Rutherford's smear campaign (a must read)

by Leolaia 198 Replies latest watchtower scandals

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    Jaime....Please keep this focused on Moyle and please do NOT post any further new information about Moyle in this thread.

    I'm about to resume the story....hold onto your hats folks....

  • King Solomon
  • Jaime l de Aragon
  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    Jaime, why are you still posting off-topic images (re the Sally Sparrow image below this one). Please stop.

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    Okay, so what happened next??? Rutherford then dispatched Matthew Howlett from Bethel to handle the emergency in Milwaukee. He took over duties from Zone servant Harvey Fink and addressed everyone from the companies of Zone 1, as well as companies elsewhere, to give the Society's side of the story. He visited the Milwaukee Company on September 24th. Here is some of the testimony from the Moyle case about Howlett's activities:

    #29
    HARVEY FINK

    Q. Do you recall Mr. Matthew Howlett coming out to Milwaukee in the month of September, 1939? A. I do....He said he had a letter on his person directing him to assume my duties as zone servant and notifying the assembled companies of my dismissal. Q. Did he give you that letter? A. No, he did not. Q. Were you dismissed? A. I was. Q. At that time? A. At that time. Q. Did you attend the meeting that was presided over at which Mr. Howlett addressed those in attendance? A. Yes, I did. Q. And was that about September 24, 1939, in Milwaukee? A. Yes. Q. Was that in the company room wher the class in Milwaukee attended? A. Yes, in the Old Fellows Temple. Q. About how many were present in the meeting? A. Considerably, I believe, over two hundred. Q. Do you know how they had been summoned to the meeting? A. I don't know except that outside classes, members of the entire zone, were requested to come into Milwaukee, which they did. Q. It was a special meeting, was it not? A. Yes, that accounted for the larger than usual attendance. Q. And did Mr. Howlett read any statement at that meeting? A. Yes he did.... Q. Do you recall the substance of what he read? A. Yes. First of all, he notified the assembled companies that I was to be dismissed as zone sesrvant pending some correspondence between myself and Mr. Rutherford, and then he went on to elaborate upon the reasons for Mr. Moyle's leaving Brooklyn and the various details referring thereto. Q. And was Mr. Moyle present there? A. Yes, he was. Q. And did he make a statement? A. He did not. Q. Was there any discussion by any of the members of Jehovah's Witnesses arising out of this article of September 1st dismissing Mr. Moyle for unfaithfulness or the meeting of September 24th? A. Yes, quite considerable.

    #30
    MATTHEW HOWLETT

    Q. Was there a special meeting? A. It was called for a purpose, yes. Q. What was that purpose? A. It was for the purpose of conveying some very definite information. Q. What information? A. The information relative to the activities of individuals in and around Milwaukee and to communicate information contained in [the October 15, Watchtower article] 'Information'....Q. Was it an evening meeting? A. No, it was an afternoon meeting. Q. How many were in attendance at that meeting? A. Probably around 300, to the best of my memory....Q. Would you say you called a meeting in Kenosha? Q. I won't swear to it now but the name is familiar. Q. Do you remember a meeting in Oshkosh? A. I do because that was the northern point of my trip. Q. How many people were at the Kenosha meeting? A. I couldn't tell you....Q. Did you at those two meetings in Kenosha and Oshkosh carry on in the same fashion as Milwaukee as far as the information you conveyed to those meetings was concerned? A. I did. Q. Did you have a meeting at Beloit? A. I believe I did. Q. At Chicago? A. Yes, I did. Q. Waukegan? A. That's right. Q. And the same procedure was followed as at the Milwaukee meeting? A. Yes, that is true....

    Q. Can you tell the jury substantially what it was that you advised the congregation on that occasion? A. I first read the article 'Information.' Having read that, I then spoke of the fact of Mr. Moyle having left the organization, a fact of which they were familiar. I called their attention to what was contained in the letter, one or two items of the letter....Especially calling attention to the injustices of the matter of the air-conditioning. I called their attention to the fact that Judge Rutherford did not have any air-conditioned rooms, but that the office of the treasurer, Mr. Van Amburgh, had an air-conditioning unit, and that Mr. Van Amburgh had asked them, asked Judge Rutherford repeatedly, if such a unit could not be placed in this office, and after persuasion, a unit was placed in the office of Judge Rutherford. That was one explanation I gave, in my own language, in that assembly in Milwaukee. I then proceeded to show that Mr. Moyle had adopted an absolutely unScriptural course. I quoted Scripture as contained in the First Chapter of Ezekiel to show a picture, a graphic picture of the Lord's Organization and that it was pictured as 'Wheels within Wheels" — that picture is contained on the outside cover of the Watch Tower magazine — and that the description in the first chapter of Ezekiel showed the wheels progressing up and then down here, and then there was perfect harmony and unity in the operation of the Organization of Jehovah, Invisible and Visible, as it was described in Heaven and upon the Earth in the first chapter of Ezekiel. I then told them that Mr. Moyle had occupied a very responsible position and that, on the basis of his own claim and the answering of the statements in the questionnaire — with which I was quite familiar — that he had stepped out, become a murmurer and had no more right to quit, scripturally, than Judge Rutherford had himself. I introduced Scriptures to show why he had become a murmurer, what it meant for him to become a murmurer, and what the New Testament and the Old Testament said about it. And, after presenting that scriptural testimony, that rounded out the statements I made to the assembly in Milwaukee....I stated that what I was stating was what I personally was stating, that Judge Rutherford needed no defense, that every word I stated in that assembly was of my own personal knowledge, that I took that letter as a personal insult, and that he had no scriptural right, to represent me and write such a letter.


    And here is the text of "Information" that Howlett had read out to the congregations:

    Being reminded that this is the time when God is removing from his organization everything that can be shaken, 'that those things which cannot be shaken may remain' (Hebrews 12:26, 27), the members of the board of directors of the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY, for the information and protection of those who are devoted to God's organization, request that the Watchtower publish what follows:

    On the 21st of July, 1939, a paper written in the form of a letter, signed by O. R. Moyle, was left in the desk of the lobby of the Bethel Home addressed to the president of the Society. Because that paper involved the entire family at Bethel, it was properly brought before the board and before the family. The letter, being filled with false, slanderous and libelous statements, was vigorously condemned by the board, and by all the members of the Bethel family. The board unanimously adopted the following Resolution, which was also approved by the family:

    'At a joint meeting of the boards of directors of the Pennsylvania corporation and the New York corporation of the Bible and Tract Society held at the office of the Society at Brooklyn, N.Y., this 8th day of August, 1939, at which other members of the family were present, there was read to said boards and in the presence of O. R. Moyle a letter dated July 21st, 1939, written by said Moyle and addressed to the president of the Society.

    'For four years past the writer of that letter has been entrusted with the confidential matters of the Society. It now appears that the writer of that letter, without excuse, libels the family of God at Bethel, and identifies himself as one who speaks evil against the Lord's organization, and who is a murmurer and complainer, even as the Scriptures have foretold (Jude 4-16; 1 Cor. 4:3; Rom. 14:4).

    'The members of the board of directors hereby resent the unjust criticism appearing in that letter, disapprove of the writer and his actions, and recommend that the president of the Society immediately terminate the relationship of O. R. Moyle to the Society as legal counsel and as member of the Bethel family.'

    Aside from the introductory paragraph announcing the writer's purpose to leave Bethel at the fixed time, every paragraph of that letter is false, filled with lies, and is a wicked slander and libel not only against the president but against the entire family, and for that reason the letter has not been published by the Society. He requested "Consolation" to publish his letter, and Moyle, being refused, now causes his libelous paper to be published and circulated among certain companies of the consecrated, causing the same to be publicly read, and then by his own words which may be called 'fair speech', he pretends to be harmony with the Society, and thus further deceives the unsuspecting ones. His own possible purpose in further publishing is to justify himself and to 'cause division among the brethren', both of which are condemned by the Word of God (Luke 16:15; Rom. 16:17, 18). For this reason the brethren should be warned. 'The afore-mentioned letter' being filled with lies leveled against the brethren, the same is hated by Jehovah; 'Six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him... a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among the brethren' — Prov. 6:16-19.

    By inducing other to join with him in the circulation and publication of his slanderous letter among the consecrated he makes others party to his wrong. The slanderous paper, being opposition and against the interest of the Theocratic government, is pleasing only to the Devil and his earthly agents.

    For four years Moyle was entrusted with the confidential matters of the Society, and then, without excuse, he assaults and maligns those who trusted him. Judas was entrusted by Christ Jesus with confidential matters, and Judas proved his unfaithfulness by furnishing to the enemy that which they could use and did use against the Lord. He who maligns the brethren of the Lord maligns the Lord himself, and the end of such the Scriptures plainly point out. Having been warned, each one must choose to join the 'evil servant' and take the consequences (Matthew 24:48-51) or remain faithful to Jesus and his government by Christ Jesus. Choose whom you'll serve.

    [Signed]: Fred W. Franz,
    N. H. Knorr
    Grant Suiter
    T. J. Sullivan
    W. P. Heath, Jr.
    W. H. Reimer
    W. E. Van Amburgh
    A. R. Goux
    C. A. Wise
    C. J. Woodworth

    Approved for publication, J. F. Rutherford, Pres.

  • Dagney
    Dagney

    Marked for reading later.

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    Judas, huh?

    No way Rutherford would allow the man a dignified exit.

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    Following Howlett's visit, the Milwaukee Company unanimously adopted the following resolution on October 1st:

    #31
    Milwaukee Company of JWs to J. F. Rutherford, 1 October 1939
    : "Dear Brother Rutherford: Realizing that this is a time great peril and of great shaking and that subtle dangers beset the people of Jehovah as the Devil attempts to destroy the morale of the Lord’s people, to safeguard the kingdom interests committed to its care the Milwaukee [Wis.] company of Jehovah’s witnesses desires to go on record as follows:

    We are first, last and all the time for Jehovah's Theocracy. We wish to once more reiterate our full faith and confidence in The Watchtower as the channel of Jehovah's truth and in you as the one to whom the Lord has intrusted the responsibility of the kingdom interests therewith.

    This resolution was passed by the Milwaukee company at its regular meeting in Kingdom Hall, Sunday, October 1, 1939. May Jehovah bless you as you seek by all means within your power to press the battle to the gate. We are with you and by the Lord’s grace will permit nothing to disrupt or retard the Lord's work in this area.

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    Michael Moriarty for Olin Moyle.

    Moriarty

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    Now let's keep things in perspective. Olin and Phoebe Moyle were so disturbed by the un-Christian conditions at Bethel that they wanted to leave. But Olin didn't just want to resign but make a protest to Rutherford in the hopes of effecting positive change. So his resignation letter, delivered privately to Rutherford, listed the various things that were happening that Moyle felt should have no place at the headquarters of God's organization, including Rutherford's abusive treatment of the brethren. This was treated by Rutherford as an attack on the organization itself and branded Moyle as unfaithful to Jehovah. Now after being evicted from Bethel, Moyle tried to re-establish himself in private life in Milwaukee. He was dependent on local Witnesses for having a place to live and work. He was an active member of the congregation, taking part in the Witness work and the meetings, and the congregation had warmly embraced him, though some thought it queer that he had left Bethel when there was so much work to do. Then came the September 1st Watchtower claiming that he was unfaithful to the organization. Tongues started to wag about what he could have possibly done that was unfaithful; meanwhile Moyle began showing his letter to interested parties in order to defend his good name from the accusation of unfaithfulness. He was in a double-bind: He could show the letter to others to explain his side of the story but that could be construed as sowing dissension. The zone servant called on Moyle to declare where he stood and Moyle affirmed his loyalty to the organization. But with Howlett's visit, the organization itself declared that Moyle was a liar and an opposer of the organization. Moyle's attempts to tell his side of the story became nothing more than an apostate spreading lies about the organization. His very attempts to clear his name became evidence that he was exactly what the organization said he was.

    And then the organization paid a personal visit to Milwaukee to warn the congregation of the devil in their midst. The congregation adopted a statement of loyalty to the organization. Anyone want to guess what happened next?

    jgnat....Your hotlinking of the image is being denied.

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