dorothy was assigned the task of researching the issue and hopefully settling the matter once and for all. His research, which supported a Sunday Pentecost observance, was completed during the days of Unleavened Bread 1974. Herbert W Armstrong accepted Dr Dorothy’s conclusions and subsequently declared that based on the evidence, Pentecost should be observed on Sunday not Monday. This research was then published in booklet form [actually in manuscript form] and sent to the ministry to explain the change to the membership.”

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**Church split in Oregon:

"Emil Heibel was trained as a minister and ordained by HWA to assist him in the Eugene Church. Heibel took charge of the Eugene Church when HWA moved to Pasadena. Along with Oscar Spires, Heibel espoused a Sunday Pentecost and led a number of the original Church to form a group separate from Armstrong.” (Richard Nickels, Early Writings of Herbert W Armstrong, pp. 237-38)

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***Ernest Martin’s letter to Mr Armstrong 27 January 1974:

“There are many ministers and laymen which have deep misgivings about the validity of a Monday Pentecost. Because of this, Ted told the minister in the recent conference that the subject would be thoroughly discussed and analyzed. I was pleased that he honoured his word. Over the past two weeks, four meetings were convened to consider the question…

However my Pentecost paper that was written to you back in 1961 was reproduced at Ted's request and circulated to all those who participated in the meetings. After having read the paper, many now acknowledge that the real evidence shows that Sunday is truly the biblical Pentecost. I understand that nothing was presented by anyone that seriously challenged the conclusions of my 1961 paper. The central facts for a Sunday Pentecost remain crystal clear and this has to be admitted by all.

There now seems to be two schools of thought on the matter of Pentecost among the top authorities. One school would accept what the Holy Scriptures say and admit that Pentecost should be on a Sunday. The other would probably accent the authority of the church and continue with a Monday.” [emphasis added]

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Sometime later (I do not have a date), Ernest Martin wrote the following online:

“The next doctrinal problem came in late 1961. For about a year I had been doing research on the time for celebrating the Feast of Pentecost. Yet the doctrine of the "true church" of which I was a minister and educator, taught that Pentecost was on the wrong day. My biblical, historical, and linguistic studies had shown that this belief was wrong: Pentecost according to the Bible was on Sunday, not Monday. I wrote a 93 page (legal sized) paper on the subject which rehearsed the proper teaching on the matter. In accordance with normal procedure, I submitted it to my immediate superior in England for evaluation before I sent it to the top authorities in Pasadena. He took about two weeks to review the research and finally he told me that he could find nothing wrong with the fundamental issues. In fact, he commended my research as being at the highest academic level and that I would no doubt get a feather in my cap for the new information. He advised me to send it to the "Pastor General." This was done.” [emphasis added]

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“Others began to do some research into the subject. One faculty member in A.C. wrote a 93-page paper in 1961 and submitted it to Mr. Armstrong. The paper tried to prove that Pentecost should be observed on a Sunday. Mr. Armstrong was not convinced and would not consider changing the day Pentecost should be observed.” (E-mail from Robert Boraker, 19 March 2012). This paper by Martin is also mentioned in the Bulletin (Vol. 2 No. 1) 12 Feb 1974, p. 6.

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Possibly due to knowledge of discussions on this issue, Herman Hoeh wrote the following in the article “How Far Does CHURCH GOVERNMENT Extend into YOUR Life?” Good News, January 1961, pp. 1-2, 8-12: 

“Let's again illustrate the responsibility God places on the ministry for the Church. We have the matter of Pentecost. Pentecost is the fiftieth day after the day that the wave sheaf is offered. The question comes, how does the Church determine what that fiftieth day is? The answer is, the Church, led by the Holy Spirit of God, COUNTS it properly. INDIVIDUALS often cannot count this properly. And, since observing this day is a MATTER for the whole Church, it becomes the responsibility of those WHOM GOD HAS SET IN AUTHORITY IN THE CHURCH to determine how the day is counted — whether or not you can see it! Once you recognize this is God's Church and that we ARE under God's authority in the ministry — then Jesus' statement applies to you as much as it applied to the Jews in that time, "All things whatsoever they command you, that observe and do. And when God decides through His ministers which day Pentecost is, you are required to obey.

God gives His ministers the wisdom to understand His will — or He could not continue to use them in His ministry…

Whether it concerns the time we meet on the Sabbath, the place we meet, how to count Pentecost, whether or not make-up is to be worn — all those public matters — we publicly expound and make plain, and you are required to submit!

As an illustration, every Library has its rules. No student in Ambassador College will stay in college who cannot submit to the rules. If he decides, "I don't have to submit, I'm going to do as I please," that student must be reprimanded and may have to be expelled. There have to be rules and we have to submit to the rules whether or not we "see" them.” (pp. 10, 11) [emphasis added]

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