Not directly related to our subject

But I agree with this professor's approach to nonsense ...

Another comment on Separate Identity vol. 2

From Andrew G.

Bruce:

 

The book is not too long. It is the stories that matter. Don’t condense it. My own congregation history project is 700 pages and growing, and that goes from the 1890s to present. There are a few who think it is too long, and they won’t read it. That’s OK. I am trying to reach those who really want to understand the entire story. As for Jerome’s comment on the blog that he is disappointed that you have not yet included any stories about the separations after 1916, I think that story will be more clear because of the groundwork you have laid.

 

The stories that you provided, and the depth to which you have written them, are, as you point out, crucial to understanding Russell and his associates, and the separate identity the Bible Students created. Including the letters not included in the Reprints is also a fantastic addition to the story. I have nothing but good things to say about the entire series. I will do all in my power to help others gain access to these books.

 

I think in the past I had told you how my first introduction to the Bible was reading the 1879 – 1916 Watchtowers in the early 1970s. I was raised Roman Catholic, and I didn’t know much about the Bible. The brother who initially called on me let me sit at the Kingdom Hall for hours alone after he dropped me off on his way to work. I admired Russell immediately, and even at that early date, I despaired of ever learning more about him. The Society’s meager attempts to write about him left me hopefully frustrated. I never dreamed of having the opportunity to read a comprehensive work like yours, much less having the privilege of helping you, even if only in a small way. It is a shame that the WatchTower Society itself has not attempted a project of this sort, especially since they possess many times the resources you have and many more of the original sources needed for such a project.

 

For me, what drew me to Russell’s writing was his ideas of the permission of wickedness. I knew about five old Bible Students in the 1970s who had actually met Russell and heard him speak, and they almost always said they were drawn to him because he freed them from the fear of hellfire. I was a paperboy in the 1960s and 1970s, and reading the news made me wonder why God permitted wickedness. It consumed my thoughts for many years. When one of the old Bible Students lent me his copy of Food for Thinking Christians, Russell’s explanation electrified me. I can actually remember the EXACT sentence which moved me. It finally made sense that it was possible for both a loving God and evil to both exist. It drove me to read as much of his writing as I could.

 

Particularly fascinating to me was must have gone through his mind when he received dozens of letters each day telling him that he was an instrument of God, and that the writer felt that receiving literature was providential. How he retained as much humility as he did is astonishing. Including lots of letters of that type makes it easier to understand how he could have felt that way. I think including those letters gives the reader important insight into both Russell and those who read his work.

 

One thing I especially like about the book is how you give Russell and others the chance to express themselves in their own words. The extended quotations make your conclusions more rock solid and believable. You are right when you repeatedly say that if you have someone’s own words, it is much easier to figure out what they believed, and to better understand their actions.

 

Forgive me, but just one more thing. Yes, when Russell met people in person, he no doubt impressed them, but I really believe that one of the reasons why readers considered him the Faithful and Wise servant was because of his writing. I think he is highly underrated as a writer. Since you often have pointed out that nothing that he taught was of his own discovery (even though the combination of teaching was unique), why did readers think him to be the Wise Servant rather than someone else? I believe it was because of the way he wrote. I knew about another 20 old Bible Students in the 1970s who, although never having met Russell, told me that his writings changed the course of their life and the way they thought about God. They insisted they became different on the inside when they read his works. I suppose you could argue that since Russell’s writing were distributed much more widely than those of others who taught similar things, that this is the reason many came to see him at the Wise Servant, rather than someone else.

Question

I can published volume 2 as a single book, or as a part A and Part B both as aprox. 300 page books. Total cost will be about the same. But you will be able to buy Part A and B separately.

Your preference is? Explain.

Some preliminary thoughts on Separate Identity volume 2

As someone who has been proof reading Separate Identity volume 2 for Bruce I have been invited to make some personal comments. At the time of writing I have not proof read the Afterward and the first chapter is still to be completed.

My first thought is that the book is long. That is not a criticism, but you can’t really judge it on the same terms as a commercial production. A commercial production is designed to make money, through appealing to the largest group of people who may buy it. A commercial editor would have reduced the size, and even in academic publishing I believe would have done so. It wouldn’t then be the same book but just another book in the WT history shelves. Your length and detail make it unique, even if that may discourage some potential buyers.

That is NOT a criticism, because your aim IS to cover all the details, and so the discovered details dictate the length. The only way to do it is by self-publishing, which you are doing, but here the formatting and layout (spacing, using the right size type, etc.) is very important. I have made the odd comment or two on this in proof reading, and generally this is very good, but if you don’t get this right in a self-published book it makes the whole look amateur. And that detracts from the contents. So I hope your team of proof readers spot any glitches like this, and that you don’t add material without checking after they have all finished.

You have covered yourself to a degree in the introductions by saying there is some overlap in material in chapters. And obviously with two authors writing over years and not writing in chronological order (the fact that you still have to complete the first chapter illustrates this) means you can’t help this happening a bit. But adding an occasional “who we met earlier” “as discussed in chapter x” etc. shows the book has been proof read as a whole and you are “aware” of its total contents. I think that is important to support the “professional” feel.

What do I specifically like and what not?

Let’s take the potential negative first.

Attacking the work of other authors in the same field is fair game – but personally I believe it is good to give a right of reply if the author is still active. I know from correspondence that we may not fully agree on this, and that is fair enough, but I know in my own case an “authority” saw my proposed article, disagreed, we discussed it, and while they requested not to be given a credit, they at least thanked me for being frank and fair. That was important to me. My own rule of thumb is to let people know what you are going to say about them. Just in case.

And then there are the expressed concerns about the Society not sharing archival material. As someone who knows how the Society has been burned in the past I can sympathise with their caution at times, but they seem to be more helpful now. I hope this will continue.

What have I specially liked?

I am always happy about flesh on the bones with detailed life stories, be they of the good, the bad, or the ugly. So I really enjoy the life stories, the background to individuals, be they friend or foe.

The other aspect I specially liked is that the narrative is not just America based. Obviously America features prominently – Allegheny, CTR and all that – but a lot of books seem to be so America-centric it’s as if the rest of the world outside their bubble doesn’t exist. So the foreign language field at home and then abroad is an important section of this volume, and fills a gap generally unfilled (until the recent European series started appearing).

My overall feel of the book?

Those for whom it is intended will read it, study it and enjoy it. But they are a limited audience. Rachael used to get upset about poor sales and lack of financial incentive to continue. You might cover your costs, but will never make real money from this project. But as I often say, if you want to make money – get a proper job. We want the right kind of readers and to share knowledge – and we want others to be quoting our work. (This happened to me with my other “professional” writings and it’s very gratifying, although earning some money as well did not go amiss). I am sure this will happen and has already been happening with your series of books.

Perhaps the final overall comment I can make is a feeling of disappointment – but it is not your fault. My very special interest has always been in the fragmenting – from a theological point of view all the things that happened to those who left association with CTR and the early Watch Tower Society. I particularly enjoy the lunatic fringe, like the Koreshan Unity – the tale of Cyrus Teed’s coffin getting washed out to sea makes me laugh out loud. And Albert Delmont Jones ending up buried under the freeway like a gangster has a sort of poetic justice about it. But alas, none of that is in this volume 2.

It is reserved no doubt for volume 3.

I hope you live long enough to write it.

I hope I live long to read it.

Another letter from the Rutherford era -click image to see entire.

Comments from Advance Readers

Some comments from advance readers of volume 2 have been heartening. That's always pleasing. One reader thinks the book is too detailed and too long. If you want a brief summary, this book is not for you. Reread the Proclaimers book. My book IS full of detail, stories untold, and Watch Tower history as you have never read it before.

One reader thinks I was unkind to Zoe Knox. I reject that thought. In fact I praised her last book. I find the complaints a bit discouraging, but better to have them in advance than after publication. I can address reasonable complaints now.

I will not, however, condense volume 2. The detail alters the story as usually told. It clarifies issues. As we explain in the introductory essays, the chapters are stand alone essays, and there is some overlap. It is, I think, impossible to avoid that, given the very narrow date range covered by this book.

While writing, I was continually surprised by the 'stories' we uncovered. I hope you are as pleased to read them as I was to write them.

Complaints and negative comments are welcome from the limited number of advance readers. Please make them within the limits I noted above.

Another out of our era of inerest, but interesting ... click image to see entire.

Seeking Understanding

Students of the Bible have poured their lives and thoughts into understanding the Bible's prophetic message for centuries.

More on the photo ... from Bernhard

For a more up-to-date captioned photograph see more recent post on February 10, 2020

You may need to click the image to see it entire.

Bible Students on the Mount of Olives

In response to the previous post, here are the two photographs of the Bible Students on the Mount of Olives, taken in 1910.

The first comes from the September 1,1910 Watch Tower.

The second is a photograph which was reproduced in the 1910 convention report, facing page 45. There are several slight differences, the most obvious one being the missing hat in the back row.

The names of the party were given in the article in the convention report. Here are the opening two paragraphs.

Most of these are not well-known so difficult to identify. Obviously there's C T Russell with J F Rutherford in front of him. Just behind Rutherford is Andrew Pierson. The only child in the group is "Brother and Sister Ward and son" and one assumes that is Sister Ward next to the boy. Mary Rutherford is not in the group because she had left the party when they reached Paris.

One famous face that seems to be missing is Dr Leslie Jones, who produced the convention reports. Perhaps he took the photographs?

(With grateful thanks to Brian K who pointed me in the right direction for all the above information)

A Question from a Blog Reader. Can you help?

There are two photos of the bible students in front of Jerusalem one from the watchtower Sept 1, 1910, and one more. The difference is the brother at the back has his hat on in one and  not in the other. Is there any where I can find out who is in the photos, i.e. the sisters and of course the man in the hat? Many have said the child is Rutherford's son

Thank you for your time  agape R. L. 

Outside our current era, but still interesting

An interesting exchange from 1914

Sent in by a blog reader who noted the address in the last letter.

Now important

We've asked before for anti-Russell booklets published in his lifetime. We have some, we need more. There are many in the UK but we have no access. We have two published in Germany. If there are more we do not know the titles. Most German anti-Watchtower booklets are from the 1920s, and while I would love to have scans, they are not immediately important.

Eventually, assuming I live that long, I'll write a chapter about clergy opposition. It will appear in On the Cusp of Fame, which exists only as a brief outline. But one can hope and plan.

If you have anything like this, please contact me giving the title and author.

There is a 'sameness about these, and they're almost always ineffectual, but they are part of the story.

A special pioneer, once part of the writing staff, who read bunches of this material was bored silly by it. I tend to agree with that assessment. But I do need to see it to give this planned chapter enough detail to be worth reading. Anyone?

Another Winkler Letter to Translate

If you would, please. I cannot read this handwriting. You may have to click on image to see entire.

biographies

I need a good biography for G. Leferry aka Le Ferry, once a Baptist clergyman, but a convention speaker in the early 1900s. I don't have any details.

I need a good biography for S. A. Ellis of Birmingham, Alabama. He lived there about 1913. Again, I have no details.

Update: Stephen Allgood Ellis was born 27 Nov. 1849, in Alabama. He died in 1936. He was a professor, later teacher. The census records are not readable when they list his employer. I need the name of the college where he taught.

Anyone?

Rose Ball Hymn

http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/h/a/r/k/harkvang.htm

For another project

I can't read this handwriting, and I can't translate this. Can you?

Von Zech again

His Die Ernte-Sichel: "Was der Mensch säet, das wird er ernten" is in the University of Basil library. I do not have access from the United States. Any of our blog readers who live relatively close? Please make a photocopy or scan and forward it to me. Since this was published in Philadelphia instead of Allegheny, I presume it is dated to after he left The Watch Tower.

Rutherford Letter - Click on image to see entire.

Outside of the era we're now considering, but interesting.

Von Zech

Von Zech published the German language version of Zion’s Watch Tower until about 1891, replacing it with Die Ernte-Sichel: Monatliche Zeitschrift zur Verbreitung der Erkenntnis und zur Förderung der Interessen wahren Christentums. (The Harvest Sickle: A Monthly Magazine for the Diffusion of the Knowledge and Promotion of the Interest of Pure Christianity.)

I need scans or clear photocopies of Die Ernte-Sichel published between 1891 and 1895. Can you help?

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