In the immediately preceding article you have seen the announcement concerning several changes to be made in the personnel and publication of TRUTH MAGAZINE. From the beginning of my acquaintance with TRUTH MAGAZINE, I have been enthusiastic about its publication. Its staff of writers has been an imposing one. Those brethren immediately connected with its publication have been men of repute among faithful brethren. The physical make-up of the paper has been unexcelled. Its content has been outstanding; its leadership, excellent.

Commendation of Past Publishers

Were it not due to an urgent press of other matters demanding the attention of Brother Bryan Vinson, Jr., I completely would be unwilling to accept the responsibility of editing the paper. It is my considered opinion that Brother Vinson, with his associates, has done a splendid work in the publishing of the paper during the past more than five years. I am not presumptuous to think that I shall do a better job than has been done thus far. However, I freely do pledge myself to the task of doing the best work of which I am capable as editor of the paper.

Brother Bryan Vinson, Jr. has surrounded himself with some able helpers in the persons of Leslie Diestelkamp, Gordon Pennock, Ray Ferris, Foy Vinson, and Bryan Vinson, Sr. These brethren largely have borne the load of publishing the paper till now. I was explicit in stating my refusal to assume the duties as editor if my doing so meant the loss of the help of any of these men. I am acutely aware of my inability to make TRUTH MAGAZINE a successful effort by my efforts only. Hence, my insistence that the men responsible for its publication in the past continue to give their aid. I already have asked and shall ask other men who are both "faithful" and "able" (2 Tim. 2:2) to help in this work.

It is a real pleasure to have the anticipated close association with William Wallace in this undertaking. The name "Wallace" is a significant one in our generation. But William's reputation is not built around the lustre of his family name. He has made a reputation for himself, both as a direct and forceful preacher and as an excellent writer. It is my intention that William and I shall share equally in the responsibility of producing this paper, though formally he shall serve as "associate editor" and I as "editor."

Paper to Relocate

TRUTH MAGAZINE feels that it has a place to fill which is peculiarly its own. It does not consider itself to be in competition with other good religious journals published by faithful brethren. We have no hesitancy to commend to you the GOSPEL GUARDIAN, the PRECEPTOR, SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES or any other good journal published by faithful brethren. However, since these three journals just mentioned are published in Texas and Florida, we hardly see how there could be any "conflict of interest" with TRUTH MAGAZINE, which has always been published here in the North.

Since Brother Wallace and I have assumed the obligations of publishing and editing the paper, we have decided to move it to Akron, Ohio. I now live in Akron, and Brother Wallace shortly shall return to the state of Ohio to work. These factors have led us in making the decision to move the paper to Akron, along with the fact that there are few, if any, cities where the membership of the churches would be more favorably disposed toward a publication such as TRUTH MAGAZINE than Akron.

Editorial Policy

A paper must have some editorial policy. However, the editorial policy of a paper does not necessarily change with the changing of editors. TRUTH MAGAZINE'S editorial policy has been one best described as "open forum" style. This simply means that the editor has not taken upon himself the shocking responsibility of becoming a brotherhood censor, as have some editors of other journals. Brother Vinson rather freely has permitted articles to be printed that expressed sentiments with which he was not in agreement. We shall continue to do likewise. Therefore, each writer shall be responsible only for those articles bearing his name. The simple fact that I shall insert an article in the paper shall not alone be taken as indication that I concur with every point expressed therein. However, should you care to know my sentiment regarding a point expressed in an article, it's yours for the asking! It shall be our intention to be "fair," with every import of that term.

While we shall accept articles with which we are not in agreement, this is not to be taken to imply that TRUTH MAGAZINE shall constitute a medium through which every "crackpot" or chronic "rabble-rouser" in the brotherhood shall have opportunity to let off steam. There is such a thing as editorial responsibility!

In substance: We have liked the editorial policy of TRUTH MAGAZINE thus far, and shall do our best to maintain its high standards of the past. We are not deluded in thinking that we shall please everyone. We have no illusion that even good, faithful brethren shall feel that in every instance did we exercise the best judgment. In fact, I suspect that there will be times when, after printing certain articles, that we ourselves shall doubt the wisdom of having done so. But even so, we shall do our best with each issue to do what we believe to be right and best.

Your Support Solicited

I would like to ask your help right now in assisting us to get off to a good start in this undertaking. The good accomplished in an undertaking of this sort depends upon two things primarily: (1) The number and quality of articles which the paper carries, and (2) The number of readers which it has. We therefore invite you to send us an article, and we urge you to help us by securing new renders for the paper. I am sure that you know someone who would enjoy reading this paper. Why not ask him to subscribe to the paper?

Brother Wallace and I undertake this work with a great deal of enthusiasm and optimism. But enthusiasm and optimism alone will not guarantee the paper's success. We, therefore, shall unreservedly work for its success also. Will you join hands with us in making available a paper that will be as beneficial as possible to our readers? Toward this end we shall labor! Will you?

Truth Magazine VI: 11, pp. 3-4
August 1962