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OUR CO-WORKERS
BULLETIN
VOL III Number 4 August 24th, 1942
Published every little while, by your radio-pastor
editor, Herbert W. Armstrong, Box 111, Eugene, Ore.,
to bring spiritual edification and encouragement to
our little family of co-workers who make possible
The RADIO CHURCH OF GOD and The PLAIN TRUTH.
Enroute, Seattle to Des Moines
August 24th, 1942
Dear Friends and Co-workers:
GREETINGS! I write this issue of The BULLETIN on the
train, as we approach the Continental Divide along magnificent
Glacier National Park, with its lofty peaks and scenic grandeur.
It is inspiring to view the majestic works of nature which have
been spread out by the mighty creative hand of God.
After sending "The WORLD TOMORROW" program out over the
Liberty net-work lines from the studios of KRSC in Seattle
yesterday, we had another splendid and enthusiastic service at the
Chamber of Commerce auditorium in downtown Seattle last night, with
the auditorium again well filled. We rushed from the auditorium to
the Great Northern station, boarding the "Empire Builder" for Des
Moines, Iowa.
And there, the Eternal willing, I hope to begin broad-
casting "The World Tomorrow" program over our first super-power
50,000-watt station, WHO, one of the nation's eleven clear-channel
super-power stations, on next Sunday. I will speak to all our
listeners over the Coast stations---KNTR, Hollywood; KFMB, San
Diego; KRSC, Seattle; KWJJ, Portland; KGA, Spokane; and KORE,
Eugene, ---from there.
Since I last wrote you in The BULLETIN, July 15th, almost
six weeks have fled past. Then we were in the third week of the
SUPREME CRISIS of this war. We entered that crisis, in which the
ultimate OUTCOME of the war probably shall be determined, the first
of July. I have estimated it as a 16-weeks crisis. Unless a dead-
lock prolongs the crisis period beyond that time, we probably shall
know how the war will end by November first.
But as I write today it is difficult, indeed, to enjoy
the marvelous scenery I am passing. Grand, inspiring, unusual tho
it is, my mind and heart is too weighed down with the stark
SERIOUSNESS of this time---with the knowledge I have, based upon
actual conditions as they exist and understanding of the prophecies
of the Eternal God---and of the horrible possibility of the fate
this nation may be rapidly heading into, without realizing it, just
now,---to enjoy even this vast and beautiful handiwork of God. To
look at scenery, even so rare, seems a waste of precious time I
cannot spare just now. The car I ride in is well filled with army
uniforms, as an additional reminder of the seriousness of this
time. And so I have spent this day, so far, in studying and
writing material to help WARN our people of their peril they seem
not to recognize.
Now we are in the NINTH week of the 16- or 18-week
supreme crisis in which the FATE OF OUR NATION---the fate of YOUR
HOME AND MINE---perhaps the fate of OUR VERY LIVES---is being
determined. I have explained to you how it is a RACE AGAINST TIME!
We are now in the supreme RACE to determine whether the war
production effort and the army-training effort of the United States
can reach sufficient power BEFORE Hitler accomplishes such
objectives as to make that potential and mounting power ineffective
before it can get started. To do this, Hitler would have,
undoubtedly, to take all the Caucasus (which he virtually has taken
already) to go thru Turkey and Palestine and take Suez, driving the
British Navy from the Mediterranean, cutting the life-line of the
British Empire; to drive on to meet the Jap armies in INDIA,
severing that rich country from the British, cutting off all supply
routes to Russia and China; knock out Russia and China; thus, with
vast newly-acquired resources freeing Hitler to turn WEST against
Britain, and Japan to turn EAST against the United States. Our
goal was to attain to all-out invincible power by November first.
In this race United States INDUSTRY plays a major part. If we can
attain to that tremendous power BEFORE Hitler and Japan attain to
their almost fantastic objectives, then Hitler's doom will be
sealed. But if the Axis can crash thru to these objectives I have
outlined BEFORE we have reached power so vast as to take a winning
initiative, then we may as well realize the chances of winning will
be all Hitler's.
And now, almost at the half-way point in this mad race
against time, the hard cold FACTS are that Hitler has continued,
week by week, virtually at the pace necessary for him to accomplish
his objectives by November first. But, on the other hand, the
facts which OUGHT to startle every American out of his complacency
and into GRIM ACTION, are that WE HAVE BEEN SLOWING DOWN in this
race---men in defense industries have been striking because they
could not SMOKE on the job during working hours---labor and
management in some of the major defense industries are reporting
fighting each other instead of co-operating to fight Hitler---and
the truth that should cause our hearts to drop is that defense
production is NOT keeping pace with the President's goal---which
pace MUST BE KEPT IF WE ARE TO WIN THIS RACE AGAINST TIME, AND TO
WIN THIS WAR!
Such a bogging down as is now reported, in the very midst
of this supreme crisis, is SERIOUS INDEED. It is time for AMERICA
TO WAKE UP! Personally, I feel very SOBER, because I KNOW what the
true situation is! And it is anything but encouraging for this
nation. We are not winning this war, we are LOSING IT! Week by
week, every week since Pearl Harbor, we have been losing. America
hasn't yet really BEGUN to fight. America is not yet even READY to
fight, on the scale she must fight to match or defeat a tremendous
war-machine such as Hitler has been building since 1933! But it is
NOT YET TOO LATE, and therein lies our one hope!
(. . . and now we are stopped at Glacier National Park,
and here is the famous Glacier Park Hotel I have heard about since
I was a young man. Everything is very beautiful. A huge U.S. flag
of growing red, white and blue flowers stretches out over large
well-kept lawns. It would be very nice to be able to stop off here
and spend one to several days in this wonderful national park---but
that is a luxury for which I can afford neither the money nor the
time in a time like this, when even the necessities of life, our
freedom, and life itself is in jeopardy. . . . And so now we have
started up and are speeding on east. The great mountain range
seemed to come to an abrupt end at the Glacier Park station, and
now we are travelling past rolling grazing land, though the
mountains of Glacier Park still loom on the horizon behind us.
. . . And now back again to the work we have to do.)
No, thank God, it is not yet too late! But, as one
correspondent who knows conditions wrote from Moscow, it is now
FIVE MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT! If we fail to heed the warning, it may
be too late within another two or three months. Yes, I, too, know
the conditions, and I know also what prophecy reveals for the
future. And I know, as I hope with all my soul you co-workers are
now beginning to know, that our hope now lies in arousing this
nation to TURN TO THE GOD IT HAS FORSAKEN AND FORGOTTEN! That, I
know, is the one sure hope of this nation now. Our situation is
just that serious. This war, for us, is a judgment sent from God.
God has blessed us with vast material wealth---more than two-thirds
of all earth's economic resources! And we have forgotten Him,
forsaken Him and His ways, made gods of the very material things
with which He has blessed us, and our land is steeped in sin, and
now plunging hell-bent into fast-INCREASING sin! THE DAY OF
RECKONING IS HERE.
Friends, and Co-workers, WE KNOW THESE SOLEMN TRUTHS! If
we fail to WARN this nation, God says He will require the blood of
the people at our hands. (Ezek. 33:1-6) Our job is to WARN the
people before it is too late---to admonish them with POWER, over
more and more radio stations until the whole nation hears the
warning---to turn back to the God we have forsaken. Because HE
ALONE CAN SAVE THIS NATION NOW. This is not idle talk. It is not
more alarmist language. IT IS THE STARK, BARE, SOLEMN TRUTH! And
in this RACE AGAINST TIME, we, dear co-workers, have OUR race
against time! It is, now, "five minutes till midnight". Then it
will be too late.
That's why I am speeding now back to Des Moines. There
is NO TIME TO LOSE!
So listen carefully, please. When I went to Los Angeles,
four months ago, and started on stations KNTR and KFMB in Hollywood
and San Diego, I faced the greatest test of faith of my life. In
order to get he message over, and establish the broadcast in
Southern California, and do it quickly, it was necessary to take
advantage of the opportunity God opened to go on the air 30 minutes
every day. That required more than $200 per week over and above
our regular expenses. I could not see where it possibly could come
from. But this is a WORK OF FAITH, and with God ALL THINGS ARE
POSSIBLE. I went ahead on sheer faith. And thru YOU, co-workers
with me in this work, God supplied every cent that was needed, and
ON TIME, so I could pay every broadcast in advance. THAT DOUBLED
THE POWER AND SCOPE OF OUR RADIO WORK. It doubled the vast radio
audience---raised it to approximately a half million people hearing
the message every week.
And now, after three short weeks of hard work in my
office---just three short weeks at home with my wife and family,
and three splendid services in downtown Seattle, I am speeding back
to Des Moines to undertake a NEW test of faith JUST TWICE AS GREAT
AS THE ONE WE FACED IN LOS ANGELES.
The time for broadcasting on this great super-power
station will cost just TWICE AS MUCH as time costs us in Southern
California. It will reach twice as large an audience---will again
DOUBLE the listening audience---add another HALF MILLION LISTENERS
EVERY WEEK! Think of it---a total of ONE MILLION in our vast radio
audience every week. That's what the addition of station WHO will
mean! This station thoroughly covers the whole state of Iowa, and
can be heard plainly over the main population sections of the six
surrounding states in daytime. If we could afford a night-time
broadcast (twice the cost of day-time), we could be heard in every
part of the United States on this one station alone.
To establish this broadcast quickly---to really GET OVER
our vital warning message intensively and in a hurry---I ought to
be able to broadcast EVERY DAY for the two weeks I shall be in Des
Moines. To do so will cost over $500 a week. I CANNOT OBLIGATE
MYSELF to any such amount as a debt. I can do it, ONLY if I have
the money TO PAY IN ADVANCE! By faith I KNOW God will supply, thru
you who receive this Bulletin, enough extra at this time to
undertake the regular Sunday broadcast over WHO. But I cannot
undertake an EVERY-DAY broadcast unless you send that money for me
to pay IN ADVANCE. By all means it ought to be done. WILL YOU DO
IT, for God and for your country?
If we want to back up the boys risking their lives in the
armed forces---if we want to help save this country now while it
still is NOT too late, this surely is the way to do it. God
helping us, I know of no one else warning this nation of its plight
---WARNING this nation that it now MUST TURN TO GOD in order to win
and save its very life---starting the crusade for the great vast
OFFENSIVE that will defeat Hitler and can be started NOW---the
great national heart-rending PRAYER OFFENSIVE I am now calling for
in every broadcast.
Will YOU enlist, now, ANEW? Will you drop to your knees
and pray earnestly and fervently? Pray for this country to repent
and turn to God. Pray for me and this work. PRAY that God will
reward this SHEER WORK OF FAITH, and meet this supreme need just
now. Remember we never beg for money over the air---never even
hint at it directly or indirectly. We put no price on The PLAIN
TRUTH or anything we have---the Gospel must be GIVEN---it must go
FREE. I know of no other work like this. God is blessing it
abundantly and almost beyond belief. This work is leaping forward
now by leaps and bounds, as God goes before and opens and prepares
the way. Thru you I know God will meet this present supreme crisis
in our work. It will take great sacrifice on the part of many of
you, I know. Better make that sacrifice now and SAVE EVERYTHING
than lose everything in defeat in this war, and perhaps lose out
with Almighty God besides! No sacrifice, now, is too great. I
need a FLOOD of tithes and offerings from our small but growing
family of co-workers to meet this present supreme need. We need
LARGE amounts---$25, $50, $100, yes, even $1,000 or more---from all
who can, even by great sacrifice, put such sums in God's work in
this very crucial hour. And we need the widow's mite. Will you
RUSH, even air-mail, the largest amount you can spare, by immediate
return mail? I know you will,---and GOD BLESS YOU!
I am now rushing this to my office in Eugene, air mail,
to be printed in the Bulletin and mailed to you. An addressed
returned envelope is enclosed for your convenience.
Your fellow-servant,
Herbert W. Armstrong
PLANS FOR EXPANDING THIS WORK
Under God's blessing, for which we are more grateful than
words can express, this work is doubling and re-doubling in size
and scope and power.
I want briefly to outline now to our Co-workers some of
the plans we have tentatively in mind for the conduct of this
greatly enlarged and fast-growing work. We hope within a few
more months to be Coast-to-coast on the air.
The time is coming, now, when we shall need an enlarged
personnel in the office. We printed 9,000 copies of this issue
of The PLAIN TRUTH. Next issue will be on a much-improved white
paper. I realize the necessity of publishing it regularly once
each month. That has been impossible due to lack of help. But
now the supreme need is here, and God is paving the way before us
in every direction. He is raising up men fitted by natural
talent, ability, and education and experience, especially
spiritual experience,---men whose hearts are right toward Him and
His ways---to step in.
We are planning now to bring one of our very valuable and
trusted Co-workers, Dr. Douglas Blake of Seattle, into the office
within two or three months. He is fitted by education, experience,
and Bible understanding to help in the preparation of material for
articles in The PLAIN TRUTH, in answering correspondence that has
had to be neglected, in devoting time to research for facts and
information needed both for radio programs and articles. We hope
later to have Basil Wolverton, an artist and trained writer from
Vancouver, Washington, on the staff in the office. About three
years ago he was an atheist. He was converted solely by our broad-
cast. He has grown spiritually and in knowledge until he is now
elder of our little group in Vancouver. He has many excellent
talents endowed by God which we hope may be used exclusively in
God's service in the near future. We have other secretaries,
expert in all kinds of secretarial work, research, etc., now
waiting for the call to join our staff in the office.
Soon The PLAIN TRUTH circulation will be up to 25,000
copies. Then 50,000, and on up. It must come out, as soon as
facilities permit, on the first of every month. Later we hope to
expand it is size from the present 12 to 16 pages.
We plan, as soon as we have this added help in the
office, to publish the Bible Study Quarterly regularly every
quarter. We plan to publish many booklets and single articles on
various Bible subjects. We hope too, to resume publication of
another magazine, "The GOOD NEWS", edited just for those who
really have been baptised by the Holy Spirit into the one and
only true Body of Christ---a magazine containing spiritual food,
going into the deeper truths, feeding God's true flock. The
PLAIN TRUTH is not intended to fill that purpose, but is rather
evangelistic, intended to reach those OUTSIDE---the carnal-minded
who could not understand real spiritual truths, as well as the
truly spiritual-minded.
We feel we are alive to the need. Just as soon as God
makes this enlarged work, with an enlarged staff, an actuality,
we will have MANY more good things for you than we can offer you
now. Big things are ahead. Yet, TIME IS SHORT, we fully realize.
We must all WORK, while we may,---while it is day,---for the night
cometh when no man can work. Soon there will be an utter FAMINE of
hearing the Word of the Eternal. What we do, we must DO QUICKLY.
We are ready to build this work to these greater, more effective,
more powerful and far-reaching heights, just as rapidly as our
Co-workers provide the financial means. God has already raised up
the right and qualified people for the various jobs to be filled.
Let us PUT OUR ALL into it---and NOW!
DON'T FORGET - - - to notify this office of your change of
address.
GREAT FALL FESTIVAL AT EUGENE
Did you ever read, in Zechariah 14, how, after Christ
returns to RESTORE God's ways upon earth, that ALL nations,
including all Gentiles, will be forced to keep the Festival of
TABERNACLES every fall?
If we are now being trained, in our Christian life, to
sit with Christ on His throne then---to carry out His orders as
kings and priests under Him---to help enforce these ways at that
time---should we not be practicing these ways now?
There is not space here to explain all there is in the
Bible about God's Festival of Tabernacles. Suffice it to say it
is God's camp-meeting time. It is His VACATION time. It is His
THANKSGIVING time---not one Thanksgiving day but eight of them in
one glorious festival. It is a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving
over the coming KINGDOM.
We shall observe it at the set time, as usual, in Eugene.
The time is September 26th to October 3rd inclusive. Meetings will
be held in our little church building, at the end of West Eighth
Avenue. There are many new and modern tourist cabins and motels
within a short distance, for visitors. Several are coming from
Seattle, Everett, Tacoma and Olympia, and Vancouver, Washington;
from Portland and other points in Oregon; from Los Angeles and
southern California.
For eight full days God's people will meet together in a
splendid fellowship with God thru Christ, and with one another.
You'll meet some of God's true people here. You'll ENJOY their
inspiring fellowship. There will be Bible reading and prayer
service every morning; Bible study and round-table discussion every
afternoon; singing and evangelistic preaching service every
evening. YOU ARE INVITED TO COME. If God lays it on your heart,
put everything else aside, and come. Write my office in Eugene if
you wish cabins reserved. I shall return from Des Moines, by way
of Los Angeles, speaking again in downtown Los Angeles Sunday,
September 20th, returning to Eugene in time for the Fall Festival.
MAY I SEE YOU THERE?
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