RACISM Behind 1909 Watch Tower Magazine Name Change

by West70 30 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  West70

  From 1879 through 1908, the magazine owned, operated, and edited by Charles Taze Russell (not the Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society) was offically named "Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence".

  With several changes caused by the move from Pittsburgh to Brooklyn to escape Maria Russell, her lawyers, and the Pennsylvania Courts, it was decided that the official name of the magazine be changed to "The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence".

  Here are the OFFICIAL REASONS for dropping the word "Zion's", as stated in the December 15, 1908 issue:

  "With the New Year we expect to drop the word "Zion's" in the title of our Journal, because many of the friends inform us that the word is objectionable, having been so much used by Mr. Dowie and his followers. They report that our Journal is frequently cast aside under the supposition that it is published under Dowie's auspices, or in some manner affiliated with Zion City, which he founded. The new name, THE WATCH TOWER, is the one by which the Journal is usually mentioned. It appears, further, that African churches and papers use the word Zion extensively, which has led to the inquiry whether or not our Journal is published and generally read by colored people."
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  CaptainSchmideo

  Context, man, context.

  For the year 1909, the Bible Students were downright liberal pantywaists compared to mainstream religion's view of race.

  I don't think this dog barks that loud....
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  jwfacts

  Thanks, that is an interesting quote that I had not seen before.
  The Org was racist, and claimed that there would be no black people in the New System, that they would turn white with perfection, a bit like Michael Jackson has been doing since the 1980's.
  Watch Tower 1904 February 15 pp.52-53 “Can the Ethiopian change his skin?”
  “What the Ethiopian cannot do for himself God could readily do for him. The difference between the races of men and the differences between their languages have long been arguments against the solidarity of the human family. The doctrine of restitution has also raised the question. How could all men be brought to perfection and which color of skin was the original? The answer is now provided. God can change the Ethiopian's skin in his own due time. Prof. H. A. Edwards, Supt. of Schools in Slater, Mo., has written for the public press an elaborate description of how Julius Jackson, of New Frankfurt, Mo., a negro boy of nine years, began to grow white in September, 1901, and is now fully nine-tenths white. He assures us that this is no whitish skin disease; but that the new white skin is as healthy as that of any white boy, and that the changed boy has never been sick and never has taken medicines”
  I have an article with a range of similar quotes at http://jwfacts.com/index_files/blackskin.htm
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  TheOldHippie

  "The Org was racist, and claimed that there would be no black people in the New System, that they would turn white with perfection, a bit like Michael Jackson has been doing since the 1980's."
  

  No no. Context. Remember this was a letter from one of the readers, and it was not commented upon. This was no editorial at all.
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  greendawn

  Didn't the JWs have racially seggregated congregations in the USA until the 1960's?
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  Nellie

  Well give us the context, please!
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  in a new york bethel minute

  haha that's too funny... ohhhhhhh to live in 1909
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  blondie

  Didn't the JWs have racially seggregated congregations in the USA until the 1960's

  Only where the law required it or the WTS felt it would cause bad feelings in the community if they were desegregated. KHs today tend to be "segregated" if the territory is mainly white or mainly black.
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  skyman

  
  Wow I realy thank you for this post. I was talking to a bible reasearcher this man has printed many book about the Bibles true teachings. He proved without a doubt that the original text shows in Gen's 1: & 2 God created Humans (Gen 1) which means man of color and then later created ADAM Gen 2 which mean white man that can blush. He showed me the original Hebrew words and thier meanings. So Adam and Eve were seperate creations from the rest of Humans. Plus he prooved that in MANY MANY places in the bible that GOD said for ADAMS LINAGE was not to mate with the HUMANS.

  I want to make this point clear the book of Gen's is not correct and I will never worship a GOD that is racist. So I do not believe the book Gen's should be part of the BIBLE cannon. The Bible does support this claim if you believe it is written BY GOD> I HATE RACIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will post points on this in the near future be ready to question everything you thought you know about the GOD of the Jew's
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  Oroborus21

  Greetings:

  Here is more of the excerpt:

  R4294 : page 372

  THE WATCH TOWER SUBSCRIPTION LIST

  With the New Year we expect to drop the word "Zion's" in the title of our Journal, because many of the friends inform us that the word is objectionable, having been so much used by Mr. Dowie and his followers. They report that our Journal is frequently cast aside under the supposition that it is published under Dowie's auspices, or in some manner affiliated with Zion City, which he founded. The new name, THE WATCH TOWER, is the one by which the Journal is usually mentioned. It appears, further, that African churches and papers use the word Zion extensively, which has led to the inquiry whether or not our Journal is published and generally read by colored people.

  We consider the subscription list of our Journal the surest and safest criterion, as respects the numbers of our deeply interested ones. Our present enrolment is 25,000. This is only half the list we think we should have. It is the only discouraging feature connected with this report. It shows no increase over last year. For our encouragement, however, we must remember that during this year the Postoffice Department put into effect with all publications a rule intended to cut off the lists the names of all who do not actually subscribe and .....

  -----------------

  Question: Is the Society being racist in reporting what others have asked? No. Consider the cultural context of the times.

  Clearly, all that Russell is saying is that because of the feeling of many people that would not want to be associated with these African churches or "colored" people (a term that embraced all non-whites), that in ORDER TO AVOID CONFUSION with respect to the PUBLICATION that the name Zion would be dropped. Russell's/the WT's statement is NOT AN ENDORSEMENT of these racist views in any way.

  Perhaps, today, we would have liked to have seen a second statement that clarifies that such feelings against "colored people" are improper, etc. but it is unreasonable to expect that someone would be that far advanced of their own time and culture.

  The fact is that the WT/JWs have always been among the leading Christian church to embrace persons of color and jews and to support the rights and positive views of these. The publications have always promoted ethnic and cultural differences and touted these as wonderful facets of our life. Even today, the magazines always contain articles about places, people and things from around the world and has a multi-cultural flavor. There are probably more interacial congregations and interacial marriages among Jehovah's Witnesses than any other religion. Jehovah's Witnesses are among the top international religions in numbers.

  -Eduardo