Chapter Five – Founding a College
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It was early 1945. America’s President Franklin D. Roosevelt was dead. Nazi Germany was all but defeated. Representatives from nations around the world met in San Francisco to form the United Nations. As editor and publisher of The Plain Truth magazine, Mr. Armstrong received full press credentials from the U.S. State Department for himself and his wife. And then, on that historic April 25, the Armstrongs watched as men delivered speech after speech, proclaiming that this manmade global organization would be mankind’s last hope for world peace.
But Mr. Armstrong knew what the Bible said—that the only chance for lasting world peace would not come from any of the governments of men, but from the soon-coming, world-ruling government—kingdom—of God.
At the Conference, Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong met and interviewed several dignitaries from various nations, such as Sheik Hafiz Wabba of Saudi Arabia.
Contents
Room to Grow
Toward the end of 1945, God opened two huge doors for His Work: daily broadcasts at 100,000-watt station XELO, and debuting daily at 150,000-watt station XEG. Both reached all across America. Meanwhile, The Plain Truth reached 75,000 in circulation.
Mr. Armstrong was beginning to see that the Work was becoming a worldwide organization—and yet the headquarters in Eugene did not reflect this. For the past 12 years, he had assumed the roles of business manager, editor, printer and office clerk, and had taken on other various duties.
By mid-February, his son-in-law Vern Mattson, who had married daughter Dorothy, joined the growing staff and became office manager, handling the bills, financial records, budgeting, etc.
In late May, Mr. Armstrong’s other son-in-law, James Gott, who had married daughter Beverly, headed the new printing department, which was used to publish booklets.
The publishing and mailing of 75,000 magazines and the producing of top-quality broadcast recordings were causing the Work to outgrow its facilities in Eugene, Oregon. This led to a need to acquire larger office space. Moving office headquarters to Southern California went from an idea to a necessity. But neither Mr. Armstrong nor Mrs. Armstrong wanted to live in Hollywood or Los Angeles, so they set their sights on the city of Pasadena, whose pace of life was more traditional and conservative than Los Angeles or Hollywood.
In Need of a College
In December 1945, during one of his visits to Hollywood for recording the radio program, Mr. Armstrong began his search for office space in Pasadena, as well as a place to live. Weeks turned into months. The Work continued to explode. There was a growing need for trained help.
In the past, Mr. Armstrong had held nightly evangelistic campaigns in various towns and cities in Oregon and Washington. His efforts yielded newly baptized members, who were then organized into local Church of God congregations. However, without a trained minister to spiritually feed, protect and lead them, these new converts got pulled back into the world, or were deceived by false leaders bringing false doctrines. Not one of these small congregations survived more than six months.
Mr. Armstrong took note of what a large denominational church in Eugene did to prevent this same problem from happening to its followers. That church established a school to train ministers, which became its headquarters. With trained pastors to establish, maintain and nurture each new congregation, these tiny churches grew.
In Old Testament times, servants of God such as Samuel and Elijah led schools or colleges that trained men to preserve true, godly values in rebellious ancient Israel. Mr. Armstrong began to realize that God wanted a college once again—an institution of higher education founded on Hisprinciples and His teachings. This college would educate and train young people to become leaders. Some would become ministers and lead congregations that would continue to be established. Others would serve in the ever-growing Work, which would be headquartered on campus.
However, Mr. Armstrong knew that God’s college should not be a “Bible school” or theological seminary. In the world, people choose to be ministers, treating it like any other profession. But the Bible reveals that no human being can choose to be an ordained minister of Jesus Christ. That man must be called into the ministry. And, just as Christ chose which disciples would be His apostles, a true minister of God is chosen by Christ (John 15:16). No man can choose to be ordained into God’s ministry.
Mr. Armstrong knew that it was imperative that no student come to God’s college expecting to become a minister. Only one’s fruits can reveal if that is God’s will.
Rather than specializing in theology alone, this new college would provide students with a balanced, well-rounded liberal arts education—with biblical and theological training offered as just one of several fields of study.
God’s college would also be coeducational, training young women to take on vital roles in the Work. This new college would develop the character and personality of young, teachable minds, providing poised, properly cultured, well-rounded individuals who would, upon graduation, in some cases, return home to local congregations and set right examples among the brethren.
The schools, colleges and universities of this world have rejected God and His divine revelation—the foundation of true knowledge. As a result, mankind’s modern educational system has embraced a deadly mixture of truth and error. Ambassador College’s basic purpose was to mold young, fresh teachable minds and teach its students how to live—not just how to make a living.
This is how Mr. Armstrong envisioned Ambassador College’s purpose and goals:
“Ambassador College knows and teaches the PURPOSE and true meaning of life—the TRUE VALUES that pay off—and THE WAY to peace, happiness and abundant well-being.”
“The Bible is the world’s biggest seller, but also the book almost nobody knows. It is the FOUNDATION of all knowledge, and the approach to acquirable knowledge.
“Ambassador College is pioneering the educational system of the WORLD TOMORROW. A foretaste of that peace, happiness and abundant well-being is radiated by Ambassador students.
“Ambassador students learn HOW to live—THE WAY to happiness—but the ‘how to EARN a living’ is not neglected.
“Ambassador students are taught the MISSING DIMENSION in education—the underlying PURPOSE and the real meaning of life; the worthwhile values; the basic laws of success, not only in economic fields, but in life as a whole. They are given individual attention in the development of character, poise, culture and personality. Ambassador is a unique character-building institution” (The ‘86 Envoy – An Annual Pictorial Record).
At first, Mr. Armstrong only envisioned a small college campus, just one building with three or four classrooms and an auditorium, as well as office space to conduct the Work.
Then he and Mrs. Armstrong searched day after day for a suitable location in Pasadena. They found a vacant lot, about 250 feet by 100 feet, that closely matched what Mr. Armstrong had in mind. Next, he hired two architects to come up with design concepts for the college building. Then, to purchase the land, he planned to set aside a certain amount of money each week until there would be enough for a down payment.
First International Baptizing Tour
Letters from listeners of The World Tomorrow continued to pour in from all over the nation. Many of them asked to be baptized. So, in the summer of 1946, Mr. Armstrong, with his wife accompanying him, set off on a baptism tour through the United States and Canada.
Their long journey took them to Texas, the bayous of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, back down through Alabama, into western Florida, up the East Coast through Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and then New York and up to Maine. Then they crossed over to New Hampshire, Vermont, then up to Montreal, Canada. From there, they visited prospective members in Ottawa, Toronto, then over to Windsor. They crossed back over into the U.S., visiting Detroit, Chicago, Des Moines, then down into Oklahoma, west through Kansas and back to Colorado. After this, they traveled across the Rocky Mountains, and headed back to Eugene, Oregon.
Many people were baptized. Lives were being converted—changed. The need for trained ministers to pastor local congregations became even more evident.
Where God Wanted His College Established
Mr. Armstrong was unable to carry out his plan to save for a down payment. And even if they could purchase land for the college, the Radio Church of God that Mr. Armstrong had started was a nonprofit organization, not a profitable commercial business. This meant that it was impossible for them to borrow the money needed to construct even a small college campus.
But Mr. Armstrong was determined not to give up. In November 1946, he called upon the services of Mrs. C.J. McCormick, a real estate broker, who showed him a small, 18-room mansion in Pasadena’s “millionaire row.”
It was obvious that the property had, at one time, been magnificently landscaped, though it had not been kept in good condition for several years. In addition to the main building, there was a four-car garage with two servants’ apartments, fountains, beautifully sculptured landscapes, an ornamental retaining wall, lower gardens, a large square pool and other architecturally pleasing garden schemes. With extra work, such as clearing out weeds and re-landscaping to restore its former magnificence, the space held promise.
But the owner, whom Mr. Armstrong referred to as “Dr. B.” (a doctor of law) in his autobiography, wanted $100,000—and he wanted it in cash.
The Work did not have the funds available, but Mr. Armstrong thought more and more about the space. It had the potential for several classrooms, a library and assembly room. The adjoining large dining room could serve as an additional library room, administrative offices, and offices for Church headquarters, including a large mailing department.
Mr. Armstrong asked his architects to inspect the property. They confirmed that it was ideal for a small, but beautiful, college campus. Mrs. Armstrong felt the same way.
It seemed like God wanted the college to be founded there, but where would the money come from?
On Mrs. McCormick’s recommendation, Mr. Armstrong hired Pasadena attorney Judge Morton to draw up a lease-and-option contract of 25 monthly payments of $1,000 each. The contract provided for taking occupancy of the property the following July 1, 1947. Once the monthly payments reached $25,000, this would be used as the down payment. The Church would then exercise its option to buy, and then be given the deed to the property. Dr. B. would retain a trust deed until fully paid.
Would God perform a miracle?
“Then I prayed earnestly,” Mr. Armstrong wrote. “I asked God to reveal His will respecting His college by causing Dr. B. to accept if that were God’s will, but to cause him to reject it, if this was not the place God had chosen for His college. I realized there did not appear to be one chance in a thousand that a man who wanted $100,000 cash would let his property go for only $1,000 per month, with no down payment at the start whatever—and taking two whole years and one additional month to build up a 25 percent down payment.”
About three days after submitting his proposition, Mrs. McCormick told Mr. Armstrong that she had the contract “signed, sealed, and delivered”! This was November 27, 1946.
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