Herbert W Armstrong

WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
WORLD HEADQUARTERS
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91123

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
President and Pastor

September 26, 1971

Dear Brethren in God's Church:

   GREETINGS! I hope I may reach you with this letter before you depart for the Feast. God is opening important new doors for His Work — but to walk through them does require every possible sacrifice on the part of His people. And not only financial sacrifice, but the sacrifice of intensive, fervent and believing PRAYERS for the financial needs of this great Work.

   But more than the financial needs — we need your very prevailing prayers for the ministry, and especially for Garner Ted and myself.

   World conditions are moving rapidly toward the END of this age — yet the end of this age will come WHEN — and only when "this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached (and published — Mark 13:10) in all the world for a witness unto all nations: and then shall the end come" — so said Jesus (Mat. 24:14). You see, SO MUCH depends upon US — and our part in God's Work!

   Satan is increasing the persecution and effort to destroy God's Work. One local group in a Pacific Northwest city meets every Sabbath to plot ways to knock out and stop this Work. That seems their only purpose — and they are energetic about it. A writer for the Sunday magazine inserted into the Sunday edition of a major city newspaper visited the college, was much impressed with the high character and quality of things here, and especially the character of the students — but when the story came out in the magazine we feel it could not have been more derogatory — putting us in the same class with others to make us look bad. Satan comes as an angel of light, flattering yet giving injury, seeking to destroy. A man is now writing a book against this Work of God.

   On the other hand, God is empowering His Work, and giving us great favor in many of the highest places in the world. I know that the White House has been very favorably and much impressed with The PLAIN TRUTH recently, and I have reason to believe I may be called to either the White House at Washington, or President Nixon's west coast "White House" soon for a private meeting with the President. I am invited to a three or four day visit to both Yugoslavia and Romania next month, as guest of the governments, and meetings with President Tito and the Chief Executive of Romania. It will be my first visit inside the "iron curtain."

   The PLAIN TRUTH is now on the newsstands in Britain. A special strip is put around each copy, with the words: "YOUR FREE COPY to take with you." We pay each news dealer an amount to reimburse him for his profit which he makes on all magazines that are SOLD. It is bringing VERY satisfactory results, and reaching thousands of people we could not otherwise reach. This is a NEW MEANS of getting out the Message.

   We here at Headquarters are working feverishly, with maximum effort, to "GET THE JOB DONE." But we have to rely on you for YOUR PART to back us up — with urgent PRAYERS, and with tithes and offerings.

   My son, Garner Ted, has been doing the jobs of five or six high-executive-caliber men. He does a half-hour radio broadcast DAILY — seven days a week, a half-hour TELECAST every week, besides meeting many speaking engagements before business men's conventions and other groups, doing special programs AT radio stations in which listeners may telephone in and ask him questions which he must be prepared to answer on the spot; traveling over much of the world for important radio and television interviews — in Africa, in Jerusalem, and other places — writing articles, doing an immense amount of study, research, fact-finding, keeping up with world happenings to comment on in the radio and TV programs, speaking at college forums before our students, and, lately he has been taking about 95% of my executive duties as President of the colleges and the Church.

   He is forced to go at high tension — drive! — drive! — drive! Some three or four weeks ago, he said to one of our Deputy Chancellors that if he had the audacity, temerity, or nerve, he would ask me if he might take a leave of absence for a few weeks, for complete relaxation, out from under the high tension and constant pressure almost night and day, and rest tensed and taut nerves, recharge spiritual batteries, so he could come back FRESH. He didn't ask me. But I was told of the comment. I had not realized the effect this terrific pressure had had on him.

   When I returned from the last round-the-world trip last Thursday, I decided to make whatever arrangement must be made to give him that opportunity. He wanted to keep right on, but finally agreed to take his first leave of absence for total release from so many major responsibilities. He whipped through a number of television programs — three in one day — so they may keep being released weekly for several weeks. He has never had a real vacation. He has gone hunting each autumn after the Feast of Tabernacles the past few years, but even on a few days off for hunting, he still carries the responsibilities in his mind, and he even hunts in high tension.

   Even Jesus Christ needed to get away from tense strains and rest. He said to His disciples: "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest awhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat."

   Plans had been made for him to speak at every U.S. and Canada Feast site again this year. I decided it was just too much high pressure, and we cancelled out these engagements. I want him to take possibly a couple months of complete relaxation from such high-paced and strenuous activities, and when he comes back he will be ready to go into high gear again, on the home stretch until our GREAT COMMISSION is finished! We will "GET THE JOB DONE" much better this way.

   Brethren PRAY FOR HIM — and for me, too, that this great Work may continue going out in greater and greater power — under the POWER of God's Holy Spirit.

   Please keep tithes and generous offerings coming in — BESIDES a liberal offering on each Holy Day at the Feast. "SEE YOU THERE" — at the Feast!

With much love, in Jesus' name,
Herbert W. Armstrong