Statistics are Confusing--Memorial Attendance 1914-1935

blondie

While the WTS is very proud to trot out its stats now, it is like mining for diamonds to find the stats before 1935. Here is what I found.

1914 18,243 attendance

1917 21,274 attendance

1918 17,961 attendance

1924 65,105 attendance

1925 90,434 attendance

1927 88,544 attendance (18,602 active ministers)

1928 44,080 reporting, memorial attendance 17,380

1935 63,146 attendance (52,456 pubs; 56,153 partakers)

Notice the drop of 4,000 after 1917

Notice the drop from 90,434 in 1925 to 44,080 in 1928

Notice that in 1935, 56,153 partook but only 52,456 reported time. Does that mean some partakers were inactive?

I used the new WT-CD to find these (but it's on the old one too).

I'd hide these statistics too.

Blondie

You see, Blondie, these were unfaithful Bible Students. The Lord was weeding them out. Many of them only served God with a "date" in view. They obviously didn't have the right motivation. The majority that left either formed their own churches , got materialistic, or became part of that "evil slave". .........The truth is , the Society does not care about their losses. Historically, they'd rather have a devout few than a posionous multitude to infect the flock.

jgnat

Thanks, Blondie. Very interesting. When did they pass 144,000? I am wondering if "new light" appeared about the same time...

JeffT

Something said by Mark Twain that everybody who looks at Borg numbers needs to keep in mind: "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics." I make my living crunching numbers (Controller for a real estate syndicator). If the guys at Enron had taken a class in how to mush numbers to their advantage in Brooklyn, they'd still be in business.

In other words, I think all of these reports are (expletive deleted).

Joker10

Has the new Watchtower Library 2003 CD-ROM come out?

blondie

jgnat, attendance passed 144,000 in

1943 154,367 (23,577 partakers)

1935 was when the concept of the great crowd being an unnumbered "earthly" class rather than a secondary heavenly class was taught. JFR could see the way the numbers were going though.

Notice that from 1925 to 1928 the count dropped 56,000 fallout from the prediction that the end would come in 1925 and that Moses, Noah, and other ancient worthies would be resurrected as perfect men to rule over the earth and the anointed would go to their heavenly reward. I guess disappointment thinned the ranks.

joker10, the 2001 WT-CD just hit the congregations.

JeffT, I agree with you. Nice quote by Twain, I wished I had posted it.

Blondie(blinded by the light)

Nathan Natas

Hi Bondie,

Some time ago I experienced much the same dilemma you are looking at now.

The reason for the lack of information is given on page 312 of "Jehovah's Witnesses In The Divine Purpose," footnote "d": "First record of partakers at Memorial kept for celebration on Wednesday, April 17, 1935."

uriah

You see, Blondie, minimus has got it right.

These ner'do-well's, looking inwards as only Satans cohorts do, did not see the blinding flash of divine light that explained all these things. If they had not showed a stubborn shoulder to Jehovah instead of marching 'shoulder to shoulder' and had 'waited on jehovah', humbly accepting what the divinely appointed Faithful and discreet slave provided as 'meat in due season' as do loyal ones of whom it is said 'my loyals ones I shall not leave saith jehovah' they would have come to understand and been invigorated to carry on the divinely authorised work and 'moved forward with the organisation', never 'sniffing at the bounteous table of jehovah' nor saying 'it is a wearyness' nor allowing their 'hand to fall slack'. At that time, see, the brothers were in eager anticipation of what to do next! What would the work of the master be! The answer was not long in coming 'It will keep panting on to the end it will not be late!' Were these brothers, who eagerly awaited the instructions from the lord through the faithful and discrete salve dissappointed! A resounding 'NO!' is the answer. In a blinding flash of divine light the brotyhers clearly saw the way as the 'Watchtower' of May 15th 1935 clearly showed that the way forward was to do more of the same but with one important difference! What was that? The article goes on to show that it was with ever-increasing zeal and commitment that the work was to go on. So, the brothers fired up with holy spirit went into the field service with renewed vigor and sounded out the message to all who would hear to bring in the Great Harvest 'because the fields were white and ready for harvesting'. Were thse efforts by the brothers blessed by the Great Orchestrator useing his Chief Executive to have them carried out? The answer is a resounding 'YES!!' as is demonstrated by the resolution so resoundly accepted at the Cedar point Ohio assembly of 1936 when the assembled brothers raised a mighty 'YES!' to the resolution entitled 'Forward you witnesses - the battle is close will you Advertise it?'

Blimey, i'm wasted in this job I could be on the writing commitee. Zealous activity anyone?

Sherwood

Excellent read on the subject:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=msSJ8.823%24%25A.678%40newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net&rnum=9

Sherwood

johnny cip

Sherwood; Nice to see you doing, some research. Happy hunting. john

Statistics are Confusing--Memorial Attendance 1914-1935

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