What is denoted by using all these different words for places of worship?
Temple? Church? Hall?
and btw...who put the "Gog" in Synagog?
Temple, Church, Hall
by cameo-d 5 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
mustang
Early on, the "Bible Students" did not have fixed locations and rented "Halls" to hold lectures. I remember my father renting the local "Moose Lodge" on occasion and we carted truckloads of folding chairs from funeral homes. When JW's "settled down" to a fixed location these became "Kingdom Halls". WTS had a thing about being different, espcecially from the world; so they couldn't just have a "church" :)
One important thing to note here (and I watched this) is that a "congo" in the formative years was very "hand-to-mouth"; it started "taking off" when a few locals who could become steady contributors were recrutied/converted/whatever.
Mustang
-
cameo-d
When JW's "settled down" to a fixed location these became "Kingdom Halls".
But what is the significance of it being called a "Hall"?
I also wondered about the christmas carol "Deck the Halls".....surely this does not mean bows on the funeral parlor chairs in the KH?
How about the "Halls of Montezuma"? What the heck is that?
And of course, Masonic meetings are held in Halls, too.
Most churches have a wing on the building called a "Fellowship Hall".
-
mustang
But what is the significance of it being called a "Hall"?
You missed that wholesale: in the 1800's, early 1900's people met in HALLS to discuss things. Before Radio and TV, public meetings and newspapers were centers of information and entertainment. There were Meeting Halls, Lecture Halls, Beer Halls, Lodge Halls and that recurring one today, the Town Hall. Simple as that: BTW, I was there, you weren't. Early 50's and these old carryovers were still happening.
I also wondered about the christmas carol "Deck the Halls".....surely this does not mean bows on the funeral parlor chairs in the KH?
You're overreaching again. "Deck the Halls" is no relation: a Christmas Carol, nothing more.
These funeral home chairs were plain wooden folding chairs w/ no decoration. And they weren't always used, except for "overflow" requirements, like special Sudnay Public Talks. We stamped or ordered "handbills" and plastered the town with them.
"Halls of Montezuma": again, no relation. That's from the Marine Corp hymn. However, I happen to know a great deal about Semper Fi. That's the USMC: the USMC went to the "Halls of Montezuma" when they landed at Veracruz on the east coast of Mexico and went all the way to Mexico City in the Mexican American War. (Battle of Chapultepec Castle, Sept 1847)
Masonic Halls and Church Fellowship Halls are more like it: those are close to the KH (Kingdom Hall) meaning.
You can't just go through the dictionary or the I-Net and grab every occurrence of Halls. You forgot Hall's Menthalyptus and the "Shores of Tripoli".
Mustang
-
cameo-d
You forgot Hall's Menthalyptus
By golly I did forget that one.
I guess I was paying attention since the latest WT says we don't need to worry about our health or doctors or sore throats anymore.
-
mustang
But what is the significance of it being called a "Hall"?
If you can quit putting unrelated distractions in your path, the point is that early on the Bible Students had no fixed meeting places and went from rented Hall to rented Hall. Sometimes there would be no Bible Students (to become JW's) in a town and BS-JW's from elsewhere would show up to see what interest they could gather. If anyone was serious, they would meet in private homes until enough of a following was aroused. Then some more semi-permanent arrangement could be made. These became the Kingdom Halls when they were no longer rental Halls from whatever was available.
Mustang