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WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
WORLD HEADQUARTERS
Pasadena, California 91123
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
President and Pastor
July 31, 1978
Dear Brethren of God's Church:
Last night, I had been reading a telex I had sent to my son
about a year and a half ago from South Africa and I was thinking of
his condition now, trying to launch a new Garner Ted Armstrong church
of his own, without the facilities to do so. I thought of what a
lovable little fellow Ted had been as a young boy. I was unable to
sleep for a long time.
This morning I felt I should relieve my own mind by sending
a letter to my son, showing just how I feel. I had no intention of
letting anyone see this letter except my son. However, I feel now,
before sending it I should make it an open letter available to the
entire membership. It shows how I feel from the depths of my heart.
Following then is the letter dated July 31, 1978, Tucson:
Dear Ted:
The last two letters you sent me via Bill Evans were very
friendly in tone. The last one, dated July 12, told me you were
having great difficulty finding a place to live--the homes you might
be able to afford were too tiny. You hardly had enough for a
down-payment on a place. You asked about the place on Lake Tahoe--for
approximately nine years you had been trying to arrange to purchase
it--but something always put us off.
You did not know when you wrote this, that already I had
arranged a contract--the only way I knew that would be okay with IRS,
to turn over to you life tenancy, rent free, with the Church taking
care of all taxes, insurance, etc.,--leaving only utilities for you
to pay.
Also, I had arranged to offer you retirement pay of $50,000
per year--the same as you have done in the past for others at a
percentage of their annual salary. Also, as I'm sure I have written
you, I had offered--within the scope of IRS allowances--to supply
you with a home of comparable quality and size as the one built for
you in Pasadena. It seems the only way we could legally do this
would be a company purchase, giving you no-cost tenancy, like the
Lake Tahoe property.
Then, suddenly word came to me that you had incorporated
yourself as a church--and the very next morning--yesterday, Sunday,
July 30, another story from you was published in the L.A. Times
saying you rejected the $50,000 retirement pay--that never again
would any man be in position of authority over you--and that you
were going on the air to build your own church.