Did Rutherford borrow the name "Jehovah's witnesses"?

cabasilas

I was doing some searches on Google Books tonight using "Jehovah's witnesses" and I was stunned with these references from 19th and early 20th century texts which use the term "Jehovah's witnesses." I don't have the time to develop this info into a full-fledged post, but I ask those who might be interested in the subject to check these references out. (I realize some of these may not work outside the US due to copyright issues and I've put the page number next to the URL to aid in finding the reference). All of these are from works way before Rutherford got the idea (supposedly by divine guidance) in 1931:

Many of these are from scholarly texts. They are not obscure writings. One of these is from Bible commentator Dummelow who was quite well known. Another is from a text published by Charles Scribner & Sons, which published scholarly religious works. Apparently, it was commonplace for Bible scholars of that era to refer to the people of Israel as "Jehovah's witnesses." (Many scholarly works then used "Jehovah" just as many now use "Yahweh".)

It may be premature to say Rutheford borrowed the idea. Maybe not. But, we can say for sure the name "Jehovah's witnesses" was far from unique.

cabasilas

Getting a direct link to a page on Google Books is always a bit tricky. I've tried another format for a few of the ones above. This may work better:

http://books.google.com/books?id=wJgAAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA6-PA442

http://books.google.com/books?id=-MxCAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA313 http://books.google.com/books?id=_18NAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA350 (footnote) http://books.google.com/books?id=cQk3AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA228 These links may take you to a intro page to the book. If so, you should see a box that says "Search in this book". If so, type Jehovah's witnesses in that box and it should provide a direct link to the page in the text.

Atlantis

Cabasilas:

I guess my first reply got erased. But, anyway, these are some great finds showing that the name "Jehovah's Witnesses," was certainly used long before Rutherford ever adopted the name. Great work! Just how special can the name be, if it is plastered all over several volumes long before the Watchtower ever came along? It would appear that "Christendom" used the name first!

Keep em coming!

Cheers! Atlantis-

slipnslidemaster

I find it interesting that the publishing company was "The Macmillian Company" for "A Commentary on the Holy Bible" (only one I looked at).

I wonder how that might be related to Alexander Macmillan, friend of Charles Russel?

garybuss

Interesting find. Thanks!

blondie

The name comes from the OT Isaiah 43:10-12. The name Jehovah was in use back then by other Christian religions though not promoted to make their religion unique. Even the WTS did not do that until 1931 and if you read the WT books before then, "Jehovah" is rarely used.

Rutherford had to distance his "organization" from the Bible Students who were not supporting him and were even working "against" his doctrines and moving out of CTR's work. He had to re-name the members and since he was still thinking that all of them were spiritual Israelites, why not a name applied originally to the earthly Israelites. For some time he taught that the Jonadabs (great crowd) were not Jehovah's witnesses because they were not spiritual Israelites.

cabasilas

The Macmillan company had no relationship with A.H. Macmillan.

Ultimately, Rutherford and all these writers borrowed the name from Isaiah. Having said that, Rutherford's usage was not unique, nor original. The term "Jehovah's witnesses" was used by these biblical scholars to refer to the nation of Israel.

RR

I have lots of old books that uise the name Jehovah, even have a Baptist Hymnbook called "Jehovah's Praise". Russell use the term "Jehovah's witness" to refer to the great pyramid.

Did Rutherford borrow the name "Jehovah's witnesses"?

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