—MOMarch 5, 1971LTA No.54

INTRODUCTION AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS BY MAIL

1. My dearly Beloved Children: Greetings in Jesus' Precious Name! Thank you again for all your good letters, personal reports, logs, pictures, personnel lists, enclosures and other items of interest, being received from most of you daily, in an average of about one week's time from your date of mailing there, according to the postmarks. How are yours doing? Do they take about the same length of time to reach you? You should always note this diligently, the time differential between our postmark date here, and the date you receive it. SINCE THIS ROUNDTRIP OF COMMUNICATION TAKES A TOTAL OF ABOUT TWO WEEKS ON THE AVERAGE, EVEN IF WE ANSWER RIGHT AWAY, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTIONS, NOR YOURS TO OURS, IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TOTAL TIME, BY WHICH TIME WE HOPE THE LORD WILL HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. MOST OF OUR TROUBLES NEVER HAPPEN. BUT PLEASE KEEP ASKING AND TELLING US, JUST IN CASE SOME OF THEM DO, AND YOU NEED OUR ADVICE, OR LEADINGS FROM THE LORD—AND ONLY PHONE US IN THE MOST EXTREME EMERGENCY, where you must have an immediate answer‚ and they cannot be solved any other way. I'm sure the Lord'll help you solve most of these problems!

THE USEFULNESS OF SOME EDUCATION

2. We particularly appreciate the excellent job that we can see that Texas is doing on its office reorganisation, especially the handling of the mail‚ under Rahel's God–given talent‚ God bless her! Surely the Lord provides!—Although we do not always recognise it at first. WE ARE NOT ENTIRELY AGAINST ALL EDUCATION; IN FACT, WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF OUR OWN‚ AND, ACTUALLY, TO EDUCATE PEOPLE IN THE THINGS IN THE LORD‚ EVEN IN YOUR WITNESSING IS OUR MAJOR TASK. To go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature is a pretty big job of education—the Lord's education. The basic meaning of the Latin roots of the word literally means "to lead out"—and this is surely what we're trying to do—lead people out of the Pit of the Devil's education,—materialism and sin and darkness—into His glorious light and Love of His Salvation, and the wonderful fellowship of the Kingdom of God.

3. NEVERTHELESS‚ A LITTLE OF THE WORLD'S EDUCATION SOMETIMES CAN HELP in a few instances where you have to deal with the world and meet the System on its own grounds, especially in business and the art of communication!

4. THIS IS ONE REASON WE HAVE OUR OWN GRADE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, to teach the basic practical knowledge necessary for survival, communication, and business with the system, particularly the three R's, so-called: "Readin' and Writin' and 'Rithmetic!"—As well as to comply with the laws of compulsory education for those of you who are underage‚ so that you may be with us and go to school, but go God's Way.

5. SO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT EDUCATION, AND BE SURE TO QUALIFY YOUR REMARKS TO OTHERS AS TO WHAT KIND OF EDUCATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT—AND ONLY DAMN THE DEVIL'S kind—not the Lord's! You're enjoying His right now—and even my letters are an education, and I hope you're enjoying them. Most of you say you are, so thanks for your encouragement! It's always good to know you're hitting the bull's eye, and we're getting through to you, telling it like it is, and where it's at! Hallelujah!

6. HOWEVER, IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE GOD-GIVEN BRAINS EVEN TO SUCCEED IN SOME OF THE DEVIL'S KIND OF EDUCATION, or at least to manage to survive it! So when Rahel first came to us, faithfully following her husband into the Lord's Service, even if she didn't know what it was all about, she naturally had a few problems getting adjusted to an entire new way of life and thinking, with all of its primitive hardships—a real psychological shock to her former frame of reference: it can be shattering!

7. However, when someone complained about some of Rahel's problems, and that THEY WEREN'T SURE THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT, I CAUTIONED THEM TO HAVE PATIENCE AND LOVE—THAT SHE WAS GOING THROUGH A VERY TRYING EXPERIENCE —BUT THAT SHE COULD COME OUT AS GOLD, adding the remark, that anyone who could survive Smith College, one of the world's leading women's institutions, must have something to her! That something is now showing with flying colours‚ Praise the Lord! She, together with Jethro, another office expert and former IBM programmer‚ with years of experience in such an operation, are now completely revamping our entire office structure, and reorganising its whole procedures, on a far more efficient and effective basis, for the Lord's Service! God bless them both, and all their faithful helpers! God is now using all these hidden talents for His glory! Praise the Lord! He's wonderful!

8. JUST THE OTHER DAY I MENTIONED THE FACT THAT GOD WILL USE EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT IF YOU'LL LET HIM‚ and I've personally found out that THERE'S NOTHING THE LORD HAS LET ME LEARN IN THE PAST THAT HAS NOT LATER COME IN HANDY, IN BOTH PAST AND PRESENT—everything from my own personal experiences in a multitude of fields and jobs, from lumbering to postal clerk‚ army to mechanic, education to law, business to teaching, acrobatics to building, girls to personnel, and what have you! You name it: I've done it!—Jack of all—Master of none! And you've probably done a lot more! And since God was even then preparing you for His Service, even before you were saved, He's undoubtedly going to use your hidden talents at some time or other‚ sooner or later, somewhere, if not here‚ if you'll just be patient and faithful! "Be not weary in well–doing, for in due season ye shall reap, if ye faint not! Praise the Lord! (Gal. 6.9)

GOD'S EDUCATION AND TRAINING

9. So, "let patience have her perfect work" and "wait patiently on the Lord", "For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the Will of God, ye might receive the Promise", "followers ... through faith and patience"! God bless you! he loves you! (Ja.1:4; Ps.40:1; He.10:36; He.6:12)

10. DON'T QUIT TOO SOON! DON'T FLUNK OUT, BY RUNNING OUT JUST BEFORE GOD'S SCHOOL BELL RINGS‚ AND HE'S ABOUT TO PROMOTE YOU TO ANOTHER GRADE! Don't run away from your school of Laban just before you begin to inherit the promises! (Genesis 29) What patience Jacob had: he worked seven years for one girl, fourteen years for another, and twenty-one years for the flocks! Wow! Some of you guys can't even wait a few weeks! But you see, WAITING AND LEARNING PATIENCE IS PART OF YOUR TRAINING, BECAUSE, IF YOU FLUNK THAT TEST, YOU HAVEN'T GOT MUCH FAITH OR PERSEVERANCE AND YOU WOULDN'T LAST LONG ANYWHERE! A few of our folks have gone back, just when we were about to promote them to something they really wanted to do and felt they were capable of—but God knew they wouldn't make it because they had no patience! So thank God they left, before we had to find it out with bitter experience!

11. Thank God for people like Jethro, Rahel, and Abel,—and you, who have survived these tests. "Let no man steal thy crown"(Re.3:11)—and REMEMBER THE STORY I TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT‚ OF THE CHRISTIAN ON THE ICE FLOE, AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIER, WHO EXCHANGED PLACES AT THE LAST MINUTE, JUST AS GOD WAS HANDING OUT THE CROWNS! The Christian missed it; he didn't last quite long enough—and the Russian got it! YOU MAY BE SURPRISED WHO MIGHT STEAL YOUR JOB, IF YOU'RE NOT FAITHFUL! DON'T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU!

12. Rahel's dear husband, Brother Abel‚ came to us as a fine businessman, with a successful real estate career ahead, a licensed realtor—and that takes brains and endurance!—But he passed his tests here, getting out of bed to fix the plumbing in the middle of the night‚ cheerfully, and without a word of complaint‚ even apologetically‚ when it really wasn't his fault! When I personally witnessed that historical scene that night—this fine‚ cultured, well-educated, refined young businessman down on his hands and knees in the mud, wakened out of a sound sleep‚ and groping in the dark and water for a leaky pipe, while praising the Lord—I knew he'd make it. It wasn't long after that, led of the Lord, I recommended him for our Business Manager, and his dear wife, Rahel‚ for the Office Manager of our whole operation! Hallelujah! Thank God for those that make it!—They're what this outfit's made of! Amen!

13. HOW ABOUT YOU? ARE YOU GONNA STICK—OR HAVEN'T YOU GOT THE FAITH THAT IT TAKES? Patience is the result of real faith, and without faith it is impossible to please God, because faith worketh patience! (He.11:6; Ro.5:3-5) Have you got it? We have our eye on you, and we're waiting to see! LIKE AMUNDSEN, THE FAMOUS ARCTIC [AND ANTARCTIC] EXPLORER, WE DON'T WANT TO RESCUE YOU PREMATURELY, OR TAKE THE HEAT OFF UNTIL YOU'RE WELL DONE—OR IT MAY LEAVE SOME FLAW, OR IMPURITY, IN THE FINISHED PRODUCT, SOME WEAKNESS THAT WOULD CAUSE IT TO BREAK LATER UNDER SEVERE STRAIN IN TIME OF EMERGENCY, WHEN YOUR JOB IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT! We can't afford to let that happen—neither can the Lord, so He's testing you now; He's putting you through the fire to burn out the dross, and through the storm, to blow away the chaff; and through deep waters, so you can learn to swim, when you haven't got us to lean on! Praise the Lord! Do you wanna make it? We all hope and pray you do, and we're rooting for you, trying to make the growing process as painless as possible; but it's not always easy, 'cause if it were, you couldn't stand the hard knocks later! BETTER TO LEARN TO TAKE IT NOW, WHEN YOU HAVE OTHERS TO LEAN ON, THAN TO HAVE TO LEARN IT WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE ALONE! But learn it you will here or there, the easy way or the hard way, if you really wanna serve Him. This way is a shortcut!—Out there, it may take a lifetime of bitter experience to learn it, and that may be too late to do much good! THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EVER LEARNING, AND NEVER COMING TO A KNOWLEDGE, WHO NEVER PROFIT FROM THE LESSONS LEARNED, WHO NEVER MAKE THE GRADE, WHO NEVER STAY IN GOD'S SCHOOL TILL THE BELL RINGS, SELDOM ACCOMPLISH MUCH FOR THE LORD. HE JUST CAN'T TRUST THEM—AND NEITHER CAN WE! Hope it's not you!

14. I COULD NAME A LOT MORE OF YOU WHO'VE MADE IT ALREADY, and I wish we could have time to, and maybe someday we will, but even the Lord didn't have room in His Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11, but He will at the Judgement Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb someday soon!—So keep on keeping on!-Hallelujah! MAKE IT! Amen!

THE NEED FOR ORGANISATION AND COMMUNICATION

15. But we named those mentioned above in particular because they have a lot to do with the subject WE HOPE TO ELABORATE ON IN THIS LETTER: ORGANISATION!—And because they have become such shining examples thereof! Hallelujah! God bless them! Therefore they make a good illustration of what we're talking about! Praise the Lord! So we want to pass them on to some of you who need it so you can do the same! Amen?

16. WE ESPECIALLY HAVE LOS ANGELES IN MIND IN THIS EPISTLE‚ WHO HAVE DONE SUCH AN AMAZING AND MARVELLOUS JOB OF INVADING THEIR TERRITORY AND CONQUERING IT FOR THE LORD, IN AN ALL-OUT WITNESSING ASSAULT AGAINST THE DEVIL'S STRONGHOLD‚ the nation's second largest and wickedest city with its most radical youth, and have won a mighty victory in turning multitudes of them to the Lord! So much so‚ that it has shaken up the whole Church, and rocked the Nation, so that many are trying to imitate them! The gates of hell have not prevailed against Josh and Faith and Aaron and their followers!—And you would do well to follow their example, glorious indeed! PTL! Even the Devil has had to recognise their prowess‚ and yours, in other areas, by many outstanding newspaper writeups, magazine articles, radio broadcasts, and nationwide television! Hallelujah! Praise God! Lead on, O King Eternal; the Day of March has come!—Henceforth in fields of battle‚ His tents shall be our home! Amen?

17. But I have something against thee, O Los Angeles, which is probably more our fault than yours, because it is obvious now that you need our help! HAVING INVADED AND CONQUERED THE LAND‚ YOU NOW NEED TO GET ORGANISED—AT LEAST YOUR OFFICE DOES—AND THIS WILL BE A GOOD LESSON TO US ALL, SINCE WE WILL ALL NEED IT SOONER OR LATER. Texas has already had it and they are now even surpassing our greatest expectations! You helped them to get organised, spiritually; now they're gonna have to help you get organised materially; because what ye ought to have done, ye have done, but a few very important things, ye have left undone, which could bring disaster to your whole operation, and it is these which we must belatedly bring to your attention!

18. For one thing, Brother Josh, and Sister Faith, we have not received a "personal word" from either of you for nearly a month, since your last good letter‚ answering our checklist, and no personal word from either of you for about a month before that! Perhaps you thought the logs and notes from others were sufficient, but compared to all of the other colonies, in fact‚ any one of them, we haven't had much of these from you, either! To be even more specific, we had no colony logs from you at all for nearly six weeks; to be exact: from January 7 to February 14; and when that tiny log arrived, it only covered five days! NO WONDER WE WERE GETTING UNEASY IN THE SPIRIT OVER OUR LACK OF MAIL FROM YOU, COMPARED TO THE OTHER COLONIES, WHO, IN THIS REGARD OF COMMUNICATION, ARE ALL NOW DOING SPLENDIDLY, FAITHFULLY, FERVENTLY, THOROUGHLY, FREQUENTLY; but we have heard woefully little from Los Angeles, even worse than what recently happened with Texas, so I guess now it's Texas' turn to help you out, as you so faithfully, patiently, and lovingly helped them!

19. We haven't even had a personal word from Brother Aaron for a couple of months, who was doing so well giving us inside news. Perhaps you all got discouraged because you didn't get some so-called "personal note" from me about every little thing you mentioned—but I've been trying to knock all of these off in general fashion in my letters to all the colonies, that others also may learn—and we're far from through yet; so if we haven't gotten around to all the things you wrote us about, it's only a matter of time, and we will, God willing! But in the meantime, DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP, OR THAT IS, THE SHIPMENTS, OF NEEDED INFORMATION FROM YOU, SO THAT WE MAY KNOW HOW TO PRAY, COUNSEL AND GUIDE YOU AS A GOOD SHEPHERD OF HIS!

20. While talking to you on the telephone from here, at the time of your earthquake emergency, WE MADE IT A POINT TO BEG OF YOU TO PLEASE WRITE TO US ALL THE DETAILS with news clippings, pictures‚ etc. of that earthshaking event‚ as eager as we were to hear about it all in detail, with your thoughts and impressions‚ reactions and revelations on it, as well as the King's and how it might have affected your plans‚ and what you were going to do about it, as we discussed on the phone!

21. However‚ by the time you receive this letter, it will have been exactly one month since that rock–and–roll event, and we have yet to receive one single word, picture, news item, comment, reaction, plan, or otherwise, from any of you. You can imagine our concern now‚ not only for you because of that event, but because of your neglect as well. We also made it an explicit point to tell you on the phone our new and exact box number here, and make sure that you wrote it down, and told you to phone it to all other colonies immediately, so they could address our mail exactly and correctly, and no longer to Poste Restante—but as far as I know, apparently, this was never done, even though it was vital to our security on this end! These instructions were completely ignored!

22. I know you heard me, because WITH ANYTHING SO IMPORTANT ON THE PHONE WHERE LISTENING CONDITIONS ARE POOR, ESPECIALLY TRANSOCEANIC, I ALWAYS INSIST THAT YOU REPEAT THE DIRECTIONS BACK TO ME, SO THAT I'LL KNOW FOR SURE THAT YOU GOT THEM,—and you did, Praise the Lord—but apparently you never used them, or immediately forgot them, and it's caused us no end of concern ever since. But that's probably not entirely your fault either, or it probably wouldn't have made any difference anyhow, because in spite of our many communications to all of you, with this new address on our envelopes, and our pleading-two-pages on the subject in a recent communication, some of you are still not even using the box number, still addressing us Poste Restante, instead; and some of you, even both, despite all our warnings, which is even more confusing to the post office! What the hell do I have to do to wake you guys up? Does God have to send another earthquake to remind you? You may not get off as easily next time! What's the matter? Please tell us! We are now truly concerned about you, because something worse than an earthquake has happened to you! YOU ARE NEGLECTING THE LORD'S BUSINESS, AND FAILING TO COMMUNICATE!

23. What you did send recently we did thoroughly enjoy, and spent all day reading it, in every detail, with great interest, and finished, with that warm and wonderful feeling, like we had spent the whole day with you personally— maybe even better since WE CAUGHT MORE OF YOUR SPIRIT THROUGH THESE WONDERFUL REPORTS IN DETAIL, especially Becky's Log of your Eastern TV trip‚ THAN WE POSSIBLY COULD HAVE ABSORBED AMIDST THE CONFUSION AND DELUGE OF WORDS OF A PERSONAL VISIT! However, your missing letters‚ logs, reports‚ photos‚ etc., were a very keen disappointment!

24. WE HAVE GREATLY APPRECIATED LETTERS AND NOTES FROM Aaron, Uriah and Tabitha, Sir Robert and Ami, Benjamin and Ruth, Lydia and Rodent, and Kathy's Coachella Log‚ even a very poor copy of Fred's Prayer Letter (We're still awaiting a better one!)‚ the San Diego Log by Ami, the proofsheets from Uriah (most of photos we already had—you must not have taken any pictures since we left!), the excellent "Family Day" cartoon of Josh and Faith‚ the TV tape about me and the Jews (which had a lot of time on the end but not a single personal word for which we were hungering!), the perfectly gorgeous Birthday Card of all the kids (the best photographing yet!—We could even see their faces!—Hallelujah!—But it sure would have been nice to have had their names too!—And of course, that one letter from you and Faith in the last two months!—Which, incidentally, arrived the Day of the Quake!

25. Well, a package has just arrived which may have saved your neck!—But not quite: It's still addressed to the wrong Box!—Believe it or not!—Even though all you had to do to get it straight is look at the return address on the outside of any of our letters! IT'S JUST ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE THAT SUCH GROSS INACCURACIES COULD PERSIST SO CONSISTENTLY! It's beyond me!—But that's one reason for this letter: Do better!

26. NOPE!—&&XXX!!!**?:P LOKMJIUHBGYVTF CDRXESWAQZ!!.!"/XX!!)) STILL NO LOG!!!!—Notes from Hepsibah, Little Andrew (just don't drive one of our cars listed or titled in the name of the organisation, please!—God bless you!); and Hope (thought you were in our high school?); and a good letter from you, Sir Robert; along with what sounds like a good song tape, but haven't heard all of it yet—but I know it's no log!—

27. Ruth, that little five-day log you and Terah wrote in the last two months was very good and we enjoyed it, but "where are the ninety and nine"?—We're so sorry to hear you've been sick, but like Merriam‚ WHY DIDN'T YOU APPOINT A SUBSTITUTE IF YOU COULDN'T DO IT?—And Josh, Faith, Sir Robert or Benjamin: WHY WEREN'T YOU CHECKING UP ON THAT DEPARTMENT DAILY TO SEE IF THE LOG WERE BEING KEPT!—Ask poor Texas if you want to know how hard it is to try to reconstruct a log from old stale notes and forgetful memories!—Especially when they get that old!

28. I doubt if your material could have been lost in the mail to our former address during our move here, because we've just had a lovely letter from the former hotel, that the few pieces of mail they have forwarded faithfully, were all that they had received for us since our departure—Besides, we haven't been receiving that much material from you even since then, so something's wrong somewhere. In any event, let this be a lesson to all of us, as was Texas, and let's profit just as well by it, by getting down to business, and getting organised—NOW!

29. While so doing, I would suggest, Los Angeles, that, if possible, you immediately send us your two months of missing logs, along with the many-times requested list—the complete list of all your leadership personnel working in any official capacity whatsoever—everything but your babes. We are handicapped at this very moment and in this very letter, by not having it, because we're going to suggest some personnel changes‚ and some drastic ones, but we only have the names of about a dozen of your top leaders only‚ all of whom we already knew, along with their usual duties.

IMPORTANCE OF VISITORS MINISTRY AND GUESTBOOK

30. Also, L.A.‚ INSTEAD OF RECEIVING THE PROMISED WEEKLY COPY OF YOUR GUESTBOOK, WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED A MASSIVE MONTH OF VISITOR'S LOGS, nearly a month late, HORRIFYING IN IT'S LACK OF DETAILED INFORMATION, EVEN THE BAREST FACTS‚ in some cases‚ SUCH AS NAMES‚ PURPOSE OF THE VISIT, ITS EVENTS AND OUTCOME‚ AND ESPECIALLY, WHO DEALT WITH THE VISITOR IN EACH CASE!—Despite the fact that I just wrote you an entire raging epistle on the subject! You need to take a lesson from Texas on Visitor's Logs also—and the way some of these visitors were obviously handled, according to the log, was nothing short of shocking, even frightening in its carelessness, considering the immense responsibilities of your staff toward visitors at your gates in both loving witness and welfare—one of the greatest opportunities of our entire operation!

31. EVEN THOUGH THE LORD PROMISED US AND PREDICTED THAT, DUE TO OUR SAMPLE, THEY WOULD COME TO US‚ YOU SEEM COMPARATIVELY UNCONCERNED ABOUT THIS MINISTRY, giving far more attention to your "sermons" on the streets! I am absolutely stunned by this neglect, and WE SHALL UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE TO ANSWER FOR IT AT THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT, FOR THE MANY SOULS WHO HAVE BEEN CARELESSLY HANDLED, OFFENDED, NEGLECTED, TURNED AWAY, AND EVEN LOST, AS A RESULT OF YOUR LACK OF ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF THE DOOR MINISTRY! You have an astounding number of visitors, because you are so available to a large population, in a liberal city packed with multitudes of hungry youth—the Youth Capital of the world—and yet you have turned many of them from your door with nothing, have said, "God bless you; Jesus loves you; be thou warmed and fed! and turned them away! What kind of a sample is this? It's not going to win the world or prove you care: it will only prove you don't—and probably already has, greatly weakening your influence amongst the city's youth! If you won't help them, who will?

32. AND THE IDEA OF TURNING POOR LITTLE LOST GIRLS WHO HAVE NO PLACE TO STAY, no place to go, but back into the streets, or some filthy dive or sinful slavery, absolutely sickens me! If you won't take them, at least send them to someone who will! "Unto whom much hath been given, of the same shall much be required!" (Lu.12:48) God help us! THE IDEA OF YOUR SPENDING SO MUCH TIME, SO MUCH ENERGY, SO MUCH EXPENSE, AND SO MUCH MANPOWER ON TRYING TO FORCE YOUR MESSAGE ON THE FULL, WHILE THE HUNGRY, WHO ACTUALLY COME TO YOUR VERY GATE SEEKING HELP, ARE TURNED EMPTY AWAY, IS JUST UTTERLY BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION! You've completely reversed the Scripture, "He hath satisfied the hungry soul‚ but the rich He hath sent empty away!" (Lu.1:53) You've got it completely turned around, and have most of your people running all over the place trying to cram it down the throats of those who don't even want it, while multitudes of hungry little lost souls have been knocking at your door, and getting very poor attention, to say the least! Even the souls you've won are turned away because you're too busy to care for the children you have borne‚ casting them back into the street where you bore them! THEY COME FOR HELP‚ BUT ARE SENT AWAY, BECAUSE THE PERSON WHO BROUGHT THEM INTO THE KINGDOM IS TOO BUSY TO NURTURE THEM FURTHER! YOU CAN'T EXPECT EVERYBODY TO JOIN! Jesus Himself only had from twelve to seventy: but I'm amazed how many do! But neither can you turn the rest away and simply ignore them, and even all but curse them because they don't join. Jesus also ministered to the multitude, even healing and feeding them, and doing miracles for them, even if they didn't follow Him all the Way. How much more "him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out." "Feed My sheep!" (Jn.6:37; 21:15-17) How can you do otherwise? HOW CAN YOU TURN THEM AWAY, WITH SO LITTLE SATISFACTION? YOUR VISITOR'S LOG IS FULL OF IT! You cannot expect them all to be leaders, or even all-out disciples—but at least you can give them a chance: Jesus did! What's the matter with us? IF YOU REALLY READ YOUR VISITOR'S LOG, IT SHOULD HAVE BROKEN YOUR HEART AT YOUR INEFFECTIVE FAILURE TO PROPERLY FEED THESE LITTLE LAMBS AT YOUR DOOR; EVEN THOSE WHO WANT TO ENTER YOUR FOLD ARE TURNED AWAY INTO THE NIGHT‚ THE COLD‚ AND TO THE WOLVES!

33. What's God gonna have to do to us to wake us up and shake us up? Another quake‚ worse than the last one? I'm telling you‚ YOU ARE NEGLECTING ONE OF THE MOST FRUITFUL MINISTRIES THAT GOD HAS PROMISED US—THE MINISTRY TO THE STRANGER WITHIN THY GATE, which even the Old Testament law exhorted God's Children on. This is pure religion and undefiled: to visit the widows and the orphans in their affliction—but certainly take care of them when they come to you! Brethren, these things ought not so to be! (Ja.1:27; 3:10)

34. THIS IS ONE OF OUR MAJOR MINISTRIES AND WE'VE WON MANY SOULS, GAINED MANY DISCIPLES, AND MADE MANY FRIENDS THROUGH IT!—But from the way your log sounds that your visitors are treated, it seems you'd just as soon not be bothered: you wish they'd go away, while you're too busy feasting, fellowshipping‚ fanaticising, forsaking, formulating, and whatnot! I just can't do the subject justice—it's beyond me! WATCH OUT WHEN GOD RUNS OUT OF WORDS: HE'S ABOUT TO SWING A BIG STICK!—Just as I did with some of you when you were little: WHEN WORDS AND WARNINGS FAIL, THE CHASTISEMENTS AND JUDGEMENTS BEGIN TO FALL. That's the only way you would listen! IF WE WON'T KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, HEED HIS LOVING WARNINGS, IN LOVE, HE IS FORCED TO CHASTEN US WITH THE ROD TO RESCUE US FROM THE RUIN OF OUR FOLLY! May God have mercy!

WARNING TO CARE FOR VISITORS AND HOW

35. MAY I SUGGEST A SPECIFIC MEASURE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION, MIGHT BE TO LEAVE HALF YOUR SHEPHERDS HOME TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE LITTLE LOST SHEEP THAT ARE FLOCKING TO YOUR FOLD, WHILE THE OTHER HALF ARE RUNNING AROUND LOOKING FOR THEM. IT MIGHT ALSO BE WISE TO LEAVE SOME OF YOUR BEST AND MOST TACTFUL, DIPLOMATIC, GENTLE, PATIENT, AND UNDERSTANDING MEN AVAILABLE NEAR THE DOOR, responsible, experienced, well-trained leaders, to handle your important, official, parental, and Systemite callers! But all of this I have said before, and apparently all to no avail—and you tell me now nobody was officially overseeing it, and, if so, why not? How this Visitors' Log could make your daily Log more accurate, as you say, I don't know, as you seem to have no Daily Log, and this one is loaded with inaccuracies! God help You!

36. AND SPEAKING OF YOUR DAILY LOG, even Coachella and San Diego wrote more about their activities than did great Los Angeles! In fact‚ all the little colonies, and even the road teams, have sent us more logs than you have! It surely couldn't mean that Los Angeles is doing nothing, could it?—Or are you just too busy to write about it? If so, you're too busy, and may God help you to correct the situation!

THE NEED TO ROTATE LEADERSHIP IN EMERGENCIES

37. Apparently, however‚ you can't! YOU'RE SIMPLY UNABLE TO WITHOUT OUTSIDE HELP! So that, I promise you, by the grace of God, we're going to give you! I have already suggested it, and we may have to insist on it if you don't volunteer; but I think that you and Faith, Josh, are due for a well–earned rest, and SHOULD TAKE AT LEAST FROM TWO WEEKS TO A MONTH'S VACATION IN TEXAS TO SEE HOW THEY HANDLE THESE SITUATIONS‚ VISITORS‚ LOGS, CORRESPONDENCE‚ and so on, while you teach them a little something about witnessing‚ invasions, road teams, and new colonies—although they've already done pretty well on these themselves! God bless 'em! They are redeemed!

38. While Hosea and you hold the fort in Texas, I think you and Deborah, Jethro, should take two weeks to a month of experience in Los Angeles with their problems, and see if you can help them get straightened out and organised! Leave Abel in charge of the business, and Rahel, the office in Texas, as usual, while you're gone; but either take with you, or find out there‚ a good business manager and a good office manager to train to handle affairs in L.A., while you're there! Amen? PTL!

39. Los Angeles seems to be in A DESPERATE PREDICAMENT IN THE FIELDS OF CORRESPONDENCE AND VISITORS, and we must help them immediately. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AND MUST BE TAKEN CARE OF NOW, just as we did Texas!

40. Also, either take Amos with you to TEACH THEM HOW TO HANDLE VISITORS AND KEEP A VISITORS' LOG, or take his next best man in this field to do it, if you think he can't be spared! However, if he can be spared for a road team, he can certainly be spared to bring order out of chaos at one of our largest and major colonies! WE CANNOT ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL, AND LET THE HOME BASES GO TO POT, WHILE WE'RE RUNNING AROUND ON THE ROAD, AS IMPORTANT AS NEW BASES MAY BE! A FOREIGN INVASION IS SENSELESS IF WE LEAVE THE HOME BASE DEFENSELESS, AND ALLOW IT TO COLLAPSE INTO DISORGANISED CONFUSION! Texas is now our shining example; Los Angeles will be next, by God's help!—God bless them!—Ere the situation there become hopeless and helpless, and the whole Work suffer from their mistakes, lest I should be compelled to return unto you quickly myself, with a fan in my hand, to thoroughly purge your floor!—And as much as you would like to see me, I'm sure you would not want that to happen! It would be like the Lord having to come back too soon, because you couldn't get the job done, and have to rescue you prematurely! I hope not!

THE "STRANGER IN THE GATE" MINISTRY

41. I'm sure Amos can do it, with yours and the Lord's help—and the change would do him good, give him fresh vision and inspiration—and I know it would do L.A. a lot of good, and especially all those poor little sheep who need the care of a good shepherd at your door. WE CONSIDERED THE "STRANGER IN THE GATE " MINISTRY SO IMPORTANT, SO URGENT, SO VITAL, AND SO CRUCIAL, TO OUR WITNESS AS WELL AS OUR WELFARE, that we took our dear Brother Amos, one of our very best and top leaders and teachers, with the most experience in this field as a Pastor, and put him at our door to personally handle and supervise these delicate situations, with some of our best witnesses, and plenty of them, so we wouldn't be outgunned by the Enemy, and would have an exceedingly strong, capable, talented, and powerful front-line of defense—Not to throw them over the fence, but to even try to woo and win them into the fold! Such have been Amos' duties, and his valiant helpers—and they have done magnificently, beyond our wildest expectations, even winning over some of our enemies, and even sending most of them away in his famous "good" or "favourable" attitude! VERY FEW TIMES DID HIS REPORTS EVER SHOW THAT ANYBODY WENT AWAY MAD—AND HE ALWAYS TELLS US HOW THEY GO AWAY! BY CALIFORNIA'S VISITORS' LOG, WE CAN HARDLY TELL HOW THEY COME, WHAT FOR, OR HOW THEY'RE HANDLED, MUCH LESS HOW THEY GO AWAY, GOD ONLY KNOWS!

42. AND HOW MANY NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF FRIENDLY VISITORS HAVE YOU RECORDED, AND HAVE THEY BEEN PUT ON YOUR MAILING LIST FOR A REGULAR PRAYER LETTER;—even someone else's prayer letter‚ if you can't handle it! So get with it, L.A.! Help 'em out, Texas! We used to have a saying during WWII, because of all the Dust Bowlers who had settled in California during the Depression and afterwards: "Come on Oakies and Arkies: let's take Japan!—We took California without the loss of a man!"—How about you, Texas? Think you can take it? At least you can try! You certainly couldn't do any worse than they've been doing‚ in the fields of communications and visitors! God bless 'em. I guess they're just overloaded, overworked, overburdened, overwrought, and need our help! It's probably all our fault for not helping them long ago! Please forgive us, California! We should have seen it coming; as busy as you were witnessing‚ winning‚ and working, and should have sent help before it happened; but everybody else was having their problems, too, including Texas! You helped them!—Now it's their turn to help you!

WARNING AGAINST THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM AND ITS BOOKS

43. Incidentally‚ I'm worried about you, California, as to "whether you're in the faith" or not, according to your letter, as the last I heard you were pretty strong on Eternal Salvation, and were even banging them on the head with it at the door—but I am worried about some of the books you've been reading and teaching outside of the Bible, instead of those of our own doctrine! I think if you spent as much time‚ even listening to my old tapes and Grandmother's, and studying our old writings‚ and teaching them, you wouldn't have as much time to read and teach the doctrines of Nee and Wurmbrand, with neither of whom we agree! THIS IS A REVOLUTION—NOT A REFORMATION, AND WE'VE GOT NO TIME FOR REFORMERS, AND THOSE WHO THEMSELVES, HAVE NOT BROKEN WITH THE SYSTEM, CANNOT EVEN SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT, OR MERELY WANT TO PATCH IT UP; OR HAVE SOME OTHER LOG TO ROLL, such as "Body" doctrine, politics, or fund-raising, etc. If you prefer their teachings, you ought to join them—and you're welcome to do so—any of you, but I don't think you'd be satisfied, because they're not just your cup of tea; or I'd say they're weak tea, compared to our strong liquor, and WE WOULD BE BETTER SPENDING MORE TIME ON WHAT GOD HAS SHOWED US, THAN ON THE PERFECTIONISM OF NEE OR THE MARTYRISM OF WURBRAND! Listen to the bottles breaking! They're crashing all around‚ and will continue to do so, if you don't prefer the new wine, to that old stuff! OLD STUFF IS FOR OLD BOTTLES! GET YOURSELF A NEW ONE, AND GET BUSY POURING OUT OUR NEW WINE! Amen all?

44. Which reminds me, Martha, and THE REST OF YOU WHO WANT TO TEACH SOMETHING ON HEALING, FAITH, AND THE VICTORIOUS LIFE: I DON'T THINK YOU CAN BEAT GRANDMOTHER'S BOOKS, two of the most famous and widely-used books in the world on the subjects, and which have had lots of real good fruit that we know about. The Hem of His Garment and Streams That Never Run Dry, written by a woman whom I know lived the life, and really practiced what she preached, my own mother, and your grandmother, spiritually, and whose own life bore good fruit that we know about—you and me!—Not somebody we don't know, or aren't sure of, and don't know anything about their fruits! It may be sour grapes, that will set the children's teeth on edge, and even lead them astray for all we know!

45. When I hear about all of you different guys using all kinds of different books of others besides ourselves in your teaching, some who are known and obvious Systemites, and others who are even unknown, which is worse‚ how do you know what you're teaching? which is terrible! HOW FAR CAN YOU TRUST A SYSTEMITE, WHO IS STILL A MEMBER OF THE DAMNABLE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM, some of whom you don't even know, so you don't know what their fruits are! Get rid of those books! Burn 'em! Books were my downfall! They nearly ruined me! I oughtta know—I used to have a whole roomful of 'em, so many I couldn't even read em all, until THE LORD SHOWED ME I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO READ BOOKS IF I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO READ MY BIBLE!—I don't care who the hell wrote 'em! You don't even have to read my mother's books‚ if you don't want to, or mine, either, for that matter, because all you need is your Bible—and when Fred and I discovered that, it started a Revolution! IF YOU WANNA READ SOMETHING REVOLUTIONARY, READ OUR STUFF! AT LEAST YOU KNOW WHO WROTE IT, AND WHAT OUR FRUITS ARE!—YOU!

46. WHEN I HEAR ABOUT YOU READING ALL THIS OTHER JUNK, IT REALLY BURNS ME UP! I feel like my old friend, Dr. A.P. Gouthey‚ a man who lived it‚ died it‚ and the author of many books. When some old blue-nosed systemite sister came up after one of his red-hot sermons to a packed house of thousands‚ and said‚ "Dr. Gouthey, you shouldn't use such language in the pulpit: it's not nice," my old friend replied, "Listen, Sister, the world's heard about me!—Who the hell ever heard of you?" LISTEN, KIDS, THE WORLD'S HEARD ABOUT US—WHO THE HELL EVER HEARD OF THESE OTHER GUYS, BUT A BUNCH OF DAMN SYSTEMITES AND STUFF-SHIRT CHRISTIANS, AND NAMBY–PAMBY LITTLE PIPSQUEAK PENTECOSTALS? We're right now rockin' the world, and we're goin' to blow it apart for God! Who the hell ever heard of these other guys? How many all-out followers have they got? How many hundreds have forsaken all to follow God full time, and work as full-time labourers in His overripe vineyards with them? How many full-time followers has Wurmbrand got? How many fulltime labourers are following Watchman Nee—and some of the rest of these guys whose books you're reading, and actually teaching in our classes, and on our time, to our disciples? What the hell do you think this is—some kind of a ladies' Garden Club, where you're giving nice little milk and water book reviews?—OR IS THIS A REVOLUTION?—A TIME-BOMB?— THAT'S ABOUT TO BLOW THE WORLD UP FOR GOD; AN ATOMIC BOMB GOSPEL CHAIN REACTION EXPLOSION THAT'S GONNA SHOCK THIS WORK OFF IT'S HELL-BENT COURSE, AND LET 'EM KNOW THERE'S SOME REAL CHRISTIANS LEFT IN THIS UNIVERSE, just like Christ and His Disciples in the Early Church, and even more so: "Greater works than these shall ye do!" (Jn.14:12) Hallelujah!

47. WHO THE HELL HAS TIME TO READ BOOKS—MUCH LESS TEACH 'EM ON OUR TIME, AND TO OUR CLASSES? I'D BETTER NOT HEAR ANY MORE ABOUT IT, OR YOU MAY WIND UP BEING ONE OF THESE GUYS' FIRST DISCIPLES; IF THEIR STUFF IS SO DAMN GOOD, WHY DON'T YOU JOIN 'EM? I bet they haven't got a full-time disciple in a dozen, not even some of the biggest names you know in the country! I bet Billy Graham hasn't got 500 full-time disciples, or Oral Roberts, or any of the rest of 'em; even Dr. Oswald J. Smith, another old friend of mine, could probably outscore 'em on that score with his 500 missionaries in the field' or Fred Jordan, with the 300 he had; or T.L. Osborne, with his native missionaries! Why don't you try some of the guys that have got the goods?—like us?—me?—or even my Mother?—or even my Grandfather?—under whose ministry hundreds went into full-time service for the Lord! These other guys aren't preaching "forsake all," or "go ye"! They're preaching "Pay me!" and "I'll go for you"!—a damnable doctrine of devils that has damned the Church for generations, until organised Churchianity is becoming a dying species, soon to be extinct!—And I'd like to help it along, so we can show the world what real Christians are like! If these other guys are so all-fired hot‚ where are their fruit? Where are their results! Where are their disciples? Where is their Movement for God? And how much of a dent has it made in this world? How much of this generation of lost, last youth is turning to God? Let me see their samples!—Where are they? Have you seen any lately? A few Jesus Freaks, a handful of Jesus People, that you find in church on Sunday‚ and on the streets on Saturday, but workin' for the Whore the rest of the week, same as any other damn Systemite! WE'VE GOT THE ONLY PURE CHRISTIANITY I KNOW OF IN THIS GENERATION, BUT IF YOU KNOW OF SOME OTHERS, BUDDY‚ SHOW 'EM TO ME; I'D LIKE SURE AS HELL TO SEE 'EM, 'CAUSE I WAS LOOKIN' FOR 'EM FOR 40 YEARS, AND NEVER DID FIND 'EM, SO I HAD TO MAKE A FEW MYSELF, BY THE HELP AND THE GRACE OF GOD, AND A BIBLE‚ AND A WIFE AND FOUR KIDS‚ WHO DECIDED TO TRY TO DO LIKE JESUS AND HIS HIPPIES! WHY NOT READ OUR STUFF? GET IT?

48. EVEN CHURCH HISTORY WON'T HELP YOU TOO MUCH, BECAUSE THEY GOT AWAY FROM THE REAL THING IN ABOUT ONE GENERATION! You've got the real thing, Bud; don't knock it; use it! And to hell with the rest of this stuff—that's where a lot of it came from—damnable Churchianity—not Christianity‚ certainly not Christ! WHAT YOU'VE GOT MAY BE GOOD, BUT HOW DO WE KNOW? IT OBVIOUSLY HASN'T AFFECTED THE WORLD VERY MUCH. Or we'd have heard about it, and seen their disciples! Where are they? I say again, where are they? Show me at least 500 of 'em, full-time fanatics, full of the Holy Ghost and Power, living communally like the Early Church, and serving God full–time, witnessing like wild Indians and hitting the news, radio and TV worldwide, so that the whole world's hearing about it? Show me 500 like that, like us, and I'll listen! Amen? But if you can't deliver the goods, chuck it! To hell with any other kind of religion, because that's where it came from! There may be a lot of poor pitiful Christians trapped in it, who may be saved, and not know any better, but I still say "To hell with their kind of religion", if they're not living at least like Jesus and His disciples and the Early Church! I believe, like Jesus promised, that WE'RE EVEN GONNA GO BEYOND THAT AND DO "GREATER THINGS" LIKE HE SAID, BECAUSE THE POPULATION IS GREATER, THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE GREATER, AND THE HOUR IS GREATER‚ EVEN THE MEANS ARE GREATER, WITH THE PRINTED WORD, RADIO, TELEVISION, AIR TRAVEL, ETC.! Why shouldn't we do greater works? We've got all the means, and the greatest opportunities in history at our disposal, even this little portable typewriter, which even Jesus didn't have, along with carbon paper, and the post office!

READ OUR REVOLUTIONARY LETTERS AND BOOKS

49. TO HELL WITH YOUR DAMN BOOKS! WHY DON'T YOU READ AND STUDY OUR LETTERS and listen to our tapes, or those of our disciples, and teachers, or even my mother or my grandfather,—the people who started this Revolution of which you're supposed to be a member—or get the hell out of it!—YOU DON'T BELONG HERE; IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN WHAT WE TEACH AND PREACH, AND WRITE ENOUGH TO READ IT, STUDY IT, MEMORISE IT, AND TEACH IT,—AT LEAST YOUR BIBLE, IF NOTHING ELSE— that's all you really need, if you learn it; and you'll never have enough time to learn enough of it for what you need! So get busy right now, Brother; start studying, Sister; Get with it, Cat; those other damn books are not where it's at! If they told it like it is, you'd be there, so why aren't you? Because they haven't got it! We alone have the words of the kind of Eternal Life that Jesus means for people to live, and we're the only ones that I know of that are living it, teaching it, and preaching it, in any sizable number, with any visible effect! How about you?

50. MAYBE IF YOU WERE REALLY READING AND STUDYING AND LEARNING OUR LETTERS, AND PRAYING OVER THEM, LISTENING TO OUR TAPES, AND LIVING IN YOUR BIBLE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE SO DAMN MUCH TROUBLE WITH YOU AND YOUR ALWAYS GETTING OUT OF LINE! You know what we expect, and what God expects, and what you've gotta do or else—Get out!

51. HAVE YOU HEARD ALL MY TAPES? There are hundreds of hours of them, that it took me years to prepare, the result of a lifetime of study, searching, and experience‚ and you won't find anything like 'em anywhere—because I didn't and that's why I had to make 'em! So if you're too damn lazy to study your Bible, or read my letters, why don't you listen to those tapes?—And if you go to sleep on them, that's where you belong—asleep with the rest of the zombies‚ the so-called Christians who can't stand the raw stuff! We don't need that kind of people: we can do without 'em! WE'RE WILLING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE, BUT BUDDY, YOU'D BETTER MAKE IT, OR GO BACK TO THE DEAD WHERE YOU BELONG! WE WANT LIVE ONES, NOT DEAD ONES! WHICH ARE YOU?

52. WHILE THE CAT'S AWAY‚ THE MICE DO PLAY, AND SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN PLAYIN' THE WRONG TUNE! LET ME TELL YOU, IF SOME OF YOU DON'T CHANGE THOSE SQUEAKS PRETTY SOON‚ YOU MAY FIND THE OLD CAT'S NOT AS FAR AWAY AS YOU THOUGHT HE WAS—AND YOU'RE GONNA BE A GONE MOUSE! Are you mice, or are you men? "Wee timorous beasties" like the church mice, or cool cats like me—red-hot he–men with a mission; but let me tell you, as BOBBY BURNS ALSO SAID, "THE BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN OFTEN GANG AGLAE"—SO YOU'D BETTER GET WITH GOD‚ MAN! How about it? Are you with me? If not, get out—NOW!—And we're not gonna stop the world, either‚ while you get off, Buddy!—Just jump—and fast, or we're gonna roll right on over you, and leave you far behind, like we've done a few others, including the Wilkerson boys, while I'm at it—D and R, and their ilk. They got in our way‚ and we rolled right on over them, and left 'em so far behind, now they're trying to imitate us, and crucify us at the same time! How can you stand to read the books of men like that?—GUYS THAT TRY TO HOLD BACK THE CLOCK ARE GONNA GET THEIR ARMS TORN OFF, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA STOP, GOD HELPIN' US! They'd have to kill us all first—and God won't let 'em do that till our job is done, and time shall be no more! Hallelujah! U with me?

53. AS JOHN PAUL JONES SAID WHEN HIS SHIP WAS SINKING, HIS CREWS LAUGHTERED, AND HIS OWN ARM NEARLY TORN OFF, AND THE ENEMY ASKED HIM IF HE WAS READY TO SURRENDER, HE SCREAMED BACK, "HELL, NO!—WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEGUN TO FIGHT YET!"—And he was right! He hadn't—But he did!—And he went on to win the battle, to help preserve the freedom of the country in which you are now living, and which, let me tell you, is a damn site better than some of the rest of 'em we've seen—and you better believe it, Brother!—And thank God for it! Amen?

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family