To: Barbara Anderson -- Re: First WatchTower President

by West70 87 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  onacruse

  stev & west70 are such wonderful friends.
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  Outaservice

  Russell was favorable to the Jews origionally, and taught the Jews Return to Palestine doctrine as coming from God. Several years ago a book on Pastor Russell by a David Horawitz (sp?) was published because of that fact. Also, there was much more information on him but unfortunately I have misplaced this book I once had. Maybe it would be available from someone dealing in used/older books.

  Outaservice
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  stevenyc

  This is a very good thread! As I've been reading through it, I've also been googling and came across this site / forum which contains a lot of info:

  http://globalguest.com/forum/HGREW/

  steve
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  Kenneson

  If find it very interesting that Russell makes no reference to Conley's death in the 1897 Zion's Watch Tower, but J.H. Paton does in his writing. Paton and Russell had split ways in 1881. Although in 1894, Russell had mentioned Conley as one of the members of the original Bible group in Allegheny, did Conley three years later die as an opposer of Russell? It is certainly strange that Russell ignores Conley's death, whereas he did not those of Storrs and Stetson. And even stranger that Paton acknowledges it.

  http://www.amazingforums.com/forum/HGREW/12.html
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  West70

  After William Conley left the Watch Tower Society, he continued to give sermons on the dispensations and the Second Advent using someones "Chart".
  
  I find it difficult to believe that Conley would have split from Russell and then used Russell's Chart from PLAN.
  
  Was there a "chart" in "Day Dawn"? What about Paton's later editions?
  
  Did Barbour later publish a Chart?
  
  Or, did Conley develop his own "chart"?
  
  Thanks.
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  Kenneson

  West70,

  I don't know the answers to your last post, but I have the answer to one of your previous posts.

  "The April 1881 ZWT states that the Sunday afternoon meetings were held at Curry Institute Hall, while the Wednesday night meetings were held at "No. 80 Cedar Avenue." "Anyone have a clue about the Cedar Ave. location?"

  I found the answer in the March 1882 ZWT, R 325:page 2 under "The Passover" "...Accordingly there will be a meeting at the residence of J.L. Russell, No. 80 Cedar Avenue, Allegheny City, at 7:45 p.m. of Sunday, April 2d, for commemorating the breaking of the body and the shedding of the blood of Christ..."

  I remember seeing that some of these "Memorials" were formerly held at the Conley's. So when do you think that the Conleys and the Russells begin to distance themselves? Around this time?

  http://www.ctrussell.us/ Click on Watch Tower and then look for 1882. Click on March.
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  cabasilas

  To answer the question about charts. Charts were a common feature in Adventist circles. Russell just adapted that idea for the Divine Plan book.
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  West70

  Kenneson:
  
  Thanks for interacting. Yes, the 1880 and 1881 Memorials were held at the Conley's home, but switched to Joseph Russell's home at least for the 1882 Memorial.
  
  It is possible that problems had started by then, but I doubt it. I haven't taken the time to look, but you might want to check to see when the 1882 Memorial location was first announced. Usually, this was as early as January.
  
  In he middle of December 1881, the Conley's young daughter died. Thus, I'm guessing that this so tore them up that they stopped holding any meetings at their home for a good while.
  
  I'm beginning to believe that the Conley's split from Russell in latter 1882, when everyone else was doing so for various reasons. I think that the Trinity was the final straw, but Russell's failed past predictions and future ridiculous predictions, as well as possible "plundering" of Conley's donations in 1881 may have all played some role in their split.
  
  With regard to the "charts" question, I am aware that many different folks --both Adventists and others-- used charts.
  
  However, my Q is that since Conley was later preaching using a "dispensational chart" -- then whose chart was it?
  
  Did Paton have a chart?
  
  Did Conley devise his own?
  
  Was Conley using one from Darby?
  
  Thanks.
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  West70

  Yes, folks, it is a fact. The FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE WATCH TOWER SOCIETY left the Society and Russell's teachings, and eventually joined with a movement closer to mainstream Christianity. Little has been reported of this because it was in all parties best interest to keep this quiet.
  
  Between the mid 1880s and his death in 1897, William Conley was more active than Russell in spreading the Gospel, both locally and internationally.
  
  It seems that part of the reason little is known of Conley's activities is because he simply "moved on". Conley did not waste time opposing Russell. The 1894 letter was written around the only time that a local controversy came close to pitting the two men directly against each other. Conley's letter was evidently and attempt to maintain peace between the two.
  
  However, Russell took various "pop shots" at Conley over the years, without mentioning Conley's name. Russell knew that those folks who knew Conley would know who he was slandering.
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  West70

  The "H" in William H. Conley stands for "Henry". Some people referred to him as "William", others called him "Henry".