Among other concepts, Victor Houteff taught that he would not die, but would lead his people to old Jerusalem and thence to the heavenly Canaan. Thus it came as quite a shock to his followers when, on February 5, 1955, he passed to his rest at the age of 69. "It just could not be; it just could not be: Houteff is dead and Jesus hasn't come back yet" they thought, and yet it had happened: Houteff was dead.

Victor Houteff had consistently taught that he would not die. He also taught that none of his followers would die either!

"Keep your knees in motion and let not opportunities be neglected, for the final movement shall be rapid ones. Thus shall you with God as Enoch of old, and as he was translated without tasting death, so shall you be."-The Symbolic Code, Vol. 1, No. 4 (Oct 15, 1934), p. 4.

"Moreover, as the Shepherd's Rod is the Elijah message, it is impossible for anyone who accepts it and lives it to die, for the type demands translation. Thus it is that Elijah stands as a type of the 144,000."-The Symbolic Code, Vol. 9, No. 9 (March 15, 1935), p. 9.

"There is nothing that can take the life of the 144,000." The Symbolic Code, Vol. 2, Nos. 7-8 (July-August, 1936), p. 11.

"Those who believe Present Truth, yet continue to find fault with Brother Houteff's marriage, prove to us one of two things: either that they are shallow thinkers, or that they have no faith in what they believe, for the message teaches that we, as a part of the 144,000, shall never die."-The Symbolic Code, Vol. 3, Nos. 5-6 (May-June, 1937), p. 8.

But then, in the early spring of 1955, this notice was sent out by the Waco headquarters to all the faithful:

"Victor Tasho Houteff was born in Raicovo, Bulgaria, March 2, 1885, and died February 5, 1955, at the Hillcrest Hospital in Waco, Texas."-The Symbolic Code, Vol. 10, Nos. 3-4 (January-February, 1955), p. 9.

As you might imagine, the news totally shook his followers. They had believed every word he spoke as unerring.

Although Houteff had appointed his wife to lead his flock until the Lord should choose another prophet to take charge of it, his entire church organization began crumbling immediately after his death.

Splinter groups began forming here and there. Some were dissatisfied with the fact of Houteff's death; others with the fact that the organization continued to be strongly controlled by his immediate family. Because of events which occurred between 1955 and 1962, the entire Rod crumbled during that time. Out of its ashes, in the early 1960s, a number of diehard groups were to arise, which gathered together fresh, new converts.

But, as the months passed after Houteff's death in 1955, something was needed to strengthen the flagging interests of the brethren, so the leadership at Waco publicly announced in print the startling news that the 1260 days of Bible prophecy would end on April 22,1959! Many of the followers took heart: Prophetic messages were again coming from Waco! The faithful could now make it through to the end in full assurance of additional thrilling events, predicted for them by their unique church that was so full of fascinating teachings. Everyone looked forward to that date.

But, before we come to April 22, 1959, let us first review the events before and after the announcement that predicted it:

The first intimation came only nine months after Victor Houteff's death. In their official organ, The Symbolic Code, of November 1955, the Rod leaders at Waco announced that "during the last months of his life" V.T. Houteff had privately expressed certain views which his successors were now in a position to amplify.

"He expressed the definite conviction that the time prophecy of Revelation 11:2-12 and Daniel 12:6, 7 could have met their fulfillment only in type from 538 A.D. to 1798 A.D. and that they have a latter-day fulfillment."-The Symbolic Code, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 3 [italics theirs].

THE 1955 TIME PROPHECY

With that sketchy thought in mind, the leaders of the Rod were fueling up for what was to ultimately become their determination of a major time prophecy that would signalize the end of time.

"We have already entered the period of forty-two months. "-The Symbolic Code, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 13.

"The fulfillment of the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 is immediately preceded by the forty-two months (Rev. 11:2) or 1260 days (Rev. 11:3) or 'time, times and an half' (Dan. 12:7)."Op. cit., p. 12.

"This period terminates with the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 (an act of God), war brought by Christendom against the two witnesses (an act of man), and a 3 1 /2 -day period when the two witnesses are dead after which they rise in great exaltation by divine interposition."-Op. cit., p. 13.

Some people just love time prophecies. Time setting seems so exciting. But the let-down afterward is utterly depressing. The leaders pondered the immensity of what they had done. For, you see, they had already told the people that "forty-two months" had already started! Time passed, and yet they hesitated to say more. Finally, after a three-year wait-and a great deal of pressure from the field to come forth with a definite date-the major announcement came on February 17, 1959. Over the signatures of nine members of the Executive Council of the Davidian Seventh day Adventist Church, headquartered in Waco, an open letter was addressed to the Executive Committee of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Takoma Park.

"In November of 1955, this association in its official organ, The Symbolic Code, issued its stand on the prophecy of Revelation 11:1-13, which concerns the 42 months that the Gentiles tread the Holy City, and the 1260 days the two witnesses prophesy with power (authority) in sackcloth . . In the November 1955, Symbolic Code, we published our stand that we were then living in this time period. Today we believe we are approaching the end of it. In fact, we believe it will end sometime this spring."

The sensational announcement had been sent to the General Conference, and was immediately printed in a special edition of The Symbolic Code, which was issued early in 1959 (vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 5-6).

It was predicted that, on April 22, 1959, God would intervene in a remarkable manner in Palestine and rid the country of both Jews and Arabs. Then He would remove mountains of difficulty and perform miracles of guidance so that the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists might enter the land and take possession of it in the name of the Lord. The "Davidic Kingdom" would be set up; and, from their headquarters in Jerusalem, the rapidly forming 144,000 would evangelize the entire world, and then Jesus would return.

But just before that date, according to Houteff's theories, the men of Ezekiel 9 with their slaughtering weapons would cut down the apostates in Takoma Park (the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination) and all other apostate Adventists throughout the world. All in the Adventist denomination who had refused to accept Houteff's fables were to be summarily dealt with. They would die a most miserable death.

The three-and-a-half year prophecy would end in early 1959. At that time the earthly kingdom would be set up, with the Davidians to be its kings and queens. The promise was also given that Victor Houteff would be brought back to life to reign over them all.

Solemnized with the thought of the magnitude of the events rapidly to follow, the faithful looked forward to April 1959.

Yet for the leaders at Waco, it surely must have been a time of heart-searching. Could they somehow be wrong?

At this juncture, you might be interested in knowing exactly how they arrived at this date of April 22, 1959. Leaders at Mount Carmel later told representatives of the General Conference that they calculated the date in this manner: The 1260 days of Revelation 11:3-6, in literal time, would be 1260 24-hour days. Since they commenced on November 9, 1955, they would end on April 22, 1959. The events of verses 713 were, according to the Rod, to be fulfilled after April 22.

But HOW did they arrive at that date, November 9, 1955? The astonishing fact is that they just selected it, almost at random, as being the date on which the "light" on the subject was first proclaimed among them at Mount Carmel! What a haphazard way to figure when the end of the world was supposed to happen!

But, haphazard or not, they were determined that this would be the great test that would make or break their entire offshoot organization. They hung everything on their guesstimate. In their open letter to the General Conference they included this paragraph:

"By this letter we make it known to you that we are now leaving this entire matter with the Lord to demonstrate whether He is leading in the work at Mt. Carmel, or whether he is leading you to stop your ears to the message which Mt. Carmel has put forth in her official publications . . If the message and the work of the Shepherd's Rod is God's truth as we believe it to be, the 1260 days of Revelation 11 as The Symbolic Codes have explained, will end sometime this spring. Then will follow the war that will kill the two witnesses. Those whom the witnesses have tormented will gloat over this. But after 3 1/2 days the two witnesses will be exalted. At the same time will come the earthquake (shaking) in which will be slain all the hypocrites in God's part of Christendom the Adventist Church." The Symbolic Code, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 8-9.

Leaders in the Rod seemed always to have a fixation on when their enemies would be killed so they could rule the world. This morbid wish would later culminate in David Koresh. The following clear-cut statement was written in January 1959. The same issuer of The Symbolic Code also made this important statement:

"If the message and the work of the Shepherd's Rod is God's truth .. the 1260 days .. will end sometime this spring. "Mt. Carmel hereby serves notice that it now leaves the prophecy of Revelation 11 as the Code has explained it, as the test by which the Lord will demonstrate whom He is leading."-The Symbolic Code, vol. 14, no. 6, p. 29.

THE 1959 GATHERING

Thus the die was cast. If all these major events did not occur in the spring of 1959 as predicted, the Rod and its teachings would be an obvious fake. So said its leaders as the deadline drew near. It is astounding that, in the years since then, many forgot about what happened in the late 1950s,-and continued to be lured into the ranks of Rod splinter groups.

Responding to an official call to assemble at their Waco headquarters by April 16, 1959, in expectation of a hurried move to Palestine "as soon as Divine Providence should indicate," several hundred followers gathered at the Mount Carmel Center to await the beginning of final events. (See The Symbolic Code, vol. 14, no. 9, third special edition issued early in 1959, pp. 2-3.)

Both eye-witnesses and published reports indicate that between 800 and 1,000 persons were gathered at the Shepherd's Rod tabernacle at Mount Carmel Center, near Waco, Texas, during the period from April 16 to 22, 1959. This number included leaders, followers, children, news reporters, and a few curiosity-seekers.

On the morning when they were supposed to do so, a delegation of several Rodites managed to enter the Takoma Park office of Reuben R. Figuhr, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and solemnly began to tell him of the doom that was coming to Adventism that day. Always in command of every situation that he dealt with, Figuhr ordered them out before they could complete their presentation.

April 22 arrived. Nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. It was, at the very least, a prophetic disaster. The largest shake-up in the history of the Rod was about to take place. Hundreds of members would drift back into the Adventist Church or out into the world. Those remaining would splinter into splintery splits.

One of the largest of these split-offs, which appropriately enough called itself "The Branch," would later send a few colonizers to the nation of Israel in a settlement project which soon withered away.

FLORENCE STEPS IN-AND CLOSES IT

We now turn our attention to Florence Houteff. Victor had married her when he was 51, and she was only 17. So, when Houteff died at the age of 69, Florence was 35. At his death, Florence assumed full control of the Waco group. That same year she began coming out with her own predictions. Most of the disastrous predictions of the next four years were either her brain child or were developed by herself and fellow associates at the Waco center.

In 1955, when Houteff died, Florence sold off the original Waco headquarters. The expanding city of Waco had nearly reached it by this time, and so the land was divided into lots and sold to individuals and groups. Then, with the money collected from the sale, the present property, near Elk, Texas, was purchased. It is located about 10 miles east of Waco.

Total membership in the Rod was about 1,400 during Florence Houteff's leadership.

But, when the prophecies failed to produce the Second Advent in 1959, Florence started doing some second thinking. All about her was to be seen the desolating effects of following human theories. Miserable families living on the Waco property, waiting for what?

Perhaps she was more down-to-earth and practical than some of the other leaders. She had looked into the careworn faces of the assembled pilgrims at Mount Carmel, listened to their problems, and pondered what she heard. Apparently, she saw the utter foolishness of the whole thing.

Surely, it would take someone in a key position to totally change the entire situation. From June 1960 to March 1962, she did just that.

Immediately after the debacle of April 22, special services were held daily at Rod headquarters at Mount Carmel in the hope that God would yet signally overthrow His enemies, destroy the Adventists, punish the world, and set up the Davidians in their new Palestinian kingdom. Weeks passed, and the hundreds of faithful ones, still gathered there, realized that something must be done-and soon.

At about that time, several Seventh-day Adventists came onto the property and spoke with some of them. They learned that a number of them were penniless. Many had sold their homes, businesses, and property before heading down to Waco. In fullest confidence that the leaders of the Rod knew what they were talking about, all had come prepared for an imminent move to old Jerusalem where they would be enthroned in the Davidic Kingdom, and begin world-wide evangelism.

But now, one after another, individuals and families began to quietly leave Mount Carmel. They had to find work and start life over again. By now it was June, and already a small part of the assembled Davidians had left. But the larger number were still there.

On June 20, Elder A.V. Olson, a Seventh-day Adventist General Conference officer, preached at the local Adventist church in Waco, located but a few miles from the Mount Carmel Center. On the following day two leaders of the Rod visited him and requested that he meet with their executive council. This he did, and surprisingly enough, the council asked him to speak to the entire congregation gathered at Mount Carmel!

Entering the podium of the new tabernacle, he, with the help of the local Adventist pastor, spoke to them each evening and on Sabbath mornings, from June 24 through July 7. These meetings were primarily question-and-answer sessions, with questions being sent up from the floor for him to answer. Over 600 Davidians were still encamped at Mount Carmel, and the meetings were well-attended. Because the interest kept growing, and with it the number of questions, the General Conference sent down one of their research scholars, Elder Robert L. Odom (the one in charge at that time of putting together a special three-volume index to the Spirit of Prophecy).

Throughout the meetings, the Rod leaders were attentive, kind, and friendly. The Adventist workers were given full freedom in presenting their responses to the questions. As a result, a number of the Davidians decided to return to the Adventist denomination while others said they were seriously considering it.

At the close of the final meeting, Florence Houteff, Victor's widow and principal leader of the Rod, read before the assembly a resolution voted by her followers, in which they expressed their appreciation for the meetings held by the Adventist workers,-and requested the setting up of a joint committee to analyze the teachings of the Rod and "to freely discuss our differences." The full text of this resolution was included in an official letter sent by Mrs. Florence Houteff to the followers on July 14, 1959.

The meetings began on Monday afternoon, July 27, and consisted of nineteen sessions of approximately two hours each. Friday afternoon, August 7, was the last meeting. Seven representatives from each organization were in attendance throughout the meetings.

At the beginning of the first session, a basic 22-point Statement of Beliefs of Adventists was read-and agreed to by the Rod as being their beliefs also. Then, for ten sessions, the Rod presented the special views that they had inherited from Houteff. In the next six, the Adventists presented their analysis of those views.

The next step was for a series of replies by the Rod, but at this point a strange thing occurred. From the very start, the Rod agreed that its special teachings were based on both the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, but now, after sixteen sessions of having used both the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, the Rod representatives said they now wanted to switch to the Bible only in support of their views-without any reference to or use of the Spirit of Prophecy writings by either side in supporting or opposing their views.

Florence was at those meetings, but a majority of the Rod delegates seemed terrified to learn that they had NO unique teachings to offer that were reliable. Overwhelmed, they were unwilling to face any more revelations in Takoma Park meetings.

The Adventist representatives requested an adjournment in order to discuss this new plan of action. Upon meeting again, they said that the Rod motion was not consistent with its policies and teachings of the past thirty years. Indeed, on page 11 of his very first publication (The Shepherd's Rod, vol. 1, 1930), Victor Houteff had declared:

"This publication contains only one main subject with a double lesson; namely, the 144,000, and a call for reformation . . The wonderful light between its pages shines upon a larger number of scriptures which we have had no understanding of heretofore. The interpretation of these scriptures is supported by the writings of Sr. E.G. White, that is termed the Spirit of Prophecy."

Over the next three decades, this had continued to be their consistent position, as indicated in, for example, the following representative statement that ran in six consecutive issues of their periodical in the early 1940s:

"Our being, as you know, unswerving adherents of the Bible and of Sister White's writings, full-fledged S.D.A.'s, we are sure that both the Bible and Sister White's writings support the 'Rod' one hundred percent."-The Symbolic Code, vol. 7, nos. 7-12, p. 5, July-December, 1941.

The Adventist representatives also maintained that the recent April 22 disaster at Mount Carmel also revealed the inaccuracy of the Rod positions. An appeal was made for them to include the Spirit of Prophecy in their replies.

After another adjournment, the Rod said that they dare not include the Spirit of Prophecy in their doctrinal defense (for to do so would mean that the Adventists could use those writings in refuting their positions).

So the meetings concluded with appeals by the Adventists for the Davidians to return to the denomination. The greatest tragedy was their unwillingness to return to simple, humble acceptance of the Spirit of Prophecy! When we leave the Inspired Word of God, we are in a most dangerous position, and Satan will have the rule over us erelong.

Time passed. On December 12, 1961, Mrs. Florence Houteff and her associate leaders made a public-and very frank-statement in print. They declared that the fundamental teachings of Houteff and the Rod were not sound. To be certain that this statement would receive wide circulation, they again put it into print on January 16, 1962.

As if this was not enough, on March 11, 1962, Florence and her associate leaders resigned from what had been, until April 1959, the main body of the Davidians. In the process, they dissolved the corporate body and put the Mount Carmel Center property up for sale. Having done this they themselves scattered across America, just as their followers had been scattering for nearly three years.

Surely, it did seem that the Rod was finished.

The next step was for a series of replies by the Rod, but at this point a strange thing occurred. From the very start, the Rod agreed that its special teachings were based on both the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, but now, after sixteen sessions of having used both the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, the Rod representatives said they now wanted to switch to the Bible only in support of their views-without any reference to or use of the Spirit of Prophecy writings by either side in supporting or opposing their views. Florence was at those meetings, but a majority of the Rod delegates seemed terrified to learn that they had NO unique teachings to offer that were reliable. Overwhelmed, they were unwilling to face any more revelations in Takoma Park meetings.

The Adventist representatives requested an adjournment in order to discuss this new plan of action. Upon meeting again, they said that the Rod motion was not consistent with its policies and teachings of the past thirty years. Indeed, on page 11 of his very first publication (The Shepherd's Rod, vol. 1, 1930), Victor Houteff had declared:

"This publication contains only one main subject with a double lesson; namely, the 144,000, and a call for reformation . . The wonderful light between its pages shines upon a larger number of scriptures which we have had no understanding of heretofore. The interpretation of these scriptures is supported by. . the Spirit of Prophecy."

Over the next three decades, this had continued to be their consistent position, as indicated in, for example, the following representative statement that ran in six consecutive issues of their periodical in the early 1940s:

"Our being, as you know, unswerving adherents of the Bible and of the Spirit of Prophecy, full-fledged S.D.A.'s, we are sure that both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy support the `Rod' one hundred per cent."-The Symbolic Code, vol. 7, nos. 7-12, p. 5, July- December, 1941.

The Adventist representatives also maintained that the recent April 22 disaster at Mount Carmel also revealed the inaccuracy of the Rod positions. An appeal was made for them to include the Spirit of Prophecy in their replies.

After another adjournment, the Rod said that they dare not include the Spirit of Prophecy in their doctrinal defense (for to do so would mean that the Adventists could use those writings in refuting their positions).

So the meetings concluded with appeals by the Adventists for the Davidians to return to the denomination. The greatest tragedy was their unwillingness to return to simple, humble acceptance of the Spirit of Prophecy! When we leave the Inspired Word of God, we are in a most dangerous position and Satan will have the rule over us erelong.

Time passed. On December 12, 1961, Mrs. Florence Houteff and her associate leaders made a public-and very frank-statement in print. They declared that the fundamental teachings of Houteff and the Rod were not sound. To be certain that this statement would receive wide circulation, they again put it into print on January 16, 1962.

As if this was not enough, on March 11, 1962, Florence and her associate leaders resigned from what had been, until April 1959, the main body of the Davidians. In the process, they dissolved the corporate body and put the Mount Carmel Center property up for sale. Having done this they themselves scattered across America, just as their followers had been scattering for nearly three years.

Surely, it did seem that the Rod was finished.

The Rod had remained fairly close-knit until Victor Houteff's death in 1955. As noted earlier, although Houteff had appointed his wife to lead his flock until the Lord should choose another prophet to take charge of it, his entire church organization began crumbling immediately after his death. Splinter groups began forming here and there. Some were dissatisfied with the fact of Houteff's death; others with the fact that the organization continued to be strongly controlled by his immediate family. Because of events which occurred between 1955 and 1962, the entire Rod went to pieces during that time. Out of its ashes, in the early 1960s, a number of diehard groups were to arise. The leading one would be under the firm leadership of Benjamin Roden.

Benjamin Roden was said to be of Jewish ancestry. Soon after the death of Victor Houteff, Roden proclaimed himself the new leader of the Rod. Then when the Waco group, under the leadership of Florence, set that 1959 date for the end of the world, Roden dramatically announced that she was wrong-that the end of the world would not come until the next year: 1960.

But, somehow, Roden's failings managed to be forgotten by the mid-1960s. He had taken leadership of one of the splinters and, in the process, founded an offshoot, with headquarters in Riverside, California.

After a lengthy legal battle, Benjamin Roden and his wife Lois were eventually permitted to occupy the Mount Carmel Center. But, by the terms of the settlement, they were required to buy out the shares of all the Davidians holding them.

Splintering continued among the Davidians, but Roden's group remained the largest of them. Benjamin Roden called himself the antitypical David, king of Israel.

After years of hard work and internecine strife, in 1978 Roden died and his widow, Lois, became the leader at Waco. It was still called "Mount Carmel, " and was still located on that same 78-acre bit of scrub and pasture land, 10 miles east of Waco, near the Elk community, where Florence Houteff had relocated it in 1955. Now, once again it was becoming the center for the most fanatical elements in the Rod.

But, by this time, members no longer called themselves "the Rod." Instead, they spoke of themselves as "Branch Davidians. " This was done to distinguish the Rodenites from Rod groups elsewhere, who were simply calling themselves "Davidians." In their publications, the Roden group called themselves "The Branch."

By the mid 1970s, Lois Roden had established herself as the new prophet of the Davidians. In 1977, Lois created a small sensation in the press when she announced a new teaching: Claiming to have received a vision from God, she said that the Holy Spirit was a woman. Newspaper photographers came out and snapped pictures of her holding a dove in her hand.

In honor of the new teaching, Lois and her followers launched a new publication, called the "SHEkinah."

This peculiar teaching was quickly adopted by her followers, and is held today by those in the Waco center including Koresh, as well as by a number of other Davidian groups elsewhere. Keep in mind that, by the 1980s, there were over ten separate Davidian groups in the United States and several overseas. They were consistently quite small, with the exception of the group at Waco, which was always the largest and most fanatical. The people most possessed with Davidian errors would move there to await the end of the world and their move to Jerusalem.

Lois died in 1986, but by then other mouthpieces were already arising. One hopeful was her son, George.

Another called himself "Eliakim." Anxious to establish himself as someone important in the world of the Davidians, a man traveled to Israel and soon began sending out newsletters to the faithful, using a concocted Hebrew name. He claimed to have a small acreage in Israel, which he said was to be used as a stopover for the Davidians when they shortly made that sudden journey to old Jerusalem, where they would all be enthroned in the Davidic Kingdom.

We earlier mentioned that the seeds of destruction of Davidianism was in its own teachings. In the early 1980s, a young, 23-year-old man walked into the Waco center.

His name was Vernon Howell. He would transform the Waco center into an armed fortress, change his name to David Koresh, and finally take on the U.S. Government.