Question: When did the Book Study arrangement begin ?

by RubaDub 16 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Awakened at Gilead

  If I remember right from Gilead, when Russel started them they were called "Dawn Circles".

  A@G
• 

  M.J.

  It apparently came up to a vote as to whether the congregations wanted to institute the "Berean" study method of studying Russell's publications or to study the Bible itself, chapter by chapter. Guess who won. Russell later asserted the advantage of the "Berean" method in that famous article:
  
  
  "not only do we find that people cannot see
  the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see,
  also, that if anybody lays the Scripture Studies aside, even
  after he has used them, after he has become familiar with
  them., after he has read them for ten years-if he then lays
  them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone,
  though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience
  shows that within two years he goes into darkness,
  On the other hand, if he had merely read the Scripture
  Studies with their references, and had not read a page of
  the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of
  the two years, because he would have the light of the
  Scriptures. [W 9/15/10, pp. 298, 209.]
• 

  oompa

  I think it began in Job when God called all the angels to his house for a meeting.............oompa
• 

  TopHat

  Thr average JW doesn't delve to deep or to far into the beginnings of their religion.....Some of you are really knowledgable.

  For me it's good reading. Thanks
• 

  changeling

  Post 1973 of 1973 since 24-Nov-04 26 y 5 d Afghanistan

  It was originally called 'Berean Circles for Bible Study' and begain in 1895. This was the oldest and longest running regular meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses. The first books studied were Russell's Millennial Dawn volumes starting with Divine Plan of the Ages. See pages 237-8 of the Proclaimers books.

  This is one reason why I think this change is so radical.

  changeling
• 

  Tired of the Hypocrisy

  It dates back to the time of Christ. He used to go out to the Mount of Olives on Sundays and read the washtowel scroll after a sermon and chastise with a whip made from ropes all who had not undelined their own copy of the washtowel scroll. Then on Tuesday He would hold a ministry school and have the 12 rotate through a series of small talks. He would allow them a few minutes of time to do this and again whip the ones who either went over their alloted time or had deviated in any way from His script. After the school, He hosted a service meeting where He drilled them over and over again in techniques for selling washtowel and asleep scrolls, and hounded them to do more more more.

  Finally on Thursday came the book study This was a MAJOR meeting that was meant to uplift the spirituality of the flock, however He was just not motivated enough to attend so many meetings all the time so he relegated this loving provision to Judas Iscariot, a most qualified brother with a mind of his own who would foster an atmosphere that would allow free minds to do some free thinking.
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  jaguarbass

  I think it began back with Adam and Eve. Because they were the first Jehobers Withnesses.

  Adam wanted to study with Lilith but she didnt want anything to do with it and started having musical festivles.

  Of course they didnt have books back in the garden. So Adam had to write on fig leaves.