Interesting info on N.H. Barbour

cabasilas

I don't know if this has been mentioned here before or not. If so, please ignore. This looks like it contains an interesting amount of info on N.H. Barbour:

http://truthhistory.blogspot.com/

Sarah Smiles

It interesting to note that Barbour had enough common sense to not believe in Ellen White's invisible presense.

I do not understand why the JW want to make Barbour out as an evil class when he gave the thought to Russell.

Perhaps the JW should write that "The stones would cry out if it were not for Barbour."

The article was very interesting. The thing that impressed was the fact that all these men were so sure of their interpretation of prophecy that there was little room for doubt. Many made the same mistake as Russell. Instead of saying "I was wrong" they continued to justify their positions with further errors. The "invisible presence" teaching is the ultimate "cop-out" since nothing can be proved. The event was "heavenly" and "invisible." By citing world conditions as "evidence" is a very shaky foundation since all these men believed that enough proof was evident in their own day to convince them they were right. Now, people look back to those times as "the good old days."

moshe

Most JW's never get to do an in depth study of the WT history. None of their self-agrandizing writings make any sense when examined closely. New JW converts are kept too busy learning what is wrong with all the other religions to get a chance to look into the first 50 years of WT history.

stev

What is sad is the continual date-setting by Barbour and Thurman and the other Adventists, and the cycle of expectation and disappointment, the dogmaticism and stubborness of Barbour, his denouncing those who who rejected his time speculations, when Barbour himself was in the wrong.
Russell's greatest mistake was in following Barbour.
The account assumes that Russell did not recognize Barbour's name when he first received Barbour's Herald of the Morning, but Russell never wrote that.

This account is exceptionally well researched. There is little that is attractive about this portrait. Barbour, Wendell and others were wrong in following Miller, which led to their disappointment and confusion, but instead of abandoning the practice of date-setting, continued to set new dates, and then condemned those who did not follow them as being "evil servants", "foolish virgins."

cyberguy

Wow Cabasilas! This is a very interesting find! I wonder if the writer is a JW or exJW?

Thanks!

Old Goat

Dear Cyberguy,

His name is on website. It's located at the bottom of the post. As I understand the blog, you many post questions and replies.

It's very interesting.

Doug Mason

I do not have the page immediately at hand but I believe that Barbour did admit he had made several mistakes.

If anyone has the page handy it is, according to my notes, in "Herald of the Morning" vol 11 July 1880, page 2.

Handsome Dan

Sounds like all including Russell were a group of opportunists, with self induced ideologies pinning for power and control, Russell apparently won, probably due

to his profession as a salesman. Good info thanks