Holy healing hankies

by glenster 6 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  glenster

  I'm sorry if this has been covered before--I'm new here.

  Does anyone have anything to corroborate the claim that Russell used healing handkerchiefs? (I read the page in which he basically implies that if you donate money to him you're less likely to get sick.)

  I'm researching JW history for some articles I want to put on my freewebs site. Just when I think it's done enough that I just have to tweak it a little, I run into more examples of playing prophet badly that make me think I may have to carve instead. I've never seen such a barrel of c**p in my life.
• 

  moggy lover

  Interesting concept, but I rather doubt that Russell either believed in or taught such "pentecostal" beliefs. To the best of my understanding, the WTS has always been primarily an intellectual wind bag of a religion, with liberal doses of humbug and pseudo-philosophical gobbledegook thrown in.

  I am not sure of Russell's position, but I know later WTS thought attributed such phenomena to witchcraft, and satanism.

  Having said that, however, I know of at least one religious mentor of the 20th Century who did encourage such beliefs. HW Armstrong, founder of the famous "Plain Truth" and the Worldwide Church of God, discouraged his followers from seeking medical aid for illness, instead passing out pieces of cloth that had been "anointed" by himself.

  Cheers
• 

  mouthy

  I dont believe he ever had anything to do with healing hankies ...There is another cult leader that still does that. I cant rememeber his name he was on T,V.When my daughter was dying....The lady next door to her sent $50.00 for the hanky & brought it over to my daughter ..Of course we did not believe all that ( we were out of the JWS by then) but the woman that bought the hanky did, she was devastated when Melanie died....
• 

  glenster

  Maybe he just made some general statements about sin creating a greater chance
  of sickness (so donate to him)? In case anyone can find out anything more, here
  are my sources:

  A list of Watchtower quotes from an elder. Healing handkerchiefs are men-
  tioned in the 12th from the last entry for 1874:
  http://www.freeminds.org/history/part1.htm

  I found a 2nd similar statement:

  "At first Russell solicited donations under the pretension that the donators
  would neither die nor get sick 'except by God’s will.' When some did die the
  offer needed amending. But miraculous healings allegedly continued, including
  arthritics, deaf people, and even old persons restored to youth. This was dis-
  continued in the 1890s." ("Watch Tower Reprints," Jan., 1881, p.181) ("Watch
  Tower Reprints," 1883, pp.436,437; 1885 pp.748,749; 1885 pp.782,784)
  http://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/index.php/stories-biographies/russell-jw-prophet/

  There's some coverage of the Jan., 1881 issue, except it's p.187, here at
  ""Donate and you will not get sick or die" at the next link:
  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/32/78491/1.ashx
• 

  moggy lover

  Hi. Glenster, I have just read the sources you pointed to, and it appears that you do have a point. That first decade of the WT movement has not had the depth of research that it deserves, since much of its details remain obscure.

  Probably a more detailed analysis will uncover some richer, concrete facts.

  Good post by the way, and welcome to JWD

  Cheers
• 

  Stephanus

  IIRC, Marilyn Hickey used to send out "Spirit annointed" hankies (for the right "donation"). It's a fairly common phenomenon in TV evangelism land.
• 

  candidlynuts

  didnt the early watchtower sell miracle wheat to cure ills?