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May 14th, 1941
Dear CO-WORKERS in the services of Christ:
GREETINGS! in Jesus' name. Here is your copy of The
PLAIN TRUTH.
With it I feel I must send this heart-to-heart letter,
just to the comparative few of you who are co-workers with me in
the Master's work. The time has come when I must take you into my
confidence about some conditions and problems in this work. It has
grown till we face a grave crisis.
The past two months our radio audience, especially over
KRSC, Seattle, has doubled and tripled. When we were forced to
change our time to 8:30 Sunday mornings, it proved a great blessing
in disguise. Truly, ALL things work together for GOOD to those who
fear and love God. This new time has made it possible for me to go
to Seattle every Sunday, broadcasting in person from the KRSC
studios each Sunday morning since the change in time,--then driving
to Portland in time for the 4 o'clock afternoon broadcast. These
long 640-mile trips every week-end have been arduous and tiring,
but they are bearing rich fruit for God's kingdom. Letters are
coming in by the hundreds. The mail response indicates our radio
audience has grown to more than a QUARTER OF A MILLION SOULS over
these three North-West stations alone!
The work has now completely out grown our present
facilities for handling it. We are faced with a serious problem.
To solve it, I feel I must take you into my confidence concerning
certain phases of the work.
Eight years ago Mrs. Armstrong and I came to realize, by
experience, that any man must SERVE the man or organization who
pays him his salary. We found that if we were dependant for
livelihood on some denomination or religious organization, we would
be FORCED to preach doctrines we knew to be false and contrary to
God's Word;---and to be silent where we know God speaks. We
learned there was but ONE WAY we could be FREE to preach the whole
Truth as God reveals it, honestly, truthfully, fearlessly,--and
that was to look to the One we serve for financial needs, as well
as every other need. Then and there Mrs. Armstrong and I solemnly
pledged our Father in heaven we would henceforth look only to HIM,
in living FAITH, for every need. Men told us it could not be done.
No man, they said, would DARE preach the plain truths of the Bible
---the WHOLE truth---for people would never support it. But we saw
in the Bible where God PROMISES to supply every need. "Seek ye
FIRST the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness," is the
instruction, and the PROMISE is that all material needs shall be
added. Well, we believed God was able, and we took Him at His
Word.
The first Sunday in 1934 The RADIO CHURCH OF GOD went on
the air on sheer FAITH. God opened the way, and the small expense
then required was supplied. Often it came in strange and
unexpected ways---often at the very last minute---but it came!
Gradually but surely this work has grown until a quarter of a
million souls are now reached every Sunday. Thru these years our
faith has been sorely tried and tested. We pay AS WE GO, day by
day, week by week, running no bills. I leave a check for each
broadcast at the time we go on the air. If the money were not on
hand by then, this great work would have to be stopped! Time after
time we have come right down to Saturday night or Sunday morning
without the money for the Sunday broadcasts. But always, at the
last moment, the necessary amount has come. God says "Owe no man
anything," and I have found that if we OBEY Him, conduct His work
His way, and TRUST Him, He never will leave or forsake us, no
matter how discouraging things may appear. We never beg for money
over the air. We do not ask for it in The PLAIN TRUTH. The Gospel
must go FREE---not sold for a price like merchandise. To beg for
money over the air is NOT a work of faith---but only to hold the
Gospel up to ridicule before the unconverted whom we wish most to
reach. We have put God's promises to the acid TEST, and we have
learned He is always faithful.
For years we have carried on this work from a very small
office in Eugene. It is an inside office, without windows or fresh
air, and without ventilation. We can only work in it an hour or
two at a time without going out for a bit of fresh air. It is not
a healthful place to work, but it has kept our expenses down.
Here, without modern office equipment, with only some old tables
and shelves---without even filing cabinets---Mrs. Armstrong and I
have been carrying on this work almost wholly by ourselves. Twice,
for a brief space of time, we had a woman to help in the office,
but neither could take shorthand or operate a typewriter. For
years we have mimeographed and printed The PLAIN TRUTH ourselves in
this office, with only the occasional help of some volunteers for
folding, addressing, stamping, and mailing. We have sacrificed and
worked hard. We have had to get behind in answering letters, but
the work has kept going---AND GROWING!
Hundreds have been converted---even atheists brought to
Christ thru this work. The true GOSPEL, and the last WARNING
Message has continued going out in power to the hundreds of
thousands. Yes, we know the sacrifice, the hardship, the test of
faith, HAS BEEN WORTH WHILE!
But now it has outgrown our ability to handle it longer
alone. With hundreds of letters coming in now from each broadcast
---with The PLAIN TRUTH circulation now at 5,000 copies and still
growing rapidly---with the Los Angeles broadcast now ready to be
launched---we have come to the place where we are FORCED to move to
a larger office, and have more help in the office.
Yesterday a splendid opportunity was opened to us for a
larger office in another building. There is ample room, large
windows, sunlight and fresh-air ventilation. Adjoining rooms are
available later, as the work expands and requires. This splendid
and larger office is offered to us for only $5 an month more than
we have paid where we are---which is about one-third what such an
office ordinarily would cost.
We must add now, without further delay, some office
equipment, filing cabinets, desks, another typewriter.
For years one of my greatest problems has been the need
of an efficient secretary who can take dictation, cut stencils,
operate the mimeograph machine, take full charge of the mailing
list. I haven't known where to turn, because we could not afford
to pay a third the salary an efficient secretary would command.
Again, above all we needed for this job a Christian whose heart was
in this work. We have known of no one who would fit these
qualifications at a salary we could afford. But God has now worked
that out, too. Just about three weeks ago we heard that one of our
recent converts, a young woman whom I baptized only last Fall, is
an experienced stenographer. Mrs. Armstrong saw her, and at once
she was eager to help. She was willing to work without pay---but
she is in need, and God says the servant is worthy of his hire. Of
course I cannot let her devote her time to the office without
compensation, but she is more than willing to take the job at small
salary because her HEART is in God's work. We have had her working
in the office last week and this, We have found her efficient,
capable, and a fast worker---just the girl we have needed to take
charge of the secretarial work in the office.
We have tried not to get ahead of the Lord. But God's
time, clearly, has come. He Himself is now going before and
opening the way. It is for US to follow! And there is NO TIME TO
LOSE!
Now I want to take advantage of this splendid
opportunity and move to the larger office. We have just a few days
to make the decision. I want to keep Sister Simmons on in the
office. This will add to our weekly and monthly expense, but now
is absolutely necessary.
In addition, we must have, at once, at least $100 for
office equipment. We simply can't carry on this great work longer
without equipment for handling it. And we need, NOW, at once, to
raise a special reserve fund of not less than $750 to start and
establish the broadcast in Los Angeles.
This is not too large an order for a work of this size.
All things are possible with God, and all things are possible to us
if we BELIEVE. This is the greatest test of faith we have ever
faced yet. But it is NEEDED---God is moving ahead and opening the
way---His time has arrived. "This Gospel of the KINGDOM," says
Jesus, "shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the END come!" We are now near the END!
Satan now speeds up his activity to horrible fury,
working thru Hitler and others. He KNOWS that he has but a short
time! Millions, under satanic inspiration, hurl themselves to the
battle, willing to SACRIFICE THEIR VERY LIVES! Dear Co-workers,
OUR time is equally SHORT! OUR work must be finished before Christ
comes! We must throw ourselves to the task with even GREATER
inspiration than the Nazi army---WE MUST WORK WITH THE ZEAL AND
INSPIRATION OF GOD'S SPIRIT! Time is SHORT! No sacrifice now is
too great. Soon our money, our property, will be worth NOTHING to
us. We cannot keep it much longer, anyway. I need you, every one,
to rally now behind me in this work as never before. Will you
respond to the call, and RE-double your own effort, and sacrifice?
Send your tithes and offerings just as OFTEN as you can. No amount
is too small to help. The smaller amounts are the backbone of the
work. God knows your ability, and will reward you accordingly. But
there are SOME of you who can, if you are willing to sacrifice and
give up other things, send larger amounts, from $5 to $100 and
more. And it is only a liberal giving of these larger offerings
that can give the work the extra PUSH it needs just now! We are at
another crisis---we must go forward, or go backward---no work can
stand still! The need is IMMEDIATE---and URGENT! More so than
ever before! PLEASE PRAY, earnestly, in FAITH! And GOD BLESS YOU
for your generous sacrifice.
Your fellow-servant in Christ, Herbert W. Armstrong
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