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my father's shoulders -- he had much, much more than he could
handle.
In those days, I always said, "This is Garner Ted
Armstrong, speaking to you for my Father, Mr. Herbert W.
Armstrong," and when it came to sign off time, would say, "this has
been Garner Ted Armstrong, speaking to you FOR my father, Mr.
Herbert W. Armstrong!"
For many, many programs, I continued this type
introduction and "sign off." It even prompted one listener, who
had not quite caught the final words clearly to write to "BEN
Garner Ted Armstrong." Thankfully, though, no one ever wrote to
"HAS-BEEN Garner Ted Armstrong!"
From that point on, I have been doing the broadcasting --
and now beginning, once more (though only in a small way, on only
FOUR stations in scattered areas so far) in television. So -- I
ended up on television, and on radio, after all. But for an
infinitely greater CAUSE than I had ever imagined!
But meanwhile, although some, hearing my voice and not my
father's on the air, have asked: "Is he still alive?" -- my father
has remained VERY MUCH alive -- surprisingly, remarkably so to
those who truly know him, and work with him daily in this large and
growing work. He is the active director of ALL phases of this
globe girdling work, as all of our long-time readers of The PLAIN
TRUTH understand, from reading his monthly "personal" column in the
magazine, and from having read past issues of his autobiography.
But now to the reasons why we're offering a very special
gift to our PLAIN TRUTH subscribers! For years, my father avoided
all attempts to publicize his picture, or to give any PERSONAL
information in The PLAIN TRUTH magazine. He felt ALL space in The
PLAIN TRUTH should be taken up with The GOSPEL of Christ.
But over the years, thousands upon thousands of requests
kept coming in. People wanted to know "WHO IS Herbert W.
Armstrong?" What is his background? Is he an ordained MINISTER,
or a businessman, or an educator, or WHAT? They wanted to know WHO
SPONSORED The PLAIN TRUTH and The WORLD TOMORROW program. Was
there any CHURCH behind it? Was Mr. Armstrong conducting a one-man
"work," or were there OTHERS who performed various functions?
In his earliest years, my father had always sought advice
from successful men. He had been greatly impressed by reading many
biographical works, and even autobiographies of famous and
successful personages. And one I remember his mentioning to me and
my brother on many occasions, was the autobiography of Benjamin
Franklin.
Benjamin Franklin's autobiography was directed to his son.
In his middle 60's, my father thought of writing, directly for my
brother Dick and me, an autobiography as his life's story. The
worldwide Work in which he had been used as the primary instrument
had grown big. It was doubling in scope in less than every three
years. Although it was employing hundreds in its expanding