William D. Burgess taught Biology at Florida College for many years. He also wrote a short column nearly every month in Searching the Scriptures from the time it began in 1960 and for several years thereafter. In the June 1961 issue he wrote these words under his column heading “Science and Truth”:
Truth Magazine begins its fiftieth year! It is hard to believe that Truth Magazine is beginning its fiftieth year of publication. The first issue of Truth Magazine was published in October 1955. With Volume XX, we adjusted our volume year to coincide with the calendar year, so actually our fiftieth year began in October 2005. Later this year, we plan a special issue to celebrate our fifty years of publishing Truth Magazine.
Born during the early years of the battle against institutionalism, especially for the purpose of battling some of the modernism showing itself in the Chicago area at that time, Truth Magazine set itself for the defense of the gospel from its inception. It was never intended to be a paper designed to reach the non-Christian, although much material has been published in our pages which is useful to non-Christians. Rather, Truth Magazine was born to discuss openly the issues troubling God’s people in that day.
"A good name is better than precious ointment" (Eccl. 7:1) "Only let not your good be evil spoken of" (Rom. 14:16). Timothy was "well reported of by the brethren" (Acts 16:2). Surely, we would rather be held in respect than despised.
But sometimes perceptions are unjust. Ahab’s perception of Elijah was that he was the one who "troubleth Israel" (1 Kings 18:17). It was really the other way around.
