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In 1966, a new phase was begun. Mr. Armstrong decided
the Work had reached the point where the Church mus! reach out its arms as far as it
cou/d in an intensive effort to
bring the message of [Christ'sj next Coming to al/ of humanity.
kings and presidents, prime ministers
and cabinet members, legislators and
educators. These summit and near–
summit sessions are of overriding
importance because, as Mr. Armstrong
has stated: " When 1 gel Christ's vital
message of the Kingdom of God lo the
king, presiden!, prime minister and
others high in the government of such
nations, 1have, in God's sight, gotten
His message lo that nation or king–
dom."
Usually, upon arrival in a country, he
has an audience with the government's
leader, followed by a series of meetings
with other high-ranking officials. Then
dinners are arranged, al which he
speaks lo from
100
to
400
of the
nation's most distinguished business,
professional, community and academic
leaders. A public-appearance campaign
is next on the schedule. Often he will
address tens of thousands of persons in
vast indoor and outdoor arenas and
stadiums.
Mr. Armstrong's method of carrying
out the commission is unique. The
audiences. whether few or many, are
not exhorted to come forth and accept
the Lord. There are not pyrotechnics or
thunderous declamations. Nobody is
warned lo fall on the knees and convert
al once or tace hellfire and damnation.
The message is delivered low key, its
force arising from the crucial meaning of
what is said rather !han the manner in
which it is delivered.
Along with that announcement, there
is a full explanation and a proof that
what we say is, in truth, coming to pass.
An integral par! of the message, too, is
moral and ethical education. As Mr.
Armstrong pul it in October,
1974,
in
Cairo, when he addressed a glittering
assemblage of Egyptian citizens (which
included tour government ministers.
many members of the legislature and a
number of university presidents):
" What are we? Why are we here? ls
there a purpose? Where are we going?
What is the way? What is the way to
peace? To have happiness? To make
lile beautiful and worthwhile? What are
the true values?' · Answers are offered
lo these basic questions of lite from the
insights Mr. Armstrong himself has dis-
December 1980
covered in his lifelong studies and vas!
experience.
Living in such close proximity with
Herbert Armstrong for so many months
of so many years, listening lo him talk
about every aspect of the Work, the
people we mee! , the theology of the
Church, discussing the plans for the
immediate and distan! future, thinking
and planning with him, having three
meals a day in his company- all this
has given me a deeper insight into the
mind and spirit of the apostle of God
than any human being who ever lived.
11 Herbert Armstrong is an ambassa–
dor without portfolio, 1have functioned
as his secretary of state. though similar–
ly uncredenlialed. Although Mr. Arm–
strong's repulalion has preceded him,
audiences with world leaders are not
quite as easy to arrange as an appoint–
menl with the head of an insurance
company branch office!
Consider, for example, the king of
Thailand. He is so highly revered that
even his most prominent subjects, when
they have been admitted into his pres–
ence to give him an offering, must crawl
like reptiles to his throne on their sto–
machs. While most heads of state do
not require obeisance to this degree,
there are complex and often delicate
problems of protocol , agenda and
scheduling to be worked out. Arrange–
ments must be made long in advance
wilh the leaders' key aides. Logistical
problems of travel must be resolved–
when do we arrive, where do we go,
how do we gel there, how long do we
stay?
As Mr. Armstrong's servan!, it has
been my responsibility to manage his
massive program of meetings, dinners
and rallies in country alter counl ry. This 1
have done for up to 10 months of every
year since
1960.
As his servan!, too, 1
see to it that the meetings go well , that
the Church's needs are taken care of
and that the programs we institute are
carried out.
As his unofficial secretary of state, 1
have been present at most of !he
conferences he has had with world
leaders, and gone alone to bring the
announcement and carry on adjunct
programs when he was elsewhere.
Ouring July and early August ,
1977,
Mr. Armslrong and 1traveled to Tokyo,
Israel, Liberia, !he lvory Coast and
Ghana. He was not in the best of health
during the trip, bu! 1couldn't persuade
him to cut il short. On our return to
Pasadena, California, his complaint per–
sisled, and finally on August
17
he did
visita doctor in Tucson, Arizona, while 1
was aboard a TWA flight lo New York
on my way lo Europe. When 1arrived in
New York 1received an urgen! message
lo call him. 1did so, and he urged me lo
return to his bedside in Tucson to help
him; he had been advised that he was
seriously ill wilh congestive heart fail–
ure.
1 rushed lo his side and arrived in
Tucson at 3 a.m. on the morning of
August
18.
For three weeks he was
indeed in criticar condilion, but he then
began a miraculous recovery. By Octo–
ber he was well on his way to full health,
and 1was able to leave for almos! three
months of activilies in Tokyo, Europe
and New York-much of the time filling
in for Mr. Armstrong.
As a result of our pilgrimages and our
efforts to foster and cement world
understanding, a number of foreign
countries have called on me to function
as an " experl adviser" in their dealings
wilh the United States. In
1971
1was
asked to be an official adviser to the
Japanese delegation, headed by then
Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, at the U.S.–
Japanese ministerial conference at San
Clemente, California. Late the following
summer, 1was again an adviser to a
Japanese delegalion that accompanied
Prime Minister Kakeui Tanaka lo his
summit conference with Presiden! Nixon
in Hawaii, where the two chiefs re–
affirmed the mutual cooperation and
security trealy that existed between
their governments and announced lhat
!he United States and Japan had
reached accords under which Japan
would buy
$1,000
million worth of air–
craft, uranium enrichment and vari ous
agricultura! products.
Three years later, 1advised a Japa–
nese delegation in the Middle East
during lsraeli-Egyptian negotiations on
withdrawal from the banks of the Suez
Canal. Problems involving North and
9