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brought against us because they
claimed that both Mr. Rader and 1
had been "siphoning off millions of
dollars every year from Church
funds." That wild allegation is so ut–
terly false 1 have not considered it
necessary to dignify it with a denial.
Our Church members have PROVEO
by their loyalty, financia! support
and loving letters that they know well
such a thing is impossible.
A couple days ago Mr. Rader went
in person to the deputy attorneys
general , told them of this persistent
rumor , and offered that , if they
would dismiss all charges against me
and the three corporations, he would
hand them complete records of all
transactions involving him, on a sil–
ver platter. They know well their
charges of our stealing millions of
dollars are utterly groundless. But
they replied that they cannot now
afford to " lose face" by admitting
that it is THEY, not we, who are guilty
of wrongdoing. They said it would
leave them "emasculated" - using
that very word! Now they are going
to try to make me move to a lower–
cost residence and insist 1 travel,
when l do, at something like third–
class accommodations, etc.
So l am going to see that they
Jearn that: 1) I own absolutel y
NOTHI NG, except the property in
which my wife and I now live in
Tucson, Arizona, until it is safe for
me to resume residence in the col–
Jege-owned home on the campus in
Pasadena where 1 have lived for 13
years; and 2) the Pasadena property
and all in it belongs to Ambassador
College, and cost onJy $17,500 of
Church or college funds.
The very purchase of that property
is an example of how God has been
blessing us and His Work. Here a re
the circumstances behind the college
acqui r ing that property.
Dr. and Mrs. Hal Lisman wañted
to move from San Pedro to Pasadena.
They wanted this particular proper–
ty, said i t could be bóugh t for
$37,500-a bargain of bargains at
that time. They offered to put in the
$10,000 down payment. We agreed
that $5,000 of their down payment
could pay for five years' rent and the
other $5,000 could
be
taken off their
income tax as a contribution to the
college.
At the end of five years, they paid
The
PLAIN TRUTH June-July 1979
another $10,000 for a nother five
years' rent. When Dr. Lisman died,
Mrs. Lisman housed eight girl stu–
dents. When neighbors complained
that the property was not zoned for
taking in roomers, we had to move
them out. Mrs. Lisman felt it was too
large a house for her to maintain
alone.
That was when 1 decided to live
there. After the Lismans had paid
$20,000 of the $37,500, it remained
for the college to pay only the
$17,500. There was a certain amount
of repairing, which was done with
our own labor.
My wife Loma and I lived there
around two years befare her death.
During the remainder of the night
after her death, 1 remarked to my son
Garner Ted that 1 planned to move
into a small apartment, and that 1
didn ' t know how to use tbat large
home.
"Dad," said Ted, " no other minis–
ter but you could liye here. It seems
to me we'll have to turn it into a
student social center."
1 agreed; that was·its only possible
use. But then carne the idea of invit–
ing a ll senior students each year, in a
number of small groups throughout
the year , for a formal dinner with me
at my home. And, in doing that, 1
decided it would be better for me to
live on there. Many students yet to–
day will say that the formal dinners
they attended were the outstanding
event of their four-year college ca–
reers. That home now has a bronze
sign in front of the entrance marked
"PRJVATE-Student Social Center."
So, if the deputy attorneys general
decide I must live elsewhere, what
will become of the Student Social
Center?
Among those who have been enter–
tained in that house are King Leo–
pold IIl and family, Judge Nagendra
Singh (India's representative on the
Court of lnternational Justice at The
Hague) and his wife, Dr. Franz Josef
Strauss (often called the "strong man
of Europe") and his wife, the presi–
dent of Tokyo University and his
wife, officials from the state of Israel ,
and others. Another guest was Gloria
Swanson, the most glamorous star of
Hollywood from the silent-movie
days (she was lecturing at tbe coi–
Jege).
Of course, IF these deputy attor-
neys general and these court judges
demand that 1 move into sorne third–
or fourth-rate shanty, it would not
be
a new experience for me. 1 did have
to live in poorer circumstances than
most of our brethren for many years,
and 1 would fcel right at home.
Why is it, 1 often wonder, that if a
Hollywood movie star lives ostenta–
tiously, that is EXPECTEo?-and they
do nothing more of real value than
entertain people. But if the servant of
the living Goo ministers to multiple
thousands, leading many to ETERNAL
LIFE, sorne people expect him to live
like a tramp or pauper.
How did Jesus live? We know lit–
tle of that, but there is evidence that
He owned His own property in
Capernaum. He wore a robe that was
of extra fine quality, for it was seam–
less. Even Jesus was accused of "ex–
travagance," when a woman washed
His feet with precious and expensive
ointment. Jesus rebuked those who
criticized this.
1 know what it is to be POOR! 1
know what it is to go HUNGRY for
lack of money for food. 1 have lived
at as low a cost of living as my posi–
tion in God's service allowed. And 1
would be willing todo it again- but 1
don't think the living Jesus Christ
wants me to do that again, now. In
the Kingdom of God there will be no
paupers, tramps, nor the VERY poor.
Our God has something better in
store for us!
For fifty-two years now, since my
conversion, 1 have tried to live sim–
ply, without extravagance, and to
make every dollar of God's tithes go
as far in His Work as possible! But
the living Jesus Christ
does
guide
His apostle and shows me HOW
He
wants His Work managed. Every
dollar is made to go farther and
more effectively than in any other
organization in the world-because
this Work is headed and led by Je–
sus Christ!
And it will continue to be admin–
istered as Jesus Christ leads me–
and not as sorne state official or a
court judge would Mrsmanage!
This is NOT the work of man's
government but the work of the liv–
ing God! Attorneys general or court
judges, who do NOT follow Christ,
sha/1 not
manage or operate this
precious Work of the LIV ING
Goo! o
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