By Cecil Willis
Today is January 1, 1976, the day many people make to themselves and others New Year’s Day resolutions and altruistic promises. In this brief article, instead of looking forward, we want to take a backward look. It is as important to consider how we have done as to romise ourselves how we are going to do.
Firstly, let me state that this completes five Volumes of Truth Magazine as a weekly. Allen Sommer, when he wrote the last article that closed the American Christian Review observed, “tempus sure do fugit,” a slight modification of the Latin for “time flies.” But it really does fly by quickly. A lot of hard work has gone into these five years of weekly issues.
Secondly, we want to thank Brother Jeffery Kingry for doing both the author and topical index that comprise this issue. Jeff had the misfortune of losing the indexes before he could mail them to us, and had to redo them completely. Consider what a task that was! To some of you, an Index issue is worthless. But to several hundred of you who keep your papers for future reference and study purposes, these index issues are the most important ones of all.
Thirdly, we might remind you that next year the paper will be printed on glossy pages again. This is possible because Economy Printing Concern of Berne, Indiana has spent many thousands of dollars purchasing and installing an oven which will dry the ink fast enough that we can use a glossy page. This should improve the appearance of the paper considerably.
Fourthly, we apologize for the lateness of this issue, but that has been occasioned by Brother Kingry’s losing the completed index. We have already turned in to the printer three of the January issues, but he is awaiting shipment of the paper upon which to run Truth Magazine. We can tell you that we are resolved to get published on schedule, and ask your pardon for the lateness of delivery. “Uncle Sam” deserves the lion’s share of the credit (?) for the lateness of delivery.
Fifthly, we think we have achieved a well-balanced paper this year. There are seven extra issues in this volume. We included these seven extra issues in Volume Nineteen in order to begin our volumes on a calendar basis. In Volume Nineteen there are more than 400 articles, written by 125 different men. Incidentally, if you think the paper should be improved, we invite you to submit your improved articles. We only can publish the articles that are sent to us. Sixty percent of the articles are written by men on our staff.
To give you some idea of the variety in this volume, we call attention to the following subjects and number of articles on that subject. There are 14 articles on Authority, 21 on Baptism, 8 on Baptist Doctrine, 30 Book Reviews, 4 on Calvinism, 39 on Christian Living, 46 on the Church, 38 reports from churches, 22 on Denominationalism, 5 on Discipline, 31 on Evangelism, 8 on Evidences, 15 on Faith, 7 on the Family, 12 on Fellowship, 8 on Grace, 6 on Heaven, 12 on Restoration History, 15 on the Holy Spirit, 24 on Christ, 8 on Jehovah’s Witnesses, 5 on Modesty, 11 on Obedience, 13 on Personal Work, 20 on Preachers and Preaching, 29 answering Bible questions, 15 on Salvation, 31 dealing expositorily with various passages, 16 on Teaching, and 17 on Bible Word Studies. If a paper can have wider diversification in one year, I hardly see how such would be possible.
We hope you will stay with us through Volume Twenty and thereafter, so long as the Lord shall tarry His return, and give us strength and the means to continue to publish Truth Magazine.
Truth Magazine XIX: 57, p. 898
December 18, 1975