Ben Roden’s Branch Letters were written mostly (if not entirely) from the mid-1950s to the end of the 1960s. Many of the letters were written as open letters to Seventh-day Adventists, or to Davidians, or to the leaderships of either group. These letters communicate the core elements of Ben Roden’s teachings and include some of his most important writings. This is perhaps especially true of the Seven Letters to Florence Houteff and the Seven Letters to Elder Figuhr which make up the first of his writings, and in that sense, the foundational teachings of the Branch Davidian message.
In organizing the Branch Letters, we have created separate pages for the Seven Letters to Florence Houteff and the Seven Letters to Elder Figuhr respectively, and below that we have all the Branch Letters organized by publishing date.
Seven Letters to Florence Houteff
Seven Letters to Elder Figuhr
To DSDA Executive Council (7L-FH L1) – Sep. 23
What the People are Saying (7L-FH L2) – Oct. 3
What the People are Saying (7L-FH L3) – Oct. 7
What the People are Saying (7L-FH L4) – Oct. 18
What the People are Saying (7L-FH L5) – Nov. 15
What the People are Saying (7L-FH L6) – Feb. 3
What the People are Saying (7L-FH L7) – March 12
To Elder Figuhr and GC Committee (7L-EF L1) – Sep. 27
To Elder Figuhr and GC Committee (7L-EF L2) – Oct.1Though we do not have the specific dates for Letters 2-3 and Davidian Questions and Answers, they are dated by month and we can know they were written before October 22 since they refer to that date as yet future.
To Elder Figuhr and GC Committee (7L-EF L3) – Oct.
Davidian Questions and Answers – Oct.
To Elder Figuhr and GC Committee (7L-EF L4) – Oct. 22
To Elder Figuhr and GC Committee (7L-EF L5) – Oct. 26
To Elder Figuhr and GC Committee (7L-EF L6) – Oct. 29
To Elder Figuhr and GC Committee (7L-EF L7) – Feb. 22
The Stone – Nov. 24
The Stone: Summary 2While this letter is not dated, the evidence indicates that it could have been published anytime from Nov. 24 – Dec. 31. The two facts that bear this out are 1) that it summarizes The Stone, which was published on Nov. 24 and 2) that it refers to 1959 as being “next year.” The only qualifier to this is if Ben Roden had the spring-spring scriptural calendar in mind, then it is possible the date could be pushed ahead as late as spring 1959.
The Fall of Assyria and the Liberation of the Saints – March 16
The Atonement and Passover Feast – April 14
Dear Fellow Believer – Dec. 8
Dear Heritage of God – Aug. 17
The Arm of The Lord – March 27
Blow Ye The Trumpet In Zion – Sep. 10
Undated3While these letters are not dated, we can infer certain a little about when they were written. One key is that the Branch headquarters changed from Odessa, Texas to Waco, Texas in in the spring of 1965 and literature dated to that time and after no longer uses the Odessa address. Since The Healing of the Nations 2 used the Odessa adress, it must have been written before the spring of 1965. The Healing of the Nations was naturally written before its sequel and we know that Jezreel Letters #1-2 were written before that since Jezreel Letter #2 is quoted in The Healing of the Nations.
Jezreel Letter #1
The Healing of the Nations
The Healing of the Nations 2
The Remnant Church and Babylon
11th Hour Extra – Riddle #1
Tyre and Zidon
The Law of Moses in the Light of Revelation 14
- 1Though we do not have the specific dates for Letters 2-3 and Davidian Questions and Answers, they are dated by month and we can know they were written before October 22 since they refer to that date as yet future.
- 2While this letter is not dated, the evidence indicates that it could have been published anytime from Nov. 24 – Dec. 31. The two facts that bear this out are 1) that it summarizes The Stone, which was published on Nov. 24 and 2) that it refers to 1959 as being “next year.” The only qualifier to this is if Ben Roden had the spring-spring scriptural calendar in mind, then it is possible the date could be pushed ahead as late as spring 1959.
- 3While these letters are not dated, we can infer certain a little about when they were written. One key is that the Branch headquarters changed from Odessa, Texas to Waco, Texas in in the spring of 1965 and literature dated to that time and after no longer uses the Odessa address. Since The Healing of the Nations 2 used the Odessa adress, it must have been written before the spring of 1965. The Healing of the Nations was naturally written before its sequel and we know that Jezreel Letters #1-2 were written before that since Jezreel Letter #2 is quoted in The Healing of the Nations.
