Proclaim to the World the GOOD NEWS OF THE WORLD TOMORROW
Box 111, Pasadena, Calif. 91109
Publishing: The PLAIN TRUTH a Magazine of UNDERSTANDING
December 11, 1966
Dear Co-Workers with CHRIST:
Not only do I have to rush this emergency letter to you AIRMAIL—but I have to do what I have never done before—enclose a self-addressed reply envelope ALREADY STAMPED WITH AN AIRMAIL STAMP!
I have been simply dismayed by something else I have never seen before. Every week-end I receive from our Mail Receiving Department a weekly statement showing the number of letters received each day for the week, and the daily receipt of tithes and offerings for the financial support of this great Work of God.
The report just received breaks two records—one, the largest number of letters ever received in one week—91,743—but the other is a REVERSE record—an ALARMING record! For the first time in years—ever since these weekly reports have been coming to my desk—the amount of tithes and offerings, compared to the same days of December last year, shows a DECREASE.
For the past 33 years, just about every facet of GOD'S WORK has increased at the rate of approximately 30% per year over the year before. The amount of incoming letters—the number of conversions and people baptized—the circulation of The PLAIN TRUTH—the number of radio listeners. The increase has been so consistent that, week by week, the income for the Work has ALWAYS shown an increase over the same week, or number of days in the month, of the year before. Of course, sometimes the increase may have been 7%, while other weeks would show an increase of 53%—but nearly always, by month's end it would be close to 30%.
This week's report, before me now, shows a -9%! A DECREASE of 9% compared to the same number of days in December last year! Never before do I remember seeing a DECREASE compared to the year before!
The REASON is evident! 1) And most important, I know by years of experience it means a LARGE PORTION of our Co-Workers have LET DOWN IN THEIR EARNEST AND PREVAILING PRAYERS FOR THE VERY WORK OF GOD in these most crucial days of all earth's history! And 2) it means that in the frenzy of Christmas shopping, PEOPLE ARE FORGETTING THE LIVING CHRIST, and the needs of HIS WORK!
In the world about us, events are drawing rapidly toward the prophesied CLIMAX. Crime, violence are increasing as never before! The WAR is stepping up bigger and bigger, gaining in fury. More and more nations are producing NUCLEAR WEAPONS! Morals are sinking deeper. Now NOTHING can save this world but the direct SUPERNATURAL INTERVENTION OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE FULL POWER AND GLORY OF ALMIGHTY GOD!
This very living CHRIST has drafted you and me—and we have VOLUNTARILY accepted this most serious mission of human history—to WARN this world—to PREPARE THE WAY for His coming! Yes, and to PREPARE A PEOPLE—the VERY ELECT—for whose sake He will SAVE humanity alive (Matthew 24:22).
Garner Ted Armstrong and I have collaborated in writing the special new booklet I offered in the recent semiannual letter. Three days ago we finally completed the writing of it. It is now set to type, and page forms being made up, ready to go on the press. I hope we shall be mailing out the copies of this astonishing booklet within a week.
We feel you will find this perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT BOOKLET, and the MOST INTERESTING, we have ever published. I'm sure it will OPEN THE EYES of hundreds of thousands who will read it. It will show you WHAT THE WORLD WILL BE LIKE, a few years after Christ's RETURN—after GOD'S GOVERNMENT begins to rule all nations—the entire EARTH! I know you'll simply MARVEL at the picture. It's the picture of PEACE—of PLENTY—of HAPPINESS and JOY! What a contrast from this world today!
But there is not time for more.
People are FORGETTING Christ—NEGLECTING Christ and HIS WORK—frantically breaking all records in Christmas shopping— EXCHANGING gifts among themselves—BUT NO GIFT FOR CHRIST!
WHAT A SHAME!
Letters are pouring in by multiple THOUSANDS every day, in response to my semiannual letter, sent to about three-quarters of a million people, offering this free booklet. The REASON for this record-breaking influx of mail is, simply the unprecedented demand for this new booklet. Most letters contain just the card requesting the free booklet. No offerings or contributions—but, of course, I DIDN'T ASK FOR ANY. We WANT to give this eye-opening, surprising booklet FREE! We're thrilled and happy to BE ABLE to give it FREE! And I know YOU, as a Co-Worker, are happy to help make this possible, too!
But those of us who have VOLUNTARILY accepted Christ's draft to labor WITH HIM must remember our serious responsibility, or else we shall no longer be able to proclaim CHRIST'S MESSAGE over the air to the many MILLIONS every week—world-wide—without ever asking for contributions of the public—or to continue to offer FREE literature, with no request for money.
Because the mails are clogged—because the situation is UNPRECEDENTED—serious as NEVER BEFORE—I am sending you this RETURN ENVELOPE with an AIRMAIL STAMP ON IT, to AIR-SPEED YOUR REPLY!
There are a very FEW Co-Workers who could now LOAN to God's Work LARGE SUMS which they are not, at this time, free to GIVE. Such loans are NEEDED, URGENTLY—as never before.
Finally, PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL LAY IT ON THE HEARTS OF MANY MORE TO JOIN US AS CO-WORKERS. The harvest is PLENTEOUS— thousands have been converted and baptized this year—but we need, also, MORE LABORERS to HELP with their PRAYERS and their tithes and offerings! Pray EARNESTLY! Co-Workers, we need to PUT OUR HEARTS into our prayers for God's Great Work. It MUST GO FORWARD! We must yet show a GAIN for December.
Copyright © 2024 Herbert W Armstrong Library