Narkissos.....Although the Jonadabs were first mentioned in 1931, here is an early discussion of the differences between the anointed and the Jonadabs:
*** w33 3/1 p. 73 Tribulation ***
To his faithful anointed remnant the Most High has given a new name, to wit, "Jehovah’s witnesses." To the faithful remnant his name is a strong tower of protection and complete safety, which safety, however, depends upon the faithfulness of the remnant in the performance of their part of the covenant with Jehovah. They must be his faithful witnesses and declare his truths in this day of his judgment....There is a class of creatures on earth who today are hearing with gladness this gospel of the kingdom. That class was foreshadowed by Jonadab. Those who go to make up that class must be teachable, and they will strive to do that which is right. They take their stand on the side of Jehovah and his kingdom, and it is a part of the commission of the remnant to teach them and to help them to understand. These persons of good will are not desired by any part of Satan's organization because they are not at all in sympathy with the same. It is the privilege and duty of the remnant to call the attention of the Jonadab class to such words of Jehovah as appear by his prophet, to wit: "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired: before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you. Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger."—Zeph. 2:1-3.
While telling the Jonadab class the truth encourage them also to pass the message on to others. Even though they are not anointed of the Lord, yet it is certainly the will of God that everyone who hears the truth and loves it may have the privilege of telling it to others.
Notice that the Jonadabs are not Jehovah's witnesses and they are the ones whom the remnant is commissioned to teach and help. But they too are expected to take part in the service work and help the anointed achieve their goals. Apparently, there was some confusion in 1932 as to whether the Jonadabs were supposed to partake of the Memorial emblems, as the following issue has a very detailed discussion of "Who May Partake?":
*** w33 3/15 pp. 89-90 The Feast of Jehovah ***
Jesus' suffering and the manner of his death came because of his persistent activity as "the faithful and true witness" of his Father Jehovah. Therefore his faithful footstep followers cannot truly "drink his blood" unless they "know . . . the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death"; and that means activity as a faithful witness and servant of Jehovah down to the end.... Those therefore who fittingly celebrate are those who are called to the covenant for the kingdom and who have responded to that call and are in line for the kingdom....If one is not undividedly drinking the true cup and eating at the true table, he could not worthily drink and eat the emblems at memorial. The elect body of Christ cannot, with Jehovah’s approval, divide affection and service between God’s kingdom and Satan’s organization; it must be in unity with Christ, like a whole loaf of unleavened bread.
Doubtless there are those on earth who have taken their stand on the side of Jehovah, believing in the shed blood of Christ Jesus, and who have declared their purpose to do God’s will, but who have not responded to his call for the kingdom and who are not in line for the kingdom. It follows that such are not "drinking his blood" and do not "know ... the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death." Since such are not in unity with Christ, they could not properly celebrate the memorial by drinking of the wine symbolic of the shed blood of Christ Jesus. However, since all mankind must in due time feed upon the merit of Christ Jesus, represented by the bread, would it not be fitting and proper for those who believe in Christ, but who are not in line for the kingdom, to partake of the bread at the memorial but not to partake of the wine? The Scriptures are silent upon this question, and hence no man would have authority to say that such a course above mentioned would be proper. On the contrary, the Scriptural proof is that the symbolic bread and wine were used at one and the same time. There is no Scriptural authority for separating the one from the other, so far as the memorial is concerned. The bread was broken and eaten and the wine drunk only by the faithful eleven who had been invited into and who were in line for the kingdom. Thereafter those who have properly kept the memorial according to the apostle’s words are those who are in line for the kingdom. Such constitute the bride class....It is the time for the proclamation of Jehovah's name and his kingdom, and it is the privilege of all who hear the truth to take up this glad message and herald it on to others. These have been designated as the Jonadab class, and it is proper to encourage such to participate in proclaiming the message of the kingdom. That, however, is not the question involved concerning the celebration of the memorial.
This clarified that Jonadabs were ineligible for partaking of the memorial emblems. But interestingly it also put pressure on the anointed who did not support Rutherford's service agenda, implying that those who do not engage in the service work were unworthy to partake. This is very different from the situation in the early 1920s when the Watchtower insisted that all consecrated Christians should drink the wine and eat the bread. When Rutherford collapsed the Jonadabs into the "great multitude" class in 1935, this potentially put the "anointed" who were not zealous for service work in limbo — they had to prove themselves as worthy of receiving the kingdom or else they were unworthy to partake of the Memorial emblems. Also it gave further opportunity for Rutherford to question the anointed status of those who resisted the changes he wrought on the organization. Shortly after the Memorial of 1937, this following fascinating article appeared in the Watchtower:
*** w37 5/15 p. 152, 155-156 Understanding ***
It is the duty of those of the remnant to render aid and comfort, particularly to the "other sheep" or Jonndabs, by helping them to gain a knowledge and an appreciation of God's purpose as expressed in his Word. (Ezek. 9:4) These "other sheep" have come into the Lord's household or organization, and they are not to be pushed aside and kicked or spurned, but are to be treated with kindness, that they may be aided. From time to time it is reported that some who claim to be of the anointed remnant continue to manifest amongst the Lord’s organized people the "elective elder"spirit and really hinder the proclamation of the truth and oppress the Jonadabs. Such persons lack understanding, and it is exceedingly important for them to get understanding and get it quickly. One who claims to be of the remnant propounds this question: "Can Jonadabs prepare or carry matters in opposition to the brethren of the remnant who are not present at a service meeting through illness or some other reason?" While this question is lacking in details, yet it appears to express more than is really written therein. If the service committee find it impossible to be present at a duly appointed meeting and others of the company attend that meeting, then those of the committee who are unable to attend should notify those attending of the program that is to be carried out. If no such notice to them is sent, and only the Jonadabs are present, it is entirely proper and right that such Jonadabs should arrange a program of study or service in the field and carry it out....It appears that sometimes a man thinks he is of the remnant when in fact he is not. It also appears that some who are classed as Jonadabs show much more of the spirit and zeal of the Lord than those who claim to be of the remnant....
Suppose the Jonadabs be in the majority of those attending company meetings, what position should they occupy? Numbers do not necessarily count on what is the proper course. Those who are of the remnant will show the spirit of the Lord, and that is always unselfishness. They will entirely refrain from lording it over others, whether such others be of the remnant or of the Jonadabs. Those who have the spirit of the Lord will not claim to be so extraordinarily wise and important. They will manifest kindness to the Jonadabs and remember that the Lord is in control of his organization, and that all who claim to love the Lord should conform to the instructions that come through his organization. The Lord has laid upon the remnant the obligation of taking the lead, and when such are present all will recognize that it is the duty of the remnant to do so; but no one of the remnant should assume the position of a boss and shove the sheep around, and attempt to rule them in an arbitrary and harsh manner....
Those who profess to be of the remnant and who are lacking in understanding are likened unto children. When Memorial time comes round, such persons show up and partake of the emblems, but they do it without understanding. When there is a special convention of the Lord's people they attend and sit in the meetings, but they show a lack of understanding. When the time comes for service, by going from house to house to preach "this gospel of the kingdom", they shun or disregard that service and say that such may be all right for others but it does not apply to themselves, and they thank God that he has protected them from such service. In these things they show that they have not understanding. Having read the Studies in the Scriptures years ago, they conclude that all the truth that God has revealed is contained therein, and all of which they possess; and again in this they are without understanding.
Apparently, confusion over class membership continued to persist so prior to the Memorial celebration in 1938, Rutherford published a series of articles aimed at clarifying the issue. The article "Memorial" in the 1 March 1938 issue of the Watchtower (pp. 69-75) noted that "it appears that there are today many who love God and Christ Jesus and who have consecrated themselves to do God's will that are in doubt as to whether or not they should partake of the emblems of the bread and wine at the Memorial feast....How shall I know whether I must partake of the Memorial or not? Am I of the anointed who are privileged and duty-bound to partake of the Memorial, or am I a Jonadab, who cannot partake of it?" So much for the modern-day JW myth that the sorting of people in classes was magically instantaneous in 1935. The next two issues contained a pair of articles that basically made it only a rare exception for those converted after 1931 to profess to be of the anointed, and introduced the "date of conversion" and "introspection" methods of determining whether one is a post-1931 replacement or not:
*** w38 4/1 pp. 102-105 His Flock Part 2 ***
In 1918, when the Lord came to the temple, the announcement was made, "Millions now living will never die," and the spiritual sons did not then understand that such relates to the "great multitude" class. At that time their understanding was that the great multitude was a spirit class, and in that conclusion they were not correct. The opening to them of the understanding in regard to the Jonadabs, or great multitude, 'men of good will toward God,' must be proof marking the time that the gathering of the "other sheep" had begun or is beginning. The giving of the "new name", and the revelation thereof, constitutes the giving of the spiritual "penny", which is important to the Lord’s vineyard laborers, the spiritual class, and coming as foretold, at the closing days of the work. (See The Watchtower, November 15, December 1, 1933). It was in 1931 that the Lord revealed to his spiritual sons that they must go throughout the land and mark the people in their foreheads, that is, those of the earthly class who have the desire for righteousness and the kingdom. (The Watchtower, September 1, 1931) It was in 1935 that the Lord revealed to his people the identification of the class thus marked, and disclosing them, that such constituted the great multitude. (See The Watchtower, August 1, 15, 1935) This proves that the Lord was beginning to gather the class or company other than those who were spirit-begotten, which earthly class would not and could not have the witness of the spirit... But with the ending of the selection of the spiritual class and the beginning of the gathering of the great multitude, that announced rule is exactly reversed in its application. It reasonably follows, therefore, that the majority gathered by the Lord to himself since 1931, and particularly since 1935, would be and are of the earthly class or great multitude, which "other sheep" would not have the witness of the holy spirit, which is given to the spiritual sons, (Rom. 8:16, 17) That would not necessarily mean that after such dates there would be none spirit begotten. If one who was once in line for the kingdom becomes unfaithful and falls out or is cleared out (Matt. 13:41, 42), then surely the Lord would bring in another one to fill that vacated place in the body of Christ.
How would such, who is brought in to fill a vacated place, know and recognize 'the witness of the spirit'? He could not know by what some other person tells him, but he must know it for himself from the witness of the spirit. When did he hear the message and accept it would not be the deciding point. Whether this occurred before or after 1931 would not be the point of determination. But this is the important thing, to wit: When did he devote himself without condition unto the Lord, and what thereafter did God’s spirit guide him to see and to appreciate as open for him and his place?.... Such is the hope of the "little flock"; but the Jonadabs, or "other sheep", do not have that hope. The Jonadabs do not expect to die; their hope is to find protection during the expression of God’s wrath at Armageddon and that they may live for ever upon the earth, and that means that they would do violence to God's Word and put themselves in jeopardy by partaking of the Memorial emblems. Those of the little flock look upon all things of the earth as temporary and upon the things of heaven as everlasting, and there their heart and affection are set. They know they must be dead with Christ Jesus in order to live with him, and therefore they are duty-bound to observe the Memorial by partaking of the emblems; and thus the clear distinction is marked between two portions of the Lord's sheep.
Interestingly, there is no polemic at all in these articles questioning the anointed status of those who oppose Rutherford's reforms. Either these had left the organization, or stopped partaking of the Memorial emblems, or most likely were no longer a concern for Rutherford anymore. It was later that year (starting with the 1 June 1938 Watchtower) when Rutherford organized all companies under a single centralized "theocratic" authority administered by the Watchtower corporation. The "elders" were history.