Jst2laws,
Thank you for the reply. You said:
Ray F next presented his proposed Aid Book article to Fred Franz with the question ‘would this not cause problems to present this information to the brothers yet set aside this scriptural arrangement in favor of the way the JW congregations were presently organized. Fred thought there would be no problem.The Aid Book was published with the new information on the Biblical administration of the congregations using the elder arrangement. It did cause a problem and in about four years the Presiding Overseer arrangement was replaced by a body of elders.
I believe this is incorrect.
The "Older Man" articles were published in the completed 1971 Aid book. It was at this very same assembly, where the completed Aid book was released, that the Elder arrangement was announced to the brothers. At some point afterwards the Congregation Servants and other responsible brothers (following the direction of the Society) started to meet together to decide which brothers would be recommended for appointment as elders. The following year, 1972, the first appointments of elders were announced in the congregations. The Elder arrangement did not come about because of "problems" caused by the Aid book articles in the congregations, it came directly from the top the very same year the Aid book was released. 1971 was also the year Ray Franz became a member of the Governing Body.
The Aid book article on "Older Man" written by Ray Franz, has this to say about the 1st Century Governing Body:
On the day of Pentecost the apostles acted as a body, with Peter serving as spokesman by the operation of God's ourpoured spirit. They were clearly "older men" in the spritual sense by virtue of their early and intimate association with Jesus and as ones commissioned to teach. The attitude of those becoming believers shows that they acknowledged the apostles as having governing authority in the new nation under Christ, and as having authority to make appointments to service, either directly as a body or through representatives, the apostle Paul being a notable example. To what extent others shared with the apostles in serving as a governing body of "older men" during this initial period is not known. However, by the time the issue of circumcision came to the fore, "older men" along with the apostles met in assembly to consider the matter. Their decision was made known to congregations in all places and was accepted as authoritative. Thus, even as some "older men" served Israel on a national basis, so it is evident that these "older men" with the apostles formed a governing body for the entire Christian congregation in all lands. Aid to Bible Understanding, page 1249-1250
This paragraph leaves no room for an authoritative Presidency position over the Governing Body. Your initial statement on the other thread may have inadvertently been correct. Ray Franz was sincere but ironically his sincere efforts to cling to the 1st Century congregational structure has led to more problems in the Watchtower Society not less. As I said in the other thread, the 1st Century way of doing things has never worked! It was fine for that day but not today. Ironically, also as I said before, Ray Franz lives today unbound by an arrangement which he himself is responsible for. He lives under no congregational authority, no elder arrangement. It is quite a marvel of irony, imo.
Thanks again for your comments, if you feel my account of the events of 1971 and 1972 are incorrect I would appreciate your input on this.
IW