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without Him. "Then answered the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him?"
The Church of God was persecuted, almost from the beginning.
At the beginning of the 8th chapter of the Book of Acts, two years
after the founding of the Church of God, it is recorded: "And at
that time there was a great persecution against the church which
was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout
the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles."
Later, when the Apostle Paul arrived in Rome, the Jews there
said to him, regarding the church, "as concerning this sect, we
know that everywhere it is spoken against" (Acts 28:22).
There were some -- though a comparative minority -- who
believed Jesus when He was on earth. There are many thousands,
though a comparative minority -- who believe His SAME Message, and
His SAME Work, today. I would like to share with you just a few
of the letters I have received in response to these attacks.
A PLAIN TRUTH subscriber from Weslaco, Texas, who is not --
or has not been -- a Co-Worker, writes: "I was sorry to learn that
your son has been separated from your organization, but having no
desire to involve myself in the internal affairs, I only write out
of a sense of loss. However, since reading the article in ______'
I felt it necessary to write to their editors, and copy of my
letter to them is attached hereto. I hope that many of the other
admirers of the work which you and he have been trying to carry on
will likewise write to ________ and express their contempt for the
article. Again, thank you for the subscription which you so kindly
sent me."
Following is copy of his letter to the editor of the
attacking publication: "________ should be congratulated for its
action in employing the mentally retarded, as witness the article
by correspondent _____ ________ on Garner Ted Armstrong. Her
incompetence and bias are quite plain.
"What is wrong with a knowledgeable commentary by Garner
Ted on misuse of drugs and other social ills of our country? What
about the sarcastic remarks about Ambassador College because of its
standards of modesty in both appearance and dress? If you are so
anxious to check up on things like this, why not look in on the
rape trials to be held in June for students of Pan American
University at Edinburgh, Texas -- or the personal vendetta of a
Baptist preacher against a Chicano group at Mercedes, Texas, who
are trying to establish a college for the betterment of their
education.
"What's wrong with the payment of tithes and offerings -- or
the assistance to widows and orphans -- both of these are actually
commandments of God? Or would she think it unseemly for a church
to take over this assignment rather than public welfare assistance?
What's wrong with a church -- or any other group -- to be desirous
of maintaining their internal operations -- so why the big deal of
the secret letter burning?