Hi Kent:
I've heard these accusations also and am glad you have these WTS authenticated copies for us.
I especially was interested to read that the WTS claimed:
The presiding office of the Watch Tower Society at Brooklyn is and always was to a large degree friendly to Germany. It was for this reason that in 1918 the President of the Society and the seven members of the Board of Directors were condemned in America to 80 years imprisonment because the President refused to use two of his journals in America for war propaganda against Germany {bold added}
Interestingly the Proclaimers book gives a different reason for their imprisonment. It states they were charged with four counts:
Two charged them with conspiring to violate the Espionage Act of June 15, 1917; and two counts charged them with attempting to carry out their illegal plans or actually doing so. It was alleged that they were conspiring to cause insubordination and refusal of duty in the armed forces of the United States and that they were conspiring to obstruct the recruiting and enlisting of men for such service when the nation was at war.....The indictment made particular mention of publication and distribution of the book The Finished Mystery. (Proclaimers Book pg.650 par.3)
Further on, the WTS reports what the motivation behind the imposing of such a severe prison term was. It states:
Judge Harland B. Howe declared: "In the opinion of the Court, the religious propaganda which these defendants have vigorously advocated and spread throughout the nation as well as among our allies, is a greater danger than a division of the German Army." (pg.652,par.3){bold added}
That doesn't exactly sound to me like they were charged because of the WT President
refusing to use two of his journals in America for war propaganda against Germany as the WTS claimed to Hitler.
The WTS in its Proclaimers book on page 656,par.1, clearly later lays the blame for its imprisonment on the clergy as they quote from Dr. Ray Abrams' book Preachers Present Arms:
Dr. Ray Abrams..also stated: "An analysis of the whole case leads to the conclusion that the churches and the clergy were originally behind the movement to stamp out the Russellites." - Pp.183-5
Also note that this letter to Hitler states that these 5000 delegates representing "several millions of Germans, who for many years, have been friends and members of this movement" attended the convention in Berlin. This again show the WTS tactics of trying to influence or gain credibility through its infering it has such large numbers. -"several million" friends and members?
Thanks for the reminder Kent of how the WTS twists things to suit its own purpose. Representing God as they claim? Doesn't seem like it to me.
