Former Longtime Elder- Met up with a Former CO,DO

by James Jackson 47 Replies latest jw friends

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  James Jackson

  At a convention recently, I met with Don Wallace, a former CO and DO. He told me he came off the road 6 years ago and is living in Scottsboro AL. Him and his wife are in their late 70's. He told me that he was "One of the Smart Ones". I asked, how so? He said he had planned for his retirement by not taking lavish vacations and saving all his money from close to 40 years in the traveling work, just in case "The End" was not coming. He just sat back watched all the other "Traveling Brothers taking various vacation trips to Europe, Africa, etc. wasting their money".

  When he came off the road, he paid for a house in cash! Now, he still has some money in the bank, gets $600 a month from "The Society" and even gets SSI for being employed in the early days. Life is Good!
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  alanv

  Wow that is good. A smart JW. They are indeed a rare breed. I can only assume he must have put by money from his green handshakes as his monthly allowance from the society would soon have gone.
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  alanv

  Hey James just noticed you said he gets 600 dollars per month from the society. What is that for and when did it start. Surely not some sort of pension is it?
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  Ucantnome

  when i preached i had faith it would come within the generation
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  DATA-DOG

  Wow! Just like Paul! He supported himself by working. Working the circuit......
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  designs

  How does Don Wallace square taking the $600.00 a month.
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  It's interesting how this "full-time servant" is not only able to retire but does it quite comfortably.

  Certainly much better than the majority of JWs who listened to WT lies. How many FT Pioneers, Missionaries, Bethelites, etc. will retire with a paid-for home and a regular income?

  I'd like an explanation Re: his $600 stipend from WT. The usual practice is to tell Co/DO to go off the road in the last Circuit they served- that way the local publishers have to take care of them and it costs WT nothing.

  He said he had planned for his retirement.... just in case "The End" was not coming.

  I bet he had no problem telling the rank and file the end was close and don't plan for a future in this system, right? Just Pioneer, don't worry about it. These CO/DO are such hypocrites. Do as I say, not as I do.
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  Gayle

  how can one emphatically "preach" the end is 'so imminent, preach all to pioneer and 'eke' by, etc., not to worry about 'storing' up in this world or system, and then they personally (quietly/secretly) having a plan B all along, and end up being able to pay for a house in cash - "just in case." ??? good for him.

  Well, no leaders (COs, DOs etc) ever expressed "just in case" verbally along the way. And then they tell the kids don't get a college education!

  What do we call a person who preaches one way and does another!
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  designs

  The majority of COs and DOs I encountered had contempt and disdain for the friends, using them didn't bother their conscience.
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  snare&racket

  That $600 comes from people that can't afford it, its not coming from the society its coming from people that give just as much to the religion and cant afford to support themselves and their families in a lot of cases, never mind people like him.....

  Grrrrrrrr

  not to mention that his house was bought with money donated by people who imagined it building Kingdom Halls in Africa or bibles in china, not houses in America for people in the JW good books.... A volunteer is exactly that! Besides, I am sure that legally you have to remain poor and there is a limit to how much money you can possess as a CO. Bethelites too have to sign a form claiming a 'vow of poverty'... I remember doing it myself. I wonder if this CO was stashing the cash somewhere else... (Or do they have special rules?).