questions on early period (Russell &Co)

by greven 18 Replies latest jw friends

  • greven
    greven

    greetings y`all!

    I am currently doing some research on the early days and struck a few obstacles for which I need some help from anybody.

    1)Russell predicted several times the "rapture of the saints". this meant a visible return of those saints and that Russell & Co would rise to heaven. when they failed to return visibly it was concluded that it did happen but invisible. this was repeated several times (19875, 1878, 1881, 1910, and finally 1914).

    my question is : were these dates also armageddon dates or did the return of the saints have nothing to do with armageddon?

    2) from where or whom did Barbour get his 606 BC date?

    3) the following quote seems to indicate that Russell was not the first president is this true?

    *** jv 576 26 Producing Bible Literature for Use in the Ministry ***
    This work quickly took on immense proportions. In order to handle it, Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society was formed on February 16, 1881, with W. H. Conley as president and C. T. Russell as secretary and treasurer.

    *** jv 576 26 Producing Bible Literature for Use in the Ministry ***
    In 1884, Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society was legally incorporated, with C. T. Russell as president, and its charter showed that it was more than a society that would direct publishing.

    and who is this Conley dude anyway?

    4) I read a hilarious quote stating that reading AWAKE! for a year was equal to 4 years college at university!! LOL can any one point me to this quote?

    thanx in advance for any help offered!!!

    greven.

    "Fear is strange soil. Mainly it grows obedience like corn, which grows in rows and makes weeding easy. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground."
    -from "Small Gods" by Terry Pratchett-

  • SpiceItUp
    SpiceItUp
    reading AWAKE! for a year was equal to 4 years college at university!!


    Yeah the college for the brainwashed insane.

  • greven
    greven

    LOL spice! indeed! let's have a lobotomy, it makes the material so much more fun!

    greven.

    "Fear is strange soil. Mainly it grows obedience like corn, which grows in rows and makes weeding easy. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground."
    -from "Small Gods" by Terry Pratchett-

  • TD
    TD

    Greven,

    Russell predicted several times the "rapture of the saints". this meant a visible return of those saints and that Russell & Co would rise to heaven. when they failed to return visibly it was concluded that it did happen but invisible. this was repeated several times (19875, 1878, 1881, 1910, and finally 1914). my question is : were these dates also armageddon dates or did the return of the saints have nothing to do with armageddon?
    1914 was always the date for the end

    from where or whom did Barbour get his 606 BC date?
    Barbour appears to have come up with it by himself while returning from Australia. His ideas, methods and preconceived notions seem to have come from a variety of sources. Principal among these would be William Miller I think.

    the following quote seems to indicate that Russell was not the first president is this true?
    ZWT&TS was not legally incorporated until 1884. Russell was president of the corporation.

    and who is this Conley dude anyway?
    A Bible Student and probably friend of Russell. I think RR might be able to help you with this one.

    I read a hilarious quote stating that reading AWAKE! for a year was equal to 4 years college at university!! LOL can any one point me to this quote?
    LOL I'd like to see that one myself.
  • dungbeetle
    dungbeetle

    check out 'quotes' at the bottom of the page.

    Here's some more hilarious quotes:

    From 'Defending an dLagally Establishing the Good News'(1950):

    If your training as a minister is attacked by a question on cross-examination show that you were trained in the most eficient ministry schools in the world, the Society's ministry schools. Show that the school is conducted in a manner similar to the tutorial and discussion groups used in the most modern universities. Explain that there are regular courses in Bible study, comparative theology, public speaking, Bible history, etc. with set courses and portions for home study, in addition to the regular discussion groups.

    And another gem:

    You may be asked whether you are carrying on a "campaign of hate" or attacking other people becasue of their religion. Your answer should be "No". Jehovah's Witnesses love all people regardless of their religious affiliation.

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

    <GASP> <SPLUTTER> <CHOKE> <GAG>

    BEFORE YOU TRY AND REMOVE THE STICK FROM MY ARSE, REMOVE THE TELEPHONE POLE FROM YOUR OWN ARSE.

  • greven
    greven

    thanx for the help so far!!

    TD:

    WB&TS was not legally incorporated until 1884. Russell was president of the corporation.
    but why was Conley then the president when it became legally incorporated? Russell was the first, then conley, then Russell again?
    thanks for the help on the other points! if Barbour came up with the 606 date himself, it is even more ludicrous then I thought, as he was neither historian nor theologist!

    Dungbeetle:

    Show that the school is conducted in a manner similar to the tutorial and discussion groups used in the most modern universities.
    bwahahahahah! in my university there is room for different opinions, criticism / scepticism is encouraged and dogmatism is shunned. so how does that apply to the society?!

    Jehovah's Witnesses love all people regardless of their religious affiliation.
    this one is the most hypocritical one I have seen so far!! PUKE!!!
    they keep amazing me!!

    greven.

    "Fear is strange soil. Mainly it grows obedience like corn, which grows in rows and makes weeding easy. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground."
    -from "Small Gods" by Terry Pratchett-

  • AngryXJW
    AngryXJW

    Greven:

    Your questions can be answered by doing a "search" on the key terms.

    Barbour originated very little. He took from predecessors as did Russell.

    The Society was originally formed as an "unincorporated association", which is as much a legal entity as is a "corporation". Thus, the Society dates from 1881, not 1884.
    So, W.H. Conley was in fact the Society's FIRST PRESIDENT, while Russell is relegated to being the first "corporate President".

    The Proclaimers book buries this little tidbit of info on page 576. I suspect that they grudgingly included such since it detracts from Russell's legend.

    W.H. Conley was on the Board of Directors of the Third National Bank of Allegheny, The Home For Colored Children, and St. John's General Hospital. Thus, Conley must have been a wealthy, prominent man.

    It would be interesting to find out who the other Officers were in 1881, and what was their background.

  • greven
    greven

    AngryXJW,

    thanx for this extra bit of detailed information!

    Russell was not the first president HA! and still they keep calling him that over and over! LOL!

    greven.

    "Fear is strange soil. Mainly it grows obedience like corn, which grows in rows and makes weeding easy. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground."
    -from "Small Gods" by Terry Pratchett-

  • RR
    RR
    It would be interesting to find out who the other Officers were in 1881, and what was their background.

    I'm not telling :)

    ____________________________________
    That's my story and I'm sticking to it! . http://www.food4jws.org/testimonies/rr144.htm

  • sf
    sf

    Topic: W. H. CONLEY: First Society President:

    < http://amazingforums.com/forum/HGREW/12.html

    (Who is 'Ruth Monroe'?)
    ----------------------
    [First United Methodist Church History

    304 West Tenth Street, Coffeyville, KS 67337

    The First 100 Years]:

    < http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/montgome/methodist.html

    The Pastors for the first 100 years

    1870 W. T. Selby
    1871 Rev. Hartman

    1872 W.H. Conley

    1873 J.M. Hedges
    1875 B.F. Smith
    1877 R.M. Scott
    1878 W.O. Breeden
    1882 Rev. Summerville
    1885 H. McBirney
    1887 J. F. Palmer
    1889 K.B. Johnson
    1890 J.A. Hyden
    1891 Azor McDole
    1893 A.S. Freed
    1898 H.J. Hoover
    1900 A.L. Hanby
    1902 W.C. Macurdy
    1904 B. Kelly
    1905 Frank W. Otto
    1908 L.M. Potts
    1911 C.T. Burboraw
    1912 J.D. Smith
    1915 F.A. Hawke
    1920 G. Thompson
    1925 Henry Holter
    1929 Wm. I. Hastie
    1935 R.E. Gordon
    1940 C.I. Coldsmith
    1948 Leslie Miller
    1953 Leonard Smoot
    1961 Robert Kendall
    1965 Charles Bennett
    1972 Charles Knight
    -------------------
    <Some Impacts of 2,4,5-T on a Mesquite Duneland Ecosystem in ... (PDF)
    ... MORTON, WC LINDEMANN, JA RYDER-WHITE, DB RICHMAN, EW HUDDLESTON, WH CONLEY, CA DAVIS,
    JA REITZEL, DM ANDERSON, AND A. GUIAO Abstract Two aerial rpplications of ...
    http://jrm.library.arizona.edu/data/1986/394/9gibb.pdf
    More Results From: jrm.library.arizona.edu
    ------------------------------------------

    sKally

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