Posts by stev

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).

stev

Here is a quote from Watch Tower, May 1883. Russell mentions Peters as an old acquaintance and friend, which implies that he had known him for some time. How did the two become acquainted? Peters was a Lutheran minister. If Conley was still the president at that time, and also financed Peters' book, it is possible that Conley introduced Russell to Peters. Russell's endorsement of the book is lukewarm, and perhaps he endorsed it at Conley's request.

THE THEOCRATIC KINGDOM. Brother G. N. H. Peters, of Springfield, Ohio, is an old acquaintance and friend. He is a believer in the redemptive work of Christ, and hence a Christian brother. He is a believer in the future reign of Christ and the saints, for which cause sake he has suffered the loss of some things--some of the esteem of the nominal church. We regret to have it to state, however, that he is not free from Babylon's shackles, being yet identified with the Lutheran sect--hence has been hindered from a fuller development in grace and knowledge of the word and plan of God than if he stood in the full liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.

Eschatology, entitled --"THE THEOCRATIC KINGDOM." It treats of the kingdom of God to be established, from the standpoint known as "Pre-millenarian." It gives voluminous reports of the hundreds of views entertained on this subject--advocating in the main the so-called "Pre-millenarian" view. While the author does not ignore the teachings of the Apostles, he lays greater stress and value on the opinions of the "Fathers" (the Christian teachers of the first five centuries) than we could acknowledge as proper.

in advance to justify, then that will be the price.

recommend it to you more than as above, to briefly state the facts and circumstances, yet if you should conclude to order it or a prospectus of it you should address our brother and friend as above.

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).

stev

West70

I posted the TKC quote because it was pertinent to "Food" and its cost., and not to make a point.

The quote states that "Food" "pointed out the date of the close of that high-calling as October, 1881." I searched it but could not find where it clearly is stated. The expectations that Russell had for 1881 surely motivated the publication and distribution of "Food" . One of the headings mentions the "rapture of the church." Russell rarely used this word to mean the saints being taken to heaven, but it thus used here. He changed his views on the rapture after "Food".

Here is the pdf file for "Food for Thinking Christians"

http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/russell/z81sep.pdf

Steve

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).

stev

From Thy Kingdom Come, page 367:

*Although we had not thought of the coincidence until now, while writing this chapter, it is not a little remarkable that it was during the last six months of the year 1881 that Food for Thinking Christians, a book of 166 pages, was issued, and circulated to the extent of one million four hundred thousand copies throughout the United States and Great Britain.

Three items connected with that book and its wide and sudden distribution contribute to mark it as at least peculiar: (1) Perhaps no other book ever reached so large a circulation in so brief a space of time, or by the same methods. It was distributed gratuitously at the church doors in all the largest cities of the United States and Great Britain by the messenger boys of the District Messenger Service on three successive Sundays, and in the smaller towns through the mails. (2) The money to defray this expense ($42,000) was voluntarily donated for the purpose, without solicitation. (3) It was, so far as we know, the first book ever published which pointed out the distinction between the high calling of the Gospel Church and the Restitution favors for the world in general, and it pointed out the date of the close of that high calling as October, 1881.

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).

stev

Russell was expecting the translation (rapture) of the saints in 1881. Perhaps Conley was motivated to donate his money with the expectation that it would further the distribution of "Food for Thinking Christians" which would reach the remaining 144,000 to harvest them beforehand. When the rapture did not take place that year, perhaps Conley was disappointed. The split of Russell and Paton occurred around that time too. This is just speculation, but for some reason, it appears that Conley did lose interest.

Steve

16

What happened on October 31, 1916?

by blondie in

jw
friends

.

while on a lecture tour of the midwestern and southern parts of the us, 89 years ago, charles taze russell died on a train in pampa,texas, at the age of 64 (picture of him in 1916 below).. .

stev

Today is October 31. The date October 31, 1916 is one of the turning points of the Watchtower history - the death of Russell. Russell was considered by some, if not most of the Bible Students, to be "that faithful and wise servant." So his death created a emotional vacuum as well as a power vacuum. Russell had intended in his Will and Testament for the Society to be run by the Board of Directors. Russell encouraged the democracy of the ecclesias, however much of the power of the business corporation of the Society resided in himself. It is likely that the Board never had much power when he was alive, so that the Board would have lacked the experience that would have prepared them to manage the affairs of the Society after his death. This balance of power between the democratically-run ecclesias and the autocratically-run Society was upset by Russell's death. This was folloed by a power struggle between Rutherford and the ecclesias, and there were entire ecclesias that left because they would not allow Rutherford to extend his control into their sphere.

Russell also left behind many unanswered questions caused by his own speculations about the future. The departure of the church to heaven had not come by 1914, and he used the story of Elijah and Elisha to speculate on how this might happen in the future. It was expected that he would give the penny in the parable of the penny, and that he would write another volume. Shortly before he died, he set the date of 1918. The world war had started, and he expected it to lead to revolution and anarchy. But he died, and his followers were left confused. This confusion created divisions and even more speculations as ones tried to make sense of it. This resulted in the split of the Bible Students and the Society, which later lead to the JWs.

Steve

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).

stev

West70:

I don't know the answer to your questions. But I do recall reading some years ago A Conspiracy Exposed, which was Russell's defense against his accusers in the mid-1890s. There he explained he sold his clothing store business, and he gave the year - sometime around 1881. He gives the dollar figure, which I recall was around $300, 000. He had considered what course of action he might take with the money, and realized that if he donated all the money at once, he would need to work again to earn money. He thought it better if he invested the principal, and lived off the interest of his investment, so that he could devote his time to his religious work. He could be considered a professional investor. Perhaps someone could post this pertinent section of A Conspiracy Exposed. This might explain why he could not donate more in 1881-1884.

The financial dealings as you describe are quite complicated. No doubt there were accounting and business reasons for doing it the way he did with different companies. He probably did the bookkeeping and accounting himself. Mrs. Russell complained she never once saw the books while she was secy/treasurer. He must have done it himself. He probably had a sixth sense about money.

Steve

16

What happened on October 31, 1916?

by blondie in

jw
friends

.

while on a lecture tour of the midwestern and southern parts of the us, 89 years ago, charles taze russell died on a train in pampa,texas, at the age of 64 (picture of him in 1916 below).. .

stev

16

What happened on October 31, 1916?

by blondie in

jw
friends

.

while on a lecture tour of the midwestern and southern parts of the us, 89 years ago, charles taze russell died on a train in pampa,texas, at the age of 64 (picture of him in 1916 below).. .

stev

There was a previous thread on the rumor that Russell was poisoned. I cannot see the document that was posted, but apparently it claimed that Russell might have poisoned at the hotel in Galveston on that final trip.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/11/78134/1.ashx

16

What happened on October 31, 1916?

by blondie in

jw
friends

.

while on a lecture tour of the midwestern and southern parts of the us, 89 years ago, charles taze russell died on a train in pampa,texas, at the age of 64 (picture of him in 1916 below).. .

stev

There seems to be some uncertainty as to the cause of Russell's death.

http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/history/st%20paul%20memorials.htm

Notes written on a flying train are often so poorly made that I find it difficult to read my own writing. The story seems to be correct except in two minor matters-one is that when Brother Russell left the platform at San Antonio, the paper has it that he weakened and sat down. The fact is that he did not die of heart trouble, but of an inflammation of the bladder, and while writing you on Brother Bohnet’s desk I could not fail to see on the burial permit that the cause of death was given as "Cystitis" and instead of weakening, the pain was excruciating

16

What happened on October 31, 1916?

by blondie in

jw
friends

.

while on a lecture tour of the midwestern and southern parts of the us, 89 years ago, charles taze russell died on a train in pampa,texas, at the age of 64 (picture of him in 1916 below).. .

stev

There was an issue in the St. Paul Enterprise that reported on the death and funeral of Russell, and there is a letter from someone who attended the funeral, and he claimed that he saw Mrs. Russell there. It is been both affirmed and denied that she was there. The Harrison book mentions it, but I forget if Harrison believed it or not.

http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/history/st%20paul%20memorials.htm

At the grave, two heavily veiled ladies followed the coffin, one on the arm of Brother Pyles of Washington, the other on the arm of another brother-I think it was Brother Driscoll. One of these ladies was Mrs. Russell-a widow indeed, and I shed a tear for her as I thought how she has suffered and that from her viewpoint she had been wronged. I hope she will be brought nearer the Master by the death of her husband and will not remain in widowhood, but become the bride of Christ Jesus.