Proclaim to the World the GOOD NEWS OF THE WORLD TOMORROW
Box 111, Pasadena, Calif. 91109
Publishing: The PLAIN TRUTH a Magazine of UNDERSTANDING
May 11, 1967
Dear Co-Worker with Christ:
I want to rush this letter to you today, airmail. I want to reach you with it before you receive your copy of the May PLAIN TRUTH, being mailed today.
I have just seen the first copy off the press, of this May number, and I know that unless I can reach our readers first with this letter, many are going to cut out page 25. This is a full page beautiful color picture of a portrait of my dear wife, who died April 15th.
I was really SURPRISED, pleased and gratified. when I saw this beautiful full page picture. I think you will be, too. It is, truly, one of the finest examples of full color printing I have ever seen. It was photographed from a painting over the fireplace in my office here in Pasadena. This large portrait was painted by England's leading portrait artist, Mr. S. Morse-Brown, in our home on the Ambassador College campus in England, in 1961.
The reproduction in The PLAIN TRUTH shows the entire portrait, frame and all. It occurred to me immediately that many of our readers will be cutting out this page, perhaps to frame it—or whatever treatment might be given to it. And this triggered the impulse—WHY NOT OFFER YOU A SPECIALLY-PRINTED COPY, ON EVEN FINER PAPER, so that no one need cut this page out of The PLAIN TRUTH?
So I called the heads of our printing plant by telephone. And I am glad to announce that, if you would care for it, I will be happy to send you such a specially printed picture. It will be printed on a finer, and a heavier paper, and on a different press by a process which we believe will bring it out even more beautifully than this page in The PLAIN TRUTH.
And I'm sure you realize there is never any charge for anything we offer. I want this to be just a personal expression of gratitude, from me, for your fervent prayers for God's Work and your loyal support, and in honor of the dearest woman I have ever known—and the God-chosen First Lady of this great End-Time WORK OF GOD.
I have naturally devoted my Personal from the Editor talk with our readers, in this issue, to things I wanted to say about the wife of my youth, whom God had given me as such a loyal, loving, competent help for a half century. God took her from me just short of our FIFTIETH anniversary.
But in my Bible, following the words of Jesus, "But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham. and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? GOD IS NOT THE GOD OF THE DEAD, BUT OF THE LIVING.'" (Mat. 22:31-32.) I have written, "GOD is the God of Loma." I hope to be able to write an article for the June PLAIN TRUTH—and if not, for the July issue, explaining how her SPIRIT (and I do not mean soul) did not die, but, as so MANY scriptural passages plainly say, sleeps UNTIL THE RESURRECTION. Not many understand this wonderful truth, though the Bible reveals it. I hope to make it plain as a truth new to most of our readers.
So now, though my mortal wifely helper is gone, still I "may boldly say, 'THE LORD IS MY HELPER. and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.'" "For He hath said, 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.'" (Heb. 13:6,5.) I look now to HIM for help, strength, guidance, wisdom, and power—as well as protection from the persecutors and those who because of hostility to the GOD I serve would not hesitate to do physical violence. In a fleeting very few years I shall again see my lovely wife, resplendent in glory, in the Kingdom of God.
GOD HELP US to really comprehend the TRUTH about this present fleeting mortal life—about how TEMPORARY it really is—how UNCERTAIN—and yet how WONDERFUL is our potential and eternal future IF we yield ourselves obediently and humbly to receive God's glorious grace, and His precious promises of eternal life in His Kingdom—BORN OF HIM!
Since I last wrote you I have been to Jerusalem, and to our campus in England, and back.
In Jerusalem I met two of our officials from our British headquarters. We have now opened branch offices in both Jerusalem, Jordan, and in Nicosia, Cyprus. Our new mailing addresses in those areas of the world are Post Office Box 111, Jerusalem, Jordan; and Post Office Box 2266, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Definite plans have been made for the FIRST BROADCAST FROM JERUSALEM, at 8:05 P.M., Wednesday night, June 7. I want to do the very first broadcast from Jerusalem. I am planning to go again to Jerusalem, and send out this historic broadcast, LIVE, in person from the studios in Jerusalem. Garner Ted Armstrong will be flying over, too, and he will send out the second broadcast, in person, LIVE, on the following night, Thursday, June 8th, at 8:05 P.M. Thereafter the programs will be broadcast by tape recordings sent from our studios in Pasadena, Texas, or England.
I have MUCH MORE to say to you about the HISTORY-MAKING SIGNIFICANCE of this Jerusalem broadcast. Some very exciting things happened on my recent trip there. New and tremendous possibilities now appear in prospect. It is absolutely breathtaking!
Meanwhile, The WORLD TOMORROW goes on TELEVISION T O N I G H T, May 11, 1967. It is making an humble start, on a UHF station, Channel 22, but at the prime time of 8:30 P.M. A group of students are coming to my home to view it, and another group to the home of my son Garner Ted. This, too, though we know it will have only a comparatively small viewing audience, and is a most modest start, is an historic occasion! For it is onlY a START! We have ideas for greatly improving and enlivening the program, to spark it with increased interest, as we go along. And gradually, it will go on more and more stations—soon on VHF stations—until it is released over MANY of the more powerful stations, in all parts of the United States, and many other parts of the world.
In every way, GOD'S WORK IS LEAPING AHEAD now, as never before! As I said in my last letter, we must "tighten our belts," to use a slang expression—and "gird up our loins"—to use a Biblical expression—to plunge forward in GOD'S WORK more enthusiastically, more energetically, than ever before. Of course all this expansion of new facilities, to reach NEW MILLIONS OF PEOPLE with Christ's last MESSAGE, does cost more money. I realize that we cannot give for God's Great Work beyond our means, or ability to give—BUT OUR PERSISTENT, BELIEVING, FERVENT AND URGENT PRAYERS for this Work CAN result in God laying it heavily on the hearts of additional hundreds to BECOME Co-Workers.
REMEMBER, your PRAYERS can help even the financial needs of the Work, as well as your own tithes and offerings.
I want to RUSH this letter into the mails, so will reserve other things I have to say until next time. I DO THANK YOU, beyond the power of mere words to express, for your loyalty, your prayers for me personally, your sympathy in my recent heavy trial. Let us, now PUSH ON IN GREATER ZEAL THAN EVER!
With much love, in Jesus' name, Herbert W. Armstrong
P. S. Please let me know right away whether you would like me to send the copy I have reserved for YOU, of this beautifully printed reproduction of the portrait of my wife, Loma D. Armstrong.
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