Facing the Future
W. Carl Ketcherside
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As men grow older they seem often to postpone decisions which deal with the inevitable. I have sought to avoid that approach to life and death, and for several years I have had most of the arrangements made in case I should be called away quite suddenly, or not return home from a flight. The safe deposit box has been placed in Nell's name, the deed to the cemetery lot is at hand, and the will has been properly prepared.
Sometime ago I began to meditate upon what course I should pursue with regard to MISSION MESSENGER. Long ago it was decided and announced that it would not be perpetuated beyond my decease. I have always regarded our list of subscribers as a kind of sacred trust, and although the mere payment of a dollar per year does not nearly take care of the cost of a subscription, I have steadfastly refused to sell, rent, or loan our list to those who have sought to secure it to propagandize another cause. I would no more barter the names of our journalistic family than we would those of our natural family.
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It was also made clear that there was no one else really involved in the production and mailing of the paper except Nell and myself. The tremendous monthly task has been borne year after year by the two of us, with the bulk of the task falling upon Nell, due to my absences from home, sometimes for several weeks at a time. We have also been assisted in some of the wrapping by our son Jerry, his wife Emily, and their two boys, Gryfon and Erik. Upon occasion, the other grandchildren, Dawn and Andrea, have helped while visiting us.
So important, however, is the role of both Nell and myself, that we could not perpetuate the work if either of us crossed over to be with Jesus. Accordingly, we have understood that whoever survived would mail out one more notice announcing that the paper had expired with the death of the other.
It was almost thirty-five years ago that the paper was started as a free mail out piece, providing news of our party proceedings in the state of Missouri. The cost was borne by five brethren. When we began to receive subscriptions we kept the names and addresses in a loose-leaf notebook, and when mailing time came we sat down with our children around the kitchen table, each took a page containing names and we addressed the papers by hand. Now there is a large cabinet with address stencils for almost 7500 readers scattered all over the globe. The paper wings its way into many countries as well as to all fifty states of our union and every province in Canada. It is obvious that we cannot always continue to mail it out.
I began praying about the Father's will in the matter while in Colorado, and at 2:00 a.m., one night in Michigan, I finally reached a decision which I am here announcing subject to the divine purpose in my life. If Nell and I live and can have the health and strength to continue until that time I will deposit the mail sacks containing the final issue of the paper at the weigher's office on the dock of the main post office in Saint Louis, on December 1, 1975. Thus will end one exciting and thrill-filled era of my earthly sojourn. It is understood, of course, that the Father may stop my pen and typewriter ahead of schedule.
After having been a factional leader and debater for a number of years, the grace of God moved in to make my life much happier and more profitable and I began to write upon the marvelous fellowship in Christ in 1957. At the time I did not know where my prayer and study would take me. I only knew that I wanted to go where he led and follow his precious way. And if we survive to continue through the final year, the theme of my writing, and the title of my last bound copy will be simply "Fellowship."
The decision to cease publication will relieve many of our faithful financial supporters whom we love in the Lord, and without whose glorious fellowship we would long since have gone under. It costs many thousands of dollars per year now to produce and mail the paper. We have watched the frightening increases in cost which have sunk great printing enterprises, but every year, although we have had no backlog of resources of our own we have paid every bill and started the new year free from debt. We mailed the whole first year of papers for less than it costs us now to send out a monthly issue. It is interesting when large bills come in and you know how meager is your exchequer, to see those bills paid month after month, often by contributions from saints whose faces you have never looked upon.
We have sought to avoid sending out letters asking for help. This is obnoxious to both Nell and myself, and we could not bring ourselves to beg from our brothers and sisters. I always quietly laid the burden at the feet of Jesus and left it there while I went on to try and carry out my task. I have never had a salary contract, never stipulated a fee, and never made any demands of a congregation as a condition to my coming. I have never known in advance what I would receive
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If our plans are carried out as here announced it is my intention to destroy the files of my private exchanges of a controversial nature with brethren in the Lord. I have already burned most of them because I do not want to reflect against the memory of any person who differed with me. I do not care to perpetuate any arguments I have used except those which already appear in print. I shall do away with the address stencils, and keep only the card file of addresses so we can write to some of our former readers and friends. Such a list soon becomes obsolete in any event. I regard my earthly pilgrimage as quite insignificant and once it is completed that is enough.
December 1, 1975 marks no retirement for me. I have resolved not to retire. My life is wrapped up in the lives of others. Research and writing constitute my greatest joy. So I shall teach and write, and continue to share until the dusk becomes so heavy that I cannot see and I must prepare to listen for the call from across the river. I shall continue to remain open to the divine will and wish and I am confident that whatever he would have me do, or wherever he would have me go, "my Lord will make a way for me."
One thing that has given me some concern and that is how to handle subscriptions so that we will be honest and not take an unfair advantage of any person. I have come to the conclusion that we will keep all of our readers informed of the plan to end publication with the final issue of 1975, and all may subscribe with that in mind. Against the suggestion of many of our friends we will keep the subscription price at one dollar per year. Of course this does not begin to pay the cost of getting twelve issues to a subscriber, but we do not want to raise the price at this time. It would seem like an exhibition of a lack of trust. One way that you could help would be to renew now for three years, and that would guarantee your subscription for the life of the paper.
We shall not return any money after we cease, but instead will use any surplus as it comes in to mail out free books to college and university students. Thus, if you subscribe now for three years and send a check for ten dollars, we will place seven dollars in the fund to send out books. We mailed out over five hundred copies of Simple Trusting Faith upon request and are now in the process of sending out copies of The Royal Priesthood. We want to keep helping young minds as long as we can.
In 1973 I will be answering scores of questions. I have been saving many of the queries that I have received in public forums and in private correspondence. I think you will like to read what I have spoken and written on the issues of the day. We humbly ask an interest in your prayers. We are deeply grateful for your help. Nell joins me in this expression of deep gratitude to those of you who have helped carry the financial burden and make this feeble effort possible!