OBITUARY

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BENJAMIN L. RODEN
(January 5, 1902 _. October 22, 1978)

Benjamin L Roden was born

January 5, 1902, in Bearden, Oklahoma, one of 6 children born to James
Buchanan and Nattie Roden. He died
on October 22, 1978, at 4:30 p.rn, at
Scott and White, Temple, Texas.
He is survived by his widow, Lois
I. Roden; two sisters, Mrs. Gretta
Hollaway of Springfield, Missouri, Mrs.
Goldie Wampler and her daughter,
Mrs. Jack Phillips, of Gladewater,
Texas; four sons, George of Blythe,
California, Benjamin" of Miami, Florida, John of Dallas, Texas, and Samuel of Miami, Florida; two daughters,
Jane Roden of Riverside, California,
and Kathleen Roden of Reno, Nevada;
and ten grandchildren, as well as coworkers and friends around the world.
Elder Roden spent his childhood
on the farm, graduated from high
school, and attended Oklahoma
Teachers College. He spent a short
time teaching in a country schooL
For many years Elder Roden was
employed in the oil fields in Oklahoma,
and Odessa, Texas.
On Februaty 12, 1937, Benjamin
L Roden and Lois L. Roden were
joined in marriage, and the Lord
blessed their home with six children.
In 1937 Elder and Sister Roden
joined the Christian Church, and were
active and faithful members.
Shortly after the birth of their first
son, George, Elder Roden learned
about the seventh-day Sabbath from a
book entitled "Bible Readings for the
Home" which had been given to him
and Sister Roden as a wedding present by Sister Roden's mother.
As a person who took his stand
fortruth when it was presented to him,
Elder,Rod~n, and his wife, sought out
a neafj)y Seventh-day Ad- ventist
churcttl~n Kilgore, Texas, and were
baptized in 1940, by Elder Cree

Sandefer, now president of the Southern Union of Seventh-day Adventists.

As a layman, Elder Roden was
one who shared his faith with others in
a quiet, yet definite way, and as a result of his labors, a Seventh-day Adventist church was raised up in
Odessa, Texas, of which he was the
head elder for several years.
In 1946, Elder Roden, along with
his wife and children, accepted the
teachings of The Shepherd's Rod
message, and together they labored
faithfully to share this message with
their friends and brethren in the
Seventh-day Adventist church, which
they love so dearly.
For a short time in 1953 Brother
Roden and his family resided at Old
Mt. Carmel Center. He was in charge
of the Gardens and provided fresh
produce for Brother Houteff, founder of
the Center and of the Davidian
Seventh-day Adventist Association,
popularly know as The Shepherd's
Rod.
Although deeply moved by the unexpected death of Brother Houteff in
1955, Elder Roden knew that truth
must progress and God's people were
to march onward. Shortly afterward in
the same year, Brother Roden was endowed with the Prophetic Gift, (Amos
3:7) to understand God's plan for the
Davidian and Seventh-day Adventist
movements. Thereafter he labored
night and day to share with his brethren what God had revealed to him.
The Branch Davidian Seventh-day IVf
ventist Assoc;:iationwas organized~\~
fulfillment of many prophecies in.i.,_
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Bible as well as in the writings
Ellen G. White, founder ot :the
Seventh-day Adventist Chur~>.~
Victor T. Hout
founder
.'the
Davidian
Seventh-day
~t
Association.
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Under the inspired ministry of

Elder Roden, the observance of the
holy feasts, as observed by Jesus and
commanded by the Apostles, was reinstituted and restored to the church,
and many prophecies regarding the
restoration of Israel, the long-prayed
for Kingdom on earth brought to view
in the Lord's Prayer, were brought to
light and shared with the Davidians
and Adventists, as well as those of
other faiths.

United States and Canada immigrated

to Israel to till the land and build new
homes... Prayers conducted by the
Adventists have been the first official
Christian services to take place
throughout the Zionist settlements."

Through personal contact with

both the leading brethren and laymen
of the Seventh-day Adventist church
and the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Association, Elder Roden labored
unceasingly to encourage the brethren
with the glorious prophecies of the restoration of Israel and the church's role
in God's great plan.

In 1965, while contemplating his

return to Israel, Elder Roden was
given a vision directing him to Waco,
Texas. Here he obtained New Mt.
Carmel Center, the story of which
many of you are familiar, having read
of it in Waco newspapers and seen it
on television news.

Elder Roden wrote religious leaflets which were distributed by the millions in over 50 countries around the
world in several languages, heralding
the restoration of the Kingdom in the
land of Israel and recorded by all the
prophets in the Holy Bible.
In 1958 Elder Roden, his son
George and wife, Carmen, and his son
Benjamin II, went to Israel to prepare
the Jf!ay for people to go to the Holy
Land.i As a result of his mission, history was made, and the religious news
service carried the story of the historic
mission around the world, while newspapers and magazines in Israel and
America proclaimed the event.
The Ministry magazine, September, 1960, carried the story: "For the
time In the history of Zionist colo!"'ni7li11~ion,
an organized Christian group
been granted official status in Isas recognized immigrants and
settlers, with all the rights of rnaand ffiC)f'alaid involved. A year
and a half ago, five families of
Seventh~ay
Adventists from the

Though Elder Roden was a quiet,

unobtrusive, humble man, the results
of his labors, for which he always gave
God the credit, were nothing short of
historic, and in many respects
outstanding!

In 1976 when Moshe Dayan was

guest of Baylor University, Elder and
Sister Roden spoke to the General
about obtaining land in Israel and he
invited them to contact him again.
'In the spring of 1977 Elder Roden
and his son, George, did return to Israel. The Lord had shown him the
prophetic importance of the year,
1977, and what steps should be taken
at that time. Upon the Mt. of Olives
Elder Roden built an altar of 12 stones
at the time of the Passover.
At this of Passover, 1977, Elder
Roden was instructed by the Lord
where the temple of Ezekiel, chapters
40-45 is to be built in Jerusalem. He
instructed his son, George Buchanan
Roden, where the temple is to be built
and that it would not be on the old
temple site because that site would be
too small since Ezekiel's temple would
be much larger. Elder Roden also revealed to George the exact measurement of the cubit referred to in Ezeki~#J
concerning the temple, and
from Ezekiel the measuremel1t of
cubit.

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in the halls of Congress and in the

courts of justice in the interest of religious liberty, who saw him minister to
presidents and people alike, who traveled with him hundreds of thousands
of miles, to proclaim the coming KingDuring the last year of his life, dom, those of us who knew him best
Elder Roden was greatly comforted by as a kind, sympathetic husband, fathe Lord as a most precious message ther, grandfather, friend, neighbor,
about the Holy Spirit was given to his farmer, .and, if yo~ please, prophet,
wife, Lois Roden. Elder Roden not priest, and king, aQd even as a foe,
only called upon the faithful Branch ,. can even say with Elder R. F. Cottrell,
believers to open their' minds to the famed Adventist theologian, "A Prince
truth of the Holy Spirit, but also carried in Israel, indeed!"
We do not mourn as those who
his appeal personally to the Davidians,
and to the leading brethren of the have no hope, but are joyous and
Seventh-day Adventist church in ses- pressing on to the task at hand, that of
sion at the F!ill Council in Washington, building the literal temple in Jerusalem, an house of prayer for all peoD.C., a few_~aysprior to ~ls death.
ples,
for His servant Elder Roden has,
Elder and Sister Roden returned
from the Fall Council in Washington, like King David of old, made all things
D.C., on Wednesday, October 18, and ready, and, as his will and testament,
on October 22, exactly 134 years to committed to his four sons the task
.,.
the day from 1844, Elder Roden went finishing his work.
In September of 1978, Brother
Roden, with George and Carmen had
a personal audience with President
Carter, appealing to him to help build
the temple, a house of prayer, for all
people in Jerusalem.

to his rest between the two Sabbaths,

the seventh-day Sabbath and the sabbath of the last day of the Feast of
Tabernacles.
Likewise, Jesus died
between the Passover Sabbath and
the seventh-day Sabbath.
Those of us who are left behind
take joy in knowing that the Lord took
Brother Roden to fulfill His divine plan,
as shown forth in Zechariah 13:7,
"Awake, 0 sword... against the man
that is my fellow."
Those of us who knew Elder Roden best, who assisted him in his
world-wide corresP9ndence, who published his hundreds 'of manuscripts
into millions, who worked \vith himin
orc,tlard, oat. field, ..horse arid
coW.barn,'Whcr~t~(ht his Side in the
ups and downs of the great contrn"""rsy.,between truth and error, who
privileged to see him taken in viby the Lord, who saw him in viby the Lord, who saw him stand

o~c:e,

To George Buchanan Roden has

been given the responsjbility of building the temple like Sofomon who followed David, even the responsibility of
the new King of The Branch. To
Benjamin Roden II has been given
charge to prepare the furnishing~l)f
the temple. To John Scott Rod",nifi",.,
been given the work of crafting
and silver metalwork. To
Shane Roden has been given
sition of construction
temple. Yes, beloved Elder
finished his work and is
the Lord's arms till the
day.