Hello everyone,
I do believe that that following quotes
From the book
" RICHES " by J.F. Rutherford (publishers WTBS in 1936)
show ...where the WTBS ...got
the idea of the “governing body”.
Let’s start with page 80:
" The Roman Catholic Hierarchy , the governing body, together with the clergy of the other denominations, claims to be the representatives of God and the ones to whom the right is delegated to proclaim his Word."
"…The Roman Catholic Hierarchy , that governing religious-political body , has misled and greatly deceive millions of honest persons."
Then let’s see pages 228-229:
"The Roman Catholic Hierarchy is defined in its own pubblications as follows :" The Catholic Hierarchy, or the governing body of the Catholic Church, consists of His Holiness the Supreme Pontiff, assisted by the SacredCollege of Cardinals and by several Sacred Congregations, or permanent ecclesiastical committee,of which the Cardinals are the chief members; by the Patriarchs, Archibishops and Bishops; by the ApostolicNuncios and Delegates, Vicars and Prefects, and by certain Abbots and other Prelates."
YET, a few years later – as the following watchtower article states, what a change!!!
*** w71 12/15 755 A Governing Body as Different from a Legal Corporation ***
”The official magazine of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses is The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.
In the year 1944 the Watchtower magazine began to speak about the governing body of the Christian congregation.”
*** w71 12/15 757 A Governing Body as Different from a Legal Corporation ***
GOVERNING BODY
“According to the apostolic example of the first century C.E., these dedicated, baptized Christians known today as Jehovah’s witnesses have a governing body, as specifically noted from the year 1944 onward. “
*** w54 3/15 163-4 Aid to Understanding ***
Jehovah uses a visible organization, entrusts the Biblical truths to it, and expects it to abide by and clarify these truths to others. Many religious organizations today claim to be this visible organization of God, but by their fruits they show they are not. All along there have been such false pretenders, who have been exposed by faithful priests and prophets before the time of Christ, by Jesus when he came and by his apostles afterward, and by his footstep followers even to our day.
Today the facts of the past few decades show Jehovah has been and is using the Watch Tower Society and Jehovah’s witnesses as a teaching organization, anointed witnesses who make up the promised “faithful and discreet slave” appointed to give spiritual “food at the proper time.”
So can we ask what facts are they? As we stated earlier, anyone who makes the claim that they are Jehovah’s channel has to be able to prove it. So how has the society “proved” that Jehovah is using them? Not one of their predictions has proved true. Not one. In light of all the forgoing, how can this statement be made in good conscience by the Faithful and Discreet Slave?"
*** w59 5/1 269
Attain Completeness in the New World Society
7 To hold to the headship of Christ, it is therefore necessary to obey the organization that he is personally directing. Doing what the organization says is to do what he says. Resisting the organization is to resist him."
*** w72 4/1 197 'They Shall Know that a Prophet Was Among Them' ***
This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian witnesses... Of course, it is easy to say that this group acts as a "prophet" of God. It is another thing to prove it. The only way that this can be done is to review the record.
They had ...confused the dates.. about the « governing body «
*** w90 3/15 14 'The Faithful Slave' and Its Governing Body ***
21 In 1918, when Jesus Christ inspected those claiming to be his slaves, he found an international group of Christians publishing Bible truths for use both inside the congregation and outside in the preaching work. In 1919 it truly turned out to be as Christ had foretold: “Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings.” (Matthew 24:46, 47) These true Christians entered into the joy of their Master. Having shown themselves “faithful over a few things,” they were appointed by the Master to be “over many things.” (Matthew 25:21) The faithful slave and its Governing Body were in place, ready for a widened assignment.”
But, never mind they are modest....
w.1.06.1997 p.14--“Modesty on the part of the faithful and discreet slave class prevents it from presumptuously running ahead and wildly speculating about things that are unclear. The slave class strives to avoid being dogmatic. How reassuring it is to know that the channel Jehovah is using today does not do so! It is both faithful and discreet. "
I do hope that most of you will find this interesting, although
I do believe that 99% of the R&F, don’t know anything about this
matter...like many other things.
Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp