March 21, 1951 - Herbert W Armstrong - Co-Worker Letters

 

March 21, 1951

Dear Friend and Co-Worker:

The office staff is really after me today, and insisting I drop everything else to acknowledge and THANK YOU, for the offering (or tithe) again received. Much as I wanted to write you, I've had so many things to do it seems I didn't get to it.

I thank you doubly---for, now that they have pressured me into setting other things aside to write you this "THANK YOU" letter, it gives me opportunity to just talk to you a moment and tell you a little about things here. You'll realize how very MUCH your own generosity has helped in the work when you receive the letter I'm forced to send to all co-workers again, telling them of another financial crisis in this work. It is so serious that ---but I won't dwell on that troubled-appearing picture further in this letter, but rather commit this great need to God, and tell you about the more happy side of the picture.

Today our students, with a crew of experts directing the operation, are winding up the planting of a beautiful camellia garden in one section of the college campus. These trees are BEAUTIFUL. The owner of a nursery and camellia business, forced to retire from business, is donating to the college camellia trees appraised at $100,000. The market is such that there is no sale for these trees now. Otherwise, of course, they would not be given to us. Perhaps in future years we may be able to sell some of them. It's almost unbelievable---but then, nearly everything about this work of God and this college He started thru us is providential. We have only had time to move thirty-four of these beautiful trees, finishing up today. The weather is turning warm, and the rest of the trees cannot be moved until about November. These trees are between ten and twenty five years old. We have planted a lovely hedge of camellia trees along a 150-foot strip of frontage which up to now was not secluded from the street. Other trees are being placed approximately ten feet apart from this hedge up over a knoll, completely secluding the beautiful campus grounds from the street. These are really fine varieties, producing rare and beautiful flowers of various colors.

Of course we probably never will be able to move more than half of these hundreds of trees onto the campus. Some are too large and costly to move, but this gift of rare and beautiful camellia trees is adding much to our magnificently beautiful campus. And it is truly almost unbelievable that these things always come to us in such a way as to take nothing from the gospel work.

Warm spring days are here in Pasadena. Soon our first graduation will arrive. Two men students, and one girl are now ready for full time work---the men in ministerial and evangelistic work, and assisting me with the writing, and the girl in the college library and in our business office. Indeed, one of our senior students is already out in the work full time. As you will see by the new magazine, "THE GOOD NEWS," going to press today, the Ambassador College Graduate School of Theology continues the work of men students in such a way that they are actually engaged practically full time in the work, while still engaged in the graduate work. They cannot be ordained until they have completed the full 27 months' graduate work after completing the four years of college. By that time they will be fully mature, trained, and experienced, possessing the equivalent of a doctor's degree. But it is a wonderful encouragement to me that two of these fine young men are prepared already for virtually full-time work. It will begin to ease the load I have to carry, and at the same time greatly expand the scope and effectiveness of the work. And these are not ordinary young men. Their lives prove they have been truly called of God to His service. They are fully converted, filled with God's Spirit. They have understanding and wisdom---they under-stand the Bible---they have FAITH---and they are already well experienced and capable. They are sincere, diligent, hard workers.

Yes, God surely blesses His work with GOOD THINGS, both spiritual and material. And one of the most important of the GOOD THINGS is you, yourself, as one of our loyal and faithful co-workers. I do thank God for you as a co-worker with me in His great work, and ask His richest blessing for you.

Sincerely, in Jesus' name,

Herbert W. Armstrong