1984 - special meeting for old timers - do you remember?

by Bonnie_Clyde 10 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Bonnie_Clyde

  I felt privileged to be invited to a special meeting which was earmarked only for publishers in good standing who had been baptized at least 25 years. I was baptized 28 years (yes I was quite young) and Clyde was baptized 25, but he refused to go. It was all organization, organization, organization. I remember Lyman Swingle babbling on and on and on. He ran at least 45 minutes overtime. That did upset me. I commented about that while out in service a few days later, and one of the sisters chewed me out, saying, "Who are we to question a member of the Governing Body." I simply commented I remembered a circuit assembly program designed by the Governing Body that emphasized the need to end our meetings on time, as it could stumble unbelieving family members.

  I'm trying to remember the reason for the meeting and can only conclude it was because we reached 70 years from 1914. I could swear that meeting was held in the fall of the year. Maybe they thought Armageddon was going to hit.

  Anyway, I wish I had stayed home with Clyde. He was much smarter than I.

  Bonnie
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  in a new york bethel minute

  phew! i sure am glad i'm too young to remember that... i think my anger levels would be a lot higher if i was older and remembered stupid shit like that!.. and special assembly days always go overtime... it's practically a guarantee

  bethel
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  Gopher

  
  Was this the special 100-year anniversary of the WT Society of Pennsylvania? I remember some old-timers from around here going there.

  It was the meeting where Fred Franz said (think of a really high-pitched voice): "God's organization will last forever. However, will this corporation (the WT Society of Pennsylvania) last forever? No! Why? Because it is dependent on the laws of the state of Pennsylvania. And will Pennsylvania last forever? No! PENNSYLVANIA ... WILL BE .... DESTROYED!!" I had a friend at Bethel who could do Freddie's high-pitched voice quite well.
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  Bonnie_Clyde

  Gopher - I think you are right! It was a 100-year aniversasry.
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  Seeker4

  I remember, but wasn't quite at the 25 year mark yet. Turned out to be much ado about nothing - except getting to see all the GB bigwigs.

  And I think it was the 100th anniversary.

  S4
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  Mulan

  Yes, I was there. We had piped in talks from Pennsylvania, I think, from a big stadium. It was exciting, just because we thought it was an "EVENT", but Dave didn't get to go. He had only been baptized for 24 years. Then one of my friends was there, who was baptized at the same convention he was. That made me mad. Maybe there was a quota from each congregation. I rode with some other people wayyyyy out to Puyallup to our Assembly Hall.
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  Aude_Sapere

  I remember that.

  It's frightening that it was 21 years ago...!!

  Criminy. Where did those decades go????

  -Aude. (Dare to Know; Dare to Have Understanding... LOL)
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  blondie

  Not invited, not baptized 25 years yet, not close even. Looks like they started with 40 years and worked down. They did that with the Insight books, requiring 25 years and by Sunday it was 15 years baptized to get the volumes.

  ***

  w84 8/1 p. 31 Centennial Annual Meeting, October 6, 1984 ***

  It gives us great pleasure to announce that this year the annual meeting of members of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania will be held October 6, 1984, in the Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall of Pittsburgh, R. D. 2, Coraopolis, Pennsylvania 15108. This location is near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the Society was first organized. The time of the meeting will be at ten o’clock in the forenoon of Saturday, October 6, 1984.

  The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania was formed in 1881 and was first incorporated in 1884 under the name Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society. Thus, 1984 marks the one hundredth anniversary of this Bible Society. How mightily Jehovah God has used this Society over the past hundred years!

  A special program, including the business meeting, will be arranged from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. In order that as many as possible may have the opportunity to enjoy this rich spiritual feast, arrangements are being made to tie in the Pittsburgh Assembly Hall with other available assembly halls in the United States as well as those in Canada. However, even with these expanded seating facilities, it will not be possible to accommodate all of Jehovah’s Witnesses who would like to attend. Hence, only those who have been baptized Witnesses for more than 40 years will be invited, and admission will be by ticket only. In due time, congregations will receive more details concerning this matter.

  The regular letters of notice of the annual meeting, together with proxies, will be sent to the members of the corporation so that we can receive a reply not later than August 1, 1984. Each member should complete and return his proxy promptly whether he personally will be attending the business meeting at Pittsburgh or will be attending at another assembly hall. The information given on the proxy should be definite on this point, as it will be relied upon to determine in advance where members will actually be present. If a traveling companion will accompany the member, this should also be stated so that a seat may be reserved also for the companion.
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  NewYork44M

  I remember that my parents both went to the meeting. Both were extremely excited before it started. When they came back I wanted to find out what the talks were about. I only heard how the meeting was long, the assembly hall was crowded, and it was unconfortable sitting for five hours with a bunch of fat old people.
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  TheListener

  I have a lapel badge from that meeting. Has a name on it so I won't scan it. But, one day - who knows - maybe I can scan it even with the name.