Fred Franz Discredited a GB -- Part II
After elaborating on how Jesus Christ had 'used' C. T. Russell as a modern-day evangelizer, Franz continued his talk with an historical look at the origins of the Gilead School, evidently intending to remind his audience that it was not a "Governing Body", but the president of the Society who had been 'used' by God to bring about this marvelous educational institution. His comments regarding how the Society's president was "viewed" are of particular note, as they suggest what the Governing Body's nearly year-long discussions were aimed at bringing about …
Well, so that Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, uh, operated throughout the years, and then, to make the story short, we come down to the year 1942. And I can remember a special meeting that was held on Thursday, September the 24th, of the year 1942. A new president had, eh, arisen to preside over the affairs of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. And on this specified date, why, he called a joint meeting of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Corporation and of the New York Corporation. There was a joint meeting of us members of these boards. Because both of these corporations were involved, now, in the project that was going to be submitted, uh, to this body of men. And I can remember how there was at that meeting, which was held up in Brother Rutherford's, eh, the former president's, eh, office, there were present the president, the new president, N. H. Knorr, and also vice president H. C. Covington, and secretary-treasurer W. E. Van Amburgh, and, uh, H. H. Riemer, who was my roommate at the time, and also T. J. Sullivan, and Arthur Goux, and myself. There were all seven members of the New York Corporation present at that meeting. And there were five members of the Pennsylvania Corporation at that meeting.It is interesting that, after a nearly year-long struggle to wrest control of the Society from its then president, Nathan Knorr, the Governing Body twenty-five years later has seemingly relinquished that control by resigning their positions as directors and transferring oversight of the existing and newly created legal entities to others. One wonders whether these recent developments will--like similar adjustments in the past--become future "fulfillments" of prophetic speculation and a divinely ordained corrective realignment of "God's Organization."Now, we got together, and the president of the Society, of both societies, Brother Knorr, uh, he first read a portion of the charter of the New York Corporation to this joint board meeting. How it was devoted to, uh, promoting the preaching and teaching of the Good News. And then he called attention to the fact that up there at Kingdom Farm there was this building, Gilead by name, and it was not being used to the full extent, only to one third of its capacity. And then he pointed out the fact, something that he had cherished in his heart for a long time, that this would be an excellent place to establish a SCHOOL, for the training and preparing of missionaries.
Well, this was a delightful proposal that was submitted by the president to all the rest of us, uh, board members, and there was favorable discussion all around about this proposed school. And then my roommate, H. H. Riemer, he made the motion that the president of these societies set in motion the operation to establish such a school for the preparing of men and women who at a moment's notice could be sent out in preaching work to different countries. Then, H. C. Covington, the vice president and also the legal counsel, he added something to Riemer's motion, and he said that the president of the Society should be AUTHORIZED to make all plans and arrangements to see that this school is established according to his discretion, and that he should also make all plans and arrangements to see that this school is financed and kept in operation. Well, I seconded that motion, and the motion was unanimously, eh, acc, eh…accepted, approved by all those present. And right after that, then, the president, he made further proposals about educational work of the societies, and proposed the publication of a school textbook that would be used by ALL the congregations of Jehovah's people. And after the motion was made, why T. J. Sullivan approved of that educational motion, too. So that now the question was thrown to a united board meeting and this was also unanimously approved.
So, you see, dear friends, that the boards of directors of the New York Corporation and of the Pennsylvania as constituted back there, they had respect for the office of the president, and they did not treat the president of these organizations as a poker-faced, immobilized figurehead presiding over a society, a 'do-nothing' society.
Well, you can ask Brother Arthur Goux what he remembers of that meeting, he was there. And here is a copy of the minutes of that meeting [he opens a copy of the minutes; a rustle of noise is evident from the audience], to verify what I've told you. So you can see that, eh, this society really has the right and the authority to send out missionaries. That's the challenging question I raised at the very beginning of this talk. And that society has continued on till now sending out missionaries now to the number of more than five thousand. Now isn't that a wonderful? [Audience responds with sustained applause.]
And I'm sure that many of us here today are very glad that Jehovah has preserved the original president of the school down till now, and as president of the New York Corporation, why, he will continue in his office until the end of the current term on July 1st, Nineteen Hundred…or rather January 1st, eh, Nine…Eighteen…, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Six.
And when you come to think about it, dear friends, it's really remarkable. Today, do you know, is the seventh day of September, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Five. [Loud audience stirring can be heard.] And do you know what that means according to this diary, Hebrew diary, from the land of Israel? Why this is the second day of the month Tishri of the lunar year Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Six. And do you know what that means? That here on this day of your graduation, why, it is the second day of the SEVENTH MILLENNIUM of man's existence here on earth. Isn't that something? Isn't that something, friends? [Loud applause from the audience.] That the opening days of the seventh millennium of mankind's existence is signalized by the operation of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in full compliance with the terms of its charter, sending out the fifty-ninth class of the Gilead School for missionaries. And furthermore, I'm told that, eh, by the arrangement of the New York Corporation, we already have some twenty brothers and sisters who are going to form class number sixty in the Gilead School. And, very interesting that at the end of sixty centuries of human existence here on earth, why class number SIXTY is going to start its schooling at the opening of the seventh millennium of mankind's existence.
These are, eh, surprising things, startling things, HAPPIFYING things over which we can rejoice. And I'm sure that many of us here can be very, very happy that Jehovah God put into the mind of Brother Knorr and into his heart to establish this missionary school at Gilead. Jehovah God certainly has blessed it, and by its fruits, why it has become KNOWN as an approved agency in the hand of Jehovah God, so that there is no NEED to challenge the RIGHT and the AUTHORITY of this society to send out missionaries. And, friends, notice this, that just as God used the Antioch congregation to send out the two most out...two of the most outstanding missionaries of the first century, Paul and Barnabas, so today Jehovah God is using the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the New York Corporation, to send out further missionaries. And they're determined to keep ON in that course. That's something very, very gratifying.
Cheers,
Rational