"The WORLD TOMORROW"

A NATION-WIDE BROADCAST

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG

Analyses Today's News, with the Prophecies of The WORLD TOMORROW

Publishing Box 111, Pasadena, California

The P L A I N T R U T H a Magazine of UNDERSTANDING

June 29, 1949

Dear Friend:

GREETINGS! in Jesus' name: You are one of several hundred of our radio listeners, and readers of The PLAIN TRUTH, who have written me about being baptized.

I am more than happy to be able to tell you that God has provided men qualified to come to you, or at least near you where you can meet them, and visit with you, explain the Bible to you, and, if you are ready to be baptized, to baptize you.

I wish I could have the pleasure of coming myself. It would be a thrill of joy to meet you, and these scores upon scores of others whose lives are being changed, and who are being brought to Christ and into the knowledge of His Kingdom and the true way of salvation through my labors. Mrs. Armstrong and I labor unceasingly, almost night and day; we have had to face very grave and severe obstacles, and carry a heavy load of responsibility. But to know that MILLIONS are hearing the true Gospel that has been hidden so long, not only, but that literally hundreds are being converted, and brought into the fellowship of Christ and the joys of salvation and the Kingdom of our God as the precious fruit borne of these labors is the thrill of all thrills---the greatest reward that God could possibly give us! We long to meet you and know you personally.

But as the work grows in scope, and now with the responsibilities of the college added, I find it increasingly difficult to get away from Pasadena. The broadcast must go on the air from our studios every day. The PLAIN TRUTH and Bulletins must be written. The college demands much of my time. Hundreds of letters are piled up on me, demanding personal answer. I'm sure you will appreciate that I must devote my time to the largest number continually. Perhaps you can come here, and pay us a visit some of these times.

But in the meantime, Ambassador College is bearing precious fruit, and proving the wisdom of God in leading us to establish it. For there are now seven of our students whose lives I feel God has called and which will be devoted to this great work. From them I am sending two, starting today on a nation-wide baptizing tour. Others will follow later.

The two young men starting out today are Raymond Cole, of Jefferson, Oregon, and Raymond McNair of Camp, Arkansas. I have every confidence in them. They are sober, truly converted and led of God's Holy Spirit, and God has shown with ample evidence that He has called them to His service, to which they are consecrated. God has blessed them with unusual understanding, I have come to know many scores of professed ministers of the Gospel, recognized and ordained of men---but I have never yet encountered one that I feel possesses the sound understanding of God's Word, and the true Gospel, that these young men have. I would much rather send them to you than any ordained minister I have yet known. I have had them with me daily here at the college, and am most happy to be able to send them to you.

They are not ordained ministers. They are comparatively young men, but I know no reason why their comparative youth should keep them in inactivity and deprive many from the Bible explanations and other help they are qualified to give. While it's true the age, in the Levitical priesthood under the Old Covenant, for ordination as a priest was 30,---and while Jesus was about thirty when He began His ministry,---yet Jeremiah was a mere lad, years younger than these men---he was only 17, according to some accounts, when God called him to service as a prophet.

Jeremiah argued he was too young, but God replied, "Say not, you are too young; to whomsoever I send you shall you go, and whatever I command you shall you speak." (Jer. 1:6-7).

David was but a youth when God called him to His service. God did not make him king until later, but called him to service when just a boy. When God called on one in Israel to defeat the great giant Goliath who had taunted and insulted the armies of Israel, He called on this mere boy---not a mature man. Saul the king said to Abner: "Whose son is this stripling?" Tho there were many strong men in Israel, it was this mere stripling, David, in whom was the Spirit of God, and who had the courage and strength to prevail against Goliath.

The apostle Paul was led of God and sent out Timothy, who was one of Paul's students, in Gospel work. "Let no man despise thy youth," Paul wrote to Timothy---or, as the Moffatt translation renders it: "Let no one slight you because you are a youth, but set the believers an example of speech, behavior, love, faith, and purity." (I Tim. 4:12).

While Jesus did not embark on His great ministry officially until about thirty, yet even at the age of twelve Jesus was teaching, and saying, "I must be about my Father's (God's) business." (Luke 2:42-52).

And likewise, while these young men are not yet ordained for an official ministry, yet they are the BEST QUALIFIED men I know for this present mission, and they come to you with my full approval and I know they can be of help to you.

As to baptising, Jesus had His disciples baptize for Him, apparently before they were 30, and before they were even converted. Paul sent Timothy, a youth, to baptize. They are in every way qualified to baptize, and they themselves will be able to explain this to you.

I know you will be glad to know them and talk with them, and they can tell you all you may want to know about the college and the work here. If possible they will drop you a card along the way as soon as they know definitely when they will reach you.

Sincerely, in Jesus' name,

Herbert W. Armstrong