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Printing had not been invented. Books were slowly written by hand
a page at a time, and all texts were pagan. Children in schools
imbibed much pagan teaching and philosophy. Gradually pagan
religious teaching found its way into traditional Christianity. It
came as a real shock to me to discover that the Christian teaching
I had received in church was, to a considerable extent, the
diametric opposite of biblical teaching. And yet this biblical
record is the exact and precise original truth as the authoritative
Word of God!
Where do preachers in churches receive their teachings and
beliefs today? From other PEOPLE--not from God--often in religious
seminaries or Bible or church schools. And the teaching is
primarily from their traditions--NOT from the Bible! I was
astonished to learn this. That is why the Bible, in the book of
Jude, tells us to "earnestly contend for the faith, which was once
delivered unto the saints"--who received it directly from the
original apostles.
My personal experience was most unusual. I was not taught by
PEOPLE--not after my mind was swept clean of all previous beliefs.
And so I say to you, as the apostle Paul said (Galatians 1:15-17,
RSV), "But when he who had...called me through his grace, was
pleased to reveal his Son to me...I did not confer with flesh and
blood, nor did I go..." to a religious seminary or church school,
but I was taught directly by Jesus Christ through His written
Word--even as the first apostles were taught by the personal Word
of God!
This intensive study (which has continued through 54 years)
resulted in a real and definite personal conviction, repentance,
faith and GIVING myself to Jesus Christ who had bought and paid for
me by His shed blood. Instead of "receiving"--"GETTING"--Christ, I
GAVE myself to Him for Him to use, though I didn't think I was
giving Him anything of much value. But God gave me His Holy Spirit
--which is the Spirit of a sound mind, of UNDERSTANDING--of God's
LOVE, of Christ's FAITH and of the begettal of God-LIFE eternal!
My continued study of the Bible--God's direct revelation of
truth to mankind--revealed the meaning and purpose of human life,
the incredible human potential, the CAUSES of all human troubles
and evils, and what is determined for the immediate future for our
time. I found the Bible to be a "NOW" Book--alive and revealing
truth of conditions in our time. I found that it--and it alone--
MAKES REAL SENSE!
Among the truths I found revealed in continued study and
research of God's Word was the KEY that unlocks biblical prophecy
to our understanding.
Having spent 16 years in the newspaper and magazine
field--writing magazine articles and newspaper editorials, I was
inspired to start publication of an utterly new and different
magazine, The PLAIN TRUTH, in 1934, dealing with life's problems,
its purpose and meaning and the real meaning behind world news
and changing conditions, as revealed through biblical prophecy and
biblical UNDERSTANDING.