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May 1, 1952
Dear Co-Workers in Christ:
WHAT'S WRONG? Why are thousands of you Co-Workers letting
God's great work down? Two weeks ago I sent out a long letter
which should have made every heart consecrated to God leap for joy.
It told of God's blessings to His work---of the expansion of the
work, not only, now at last, to carry the very GOSPEL Jesus
preached to Britain and all Europe, but also the very beginning, at
last, of the project at Gladewater, Texas, to provide a place of
meeting and assembling of God's people converted thru this great
work.
There has been a certain interest on the part of a FEW in the
Gladewater project, but there has been only SILENCE from thousands
of you Co-Workers whose responsibility it is to keep this work
financially afloat, and growing and expanding in power.
NOW THE ENTIRE WORK FACES IMMEDIATE DISASTER. Suddenly the
whole great work is plunged into the most serious crisis in years.
The May number of the GOOD NEWS was all printed and ready for
delivery from the printing plant ten days ago. We paid two-thirds
of the printing cost in advance, and our arrangement with the
printers is to pay the final third on a C. O. D. basis, on
delivery. But thousands of Co-Workers have let us down. There is
no money to pay that last third, and we have had to let those
scores of thousands of copies of The GOOD NEWS lie there at the
printing plant ten days. The June number is due to go to press
in four days. I had planned to send you an issue of The PLAIN
TRUTH, instead, this time, and have it almost ready for the
printers---but lack of funds makes it impossible.
This is the greatest, most important work on earth. It has
DOUBLED in size, power, and good accomplished since last September.
But now for ten days money has dropped off. Already we are
thousands of dollars behind. In another week, unless your response
is IMMEDIATE, and large enough to make up this deficit of thousands
of dollars, we shall have to GO OFF THE AIR. I have to tell you,
dear Co-Workers, IT'S JUST THAT SERIOUS! I hope none of you
misunderstood what I wrote about the meeting and project for the
future at Gladewater. We are not starting a denomination. We are
merely providing for what God COMMANDS---a place where those
converted thru this great work and who have and LIVE God's truth
may not longer have to forsake assembling themselves together. We
are not taking money out of the Gospel work for it. I asked for
separate contributions over and above regular tithes and offerings,
on the part of those INTERESTED in this project. So far, in spite
of the enthusiastic letters from some, the amount of this special
fund is only a fraction of the need. I can report to you now that
Mr. Hammer has tied up, and put in escrow, one of the adjoining
properties we had to purchase, and a deal is pending on the other.
He has himself advanced money on it. The two men going to Europe
this summer are putting their own savings into it, paying nearly
all of their own transportation. Some of you have sent in generous
SPECIAL offerings, in some cases from those who had not been
co-workers but want to help in this start toward preaching the
Gospel to Europe. But THE WORK ITSELF takes thousands of dollars
every month, and will be STOPPED DEAD, and quickly, unless you Co-
Workers---ALL OF YOU---respond IMMEDIATELY as never before, with
the largest amounts each of you can send---whether that be just
the widow's two mites, or a check for several thousand dollars.
Every widow' mite counts---send in a downpour of them---but the
hundreds and thousands count MORE and are needed from the FEW who
are able. I have to rest this in your hands, commit it to God,
and trust Him to ROUSE YOU ALL to an immediate and a tremendous
response! Just when the work is growing in power, producing its
greatest harvest, receiving GOD'S richest blessings, is certainly
no time to let down. DO AS THE ANCIENT ISRAELITES DID WHEN MOSES
SENT OUT AN S.O.S. FOR THE NEED OF THAT TIME---THE PEOPLE RESPONDED
SO GENEROUSLY AND UNIVERSALLY HE HAD TO SEND OUT A SECOND
PROCLAMATION ASKING THEM TO LET UP---more was coming in than they
could use! Co-Workers, let's wake up---let's shake off this
complacency, indifference and delay---EVERYONE GET BACK OF THIS BIG
PUSH WITH ALL YOU POSSIBLY CAN SEND. God bless you, I know you
won't let the great work die!
Sincerely, IN JESUS' NAME,
Herbert W. Armstrong
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