by cabasilas 9 Replies latest watchtower bible
Both of these are around in other formats, but these may be of some interest here:
A text version of Vols 1-7 of Studies in the Scriptures (1916 and 1918 editions):
http://www.sendspace.com/file/kqqpyb
1917 Watchtower Bible Student Schism Documents and Pictures:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/2r6v5m
Cabasilas:
Thank you for posting these updated files for us! Appreciate all the hard work.
Cheers! Atlantis!-
You're welcome, Atlantis!
These are also up at:
http://www.archive.org/details/StudiesInTheScripturesVolumes1-7
and
http://www.archive.org/details/1917WatchtowerBibleStudentSchism
Thank you Cabasilas there some very interesting reading there, I particularly liked reading about how Rutherford
kicked everyone down so he could stand on top of the tower at the highest level.
The judge seemed to be on a power trip of his own, if it were not for his legal background he would have never succeeded.
and a big thanks from me too
HTA and Jaydee, You're welcome!
Every time I review those papers from the 1917 schism I'm amazed how Rutherford was running the Organization. Russell had set up in his will an Editorial Committee to make sure whatever was published in the Watch Tower was "truth." Yet, JFR, while claiming to follow that arrangement, secretly arranged for two other people (Woodworth and Fisher) to write the Finished Mystery. It was not reviewed by the Editorial Committee, nor did JFR advise the Board of Directors (who JWs now say was the Governing Body of that time) of what he was doing. He then used funds from the People's Pulpit Association to pay for the costs of printing and binding the Finished Mystery. (If he'd used the funds from the Watch Tower Society it'd have been noticed by the Board--GB, so he had to hide what he was doing.)
So, by July of 1917 the book is almost ready. He knows he'll open up a firestorm of criticism by his secret handling of getting the book published. So, 5 days before the book is ready to distribute he secretly appoints replacement members of the Board. They keep these appointments quiet for 5 days until July 17, 1917 when he distributes the Finished Mystery as a surprise to the Bethel family at the noon meal along with JFR's announcement that he's "fixed" the "illegality" of membership of the 4 Board members by replacing them with people who supported him.
And this is how the Governing Body supposedly operated back then? It's incredulous! Especially, if you actually read the Finished Mystery itself. There's no way that book could have been "food at the proper time."
Its ironic that to this day, there in their HQ "s sits crooked lawyers looking after their finances,
of this unscrupulous book publishing company.
Another item not usually mentioned is that JFR's Vice President, A. Pierson, was not supportive of what JFR was doing. So much so, that Pierson's name appears on the first booklet published by the four ousted directors, "Light After Darkness." This despite the fact he was still serving as Vice President of the Board right under Rutherford! So, it was not 4 to 3, (Four ousted directors against the other three). It was 5 to 2 (the two being JFR and Van Amburgh).
According to Penton, however, Pierson ended up dying in fellowship with JFR. I'd be interested in hearing more about that if anyone has info about that.
excellent - thanks
Stilla, you're welcome!
I forgot to add that Pierson, the VP under JFR, had been the one who had nominated JFR for President of the WTBTS at the Jan. 6, 1917 election of officers right after the death of Russell. His vacillation between supporting JFR and the 4 ousted members of the Board was politically dangerous. The 1918 Board election saw Pierson not being elected to the Board.
Interestingly, if you look at the stats in the January 15, 1918 WT of that crucial election, one of the highest recipients of votes was C.H. Anderson (from Baltimore), who had not even been nominated. After Anderson had been elected to the Board, Macmillan (who had the second highest number of votes) nominated Anderson as Vice President, which he won. Who was this Anderson? Did he hold the key to a lot of the votes? Was his support crucial for JFR's slate of officers being elected? Was his election as VP a reward for this support? I don't know. Just some questions that come up after looking at the election info.
