In looking at the image a bit more, I noticed that along with the armor, sword and battle axe, it also has the shepard's hook (Crosier)...it is amazing how many "pagan" symbols of Christendom the early WT incorporated. I wonder if all of these symbols were still used by the WTS in 1919 when Jesus inspected them and chose them as the only true religion??
Question for our WT history experts
by tenyearsafter 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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therevealer
Yes all these symbols were still in use when they were chosen. Shows how far they have strayed from the truth. LOL
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Mad Sweeney
I wonder whether Peter Jackson took his concept for the Eye of Sauron from an old Watchtower cover.
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troubledfiancee
The Book: "The Watchtower and the Masons" indicates it is a Knights of Malta insignia. The lefthand side is certainly from the Order of the Knights Templar, very well documented.
Here's a clip from the book:
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Witness My Fury
What year is the WT cover from? thx
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diamondiiz
watchtower and masons is an undocumented theory. Just because of odd believes that Russell held at the time and he used various images doesn't make him a mason or an illuminati. If I remember correctly there were a lot of masons in his area and masonry was quite popular at that time, so Russell could have been a member (except there is no membership evidence of this) and he would have had some knowledge of their belief system when he used their illustrations when showing the superiority of the bible to masonry belief system.
This cover was still in use in 1931.
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sabastious
The sword should be the Sword of Truth which in JW land is the NWT, but since that wasn't published yet they probably said it was the KJV. The Axe, I'm not sure, the Helm/Shoulders piece is a mystery to me as well.
-Sab
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TD
The cover art was changed to the style you have posted with the January, 1895 issue. This change was not accompanied by a detailed explanation though. At the time, Zion's Watch Tower was emphasizing the idea that Christians should be "Soldiers for God" That may or may not be the connection. I don't know.
As Christian iconography goes though, there is nothing particularly unusual here. The cross and crown has been and continues to be used by every major Christian denomination out there. Ditto for various coats of arms and insignia of medieval quasi-military orders.
Personally, I don't think the Bible Students put a whole lot of thought into it.
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troubledfiancee
Diamond - I agree with you in part. Is the WT-Russell-Mason connection a theory? Yes. Undocumented though? No, the connections and similarities in imagery, symbolism and even belief structures are undeniable.
Was he actually a Mason or did he just study and emulate them? I don’t think there has been any evidence to date to prove this one way or the other. It may very well be the case that he just studied them as he did the pyramids. And the similarities certainly don’t prove any of the conspiracy theories (Illuminati, NWO, etc…)
Either way, it provides insight into the early years of the WT and further signifies the break between Russell and Rutherford. I really would like to see an example of that exact image in connection with Masons (or wherever it leads).
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troubledfiancee
I wonder if all of these symbols were still used by the WTS in 1919 when Jesus inspected them and chose them as the only true religion??
This is perhaps the most important point - Along with everything else taught at the time, did Jesus return invisibly and select the Bible Students in 1919? I think that's the crux of the whole thing... Captives of a Concept by Don Cameron expores this in detail...
