The lame HARP of GOD of Joe Rutherford as seen looking back to his silly lies

by TerryWalstrom 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  TerryWalstrom

  Project Gutenberg is an online library of books. It caters to e-book readers although any of its volumes is easily accessible as HTML and plain text.

  THE HARP of GOD by J.F. Rutherford was first published as an edition of 510,000. Now let’s just stop right there and think about that. A quick look at the following website demonstrates the literary competition for reader interest in that same year.  http://www.goodreads.com/book/popular_by_date/1921

  The Watchtower’s publishing business had the distinct advantage of free distribution by volunteers. No doubt, at least half a million people were soon reading the bold and utterly false words contained in THE HARP of GOD. Such as?

   Proof Conclusive that
  Millions now Living will never Die

  J.F. Rutherford, as the second President of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, writes confidently, persuasively, and with extraordinary authority. In all of this, we are now reminded, he could not have been more misled in this sense of divine guidance and election!

  [443]Suppose we admit, for the sake of the argument that no man knows the day nor hour of the Lord's appearing. What difference does that make? The hour and the day have already passed. He is here! And let all truly consecrated Christians rejoice. "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you," says St. Paul. (1 Thessalonians 5:1) The times and seasons are clearly established by the overwhelming proof that the Lord is now present."

  
  

  Now how silly is that line of reasoning?

   

   
• 

  Village Idiot

  I forget which of Rutherford's books it was but one of them had an advertisement, in the back, for his collection of the 'rainbow' series books that said that you can learn more from 15 minutes of reading his books than a lifetime of Bible reading.

  If someone with access to his books can hunt that down it would make for a devastating quote.

  By the way, I recall reading in one of the editions of The Harp of God that Russell was the 'Faithful and Discreet Slave' (Probably phrased slightly differently as they would not be quoting from the NWT). The book went through several changes in subsequent editions so I'm not sure if they all say the same thing.
• 

  Atlantis

  Some of the Society's claims back in the 1930s:

  "If you spend 15 minutes reading each of Rutherford's books you would get more pleasure than you would reading the Bible for a whole year" (Vindication, 1932, Vol. 3, p. 383).

  "Until you have read Judge Rutherford's explanation of these questions, and of hundreds of others which in the past have been just as puzzling, you simply cannot understand the Bible" (Liberty, 1932, p. 64).

  "Each treatise can be read in just fifteen minutes, and more genuine satisfaction and profitable pleasure derived therefrom in that length of time than can be gotten from studying the Bible by yourself in a year" (Where Are the Dead?, 1932, p. 61).

  "In these days of perplexity you want to get on the right side of every question. You learned when a child what Jesus said about dividing people as sheep and goats are separated. That apt prophetic parable is now being fulfilled over all the world, and everyone is taking the side of Jehovah or against Him. Which side are you on? You cannot decide that properly unless you have the facts before you. This booklet explains the whole matter so clearly that with it as a guide you can make no mistake" (Calling Card presented with Dividing the People, 1933).

  "Judge Rutherford couldn't write these things unless he were used of God". (Golden Age, 23 October 1935, p. 50).

  
  

  Credit goes to Leolaia
• 

  Atlantis

  
  
• 

  Atlantis

  
  
• 

  Atlantis

  
  
• 

  Atlantis

  "If you spend 15 minutes reading each of Rutherford's books you would get more pleasure than you would reading the Bible for a whole year" (Vindication, 1932, Vol. 3 p.383).

  "Judge Rutherford couldn't write these things unless he were used of God". (Golden Age, 23 October 1935, p. 50).

  
  

  Atlantis
• 

  Village Idiot

  Thank you for the research Atlantis. I didn't realize that it was an advertisement for his tracts, not his books.

  For those interested in a primary source here is the link to the photo image archive of the book. Search under "fifteen" and click on the last marker.  https://archive.org/stream/VindicationVolume3ByJudgeRutherford/1932-VINDICATION-3#page/n1/mode/2up

  
  

   
• 

  Atlantis

  I don't know why there were multiple replies but they can certainly be deleted. I tried to delete them but couldn't. Sorry!

  .

  Atlantis!