I need a list of all Watch Tower References (1879-1925) to the Brethren Churches. This includes Dunkards.
Please. Anyone?
ALSO
Many Brethren booklets refuting Russellism were published in Britain. I need a bibliographic list.
THE STORY IS IN THE DETAILS - Notice: I've withdrawn my books from Amazon. They are now only available at Lulu.com
Please visit our newest posts. We'd love to see your feedback. Copyright Secured. Contact blog owner for permission to use anything you find here.
Search This Blog
Falcon's Crown: Kidnapped [e-book edition]
![Falcon's Crown: Kidnapped [e-book edition]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkBe00FOeBBmYbVCCTcdazS0iVnLd1WDFAqgsN2RZ54_2mWSQGowpbpnwmDREb-FVVk6AGpaGBEGezxxmeNm1qq65js_RZsBYwu6E6-3ucp3_YQyONvEK3NuIInA3Ru_cqrfm_JizezcrwPiewPQwunSXPJG1OI38N9mQwxOeGd4SvcPUf-DtO7FLMVcg=s238)
Buy it at Lulu.com
Falcon's Crown: Kidnapped [Print Edition'
Buy it at Lulu.ccm
Separate Identity Vol. 2
Buy at lulu.com
The video
Buy on lulu.com
Click on the picture
Buy on lulu.com
Click on the picture
12 comments:
This list may not be exhaustive, but:
4/1885 ZWT, reader letter from Bristol, England states: "I joined the "Brethren," of which I am still a member, but I do not think it likely to continue long, because when they know I deny the doctrine of the Trinity, as well as eternal torment, I think my connection must cease of necessity."
The same man wrote a follow-up letter in the 11/1885 ZWT, and he had attempted to resign from the Brethren but had instead been excommunicated.
5/1/1897 ZWT quotes from "Rev. J. P. Landis, D.D., president of the Young People's Christian Union, United Brethren" in an article about a planned Protestant federation of churches.
2/15/1900 WT quotes Rev. William J. Houck, Carlisle, Pa., pastor of Grace United Brethren Church as saying: "I believe that the Biblical millennium is at hand."
7/15/1904 WT references the United Brethren as considering a federation with other denominations. The 1/15/1905 WT reports on similar developments, as does the 2/15/1906, 2/15/1920, and 9/1/1920 WT.
At the beginning of "A Great Battle in the Ecclesiastical Heavens", Rutherford states: "Certain leading clergymen, representing numerous church denominations, such as Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Christian, Lutheran, United Brethren, and certain Catholic bishops, priests and prelates, have united in their cause of action against ONE MAN." Later in the same booklet, it says: "For nearly three hundred years after Martin Luther’s day there was a gradual development of Protestant denominational churches. Trouble would start in one denomination; a division would result; some would withdraw, and the seceders would organize a new denomination. Each seceding class became known by some sectarian name, such as "Baptists," "Methodists," "Campbellites,’ "Congregationalists," "United Brethren,” "River Brethren," "Christ-adelphians," etc."
"The Finished Mystery", commenting on Revelation 9:13, says: "The Evangelical-Alliance-Spiritism movement began in 1848 culminating in the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. The following great denominations which comprise 90% of the Protestant Church membership are represented in this council: ..., United Brethren in Christ."
Commenting on Revelation 14:18, it says: "In the Adventist cluster there are 6 bunches of smaller sects; in the Baptist 15; Brethren (Dunkard) 4; Plymouth Brethren 4; River Brethren 3; Catholic Apostolic 2; Churches of the Living God 3; Churches of the New Jerusalem 2; Disciples of Christ 2; Evangelical Bodies 2; Faith Associations 9; Friends 4; Latter-Day Saints 2; Lutheran 21; Scandinavian Evangelical Bodies 3; Mennonite 13; Methodist 16; Moravian 2; Pentecostal bodies 2; Presbyterian 12; Protestant Episcopal 2; Reformed 4; United Brethren 2."
Commenting on Ezekiel 8:15,16: "They typified the believers and spirit‐begotten ones of the Christian Church They were divided into about twenty‐five courses or sections and served in rotation. These typed the divisions of Christians into about twenty‐five principal denominations. In the United States these are Adventists, Baptists, Brethren (Dunkards), Catholics (Greek), Christian, Churches of Christ Scientist, Churches of God, Congregationalists, Disciples of Christ, Evangelical, Friends, German Evangelical Protestant, German Evangelical Synod, Latter Day Saints, Lutherans, Scandinavian Evangelical, Mennonites, Moravians, Methodists, Pentecostals, Presbyterians, Protestant Episcopals, Reformed, Salvation Army, and United Brethren. With their backs toward the Temple of the Lord (Jer. 2:27), these treat with contempt and scorn the little company of Godʹs true saints, rich in faith, ʺthe Temple.ʺ"
The 7/7/1920 Golden Age mentions Dunkards as a pacifist group during WWI.
"United Brethren" is a term that has been applied to a wide variety of religious groups, particuarly the Church of the United Brethren, organized in 1800 by Martin Boehm and Philip Otterbein. With mixed Arminian and Pietist influences, they were essentially German Methodists, and the vast majority were gradually absorbed into the United Methodist Church over time, via the Evangelical United Brethren Church.
The Church of the Brethren has a similar, but earlier origin.
Various other denominations, such as Grace Brethren, Plymouth Brethren, and River Brethren (the previous Eisenhower family religion), branched off from one or the other of the two original movements. Milton Wright (Wilbur and Orville's father), was a bishop of the Church of the United Brethren.
To further complicate things, the original name of the Moravian Church, "Unitas Fratrum", "Unity of the Brethren", a complication of which leaders in the other two movements were not unaware.
My great-grandfather's family, in northeastern Missouri, were United Brethren, which my grandmother described as "German Methodists", until about 1900, when my great-great-grandfather became interested in C. T. Russell's writings, after which interest in the Bible Students filtered down through most of the family, until the first members were baptized as Jehovah's Witnesses in 1935.
I'm sharing this information simply to demonstrate that the terms "Brethren" and "United Brethren" could describe members of several very different denominations. From my extended family's experience, I suspect that those who leaned more Arminian-Methodist, and less Mennonite-Pietist, were more likely to accept Russell's teachings.
Dear Latecomer,
Thank you for your comment. The introduction of Watch Tower faith to German Brethren of various sorts is part of the story volume 3 tells. Some of my research is derived from a few pages Wittlinger's Quest for Piety and Obedience. Would you please write up your great grandfather's story and email it to me at bwschulz2 [at] yahoo [dot] com? Also, do you have a photo of your great grandfather I can use?
I broadly agree with ‘latecomer’. Brethren is too generic a term and can refer to groups from diverse and sometimes unconnected backgrounds. The Plymouth Brethren, for instance, derive from John Nelson Derby’s origins in Ireland and so are not connected with the American Dunkards (Church of the Brethren) which I believe had Anabaptist German origins.
While I appreciate the comments, especially Latecomer and Noah's, we're drifting off topic. I asked for references to Brethren churches without specifying which. You can presume that I know there are varieties of belief systems calling themselves Brethren. I MEANT the search to be generic.
Research works best proceeding from the general to the specific. Within Watch Tower articles and letters we find references to varieties of Brethren belief. I need all of the references. IF I had needed something more specific, I would have asked for it.
So, can we find more references than found by Noah?
To complete Noah's list :
ZWT June, 1884, “Our Lord’s Presence”, page 7 [Reprints page 629] :
The theory that Jesus would divide the second advent into two parts, first to gather his saints and afterward to with them judge the world in righteousness, is a misleading theory which has gained some prominence of late years, being advanced by some people called PLYMOUTH BRETHREN. […]
ZWT November, 1889, “Extracts from interesting letters”, page 8 [Not in Reprints] :
[…] Becoming acquainted with the Pastor of the United Brethren Church, I was asked to preach for them. Accepting the invitation, I did so in the evening (Sunday), to a very attentive audience, the announcement having been given out at morning service. This was my first sermon from an orthodox pulpit. […]
H. H. HYATT.
ZWT August, 1890, “Extracts from interesting letters”, page 7-8 [Reprints page 1237] :
[…] I turned my attention to the Plymouth Brethren--read their literature, but they are the worst "hide-bound" of any, though they do have some truth and are zealous for the atonement. […]
J. H. GILRUTH.
ZWT January, 1891, “The kind of punishment”, page 28-9 [Reprints page 1287] :
The following is a copy of a letter recently sent by one of the Brethren to a minister, holding so-called "Plymouth Brethren" views, to whom he had already loaned Vols. I. and II. of MILLENNIAL DAWN.
DEAR BROTHER: […]
You state that you have examined Volume I. of MILLENNIAL DAWN very carefully, and yet you say that "one fundamental error which runs through the whole system of interpretation of the Scriptures in this volume is the denial of eternal punishment." […]
W. E. PAGE.
ZWT January, 1891, “Extracts from interesting letters”, page 31 [Not in Reprints] :
The "Plymouth Brethren" held a meeting last night at which the small audience was advised to burn DAWN, and to give a wide berth to those who are circulating it.
Yours in Christ, S. D. ROGERS.
ZWT November 15, 1896, “Splitting Things Fine”, page 275 [Reprints page 2065] :
The United States Census Bulletin shows how sectarianism runs to seed in America. In the United States there are about a hundred and forty different religious denominations. […]
There are four bodies calling themselves 'Brethren,' which are noted as I, II, III, IV. […]
There are […] a number of kinds of Baptists, among which are mentioned, […] the 'River Brethren, […]
ZWT December 15, 1897, “Report for Fiscal Year Ending Dec. 1, 1897”, page 308 [Reprints page 2233] :
We see also among various earnest "come-outers" and amongst […] Plymouth Brethren and Adventists good fields for active service with tracts, TOWERS and DAWNS […]
ZWT April 15, 1899, “The Memorial widely celebrated”, page 96 [Not in Reprints] :
MY DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--I write you a few lines to acquaint you with the memorial services. […]
We had a lesson on Baptism at Dover Hall, our present place of meeting, at 2:30; at 5 we adjourned to the Brethren Church building, where three brethren and one sister symbolized their burial into Christ's death; then we returned to our hall, and after two hours of social intercourse we partook of the Lord's supper. […]
SMITH WALKER,--Philadelphia.
(To be followed)
Stéphane
Some more references :
ZWT February 15, 1901, “The Lord’s Supper”, page 73 [Reprints page 2771] :
Our so-called "Disciple" and "Plymouth Brethren" friends and others who have adopted the custom of celebrating our Lord's death every Lord's Day--on the first day of the week--seem to us to have fallen
into a serious blunder. […]
ZWT March 15, 1901, “ ‘They that Reverenced the Lord Spake Often Together’ ”, page 111 [Reprints page 2789] :
Brother Faunce wrote you of the experience we had at the United Brethren church here, a week ago
last Sunday. Well, as a sequel, last Sunday evening the pastor undertook to show the unscripturalness of MILLENNIAL DAWN, and by invitation several of the friends, including myself, were present to hear what this very blind shepherd had to say. Needless to say he had a very thin argument, and succeeded in making himself ridiculous. His ignorance of God's word was simply amazing, and must have been apparent to every thinking person present. On the whole, I think he (unwittingly) helped the truth rather than hindered it, for he read some excellent extracts from the DAWN. […]
ERNEST D. SEXTON,--Pennsylvania.
ZWT February 1, 1903, “Letters of interest”, page 46 [Reprints page 3146] :
After searching and comparing Scripture with Scripture, I became fully convinced of the truth of the Second Death; […] I confessed this to the elders of the assembly with which I was in fellowship, and to other friends and evangelists. They expressed their deep sorrow, and some denounced me as a heretic, saying they "believed all would accept this doctrine of the devil ere the Man of Sin would be revealed."
The elders (known as "Open Brethren") assembled to examine me, and decided that I should be excommunicated--delivered over to Satan! 1 Cor. 5:4,5; 2 John 7-11, were the Scriptures read to exclude me from their fellowship. Some were in tears, but were obliged to submit to the authority of the Brethren, which is equal to the authority of the Church of Rome. […]
(MISS) M. A. McBRIDE,--Ireland.
ZWT January 15, 1907, “Some interesting letters”, page 29, 30 [Reprints page 3930] :
DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--
There are three churches quite close to us, Free Methodists, United Brethren, and Methodist Episcopal. We were not here very long before they found out that Bro. Wagner knew something about the Bible, and the Free Methodists came and asked him to come to Sunday School and teach their Bible class. […] A short time after he started teaching there the United Brethren asked him to take their Bible Class also, because they heard he was so "wonderful" on the Bible, and as their school was in the afternoon and the other in the morning he could do it. He accepted on the same terms as with the Free Methodists. […]
The membership of either of these churches does not exceed twenty, so you see there is a good percentage interested in the Truth. […]
Your sister in his name, S. M. W.,--Pa.
ZWT April 1,1907, “Encouraging Words from Faithful Workers”, page 111 [Reprints page 3974] :
My husband and I came out from the Brethren and they think us among those false prophets who are to arise. Little do they realize of the deep, deep joy to be had in knowing our dear Lord and to be led by his loving hand. […]
G. & M. HINE,--Eng.
(To be followed)
Stéphane
A few more :
ZWT January 1, 1908, “Two Debates arranged for”, page 8 [Reprints page 4115] :
THE Editor of ZION'S WATCH TOWER is not anxious for debate […] However, as Dr. Eaton's challenge came unsolicited, so also, now, we have two more--both of which we have accepted in the name of the Lord and depending on his sustaining grace--as follows:--
DEBATE WITH REV. WM. DILLON, D.D.
VERY PROMINENT AMONGST THE "UNITED BRETHREN,"
AT ELKHART, INDIANA, JANUARY 17 AND 18
FOUR TOPICS, TWO HOURS EACH, AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS […]
WT September 1, 1910, “The Chautauqua Lake Convention”, page 277 [Reprints page 4672] :
The man of the house met the visitors at the door, and, in a challenging manner, said, "We are United Brethren," intimating that he did not want any conversation on religious subjects […]
WT May 15, 1911, “The Good Tidings Abroad-Nº 3”, page 148 [Reprints page 4816] :
Our first appointment was Cardiff, Wales. […] The hall was crowded beyond its capacity, two thousand, and hundreds failed to gain entrance. Many ministers were present. The so-called "Plymouth Brethren" helped to advertise the meeting by getting out a little leaflet which set forth ten points in which it was claimed that quotations from "The Plan of the Ages" contradicted the Bible. We set the audience at rest by promising to read and to answer those questions (which most of them had in their hands) at the close of the address. […]
WT January 15, 1913, “Interesting Letters”, page 31 [Reprints page 5171] :
MR. EDITOR:--
Enclosed herewith please find clipping from the Gospel Messenger, December 14, 1912 issue, containing an article entitled "Hell and Damnation," by B. E. Kesler, River Bend, Colo. This paper is a Dunkard paper, or more properly is the mouthpiece of "The Church of the Brethren."
You will note that Mr. Kesler makes the charge that Pastor Russell makes all kinds of fanciful translations of the Scriptures in order to sustain what he designates your "theories." It is another case of "throwing dust" into the
eyes of the people. I don't understand how any one can write such an article without knowing that he ismisrepresenting the facts, […]
M. L. WOLF
WT July 15, 1913, “Some interesting letters”, page 222 [Reprints page 5282] reproduces the letter of a certain “WM. H. BATTERSON.--Neb.” in which he expresses his “gratitude for the help the Lord has given me through the SCRIPTURE STUDIES, to you His servant” after having left the “United Brethren” and a series of other denominations.
WT September 15, 1914, “Interesting letters”, page 286 [Reprints page 5543] :
I received a letter from a brother in Grenada, stating that some prominent Plymouth Brethren were circulating Rev. Ross' pamphlet. Of course, they will not circulate so very many, as the pamphlet costs 10 cents, and very few of the Plymouth Brethren or other denominations are willing to pay that much to defend their errors. […]
E. J. COWARD.
I have yet to check the years from 1916 onward.
Stéphane
Here are still a few additional references that I found in the WTs from 1917 to 1925 :
WT March 1, 1917, “Letters of Deep Interest – ‘In Non-combatant Camp’ ”, page 76-77 [Reprints page 6053) :
The fellowship in general is excellent in many respects; and we have many a talk and helpful discussion, which you can imagine are often very interesting. The greater part of this Company is made up of Plymouth Brethren; the reminder is composed of many other denominations, and includes some atheists. […]
H. M. IRWIN.--Now in France.
WT April 15, 1917, “Views from the Watch Tower – BIind to Master’s Principles”, page 116-117 [Reprints page 6071] :
The Rev. Dr. Newell Dwight Hillis, Pastor of Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, in an address before the Union Branch of the Y. M. C. A. in the Bronx. N. Y. City, on March 25, according to the public press, said: "I am willing to forgive the Germans for their atrocities just as soon as they are all shot. If you would give me happiness, just give me the sight of the Kaiser, Von Hindenb[u]rg and Von Tirpitz hanging by a rope. If we forgive Germany after the war, I shall think the whole universe has gone wrong."
WT April 1, 1919, “Views from the Watch Tower – Rolling Together as a Scroll”, page 9-100 [Reprints page 6410] :
Bishop Weller, a member of the commission to the pope, […] said: “Our duty is simply to see that the general conference comes together and that the basis for action is established. Already in this country [–] the Moravian Brethren, […] and other Protestant sects, the Old Catholics of Europe and the Non-conformists throughout Great Britain are definitely committed to the world conference plan [in behalf of a proposed “League of Churches.”] […].”
WT May 15, 1921, “Letters from afield – From Hellenic Fields”, page 156 :
The Greek Orthodox and the Roman Catholic ecclesiastics (especially the former) and even the Plymouth Brethren Protestants here have so tremendously biased the people against the booklets that I have scarcely been able to sell more than two or three; […]
JOHN K. BOSDOYANNES, Crete.
WT September 15, 1921, “Christians in Convention”, page 278 :
Portland, Oregon, was the next place of convention, where the friends assembled from August 25 to 28. […] Several of our "Standfast" brethren attended and signified their purpose to meeting hereafter with the regular class of Bible Students. […]
WT April 1, 1923, “Interesting Letters – Ex-minister Now Sees the Light”, page 111 :
[…] we talked over the work among tile Czechoslovakian people here in Cleveland. […] It is very bad that, although the Bohemians had such great reformers as John Huss, Jerome of Prague, […] they are now Roman Catholic or free-thinkers. […] in 1620-1627 […] the Bohemian brethren were scattered all over the world. They were once strong in spirit and in faith, but today we bear just the name—Moravian Brethren Church. […]
Chas. E. SCHNEIDER, Ohio.
Stéphane
And finally to conclude my list a last reference to the Dunkards :
ZWT April 15, 1905, “Washing One Another’s Feet. John 13:1-14.--April 30.”, page 120 [Reprints page 3543] :
From this standpoint it will be seen that we do not understand that our Master here enjoined a form or ceremony as our Dunkard friends and others believe.
Stéphane
PS : To obtain more references I tried using the AI I am familiar with (Euria) but I didn’t get any apart from an interesting answer :
Question:
I need a list to all Watch Tower References (1879-1925) to the Brethren Churches including Dunkards
https://archive.org/details/WatchTowerAndHeraldOfChristsPresence1879-1916
Euria’s answer:
The search results provide general historical context about the Brethren and Dunkards but do not contain a specific, pre-compiled list of every reference made in the *Watch Tower* publications between 1879 and 1925. Creating such a comprehensive index requires a page-by-page analysis of the archives you linked, which is beyond the capacity of a real-time web search to extract directly.
However, historical research on this topic indicates that Charles Taze Russell and the early *Watch Tower* writers frequently referenced the **Dunkards** (Church of the Brethren) and various **Brethren** groups (including Plymouth Brethren) primarily for two reasons:
1. **Immersion Practice:** The Dunkards were often cited as a positive example of a group that maintained biblical immersion (baptism by trine immersion) when most of Christendom practiced sprinkling.
2. **Non-Creedal Stance:** Early *Watch Tower* articles appreciated the Brethren's lack of a formal human creed, aligning with Russell's "Bible Students" movement philosophy of "no creed but Christ."
To obtain the specific list you need, you would likely need to:
* Use the search function within the Internet Archive's *Watch Tower* collection (if available) for keywords like "Dunkard," "German Baptist Brethren," "Plymouth Brethren," and "Brethren Church," "Dunker," and "Tunker."
* Consult specialized bibliographies such as those found in *The Watch Tower History* blog (linked in the search results) or academic works on the history of Jehovah's Witnesses and their interaction with other restorationist movements.
The provided search sources confirm the existence of historical studies on the Brethren but do not list the specific *Watch Tower* citations you requested.
And that’s how these #*?% AI systems leave us with the most thankless tasks…
Stéphane
I enjoyed this comment from Stephane’s AI friend:
“Consult specialized bibliographies such as those found in *The Watch Tower History* blog” 🤣
Post a Comment