by VM44 24 Replies latest watchtower scandals
One thing that is quite interesting from these historical papers is how clearly the "cult of personality" around Russell was expressed in the early history of the Watchtower.
Every time these subjects come up, I am reminded that while Rutherford was certainly a malevolent leader - Russell himself was no saint. He specifically made every attempt to rule the early society like a King - and this was the early shape that evolved into the twisted thing we have today as the Watchtower Society.
VM44....Yeah I would like to see a source for the cablegram story too. The letter I posted above shows that the Bethel Family first heard the news from the press wires and waited the hear the news from Menta Sturgeon. Why would Menta cable his wife Florence privately instead of sending the news first to the Bethel Family at large? It would seem to be his responsibility to do so. The cablegram referred to in the 13 November 1916 letter (originally posted by startingover) sounds like it was a public one. And since the Family already knew that Russell had died from the news media, Macmillan need not have waited to cable Rutherford to give him a heads up. Anyway, it would be good to have the story provenanced.
Rutherford did get there in a hurry....he was present at Bethel on 7 November when the executive committee met.
Truly the Laodicean Messenger was the greatest expositor of Truth since the Apostle Paul.
According to Edmund Gruss, the COD was diverticulitis.
Here is an interesting letter from Macmillan (posted by Marvin Shilmer here) from 1915:
And in the United States vs. Rutherford et al. case, there is an exhibit of a letter written by Rutherford in 1917 that contains this interesting statement:
"At the time of Brother Russell's death there was a certain matter left unfinished which meant an immediate loss to the Society of some $11,000 unless certain action was taken forewith. I took the necessary action at once and was successful in saving the Society that amount in cash" (pp. 1274-1275).
I wonder what that matter was about.
'Mac' MacMillan would stay at my grandparents house in San Bernardino during these years on his trips for the Society, my grandfather had started the first 'ecclesias' in the area starting around 1912. My mother described Mac as having a good sense of humor.
