vienne

Joined

• started 95 topics
• posted 1,352 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by vienne

• 
  67

  Russell's aleged freemasonry on JWfacts.com

  by NikL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  paul has written an interesting piece on jwfacts.com .

  https://jwfacts.com/watchtower/blog/russell-not-a-freemason.php.

  anyway, it jogged my memory and reminded me of something i thought i would pass on to you.back in the late 80s i had the opportunity to chat with ray franz on the phone and i asked him about this very thing.he didn't say yes or no to russel's masonic connection but what he said was something like, "he is buried in the masonic section of the cemetery so draw your own conclusion.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  vienne

  Franz, if he said that, was inaccurate. Russell was demonstrably not a Mason and he is not buried in a masonic cemetery.
  
• 
  4

  Anyone have a scan of this ...

  by vienne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  about 1910 the brethren writer william d. forsyth self published a booklet entitled israel's greater faith contrasted with zion's watch tower.

  i need a copy to further current research.

  anyone?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  vienne

  Only copy we could find is in British Library. The cost of a photocopy or scan sent to USA is prohibitive.
  
• 
  4

  Anyone have a scan of this ...

  by vienne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  about 1910 the brethren writer william d. forsyth self published a booklet entitled israel's greater faith contrasted with zion's watch tower.

  i need a copy to further current research.

  anyone?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  vienne

  About 1910 the Brethren writer William D. Forsyth self published a booklet entitled Israel's Greater Faith Contrasted with Zion's Watch Tower. I need a copy to further current research. Anyone?
  
• 
  19

  Reaction of Governing Body Belies More than their Accusation

  by carefullyread in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  a disfellowshiped brother wrote a letter of disquisition to the governing body of wbts a little while ago.

  it was not in any way nasty, derogatory, rude, blasphemous, or with profanity but it was civil, truthful, & very informative that some have described as extremely truthful to enlightening, an ebullient disclosure.

  i got to see some paraphrases extracted from it that have been circulating quietly or rather secretly passed around & i agree with the latter description.. the governing body was greatly perturbed, alarmed, to confused with this letter particularly as they became aware several of the congregation were also sent copies which some of the local congregational elders raised controversial questions about but mainly was dismissed by them without reading, to scoffing & ridicule but some also saw something more truthful to concern them.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  vienne

  The initial post, aside from its very poor grammar, is not credible without the letter. The writer is either from West Africa where this convoluted style of writing is standard, or he is not a native English speaker. He picks ostentatious words where simple language will do. This is characteristic of W. African media.
  

  In the past few years I've interviewed a number of more or less prominent Bethelites including one who handles correspondence. They seldom answer letters of the sort reported here. They ignore them. I would like to know what made a letter such as this upset them? I suspect this is contrived.

  The governing body are 'true believers.' They seldom see letters addressed to them. They're filtered out by staff. Individual dissenters [much nicer word than apostate, no?] do not concern them. The collective does because dissenting voices on the Internet have a reach that the Xeroxed and mimeographed letters of the 1940-1980s never had.
• 
  18

  Maybe you can help with this?

  by vienne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as some of you know, i'm not a witness, but i am the co-author of a series of history book that discuss the watch tower's earliest years.

  russell mentions a 'brother' van der ahe as an early days wt evangelist.

  we can't identify him.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  vienne

  Blondie, Yes, we have contacts among Bible Student groups, some of them very knowledgeable. They were unable to help.
  
• 
  18

  Maybe you can help with this?

  by vienne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as some of you know, i'm not a witness, but i am the co-author of a series of history book that discuss the watch tower's earliest years.

  russell mentions a 'brother' van der ahe as an early days wt evangelist.

  we can't identify him.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  vienne

  Yup, that's our history blog.
  
• 
  18

  Maybe you can help with this?

  by vienne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as some of you know, i'm not a witness, but i am the co-author of a series of history book that discuss the watch tower's earliest years.

  russell mentions a 'brother' van der ahe as an early days wt evangelist.

  we can't identify him.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  vienne

  They're trying to be helpful, Nathan. Research is similar to picking at flaky pie crust before you stab it with your fork. I appreciate their help. And I appreciate your support.
  
• 
  18

  Maybe you can help with this?

  by vienne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as some of you know, i'm not a witness, but i am the co-author of a series of history book that discuss the watch tower's earliest years.

  russell mentions a 'brother' van der ahe as an early days wt evangelist.

  we can't identify him.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  vienne

  Thanks Snowb. J. B. Adamson is John Bartlet Adamson. 1837-1904. We have a fair biography of Adamson.
  
• 
  18

  Maybe you can help with this?

  by vienne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as some of you know, i'm not a witness, but i am the co-author of a series of history book that discuss the watch tower's earliest years.

  russell mentions a 'brother' van der ahe as an early days wt evangelist.

  we can't identify him.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  vienne

  No. W. E. Van Amburgh comes into the picture much later.
  
• 
  18

  Maybe you can help with this?

  by vienne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as some of you know, i'm not a witness, but i am the co-author of a series of history book that discuss the watch tower's earliest years.

  russell mentions a 'brother' van der ahe as an early days wt evangelist.

  we can't identify him.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  vienne

  As some of you know, I'm not a Witness, but I am the co-author of a series of history book that discuss the Watch Tower's earliest years. Russell mentions a 'brother' van der Ahe as an early days WT evangelist. We can't identify him. This is what we have:

  We don’t know who “Brother” van der Ahe was. Possible candidates are two Pittsburgh residents living and working near the Russell’s Fifth Avenue store. The Pittsburgh directories spell the name as Vandera. Thurston’s 1869 Directory lists William, a salesman, and Louis, a shoemaker. There is no firm identification of Van der Ahe. - From a chapter that will appear in Separate Identity volume 2.

  Some of you are adept researchers. Can you solve this problem?

  Rachael