1894 A Conspiracy Exposed

Lady Lee

1894-A-Conspiracy-Exposed.pdf (32.74 MB)

Many of us wonder what kind of a man Russell was.

The April 25, 1894 Watch Tower there was a Special Edition exposing a conspiracy regarding a possible overthrow of Russell's power.

Page 11 states that a Bro Zech disagreed with Russell's opinion that the printed page was the best way to preach the Word. He also took exception with the requirement of selling a certain amount of books per day. He felt these two issues "kept him from trusting in the Lord" and "kept him in a great bondage".

Two further points that he took issue with was that Russell told him "he had 'NO talent' for public speaking" and he was instructed to change his meeting style to the "Bible-study style" that Russell had initiatied.

Bro Zech also stated that he believed Russell was too authorititarian and showed a lack of love for the brothers and that Bro Russell does "great sins". He claimed that those who refused to listen to his complaints were partakers of his "sin".

Sounds intriguing

A poster here sent me a photocopy of the article. I scanned it and created a PDF file of the document.

There are a couple of shorter articles that were in the special edition. I'll get to work on those. They seem to follow in the same theme as this.

I'm not quite sure if you click directly on the link of go to the page and find the link there. (first time I have tried this) I guess I will have to check it out.

It seems that Rutherford wasn't the only one who wanted to overthrow Russell.

Lady Lee

TO DOWNLOAD click on the link above

scroll down and wait for the large orange button that say DOWNLOAD

kwr

Did you authenticate the document? It is very easy to fake documents these days. I find it hard to believe that if this did occur it would not have already been discussed on the web or by historians. Remember the fake Mormon and Christian science documents?

VM44

Thanks Lady Lee for making that PDF. I am downloading it now and I expect it will be very interesting to read.

--VM44

Leolaia

The pamphlet is mentioned numerous times in the 11 June 1894 Watchtower (pp. 164-210), which has a lengthy discussion of both the pamphlet and the situation that occasioned it. It is interesting that so little attention has been cast on this obscure chapter in Watchtower history, although I was already familiar with outlines of Maria's tour in defense of her husband, as this was the event that was the ultimate genesis of the Watchtower Society's F&DS doctrine (see the 15 July 1906 Watchtower, pp. 214-215). I think that is probably the biggest impact of this event on the movement.

zagor

Bro Zech also staed that he believed Russell was too authorititarian and showed a lack of love for the brothers ahnd that Bro Russell does "great sins". He claimed that those who refused to listen to his complaints were partakers of his "sin".

Well, what do you know, current WTBS attitude just revealed in it's infancy. I always wondered where it came from. Thank you Lady Lee I'm downloading it now.

VM44

This "extra edition" was published by TOWER PUBLISHING CO. of Allegheny, PA.

The Watch Tower magazine was published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of PA, so why was this published by TOWER PUBLISHING? Anyone have info about this company?

--VM44

Leolaia

Notice the signature of Rose J. Ball on p. 34. (Significant in light of Rutherford's false claim that Ms. Ball was still a child of fifteen at the time) This statement is also strikingly similar in tone and message to the one signed by Bonnie Boyd et al. condemning Olin Moyle in similar terms.

Looking at the various other references to Ms. Ball, I have to wonder how Rutherford could have gotten away with misrepresenting her age when this document (and presumably others) floated around in the public domain.

VM44

If one is doing the Lord's work, namely preaching the Gospel, then why does one have to have imposed upon him a "daily book quota"?

Was Russell interested mainly in selling his books? If so, then he was a religious fraud!

--VM44

VM44

Concerning Rose Ball, Judge Rutherford wrote about her in his 1915 book, A GREAT BATTLE IN THE ECCLESIASTICAL HEAVENS.

"But the most conclusive facts disclosed by the record showing her statement to be untrue are these: Miss Ball came to them in 1889, a child of ten, and was taken into the home of Mr. and Mrs. Russell. She was treated as a member of the family. She was an orphan. She kissed both Mr. and Mrs. Russell good night each evening when she retired. They treated her as their own child."

So according to Rutherford, and as Leolaia has pointed out, Rose Ball would have been 15 when she signed the statements in the 1894 "extra edition" of Zion's Watchtower.

--VM44

1894 A Conspiracy Exposed

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