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EXCERPTS OF MR. RADER'S TALK ON LAST GREAT DAY
I would like to announce something that gives me great pleasure. I
had a choice of announcing it at the end of my talk or at the begin
ning, but it is the kind of thing that I don't want to postpone announc
ing even that much. My daughter Carol, whom Mr. Armstrong married last
June at our home in Beverly Hills, has told Mr. Armstrong and me that
she wants to be baptized. She is here today with her husband Mr. Little
and my wife and they are seated on my left. Inrrnediately upon our return
to the Pasadena area, she will be baptized by one of the ministers.
This gives me a tremendous amount of satisfaction, because although I
really haven't tried to teach her about these things which I feel are so
personal, between man and God, I have tried to set the right example. I
have tried to inculcate in that way those values which have become impor
tant to you and those values which, of course, have become so important
to me. All of my family, my children in particular, I would say, have
very much been influenced by Mr. Armstrong, just by what he does in their
presence, what he says in their presence, and what they have generally
observed, and they are leading the kind of lives which are indicative
that much of what Mr. Armstrong stands for, and what the Church stands for
has indeed rubbed off.
Now five years ago at the Feast of Tabernacles I spoke about the fact that
the Work of God was unique, and I'm sure by now all of you understand that.
As Mr. Armstrong's closest advisor, then as now, I could see many, many
changes that would actually lie ahead for the Work. Changes that would be
beneficial for the Work. Changes that I felt would be a sign that the
Great Conrrnission was in fact being fulfilled, and some of those changes,
I believed, were very foreseeable in the aftermath of the events of 1971
and 1972--events that I felt would ultimately compel the brethren of this
Church to come to grips with the only reality--the reality that this was,
and is, and will be the true Church and a Work of the Living God and not
a Work of mere men.
Just a few days ago I was again interviewed by a television journalist for
a program devoted to the Work, its past, its present and its future. Once
again I proved, I believe, to the journalist that the Work of the Living
God does not exist to make a particular radio program, with a particular
frequency of airing, in particular places and of particular times. The
same for television. The Work does not exist to produce a television pro
gram with a particular format for airing at particular times and places.
It doesn't even exist for the purpose of producing and distributing a
magazine or any number of magazines with a particular format and fre
quency of publication. It doesn't exist to maintain one or two or three
collegiate grade academic institutions. In one or more places around
the world. It does exist, however, for one and only one purpose and that
is, of course, to propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of the
Coming Kingdom of God and to propagate that Message, that Announcement
for a witness unto all nations. It is this purpose, this inrrnutable pur
pose that we hope is best being served at any one time by the various
techniques or activities of the Work that Mr. Armstrong, as Christ's
Apostle, feels will help best to fulfill that Great Conrrnission. We know
that our doctrines, as well as the basic purpose of the Church, are inrrnu
table also and we know, or should know, that we can reach an understanding
of what those doctrines are, as well as the resolution of all of our pro
blems, by looking to one place primarily--for a source of great strength,