Can anyone tell the story of John O Groh? Ray and the WTS mention him as a Society Director and member of the early 1970s Governing Body.
Governing Body member John O Groh
by TheListener 12 Replies latest jw friends
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Las Malvinas son Argentinas
I googled him. He has a page on the Polish language wikipedia. It doesn't say much.
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_O._Groh
Born 3 July 1906 in Kulm, North Dakota. Died 23 January 1975 in New York City. Baptised in 1934. Pioneered with his wife, Helen, in Pennsylvania. In 1953 he started serving at Bethel, and in 1965 he became a board member for the WT Society. In 1971 he ascended to the GB along with the rest of the existing board members. Died before he could see Armageddon come in the autumn of 1975.
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Gopher
"Died before he could see Armageddon come in the autumn of 1975."
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TheListener
He is one of a couple early GB members that no one really talked about much or mentions today. He was sort of a filler GB member. Perhaps if he had lived into the 1980s he would have been more of a topic of discussion.
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blondie
There is bio in the WTS publications (can't access now). I think he was the one that organized conventions in the midwest US. Some around here called that group the WT Mafia....
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TheListener
Oh ok. I will look it up.
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metatron
Did he have a degree? in mining or engineering or something?
metatron
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Splash
*** yb78 p. 259 The Governing Body ***
During the service year Charles J. Fekel finished his earthly course, as did also Nathan H. Knorr. This resulted in there being three vacancies on the Governing Body, inasmuch as the place of John O. Groh, who finished his course on January 23, 1975, had not been filled.
Accordingly, action was taken to fill these vacancies, and the following brothers were named to serve on the Governing Body, to wit, Carey W. Barber, John E. Barr and Martin Poetzinger. There are now eighteen members of the Governing Body.
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TheOldHippie
A Man of Single Purpose
IN THE early morning hours of Thursday, January 23, 1975, John Otto Groh ended forty-one years of devoted service to Jehovah his God. To those of Jehovah’s witnesses who knew him, he will be remembered as a man of single purpose. He was born at Kulm, North Dakota, on July 3, 1906, and as a young man became a university-trained research metallurgist. Then, in April 1934, he was baptized and eight years later he and his wife Helen began devoting their full time to the publishing of the good news of God’s kingdom in the area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They became members of the Brooklyn Bethel family in 1953, and Brother Groh in time became the chief purchaser for the Watchtower Society. He was a member of the world governing body of Jehovah’s witnesses. Many will also remember Brother Groh for the key part he played in supervising many large assemblies of Jehovah’s witnesses in New York and elsewhere. At the Memorial service held in the Brooklyn Bethel Kingdom Hall numerous business acquaintances were among those present to hear about the happy hope that this friendly man of single purpose pursued. As the speaker on that occasion said, Brother Groh had come off victorious by his faithful course. (1 Cor. 15:57) Of him, along with other anointed ones who complete their earthly assignment, it can be said: “For the things they did go right with them.”—Rev. 14:13.
wt58
GOD’S KINGDOM DAY
This was the climactic day, the day the delegates had so often talked about. And now it was here. The delegates arrived at the stadiums early, prepared for a blessed day. The morning program, which included talks by L. A. Swingle, G. Suiter and J. O. Groh of Brooklyn Bethel, was climaxed by Bible questions and answers by F. W. Franz. Now the afternoon came and the time was at hand for the public lecture that had been advertised by 5,000,000 handbills, 22,000 subway and bus signs, 26,000 placards and window signs and 53,000 bumper signs—“God’s Kingdom Rules—Is the World’s End Near?”
wt55
The way the assembly dominated the news affected the sale of the newly released Vantage Press’ book entitled “Jehovah’s Witnesses—the New World Society,” by Marley Cole. Chicago bookstores handling it were selling out their stock of it, to put the book in line for a place on the best-seller list.
But the publication that dominated the day at the assembly was the book of ninety chapters entitled “Qualified to Be Ministers.” Little did the afternoon audience of 19,987 anticipate that the president would release this new publication at the close of his speech on that same subject. So they hailed it with delight, and rejoiced that this new textbook had been provided for use in the weekly theocratic ministry school of the congregations of God’s witnesses. It is the “best yet” book for this purpose. By the assembly’s close almost the entire stock of 38,000 copies of Qualified to Be Ministers was gone.
Thursday’s sessions closed with a half-hour talk by the convention servant, J. O. Groh, on the subject “What Dedication Means to Me.” This talk was specially to prepare many who had just dedicated themselves to God or who were contemplating this advisable, urgent step for the baptism in water that the program announced for the following morning.
wt53
The climax for Europe Day came at 3:30 with the lecture, “Flight to Safety with the New World Society,” delivered by N. H. Knorr, the Society’s president. In this powerful talk Brother Knorr drew a parallel between Jerusalem A.D. 66, when Rome’s armies surrounding Jerusalem suddenly withdrew, permitting Christians in Jerusalem and in Judea to heed Jesus’ words and flee to safety, and Christendom, which is now surrounded by the armies of the anti-God forces within the “disgusting thing that causes desolation,” making it imperative that all flee before Armageddon makes it too late. The eager and intent audience of 134,333 hung on every word and was thrilled when at the conclusion Brother Knorr released the 384-page beautifully-blue-bound study aid, “New Heavens and a New Earth”.
More than half of the evening’s program was taken up by more European reports, after which the third symposium of the day, “Your Ministerial Manners,” brought excellent counsel to all the conventioners. District servant J. W. Stuefloten admonished: Proper manners are not inherited but must be cultivated by application of God’s Word and by much training and discipline. O. L. Pillars, a circuit servant, gave some plain talk on proper conduct between the sexes. It is proper for them to associate with each other but evil appearances must be avoided.
Colorful counsel that hit home time and again, judging by the response, was given by U. V. Glass on woman’s place in the organization. In the New World society woman must recognize her limitations. She has no authority to criticize congregational servants nor should she resent counsel given her by them. By serving faithfully within her sphere she will win the respect of all. District servant C. W. Barber discussed the validity of the ordination of Jehovah’s witnesses and pointed out that proper ministerial manners include being loving, humble and teachable. N. Kovalak, also a district servant, took for his theme ‘putting up a hard fight for the faith.’ It is necessary to put up such a hard fight because of imperfection within us, because of evil humans about us and because of the demons. Putting up a hard fight means regular study, faithful attendance at meetings and going in the service.
ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC DAY
On Sunday morning, July 26, the final day, interesting reports were heard from the Islands of the Pacific, in 13 of which 31,304 of Jehovah’s ministers are making disciples of all nations.
Brother Franz followed, thrilling his audience as he revealed, in the course of his remarks on “Filling the House with Glory,” that the “desire of all nations” of Haggai 2:7 that was to come in was not, as we once thought, God’s kingdom or even Christ Jesus, but the men of good will now associating themselves with the remnant of Christ’s body and that right now these are fulfilling the prophecy relative to ‘beating swords into plowshares.’—Isa. 2:2-4.
John O. Groh, convention servant, then gave “Some High Lights on the Assembly.” He reviewed the vast preconvention activity, gave interesting statistics regarding Trailer City and the various convention departments, and noted the fine publicity the press had given. In conclusion he thanked the 15,000 to 20,000 volunteer workers for their excellent co-operation and expressed appreciation to the New York city police, health and sanitation departments, the unions and the management of Yankee Stadium for their cooperation.
Between the morning and afternoon’s English sessions a Spanish public lecture was given by R. M. Gonzalez, vice-president of the Watch Tower Society of Cuba, in one part of the stadium. An audience of 4,075 heard the discourse “It Is Time to Consider God’s Way,” and afterward received the Spanish edition of God’s Way Is Love.
At 3:15 a musical program was presented featuring excellent arrangements of Kingdom songs beautifully performed by the 77-piece convention orchestra under the able direction of the assembly’s musical director, V. R. Duncombe of Canada, and vocal selections. At 4:00 o’clock the chairman of the assembly, Percy Chapman, introduced the speaker of the afternoon, N. H. Knorr, to speak on the subject, “After Armageddon—God’s New World.”
With due deliberation and sustained power the speaker logically and Scripturally developed his theme, being applauded from the first two sentences. Armageddon was not to be a mere political or international conflict but Jehovah’s war of universal proportions. (Rev. 16:14, 16) The march to Armageddon is on. The question today is not, Which bloc will yield? but, Will the nations yield to the King of kings? After Armageddon God’s new world will take over, bringing with it health, everlasting life and even the resurrection of the dead. In conclusion he urged, “Prepare now for that eternity of all new things, to live in it and be forever happy. Get ready now to live AFTER ARMAGEDDON in GOD’S NEW WORLD!”
Two free copies of the booklet containing the lecture were offered to all in attendance. The official count showed that 91,562 had jammed into Yankee Stadium, 25,240 heard the lecture in the overflow tents around the stadium and 49,027 listened at Trailer City, making a total of 165,829. WBBR broadcast it to many more thousands.
wt50
NOWLEDGE OF GOD DAY
The institutions of the Watchtower Society, together with their equipment and facilities, are maintained and used as servants of the Lord’s people to spread knowledge of Jehovah’s Word and purpose. Saturday afternoon and evening conventioners had the opportunity of hearing how radio station WBBR, the printing plant and office, the Brooklyn Bethel, and the Bible School of Gilead are being used for the preaching work that is spreading knowledge of The Theocracy to the ends of the earth.
“Taking In Life-giving Knowledge” was also listed on the Saturday program. Delivered by N. H. Knorr, it proved to be another occasion when a bountiful meal of rich spiritual food was served the Lord’s people. And for dessert a double surprise was prepared—the new bound book “This Means Everlasting Life”—in both English and Spanish!
After receiving such generous gifts as these from the hand of the Lord in the afternoon no one expected what was in store for those attending the evening session when F. W. Franz spoke about “New Systems of Things”. What Franz said in his introduction certainly proved true before the session was over, that Jehovah has arranged matters so that one set of good things leads to better and grander things, which in the end reaches a height of goodness that leaves nothing more to be desired.
Before the hour was finished Yankee Stadium was quaking with the loudest and most prolonged applause of the whole eight days. The due time had arrived for the Lord to reveal that some of the “children” whom he will “make princes in all the earth” after Armageddon are of the “other sheep”. ‘Here, tonight, in our midst, there are a number of prospective princes of the new earth!’ Franz announced, and with that a sustained ovation went up, followed by profound silence as Franz brought forth the proof from the Bible.
NEW WORLD LIVING DAY
Like the first Christian pioneer Jesus, and like his disciples who followed the same pioneer trail, there are today thousands of faithful pioneers the world over engaged in the same full-time work. Ten brethren from as many parts of the earth, during the last day’s morning session, told how these pioneers are living and working for the new world and are sharing in its increase. But this great increase, R. L. Anderson pointed out, calls for more pioneers. The harvest is great. The full-time reapers are comparatively few. It was therefore very gratifying to see 1,730 answer the call by requesting pioneer application forms, and 281 of these were filled out and enrolled as pioneers during the assembly.
The climax of the whole assembly was approaching. Soon now the highly advertised question “Can You Live Forever in Happiness on Earth?” would be answered. Would the people of New York come to hear this vital lecture? Threatening rain clouds darkened the sky. Three o’clock came, not a seat was empty. Outside this largest stadium in New York, in the cafeteria tents, on the surrounding sidewalks and streets, more than 25,000 additional persons were waiting to hear the answer over the loudspeakers. An additional 11,000 were at the trailer camp. All together, by actual count, 123,707 were present, in addition to WBBR’s vast radio audience! All were thrilled to hear N. H. Knorr prove his answer, “You can live forever in happiness on earth!” It is up to you. Abandon your course that leads to death. Choose life, that you may live! To add to their joy at the conclusion, all present were given a free booklet containing this all-important talk, a quarter of a million copies!
A short intermission, then J. O. Groh, the convention servant, and his assistant, Clarence Newcomb, gave behind-the-scene reports on the working organization of this, the greatest convention of Christians ever held on earth. Then the finale, a heart-to-heart talk by Knorr in which he urged his brethren, “Droop Not Your Hands.” Now is no time to slow down, grow lazy or quit. Return to your home territories, oh faithful servants of the Lord, for there are yet many thousands more you must help to become members of Jehovah’s growing new world society.
For many, the leaving of Yankee Stadium Sunday evening, August 6, was not the end of their happy visit in New York. For several days thereafter conventioners by the thousands streamed through the Brooklyn Bethel and printing plant. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 29,460 visited Bethel and 35,081 went through the factory, and what they saw on every hand was evidence of Theocracy’s increase.
