How many Bible Students were preaching in 1919?

Emery

Doing some additonal research on the 1919 appointment. They claim to be the only ones preaching at that time and I find it hard to believe that a few thousand Russelites out weighed the global preaching work of Christendom. Especially considering that what they were preaching from door to door at that time was false prophecy and now 95% abandoned.

Crazyguy

I think by 1919 people were already leaving the religion because of Rutherford and his book FinishMystery. He lost like 80% of the following. You can also bring out to anyone that will listen that in Galations, Paul said any who preach a different gospel then that of what they preached they will be cursed. The JW' s have never preached the gospel that the apostles preached.

slimboyfat

4,673

Is it like a game of sweets in a bottle, do I get a prize if I am closest to the correct answer?

krejames

I might be wrong but I didn't think there was a general requirement for bible students to preach back in 1919. Back then it was the colporteurs who did the work. Let the figures speak for themselves (sourced from A People For His Name, by Tony Wills)

Year/Peak Number of Colporteurs:

1914: "fewer"

1915: "fewer"

1916: 372

1917: 461

1918: 225

1919: 507

1920: 350

Contrary to Rutherford's later claims of there being a "practical silence" or that the work had "practically stopped" in 1918/19, the WT at the time acknowledged the war had "curtailed" the work but said "we are neither dismayed nor discouraged" (WT 12/15/18)

Emery

Thanks everyone, this has really helped!

caliber

marked

DATA-DOG

According Pastor Russell himself....

I.B.S.A.--Re Membership Roll. Q347:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2--What Profession does a person need to make before he is entitled to be called an International Bible Student? How many are on the entire roll? ANSWER--There is no qualification for membership, no grips, no passwords. Any person of good deportment is welcome to our meetings at any time. As to the full number attending these different meetings I do not know. I do not know how many attend the Springfield class or classes. I do not know how many classes are held here in Springfield, but suppose there are at least a half dozen, as there are forty or fifty in New York City. I will just give as an estimate, in a general way, that there may be 100,000. Perhaps more attend these classes; perhaps 200,000. Come to think of it I heard recently from Southern India that there are now about 3,000 attending classes there. At that rate the entire attendance may run up to 250,000. I.B.S.A.=-Length of Organization. Surely in 1919 there were even more " Bible Students." Also, what does " no grips, no passwords" mean? Free Mason much?!?!?

gingerbread

When J.F. Rutherford took the helm, he changed the preaching activity to being obligatory for all members.

He started the JW tradition of recording hours spent and literature placements made on weekly time reports.

ginger

mindnumbed

There is always a way around logic with the Organization and it's followers.

How many were preaching doesn't matter.

What was being preached doesn't matter (at least not the biggest factor).

What does matter is that Jesus selected the organization because of heart condition, willingness to be as moist clay to be molded, willingness to feed the sheep and teach, willingness to make adjustments.

How many Bible Students were preaching in 1919?

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