by Marvin Shilmer 8 Replies latest jw friends
Witnesses – Firearms and Murder
A bit of overlooked history is how under Rutherford Witnesses felt free to arm themselves with lethal force. I have prepared a new short article detailing a bit of this history that, for many, is a bit surprising.
The article Jehovah’s Witnesses and Firearms – Overlooked History is available at: http://marvinshilmer.blogspot.com/2011/02/jehovahs-witnesses-and-firearms.html
Marvin Shilmer
How things have changed ...
No mention of this in the 1975 yearbook.
Syl
Snowbird,
Things have changed quite a bit. I recall an old chum at Kingdom Farm talking about those days. He said, “We wouldn’t take up arms, unless somebody trespassed onto our property. Then we’d put a hole in’em.” As he said those words he’d hold up his fingers like he was shooting a pistol, and utter “patchoo”.
That was pretty much Rutherford’s version of “self-defense”. Covington was pretty tough, too. He and Rutherford got along nicely on those grounds.
Marvin Shilmer
I don't know if it is partly legend or not, but there was a story around Oklahoma City of a Circuit Assembly in Duncan, Oklahoma back in the late 40s or early 50s - the American Legion supposedly made an attack on some witnesses outside the venue.
Witness legend has it that the JWs pretty much beat the snot out of the Legionaires - Marion Dunlap was there and told me stories about it.
James Woods writes:
“Witness legend has it that the JWs pretty much beat the snot out of the Legionnaires.”
Stirred by Witnesses refusing to pledge allegiance to the United States the American Legion stirred up a lot of anger against Jehovah’s Witnesses during the late 30s and into the 50s. It was common for Witnesses to face beatings if they were not careful. In response to attacks on their person it is understandable that Witnesses would respond with countering force, and if the other guy happened to leave with a bloody nose that was his problem. For the most part Witnesses today have a similar view about defending their person. But when it comes to defending property, Witnesses today are not encouraged to use whatever force they deem necessary. But, back in Rutherford’s day, …. That’s another story.
Marvin Shilmer
*** yb75 pp. 180-182 Part 2—United States of America ***
VIOLENT MOBS FAIL TO SILENCE PRAISERS OF JEHOVAH
While Jehovah’s witnesses were waging legal battles for freedom of worship and their right to preach the good news, in the field they sometimes came face to face with violent mobs. This was not without parallel, however, for Jesus Christ himself had experiences of that kind. (Luke 4:28-30; John 8:59; 10:31-39) Faithful Stephen suffered martyrdom at the hands of an angry crowd.—Acts 6:8-12; 7:54–8:1.
The worldwide Christian convention held on June 23-25, 1939, was viewed by hoodlums as an opportunity to harass God’s people. Direct wire connections linked New York city, the key city, with other assembly locations in the United States, Canada, the British Isles, Australia and Hawaii. While J. F. Rutherford’s discourse “Government and Peace” was being advertised, Jehovah’s servants learned that Catholic Action groups planned to prevent the public meeting on June 25. So, God’s people were ready for trouble. Blosco Muscariello tells us: “Like Nehemiah raising the wall of Jerusalem andsupplying his men with both instruments to build and instruments to fight(Neh. 4:15-22), we were so armed. . . . Some of us young men received special instructions as ushers. Each was supplied with a sturdy cane to be used in the event of any interference during the main talk.” But R. D. Cantwell adds: “We were instructed not to use it unless it was a matter of being cornered in final defense.”
Though it was not known generally, Brother Rutherford was in poor health when he ascended the platform at Madison Square Garden in New York city that Sunday afternoon, June 25, 1939. Soon the talk was under way. Among the latecomers were about 500 followers of Roman Catholic cleric Charles E. Coughlin, renowned “radio priest” of the 1930’s, to whose regular broadcasts millions listened. Since the lower level of the auditorium had been reserved and filled with the Witnesses, Coughlin’s followers, including priests, had to occupy a top section of the balcony behind the speaker.
“There was no smoking elsewhere in the auditorium,” wrote a Consolation correspondent, “but eighteen minutes after the discourse began one man to the left front in this crowd lit a cigarette, and then another to the right front lit one; then the electric lights in this section only were blinked, and then in this one section only there were booings, screams and catcalls.” “I sat tense,” says Sister Edward Broad, “waiting for the confusion to spread all over the Garden. But as a few moments passed I saw that the trouble was confined to a group directly behind the speaker. ‘What will he do?’ I wondered. It seemed impossible for anyone to keep on speaking with things being thrown down on the platform and not knowing at any moment when the microphone might be taken away.” Esther Allen recalls that “wild howling and expressions of ‘Heil Hitler!’ ‘Viva Franco!’ and ‘Kill that damn Rutherford!’ filled the air.”
Would ailing Brother Rutherford yield to those violent foes? “The louder they yelled to drown out the speaker’s voice, the stronger Judge Rutherford’s voice became,” says Sister A. F. Laupert. Aleck Bangle remarks: “The Society’s president did not become afraid but courageously said: ‘Note today the Nazis and Catholics would like to break up this meeting, but by God’s grace cannot do it.’” “That was the opportunity we needed to break into heartfelt applause, giving the speaker our enthusiastic support,” writes Roger Morgan, adding: “Brother Rutherford held his ground to the end of the hour. We later thrilled every time we played recordings of that lecture in the homes of the people.”
C. H. Lyon tells us: “The attendants did their work well. A couple of the more obstreperous Coughlinites were rapped on the head with a cane, and all of them were unceremoniously hurled down the ramps and out of the auditorium.One of the Coughlinites rated some publicity in a daily tabloid the next morning, as they printed a picture of him with his head wrapped, as with a turban.”
Three Witness ushers were arrested and charged with “assault.” They were tried before three judges (two Roman Catholics and a Jew) of the Special Sessions Court of the City of New York on October 23 and 24, 1939. In court it was shown that the attendants had gone into the section of Madison Square Garden where the disturbance broke out in order to remove the disturbers. When the rioters attacked the ushers, they resisted and dealt firmly with some of the radical group. Witnesses for the prosecution made many contradictory statements. Not only did the court acquit the three ushers. It also found that the Witness attendants had acted within their rights.
Interesting slice of history Marvin. Thanks!
Not for nothing, but wasn't Peter already armed with a personal weapon when defending Jesus? Jesus told him to put it away not throw it away. I'm already applying for my pistol permit. In NY, its shoot first & ask questions later.
I meant no mention of Edwin Bobb and Arthur Cox.
If my recall is blurred, please correct me.
Syl
