Heh Heh,
This reminds me of the time I went back to Bethel in 1986(?) and walked along with Albert Schroeder for a block or two, with questions of my own. Whenever we are near Bethel, we should always take the old farts for a walk. :-))
Randy Watters
Attending a Governing Body meeting:
Net Soup!
_______________
from Paul Blizard:
Hi Randy,
I wanted to drop you a note because you can spread this to your network of ex-JWs. I just returned from NYC for a brief vacation. I couldn't resist dropping by Bethel to show my 17 year old daughter where I lived for three years. We walked around the main home buildings and walked slowly toward the Squibb buildings. It was erie as things hadn't changed much in over 25 years! Walking down Columbia Heights, I couldn't believe my eyes, it was Milton Henschel. I grabbed my video camera and began to approach him. First, as you know, typical of life at Bethel, old people are forced to walk back and forth to the factories to work no matter what their shape. When I approached him he was being held by the hand by a young bethelite. I'm not exactly sure about his age but he looked like he is in his 90's. He could hardly walk, in fact the young bethelite led him over to an iron fence where he was hanging ! on to catch his breath before making the trek back to the 124 building. As they began to walk again, I said, "Hey, it's Milton Henschel" He turned and put out his hand and smiled. I looked him in the eye, shook his hand and asked, him, "How are you sir?" It was like looking death in the face. He babbled and mumbled as he was trying to be coherent. The bethelite, said, "He can't speak very well." As he looked at me and I could tell he was searching his mind, because I looked familiar, but he couldn't recall who I was. (At Bethel, Henschel once loaned me some money in an emergency-he also knows my family well) He continued to babble and could not even voice a word that was understandable. His mouth was crusted with stains from food. I handed the video camera to my daughter and asked her to continue to tape. I was stunned at his condition, he looked like living death, a stumbling, mumbling old man---the presi! dent of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. (He was still in a suit and tie however) I didn't know what to say. I paused for a moment, looked him in the eye and said, "Did you know that Jesus died for you?" He gave me a puzzled look and then a frown and snarled. I continued, "One day soon, you will stand before God and be judged for spreading a false gospel, you need to repent." At this point he knew I wasn't a JW standing in awe of the president. He turned toward the bethel home, the bethelite took him by the hand and they lumbered down the street.
I believe this was a divine encounter. God gave my daughter and I the awesome privilege deliver the life giving message of Jesus Christ to one of satan's top men. Every man is given opportunity to repent and give their lives to Jesus Christ, we all need to be "born again." For eternity Henschel will remember this encounter. Pray that he will repent and be saved and remember it with fondness and joy rather than in suffering and regret.
Paul Blizard
Former Bethlite (1973-76)