In my previous article [“Just Like Peter – Part 1”] I wrote about my Peter-like experience of God’s quick intervention as a young child. In this present article I will recount a similar experience I had several years later.
This happened when I was doing a masteral course in anthropology at my alma mater – the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman Quezon City. After finishing my bachelor’s degree in sociology there, I decided to proceed to graduate studies in this related field.
What drove me to take it up was my curiosity to discover where the Filipino and related races may have originated from, centuries before what our history books detail. In fact, I wanted to find out where, in the Bible, our race may be alluded to. This, after I had read eye-opening literature from the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) about the origin of races. I thought that anthropology might provide more clues.
While enrolled, to augment my funds, I also worked as a research assistant in UP’s Community Development Research Council (UPCDRC). I chose to study some aspects of the community next-door to the campus – barrio Cruz-na-Ligas, a popular and convenient research target by UP and other college students or researchers.
At this time, I had become converted from Protestant UCCP (United Church of Christ in the Philippines) to WCG [see: “About the Author”]. As such, I became a devout keeper of the seventh-day Sabbath, which is the 24-hour period from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.
As it happened, I was ordered by the council to make a progress report on my research, which I hoped I could also somehow use for my graduate course. The meeting for this was scheduled on a Friday, about mid-afternoon. I had not disclosed to the council my Sabbath observance, and I hoped my report would be over before sunset that day. The council convened in a room in the College of Education Building. The elderly council chairman, however, arrived late for the meeting, so we started just minutes before sunset!
As you can imagine, I was in a quandary when I began my report. I was fidgeting in my shoes as I observed my watch and the wall clock ticking to about six o’clock! Noticing my unease, some council member asked why I was apparently unfocused in my reporting. I had to confess to the council then that I was a devout observer of the seventh-day Sabbath, and my religious duty did not want me to violate it. I then asked to be allowed to leave, with my report unfinished.
One council member, my former psychology professor, told me, “You are in a fix!” I was made to choose between my job and my religion. I wholeheartedly chose my religion! I learned later that the council had terminated my employment for unsatisfactory performance.
I left the meeting in a huff. It was well past sunset, and I had violated God’s holy Sabbath day! Guilt and remorse overtook me and, with great pain in heart, I went out to a nearby open field behind the University Library. And there I wept bitterly for having disobeyed my God and Savior, my King!
A lifeline is dropped
As a WCG member, I related my story to then director of the WCG Regional Office [formerly called “Ambassador College Agency” to cloak the office’s religious nature], Arthur W. Docken, who was also pastor of the WCG Manila congregation, which I attended. When I told him about how I “wept bitterly,” he said, “Just like Peter!” – my inspiration for this article duo. [That’s about the time when the disciple/apostle Peter had denied his Lord three times, and then a rooster crowed as Jesus predicted. Then Peter went outside and there wept bitterly (see especially Luke 22:54-62).]
I told Mr. Docken that I was fired from my job as researcher, because my Sabbath-observance kept me from finishing my report to the council and for not showing a satisfactory performance. Sensing my earnest desire to repent and obey God, he then thought of a way I could have some money for my personal upkeep. Having learned that I was a researcher, he offered for me to write a research paper on any worthwhile subject I was keenly interested in, and the church would pay me for it.
Immediately I volunteered to research on the possible Biblical origin of the Filipino and related races. I had to start almost from scratch, and happily the University Library had some historical books and other “antiquities” literature to help.
As a result, I wrote a several-paged paper that suggested the possible origins of the Filipino and related races as traceable to a people that I “stumbled” upon, and who are mentioned once only, vaguely, in the prophecy of Jeremiah 51:27, which lists a certain kingdom of Minni. I believe, though, that God inspired me in this research, as I had prayed!
So, I focused my studies on this kingdom. By some coincidence, Hasting’s history book devoted some comments on this kingdom, which was also called Mannai. It was originally located somewhere around the Middle East area.
I took a cue from Ambassador College history professor Dr. Herman L. Hoeh, who had traced the origin of the human races through names of places and people which could indicate some possible connection.
An interesting detail in Hasting’s history about the Minni/Mannai caught my attention: that kingdom was populous but a weak one, often conquered and subjugated by larger and more powerful kingdoms.
This led me to conclude that perhaps the people of Minni/Mannai may have later dispersed to other parts of the world, such as Asia-Pacific and the Americas, where we find people who have been subject to being conquered and colonized by more powerful European nations. How like the Philippines!
I noticed that in the Philippines there are several places and personal names that bear the prefix “Man-” or “Min-” – Manila, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manticao, Mandurriao, Manay (!), Mindoro, Mindanao, etc.; and tribal names – Manobo, Mandaya. Also, many family names – Manubay, Manalo, Manapat, Manlulu, Maninang, Manansala, Mancebo, Manalili, Manangan, etc.
In other places there are Mandalay (Burma/Myanmar), Manchuria (Asia), Mangolore (India), Manhattan, Minnesota, Minneapolis (USA), Manitoba (Canada), Isle of Man, Manchester (Britain), Mandan Indians (North and Latin America). Could there be other similar places? These are places where the original inhabitants were later colonized by the US or the UK, Spain, or even China.
That the Filipinos are probably related to the Indians of the Americas, could explain why the Spanish colonists, condescendingly, called the Filipinos “indios.” Interestingly, Mr. Docken related that, when he and his family first set foot in the country his second daughter saw Filipinos for the first time at the airport, and in her child’s innocence and candor, she remarked, “Look at all those Indians!” The “Minni/Mannai” connection of both races may be a clue!
I found a connection between Jeremiah 51:27 and Joel 3:10, where weak nations will be counted among the hordes that will descend upon the end-time world superpower soon to arise in Europe (symbolically called “Babylon”) in a climactic battle that will bring all the world’s armies to “the valley of decision” (Verse 14). This is the end-time battle (often called “Armageddon” but correctly “The Battle of that Great Day of God Almighty,” Revelation 16:14), whose ground will be Jerusalem and environs (Revelation 16:14-16; 14:14-16; Zechariah 14:2). Revelation 9:4-6 connects with Revelation 16:12 to show that the “kings [or kingdoms] from the east and their armies would add up to 200 million strong and will kill a third of mankind, shortly before Christ returns to earth in great power and glory (Revelation 19:11-16,19).
Is it a mere coincidence that less-developed countries tend to have higher birth rates and larger populations? It is therefore possible that these countries would contribute a considerable share of soldiers to that horde from the east? Of course, there are the billion-some population China and India, along with Russia—all from the east — that can offer technical/material leadership to these soldiers to battle against the end-time “Babylon” – a political-religious colossus that will soon hold much of the world in its sway. [See: https://www.herbert-armstrong.org, click ENTER HERE, select “Books & Booklets” and scroll down to the booklet titled “Who Is the Beast?’.]
In any case, I submitted my paper to our headquarters at Ambassador College in Pasadena, California, USA, for Dr. Hoeh to comment on it. But I never heard from him about it at all, and he is now dead.
Nevertheless, my paper made a positive impression on Mr. Docken, who commented that “You have a good command of English.” I credit that to my family genes and influence — my mom was a teacher of English grammar and literature; my dad was a lawyer (and a good writer as well), and both graduated from the original UP in Manila.
Mr. Docken then included me on the payroll of the WCG office, starting as a reader of mail coming from the audience of the church’s radio and TV program “The World Tomorrow” and readers of the PLAIN TRUTH Magazine and our other free literature who requested further literature, or had questions about the WCG’s teachings, sending their requests to our Mailing Department or to the Letter Answering Department (LAD).
After a few months, because of my English proficiency and apt understanding, Mr. Docken elevated me to the LAD, which was later changed to PCD (Personal Correspondence Department). In the next several years I was the PCD’s mainstay, with Mr. Docken and his successors standing by to see to it that I wrote according to church doctrines in reply to those who queried.
I found my job as “personal correspondent” for the WCG office very fulfilling! I received letters of appreciation and thanks from those I helped with their questions, Biblical or general.
Not known nor expected by me, but more important, I was being prepared by God to later become a writer and editor of WCG’s local publications, and eventually to be ordained an elder, a preaching elder and, later, pastor. My work, aided by my college education and mental ability, and (not the least) God’s Holy Spirit, gave me years of deeper and broader understanding of humanity, our world, and spiritual matters.
All these were essential in preparing me for my ultimate work and ministry as writer and editor of this website you are logged on to this minute!
I believe that in all these, my “Just Like Peter” experiences were a vital catalyst!
Pedro R, Meléndez, Jr.
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