July 2014--135 Years of the Watchtower

by Londo111 7 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Londo111

  http://www.mostholyfaith.com/bible/Reprints/Z1879JUL.asp

  The first issue of the Watchtower was July 1879, about 135 years ago. It is interesting to skim the first issue, as well as the letter that Russell sent out to the readers of the previous magazine he was involved with, The Herald of the Morning.

  As to the split between Russell and Barbour, while the issue over the ransom seems a contributing factor, the first concern in Russell’s letter is a monetary dispute.

  The early issues of the Watchtower were open to many viewpoints. In fact, there is an article in the first issue that could be classified as pro-Trinitarian!
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  sporece

  It seems it's always about money.

  135 years ..........let's not forget though " The end is just around the corner".

  SSPO
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  Doug Mason

  The title of the magazine was in 2 parts:

  Zion's Watch Tower [not Watchtower], because Russell was convinced that the coming of unprecedented peace in 1914 would be under the Zionists;

  and

  Herald of Christ's Presence, because he was heralding that the Parousia had taken place in 1874.

  Doug
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  stuckinarut2

  the organisation is contradictory in so many ways?

  they boast of their origins, yet the fact is that if anyone started to teach word for word from that old wt, he would be disfellowshipped quicker than a flash!

  they can't have it both ways! Either hold up the past and be proud of it, or never speak of it and hope everyone just forgets about it!
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  yadda yadda 2

  Woop de doo. The Seventh Day Adventists beat Russell to it, publishing "Signs of the Times" magazine since 1874 lol.

  In the mid to late 19th century it was high fever for millennarian excitement and fanaticism. This was a rather natural evolution of increasing religious sectarianiasm that developed after the weakening of centuries long grip of established religious authority, particularly by the Roman Catholic Church (which in many ways derived from the scepticism and disbelief generated by Darwin's origin of the species), from entering a new age of free enquiry, and the maturing of mass printing presses and cheaper, wide distribution of published material and the invention of the 'magazine'.
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  flipper

  135 years of lies, false representation, false hopes and false promises, duping of JW's through mind control in wasting their lives on a pipedream. All for the sake of WT Society financial well being and benefit. It's criminal
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  Doug Mason

  yadda,

  Talking about Darwin's book, it is interesting to note that Lamarck produced his theory of evolution in the very year that Darwin was born.

  Doug
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  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  As I recall, that first Watch Tower issue had a prominent article about the ransom and reasoned that Adam and Eve would be resurrected.