A History of the Sacred Name Movement - Articles

history AS WRITTEN BY TWO SACRED NAME PEOPLE

Introduction

Why study the history of the Sacred Name Movement?

To understand the errors of the Sacred Name Movement, it is well to learn something of the history of this religious persuasion. Who started it? Where did it start? Why were these people interested in the sacred names? How was the sacred names doctrine propagated? Why and how did the sacred name people become fragmented into so many groups? These and other questions come to mind as needing answers, if we are to understand the Sacred Name Movement..

A question this writer has been able to answer only in part is why does the sacred name doctrine have such great appeal to religious exclusionists, end of the world doomsday groups, and militant anti-government religious organizations?

Perhaps a study of the history of the Movement will help answer some of these questions. The history reproduced here is well researched and well written. It is written from a specific point of view which the authors are happy to give early in the essay. They are against the idea that the founder of the religious organization, Institute of Divine Metaphysical Research, was a pioneer in promoting the sacred names in America. The authors are current or ex-members of this organization.

It must be noted here that the authors of this history are themselves sacred name teachers. We appreciate their willingness to allow the use of this history on this web site. Visit their web site at PLIM.

- Gary

Sacred Name Movement in America

By Lee Warren B.A., D.D. and Penny Warren B.A., M.A., DD
(C) 1998 PLIM REPORT Vol. 7 No. 3

Feel free to copy and circulate this article for non-commercial purposes provided the Web site and author are mentioned.
See Related Articles: True Names of the Creator and His Son

Special Thanks: To Mr. Earl Lewis of the Giving & Sharing Bookstore in Neck City, Missouri who sent us many primary resources from which we were able to document this article.

Introduction

Although the Sacred Names of the Father-Yahweh, the Word or Son-Yahweh Elohim, and the Holy Spirit-Yahshua are ineffable in Jewish orthodox tradition, they have been in existence for ages and were never taken out of the original Hebrew texts.

Scholars have always known about the True Names and have included them in numerous resource books such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, Bible notes, references, concordances, lexicons, Bible almanacs, and history books. Many secret societies, such as the Masons, Rosicrusians, etc., have known these names for thousands of years.

Researchers have found several historical artifacts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls dated 100 years before the Messiah’s birth, which featured the True Names. Joel Bjorling mentions many in his book The Church of God, Seventh Day, A Bibliography, Chapter VII The Sacred Name Movement, p. 197-198. This out-of-print book is the premier book on the Sacred Name Movement.

Pagan leaders used the name Yahweh. The name was inscribed on the Moabite Stone in Jordan about 830 B.C. exactly as it appeared in the Old Testament. The Lachish Letters, written between 589-587 B.C. and discovered in 1935 in the ancient town of Lachish near Jerusalem, frequently used the name Yahweh.

A Jewish community who wanted to rebuild the temple wrote the Elephantine Papers dated 495-400 B.C. They refer to Yah’s temple. Yah is a shortened form of Yahweh. "After 70 CE (Common Era) and the fall of Jerusalem, the liturgical use of ‘Yahweh’ ceased, but the tradition was perpetuated in rabbinical schools and was used by healers, exorcists, and magicians (p. 198)." Also see "The Divine Names Through the Ages, " http://www.watchtower.org/library/na/ages.htm.

Who knows the True Names today?

Modern militia members, "dooms day" advocates, pro- and anti-torah Jewish sects, and various Christian assemblies are calling on the father Yahweh today. If you enter the name Yahweh into any Internet search engine, over twenty-one thousand entries explode on the screen. From the Assemblies of Yahweh and the House of Yahweh to Yahweh’s New Kingdom and Yahweh Ben Yahweh, the father and son’s Sacred Names are now well known.

If you consider what the Oklahoma bomber Timothy McViegh, the family at Ruby Ridge, the Abilene, Texas dooms-day leader Yisryal Hawkins, and the branch Davidian cult in Waco, Texas, have in common, you will arrive at a surprising answer. They all know the creator’s true and original names.

What is the intent of this article?

Now the intent of this article is to examine when, where, and how this current Sacred Name Movement began in America, which introduced these names to the masses. The prevalent usage and acceptance of these names today are the fruits of a movement that is approximately 70 years old.

This article will chronicle the movement’s history beginning with small religious groups, primarily the Church of God, 7th Day, from the 1920’s or 1930’s through the 1960’s in the Midwest of America.

Did Henry C. Kinley advance the True Names in America?

Many members in the Institute of Divine Metaphysical Research, Inc., a non-denominational, non-profit religious and scientific research organization, believe that the founder Dr. Henry C. Kinley was initially and primarily instrumental in spreading the trues names of our Heavenly Father and His Son in America. This article will show that historical facts do not support their belief.

Did anyone document the Sacred Name Movement in America?

Although there are no major books published that document the Sacred Name Movement in America, there are several chapters written on it in a book entitled, The Church of God, Seventh Day, A Bibliography, (Bibliographies on Sects and Cults in America), Vol. 8, Chapter VII, The Sacred Name Movement, by Joel Bjorling. He summarized the history of various motley groups of people who had written many tracts, pamphlets, booklets, and articles promoting the use of the True Names.

In addition, Mr. L. D. Snow, a Church of God, 7th Day, overseer, wrote an article called "A Brief History of the [Sacred] Name Movement in America" featured on the QUMRAN BET COMMUNITY website under their Sacred Name Directory (http://qumran.com/sacrednames/snhist.htm).

Also Mr. Richard Nickels, founder of the Giving & Sharing organization (www.biblestudy.org/gands/main.html) and President of the Bible Sabbath Association (http://www.ozemail.com.au/~bsags/), wrote an article entitled "Origin and History of the Sacred Name Movement" that chronicles the movement’s history.

Another brief description of the Sacred Name movement appears on the site of Yahweh’s New Covenant Assembly. They publish The Faith quarterly tract, started by one of the founders of the movement. Their explanation provides a condensed history in a brief response to the question: "What are the roots of your organization? When did you start? (http://www.ynca.com/qa17.htm)" The Sacred Name Movement appears to have occurred with small groups of people directly under the nose, but just outside the radar scope, of the major world religions at the time.

What is The Sacred Name Movement?

"The Sacred Name movement consists of those persons, groups, and assemblies who use the Hebrew names for God (i.e. Yahweh, Yahvah) and for Jesus (i.e. Yahshua) in the devotion and worship. They have characterized themselves as "the True Worshippers" eschewing the name ‘Christian’ as being of pagan origin (The Church of God, Seventh Day, A Bibliography by Joel Bjorling, p. 197)." According to Bjorling, since most people were (and are) unaware that God was (is) not the proper name for the creator, there were never any widespread debates on the subject. Only in isolated, obscure groups, such as C.T. Russell’s Bible Student’s Association in the mid-1870s and the Jehovah Witnesses in the early 1930’s, were the earliest accounts of Sacred Name discussions recorded.

What group is closely associated with the Names?

"The recent history of the Sacred Name Movement is closely related to the history of the Church of God (Seventh Day). It appears that many who have joined the Sacred Name Movement originally were members of one or more of the Sabbath-keeping Churches of God (‘Origin and History of the Sacred Name Movement’ by Richard, Nickels, founder of the Giving & Sharing organization)." The Sacred Names were one of many subjects that caused disputes in the Church of God, Seventh Day, from the 1920’s through the 1940s. Future articles will address their conflicts over other subjects, such as the apostolic reorganization, keeping feast days, Anglo-Israelism, the location of their headquarters in Israel, their name change, etc.

The Church of God, 7th day, the smallest of the Sabbath Keeping groups at the time as opposed to the "Seventh-day Adventists" and the "Seventh Day Baptists," originated with the Millerite movement in 1844. A few members became interested in worshiping the creator by calling him by His True and Original name (http://www.ynca.com/qa17.htm). Seven primary people and about 20 other men and women were instrumental in the movements beginning.

Brief Biography of Sacred Name Ministers

A. N. Dugger

Elder Andrew N. Dugger, was the most famous Church of God, 7th Day, leader in the 20th century. His father, A. F. Dugger, Sr., had been an Advent Christian minister for 35 years. In his early 20’s Andrew felt that he was called into the ministry when his father died and he interpreted a bright light in the sky as a sign from God to follow in his footsteps. Obediently Dugger sold the farm equipment and stopped teaching to study theology and public speaking at the University of Chicago. He also mastered Greek, German, and Hebrew.

A. N. Dugger was overseer at the Reorganized Church of God headquartered at Salem, West Virginia. He became the editor of the Bible Advocate as his father had until he retired. In 1919, Dugger wrote The Bible Home Instructor, which publicized the Church of God Seventh Day, and substantially increased its membership during the 1920s. He believed in a scriptural form of church organization and a world headquarters in Jerusalem. In 1935 he and C.O. Dodd (below) published A History of the True Church, which traces Sabbath-keeping assemblies from the times of the apostles to his present day. He moved to Jerusalem in 1953 and launched the Mt. Zion Reporter. (From A History of the True Church, Traced From 33 A.D. to Date by Andrew N. Dugger and Clarence O. Dodd, p. vii-viii)

C.O. Dodd

Eld. C. O. Dodd, West Virginia., (deceased) was associated with Church of God, 7th Day in 1928 until he was asked to resign over a disagreement regarding the celebration of the feast days in 1937. He was a writer and minister who did not believe in paid pastors. Before Dodd became a member of the Church of God, Seventh Day, he taught a Methodist Bible class. One day a man who Dodd claims was an angel gave him a tract on the Sabbath that convinced him to keep it. He wrote many articles and tracts and used his own funds to establish a printing press in his home. (From A History of the True Church, Traced From 33 A.D. to Date by Andrew N. Dugger and Clarence O. Dodd, p. vii)

A. B. Traina

Elder Angelo B. Traina was not associated with the Church of God, but from 1933 to 1936 pastured a church called the Gospel Kingdom Assembly in Irvington, New Jersey. In 1938 he was asked to speak at a Church of God, 7th Day camp-meeting where he lectured four to six hours a day on the name.

It is reported that he believed in baptizing in hyssop, taught the eating of clean foods, identified with Anglo-Israelism, and did not accept the Apostle Paul’s letters written to the various assemblies in the Bible. After being introduced to the names by one of his students, which we will discuss later, he went on to translate the New Testament into the sacred Names in 1950 and published the Holy Name Bible in 1963. (From "Origin and History of the Sacred Name Movement" by Richard, Nickels, founder of the Giving & Sharing organization, p. 2-3).

Squire L. Cessna

"Elder Squire LaRue Cessna (of Detroit, Mich) may have been the one who prepared the way for the full form of the Creator’s Name to be used. He was a minister of the Church of God, 7th Day, yet in the late 20’s he called his group, The Assembly of Jehovah, in the early 30’s The Assembly of Yahvah, which form he insisted on at the time. The Assembly of YHVH was organized and chartered in the summer of 1939 (http://qumran.com/sacrednames/snhist.htm)."

Who promoted the use of Yahshua?

There is a minor disagreement over who initially used the name Yahshua, but John Briggs, Paul Penn, a Jewish believer, and William Bishop, were believed to be the first. Briggs and Penn met Traina at his New Jersey assembly in 1936. We will discuss later how a student of Traina’s introduced him, Briggs, and Penn to the Sacred Name concept. Briggs in turn introduced it to William Bishop.

Assembly of YHVH

The original charter members of The Assembly of YHVH in the State of Michigan July 11, 1939, were: Joseph Owsinski, John Bigelow Briggs, Grand Rapids, Mich. (deceased), Squire LaRue Cessna, Harlan Van Camp, George Reiss, Daniel Morris, William L. Bodine, John M. Cardona, Edmond P. Roche and Marvin Gay of Detroit, Michigan. According to L. D. Snow, others who assisted in the promotion of the True names were Ralph Kenney, Arthur Barnes, J. D. Bagwell, J. A. McClain, L. F. Wilds, C. J. Ayers, Mrs. Pearl T. Smith of Lansing, Mich., and himself.

African-American Ministers

L. D. Snow does acknowledge in his article that African-American ministers helped spread this "Glorious Name Message" in the 1930s. He refers to them as "colored" ministers and lists them as: Bishop Smith of Detroit, Michigan, Pastor Roley of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Bishop C. H. Brown of the Island of Jamaica.

Several events that happened in the mid-1930s drew attention to the Sacred Names.

What doctrinal question sparked the interest in the correct names?

A doctrinal question prompted the early pioneers to begin an earnest study and search to discover what name they should use when baptizing (Matt. 28:19). Eld. Dugger requested that the ministers of the Church of God, 7th Day make a decision as to the exact words for the ceremony of water baptism used by the Apostles.

This was made known several months before a summer camp ministers’ meeting at Galena, Kansas in 1936, so the minister would make a special study on it.(http://qumran.com/sacrednames/snhist.htm)

What documents inspired their research?

As these groups began to investigate the name, they ran across a book by Alexander MacWhorter of Yale University, The Memorial Name, or Yaveh Christ, copyrighted in 1857. They also began to read a series of six lectures called, "The Name of the Deity" by Frederick Leonard Chapell, who was Resident Instructor of the A. J. Gordon Missionary Training College, Boston, Massachusetts around 1900. The Standard Bearer by John J. Scruby, Dayton, Ohio, published these lectures Jan.-March 1911.

"Two important facts conflicted with the traditional baptism done into the name of ‘Jesus.’ First, there was no J in the English language until 500 years ago. Second, there is no J or sound of J in either the Hebrew or Greek language, and never was. These facts alone revealed that there was something amiss with the name ‘Jesus.’ Simply put, they were confronted with the undeniable fact that this name did not exist before the 15th century.

What about ‘Jehovah,’ which certain groups erroneously say is the name of the Heavenly Father? Early in the 1930s a serious study and research began into the name Jehovah as well, concluding that this name never could have existed until 500 years ago nor could it be the name of the Heavenly Father (http://www.ynca.com/qa17.htm)."

L. D. Snow mentions a book by Lewis Browne, called Stranger Than Fiction, A Short History of the Jews From Earliest Times to the Present Day that was copyrighted in 1925. Snow wrote that this book "uses the form "Yahveh" freely for the Creator’s Name and also speaks of "...Yahvist History (Judah) and Elohist History (Israel)."

What publication in the 1930s featured the True Names?

In 1937 a year after the camp meeting, Elder Clarence O. Dodd, was relieved of his position as Secretary-Treasurer of the Church of God 7th Day because of his teaching of the Feast days. He began publishing The Faith magazine to proclaim the Annual Feast Days and soon began using the Sacred Names as well (http://www.ynca.com/qa17.htm).

Had the Savior heard Himself called Jesus during His life?

Not long after Elder Dodd started publishing this paper, he included a clipping as filler that someone sent in about the Saviour’s Name. The person had copied a quote from Man’s Great Adventure, Edwin W. Pahlow, professor of the teaching of history, Ohio State University, p. 241.

It stated: "It is interesting that throughout his life Jesus Christ never heard himself called by that name. ‘Jesus’ was the Greek word for the Hebrew ‘Joshua’ or ‘Jeshua’; and ‘Christ’ or ‘Christus’ was the Greek word for ‘Messiah’ or‘Redeemer’, (http://qumran.com/sacrednames/snhist.htm)."

After publishing this short statement, Elder Dodd began receiving many inquiries about its meaning. From that response, others began to research the matter and write articles on the True Names. Snow writes that Elder Dodd began "to use the form Jehovah for the Creator at first, also Jahovah and Yahovah and Yah-oshuah and Jahoshua in the October 1938 The Faith magazine." This edition contained an article by A.B. Traina, called "What Is His Son’s Name?" in which he used Jahovah for the Father and Jah-oshuah for the Son. (http://qumran.com/sacrednames/snhist.htm)

Did the King James Version of the Bible mention the Sacred Names?

In this same 1938 issue of The Faith was an article by Wm. Bishop and John Briggs, called "The King James’ Version Regarding Sacred Names," in which they quoted from The Empatic Diaglott, the King James Version, Encyclopedia Brittannica, Smith’s Bible Dictionary, Webster’s New International Dictionary, and Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, concerning the different forms of the Creator’s Name that had been used, also different forms for the FOUR Hebrew letters used for the Name, such as IHVH, JHVH, JHWH, YHVH AND YHWH, JAHAVEH, JAHVAH, JAHVE, JAHVEH, YAHVE, YAHVEH, YAHWE, YAHWEH, etc. The ‘Kadesh Name Society, 936 Campbell Street, Detroit, Michigan,’ was listed at the end of this article. I understand that this society started as early as 1936, maybe earlier (http://qumran.com/sacrednames/snhist.htm)."

Jacob O. Meyer, current leader of the Sacred Names Movement, commented that Dodd "was not blessed with an advertising flair as some men are, and as a consequence the Sacred Name message reached a rather limited audience (‘Origin and History of the Sacred Name Movement’ by Richard, Nickels, founder of the Giving & Sharing organization)."

Who introduced the sacred name concept to Traina and Briggs?

Both Bjorling and Nickels mention, one of A. B. Traina’s students, a Czech named August Sheffick, who seems to have introduced Traina to the True Names. Very little is written about this mystery man. Sheffick appears to have come on the scene just to introduce the True Names. In future articles we will be researching his biography.

Sheffick considered the word Christ pagan and claimed "that he hated the word Christ, as it was a profane excrement." Traina began to agree with his student as he independently studied the name "especially noting the word Jehovah in Psalms 83:18." (From "Origin and History of the Sacred Name Movement" by Richard, Nickels, founder of the Giving & Sharing organization, p. 2).

Sheffick introduced the True Names to John Briggs, also a student of Traina’s. Briggs who was from Detroit, but living in NewYork City, became convinced that the Sacred Names were true and correct like his teacher, Traina.

According to Richard Nickels’ article, Briggs prayed for a sick girl using the Sacred Name of Yahshua and when she recovered, he always used Yahshua in prayer. Since not all of Traina’s Irvington members believed in the Sacred Names, he asked Briggs to "soft peddle" the idea.

Who evangelized a church in Michigan?

Briggs, along with a Jewish member of Traina’s church, Paul Penn, moved to Detroit, resuming a study at Briggs’ house on February 13, 1937. They evangelized a Church of God (Seventh Day) assembly, by introducing them to the Sacred Name. "When the elders of the church were away attending a convention in Flint, Briggs was asked to speak. His Sacred Names sermon in December, 1936 convinced William Bishop, after Briggs explained why Christ is reported to have said ‘Eli, Eli, Lama Sabacthani.’ Bishop was of the ‘fighting type,’ and this apparently caused a stir over the issue in the Church of God. He rented a church for three months so he and Briggs could preach the name doctrine. Bishop was the first to evangelize in the name of Yahshua. Briggs came to believe in triune immersion, first in the name of the father, YAHVEH, second in the name of His Son YAHSHUA, and third in the name KADEESH, group name for the Heaven’s angels." (From "Origin and History of the Sacred Name Movement" by Richard, Nickels, founder of the Giving & Sharing organization, p. 3).

Joel Bjorling reports that Briggs and Penn went to Detroit and established the Kadesh Name Society and the Names Evangelization Program in February 1937 (p. 198). This group served as a foundation for the Assembly of YHVH, the first Sacred Name group to be charted in the U.S., which we will discuss later.

What events propelled the movement in 1938?

According to Snow, in the October 1938 The Faith magazine, Elder Dodd announced the Feast of Tabernacles Campmeeting of the Churches of God at Warrior, Alabama to begin Oct. 9th. "This Campmeeting is spoken of as the FIRST "NAME" Campmeeting, though according to the announcement it was actually a Church of God Campmeeting, for most of the ministers and members who attended were of the Church of God, 7th Day. This meeting was held at home, on the property of a Church of God minister, J. D. Bagwell (http://qumran.com/sacrednames/snhist.htm)."

At that meeting A. B. Traina lectured 4 to 6 hours a day on the NAME. Snow considered the October 1938 The Faith publication, and the Tabernacles Campmeeting held that year at Warrior, Alabama at Elder J. D. Bagwell’s as the real beginning of the Sacred Name Movement.

What group was instrumental in spreading the Sacred Names?

"July 11, 1939, The Assembly of YHVH was CHARTERED in the State of Michigan and the following names were listed on the Charter: (see names of charter members on p. 23) ... And this Organization and Charter permitted those who so desired to use such transliterations as Yahovah, Yahveh, Yah and Yahavah, by different local assemblies connected with this-what was supposed to have been a GENERAL ORGANIZATION. This is the record of what I found to be the oldest chartered Name group in the USA, though Elder Wm. Bishop tells me that THE ASSEMBLY OF YAHVEH BETH ISRAEL is older (http://qumran.com/sacrednames/snhist.htm)."

Did the Sacred Name Movement explode after 1938?

Various Sacred Name groups using different spellings of the name sprang up and began proclaiming the Name according to their own diverse doctrines. Different churches, such as Seventh Day Adventist, Methodist, Assembly of God, Baptist, Salvation Army Pentecostal groups, etc., began discussing the name.

L. D. Snow, a minister of the Church of God, Seventh Day, Salem, West Virginia became convinced of the names in 1943. Snow said that his Church of God group in Fort Smith, Arkansas had a sign that proclaimed, The Assembly of Yahweh. In 1945, Snow and his wife began publishing The Yahwist Field Reporter, which was later changed to Kingdom Messenger and Field Reporter, later to The Eliyah Messenger And Field Reporter.

Snow and some other ministers formed an association called The Sacred Name Publishing Association while he lived at 3428 Armour Ave., Fort Smith, Arkansas. Some of the ministers association with that worked with him were: C. A. Davis of Tulsa, Oklahoma, L. F. Wilds who moved to Fort Smith in 1945 to work with us, C. J. Ayers and W. L. Bodine.

In 1948 Snow organized The Assembly of Yahvah outreach ministries in India, the Philippines and in Jamaica. In 1949 Snow as Overseer and E. B. Adair Assistant Overseer organized The Assembly of Yahvah in Emory, Texas, at the Rocky Point Community Building south of Emory. In 1956 Snow incorporated The Assembly of Yahvah chartered in the state of Texas, and began to teach the Restoration of the Apostolic Organization of The Assembly of Yahvah as it existed in the WILDERNESS, in the days of Moses, and under the Messiah.

Who spread the names in the 1960s?

Jacob O. Meyer, current leader of the Sacred Names Movement, founded the Assembly of Yahweh of Bethel, Pennsylvania in 1969. He entered the ministry of Yahweh in 1965. He was raised in the Church of the Brethren (originally called the German Baptist Brethren) founded by his family.

According to Bjorling and Nickels, Meyer learned of the Sacred Name through a Bible course at Albright College sponsored by the Berks County Sabbath School Association. Meyer met with several Sacred Name groups. During the early 1960s "Meyer was ‘terribly disillusioned’ when he found out that the sacred Names people were ‘terribly fragmented on doctrine. [And] There was really no determined effort to work toward unity or preach this magnificent Bible Truth to the world.’ (From ‘Origin and History of the Sacred Name Movement’ by Richard, Nickels, founder of the Giving & Sharing organization)." In February 1966, he initiated the Sacred Name Broadcast radio program over radio WBMD, Baltimore. In 1968, Meyer began the Sacred Name Broadcaster magazine. Meyer organized the Assemblies of Yahweh, Inc. in 1969 "as a vehicle to draw the scattered Sacred Name believers together into a unified body of sound doctrine so that this end-time message of Truth could be preached with power around the world before the savior returns. (The Church of God, Seventh Day, Chapter VII The Sacred Name Movement, by Joel Bjorling, p. 200)."

There are other people, like the Hawkins brothers who established two Texas Houses of Yahweh, and Joseph Jeffers’ Kingdom of Yahweh, that also promoted the Sacred Name movement, but due to space are not mentioned in this article. Future articles will detail some other Sacred Name ministers.

Was H. C. Kinley one of the original promoters of the True Names in America?

From the historical information available, it shows that initially Dr. Henry C. Kinley played no role in spreading the True Names in America, especially from the period 1930-1960s. Although Elohim gave him a vision that included a divine explanation of the tabernacle pattern and the New Covenant in 1931, all his writings during this period used the traditional names and titles of Lord, God and Jesus Christ.

According to M. Gross, International Secretary of the organization, and others, Dr. Kinley first mentioned the True Names to his Los Angeles class in 1958. He published a book in 1961 entitled, God, the Archetype (Original) Pattern of the Universe, that introduced the Sacred Names on pages 11-13, but he did not use them throughout the text. Not until 1967, when the book was reprinted were the True Names exchanged for the incorrect names and titles. Even in the schools official biography of Dr. Kinley, The Life History of Henry Clifford Kinley and the Institute of Divine Metaphysical Research, there is no mention of when the Sacred Names were revealed. Finally, Lord, God, and Jesus Christ were written on the initial charts that Dr. Kinley had drawn to explain his vision in 1931, so clearly he saw the vision in Lord, God, and Jesus Christ.

Ironically, when Dr. Kinley was teaching the Messiah had fulfilled the Law of Moses (Matt. 5:17-18; Lk. 24:44-45), brought it to an end (Rom. 10:4), and saved us by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9) in Lord, God, and Jesus Christ, other Christian groups were doing the opposite. As shown in this article, they were keeping the Law and using the Sacred Names in their water baptisms, Sabbaths, and feast days.

They also had written all types of literature, including Bibles, with the True Names and titles; Yahweh, Elohim and Yahshua although almost all of these groups believed in keeping some form of Moses' Law. Many times Yahweh revealed things to the Gentiles before He revealed them to Israel. For example, the Magi were shown the time of Yahshua's birth (Matt. 2nd Chapter). Also Pharaoh of Egypt with the help of Joseph knew a great famine was coming and during the seven years stored up grain (Gen. 41st Chapter).

Now some members of the Institute of Divine Metaphysical Research, Inc., want to dogmatically hold to the error that H. C. Kinley was one of the original promoters of the True Names, as if he had a monopoloy on the truth. Some even claim that he was the fullness of God in a Body. If that be so, why did he not teach in the True Names? Surely the fullness of the Supernal Nature knows His own name! Especially when other groups had been using the Sacred Names for thirty years before he revealed it. These immovable souls who disannual the universality of Spirit are showing their willful ignorance to the truth and doing a great disservice to the vision. This error can cause people to question Dr. Kinley’s credibility and undermine his vision.

Conclusion

The True Names are becoming prevalent in many Christian and non-Christian groups. Although Christians know the names, they do not understand the significance of the New Covenant or the Tabernacle Pattern. They continue to perform many ordinances under the Law of Moses, such as Sabbath Days, Feast Days, baptisms, suppers, etc. (Col. 2:14-18). To know the Sacred Names is only one step (John 4:21-24) in understanding how to worship Yahweh in Spirit and in Truth. The True Names stand for principles, such as love, patience, faith, etc. (Jn. 15:1-7; Gal. 5:22).

Bibliography

Books

Bjorling, Joel, The Church of God, Seventh Day, A Bibliography, (Bibliographies on Sects and Cults in America), Vol. 8, Chapter VII, The Sacred Name Movement (Garland Reference Library of the Humanities, v) Copyright 1987

Pahlow, Edwin W., Man’s Great Adventure, Ohio State University, p. 241.

Traina, A. B Holy Name Bible (Copyright 963 Scriptures Research Association Irvington, N.J.)

MacWhorter, Alexander, The Memorial Name, or Yaveh Christ, (Copyright 1857 Yale University)

Booklets

Dugger, Andrew N. and Dodd, Clarence O., A History of the True Church Traced From 33 A.D., Originally Copyrighted, Ó 1936, Second Edition, Tebet (January) 1968, Third Edition, Jerusalem, Israel Sivan (June) 1972, Reprinted by Giving & Sharing, 1996, Edited by Richard C. Nickels with Horst Obermeit, ISBN 1-887670-01-7, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 96-77314

Articles

Nickels, Richard, founder of the Giving & Sharing organization (http://www.vcn.com/~giveshare/) and President of the Bible Sabbath Association (http://www.ozemail.com.au/~bsags/), "Origin and History of the Sacred Name Movement" (Giving & Sharing, PO Box 100, Neck City, MO 64849)

Magazines

Sacred Name Broadcaster, Jacob O. Meyer, Assembly of Yahweh of Bethel, Pennsylvania

The Faith, Assembly of Yahweh, Eaton Rapids, Michigan, http://www.eliyah.com/AOY/

The Standard Bearer by John J. Scruby, Dayton, Ohio, Ó Jan.-March 1911. Published a series of six lectures called, "The Name of the Deity" by Frederick Leonard Chapell, who was Resident Instructor of the A. J. Gordon Missionary Training College, Boston, Massachusetts around 1900.

Internet References

Snow, L. D, "A Brief History of the Name Movement in America"
http://qumran.com/sacrednames/snhist.htm. Also found in World Today Analyzed (September 1975), p. 6.

"Origin of the Sacred Name Movement," Yahweh’s New Covenant Assembly, Stump the Elder (Q&A), http://www.ynca.com/qa17.htm

Giving and Sharing, www.biblestudy.org/gands/main.html PLIM Home Page

(NOTE: This essay on the history of the Sacred Name Movement is owned by the authors, is used with their permission, and is not copyrighted by Gary Mink)