By Cecil Willis
With this issue, seventeen years of publishing Truth Magazine have been completed. Well over eleven of these years, it has been my privilege to serve as Editor. This issue also completes four years of publication on a weekly basis.
The editorial chair, I have found, to be a hot seat. An editor is criticized if he does, and criticized if he does not; it seems to make little difference what the issue is. I have ducked many of the rocks thrown in my direction, and gotten plastered by some of the others. Many of the very critical letters have been very helpful to me. Though some would never believe it, I have profited by the criticisms made. Some of them validly have been made. Experience has taught me where some of the editorial pitfalls are, and I shall hereafter try to avoid falling into them. I have no delusions about my editorial infallibility from this point onward. Surely other editorial mistakes will be made, but I shall try to make fewer of them, and not to repeat ones previously made.
Next week a new phase in the history of Truth Magazine will begin. Some changes are going to be made in the size and make-up of the paper. Some will approve the changes, and others will think we made a backward step. We have sought to publish a paper for brethren that has some “punch” in it. It has been our deliberate intention to make Truth Magazine a literary forum where issues that need discussion among brethren may be discussed. Truth Magazine has never been a paper designed for non-christians, or for babes in Christ, though we have sought to maintain a moderate balance in the content of the paper.
While Truth Magazine is undergoing some changes, its Editor also will be undergoing some. I have resigned my work as regular preacher for the Westside church in Marion, Indiana. My experience with these brethren has been entirely pleasant, from my point of view. It will be my intention to continue to work and worship with the Westside church. My friend, Brother Norman Midgette, is moving from the South Marion church to Westside to serve as local evangelist, effective January 1, 1974. It is our hope that some definite improvements can be made in the work of the Westside church in Marion, and certainly I intend to lend every effort that I can toward the accomplishment of this objective.
It will be my intention to devote about half of my time in 1974 to writing, both for Truth Magazine and hopefully in some other media also. We hope to be able to expand our publishing effort in order to make it possible for competent brethren to leave for succeeding generations a legacy of worthwhile religious articles, books, and booklets. Considerable of my time will therefore be devoted to trying to help to prepare for publication articles and books written by others. It has been the hope of those of us connected with the Cogdill Foundation that we can perpetuate the capability to publish needed religious books, tracts, journals, class materials, etc.
The remainder of my time will be spent in preaching wherever the opportunity presents itself. Though I have enjoyed my work with Truth Magazine, I (and a couple of other brethren) primarily look upon myself as a gospel preacher. During two years of my preaching life, I was not engaged in full-time work with a congregation. During those two years I preached more sermons than during any other two years of my life. I certainly do not intend to be less involved in the work of preaching and teaching. During recent years I have tried to do too many different things, with the result that I did not do anything as well as I would like to try to do it. With this altered arrangement, it will be my hope that Truth Magazine can be made into a better and more profitable journal. For several years, I have held about twenty meetings a year. The Lord Willing, I shall continue to hold about that many yearly.
As we close this volume, it is essential that a considerable portion of this final issue be devoted to the publication of an author and title index. Though an index is worthless to those who do not preserve their weekly issues of the paper, it is invaluable to those who keep permanent files, and hundreds of our readers do so. Beginning next week, a larger Truth Magazine will begin coming to your home. We hope to pack it full of good things, which will build you up in the most holy Faith.
TRUTH MAGAZINE XVII: 50, p. 2
October 25, 1973