What Happened to the Plain Truth?

The Plain Truth magazine was one of the most widely circulated magazines in history. At its peak, it was printed in seven different languages, with a circulation of over 8 million. Each issue was given away free.

Today, however, this magazine is out of print. What happened to it?

The Plain Truth was founded by Herbert W. Armstrong in February 1934. The first issue was printed in black and white on a mimeograph machine in Eugene, Oregon. It was sent free to around 250 subscribers.

Over the next five decades, its readership continued to grow rapidly.

Mr. Armstrong’s Plain Truth magazine analyzed world events through the lens of Bible prophecy. This perspective made the Plain Truth unique—and hugely popular.

The accuracy of the Plain Truth in forecasting world events before they happened is what made it the most valuable magazine of its time.

After Mr. Armstrong’s death in 1986, however, the Plain Truth went off track. His successors rejected Bible prophecy and rejected Mr. Armstrong’s Bible-based teachings.

Readership declined rapidly. Eventually, they started charging subscribers.

Today, the Plain Truth is out of print. But Mr. Armstrong’s legacy survives in the Trumpet magazine.

The Trumpet is built on the same prophetic foundation Mr. Armstrong used for the Plain Truth magazine.

Request your free subscription to the Trumpet magazine today!

For more detail about what happened to the Plain Truth, request a free copy of our book Raising the Ruins and a free copy of our booklet He Was Right.