WCG History
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Armstrong Addresses 8,000
Garner Ted Tells
Worldwide Members
Of Great Work Ahead
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WCG History
Garner Ted Tells Worldwide Members Of Great Work Ahead
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Garner Ted Armstrong, junior leader in the Worldwide Church of God spoke to a crowd of 8,000 church members from all over the nation and Canada Saturday and received a warm reception and send off after his two-one hour presentations.
Garner Ted, son of Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God, known throughout the world for his "World Tomorrow" television and radio broadcasts, captivated the audience with his opening message and concluding sermon.
His opening statements centered on the continuing work of the church and its leaders including a breakthrough in paid religious services.
"The television stations have had a policy to broadcast no paid religious services. Now the Church of God has a breakthrough in San Francisco, but the time as noted, is very late and it's a bad time".
While the broadcast time is a breakthrough. Garner Ted added, "We need to walk through many more doors". A following poll of hands showed that about one-half of the members present in the convention center are currently unable to hear either radio or television Church of God broadcasts through his "World Tomorrow".
The forceful speaker told the crowd that the Church of God is not taking a "caretaker attitude" and following the path of conservatism. Church activities, he said, have grown,"We send out 3.6 million Plain Truth magazines" Garner started emphasizing statistics. "We are using 12 million watts of power through radio and television on 91 stations in 89 cities in 42 states with the "World Tomorrow", We have also invented a portable TV video pod that fits into a 707 and is in demand by networks".
Armstrong continued, "I will be doing five minute radio programs and they will pay us to do in depth commentary of world happenings. It will cost the church nothing, but it gives the church exposure."
He said that the staff sends out 48.7 million pieces of mail of God's work and 60 percent of the foreign work is completely on its own feet. "One-third of a million people used the watts line inquiring about correspondence", Armstrong said,
A short time later Armstrong returned to the podium for the sermon, in which he emphatically criticized the ills of the nation and world.
Armstrong began the sermon by saying that "World War II soldiers had a better chance of surviving than a baby born today" because of the murders that happen daily in America. He hit on the big casinos, motels and hotels in Las Vegas that are "owned by dirty rotten crooks — the Mafia". He blasted pornography and megaton bombs that now carry the explosive force equivalent to one and even two World War IIs.
This is not God's world," Armstrong said. "This world is in a wretched mess. Seventy per cent of the people go to church, but how do you get off by saying that 60 percent of them are crooks. Every fourth car on the Los Angeles Freeway has a gun in it."
"We've read that Your cities will burn with fire. That strangers, will devour our land in our presence. The Japanese are buying up our Oregon timber tracts and selling the lumber back to us cheaper than we can buy it here. The Germans are buying steel out of the Port of Houston, taking back to Germany, making barbed wire and selling it to Texas ranchers cheaper than what they can buy it for in the United States."
Armstrong's remarks also leveled on the media as he criticized reporters seeking out Watergate and Watergate-type stories.
"They only speak in negativism and cartoonists make public officials look like dirty, rotten crooks. Squeaky Fromme pleaded not guilty for trying to kill the president! She did not come from a solid home life and (Charles) Manson is a Satan -possessed freak. They have absolutely no remorse (for what they have done or attempted to do).
Armstrong said that publicity on how murders were committed or attempted has "all the kooks and creeps coming out of the woodwork, They (newspapers) tell them how to do it, The Los Angeles Times and Time Magazine told exactly how to use a gun. They said, '"Hey, if you wanted to kill the president, here's how to do it! That's journalism? That's reporting? There can be such a thing as common sense, discretion."
"World War III is coming!" he continued. "It might be one year, five years, seven years, Man has a mind like a raving animal. According to God, everything will come to an end. The country will burn to a crisp. This country's going down the drain!"
He continued, "We've got to work, we got a job to do. You know there's only one protection — God's hands. We've had ministers who have deserted the ship, We've had people draw back and yet we have started more churches, ordained more ministers, had more brethren join the church, and more baptized to more than make up for those who left."
"The end will come totally unexpected and Jesus said this is the way the world is going to end — totally unexpected. We have to be instantly alert and aware that we are living in very frightening and perilous times, You are the calling. You are the work. You're the reason I'm here and I'm the reason you're here and together we have a tremendous job to do."
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