—MOJanuary 11, 1971NO.38

Special letter to Leaders

ACCEPTING CORRECTION AND CONFESSING ERRORS: MO'S EXAMPLE OF ISRAEL

My Dearly Beloved Children:

Greetings in Jesus' precious name!

1. HOW I HAVE LONGED TO BE WITH YOU CHILDREN OF LATE, and with the rest of you leaders in your many trials, problems, and tribulations, as well as your joys, victories‚ and blessings!

2. BUT WE ARE WITH YOU IN SPIRIT AND IN PRAYER, BELIEVE US!—MORE THAN EVER BEFORE! Praise His Name for this opportunity to commune with you all together by mail—not just one Colony! And I'm trusting that these epistles will draw us all closer together than ever before! Praise His Name! We love you all so much, and miss you daily!

3. I spent most of my time with you children and yours in the last letter, and I'll return to you if I have time, in this one, as I have an important letter from Saul here‚ which I believe I'll save for last! Please don't turn to it now, because I want to deal with the Texas situation first!—As I feel that it's even more urgent, being within our own ranks, which is always where the greatest danger lies.

4. AS ANY MISSIONARY CAN TELL YOU, MOST OF THE TROUBLES ON THE MISSION FIELD COME NOT FROM WITHOUT, BUT FROM WITHIN—and so it is at home—this time, very close to home!

5. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN THE LORD WARNS ME THERE'S TROUBLE BREWING AND I SENSE IT IN THE SPIRIT‚ I BEGIN TO LOOK FOR CONFIRMATIONS OF HIS DISCERNMENT IN ALL THE ACTUAL CONCRETE EVIDENCE I CAN FIND! When I write to you leaders on any problem, I speak to all: To the guilty that they may be convicted, and to the innocent, that they may be warned. I'm glad to see that you have taken it as such "It's always the hit dog that howls the loudest." And exactly what I expected happened!

6. THE ONES WHO WERE NOT GUILTY HAVE ALREADY RECOGNISED AND CONFESSED THEIR PROBLEMS ALONG THESE LINES‚ AGREED HEARTILY WITH US, AND EVEN THANKED US FOR THE REPROOF, THANKING GOD FOR ITS TIMELINESS, AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF HIS SPIRIT.

7. BUT ALWAYS THOSE WHO ARE HAVING THE GREATEST DIFFICULTIES ALONG THE LINES OF THE REBUKE, SEEM TO HAVE THE HARDEST TIME IN AGREEING WITH IT AND CONFESSING IT, AND REPENTING OF IT! I was asking someone this very day in regard to a problem of my own personal pride in relation to a shocking revelation I had recently from the Lord, I asked this one: "What are the three hardest words in the English language to say?" and she soon hit the nail on the head: "I was mistaken!" or "I was wrong!"

8. IT WAS A MERE MATTER OF SOME MINOR PROPHETICAL INTERPRETATION—A HANGOVER FROM THE SYSTEM FROM WHICH WE CAME—and making no major change in our doctrines, but rather a clarification of something we should have known all the time‚ but never saw so clearly before, until the Lord revealed it to us!

9. BUT NEVERTHELESS, I'VE HAD TO CONFESS TO MYSELF THAT I WAS WRONG IN CARRYING OVER THESE IDEAS FROM WHENCE I CAME‚ another generally accepted doctrine of the fundamentalist, evangelical, religious system, which had never even occurred to us to question before, but which God has now blown completely away—another tradition of man contrary to the Word of God—but more about that later!—It's a big subject‚ and it will take time to explain!—And to confess—but confess and explain I will‚ God helping me, for I know there's no other way!

10. YOU HAVE TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT; IF YOU VARIED IN THE SLIGHTEST FROM THE WHOLE TRUTH. AND YOU DON'T STOP WHEN YOU SEE IT, AND GET BACK ON THE MAIN TRACK, IF YOU DON'T HEED THE DANGER SIGNALS, YOU'RE HEADED FOR TROUBLE, AND THERE'S NO TELLING HOW FAR YOU'LL GET OFF THE TRACK. Suffice it to say for now‚ that I was a little off course on this point—like most of the rest of the Church, because I had not thought to question or examine it "to see if these things be so!"

11. I COULD GIVE A LOT OF GOOD EXCUSES, AND BLAME IT ON A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE, INCLUDING SOME OF THE GREATEST BIBLE TEACHERS OF MY DAY, EVEN MY OWN MOTHER‚ BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT! Ignorance of the Word is no excuse, and I wasn't even ignorant—I was just plain blinded by tradition—one of the most cherished traditions of evangelicals—but "a miss is as good as a mile," and "nothing short of right is right." "So that we are without excuse ... because that which may be known of God is manifest." But I already have several long dissertations prepared for you on this subject, and it will require a lengthy series of Bible studies to prove!

12. SUFFICE IT TO SAY FOR NOW WHAT THE LORD HAS ALREADY PLAINLY SAID IN HIS WORD, AND WITH WHICH HE JOLTED ME RECENTLY IN ONE BRIEF REVELATION, AND WHICH HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY OUR TRIP HERE, AND AT WHICH I'VE HINTED TO YOU SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY: "HE IS NOT A JEW WHICH IS ONE OUTWARDLY," "All are not Israel which ARE of Israel," and "There is neither Jew nor Gentile ... in Christ Jesus."

13. ONLY CHRISTIANS ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD! ALL OTHERS … HAVE NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER TO ANY CLAIM AT ALL IN ANY WAY, SHAPE‚ OR FORM, TO ANY OF THE BLESSINGS, PROMISES, INHERITANCE, OR BIRTHRIGHT OF GOD'S CHILDREN, THE TRUE CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST! … "All things are yours in Christ Jesus," only! And I mean all things and only in Christ—all things, including the land of Israel! …

14. WELL, THERE I'VE GONE AND LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG, DROPPED THE BOMB, AND NOW IT'LL BE UP TO ALL OF US TO TRY TO PICK UP THE PIECES!—Wait'll you hear the rest! I'm still feeling the repercussions, but this is only the beginning! I have much more to say unto you‚ but ye cannot bear it now. I hope you can take what I've already said:

15. YOU'RE THE ONLY JEWS IN THE WORLD! How's that for a bomb!—Or a blast! It's been right there all the time—we just didn't see it! We knew it all the time, yet we just didn't comprehend it—we just didn't appreciate it! We've been trying to give away our birthright to somebody else who doesn't even deserve it—and will never get it!

16. LET ME TELL YOU, I HAVE STEPPED INTO A MINEFIELD OF SUCH TRUTH OVER HERE—IT HAS BLOWN ME SKY HIGH, SHATTERED ALL MY TRADITIONS, AND, IN SPITE OF THE SHOCK AND THE SHAME, HAS LEFT ME SO HIGH, I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER COME DOWN! God had to bring me clear over here to see it, and rub my nose in it to believe it, or I never could have comprehended it! Thank God for that—His Mercy in spite of our stupidity—it's about time! The rest will follow—but you'd better start studying on the subject, dig the Word!

PRIDE PREVENTS CONFESSING MISTAKES

17. OK, we're on our way—I've had my confession session—now for yours! I KNEW WHEN I GOT YOUR LAST LETTER—A GOOD SALES TALK ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING‚ BUT WITH NO MENTION OF THE STACK OF LETTERS YOU MUST HAVE HAD FROM ME BY THAT TIME—THAT SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG, when already we were receiving glowing reports from the other colonies about these subjects. I tried to brush aside that still small warning voice of the Spirit, which, I'm sorry to say, I so often try to do‚ when He so often warns me of things in advance because I don't want to believe them, and I'm hoping I'm wrong, still hoping for the best, but‚ the Lord never fails to be right!

18. I TRIED TO TELL MYSELF YOU WERE JUST TOO BUSY, BUT ALL THE TIME THE SPIRIT KEPT WARNING: He's not going to like these letters—the shoe fits too tight, and it's going to pinch—even though all the other colonies were guilty of the same, I knew it was going to be the hardest for you to take, because of that damn stinking pride of yours! I've only known one other person in my whole life that I can remember, who found it as hard to confess their sins, because they were trying so hard to be perfect‚ and wanted so much to be right!

19. BUT YOU SEE, IF YOU'RE TRUSTING SO MUCH IN YOUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, YOUR OWN PERFECTION, IT ALMOST BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO CONFESS YOUR OWN MISTAKES AND SHORTCOMINGS‚ BECAUSE IT DESTROYS YOUR OWN SELF–CONFIDENCE, AND IT NEARLY SHATTERS YOUR OWN SELF–RELIANCE, BECAUSE IT PROVES YOU'RE NOT PERFECT BUT YOU HATE TO EVEN ADMIT IT TO YOURSELF. "The bigger they come, the harder they fall!" Experience is the best, but a bitter, teacher, and you've been through this before!

SPIRITUAL LEADERS SHOULD BE OVER SPIRITUAL AND DOCTRINAL AFFAIRS, AND PRACTICAL LEADERS OVER BUSINESS, P.R. AND ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS

20. THAT'S WHY I LEFT HOSEA IN CHARGE THERE WHEN I DEPARTED, RESTING ASSURED THAT HE WOULD KEEP A STRONG SPIRITUAL TONE TO THE CAMP, operate it with implicit faith in our leadership, and with utter loyalty to our doctrines. I knew he would not undercut me or my teachings in any way, and would do his utmost to follow them!

21. YOU'RE AN EXCELLENT BUSINESS MANAGER‚ AND I KNEW I COULD TRUST YOU COMPLETELY TO HANDLE THE BUSINESS AFFAIRS, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND GENERAL ADMINISTRATION, but I'm sorry to say, that I knew I had to trust Hosea with the spiritual, and the doctrinal, for it has been your nature over a period of years‚ and in many instances, to be somewhat doubtful and skeptical in these areas! This has been an inherent weakness with you from the beginning, and we've been over this territory before!

22. IT SEEMS TO BE YOUR CARNAL NATURE TO DOUBT, QUESTION‚ ARGUE, AND EVEN CRITICISE! THE NEXT STEPS FOLLOW‚ AS THE NIGHT THE DAY: DISAGREEMENT, DISUNITY, DISLOYALTY, CONDEMNATION‚ AND DIVISION—IF you don't look out! Such cannot be tolerated in any man's army—right, or wrong!

23. IN ANY MAN'S ARMY, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE FAITH, TRUST, AND CONFIDENCE IN LEADERSHIP, AND STRICT LOYALTY AND OBEDIENCE THERETO—OR YOU'VE GOT TROUBLE, such as we have in this case—because unless you have these, you'll find it difficult to follow, as you have, time and again in the past!

24. I HATE TO DWELL ON THESE FLAWS, IN YOUR LONG RECORD OF FAITHFUL SERVICE, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, A CHAIN IS ONLY AS STRONG AS ITS WEAKEST LINK!—And these weak links have caused ruptures before—as now!! I could give you a detailed history, but you know it as well as I.—I knew it would be a little difficult to be sure of your loyalty in the future—if the pressure of temptation were great enough—no matter how hard you tried!

25. SO HOSEA WAS CHOSEN AS DIRECTOR OF THE CAMP, AND YOU, AS BUSINESS MANAGER, WHEN I LEFT! Due to the emergency of his being called East to pioneer there, I was a little concerned that a problem situation might develop, but felt that I could count on the radical loyalty of some of my other men there, as well as some of the women—but all of these are gone now‚ and some seem to be overruled‚ or not standing true—I don't know which!

COMMUNICATION FAILURES ARE SYMPTOMS OF PROBLEMS

26. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHO THERE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BEING UPSET OVER MY LETTERS, FAILING TO READ THEM, AND FAILING TO REPORT ON THEM—but we have heard in a round about manner that this has been the case!

27. WHEN WE SENSED THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN, WE EVEN TRIED TO GET THEM PAST YOU TO SOMEONE ELSE, BUT APPARENTLY YOUR TIGHT SECURITY PREVENTED THIS, and we have received no reply from them either!—And we have now waited for over a month to hear from you on this and many other important matters of business—but still no answer! In any other man's army, this could be considered dereliction of duty, neglect of your post, insubordination, usurpation of authority, if not downright rebellion, mutiny‚ and desertion!

28. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LEAVE THE SHIP TO BE IN MUTINY AGAINST THE CAPTAIN! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS INTERFERE WITH HIS CONTROL—AND THIS YOU HAVE DONE, IN FAILING TO READ THE LORD'S LETTERS TO HIS CHILDREN, AND IN FAILING TO REPORT BACK TO THE KING ON THE STATE OF HIS NATION, BUT RATHER, YOU REPORTED TO THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP THAT ALL WAS WELL, WHEN ALL WAS NOT WELL—AND, IN OVER A MONTH NOW, YOU HAVE MADE NO REPORT WHATSOEVER—not one single line, nor have you either permitted or encouraged anyone else there to report on the situation! At least you're honest enough to be ashamed to write me‚ and tell me the truth! I still hope I'm wrong, but from what I've heard and seen, I'm afraid I'm right!

29. TO MAKE SURE I WAS NOT MISTAKEN, AND TO CONFIRM MY DISCERNMENT, WE'VE JUST SPENT NEARLY A WEEK HERE, GOING OVER THE MAIL FROM ALL THE COLONIES, and feeding it into our little computer, in our data processing centre, and have come with a sadder answer than I had even surmised: reports, logs and personal notes and letters from both leaders and followers of other colonies, that is, from each of the other colonies, have far outweighed those received from Texas, although Texas was my home base, our headquarters and in whose welfare I was most deeply concerned—and their response to our own letters and lessons has not only been enthusiastic, but thrilling and voluminous, compared to yours, which has been absolutely nil—not one single response from you or yours for the two months you've been getting them—nothing but business reports and logs full of interminable confession sessions, and intolerable disciplinary procedures—but not a word in either your letters or logs that you were even receiving the lessons, much less giving them, or getting any response!—Not to speak of reporting on them!

30. NOT A WORD HAS COME FROM YOU ABOUT THEM, NOT A REPORT BLANK, NOT A QUESTION ANSWERED—ONLY DEATHLY SILENCE‚ but we have received indirect reports through others‚ and by a very long way around, that you were very upset by them, and afraid to share them with the kids—although I designated on most of them unto whom they were to be read!

31. THOSE WERE ORDERS‚ SON, NOT SUGGESTIONS, AND, IN FAILING TO OBEY THEM‚ OR EVEN PROCRASTINATING IN CARRYING THEM OUT, YOU HAVE, THEREFORE, IN EFFECT DEFIED THEM, AND IN SO DOING, DEFIED ME, YOUR LEADER; and I am therefore, regretfully compelled to relieve you of your position there as Director, and restore Hosea to that position there as such‚ until further notice, or until Hosea finds out what the problem is, and straightens it out, if possible.

CONFESSING AND OBEDIENCE BRING RESTORATION

32. I AM VERY SORRY TO HAVE TO DO THIS, SON, BUT YOU HAVE FORCED ME TO BY YOUR FAILURE TO FOLLOW! We believe we can trust in your reliability to carry on as business manager and public relations man, as before, and trust you will not consider this a demotion‚ but rather, a restoration to your former duties, for which you are extremely capable!

33. I MYSELF, WILL TAKE THE BLAME, AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF, FOR APPOINTING YOU TO AN OFFICE AS SPIRITUAL LEADER, WHICH I FEARED WAS BEYOND YOUR CAPABILITIES, and a greater burden than you were able to bear, but I had no other choice at the time, and I had not anticipated the soon departure of others loyal to the Lord's leadership, and their early replacement by other men—good men—but men more fully under your personal control, and who apparently do not know what is going on‚ for, if they do, they're as guilty as you are!

34. THIS NECESSARY STEP HAS ONE QUALIFICATION: THAT YOU CONFESS YOUR FAULTS TO ALL OF THOSE WHO KNOW ABOUT IT, YOUR FAILURE TO RESPECT LEADERSHIP AND TO HONOR YOUR SPIRITUAL FATHER AND FOLLOW HIS COMMANDS. "Them which sin, rebuke before all‚ that others may fear."

35. THE STEADY FLOW OF MAIL FROM THE OTHER COLONIES, REACHING US FROM WITHIN THREE TO FIVE DAYS FROM THEIR POSTMARK, IS A VOLUBLE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR INEXCUSABLE SILENCE, Son, and your failure to answer our questions regarding important business items has caused us no little delay and inconvenience!

36. THEREFORE‚ PLEASE TURN OVER ALL OF OUR LETTERS AND LESSONS, FOR DELIVERY TO THOSE FOR WHOM INTENDED, together with report blanks‚ and so on, to Hosea, to be read by him to them immediately in emergency sessions, in place of all other classes, until all have been read!

37. I WILL ALSO HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE, HOSEA‚ TO HOLD SPECIAL EXECUTIVE, OR CLOSED-DOOR LEADERSHIP SESSIONS, TO READ TO THEM PERSONALLY ALL LETTERS AND LESSONS INTENDED FOR THEM ONLY. All leaders, without exception, must also either attend the public reading of the other lessons‚ or a separate session of same! If your voice cannot take so much, Son, I suggest you appoint someone to relieve you occasionally under your supervision, with you present, to read them for you, according to our suggestions in our last letter to leadership which I trust you have read by this time.

38. ALSO, HOSEA, PLEASE ASSUME YOUR DUTIES AS SPIRITUAL SHEPHERD OF THE CAMP AND SUPERVISOR OF ITS TEACHING CURRICULUM IMMEDIATELY! Lead all public meetings thereof, or personally appoint leaders therefor, and immediately, personally, assume full responsibility as spiritual leader and director of the camp, with him as your official business manager and public relations man handling official business‚ callers, etc., as before, under your direct supervision, as he was under mine previously!

COMMUNICATION FAILURES MUST BE RESTORED

39. I WOULD LIKE A WEEKLY, OR AT LEAST A BIWEEKLY, REPORT FROM EACH OF YOU, ON YOUR PROGRESS, PROBLEMS, ETC., IN YOUR RESPECTIVE AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY. In your case, Hosea, this means the spiritual state of the camp, the condition of its members, progress of the classes‚ and a brief summary of its over-all welfare. This need only be a brief note, but I want to hear something!—And regularly, from you‚ personally, in your own hand, or dictated to your secretary, in addition to your regular camp log.

40. MEANWHILE, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE YOU‚ DEB, SINCE YOU'RE BOTH A GOOD READER AND WRITER, RESPONSIBLE FOR SEEING THAT THE LOG THERE IS WRITTEN FAITHFULLY BY SOMEONE DAILY, and delivered personally to Hosea for enclosure in his regular report. Also, Deb. I would like for you to please check on your secretaries, and see why so many days are missing out of those sent us for the past three months—nearly half! We would also like for you to find out why our letter to your secretaries was not answered, and see to it that it is forthwith. Also report to us, Deb, why our letters to Ben and Miriam were not answered, and what became of the copies of lessons sent to them for mimeoing. Also, Deb‚ please have your secretaries send us a list of all your leaders. and their jobs, with both their Bible name, and the name with which we are familiar, if any. Also please see that we're sent those local news articles which we've heard of‚ but never seen, and all monthly prayer letters, none of which we have ever seen! I'm not asking you to do this, personally, Deb, as I know you have many other responsibilities, including the supervision of the grade and high school, and the women, food, etc. I'm just holding you personally responsible to see to it that it's done by somebody. Thank you. I love and appreciate you more than words can tell!

POINTER FOR DONATION BOX AND VISITORS

41. DID YOU PUT A NICE‚ BUT CONSPICUOUS DONATION BOX IN THE VISITORS ROOM! I'm sure you'll probably follow this suggestion, as it should bear some fruit‚ if you'll put it right by the door where they can't miss it as they leave, and stand there with one hand on it, as you tell 'em goodbye, with someone standing on the other side of the door‚ so they have to squeeze by it to get out. Ha!

42. AND IF YOU'LL KINDLY READ OVER ALL OF OUR LETTERS FOR THE PAST FIVE MONTHS, PLEASE ANSWER ALL OF OUR OTHER QUESTIONS ALSO, which you consistently failed to do! It might be helpful to hold them in your hand, while answering, and check 'em off as you go.

43. BUT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO KNOW WHERE I AM‚ JUST TELL `EM: "HE'S NO LONGER WITH US."—the God's honest truth except in spirit!—Love Dad.

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family