Governing Buzzards ? Part 7 ? Did J.F. Rutherford have a Mistress?
Changes in religious doctrine, dogma, cannon, practices, liturgy and ritual are common and almost all Christians have witnessed this in their denominations ? including fringe groups like Jehovah?s Witnesses. One can go back to a time when Catholics did not eat meat on Friday on pain of facing Hellfire, or Adventists being condemned for eating any meat at all, or Southern Baptists refusing to drink alcohol or play cards, and Mormons refusing to participate in ecumenical movements like the National Council of Churches ? so ? like her sister religious organizations, the Watchtower too has had her share of doctrinal adjustments ? one can still find photographs of Rutherford at the Bethel table enjoying a fine Christmas Dinner with a fully decorated Christmas Tree in the background ? this being done long after they were supposedly found ?CLEAN? as the Faithful Slave in the Heavenly Judgment of 1918. The point is, people can accept change, adjustments, refinements, and bold admissions of failure as the Catholic Church has done in revising its policies on removing pedophile Priests ? BUT ?
There are TIME HONORED teachings in ALL religions that even Jehovah?s Witnesses accept and understand. Bible Students and their Jehovah?s Witness counterparts today have always condemned theft, lying, cheating, drunkenness, violence, adultery, and fornication to name a few. These acts are looked down on or totally condemned in all three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. While the reaction and discipline vary in dealing with these offenses, they almost universally result in some level of sanctions and disapproval. Among Jehovah?s Witnesses, engaging in these acts is grounds for Disfellowshipping if unrepentant, and even if repentant, it is grounds for removal from any position of responsibility and example. Certainly, an Anointed leader who is head of a religion who conduct himself / herself with the greatest care and diligence so as to avoid even the appearance of impropriety and any who seriously transgress would not wait to be removed, but would willingly resign out of respect and concern for the fellowship they led.
What about Joseph Franklin (Judge-for-a-day) Rutherford? He was unique to Jehovah?s Witnesses in that he was a sole ruler who dominated the religion from 1917 following Russell?s death in late 1916, until 1942 when he finally finished his earthly course to enter into Heaven to take his Throne along side the Glorified King of Kings, Jesus Christ. For 25 years he alone was the director of all Watchtower affairs ? he was the voice on the phonographs used to preach at the doors before Jehovah?s Witnesses were taught how to speak ? he wrote virtually every book, except the Finished Mystery Book ? but here he still edited and approved the final copy ? he had editorial control of he Watchtower magazine and he introduced the magazine called the Golden Age, which later became Consolation. He took swift action against subordinate Watchtower leaders ? for example when he heard of some impropriety by the Australia Branch office, he did not wait for a hearing, but wired a cable to order the removal of the Branch overseer, and the appointment of a new one to keep the work of the Good News progressing forward ?
Rutherford tolerated no sin or wrongdoing by anyone in leadership positions ? he even forced the Ecclesia (renamed as ?Companies? and now called Congregations today) to register and have their leadership appointed by the Watchtower Society instead of local elections. This would help Rutherford assure obedience to upright standards and keep the organization clean during the dark hours of 1917 to 1942 when so many Prophetic Fulfillments were taking place, where the Bible Students were center stage, and the Glorified King and Ruler of the Organization, Jesus Christ was using Joseph Rutherford to care for his earthly belongings, and lead his people in a forward moving progressive new light organization!!! Certainly, now was the time, deep in the Last Days to have the utmost upright, clean people beings led by an example, a person of integrity whose reputation for absolute righteousness would set a High and Lofty standard for God?s people to follow.
Is that the case with Rutherford? In Part 5 of this series I noted one case where Rutherford refused to accept discipline for attending a Burlesque show in Europe. [ Here is the link that documents Joey's tryst with the Burlesque act in Germany ...
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/8064/1.ashx
] Let?s assume, however, that the allegation was about a minor failing, a one time slip under all the stress of such a burdensome role as leader of God?s organization worldwide ? and as a result, when the Memorial approached Joseph just could not bear the strain of all this weighty responsibility ? and he momentarily gave into the flesh ? and lets further assume that after self-scrutiny, he did not partake at the Memorial that year so as to at least impose some level of self-discipline ? then surely we could expect that he vowed never again to repeat such action ? and God would forgive, Jesus forgives, and so would God?s people forgive Joseph for this one time act.
DID Joseph stay out of trouble with the World, the Flesh, and the Devil? Did the booze loving, cigar smoking, arrogant San-Diego-Beth-Sarim Joseph Rutherford have any repeat offense(s)? What about a worse offense? What about a ?practice?? What about a trend? What about a life-style that lasted from 1938 until Joseph died in 1942? During the critical years when the Image of the Wild beast, the United Nations, which died as the league of nations after WWI and would soon be revived in 1945? What about the upcoming global expansion of preaching with Jehovah?s Witnesses now having to do their own talking at the doors? How would they function in this special time if their leader was engaged in hanky-panky during his last years as the earthly leader of God?s CLEAN organization!!! Let?s see what our special guest has to say:
?Berta Teel was born in 1901 in the country near Greenville, North Carolina. When she was 9 years old, her father was killed in a hunting accident. Her father may have been assassinated by the KKK, who had threatened him before because he hired blacks to work on his farm.
Berta's oldest brother, Frank, my grandfather, tried to keep the family together, but in 1922, he found it necessary to move to Akron, Ohio to get work in the factory. He brought his wife, two sons, four sisters and his brother with him. Shortly, after his arrival my mother was born in Akron. My mother began studying with two of her aunts, Rae and Lona in 1944 while my dad was over seas in WWII.
Sometime in the 1920's, Berta and her three sisters, Rae, Lona, and Carry became Bible Students. Berta was the only one of the four that considered herself to be of the anointed. Their two brothers never became Bible Students and my grandfather thought it was all a bunch of foolishness.
Sometime in the early 1930's, according to the Olin Moyle trial transcripts, Berta became friends with Bonnie Boyd. According to my mother, Berta and Bonnie traveled together to a European convention. At the convention, Berta met Rutherford.
In June of 1938, 15 years after Berta got married to Alfred Peale, she abandoned her husband and moved to Bethel. This was at about the time that Bonnie married William Heath. (I have wondered if Berta was a mistress who replaced Bonnie in that role.)
Berta's husband filed for divorce in November of 1939 and the divorce was granted in March of 1940. The legal papers on both occasions were sent to Bethel.
When Berta arrived at Bethel [in 1938], she was immediately given a job as Rutherford's dietician, despite the fact that he had a man in this position at the time. Berta traveled in the summers to Europe with Rutherford and his close associates. In the winter, she accompanied him to Beth Sarim. This information can be found in the [Olin] Moyle trial transcripts. REF: They are pages 1369, 1370, 1371, 1381, and 1382. On page 1404, there is a reference to calling Rutherford, Pappy. That was what my grandfather was called. He was Berta's brother. I don't know if that was a coincidence or not.]
After Rutherford died, Berta lived at Beth Sarim until it was sold. I know this because a cousin of mine visited her there after he was released from the Army at the end of WWII.
Some miscellaneous facts. At some point after leaving Beth Sarim, Berta dated a married Naval Officer, not the best conduct for an anointed pioneer. Also, she used to wear crotchless panties and bras with the nipple area exposed. I know this because she gave them to her sister in Akron on a visit in the 1960's. These do not seem like the proper
undergarments for a zealous sister.
Berta was a very beautiful woman with a genteel demeanor and a soft southern accent.
Despite the possibility of a scandal no one in my family spoke negatively, at least not in my presence. Rather, they spoke glowingly of her and her position at Bethel.?
Note: What about Rutherford?s wife and son? The history on them is very scant, and I have only heard rumors that he and his wife separated many years before he died. Both the news media and many former JWs have tried to interview Rutherford?s son over the years but he would never grant an interview, and he never became one of Jehovah?s witnesses.
Was Berta (Teel) Peale Rutherford?s mistress? Was Joseph Franklin Rutherford engaged in Hanky Panky? Is there any appearance of impropriety with this all-important religious leader who abandoned his wife and son to take up living with his dietician, Berta? Did she show any impropriety as a co-ruler of Jesus, an Anointed sister, to leave her husband to take up living with Rutherford to be sure his diet was properly served? Did her sexy underwear (a scandal of the day) have any bearing on this?
Finally, what do those pages in the Olin Moyle trial say about all of this? And WHO is the special guest who provided the above account?
Stay tuned for: Governing Buzzards - Part 8 ? The Olin Moyle Trial
PS: The special guest revealed: Many of you know this person ? he posts here as Larc, a Supreme One ? look him up. PM him with your detailed questions ? but please don?t spoil my next post on the Olin Moyle Trial ? it will be done in two parts.