P. 53. The section about Rutherford identifying the 'great multitude' in 1935 and personal recollections of those who were there at the convention: Henry A. Cantwell must have mis-remembered what Rutherford said and the Writing Department let it slide:
"I recall very well the day Brother Rutherford spoke on the subject. ... After covering the matter quite thoroughly, Brother Rutherford asked all who believed they were part of the great multitude to stand. I immediately stood up and then looked around, and it seemed that most of those present were also standing. From that day forward, there has never been a question in my mind as to whether I was of the anointed."
However, the next page (p. 54) relates that Rutherford asked those hoping to live forever on earth to stand. This would be the 'Jonadab' class who had been specially invited to the conventions. These were not even considered 'Jehovah's witnesses' as they were not categorized as 'spiritual Israel' (Isa. 43:10), or as 'anointed.'
On the other hand, the 'great multitude' had long been thought of as a secondary heaven-bound class, spirit-begotten, but these had not properly fulfilled the responsibilities of their 'high calling' as the anointed Bride class. Nobody could know whether they were in this 'negligent' or 'less faithful' group (see Philbrick's comment on p. 53) until they got to heaven and Jesus decided.
Rutherford asked the earth-bound Jonadabs to stand up and, once they did so, drove home the point of what he'd been harping on about by declaring, "Behold! The great multitude!" No wonder one eye-witness remembers there was an initial silence (an account related repeatedly in WT publications). Suddenly, the anointed-but-secondary, heavenly class became a non-anointed, earthly class.
Therefore, Cantwell's recollection of himself standing up puzzles me. He was already an active publisher in the early '30s (1975 Yearbook, p. 157) which would make him one of the anointed classes who were not asked to stand by Rutherford (contrary to Cantwell's faulty recollection). In the early '30s, Jonadabs weren't 'consecrated to the Lord' and not 'Jehovah's witnesses' entitled to be publishers¹ so how could he have stood up identifying himself as a Jonadab in 1935?
Is this another example of an idealized view of WT history overwriting individuals' memories of the events?
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¹ 1935 appears to be the first time Jonadabs were invited to participate in field service. (If I'm mistaken, somebody tell me.)
*** w66 2/15 pp. 120-121 par. 22 Identifying the Present-Day Beneficiaries ***
A five-day general convention of Jehovah’s witnesses was announced. Beginning with the April 1, 1935, issue of The Watchtower the announcements thereof said: “Again The Watchtower reminds its readers that a convention of Jehovah’s witnesses and Jonadabs* will be held at Washington, D.C., beginning May 30 and ending June 3, 1935. It is hoped that many of the remnant and the Jonadabs may find it convenient to attend the convention. Heretofore not many Jonadabs have had the privilege of attending a convention, and the convention at Washington may be a real comfort and benefit to them.” (Page 98) “This is a service convention, and it is expected that all the remnant and the Jonadabs will participate in the service.”—Page 110.
* At that time the Jonadabs or “other sheep” were not considered to be “Jehovah’s witnesses.”—See The Watchtower, August 15, 1934, page 249, paragraph 31.
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Bulletin, July 1935, p. 1-2
"Considering this on an average of five persons to a home, the Kingdom message in printed form was made accessible to over a fourth of a million people as the result of this convention; and undoubtedly this participation in the field service by both the remnant and the Jonadabs prepared all who attended to appreciate the marvelous blessing the Lord had in store for them Friday afternoon, when the scriptures bearing upon the “great multitude” were unfolded one after another in a grand, indescribable panoramic view. From that time forth none had' any difficulty in recognizing their place in the Lord’s organization and seeing clearly what was required of them. When Brother Rutherford asked those who believed they were Jonadabs to hold up their hands and indicate it, in some sections of the hall it seemed as though fifty percent of those present did so. The great joy, unity and enthusiasm manifested by those throughout the remainder of the convention is indescribable ; nothing could hold them back from praising Jehovah."
