The Watchtower regularly states that Russell and his associates were truth seekers and that God considered them faithful watchmen, anxious to see the fulfillment of Bible prophecies in the time of the end......My question is----Did these folks (according to Watchtower requirements) remain "faithful" or did they deviate from the "truth"? If a number did not remain faithful, wouldn't this obviously show that the Watchtower was once again purposely misleading people into believing that Russell's group was used by Jehovah to enlighten his people????
Were Russell's Associates Who Went To Prison Considered Faithful To The End
by minimus 30 Replies latest jw friends
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blondie
According to Rutherford's books, quite a few of those did not adhere to the "God's organization's" rules of conduct. He rails at the "character developers," those who did not cooperate in the d2d "preaching" work (as if Rutherford did any d2d), and the ones that did not do what
GodRutherford said.RR would probably be best versed as to the individuals that did not support Rutherford.
Blondie
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Kenneson
The following link by the Bible Students should be very helpful. One right off the tip of my head, who did not support Rutherford, was P.S.L. Johnson, but there were others.
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RR
Most of the old-timers, who worked closely with Russell eventually left the Watch Tower, some right away, others a few years later not sure of themselves, but as the chnages developed, they all left.
Those who were sentenced to prison (noticed NONE of these were the original directors as appointed by Russell) were:
- W. E. Van Amburgh - Became a JW. But evidence by his Bible Student family shows he was remorseful for what he did, but never left and fell out of grace with the Judge. Like many, he went alongh with the program for food and shelter.
- J. F. Rutherford - Well, we know about him.
- A. H. Macmillan - the Brown nosers brown nosers, stayed and lived a good life, until Knorr too over, then he became just another bethelite.
- R. J. Martin - Left and stayed with the Bible Students
- F. H. Robison - Left the Society and joined the Concordant Publishing Concern, a Universalist group that still exist today.
- C. J. Woodworth - Became a JW, but lost his mind eventually. Towards the end of his life, he began to believe he had new light. The new light was actually old light, he was teachiong Br. Russell, this according to some old timers who went to visit him at Bethel in the 1950s.
- G. H. Fisher - He left and was about to sue Rutherford and the Society, claimed he had proof of the illegal takeover, unfortunately, he died in 1925 and nothing ever became of the lawsuit.
- G. DeCecca - Became a JW and stayed till his death.
- R.H. Hirsh - A warrant was issud for him, but he had already resigned under pressure, so the Government did not puruse it. He left and wandered around to different Bible Student groups. Finally serving as an elder in the class I serve in, in Jersey City. His wife Sr. Rose lived to be 106, and her expereinces were documented on audio files. (Don't ask, their not for sale)
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Athanasius
Hi Minimus,
In regard to your question, I believe it was Rutherford and his associates who went to prison, though they were originally followers of Pastor Russell.
Of the Watch Tower Eight who were sentenced to Federal prison in 1918, one resigned from the Watch Tower editorial board in 1922. This was Fredrik H. Robison. Robison attended Franklin College, Butler College, the Winona technical Institute, and the John Herrin Art Institute. His linguistic talents included Spanish, French, German, Japanese, as well as New Testament Greek. About a year after he came in contact with Russell's works he was invited to Watch Tower headquarters, then located in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. He then became Russell's private secretary. When Russell transferred his operations to New York State in 1909, Robison was made secretary in charge of foreign work. After Russell's death Robison stayed with the Watch Tower, serving on the magazine's editorial board. After his release from prison in 1919 Robison resumed his work on the Watch Tower editorial board.
However, after coming in contact with the Concordant Publishing Concern and their Bible translation the Concordant Version, Robison found that he had more in common with their belief system than with the Watch Tower under Rutherford. Therefore, his position in Rutherford's organization became precarious and he resigned in 1922. Had he chosen to do so Robison could have been a formidable opponent, possibly forcing Rutherford to make concessions. Instead of fighting inside the Watch Tower, Robison stood up for his beliefs by assisting the Concordant group.
So according to the Watch Tower's definition of "Faithful to the End," Fredrik H. Robison would have missed the boat that carried Rutherford and his cronies to their reward.
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minimus
Thank you for this info!! It shows the Watchtower "faithful" weren't so faithful, after all!!
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VM44
7. G. H. Fisher - He left and was about to sue Rutherford and the Society, claimed he had proof of the illegal takeover, unfortunately, he died in 1925
Didn't G.H. Fisher also have evidence, or knew of witnesses, to Rutherford's attending the burelesque show, "Artists and Models"? Again, just before charges could be presented against Rutherford, Fisher died. How convienent for Rutherford!
Because he turned against Rutherford, future printings of "The Finished Mystery" (like the 1926 "boxed" edition) had the parts Fisher wrote removed! Talk about becoming a non-person!
--VM44
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VM44
RR,
Do you know what happened to William Hudgings? He testified in the sedition trial agains Rutherford et al. Hudgings was held in contempt of court because they didn't like the way he testified, something about recognizing (or not) someone's signature.
William Hudgings is interesting because he was the only person to have his book, on Einstein's Theory of Relativity, advertised in a Watchtower Publication!
--VM44
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RR
Hudgings was one of the founders of THE GOLDEN AGE magazine. He appears as publisher along with Woodworth. I have a copy of his booklet. He eventually left the Society and joined the DAWN and wrote booklets in support of Israel and Zionism. So he never became a JW.
RR