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WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
WORLD HEADQUARTERS
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91123
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
President and pastor
November 22, 1978
Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Jesus Christ:
I have to ask you to help me in something connected with our carrying
the GREAT COMMISSION INTO ALL THE WORLD preparing for the coming of Christ
to RULE.
Late last June, when I was suffering a personal trauma in the very
painful task of having to disfellowship my own son from God's Church, I felt we
should dispose of Quest/78 and I think I wrote you that I had instructed Mr.
Rader to dispose of it. I think I probably was somewhat influenced at that
time by the fact my son was so savagely against it and because of his personal
animosity, against anything else that in any way involved Mr. Rader.
However as soon as I looked into the problem of disposing of it, that is,
letting it go defunct, it would cost us approximately 1 to 1 1/2 million dollars
to settle existing commitments. Further, it would cause much ridicule in all
the publishing industry, bringing derogatory publicity in the public press--
both newspaper and news magazines.
I decided it was better to delay a few months, let the word get out in the
industry that Quest/78 might be up for sale. This brought us tentative offers
from two of the three major television and radio networks. These networks
have been going into other lines of businesses beside TV and radio. For
example, few know that CBS some time ago bought the Steinway Piano New York
plant. All three networks are now going into the magazine field. Two of
them have approached us, with the tentative purpose of making Quest/78 their
flagship quality magazine.
Quest/78 is now RECOGNIZED as the TOP QUALITY magazine of the United
States. It would add considerable prestige to either one of these networks.
But, by the same token it is now beginning to add considerable prestige
to the Worldwide Church of God.
Already it is giving us important prestige in the purchase of television
and radio time. It, together with illustrated folders showing the Ambassador
Auditorium and its performing arts concerts, and the Ambassador International
Cultural Foundation, resulted in opening up to us at least one Feast site
never open to any church conclave before, and in saving the Work large sums of
money due to the fact that several organizations, as a result of this prestige,
gave us free use of the Feast sites.
Quest was never intended to be a religious or gospel publication. But
even though God has called us OUT of this world, not to be OF it, YET WE MUST
LIVE IN THE WORLD, and we are commissioned to go TO the world with Christ's
Gospel Message. To carry on the Work of God, we have to deal with the world,