Let's Take A Look At Judge Rutherford In The Pages of Zion's Watch Tower (page 2)

Kenneson

Athanasius,

Yes, this sounds like a book I would like to read. This is certainly a very different version than the one Rutherford paints in Z.W.T. Do you perchance know the cost?

Glenmore

Great comments all. Thank you. More fodder to highlight what a smary ol' bastard Rutherford was. No wonder the vast majority of IBSA members never became JW's!

My copy of TROY DEBATES RUTHERFORD cost $3.00. However, I purchased it over ten years ago. I don't know what the book sells for today. But you could write to the address that I gave you and ask for their price list. By the way the TROY-RUTHERFORD book also contains a reprint of Charles T. Russell's booklet THE OBJECT AND MANNER OF OUR LORD'S RETURN and a facsimile of a lecture on the Zodiac that was given at a Watch Tower convention in 1914 titled THE DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES WITH STELLAR CORRESPONDENCIES. Very interesting reading.

Sincerely,

Athanasius

Kenneson

Thanks, Athanasius. I will do that.

West70

Just ran across this great old thread, and thought I would resurrect it with both comments and questions:

1. The Rutherfords who were "Bible Students" living in Newcastle, England could very well have been parents or other relatives of the infamous pyramidologist, Adam Rutherford. Google the keyterms and you find Adam living in Newcastle in 1941. I couldn't find a Biography on Adam, so it may be possible that it is even he and his wife??? Thus, "Institute of Pyramidology" may be another Watchtower offshoot.

2. Only briefly noted is Joseph F. Rutherford's LTTE in the January 15, 1914 Watch Tower magazine in which he takes (and Russell publishes) a MAJOR SHOT at Dr. Jones of the Chicago Bible Students. It would seem that Rutherford was fighting with some Bible Student "heavies" long before 1917, and despite today's BSers trying to paint the picture otherwise, Russell and Rutherford were "joined at the hip" after 1908-9, when Rutherford helped Russell maneuver Russell's and the WBTS's assets out of the state of Pennsylvania, and away from Maria, her lawyers, and the PA Courts. After those legal and illegal shenanigans, and the later legal wranglings with Russell's opposers, Rutherford "owned" Russell. Whatever went on in 1915, Russell was not about to do anything that might peeved Rutherford so as to loosen his lips. As slick as Russell was, he was no match for Rutherford; nor were Russell's sychophants. By the time Russell croaked, Rutherford already controlled the people who actually held power over the Society's assets.

3. Has anyone successfully ordered any of Bill Cetnar's old materials from his widow? I snailmailed a request for a current booklist several years ago, and never received anything. Is there a website or email address?

IT Support

Athanasius,

According to testimony at the Olin Moyle trial, in 1915 Russell gave Rutherford $1,000 so he could leave New York and set up a law practice in California.

Do you know what page of the Olin Moyle trial transcript that is on?

Thanks

Athanasius

Hi IT,

The information you requested is found on page 1567 of the Olin Moyle transcripts. Moyle's attorney asked Isaac F. Hoskins, a former Watch Tower director: "Were you present at any meeting when there was a discussion about a thousand dollar loan to Mr. Rutherford?"

Hoskins: "In the summer of 1915 Mr. Rutherford had withdrawn from the active work and wrote a letter to Pastor Russell asking if the Society would loan him a thousand dollars, that he was about to set up a law office in Los Angeles. Pastor Russell recommended to the Board that it be loaned him, and so the motion was passed in his favor."

VM44

Hi Athanasius,

That is an important piece of information, the exact page number in the court transcript in which it was authorized to loan Rutherford $1,000 in order for him to start his law practice.

This shows that it is not a rumor started by the current Bible Students.

The Olin Moyle cournt transcript merits going over with a fine toothed comb for information!

--VM44

Merry Magdalene

Interesting stuff--just what I was looking for after having come across this at a Bible Student site and feeling curious about it:

Before Pastor Russel's death, the Pastor had dismissed Rutherford from Bethel and provided him with funds for a new start in California. When Pastor Russell died, Rutherford was working as a floorwalker in a department store. Upon hearing of the Pastor's death, he telegraphed Bethel and told them to hold everything until he arrived. At the time of his death, Pastor Russell was in process of making several changes in the Bethel family, and evidently had not yet updated the members of the board of directors. Since he no longer wanted Rutherford at Bethel, it is doubtful that he wanted him on the board of directors in event of his death.

~Merry

Merry Magdalene

Another site says he was an attorney at the department store in California.

Joseph Franklin Rutherford (1861-1942): Came from a large Calvinist family; formerly a small-town lawyer in Missouri; at least once appointed to serve as judge in a case; politically active in Democratic politics. Custodian of Pastor Russell’s last will and testament. Apparently dismissed from Bethel in early 1915, lived in Monrovia near Los Angeles and worked as a lawyer for a department store in Los Angeles. Forceful in disposition and persuasive. Debated Rev. John H. Troy at First Baptist Church in Glendale, California, April 21-24, 1915.

Anybody remember when it was his wife and son took up permanent residence in Monrovia? (It was Monrovia, wasn't it?)

And maybe he wasn't "dismissed." Maybe he was just being sent out to help in the field like the current Bethelites.

~Merry

Let's Take A Look At Judge Rutherford In The Pages of Zion's Watch Tower

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