Proclaim to the World the GOOD NEWS OF THE WORLD TOMORROW
Box 111, Pasadena, Calif. 91109
Publishing: The PLAIN TRUTH a Magazine of UNDERSTANDING
Ambassador College in England
November 21, 1960
Dear Co-Workers with Christ:
I have to write you about a situation so URGENT that I am having to dictate this letter over transoceanic telephone from England to our Headquarters in Pasadena, California, so it may be typed there yet today and mailed immediately to you.
Over here in England, the Christmas decorations are out already in many of the shopping streets. People are beginning to pour in vast throngs into the stores on the annual shopping spree. I know this is happening also in America.
Once again we have reached the time when most people forget all about CHRIST so far as supporting His work is concerned—they are SO ENGROSSED in shopping for presents to exchange back and forth among themselves that they forget to send any gift to keep CHRIST'S work going! And right at the season when HIS work is in the most desperate need!
Wouldn't it seem funny if a certain group of people planned for a whole year ahead, a great birthday party for the leader of their group—planned it as the greatest occasion of the year—and then, when the day came, all of them came to the big party and totally ignored their leader whom they had planned to honor, and instead of giving their birthday presents to him, started exchanging them among themselves? If people ever did that to a human friend, everyone would think they were crazy! And yet, without realizing it, that is what people are doing to Jesus Christ!
Not only that, December 25 is not Christ's birthday! No one knows exactly when Jesus was born, except that it was some time in the early autumn. But it is definitely known it was not in December! Have you read our astonishing booklet, "The TRUTH About Christmas?" If not, be sure to write for it immediately. You can check up on the facts it contains in any public library. You need to know the TRUTH!
The wise men did not reach Bethlehem until many days after Jesus' birth, and they presented their gifts to HIM—they did not exchange them among themselves. It has always been the custom to take along a gift when visiting a king or royal personage. Their gifts were not birthday presents, but gifts to Him they knew was born to be KING of the world!
But even if one believes December 25 to be Christ's birthday —even if one did not realize that celebrating birthdays is a HEATHEN custom, and not Christian—even if one still wanted to give GIFTS, you would honestly think the gifts ought to be given to CHRIST, as a contribution to be used in His work, wouldn't you?
I have to tell you that the NEED of funds for the work which the living Christ is doing through you and me is desperate and URGENT! God's work is progressing as never before! It has to, in order to keep pace with the rapidly increasing acceleration of world events plunging this world to a self-imposed DOOM unless God supernaturally intervenes—as He soon will—to save the world from destroying itself, and to send Jesus Christ as KING of kings and LORD of lords to rule, and to bring this world peace and salvation!
Jesus Christ heads this work! Constantly He is opening new doors for the mass-proclamation of His Gospel, preparing the way for HIS COMING, on a world-wide basis into all continents! Ambassador College in England is now firmly established, and with 38 students in this pioneer year. One new Greek student, just released from military service, was accepted last Monday. Thus we have a Greek speaking student (educated in both modern and New Testament Greek Languages) from Greece; a Spanish student, from Spain, who speaks five or six languages, and came here from Geneva, where he was an interpreter for the United Nations; a German student from Germany, who, besides studying in college handles all the heavy correspondence coming in to our office here from Germany, as the result of our two broadcasts weekly in the German Language on Radio Luxembourg beamed on Germany; a Swedish speaking student from Sweden, besides students from Australia, South Africa, North and South Ireland, Wales, Scotland—and, of course, most of the students here being British students from England. God has sent us a splendid group of able young people. In a very few years they will be out full time in this great work, around the world.
Of course the original Ambassador College in Pasadena now has its largest enrollment, and is now supplying capable and called and consecrated men and women trained for positions in God's work every year. New radio stations are being added. Hundreds and thousands are being converted and baptized. Christ is blessing His work in every way!
But the NEED is great! WHAT A PRIVILEGE God has bestowed upon YOU and me, that He has called us to be Co-Workers with Christ in preparing the way for His soon-coming! The world is hearing His Gospel! Your part in praying for this work—on paying tithes—in making financial sacrifice to send in generous offerings, according as God has prospered you, is a glorious privilege. Do you thank God for it?
I need your earnest, believing, and prevailing PRAYERS! This entire work needs them. Pray about how much you should send in for God's work. I know that you will be generous according to what you have—whether only widows' mites, or thousands of dollars! While the world neglects Christ in its Christmas shopping, you and I must sacrifice for HIM more than ever. Remember, this is very URGENT!
I have had to be in England to help get the new college off to its good start, but Mrs. Armstrong and I hope soon to return to Pasadena, God willing. Pray for us!
Be sure to write for the Christmas booklet, the new booklet entitled "Who Will Rule Space?" just coming off the presses, and also the booklet on the laws of success. It will show you how to solve the problems of making ends meet. Thank you, and God bless you!
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