Enlargeth Gad

Greetings in the Most Precious & Divine Name of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ who has in this day revealed Himself to us in the Wonderful Personality of H.I.M. Haile Selassie I.

Greetings through the Orthodox Faith, not a faith of writs or rites, vows, nor laws, but an inward function of the heart, acquired through a Mystical Incorporation, or Unity in One, in plain words to be Born Again.

Greetings through the Twelve Tribes of Israel, which was once lost and scattered abroad, but has now been founded on the island of Jamaica since 1968 by Our Beloved Prophet, Brother Gad, and now functioning internationally!

Greetings also in the Ethiopian Royal House of David now being represented by Our Beloved Crown Prince Zere Yacob Asfa Wossen Haile Selassie I. We pray for the Restoration of the Monarchy! Selassie I!

The words above are the official greetings of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, the Rastafari mansion, or organization, which was founded by Dr. Vernon Carrington Gad, known by his followers as Gadman or Prophet Gad. Today, November 1st , is the Earthstrong of the beloved Gadman. Although he no longer trods the earth in flesh, his works and teachings will endure.

In Rastafari, there is a central unifying concept which mostly revolves around Emperor Haile Selassie I, Marcus Garvey and the idea of African liberation, but the interpretation of these personalities and other tenants within the movement vary from Rasta to Rasta, especially those within one of the major mansions. For instance, the Bobo Shanti Rastas praise Edward Emmanuel along with Haile Selassie I and Marcus Garvey as part of their trinity. Nyahbinghi Rastas may hold one of the bongo elders or ones like Leonard Howell as the next central figure. However, I as a Twelve Tribes Rastafarian see Gadman as the next most influential person in Rastafari.

A reasoning about Prophet Gad has been a long time coming. Although I never actually got the opportunity to meet the man, he has had one of the greatest spiritual influences on me. I came to know of Gad soon after a shift in my life, when soul-searching, prayer, and the love and care of bredrens and sistrens brought me to a new overstanding. By the age of 22, I was seriously starting my trod as a Rastafari. My approach to Rastafari has partly to do with the reason why I crossed paths with the Twelve Tribes of Israel. I was raised as a practicing Catholic, had a good education, and for the most part used my intelligence. I had a keen spiritual sense and strong faith, but also a logical and scholarly way of thinking. That same sense allowed me to closely study the history of Africa, of Ethiopia, and the Bible. As I started my trod, many things in Rastafari harmonized with me, but some did not. Certain things I could not sight because of what I knew historically and biblically, and because of my own identity and ethnicity. Perhaps I was approaching certain Rastafari reasonings from a different angle, perhaps I was not accepting it esoterically or allegorically (I did eventually expand past my “comfort” zones). Either way, I was seeking to continue my trod, but find ones who I could identify with and grow with as I went on my journey. My close bredren spoke of the Twelve Tribes, I heard of the Twelve Tribes in the reggae music I listened to, I came across reasonings in books and online. The spirit of Truth and of acceptance vibed with me and more and more I sought out to find out about this Twelve Tribes of Israel organization within the Rastafari movement. I began to follow many of Gad’s teachings but I soon wanted to formally be a part of it. Eventually I got a telephone number for the closest headquarters... I called, explained I wanted to visit and who I was, and I was warmly encouraged to come. By the time I was 23, I had officially become a member of TTOI, and perhaps worried my family that I was joining an obscure cult, but I eventually had time to explain all of that too, and Dr. Vernon Carrington’s teachings helped. I suppose I stepped right in his footpath.

Vernon Carrington had been a member of the Ethiopian World Federation in Jamaica, when he had a revelation and began to closely read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. He started to identify with one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel spoken about in the Old Testament, the Tribe of Gad. Eventually he saw it as his duty to reunite Israel which was scattered throughout the world and his message brought him many followers in Trench Town, Kingston. He told others to read the Bible cover to cover, just like he did, and seek answers for themselves. Gadman brought something unique to the Rastafari movement in the late 1960’s. Something that earned him the criticism of many others within the Rasta community. His teachings were quite unorthodox compared to the traditional Nyahbinghi roots anchored in the philosophies of the “Holy Piby” and Leonard Howell’s “The Promise Key”. Many Rastas knew and followed Scripture, but mostly Genesis, Revelation and the Psalms. Because the Bible was seen as the tool of the oppressors, much of it was forsaken. Yet Bro. Gad said it was all important to read the entire Bible because the message within remained true.

Gadman began to fill in a gap that had grown between Rastafari and Christianity, and in actuality also the very words and identity of H.I.M. Haile Selassie I. He encouraged literacy and education, having followers read the Bible a chapter a day along with the speeches of Haile Selassie I and Marcus Garvey. He also asked followers to get a Metaphysical Bible Dictionary and to read the daily newspaper. Many Rastas did not (and still do not) read the utterances of Selassie or Garvey for themselves. Many were not literate in the Bible outside of certain passages. Things are mostly communicated orally and musically in Rastafari, but Gad was saying for people to check things for themselves and seek Truth by using their own intelligence and not the words of others... even those of himself. So with a firm foundation of to build on, Prophet Gad continued to reveal more teachings. Brother Gad taught that by reading the entire Bible, one would find the relevance of both the Old and New Testaments and recognize that Jesus Christ was the savior, and also that the Spirit of Christ could be found in the personality of H.I.M. Haile Selassie I. One would be able to overstand this concept through the eternal promises to David, the Davidic Covenant which so many Christians neglect to this day. He taught that anyone could identify with the Twelve Tribes of Israel according to their month of birth. Each tribe represented a part of the body of Christ and had its own faculties and tendencies along with their own designated color.

If being saved by Jesus Christ’s name was not enough of a shock to the Rasta community, the revelations would continue to cause a disturbance. He said “whosever will may come”, and rather than deal with race, he spoke of humanity as the decedents of Noah’s three sons: Ham, Shem and Japheth. Therefore all were welcome and all were bredren, there was no racial discrimination. Gad reminded Rastafari people that women stood next to man as equals and were represented in the organization. Although there was a lot of talk about Mama Africa and Queen Omega, women had a history of being considered, or at least treated, as second-class in the traditional patriarchy of Rastafari. In Twelve Tribes, women had important roles and positions. Gad taught that faith was not of writs or rites, and therefore there was no doctrine of race, sex, food, hair, smoking or holidays... rather ones were saved by grace and adherence to certain practices was optional. Gad encouraged ones to act as princes and princess and to carry themselves as royalty. He taught that marriage was good and important for raising families, and that proper burials were not a problem because man was flesh. These are things that some traditional Rastas have avoided. Gad taught ones to spread the message of unity through music and TTOI began to host stage shows and dances, and record reggae artists. In fact some of the biggest reggae superstars were Twelve Tribes members: Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Freddie McGregor, Judy Mowatt, Sister Carol, Junior Byles, Brigadier Jerry, Israel Vibration, Denroy Morgan and Morgan Heritage... and many others. The message still continues in the words of other artists, for instance Luciano and Messenjah Selah, who as far as I know may not officially be Twelve Tribes members but adhere to many of the concepts.

Prophet Gad stressed the importance of organization. He began formal membership, had a system of succession, and centralized headquarters in Jamaica and then wherever the mansion was established. Dr. Vernon Carrington’s message spread internationally to twenty houses in eighteen countries all over the world: Jamaica, Ethiopia, Ghana, Grenada, Australia, New Zealand, England (Manchester & London), Barbados, Sweden, Suriname, Cayman, USA (New York & California), St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Kenya, Germany and Guyana. Members would have one voice with uniform greetings and banners (red, gold and green hats). Gadman also spoke of being diplomatic and cooperate with authority (within reason of course). Headquarters display the flags of Ethiopia and the local country, a photo of the local head of state is within the HQ (in America that included Bush). The concept is in line with the Bible in accordance to the words of Yeshua (Jesus) who said to give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. Therefore Twelve Tribes in non-political and peaceful and does not set out to stirrup conflict.

Brother Gad stressed the importance of repatriation back to Ethiopia. While this is a central tenant of Rastafari, Gad and the Twelve Tribes fulfilled this by sending members to live in Shashamane Land and recommended that all of the different mansions and individuals with Rastafari join together there under the Jamaican Rastafarian Development Community. Finally, Gadman showed ones that Selassie’s divinity and anointment are significant because he has prepared David’s throne for Christ’s coming, and called us to rally around Jehovah Throne. He taught ones to recognize that H.I.M. Haile Selassie I designated his son and grandson, Zere Yacob, to succeed the throne and that the Davidic/Solomonic Monarchy of Ethiopia continues beyond Selassie I until Shiloh, the return of Christ comes, because Israel shall never be short of a king or a prophet. The Twelve Tribes has organized benefits for the exiled family where they have attended. So Gadman has united the Twelve Tribes of Israel with the King, both physically and metaphysically.

All of these visions and teachings of Dr. Vernon Carrington, The Prophet Gad, helped bring Rastafari beliefs in order with what is revealed in the Bible and what has been spoken by H.I.M. Haile Selassie I, as well as Marcus Garvey. All of Gadman’s teachings have Biblical compliments... the holy foundation that even His Majesty claimed to glorify and said that all “all the ancient Scriptures were written for Our instruction...”. Gad’s teachings have received criticism and ridicule from other Rastas not willing to accept such things as the fullness of the Bible, or the idea of being saved by grace through Christ, or the inclusion of different nationalities in the unification of Israel. Some have even ridiculed members for being more educated and economically stable, which seems more like resentment. Nevertheless, how can Rastafari people argue with His Majesty? Ultimately Gad’s works reveal the reason why H.I.M. Haile Selassie I is the King of Kings. Twelve Tribes eventually became the largest and most organized of all the Rastafari mansions. The people influenced by Gadman’s revelations are twice as much, even if they don’t realize they are receiving lessons through some of the songs of Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, or Morgan Heritage.

I give thanks to Bro. Gad for what he has shown JAH people. I remember following his advice and when I started reading the Bible a chapter a day even before I joined Twelve Tribes. It took me three and a half years and I gained so much wisdom and knowledge. Although I haven’t read it through again consecutively, I keep the Bible handy at all times. In addition I read the Kebra Nagast and other books taken out of the Bible, like the Book of Enoch. I continued to read the Utterances of His Majesty and the Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey. The greatest thing was that I was not commanded to do a thing, or forced to believe anything. I was only encouraged by Brother Gad and the executive body at TTOI HQ in NY to read the Bible a chapter a day to find the truth for myself. This is the same way Gadman taught his followers, and the same way they are still taught... to cross the bridges in our gaps of understanding and come closer to JAH and the teachings of His Majesty while operating with love and unity. While I am a Twelve Tribes of Israel member, I have also sighted up things outside of the main tenants of the organization... as I am sometimes carried along by the natural mystic of Rastafari, and the Nyahbinghi teachings that go beyond Scripture. However, thanks to Bro. Gad, I always have the firm foundation of Orthodox Faith to stand on, and ultimately the Truth reveals itself in JAH Word.

Our beloved Prophet Gad passed on in 2005. I remember calling the Twelve Tribes HQ in NY to double check if the news was true. I attended a memorial for him at NYC and was wishing I could have gone to Kingston for the gathering of Israel at his funeral. Years later I did reach, and I met Sister Vie (Sister Dinah), Gadman’s wife. It was an honor to meet her and shake her hand at the Twelve Tribes organ in Kingston. I could only express how thankful I was for Bro. Gad’s teachings and how they changed my life and overstanding of my faith. He stopped his breath to save the people... surely there was a prophet amongst us. So, Israel continues to enlargeth Gad!

"And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head." - Deuteronomy 33:20

Long Live The Prophet Gad! Read your Bible a Chapter a Day!

Are You Picking Up?,
JAHsh
Joshua Curzan Simeon

Journey Along Life’s Way

As I was driving into New York, I couldn’t quite remember how long it had been... somewhere in between too long and awhile ago. Either way, I was happy that I had the opportunity to make the trip because circumstances have been pressuring me lately. I started attending meetings at the Twelve Tribes of Israel back in 2003, and I think my official date of membership at the NY HQ is January 2004. Those were some tumultuous times in my life, but I was trying to find some peace of mind. I was in my young twenties and had gone through my fair share of trials and tribulations of the heart and soul. I had also started my trod with Rastafari about two years prior to that and I was on a quest to mature more in my overstanding of things to find a community that I could take part in and belong to... especially when it sometimes seemed like I was a lonely sheep. The same reason I was driving now, was the same reason I was driving then... for fellowship and renewal.

I remember when I was still living in the neighborhood in Newark as a young man and my good bredren and mentor had often used the language and ideas espoused by the Twelve Tribes in the advice he had given me. It had always resonated with me when we would reason about life and everything within it. The Rastafari trod has many different facets to it, and by that time I had already been exposed to different levels and philosophies within the movement, but the Twelve Tribes vibes always came back to plant a seed within me. Eventually it led me to learn more about the actual Rastafari organization called the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and about Prophet Gad, Dr. Vernon Carrington, TTOI’s founder. I had found and read interviews with Gadman, read books like Bro. Karl Philpotts Naphtali’s “Testimony of H.I.M. Haile Selassie I”, and listened to reggae artists who followed the Twelve Tribes philosophy. I started following Gadman’s teachings, like reading the Bible a chapter a day, along with the utterances of H.I.M. Haile Selassie I and Marcus Garvey. As an educated and tolerant person I embraced the Twelve Tribes teaching on self-reliance, literacy, nondiscrimination and unity, as well as refocusing through a new lens on the Christian faith... a faith that I had nearly abandoned in anger, but found rejuvenation in as a Twelve Tribes Rastafari. After taking it upon myself to follow the guidance of Prophet Gad, and having acquired a strong knowledge of the Scriptures, Ethiopia and His Majesty in the process, the last thing for me to do was sign up, seal up and be a member of the organization that I had studied so fervently. Fortunately Twelve Tribes had a house in New York and I lived close enough to the New York area, so I joined and I attended meetings and functions when I could. Eventually between going to graduate school, and working as a teacher I could not go as often as I liked and time passed. So did Prophet Gad in 2005. I remember attending a special meeting in his remembrance. I never got to meet him, but he changed my life.

Forward back to 2010. It was one of the colder evenings of the year so far, jacket weather. Out of the four quarterly meetings each year, October and April were the easiest for me to attend. I figured if I missed this one, it might be another year of absence for me. I walked to the gates of the HQ, and stepped through. The first time I had been to the NYC House of Twelve Tribes in maybe two years. Since then I had actually been to the “organ”, the original Twelve Tribes HQ in Kingston, Jamaica, on Hope Road just up from Bob Marley’s old home (who was also a TTOI member in his day). There I met with Sangie Davis, a reggae artist and producer for Orthodox Muzik of Twelve Tribes, and amongst other bredrens and sistrens I met Sis. Dinah 1st, Gad’s widow... but the visit there to Hope Road is a story of its own. Now I was here again on Farmers Boulevard in Queens. I walked into the doorway and greeted bredrens and sistrens wearing the “banner”, the red, gold, and green tam that all members wear during official functions. I had mine with me as well, but I passed through proudly with my locks swinging free, as it was the first time I had been there since growing them nearly 2 years ago. I took a look around. The same signs with the tribe names and their colors were across the top hallway wall, pictures of His Majesty and the Royal Family were in their spots, the latest news and communication from other houses was posted. I chatted with a few people and learned that one of the executives, the original overseer of the New York house, repatriated to Shashamane Land, Ethiopia along with his family. I saw some other familiar faces, but they would be missed, especially since I rarely made visits. Yet repatriation is one of the missions of the organization..

A sistren greeted me and I chatted how it had been such a long while since I had come, but how circumstances allowed me to come again tonight. She remarked on how nice it was that I was able to make the journey there and how it was destiny to come back in this time. “Yes Simeon”, she said, “strong of faith!” (I am of the Tribe of Simeon, and faith is one of our tendencies). She also made mention of how it was the anniversary of H.I.M. Haile Selassie I’s 1963 visit to the United States tomorrow (which is today, Oct. 4th) and that in the same way it revealed a natural mystic in my visit. I thought about that. Soon after, the meeting began in the familiar way, Ezekiel 37, and continued with reasonings, financial oversight, and messages to the massive. After a few hours of some empowering words in the company of bredrens and sistrens, the meeting ended with the Ethiopian Anthem. I wish that I could have stayed longer to reason with ones and spend some time at the HQ but I had a 2 hour drive back home and still had to work tomorrow (although not at my usual very early time). On my way out, I chatted with a few more bredrens who urged me to come more often again. I said I would try... and that is my intention. Not just to make the occasional meeting, but to come and just cool out on an occasional Friday evening.

I realized that even just a short time there in the New York house gave me a renewed energy, a renewed sense of self and resistance to the Babylon folly flooding all around me in my daily life. Whatever it is that caused me to set out to the meeting that night, whether it was the shift in my schedule, the mere determination, or the Hand of JAH... I was able to come and complete that journey. Just like His Majesty made his visit to New York and the USA on this date, I also set out to my destination on the eve of that anniversary, and maybe it is that sign for me to strengthen up and find that fervor I did when I had first sighted up Rastafari, along with Gadman and his message to Israel. My good bredren often says to me, “two mountains don’t meet” because I sometimes don’t get to visit with him as much as I like either. Yet, as Rastamen we also both know that everything is in its due time and season. When we journey along life’s way we move in a progressive manner... seeking to advance and improve. A simple journey of 100 miles one October evening has given me some more mileage for the spiritual trod ahead. A little more prayer, a little more study, a little more livication to help me along Life’s Way and give me strength every day! Give thank to JAH! Give thanks to all the bredrens and sistrens who trod together toward One God, One Aim and One Destiny!

More Life,
JAHsh

Chapter A Day

Today is a day of extreme significance for me. I haven't had the chance to think over things and articulate its importance properly; nevertheless, it is something I needed to write about while it is still relevant. It is the end of a long journey of awareness and discovery for me, and yet it is also the beginning. Sometime around January 28, 2003 I began a vow to read a chapter of the Bible a day, from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, the latter of which I read today on May 1, 2005. For anyone who is wondering, reading the Bible in this manner takes exactly 3 years and 94 days. There are quicker ways of accomplishing this, there is a system to read the Bible in one year, or in three years exactly by combining smaller chapters together. However, back in the beginning of 2003 I decided to stick to the plan of reading and meditating on just one chapter a day. I owe this idea to a Rastafari leader named Dr. Vernon Carrington, "Prophet Gad", or as we Twelve Tribes of Israel fondly call him, "Gadman".

About 5 years ago I began to seriously sight up Rastafari, living a certain way of life, following certain teachings and applying them to my own personal trod. Years before that, I had been aware of some things, but not until I was exposed to the "livity" on a day-to-day basis did I truly understand it. Rastafari revealed itself by the hand of Almighty JAH through friends and those around me. Yes, Jerusalem schoolroom. It was the most pure and unadulterated thing I had ever witnessed, and that is how I approached Rastafari, not a political thing, a nationalist thing, not a joke thing... just love, understanding, equality, justice, and righteousness. Soon after gaining a foothold, I was tested in the fire of tribulation, a personal battle that eventually refined me and made me stronger than I had ever been before. To make a long story short, that trial brought me closer to JAH and I pursued Rastafari even more, trying to find those with a common vigor, and more people I could learn from. Although my bredrens were not part of any particular organization within Rastafari, many of the teachings and reasonings they shared with me were similar to what I found when I came across the Twelve Tribes of Israel, an organization or "mansion" within the Rastafari movement. It is not necessary to go into detail about them here in this entry, but many things made sense. My bredrens had shown me how all mankind was manifested in the Twelve Tribes, when I learned that this idea along with others I held were sighted up by the organization, I went to a meeting to see for I-self. Later I became a member of the Twelve Tribes, but that too is another story. One of the teachings espoused by Twelve Tribes was Gadman's calling to "read one chapter of the Bible a day, from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22", with a "clear conscience" in order to find the truth for oneself.

In Rastafari I found certain sets of people saying different things, yet all identifying themselves as Rasta. I also read the words of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I, and found some contradictions amongst those following H.I.M., so by this time I was trying to find the deeper substance of things, the voice of JAH and not the voice or traditions of man. All Rastas sight up the Bible in some portion, most pick and choose... but Gadman said to read the whole Bible, and even more so, King Selassie I said that all of the Scriptures were written for our instruction. I had decided to take up Gadman on his instruction, and I am very thankful for it. It was not about somebody telling me what to believe, nor any particular group. Not my Catholic upbringing, not any church, politician, ideology, not any Rasta group, whether Nyabinghi, Bobo Shanti... not even Twelve Tribes. It was about finding the Truth for oneself. Spirituality and recognition of the Bible and certain biblical truths are what seemed to put everything together for me... a natural mystic outside the bounds of any rite or ritual, and a learning spirit free of a hardened heart. Such a foundation is a blessing, because as H.I.M. Emperor Selassie I said, "Spirituality is not theology or ideology. It is simply a way of life, pure and original as was given by the Most High." Reading the Scriptures gave me that realization and it really didn't matter to me what the next man say.

Within those 3 and a quarter years of reading I have grown tremendously. I have gained so much wisdom and have made my own mind based upon what I have learned and meditated on. Rastafari liberated me, but not without the daily meditations on the Scriptures to help give me some guidance. When I needed in answer to something in my life I could find it through prayer, meditation and studying the words of the prophets. These 3 years have also presented many other changes... escalated wars in the world, injuries and physical changes I've had, relationships, deaths, births, etc., even Gadman passed in 2005. The journey is never done though, and it goes beyond the mere pages of a God inspired book... it is Life it is Creation, the Truth is revealing. The trod never ends cause I&I never stop growing, always seeking JAH in all things! Tomorrow I start reading again... Genesis 1, another walk with King Alpha and Queen Omega.

Bless Up,
JAHsh