by StAnn 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Myth,
Probably, didn't read the Article, but that has been one of the claims made about the Bible Students who stayed Bible Students, they were called the apostates although they never changed their teachings, it was Rutherford and Franz who changed Beliefs. Strange no!
Myth, there is a thread going on about last Sunday's WT study. Please go there and post this as they're discussing wheat/weeds. I'd be very interested to get their input.
StAnn
Isaac, when I first moved into my "home" congregation (Eaton, Ohio), it was the 1970's and there were several people in our cong. who had been Bible Students. I really wish they were still alive so that I could ask them about the changes! There was one woman in the cong. who was the first ever Bible Student in that county and she walked there from Dayton to get the cong. started. She was in her 90's in the 1970's. I like hearing the stories like yours because I'm sure that most of the real history of the split and the Rutherford takeover was suppressed and people intimidated into not talking about it.
StAnn
Hi StAnn. I posted on that thread about it yesterday. If it's this thread http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/193618/1/Help-Todays-5-23-WT-study
My grandparents got involved in 1910, and I asked the same question about why they stayed with Rutherford. Then I discovered that A. H. MacMillan was a close family friend. In the case of my family, being a close associate with one of Rutherfords henchmen is the connection had everything to do with why they followed him.
Also, again the question, where did the followers of Rutherford come from since so many Bible Students abandoned him because of his teachings?
New recruits. Rutherford had control of the printing presses, was charismatic, and had a good grasp of the principals of mind control.
Cheers
Chris
We also have to remember that Russell was a household name in those days, everyone knew of him. He was the Billy Graham of his day. The Judgesed that to his advantage. Even after all the chnages, people just associated the Watchtower with Russell. The Judge woould start BIble studies using Russell's wriytings, once these people got sucked in, he would do the switcharoo with one of his books and introduced new light.
Many of thodse Bible Students who did stay, were pretty nominal to say the least, or there were power hungry elders who didn't agree with Russell anyways.
RR
startingover,
My maternal grandparents were also from that era, they became Bible Studemts in 1900. AH MacMillan, Woodworth and others would stay at their home and was one of the reasons they stayed on after the turmoil of 1919. My grandfather was arrested for distributing the 7th Vol.. Christendom continued to live down to its name with WWI so the Bible Students felt like they should weather the storm.
Here is what I 'gleaned' from the CD
*** w87 6/15 p. 17 Testing and Sifting in Modern Times ***
Organizational Refinements
First, cleansing occurred by progressive harmonizing of the worldwide congregation with newly understood Scriptural principles. There had to be a gradual putting away of democratic ways of conducting congregational affairs. Consider some of the progressive developments along this line.
1919: Appointments by the Governing Body began by the designating from the headquarters of the Watch Tower Society a permanent service director for each congregation to supervise field-service activities.
1932: The annual election of elders and deacons was terminated; congregational selection of men for these positions was replaced by selection of a service committee assisting (and including) the Society-appointed service director.
1937: It was recognized that “Jonadabs” [those with an earthly hope] may hold positions of responsibility in the congregation.
1938: All overseers and their assistants were to be appointed by the Society in a theocratic manner.
additionally in the same article....
*** w87 6/15 pp. 18-19 Testing and Sifting in Modern Times ***
The Field Ministry
11 Second, cleansing has taken place through testings as to participation in field service.
1922: All associates of the congregations were urged to share in the house-to-house field service. Monthly Bulletin (now Our Kingdom Ministry) containing service directions became available.
1927: Regular house-to-house preaching on Sundays began; books and booklets were distributed for a contribution.
1937: First Model Study booklet for home Bible studies was received.
1939: First annual Watchtower subscription campaign took place; over 93,000 new subscriptions were obtained.
1940: Magazine street work began.
Also best to discern the times and conditions in which all of this occurred........the westernized world is vastly different today!
