By Mike Willis and Earl E. Robertson
On 19 September 1980, the Gospel Guardian Company was sold to Cogdill Foundation. Elsewhere in this issue of Truth Magazine, brother James W. Adams, present editor of Gospel Guardian, gives the details of this announcement. Be sure to read his material which will also be printed in the Gospel Guardian. Though the sale of the Gospel Guardian Company was completed on 19 September 1980, Cogdill Foundation does not obtain possession of the company until 1 January 1980. Until then, the Gospel Guardian Company will continue under its present management.
Gospel Guardian To Be Discontinued
The Gospel Guardian will continue to be published until the end of this calendar year. Throughout this period, it will continue to be under the excellent editorship of brother Adams. At the close of this year, the Gospel Guardian will have completed thirty years of publication. Its defense of the truth against the introduction of the sponsoring church arrangement, church support of colleges and benevolent institutions, and church sponsored recreation was of tremendous value to the Lord’s people. Brethren owe those responsible for its publication a debt of gratitude. We are thankful for their labors and want to publicly express appreciation to all of those responsible for teaching this generation the “faith which was once delivered to the saints” in its purity.
We see no reason for us to be publishing two papers at the present. The Gospel Guardian and Truth Magazine, so far as we are able to determine, are publishing material which is directed to the same “old paths.” To continue publishing two papers would double our expenses and labors. Consequently, the Gospel Guardian will end its publication as of December 31, 1980.
In order to avoid anyone starting a new paper under the name Gospel Guardian and perhaps misusing the confidence which brethren have had in the old Gospel Guardian, the Cogdill Foundation is copyrighting the name of the Gospel Guardian. This gives us the exclusive right to publish a paper with this name.
Truth Magazine To Be Renamed
The Cogdill Foundation will continue to publish Truth Magazine but will rename the paper Guardian of Truth in order to retain a portion of the Gospel Guardian’s name. Consequently, as of 1 January 1981, Truth Magazine will become Guardian of Truth. We shall continue our present volume numbers, so the 1981 volume will be listed as volume twenty-five.
As is being done with the name Gospel Guardian, the Cogdill Foundation is also securing a copyright on the names Truth Magazine and Guardian of Truth in order that we might have the exclusive right to publish a magazine with these names. We do not want someone starting a new paper named Truth Magazine which might depend upon the past stand for truth of Truth Magazine for its support.
Financial Arrangements
A word needs to be said with reference to those who are presently subscribing to Gospel Guardian and/or purchasing church ads to be published in the Gospel Guardian. Upon purchasing the Gospel Guardian, we purchased their mailing list; hence, everyone who is presently receiving Gospel Guardian will begin receiving the Guardian of Truth as of 1 January 1981.
In working out the following arrangements, we have sought to be as fair as possible to those who are presently subscribing to Gospel Guardian. Here is what we are proposing to do. Gospel Guardian is a thirty-two page monthly; Guardian of Truth will be a sixteen page weekly. Hence, we are extending any subscriptions to the Gospel Guardian on a two-for-one basis – the subscriber will receive two issues of Guardian of Truth for every one issue of Gospel Guardian which he has paid for. In addition to this we are going to add one extra free month to receive Guardian of Truth to be sure that the readers of Gospel Guardian are given a fair deal. This same formula will be used to extend the subscription of those who are presently receiving both papers.
Those who have purchased church ads in the Gospel Guardian will have their ads continued in Guardian of Truth. Inasmuch as the circulation of Gospel Guardian has been below 1500 and the circulation of Guardian of Truth will be nearing 5000, advertisers in Guardian of Truth will be receiving a great deal more exposure through the pages of Guardian of Truth than they received through Gospel Guardian. Nevertheless, we are still going to give advertisers in Gospel Guardian the same bargain which we offered their subscribers. We will give advertisers a two-for-one bargain with one month bonus given. This will mean that ads which appeared in one issue of the Gospel Guardian will appear in two issue of Guardian of Truth; inasmuch as our ads appear twice each month, this will work out to a month-for-month exchange. Those who have ads appearing in both papers will simple have their ads extended on the same ratio.
Gospel Guardian Bookstore
We will make an announcement very soon as to the fur lure of the Gospel Guardian Bookstore. We want the Cogdill Foundation to render the greatest and best services to its many customers in the most efficient way possible. The Cogdill Foundation has produced many excellent literary works and plans to continue even with escalation; however, this is not possible without bookstore outlets and good customers. We are thankful that we have both. Our sales continue to climb and we thank each customer for buying from us. What profits we realize from the sales are returned into the creation of additional materials. We covet your continued goodwill and patronage in these functions.
Truth Magazine XXIV: 44, pp. 707-708
November 6, 1980