Maybe the WTS got some ideas from the Methodists?

by onacruse 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  MacHislopp

  Hello Onacruse,

  First of all thanks for the very interesting research.

  Second, allow me please, the following:

  New title and modifications are in red

  (!) The Book of Discipline of the Jehovah's Witnesses Congregations

  While primary responsibility and initiative rests with each professing member faithfully to perform the vows of the baptismal covenant that have been solemnly assumed, if the professed member should be neglectful of that responsibility, these procedures shall be followed:

  (1) If a professed member residing in the community is negligent of the vows or is regularly absent from the worship of the congregation without valid reason, the presiding elder and the secretary shall report that professed member's name to the congregation' service committee, which shall do all in its power to reenlist the professed member in the active fellowship of the congregation. It shall visit the professed member and make clear that, while the professed member's name is on the roll of a particular local congregation one is a member the Jehovah's Witnesses Congregation as a whole, and...the professed member is requested to do one of four things: (a) renew the vows and return to living in the community...of the congregation where the professed member's name is recorded, (b) request transfer to another Jehovah's Witnesses Congregation where the professed member will return to living in the community...(c) arrange transfer to a particularly

  preferred congregation or (d) request withdrawal, i.e. disassociation.

  .....

  (5) ...it is recommended that a roll of persons removed shall be maintained. It shall then become the responsibility of the congregation's body of elders, to provide for the review of this roll at least once a year...After the review has been made, it is recommended that the presiding elder and/or the secretary of the congregation contact those whose names appear on this roll..."

  The names and addresses of those who have moved outside the local congregation's area should be sent to local congregations in their new communities... "

  °

  To Hillary_step : Many thanks for the excellent links !

  P.S. You have to admit that those changes do not really change much of the contents, relating to the procedure.

  Personally I'm sure that if this ‘document ‘ is given to many elders… they could well believe , that it is a part of an older publication.!!!

  Thanks again for your research.

  Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp

  « Abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit. » (Cicero, In Catilinam)
• 

  onacruse

  MacH:

  Personally I'm sure that if this ‘document ‘ is given to many elders… they could well believe , that it is a part of an older publication.!!!

  Exactly! You made my point much better than I did.

  HS, I know you've done a lot of research about Methodist-JW correlations. I suspect that the Methodist religions, following their conservative Wesleyan roots, were once (and perhaps, until recently) much more diligent in practicing excommunication? But, in the last few decades, like RF says, they "mellowed out."

  UB:

  Yes, the WBTS got some ideas from the Methodists. Watchtower publications admit as much.

  That's news to me. If the WTS has ever actually admitted that they "got" anything from the Methodists (or any other religion, for that matter) I'd be veru surprised. Do you happen to have a ref? In searching the WT CD for some such comment, I came across this one passage:

  *** w81 5/1 p. 15 Which Organization—Jehovah’s or Satan’s? ***

  11 With reference to those divided religious organizations that make up Christendom, the issue of the Watch Tower magazine for February of 1884 (almost a century ago) said the following under the heading "Our Name":

  "New readers in all parts of the country are constantly inquiring: By what name do you call yourselves? Are you ‘Primitive Baptists’? Are you ‘Missionary Baptists’? Are you ‘Universalists’? Are you ‘Adventists’? Are you ‘Primitive Methodists’? etc., etc. We have several times tried to make clear our position, and now endeavor in a few words again to do so.

  "We belong to NO earthly organization; hence, if you should name the entire list of sects, we should answer, No, to each and to all. We adhere only to the heavenly organization—‘whose names are written in heaven.’ (Heb. 12:23; Luke 10:20.) All the saints now living, or that have lived during this age, belonged to OUR CHURCH ORGANIZATION: such are all ONE Church, and there is NO OTHER recognized by the Lord. Hence any earthly organization which in the least interferes with this union of saints is contrary to the teachings of Scripture and opposed to the Lord’s will—‘that they may be ONE.’ (John 17:11.)"

  Also, much to-do has been made about Russell's debate with Eaton (1903), which supposedly resulted in the departure of many of Eaton's Methodist members over to the Bible Students. Doesn't seem like there was any love lost between them LOL.

  Craig