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PASTOR'S REPORT, May 29, 1979
Page 5
ATTORNEY GENERAL WITHDRAWS OBJECTION TO INDIVIDUAL SURETIES
Our readers will recall that in March a California judge reimposed a
receivership on the Church knowing full well that the Church would appeal
to a higher court. Thus the judge made a requirement that the Church post
a $1 million money bond as assurance to the court and the state that the
people of Califonria would not suffer loss. Of course, this is absurd
since the Church does not belong to the state or people of California.
Nevertheless, California brethren signed individual pledges making a
cummulative total of well over $3 million dollars! These pledges were
legal under California law and met the need for a bond to keep the receiver
out pending a decision on the appeal.
The Attorney General had hoped that the Church would not be able to raise
the money bond in the allotted time so he could obtain unbridled access
to all Church information by means of a new receiver. But the Attorney
General, in his own words, was "stymied" by the bond which the brethren
made possible. Even so, at the last moment he exercised his option to
contest each individual surety for possible inadequacies.
Now the Attorney General has withdrawn his objection to the individual
pledges. It is the opinion of the attorneys for the Church, however,
that the primary reason for the Attorney General withdrawing his objection
is an effort to undermine the Church's petition for a hearing by the U.S.
Supreme Court. His basis for undermining the petition is the argument
that, since the receiver is "stayed" (neutralized) by the sureties, there
is no urgent need for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the Church's case at
this time, thus keeping the case in California courts for the time bein�
No matter how the Attorney General of California wants to color the issues
in the case, the Church vs. State confrontation is most extraordinary and
deserving the attention of the highest court in the land--the sooner the
better.
PUBLISHING SERVICES UPDATE
While travelling around the country I have frequently taken the time to
visit local public libraries and to my dismay I have found anti-church
literature readily available, but only on rare occasions anything, in
anyway, positive. Only once or twice I have found a well-worn copy of
the "Autobiography."
Now we all have a great opportunity to help put the most important book
since the Bible, in our local libraries. Generally a library will NOT
approve a book just because it is free or someone gives it to them,I10r
will they buy every book advertised by mail. A library, especially local
public libraries, serve the community by providing the kinds of materials
their patrons are most interested in reading.
If one or more individuals within a community ask their local librarian to
obtain a specific title, they will recognize a definite need and possibly
will purchase copies. Consequently, I suggest that we check with our local
libraries and ask for Mr. Armstrong's book, The Incredible Human Potential,
published by Everest House.
Once it is there, others will read it too!
--Roger Lippross