Golden Age, 2nd December 1936 - Armageddon !
Judge J. F. Rutherford's speech to the public and broadcast over WBBR Sunday October 18, 1936
What is here said concerning the peril that is approaching is not the expression of man's imagination. It is based solely upon the Word of God.
This struck me as strangly prophetic and self referential
The Hierarchy is the ruling body, and it is made up of a few men, and those that control the organization reside in Rome, Italy, and attempt to dictate to the people of the whole world. Their doctrines are even more deceptive because some apparently find foundation in the Bible, but are based really upon the traditions of men and are against the commandments of Almighty God.
But for the Rome refernce, this could well apply to Brooklyn !
The people of Newark and its officers have been very kind, but just outside of this city and within sight of this place, in the last 48 hours 120 persons, who attended this convention, who are devoted to the Lord, have been arrested, and 66 of them are in prison right now. And the modem dictator says: 'You can't preach the gospel without a permit from me or some other representative of the Hierarchy.'
It's amazing - reading Rutherford's words, I kept saying to myself, "yeah... thanks for the history lesson", then suddenly it became clear that all the persecution he described, especially the Witnesses being in prison must have made the idea that they "were being persecuted because they had the truth" very attractive. There must have been both fear and excitement among the listeners... (just like today).
...in fact, he testifies to this later.
Why should Jehovah's witnesses, who go about the country testifying to God's kingdom and nothing else, why should they be persecuted? Why should they be thrown into jail? There is but one answer: Because the Devil and his agents hate the truth and the people who serve Jehovah God.
So great will be the slaughter by the invisible forces of Jehovah God that there will not be enough people left on earth to bury those who are dead.
Furthermore, the description discloses that the wild beasts of the I'orest and the zoos will be turned loose upon the people who have ill-treated the beasts for many centuries, and all these shall take part in the destruction of humankind. Floods and storms, hurricanes and fire, dashing to pieces and destroying cities, towns and nations, and the inhabitants thereof. These things I cite, not for the purpose of exciting anyone, nor to induce you to join something, but they are cited as a solemn warning of why God will bring this great calamity upon the world and what will be the result.
Is there any way to escape this terrible tribulation that is coming upon the earth? There is just one way. The purpose of calling your attention to this today is that you may see that one and only way...
10Mb Adobe Compressed version - http://www.sendspace.com/file/kbm6wy
30Mb Uncompressed version - http://www.sendspace.com/file/3ju4xm