J F Rutherford talks 1914-1917

When what became World War 1 started J F Rutherford was in Hamburg, Germany. This wasn’t a problem as America didn’t enter the war until April 1917. JFR traveled back home and was soon giving the talk “Destiny of Men and Nations.” Below is a cutting from the Washington Times for November 19, 1914.

He took this same talk to his former home area of Versailles. Below is an advertisement for the talk on December 2. The year is not given, but it was likely 1914, which would have been a Wednesday evening. No newspaper reports have surfaced to confirm the date, but it was most probably in 1914. This talk was advertised in various places up to the middle of 1915. It could just possibly have been on December 1915 (which would have been a Thursday evening) but by December 1916 he would have been in Brooklyn prior to being elected as president of the Watch Tower Society.

By December 1917 America was in the war, and the IBSA was in difficulties. JFR’s main talk had also changed subject – slightly.

 

The date for this talk can only be 1917 and America had now entered the war. Below is the location for this talk. It is the building with the tall brick surround in the center of the photograph.

With grateful thanks to Tom who supplied the last two images.