Truth Magazine

By Robert Jackson

In our study, we are talking about issues. that divide us, and therefore in dealing with this, of course we find no joy because we have no joy in division. But as a result of being divided, then we must face the issue of what it is that is causing the division. If you want to get it down to the basic principle, the cause of division is a lack of respect for the authority of Jesus Christ. In our study thus far we have emphasized that division has been within our ranks in regards to the missionary society since 1849. That divided the body of Christ over the lack of authority. There was no Bible authority for a missionary society under a board of directors to receive funds from churches of Christ to do ‘the work of anything. God has never authorized this.

Secondly, we talked about the division that has come within our ranks over the sponsoring church. Getting away from a missionary society under a board of directors, they have placed the same work and the same activity under elders, leaving the impression that this sanctified the matter because it was under a local eldership. And this is not so. The elders have no God-given right to oversee any thing outside of the local congregation. They have the oversight of the flock of God which is “among them” (1 Peter 5). They may put a Sponsoring Church under the eldership and still be without Bible authority. As a result of this, brethren have divided the body of Christ by promoting the sponsoring church, the Herald of Truth, etc. They created a motherhood church which violates the principles and the teachings of God’s word.

Then we discussed the issue that has divided us in regards to benevolence. Certainly the church is to relieve its own needy. I gave you book, chapter and verse, and showed you that the issue is not: “Should the Church care for its needy?” I also brought to your mind how the church met its need. Each local church is to tend to its own business-they may appoint men to see after the people in need among themselves. Secondly, if there is a church in need away from them, they sent directly to the elders of that church. They did not send through any kind of benevolent society. None were in existence in New Testament days, and there ought not to be any today. Now this does not mean that a benevolent society does not have a right to exist and that individuals may not support it if they so desire. But tacking these institutions on to the churches is the very thing that has divided the body of Christ.

I was citing the Gospel Advocate Quarterly to prove to you that such objections have been offered in years gone by, and that it is not something that has just been created within the last few years. I want to notice again the Gospel Advocate Quarterly, the same one of 1946, on page 340, when the writer is dealing with 2 Corinthians 8, in the work of benevolence. Now listen carefully: “This is the Lord’s method of raising money and it will suffice in any case. There is no place for charitable organizations in the work of the New Testament church. It is the only charitable organization that the Lord authorizes or that is needed to do the work that the Lord expects His people to do.” So then we find here the Bible authority of raising money, and secondly, that the church is sufficient to do its. own work, that it needs no other charitable organizations. I say a hearty “Amen” to what they said in 1946. But now then, the people who endorse the benevolent society today say that we need these charitable organizations, they they should be tacked on to the church. As a result of that, they have divided the body of Christ. Now they say that division has come because we opposed such. No, that is not so. The division is a result of brethren pressing these institutions upon the churches of Christ and dividing them; and in 1946, the brethren took the same position that I am taking today.

When we look at the orphan home issue, and this is a very emotional issue, there are really two views of this among some of the brethren. One view is that an orphan home has the right to exist as long as it is separate and apart from the church-under a board of directors-and then the local churches of Christ may support that institution. I have in my hand here a little tract that was published and put out in regard to the Potter Orphans Home in Bowling Green, Ky. This little tract was published by Brother Ben Taylor. Let me quote you what he had to say: “The Potter Orphan Home and School is not attached to any local church and governed by the elders of a local church. It stands independent of the oversight of any local church of Christ. The elders of any or all churches of Christ may serve the Potter Orphan Home and School in an advisory capacity, but not as authority, which would attach it to the church.” Listen again. “For the elders of any local church to assume the oversight of an orphans home would expand their authority beyond their scriptural limitations and would destroy the autonomy of the local church.” Now Brother Taylor is taking the position that the only way that an orphans home has the right to exist is under a board of directors, and then the churches of Christ may support it. One question: If we have an organization under a Board of Directors and they are doing the work and the church has a right to support it, could we take the orphans out of the orphans home and put preachers there and let the churches send money to this institution and send out preachers? Then what do you have? You have the missionary society, my friend! That is exactly what you have. You have a benevolent society and you have a missionary society, and both of them exist without divine authority. And the churches of Christ have no Bible authority to support either one of them in any sense of the word.

But then there is another view. Brother Guy Woods in his lectureship at Freed-Hardeman College in 1960, made this statement: “The orphan home is as much the home of the orphan as your home is yours, and exists by the same divine sanction. It follows therefore, that those who opposed the orphans home have arranged themselves against divine institutions rather than human ones.” Now, see what a contrast! The man at Potters Orphans Home said that it is a human institution under a Board of Directors, designed by human wisdom, not by divine authority. Bro. Woods says that it is a divine institution. So they are really divided.

But the truth about the matter is it is not a divine institution. It is a human institution, arranged by human wisdom, and I challenge Bro. Woods or anyone else to show in the Bible where there is an arrangement for such an organization as Potters Orphan Home or Tennessee Orphan Home. Even though they may do a good work, that is not the issue. Even though they be relieving the poor, that is not the issue. The issue is: Do they have a right to exist, and can churches of Christ send their money to it to do the work that they say the church is to do? Again let me press this point: If the church has the right to do that, then could they take the orphans out and put preachers there and send out preachers? “Oh,” some of the brethren would say, “No. That makes it a missionary society.” Well, here you have got a benevolent society. Why not let the church be the church, and leave these societies out of the church? Then everything would be just fine.

What has divided us? What has caused the division? The division has been caused as a result of brethren building institutions, tacking them on to the church and pressing brethren to support them-and then criticizing, condemning and branding the people who do oppose them. The only reason that we oppose them is because they exist without Bible authority. Now, my friend, this is the issue that is dividing us today, and until brethren stop tacking institutions on to the church, they are going to continue to divide the body of Jesus Christ.

But do you know what all of this led up to? Let me bring to your mind what this really led up to. Some of the brethren who started fighting for the orphans home and benevolent institutions also wanted to bring the college into the church treasury. Now for a while the brethren said, “No, the college is a human institution and therefore it should not be supported by the church.” Well, brethren backed off and they started talking about taking care of orphans. They said, “The church has a right to make a contribution to a benevolent society.” Then they said, “If you oppose that, then you are opposed to taking care of the poor.” “If you oppose the missionary society, then you are anti-evangelism.” Colleges were being supported by churches, and they also wanted to get more support, so they said, “Well, if you have got a right to support the orphans home, you have got a right to support the colleges.” The next thing you know, we find churches of Christ supporting colleges, turning their funds over to them to be used by human institutions.

“Oh,” they say, “Now brethren, the college is just doing the work of the college. The college is simply teaching the Bible, which is a good work-and the church ought to be ready for every good work.” Bro. Pullias stated this in his tract, “Where There Is NQ Pattern,” which was delivered in 1957 at David Lipscomb College, he said, “When the Christian College does all that it claims to do, the church has no less to do. None of its work has been taken over by the college, and the college exercises no control or supervision over the church.” But, question: Where is the authority for the church to turn its supervision over to the college? Where is the authority for the church to send money to the college and let the college use it? Now, my friend, get this: If the church sends money to the college, who has the oversight of it? Does the local church tell the college what to do, or does the college decide to use the money in the way they see fit? Now then, they have got to come to an agreement. First, if the church sends the money to it and tells the college to use it as it sees fit, who has the oversight of it? The local church? Why no, the college does!

I want to know where there is Bible authority for the church to support any college? I care not if they teach the Bible or not. Where is there any Bible authority for it? Oh but someone says, “Brother Jackson, they are doing a good work.” I am not arguing about the good work. I believe they are doing a good work. But they are doing a wrong work when they take money from churches where they have no business.

Now I will tell you what you do, my beloved friend. You take your Bible and show me one time where a New Testament church ever supported a human institution-a benevolent society, a missionary society, or a college. Today we hear people talk about the “Church of Christ college.” I want to know where there is a “church of Christ college”? Where did the Lord ever build one or design one? Where did the Lord ever tell how one was to be organized? If it is a divine institution, you ought to be able to read about it in the Bible. If it is not in the Bible, then there is no divine authority for it.

Oh but somebody says, “Now preacher, you are just anti-college.” No, that is not the issue. I believe that a college has a right to exist. It has a right to accept contributions from individuals. It has a right to teach the Bible. It does not have any Bible authority to take any money from churches, and neither do churches have any right to send any money to colleges. They violate New Testament teachings, they violate Bible authority and they act without a “thus saith the Lord” when they do. And this is what has caused division within the ranks of the body of Jesus Christ. Now they can cry anti all they desire, but they must bear the burden of the fact that they are the ones who divided the body of Jesus Christ! First the missionary society, the sponsoring church, the Benevolent Society, and then the college.

But you know it is a rather strange thing. When you boil it down, they say, “Well now preacher, there really is no way how to do a good work, just do it any way you want to. The Lord said, `Do good, be ready for every good work’-and there is no wrong way to do it.” Well, my friend, if there is no wrong way to do it, then what is wrong with doing it through some human institution? some denomination? through Catholicism? or through any other way? If there is no order, there can be no disorder! If there is an order, then we ought to do it like the order, and the order is to do it like they did in Bible days. Let each local church tend to its own business, send out its own preachers, take care of its own poor, send directly to the church where they need help, and when the need is met, stop that contribution. Let each church teach its own members. Let the college be the college, and let the church be the church, and let them be separate. If not, there will continue to be division. (Concluded next week.)

Truth Magazine XXI: 20, pp. 314-316
May 19, 1977

By Luther Blackmon

(Author’s note: This article was sent to the Houston Post during the 1960 presidential race. Some of what I said was published, but all my documentations were deleted. You see this is what Catholic Popes and other high church men have said.)

I have read with interest the articles pro and con on the controversial subject of Mr. Kennedy’s religion. But those which are directed against religious bigotry miss the point. There are likely a few people who are prejudiced against the Catholic Church as a religion, but the overwhelming majority of those who will oppose Mr. Kennedy because he is a Catholic, are not doing so because of the religious nature of his church, but because of the political aspects of it.

That the Hierarchy has always been, and is now, opposed to the religious freedom expressed in article one of our constitution, is subject to abundant proof, even from the writing of the Popes. This I presume, will not be denied by any informed Catholic.

Following is a sample of this proof:

“From what has been said it follows that it is quite unlawful to demand, to defend or to grant unconditional freedom of thought, of speech, of writing or of worship, as if these were so many rights given by nature to man” (Great Encyclical Letter of Pope Leo XIII, 161).

“Hence, from all that we have hitherto said, my beloved son, it is clear that we cannot approve the opinions which some comprise under the head of Americanism” (452).

This is also found in a book titled The Church Speaks To The Modern World, p. 80, published in 1954 by Doubleday. Again from the same Pope Leo XIII:

“Catholics cannot be too careful in defending themselves against such a separation. In fact, to wish that the state should separate itself from the church would be to wish,. by a logical sequence, that the church be reduced to the liberty of living according to the law common to all citizens. It is true that in certain countries this state of affairs exists” (Leo XIII, G.E.L., 262).

“The Roman Catholic Church, convinced through its divine prerogatives of being the only true church, must demand the right of freedom for herself alone, because such a right can only be possessed by truth, never by error. . . as to other religions, the church. . . will require that by legitimate means they shall not be allowed to propagate false doctrines. Consequently in a state where the majority of the people are Catholic, the church will require that legal existence be denied to error. . .” (Civilita Catolica, April, 1948.)

This country which was predominantly Protestant opens wide her doors to the Catholic Church to preach her doctrine unrestrained. Now if she will open the doors of those countries where she holds sway and allow all Protestants the same freedom which Catholics have here, we will have some faith in the claims that are being made that the Roman Catholic Hierarchy is not un-American in her view of religious freedom.

Truth Magazine XXI: 20, p. 314
May 19, 1977

By Earl E. Robertson

Fifteen years ago I was living in Indianapolis, Indiana and working with the Belmont Avenue church. Brother Cecil Willis was living in Akron, Ohio and preaching for the Brown Street church. He was at that time doing some writing through the pages of Truth Magazine and the Gospel Guardian. Truth Magazine then was only in its sixth year of existence. The circulation was small and the paper was behind schedule. The brethren then who were responsible for it desired to let someone else have it. Cecil visited my home and told me that he would be willing to assume the editorship of the paper if we thought it would survive. Bill Wallace and I told Cecil that we thought it would live and for him to take it.

From that time (the seventy-first issue of Truth Magazine) until a short time ago Cecil sat in the editorial chair and did a good job. He was loved by some and hated by others. He ably met the religious errors, both in the church and out, of his time. Some in the church apparently felt his treatment of error was too harsh, but it seems that they either did not know the issues involved or were themselves tainted with the same error. Time will prove this to any doubter. Cecil’s editorials were often read by many of us before they saw the light of the printed page, and were endorsed by us. One had no difficulty understanding what he wrote. Some, understanding what he wrote agreed with it, but disagreed with the way he said it. But what did they say about the same doctrinal errors?

In the early stages of Cecil’s editorial responsibilities he worked at a personal sacrifice and financial loss. As the paper grew and the book sales increased more demand was made upon his time. Eventually the Board recognized the need for all of his time and he was then hired so that his sole responsibility pertained to Cogdill Foundation business. The business grew with this arrangement. The working relationship between Cecil and the Board has always been the best. A number of meetings have been conducted through the years by the Board and not the slightest conflicts have ever been observed. No one could ever ask for or expect a more pleasant relationship to exist than has existed in this Foundation Board. Some preachers who know absolutely nothing about the Board meetings have peddled misinformation, lies and innuendo. Why? I do not know; only they, God and the devil know. It has been stated that the business is in poor condition and the paper might cease. The records loudly speak otherwise. We tell a loving and deserving brotherhood that the business is now larger than ever before and continues to grow each month. We have sought to serve with good merchandise and good service and we believe that brethren everywhere are aware of the fact that this has been and now is our aim. We thank each customer and subscriber for all past and present business and promise to give you the continued good service. Brother Robert Whitehead, Book Store Business Manager, is at his job. He will continue to see that you are a satisfied customer.

Elsewhere in this issue, you may find Cecil’s own statement of resignation. In his statement here, as in the one to the Board directly, he gives his own two reasons as to why, for conscience sake, he resigned. The Board realized that Cecil was not able to function in the capacity that his office demanded, and did, therefore, give him a leave of absence with full pay hoping that he would become able to assume fully the duties of his office. He realized his problems perhaps more fully than did we and tendered his resignation. He stated in his written resignation of March 14, 1977, “I will be perfectly willing to assist in any way that I am asked to assist in the transitional period with the person or persons who shall succeed me, provided of course that my assistance is desired. I ask that you please consider this decision of mine as final, and make no effort to convince me otherwise, for it has only been made after weeks and even months of deliberation by me. My mind has been fully settled about the decision for several weeks, but I have delayed in writing this letter that I might deliberate upon the matter further and thus make no decision hastily. This action now has been taken after due deliberation. My best wishes shall attend the endeavors of the Foundation, and I am sorry that circumstances are such in my life that I feel it necessary to tender my resignation.”

With the kingdom of God singularly on his mind, and diligent effort for years to promote the same, Cecil became unable, in conscience, to continue an employee of the Cogdill Foundation. He further said the basic reason of his leaving the Foundation “is the failure during a period of almost two years now for me to recapture a sufficient measure of my health and strength to enable me to carry the full work load that I have heretofore borne.”

The New Editor

With Cecil’s resignation the Board was acutely aware of the need for a new editor for Truth Magazine. Summarily, the Board met in Dallas, Texas on March 25, 1977 to discuss this matter-along with other business. Each member was aware of the work Mike Willis had done in Cecil’s absence. Mike is thirty years old and the youngest son of the O. J. Willis family — Cecil’s youngest brother. It was the feelings of each member of the Board that Mike accept the editorship of Truth Magazine. The editorial chair was offered to him in that meeting. He asked for time to consider it and the Board granted him several weeks to make up his mind. However, within a month he wrote: “I have decided to accept your offer to be the new editor of Truth Magazine. After much deliberation, I have decided to make this my life’s work.”

We all are very pleased with this decision. We believe that Mike is eminently qualified to do this work well. Mike is a graduate of Florida College, Butler University, and holds a Masters degree from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. He has written much in the last few years and read extensively. He has one of the better libraries to be found in any preacher’s study, and he uses it! He is sound in the faith! This was the first and foremost requirement by the Board for any who might be selected to be editor. ,Mike not only knows the truth but can easily detect error. He loves the truth and hates all error. He will advance all truth and oppose all error on the pages of Truth Magazine, as has been the policy of past editors. Mike has, in the present issue of this paper, made the same promise that Cecil made in the August 1962 issue, to keep the same policy and goal for the Magazine. We have reason to believe, therefore, that the same righteous objective aimed for in the past will be the constant end sought by Mike.

We ask all readers and customers of the Cogdill Foundation publications to give Mike an opportunity to serve you. Mike has stated his position and made his promises and we believe that he will not disappoint any in these regards. We ask you to carefully read his article “A Change In Editors” in this issue.

Being editor of Truth Magazine gives Mike an opportunity to teach and influence many. The good elders of the Knollwood church in Dayton, Ohio where Mike is now preaching are aware of this opportunity. Mike will continue to work part-time with that church. His influence with them will, we are confident, be for good. Those elders are awake; they know the difference between human foundations and the church of Christ. They love the truth and all who advance it; their actions now, as in the past, are known and respected by knowledgeable men of God.

Truth Magazine XXI: 20, pp. 311-312
May 19, 1977

By Cecil Willis

On March 15, 1977, I officially tendered by letter to the Board my resignation as President of the Cogdill Foundation and as Editor of Truth Magazine. I have had the pleasure and responsibility of editing Truth Magazine since August, 1962, a period of nearly fifteen yeas.

In the early Spring of 1975, Brother Connie Adams and I made a second preaching trip to the Philippine Islands. While there, I experienced great difficulty in coping with the heat and humidity that prevailed during their hottest season of the year. Once I collapsed and was taken to a nearby hospital and instructed to eliminate the remainder of my personal schedule of preaching in the Philippines, though I did preach another sermon or two while there.

Two days before I left for the Philippines, my family doctor had strongly advised me to cancel my part of the trip. But knowing that there was insufficient time for anyone else to obtain the necessary authorizations to go in my stead, I ignored his advice and went on the trip to the Philippines. From the Philippines, I went to Australia where I had intended to conduct three gospel meetings. While in Australia I experienced a more severe attack than the one that occurred to me in the Philippines.

After spending ten weeks preaching on that trip, shortly after returning home, I went for meetings in Salem, Ohio and in Cullman, Alabama. While in Cullman, I experienced another attack. So I closed the meeting early there, and spent several days in the Cullman hospital with what a local doctor had diagnosed as a stroke. Upon release from the hospital, I flew to St. Louis where I might be under the supervision of Dr. Levy Maravilla who is a diagnostician. After extensive testing, it was concluded that the attacks I had experienced were “strokes,” technically called hypertensive encephalapathy.

There was a decided weakness on the left side of my body, particularly in my arm and leg. This persisted for several months. The passing of time revealed that I was allergic to one of the medications that was being given to me. The allergic reaction resulted in a decided slurring and distortion in my speech. For several months I was fearful that the speech distortion was connected with the “strokes.”

In the Summer of 1975 my son, Steve, and his wife Shirley, moved to Marion in order that some of the paper work-load and correspondence might be lifted from me. We sought to accomplish two things by that change or addition to the work force. We sought to lighten my work load, and also provide me time to take on an additional writing project.

Since 1955 1 have been bothered by an unimportant heart irregularity, but more importantly by a chronic high blood pressure problem. Dr. Levy Maravilla put me on limited work schedule, and required that I take some rest during the day. At one time, in the Fall of 1975, I was compelled to stay in bed all the time with the diastolic portion of my blood pressure constantly so high that it was well into the “stroke zone” region.

Last Fall, my family doctor for the past ten years, advised that I immediately take a six month leave of absence from all of my work. The church in Honolulu did not then have a preacher and I thought I would be able to work with them and recuperate at the same time. But the congregation in Honolulu had serious internal problems and evidently my presence among them did not help to solve them. So I only stayed there a few weeks. But during that time I suffered the strongest “stroke” that I have had to date. As soon as possible, I came from Honolulu to Houston, Texas to go through the Dianostic clinic there. My work load was still very limited. During this time, my brother Mike of Dayton, Ohio fully edited the paper and has continued to do so until the present. With very few exceptions, all the articles that have appeared in Truth Magazine from me for the past two years have been radio sermon manuscripts which I prepared when I was 21-23 years of age.

One of the very discouraging aspects to me of my sickness has been the fact that I seem to be gaining virtually no additional strength, and the slightest amount of work wears me out. I had thought that six months off, or a few months of a lighter work load would solve most of my health problems. Also during the past three years, I have had to undergo three operations, two of which would be called major surgery. About the only thing that I did continue to do as usual was to hold a sizable number of meetings.

After the stroke which I suffered in Hawaii the day before Thanksgiving, 1976, at its next annual board meeting in January 1977, the Board of Directors of the Cogdill Foundation suggested that I go on a complete leave of absence. Six months leave of absence (until July 1st) was the duration mentioned, though no mandatory time for leave was set. After about three months had passed, I began to realize that I was not regaining my strength. Still the slightest amount of work was tiresome to me, and also worrisome. So I decided that it would not be fair to the Foundation to continue my leave of absence for a full six months period and then resign. So I made up my mind to terminate my relationship as an employee of the Cogdill Foundation, and did so on March 15th. Privately I had suggested that terminating my salary Arpil 1, 1977 was satisfactory with me.

Another major factor or two contributed to my making the decision to terminate my Cogdill Foundation relationship. A serious problem had existed in my family for several years and it came to a head in November. This factor rendered me infinitely less suited for the office as editor of Truth Magazine. I felt as the sincere brother does who decides that he no longer is qualified to serve as an elder, and resigns for conscience’ sake. The same compulsion said to me that I should resign as editor of Truth Magazine. Other contributing factors, I will not here relate, contributed to my decision to resign.

There is more work that goes into editing a paper than anyone who has never edited one can imagine. But I must say candidly that I enjoyed that work. I had thought that the remainder of my active life would be involved in editing and writing. For the first seven years that I edited Truth Magazine, I did so entirely without pay. Gradually, with the merger with the Cogdill Foundation and my added duties, I began to be paid. For the past several years the Cogdill Foundation has paid me a full-time wage for the work done with and for them.

No paper ever represents the work of one man. Hence I want to thank all of the members of the Board of Directors, who may have served at any time, for their loyalty and encouragement and help in the work being done. Being a member of the Board of Directors is about the most thankless job that one can have. Men are chosen because of their wisdom and evident dedication in their own fields. They become as members of the Board of Directors the strongest backers that the organization has. They invest their valuable time, and usually a sizable amount of their own money. I want every single one of them to know that I personally appreciate their effort, encouragement and sacrifice. At a very recent Board Meeting, the following motion made by James Adams, seconded by James Yates and passed unanimously regarding my resignation was appreciated: “The Board of Directors of Cogdill Foundation reluctantly accepts Cecil Willis’ letter of resignation as it is written. His salary will be terminated as of April 1, 1977. This is accepted with the hope that Cecil might be later re-instated as soon as he is able to associate with us once again.”

Over the years there have been many very close associates in the publication of Truth Magazine. I shall never forget a single one of them. With some of them, I have had some differences that might appear to the public completely to have estranged me from them. If such an estrangement exists, it exists on their part and not on mine. There is and ever has been a group of hard-core backers who steadfastly promoted the paper in every righteous way that they could. Perhaps they could not make a big contribution or send in a list of one hundred subscriptions, but their heart has been 100 percent with us, and not only did they always put in a good word for our efforts, but regularly a few subscriptions would come as a direct result of their efforts. With these close associates and strong backers, there has been built a strong tie. Some of them are among my closest friends on earth. These also I never can forget.

Throughout the years many hundreds of men have contributed articles to the pages of Truth Magazine. A typical year now contains the writings of about 200 different brethren. At the top of this list is our staff of writers who always have provided the bulk of what has gone into the pages of Truth Magazine. They have made it what it is. Writers in Truth Magazine have never been paid a cent for an article which they have written. Theirs strictly has been a labor of love. Some have written prolifically, which means that nearly each week they have poured a little bit of themselves into that which makes up Truth Magazine. Some men may have written only one article, and that may have been one to criticize something we had said or done. But every article printed represented someone’s interests and conscience, and such must never be over-looked. Especially to those who have been loyal and productive staff writers do I express my gratitude.

Then there are some others whom we must not forget. They are the readers of Truth Magazine! No matter how well written or printed, a paper that is published but not read has been in vain. There has been a loyal corps of subscribers who have been taking the paper from its very first issue. Many former regular readers have now passed from the scene of life. But I know we have readers! The volume of mail tells me that. So I also want to thank those of you who have read Truth Magazine and to thank those of you who have taken the time to write.

Speaking of letters, I feel I must also include an apology to those who have written to me, because of my long-delayed response or no response at all in some instances. I have felt keenly the duty to reply to someone who was interested enough to take the time to write a letter of commendation or disagreement with something which we had said publicly. Most of the years I have worked with no secretarial help at all. My volume of personal mail (not counting the Bookstore’s) has often been around 200 pieces per week. When I would be away from home several weeks in a row, I never could catch up on my mail. At times, I have had to prepare as many as ten issues of the paper in advance. At such times I became hopelessly behind with my correspondence. When I would devote a full day to answering mail, I never could exceed thirty letters by very much in a day. At times I have devoted four days straight to trying to answer all the mail that came. But to hundreds of you, I must just use this means of asking your forgiveness for failing to answer your letters. In my experience, attendance properly to the mail that came constituted fully one-half of the work load involved in editing the paper. To God, and to all of you who have helped to make this fifteen year stint as editor whatever it has been, I offer my fullest and sincere gratitude.

What of the future? At the moment, my personal future plans are most indefinite. But more importantly to you, what about Truth Magazine? Brethren Whitehead, Robertson, and Cogdill will continue to attend to the necessary business matters attendant to publishing such a paper, and the other publications such as the Cogdill Foundation has sought to publish.

My youngest brother, Mike Willis, unanimously was asked to become the regular editor of Truth Magazine. The fact is that he has been its editor for the past six months. Mike is fifteen years younger than me. So he now is precisely the age I was when I began to edit Truth Magazine. There are four brothers and three sisters in my family. I am the oldest of the clan. Mike is next to the youngest. He was only two years old when I went away to college, and hence he and I have had very little opportunity to enjoy the brother-to-brother relationship. After he got out of college, he moved to Alexandria, Indiana for his first local work. I lived then at Marion. Hence ours has been mostly a preacher-to-preacher relationship. In fact, he has helped me on most of the major projects which I have undertaken in the last ten years. He helped me to prepare the manuscript for the Inman-Willis debate, when he first moved to Indiana. In fact, he did nearly all of that work. Then he has been one of the most important assistants in any debate in which I have been involved in the last ten years. Larry Hafley has been my main helper. But Mike, John McCort, and Morris Hafley have been the ones who did much of the work in actually preparing charts, etc.

Of course, it was not my prerogative to choose my own successor. But had I been given that right, Mike would have been my choice. Of all the men who have in recent years been associated with Truth Magazine, Mike was in my judgment by far the best suited in every way to take over the task. This is not to say that no one else could have done the job. But the fact that the Board of Directors was unanimous in offering him the editorship is indicative that I was not alone in my thinking. Some others are prolific writers on our staff. But I did not think they would be disposed to take so much of their own time away from their own work, and to devote their energies to the writings of others. Much, much of an editor’s time is spent on working on other people’s material. So true is this that I sincerely felt that my own writing deteriorated when I began to edit a paper. What I wrote had to be written hurriedly so that I could correct, and often re-write the articles of others. Then there was the proofing, and paste-up to attend to.

All four of us Willis boys make an effort to preach the gospel. Each one of us is different in the area of his strength. For example, Don is the best man in doing local work and is expert in personal work. Lewis, from a speaker’s point of view, is the best speaker. But considering every factor, it has long been my honest judgment that Mike was the ablest, overall, of the four Willis brothers. He is possessed of a superior mind. He is a diligent student, and has an excellent library to help him in that work. He is an able man in controversy, and has kept himself informed on what was going on around him and prepared himself in the field where the heat of battle was raging. Furthermore, Mike is a work-horse and possessed of strong determination. He will not be intimidated. A few letters of criticism will not cause him to run off somewhere and hide in a hole. In short, he is a true soldier of the Lord.

Mike is only six years older than my oldest son, Steve, who also helped me extensively in editing the paper. Steve worked with me for a year. Bat I said that merely to say that anyone or everyone could consider me a prejudiced witness in the assessment of Mike’s ability. I did not attend the meeting at which the letter of my resignation was presented. But I thought a good deal about whom they might choose to edit the paper. To save my life, I could not think of another viable alternative to Mike. Hence, I rejoice in his selection as editor of Truth Magazine and trust that you friends of truth will hold up his hands as you have held up mine. My best wishes to one and all.

Truth Magazine XXI: 20, pp. 308-311
May 19, 1977