Question...RE: Aussie WW2 WT Scam #2...

TheApostleAK

This is not a question about "the Racket".....(the one that Knorr made the Aussie JWs apologise to Jehovah about)....but its about the sentence that is printed on the copyright page on all WW2 Aussie Watchtower books that were printed when they were banned.

The sentence goes (something like) "Printed by Barry Gibb, whose usual abode is (???)" (Can't remember the exact address but it was a few doors down from the old Aussie Bethel at Strathfield.)

This sentence was explained in the 1983 WT Yearbook...(its says that the police searched the address a number of times but couldn't find Barry Gibb even though he apparently was there all the time).....Can someone post that section from the 83 Yearbook...

Does anybody know if this is the real story or is there another side to this story that has been covered up by the WT???

From AK

Satanus

*** yb83 79-80 Australia ***
OTHER UNDERGROUND ACTIVITY

For two and a half years the brothers continued to operate underground. Not a single issue of The Watchtower was missed during the entire period of the ban. During that time tens of thousands of copies of bound books, magazines, tracts and other material were printed. The quality of printing was fairly comparable to the original product received from the United States. During the ban Jehovah's people missed none of the new publications, the complete Yearbook also being reproduced each year.

All literature published by the underground printing arrangement bore the imprint: "Printed by George Gibb, whose usual place of abode is . . . ." This met the legal requirement that all publications should bear the usual place of abode of the printer. The police searched everywhere for Brother Gibb but could never locate him-he lived right at the published address! Brother Gibb's name thus became well known throughout the entire country. He has served as a well-loved member of the Bethel family since 1928 and still works in the branch printery at 85 years of age.

Since the ban prohibited the literature of the Watch Tower Society, as well as the holding of meetings in halls or large groups, the brothers met regularly in private homes. Door-to-door work continued, using the Bible only. Where genuine interest was located, return visits were made and literature introduced.

A sister in Melbourne, who witnessed regularly from house to house using only the Bible, says that often householders phoned the police. They would keep her talking until they saw the policeman coming. Then they would excuse themselves, and, departing, she would walk straight into the policeman. Then it would be the same old routine: The police would look into her bag, inquire what she was doing and try to find even one piece of the banned literature. But, of course, all they could find was the Bible! Often they would take the names and addresses of publishers but could do no more. Our sister remembers at least two different policemen saying words to the effect: 'Don't worry, but it would be better now to move to another area, a few streets away. I would like you to know there are more policemen for you than against you!'

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SS

Prisca

This relates to something my grandmother used to speak about.

During the time the witnessing work was banned in Australia (during WW2), my grandmother's home was subject to searches by the police, due to the fact she was a prominent JW in her area at that time.

The literature she had was often buried in her garden in the backyard (which was the size of several house blocks), or if she didnt get the chance to do this, she dispersed her WT books and literature amongst her secular books on her book shelves.

The story goes that the police would come into her house, walk right through the house, even though the WT books were sitting in plain view on the shelves, and say "we can't find any literature here". Depending on the storyteller, either Jehovah had "closed their eyes" so they didn't see the books, or the policemen weren't too worried in arresting a woman with 5 kids, so they pretended not to see, or just couldn't be bothered looking too hard!