Posts by West70

20

Russell Family & Allegheny - Pittsburgh Census Records

by West70 in

jw
friends

i have been trying to run down some info relating to just exactly when did joseph russell enter into the clothing business, etc., and it finally dawned on me that although joseph lists such as his occupation on the 1850 allegheny census, i do not ever recall seeing a business listing for "j l russell & son" until sometime in the 1860s or 70s.

if someone would care to shed some light, i will share that there are business listings for other "russells" who were in the clothing business in all/pitt during these same time periods.

i also suspect that "charles tays russell" may have been joseph's early employer who eventually financed him into his own store?

West70

Where are our friends the "Russell was a Mason" researchers on this one?

Here's a long (but closer) shot that CTR had hidden mental illness in his genes (mother), and a father willing to tell his children that their mother had died, when she was actually institutionalized.

87

To: Barbara Anderson -- Re: First WatchTower President

by West70 in

i am primarily posting this to barbara anderson, but obviously everyone is welcome to correct or comment on my remarks as they see fit.

mrs. anderson, i realize that trying to cover all bases in your pending russell bio would be impossible, but i do hope that you will be able to include a section on the first president of the watch tower society, william h. conley.

i hope that you have had a chance to research conley with some degree of thoroughness, so as to dispel some of the half-truths that some bible students and jws try to promote (such as that conley's age and health caused his inactivity with russell after 1881).

West70

For tonite's visitors ...

23

To: Barbara Anderson -- Re: Your First Contact w/ Child Molestation Issue

by West70 in

mrs. anderson: .

thank you for replying to my topic on william h. conley, the watch tower society's first president.

if not for your finding the "treasure" you described, we might not know this fact even today.

West70

Just bumping up this thread, since I posted a third report of alleged child sexual abuse. All 3 reports involve 4 congregations in the same Circuit, and within a 40 mile radius of each other. (The first report involved even more congregations who knows where, since I can't recall how many children were in the incestuous JW family, nor where they lived as adults.

87

To: Barbara Anderson -- Re: First WatchTower President

by West70 in

i am primarily posting this to barbara anderson, but obviously everyone is welcome to correct or comment on my remarks as they see fit.

mrs. anderson, i realize that trying to cover all bases in your pending russell bio would be impossible, but i do hope that you will be able to include a section on the first president of the watch tower society, william h. conley.

i hope that you have had a chance to research conley with some degree of thoroughness, so as to dispel some of the half-truths that some bible students and jws try to promote (such as that conley's age and health caused his inactivity with russell after 1881).

West70

Note above that the Society received and spent donations of over $35,000 in its first year of 1881, which was less than one full 12 month period.

Keeping in mind that the Conley "Letter to the Editor" was published in the June 11, 1894 Watch Tower Magazine, and that Russell failed to fully identify Conley, now note this excerpt from the Society's 1894 Annual Report, which appeared in the December 15 issue: "We congratulate our readers that although the year has been marked by Satan's fiercest assaults upon the Lord's work and upon us of the WATCH TOWER as his and your representatives in the supervision of that work, --and notwithstanding, too, the fact that the year has been one of unprecedented pinch in financial affairs, nevertheless it has been the most successful year of the Tract Society's experience in the amount of money received and expended, and in the tract pages circulated, as you will see from the reports of the Secretary and Treasurer subjoined. True, the work is small: --very small is the sum at our disposal for the spread of the Truth compared with the immense sums donated to other tract societies for the promulgation of what we believe to be chiefly error. The Lord in his wisdom has seen fit to limit the means at our disposal, and no doubt for good reasons; --quite probably to draw out to greater activity and self-denial each one who has the cause at heart."

So, 1894 was the "most successful year of the Tract Society's experience in the amount of money received and expended, and in the tract pages circulated"?

The 1894 Annual report goes on to show $9,740.56 as both the Society's Receipts and Expenditures in 1894.

NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE $35,391.18 RECEIVED AND $35,336.18 SPENT BACK IN 1881.

Since the 1881 Report did not indicate "tract pages", that comparison can't be made. However, if more "tract pages" were not circulated in 1881 at a cost of $35,336 than were circulated in 1894 at a cost of roughly $7000**, then something is wrong somewhere. (**$7000 is the approximate figure for tracts and magazines, and their mailing, etc.)

If someone raises the point that Russell was only speaking of figures for the Society after its "incorporation", then such begs the question as to what really was going on between Russell and the Society during the 1881 to 1884 time period so as to justify such a distinction?

All these "financials" relate back to the "Willam Conley" issue. As is often quoted here at JWD: If you want to know what's going on behind the scenes, JUST FOLLOW THE MONEY.

87

To: Barbara Anderson -- Re: First WatchTower President

by West70 in

i am primarily posting this to barbara anderson, but obviously everyone is welcome to correct or comment on my remarks as they see fit.

mrs. anderson, i realize that trying to cover all bases in your pending russell bio would be impossible, but i do hope that you will be able to include a section on the first president of the watch tower society, william h. conley.

i hope that you have had a chance to research conley with some degree of thoroughness, so as to dispel some of the half-truths that some bible students and jws try to promote (such as that conley's age and health caused his inactivity with russell after 1881).

West70

Note this excerpt from the Society's first financial report.

It is my opinion that "a brother who has already contributed largely" is William Conley. Since this article was likely written in December 1881, Russell and Conley were apparently still getting along at this point in time.

-----------------------------------

"Z.W.T. TRACT SOCIETY."

This Society was organized less than one year ago, for the object indicated by the name. It is but proper that a statement should now be made at the beginning of the year 1882.

The object of the Society was stated but no requests for help were made. The donations below mentioned, were free-will offerings --some giving until they could feel it. The amounts ranged from one dollar up to thousands.

Total amounts of cash received, .. .... $35,391.18

Total expenditures in printing, etc., etc., .............. 35,336.18

Balance in treasury, Jan. ......$ 55.00

Bills coming due, about ........ 400.00

To all whose donations have been over one hundred dollars, we have made special reports, and to any donor the books are always open for inspection.

We propose continuing this fund, and will endeavor to use it prudently as fast as it is received. In fact as will be noticed in the above report, the expenditure generally exceeds the receipts, but a brother who has already contributed largely, guarantees any debts incurred, to the amount of one thousand dollars in excess of receipts.

It is a principle with us, not to allow the Lord's money to rust.

Should the fund increase sufficiently to permit it, we propose using some portion of it for sending out other laborers. We never solicit donations. Those who possess this world's goods and are wholly consecrated need only to know how they can use it. Donations to this fund should be specified. Address C. T. Russell, Pittsburgh.

------------------------------------

87

To: Barbara Anderson -- Re: First WatchTower President

by West70 in

i am primarily posting this to barbara anderson, but obviously everyone is welcome to correct or comment on my remarks as they see fit.

mrs. anderson, i realize that trying to cover all bases in your pending russell bio would be impossible, but i do hope that you will be able to include a section on the first president of the watch tower society, william h. conley.

i hope that you have had a chance to research conley with some degree of thoroughness, so as to dispel some of the half-truths that some bible students and jws try to promote (such as that conley's age and health caused his inactivity with russell after 1881).

West70

I forgot to mention above that not only did Russell require the Society to informally stand good for the cost of the Dawn Volumes sold on credit to the colporteurs, but one or more of the annual reports includes language such as "guarantee", which would seem to indicate that there was a written contract between Russell and the Society that stated that the Society would pay Russell for his literature if a colporteur did not.

Better yet, on these accumulated balances which colporteurs owed to him, Russell charged the Society 6% interest, which the Society paid annually out of its donations.

The Society may have ran deficits for several years, but Russell made sure he got his money.

30

RACISM Behind 1909 Watch Tower Magazine Name Change

by West70 in

from 1879 through 1908, the magazine owned, operated, and edited by charles taze russell (not the zion's watch tower tract society) was offically named "zion's watch tower and herald of christ's presence".

with several changes caused by the move from pittsburgh to brooklyn to escape maria russell, her lawyers, and the pennsylvania courts, it was decided that the official name of the magazine be changed to "the watch tower and herald of christ's presence".

here are the official reasons for dropping the word "zion's", as stated in the december 15, 1908 issue: .

West70

Bit off topic, but around 1992 I attended a JW funeral in a town which had historically had no African-American residents, primarily because the town had no industry/jobs. However, surrounding counties all had A-A residents.

This funeral was attended by 6 or 8 A-A JWs from a neighboring congregation. For whatever reasoning that goes on in the minds of some JW Elders, these A-A JWs were told by their local Elders to each carry a NWT into the funeral home, "so any non-JW locals that attended the funeral would know the A-As were JWs".

They stuck out alright, and were oggled alright, not because they were A-As, but because they were the only folks who came marching into the funeral home carrying Bibles, and some of the Bibles were those old GREEN monstrosities. I also believe one or more was carrying the WT songbook (was the bright pink one still in use in 1992?).

It was more ridiculous than I can relate. If those JWs had just attended the way everyone else did, no non-JW would have thought or said anything. Besides, you could have counted on the fingers of one hand the number of white attendees who did not have some familiarity with the JW org.

87

To: Barbara Anderson -- Re: First WatchTower President

by West70 in

i am primarily posting this to barbara anderson, but obviously everyone is welcome to correct or comment on my remarks as they see fit.

mrs. anderson, i realize that trying to cover all bases in your pending russell bio would be impossible, but i do hope that you will be able to include a section on the first president of the watch tower society, william h. conley.

i hope that you have had a chance to research conley with some degree of thoroughness, so as to dispel some of the half-truths that some bible students and jws try to promote (such as that conley's age and health caused his inactivity with russell after 1881).

West70

Although off the topic of "William Conley", it should be noted by readers that Charles Taze Russell owned and published ZWT Magazine as a regular "for-profit" business under the D/B/A of "Tower Publishing Company".

That's why I wondered on page 2 if ZWT Tract Society was initially in 1881 established at a separate Allegheny location?

When "Tower Publishing Company" furnished "ZWT Tract Society" with the magazine/tract, "Food For Thinking Christians", "ZWT Tract Society" PAID "Tower Publishing Company" out of its donations.

When "free" subscriptions to ZWT Magazine were sent out to "the Lord's poor", "ZWT Tract Society" PAID "Tower Publishing Company" out of its donations for those subscriptions. Who knows what percentage of ZWT Magazine subscriptions were sent out "free" in the early days???? However, by the 1910s, when ZWT's circulation reached 30,000 per issue (but after Russell turned the Mag over to the Society), there were LESS THAN 12,700 PAID subscriptions. That's ONLY about 42%.

I'm not entirely clear on how Russell shuffled the Dawn Books series between "ZWT Tract Society" and "Tower Publishing Company", but I suspect that the Dawns were also owned by him and "Tower Publishing Company", with any "free" copies being paid for by "ZWT Tract Society". I believe researchers can see that when the colportuering began, their activities were administered by "ZWT Tract Society", BUT "credit" for the books was issued by "Tower Publishing Company". Note that when the Brit "Hays" made his $10,000. donation to "ZWT Tract Society", that most of such went to pay off the large bill that colportuers owed to "Tower Publishing Company".

I further suspect that every time ZWT Magazine was combined with some other item offered by the Society for a "reduced combo price" that Russell received the full subscription price for the Mag.

Now, all this does not mean that Russell didn't donate some or all of TPC's profits back to ZWTTS, but how woud anyone know? If all profits were donated back, why was Russell so meticulous about making ZWTTS pay for everything it got from TPC?

And, if Russell was so rich in the 1880s and 1890s, (then same Qs as above), plus why were donations to ZWTTS so small for the first dozen years or so???

23

To: Barbara Anderson -- Re: Your First Contact w/ Child Molestation Issue

by West70 in

mrs. anderson: .

thank you for replying to my topic on william h. conley, the watch tower society's first president.

if not for your finding the "treasure" you described, we might not know this fact even today.

West70

.

87

To: Barbara Anderson -- Re: First WatchTower President

by West70 in

i am primarily posting this to barbara anderson, but obviously everyone is welcome to correct or comment on my remarks as they see fit.

mrs. anderson, i realize that trying to cover all bases in your pending russell bio would be impossible, but i do hope that you will be able to include a section on the first president of the watch tower society, william h. conley.

i hope that you have had a chance to research conley with some degree of thoroughness, so as to dispel some of the half-truths that some bible students and jws try to promote (such as that conley's age and health caused his inactivity with russell after 1881).

West70

This excerpt from an article in the January 1890 Watch Tower magazine is "very interesting".

Note Russell's choice of words, while keeping in mind that William Conley is probably unknown to 1890 readers:

WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM?

This we know is a question often asked among our friends and enemies. Our terms on DAWNS, tracts, etc., to our readers and to colporteurs, made very public, convince all that we are not selling the truth for gain; and as the work keeps on and on, the wonder increases. Strangers surmise that many wealthy folks are interested in the work; but those intimately acquainted know better, that the Apostle's prediction is fully verified, --that among the interested are not many rich, not many great, not many whom the world esteems wise, but chiefly the poor of this world.--See 1 Cor. 1:26-29 and James 2:5.

We can only answer: The work is the Lord's and the workers are his, wherever they may be laboring in the harvest field. He is caring for and providing for his own work. As for ourselves, we do not live out of the work, nor accept any monetary compensation for our service for the Master and his cause, that our time and effort may be an offering of sweet savor unto the Lord, acceptable to him through Christ Jesus, our Redeemer. We mention this, not as a reproof to any whom God has differently situated, but that the friends may know how this part of the Lord's harvest work is conducted.

While our personal accounts and affairs are kept separate from those of the general work --"The Tract Fund"-- yet we thank God that we have nothing of our own; that we left all to follow him; that having given ourselves entirely to him, we were enabled to realize that, if we are wholly his, all that we have and are is his also. Hence, though our personal accounts are kept separate and distinct from the general Tract Fund account, yet both are governed and used under the same general principles, of which care and economy are parts, coupled, we trust, with heaven-directed judgment as to how best and most to reach and bless and set free the true sheep, by so dispensing the harvest message as to lead them out of error's bondage and sectarian slavery into the liberty of the truth, and to let all who have an ear hear the voice of the great Shepherd.

Some have said to us (and many have written the same in substance): "If you ever get short and need a little help, be sure to call on me, and I shall be glad to assist." We thank all such, and realize their good intentions and appreciate them, but we never have asked and never will ask money for the Lord's cause. The nearest we ever came to asking money from any convinced us that such a course is wholly contrary to the Lord's will. That instance was in 1881, when over a million copies of "Food for Thinking Christians" were published and circulated. We then remembered a Brother, who was well-to-do, and who had repeatedly shown a deep interest in the cause, and who had said to us, "Brother R__________, whenever you see something good, something specially calculated to spread the light and needing money, something in which you intend to invest, let me know of it --count me in on all such enterprises;" and we merely laid the matter before him, explaining the plan and the amount of money that could be used, without making any direct request. The Brother gave liberally, yet apparently the offering brought him only a partial blessing. And, perhaps from fear that we would call further opportunities to his notice, and from a lack of full appreciation of our motives in the matter or of the light in which we regarded it (as a favor toward him to let him know of the opportunity), that Brother has gone backward and lost much of his former interest. How much the above circumstance had to do with his decline of interest we know not, but it doubly strengthened and guarded us on a point on which we were already well settled, namely, that no direct and personal appeals should be made to any in our Lord's name. All the gold and silver is his. He neither begged nor commissioned any to beg for him.

NOW, WHO DO YOU SUPPOSE WAS THIS "BROTHER" BACK IN 1881, WHO RUSSELL MAKES OUT TO BE SOMEONE ONLY SOMEWHAT AWARE OF ZWTTS???