You're welcome! The feel you get from these Consolations of this period is so foreign to the JWs when I first heard of them in the mid-60s. Knorr really did a transformation of the group in the intervening years. Some of the articles are so strident in their tone, it's almost painful to read.
cabasilas
JoinedPosts by cabasilas
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1942 Consolation (entire year) PDF
by cabasilas inthis may be of interest for the serious researcher of jw publications.
it's all 26 issues issues of consolation for 1942.
(there were 26 issues that year because the magazine was published every two weeks then.
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1942 Consolation (entire year) PDF
by cabasilas inthis may be of interest for the serious researcher of jw publications.
it's all 26 issues issues of consolation for 1942.
(there were 26 issues that year because the magazine was published every two weeks then.
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cabasilas
This may be of interest for the serious researcher of JW publications. It's all 26 issues issues of Consolation for 1942. (There were 26 issues that year because the magazine was published every two weeks then. Starting with Awake! in 1946 it went to semi-monthly.)
1942 was a significant year for JW history. Rutherford died early in January so it witnessed the transition from J.F. Rutherford to N.H. Knorr. The US had just entered WWII in December of the year previous. This year of Consolation gives a look at the JW culture of that era in a way that the Watchtower magazine can't do. Here is the JW take on life. Yes, there's some theology in Consolation. But, there's more of the social and cultural aspects of JWs revealed in the Consolations from this era.
The file is huge...it's over 390 MB. So, you'll need some patience for the download. Again, once you see the pages, though, I think you'll enjoy the ease of reading and searching.
Some suggested searches:
"Beth Sarim"
"Beth Shan"
There are also several articles on Supreme Court cases.
Do searches on:
"Covington"
"Supreme Court"
"flag salute"
There's a strong theme of anti-Catholicism in the Consolations of this period...so searches for
"Catholic"
"Rome"
"Vatican"
"Jesuit""Pius"
"Pacelli" (the name of the then current pope)
"pope"
"mass""papal"
will bring up a host of references. BTW, the anti-Catholicism of Consolation was so high that every issue of the magazine had a regular feature entitled "Under the Totalitarian Flag" that functioned as an "expose" of the Catholic Church.If you do a search for "Marley Cole" you'll find an article written by him for Consolation!
The articles on Japan being deceived by the Devil (February-April) are also interesting reading.
The black and white photographs that are interspersed throughout the magazine came out quite well.
For those wanting to download this file, go to the following filesharing site:
http://www.filesend.net/download.php?
f=967e4deb0512c80f3aba0e524cc13c15 -
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1928 The Messenger PDF
by cabasilas ininformation on how to download the 1928 messenger in pdf will be given at the bottom of this post.. the messenger was the name given by the watchtower society for an occasional watchtower publication that reviewed conventions for bible students/jehovah's witnesses in the 1920s to 1940s.
there were issues published for (not a complete list) 1928, 1931, 1938 and a couple other years.
(perhaps someone else could give a complete list for us?
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cabasilas
Question for old timer Bethelites here.
I was looking at that picture on page 3 of the PDF of the 1928 Messenger again (the one posted by Lady Lee on the first page of this thread). Is the building in the background the old Hotel Margaret (the one across from the 107 C.H. building that burned down and then later was rebuilt by the Watchtower Society)? It looks familiar, but I'm not sure if that's it.
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1928 The Messenger PDF
by cabasilas ininformation on how to download the 1928 messenger in pdf will be given at the bottom of this post.. the messenger was the name given by the watchtower society for an occasional watchtower publication that reviewed conventions for bible students/jehovah's witnesses in the 1920s to 1940s.
there were issues published for (not a complete list) 1928, 1931, 1938 and a couple other years.
(perhaps someone else could give a complete list for us?
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cabasilas
I think I figured out how to get a link of the old entrance to the 124 Columbia Heights building. Hope this works:
Again, I could be wrong, but I think the building facade behind the guy in that Awake! picture matches this. If so, that makes it quite likely then that it's J.F. Rutherford.
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1928 The Messenger PDF
by cabasilas ininformation on how to download the 1928 messenger in pdf will be given at the bottom of this post.. the messenger was the name given by the watchtower society for an occasional watchtower publication that reviewed conventions for bible students/jehovah's witnesses in the 1920s to 1940s.
there were issues published for (not a complete list) 1928, 1931, 1938 and a couple other years.
(perhaps someone else could give a complete list for us?
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cabasilas
What was Martin's job at Bethel
I believe he became the Factory Servant, in charge of all the operations at the Factory. Just found this:
From God's Kingdom of A Thousand Years Has Approached, p. 244:
Take, for instance, the case of Robert J. Martin. He was one of those eight consecrated Christian men, including the Society’s president J. F. Rutherford, who suffered about nine months of unjust imprisonment in the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, from July 5, 1918, to March 25, 1919. When this “slave” was set free on bail in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday, March 26, 1919, he had practically nothing as far as “talents” from his heavenly Lord was concerned. World War I with its persecution of the Lord’s “slaves” was now in the past for more than four months, and R. J. Martin had to begin practically anew. He was still in faithful union with the Lord Jesus, and he was glad to accept “talents” with which to ‘do business’ for his heavenly Lord, in order to enlarge the field that would prove fruitful in producing disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the year following his release from imprisonment he was made the factory manager of the printing plant newly established in Brooklyn for the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. On November 1, 1926, he was made one of the directors of this Society, which post he held to his earthly end.
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1928 The Messenger PDF
by cabasilas ininformation on how to download the 1928 messenger in pdf will be given at the bottom of this post.. the messenger was the name given by the watchtower society for an occasional watchtower publication that reviewed conventions for bible students/jehovah's witnesses in the 1920s to 1940s.
there were issues published for (not a complete list) 1928, 1931, 1938 and a couple other years.
(perhaps someone else could give a complete list for us?
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cabasilas
Surely the writing staff would not be so brazen as to put in print the pic of the second President and his cadillac, Would they???
Bluesbrother,
I can't figure out how to do it right now, but I once checked out the old front entrance of the 124 Columbia Heights building (the entrance to the building built in 1927) and it looked like that was what was behind the person in that picture in Awake!
Go to 122 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY in Google Maps Street View and turn towards the front entrance (it's now closed, but used to be the main entrance before the 1949 addition was added under Knorr's administration). To me, it looked like that was what was behind the Judge in that picture. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think it's a fit.
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1928 The Messenger PDF
by cabasilas ininformation on how to download the 1928 messenger in pdf will be given at the bottom of this post.. the messenger was the name given by the watchtower society for an occasional watchtower publication that reviewed conventions for bible students/jehovah's witnesses in the 1920s to 1940s.
there were issues published for (not a complete list) 1928, 1931, 1938 and a couple other years.
(perhaps someone else could give a complete list for us?
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cabasilas
You're welcome, Atlantis!
I notice on page 75 of the PDF that they still believe that "the harvest work began in 1874."
On page 3 of the PDF there's a picture of Rutherford getting into his car in NY to go to the convention in Detroit. Anyone know what kind of car that is? Is it a Caddy?
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1928 The Messenger PDF
by cabasilas ininformation on how to download the 1928 messenger in pdf will be given at the bottom of this post.. the messenger was the name given by the watchtower society for an occasional watchtower publication that reviewed conventions for bible students/jehovah's witnesses in the 1920s to 1940s.
there were issues published for (not a complete list) 1928, 1931, 1938 and a couple other years.
(perhaps someone else could give a complete list for us?
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cabasilas
I just came across this description of the Bethel infirmiary in 1928. Board members who are ex-Bethelites may be glad they never reported sick back in that era! It's from page 10 of the PDF:
"On this floor also is the Bethel's empty
hospital, one ward for the men and one for
the women. The Bethel family keep well
because their food is wisely chosen. Never·
theless, every room is visited the first thing
in the morning to see if everybody is up. If
not, the case is reported at once to the house
manager. The regular house treatment of
the sick is the common sense one of an
enema, complete rest from food, and plenty
of lemon juice and fresh air. In an entire
season practically all cases have responded
to this treatment in one day; but if results do
not come, a physician is summoned. This
floor contains two study rooms for the fam·
ily; no conversation is permitted in these
rooms. Every room in the house is a study
room, because the home is one for the study
of God's Word."They say "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." In this case, the 1928 Bethel treatment was "an enema and no food will cure you in one day!"
That's a surefire way to ensure no slackers feign sickness!
Former Bethelites will get a kick out of the pictures of Bethel from 1928. There's a humorous picture of two Bethel brothers waking up on page 12 of the PDF.
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1942 Consolation on Beth Sarim PDF
by cabasilas inthe may 27, 1942 consolation (the precusor to awake!
) contained a lengthy 16 page article about the failed attempts of the watchtower society to bury judge rutherford at his beloved home in san diego, beth sarim.
it contains a fascinating look into the place beth sarim held for jws during this period.
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cabasilas
I think it would be good to clear up the current status of the property. Anyone brave enough to call? Probably should just be one person so we don't wear out our welcome with the Methodists.
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1928 The Messenger PDF
by cabasilas ininformation on how to download the 1928 messenger in pdf will be given at the bottom of this post.. the messenger was the name given by the watchtower society for an occasional watchtower publication that reviewed conventions for bible students/jehovah's witnesses in the 1920s to 1940s.
there were issues published for (not a complete list) 1928, 1931, 1938 and a couple other years.
(perhaps someone else could give a complete list for us?
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cabasilas
Information on how to download the 1928 Messenger in PDF will be given at the bottom of this post.
The Messenger was the name given by the Watchtower Society for an occasional Watchtower publication that reviewed conventions for Bible Students/Jehovah's Witnesses in the 1920s to 1940s. There were issues published for (not a complete list) 1928, 1931, 1938 and a couple other years. (Perhaps someone else could give a complete list for us?) This Messenger covers the convention the Bible Students had that year in Detroit, Michigan. (Later Watchtower publications would consider this convention as fulfilling part of the Bible book of Revelation.)
The 1928 Messenger was actually released in 5 parts and is filled with many pictures. Since the year before had seen the construction of the Watchtower's first factory (117 Adams St.) and a major extension of the Bethel home, these Messengers give pictoral tours of the new faciltities. There's even a picture of Rutherford's suite on the 7th floor of the old 124 building. (I remember seeing this room in the mid 70s and it then belonged to a Bethelite by the name of Stan Ford. It was the only Bethel room complete with a fireplace.)
There's a lot of text to these Messengers that has not appeared elsewhere. A couple stand out for historical researchers. One is the complete text of Rutherford's meeting with the elders. As is well known, at this time Rutherford and congregational elders were not getting along famously. So, here's JFR's comments to them. One of the other items that stands out for me is the "new light" on the Great Pyramid. This was the assembly where JFR first rejected the prophetic signficance of the Great Pyramid. I had read one of Morton Edgar's letters where he referred to Rutherford speaking out against the Great Pyramid at the Detroit convention, but I never knew how he did so. I imagined he presented some sort of lecture then. This Messenger tells how it happened. I'll quote the Messenger article (page 46 of the PDF -- excuse formatting issues, please!):
In unfolding the teachings of the Scripture regarding the place of safety, the Judge, at one point,
laid down his manuscript and in the most matter of fact way in the world said, in substance, "When the Lord spoke of hiding his people in his secret place he was not talking about any chambers in the pyramid, built by the Devil himself." Now that is just as if a Free Methodist should arise in a prayer meeting and tell his brethren that they are all walking sidewise or backwards or upside down on the Hell question. Your Free Methodist feels that he is an authority on hell. It is one of his specialties, and there are Free Methodists who, if they lost their Hell, would be out of luck altogether. They would have nothing left. And, by the way, some of them have even admitted that very thing. The Bible Students have been free from fear of eternal torture by an infinitely wise and just and loving God for so long that they have and to pinch themselves to realize that they ever believed or tried to believe such nonsense.
But some of them have been strong on the pyramid. "Why," when the speech was over, one of the ex-pilgrims said, with a sickly grin, "I have been giving speeches on the Great Pyramid for thirteen years." It is a safe bet that that pilgrim will now have to get up a new lesson. All over the Fair Grounds knots of Bible Students were discussing the new point. Some were saying, "I wonder what the Judge meant by that"; others, "I can not see what is wrong with the Pyramid"; and others, "I never did see much in the Pyramid anyway, and I believe the Judge has it right."
Their interest stirred, the staff of Tlte Messenger asked for a further word, pending the explanation which is sure to come in the Tower in due time. The Judge smiled and said: "We have been taking it for granted that in two or three passages the Bible had something
to say about the "Pyramid," but when we come to examine the context closely we find no reason to think God has mentioned it it ail, nor is there any reason to think such a structure was necessary. The Word of God is sufficient, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to every good work.
The idea that the Great Pyramid is in some way identified with the British Government, preserving its inches and other measurements, though even then requiring to be scaled down one-tenth of one percent, is suspicious in itself, for it can not be denied that Britain has been and is the cruelest as well as the strongest power in history, and much more like the Devil than China itself where the Devil is an object of worship.
When we consider the millions of human beings that must have slaved to erect the Great Pyramid we can see that a God of Love would not have resorted to such means to bring honor to his name." That satisfies us. That will do for now, until the Judge can get time to tell all that
is in his mind and in the Bible against the idea. But it sure did set the tongues wagging at the Fair Grounds and resulted in another overhauling of the old trunk wherein are kept a few choice relics of what, until recently, we honestly believed the Bible teaches.So, Rutherford just did an aside from a prepared manuscript lecture denouncing the Pyramid and that was it! No reasoned lecture, no preparation for the surprised conventioneers. You can imagine the shock! Can you imagine a Governing Body member today putting down his prepared speech and saying something like, "When Jesus said he was coming again, I hope you realize he meant he will come visibly, not invisibly," and then continue on with his speech giving no other explanation? Or, what if today's Governing Body member said off the cuff something like, "The laws against eating blood in the Bible have no application to blood transfusions," and then said nothing more?
But, this shows how much Rutherford had managed to take control of the Bible Student movement by 1928. Whatever, he said was so, was so.
As an aside, when I first got to Bethel in the 70s I was told a story by Ciro Aulicino who was the elder who was my table head in the Bethel dining room. It involved a Bethelite who was a keen supporter of the Great Pyramid symbolism who was overcome with shock when JFR "did away with the pyramids." This Bethelite was in stupor for several days and one day walking to the factory for work he carelessly walked in front of a car and was killed. Ciro didn't think it was suicide. This brother, apparently, was so shook up by the sudden change he just wasn't watching what he was doing.
Those interested in reading the Messenger PDF for 1928 can download it from this filesharing site:
http://www.filesend.net/download.php?f=96360cdbe5615621d6a3e7dcb404ad83
It's about 36 MB and about 40 pages of text. The pages are tabloid size, so all pages are split in half (top and bottom), so there's about 80 pages in the PDF. The file is also indexed and searchable.