A flurry of comments on the article published on January 18 has yielded a little more information on the variants in The Finished Mystery page 247. Rather than do a new post the material has now been added as an addenda to the original article. Those interested in this material should go back and re-check the January 18 post.
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
Foreign Language Material
I do not have the money to purchase any of it, and none of it is immediately needed for my research, though I'd love to have it. Currently on ebay are issues of the German Golden Age and Trust, the Swiss Watchtower. Also some booklets from the 1920s.
Links are disabled here. If you're interested for yourself, email me, and I'll send you off to ebay.
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
The Finished Mystery and "Out of the Mouth of the Dragon."
Comments on this post are closed.
The most controversial book ever published by the Bible Students was The Finished Mystery, a verse by verse commentary on Revelation and Ezekiel published in 1917. As well as some internal issues, it resulted in key Watch Tower headquarters staff being arrested in 1918, and sentenced to long terms of imprisonment under the Espionage Act of June 15, 1917. It should be noted at the outset, as most readers will already know, those imprisoned were released in 1919 and all charges against them were ultimately dropped.
But it was a testing time, and in dealing with the
problems faced on a day by day basis, various editions of The Finished Mystery were produced. This article is going to look
at one paragraph in several of them. For the record, in this article the
initials JFR refer to the Society’s President, Joseph F Rutherford, and page
numbers in brackets refer to specific pages in the trial transcript United States of America vs Joseph F
Rutherford and others (1918).
For a fuller description of how the book came to be
produced as a proposed seventh volume of the Studies in the Scriptures series,
see the following article on Gertrude Seibert.
https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/2015/08/gertrude-antonette-woodcock-seibert-and.html
The paragraph that caused the controversy was a
discussion of Revelation 16:13.
This defined patriotism as murder, “a narrow-minded
hatred of other peoples” and “the spirit of the very Devil.”
The United States joined the World War on April 6,
1917, and was appealing to patriotism to recruit its army. Various religious
figures supported this and came in for unsparing criticism in The Finished Mystery.
When the government objected to the book, especially
pages 247-253 which included the offending paragraph, several steps were taken
to calm down the situation. The printers were instructed to stop production
(see JFR’s telegram on page 1309) and Bible Students were asked to physically
cut out the offending pages from copies offer to the public (see Kingdom News
no. 2).
Above is a copy with pages 247-254 excised. Written
in pencil along the remaining stub of the pages is “to comply with government
requirement.”
However, this did not make the problem go away, and
in May 1918 eight members of the headquarters staff were arrested and charged
with violating the 1917 Espionage Act. Repeatedly throughout the ensuing trial,
these words condemning patriotism were quoted by the prosecution.
Nonetheless, not all Bible Students appeared to be
in full agreement with the sentiments as expressed. From the trial transcript
(page 552) cross examination of George Fisher by Counsel Isaac Oeland:
Q. Did this language meet with your approval that
Satan deals with a certain delusion which is best described by the word,
patriotism, but which is in reality murder, the spirit of the very devil; did
that meet with your full approval?
A. No, sir.
Q. You knew Mr Woodworth had written that?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You knew it was to be published and circulated in
a book that you had helped to produce?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And that you did not agree with it?
A. I did not agree with that because my conception
of patriotism does not agree with that.
Fisher was still sent down with the other
defendants, but would later leave fellowship with defendants Woodworth and Rutherford
before his death in 1926.
The 1917 edition of the book with its excised pages was
not the end of the matter, because in early 1918 a new version was proposed
called the ZG. This was planned as a magazine edition of the book, as other
volumes had been before. ZA for example was volume one, The Divine Plan of the Ages. G was the 7th letter of the
alphabet so the 7th volume. This is highly collectable today and
throws up some interesting questions.
It was dated March 1, 1918, but never released then.
When instructions were given to remove pages from the 1917 book edition, Bible
Students were also instructed not to circulate this magazine copy, and an
alternative March 1, 1918, issue of The
Watch Tower was published in its place. The September 15, 1918, Watch Tower reminded Bible Students not
to circulate the ZG and referred back to an earlier notification given in the
March.
The Jehovah’s
Witnesses in the Divine Purpose book on page 90 says that ZG had been
printed before the war. For America that would have to be before April 6, 1917.
If correct, that would make ZG the first edition, because the trial transcript reveals
that the hardback edition was first printed in July 1917. It had mainly been
written before the war started (JFR’s testimony on page 974) – that was a key
point of the Society’s defense – apart from a few additions including a poem
written by Gertrude Seibert (GWS) at the end of the Song of Solomon section and
dated June 27, 1917. However, the contract with the Conkey Company for the
first edition was only finalised at the end of June 1917 (page 1172) and then
very quickly indeed the book was printed in the first half of July to be
released at the Bethel on July 17. This was after America entered the war.
However, while the bulk of it was certainly written
before the war, the actual printing of ZG may have come later. As an indication,
we have the printed date of March 1, 1918 on it. How much before intended
publication was that decision taken? Also, on the actual Watch Tower cover of extant
copies there was a message to send copies to soliders and sailors serving at
the front once readers had finished with them. For this to make sense there would
have to be Americans actually serving at the front at the time.
In reality it is a moot point, because as noted
earlier the publication was pulled and the general issue of ZG did not see the
light of day until 1920. (See The Watch
Tower for July 1, 1920, page 199). At that time some copies had the
original Watch Tower cover with the
above message removed and a green title cover added in its place. (See Letter
of Instruction to Directors in Bulletin
for May 1, 1921). It should be noted that there was no mention of the ZG in the
trial, which focussed on the first edition, and continually kept quoting from
that specific passage condemning patriotism. The trial had a lengthy
examination and cross-examination of the manager of the Conkey Company who
printed the hardback edition. However, the paperback magazine edition was probably
printed by another company. Had ZG been in circulation it would have likely
been used by the defense, because the offending passage about patriotism had
not just been torn out, the text had been altered.
The change is interesting, and would fit a
publication that might reach American soldiers. Instead of an attack on
“patriotism” the ZG version substituted “Germany autocracy” and condemned
German “human butchery.”
Other changes in this special edition were the
removal of the verse by verse consideration of Song of Solomon along with Gertrude
Seibert’s poem and the addition of a chapter taking readers verse by verse
through the world powers of Daniel 7.
Having taken the original offending pages out of the
hardback version, later printings of the book in 1918 then replaced the
offending pages with a revised text.
What had started as “patriotism” and changed into
“German autocracy” then changed again. Now in 1918 the text read “race-hatred”
– which of course could apply equally to all sides.
After the war the “Brooklyn eight” were released
from prison and shortly thereafter all charges were dropped. Now the original
text of the book was restored. Examining the 1924 boxed deluxe edition and also
one of the final printings in 1927 (the 2,004,000 edition) it is noted that the
criticism of patriotism had been restored in full.
The book went out of print towards the end of the 1920s. A new explanation of Revelation and Ezekiel was to be given in Light (two books on Revelation in 1930) and Vindication (three books on Ezekiel in 1931-1932).
Addenda
from Gary
As regards the FM, at the time of
their altercation with the civil authorities in 1918 they stated that the FM
was “written prior to the time that the United States entered the war”, meaning
before April 6, 1917. (See WT March 1, 1918, article headed ‘Religious
Intolerance’.)
This statement was largely
correct since most was written prior to this time. However, when Fred H.
Robison was sent to visit Secretary of War Newton Baker on March 5, 1918, to
see how their sudden objection to the publication could be resolved, he was
intercepted en route by MID (military) agents who interrogated him instead and
so he never got to see Baker. These quizzed him on the FM and he repeated that
it had been completed prior to April 6, 1917. However, Robison was forced to
back down when it was pointed out to him that it could not all have been
completed prior to this time since the book included reference to seven billion
dollars appropriated by Congress for the war; so, Robison acknowledged he must
have been mistaken.
Indeed, Gertrude Seibert’s poem
“written expressly for The Finished Mystery” was dated June 25, 1917, so it is
evident that while, no doubt, most of the book was written prior to America’s
entry into the war, some was added after. Other references could be found, but
I think these two are sufficient to establish the point.
Robison never got to reach Newton Baker
but took advice from those he met that “there was no disposition on the part of
the Government (to) interfere with our work in general and that if pages
246-253, inclusive, were removed, there would be no known objection to the
volume.” As a consequence, I believe it reasonable to conclude it was just
shortly afterward that the the special ZG Watch Tower
edition was printed. As you have noted it adjusts the ‘offensive’
reference to patriotism and excludes the relevant passages from pages 247-253
which were largely quotes from two pacifist ministers. This strongly suggests
its writing, printing and distribution to IBSA colporteurs and classes occurred
sometime after Robison’s Washington episode on March 5, 1918, but prior to the
Department of Justice banning distribution of the FM, in any form, as a violation
of the Espionage Act on March 14, 1918, whereupon the IBSA immediately
instructed colporteurs and class Secretaries to desist from selling the FM
books and hold on to copies of the special ZG Watch Tower edition.
Thereafter, a belated normal edition of the Watch Tower dated March 1, 1918, was swiftly completed and sent out instead, but the fact that this was completed after the publication date is itself apparent since it makes reference to Brothers Woodward and Herr being arrested on March 4, Robison’s visit to Washington (which I know to have been March 5) and the banning of the FM on March 14.
Addenda – another version
Thanks to correspondent
Benek, another variant can be added to the paragraphs on page 247 that originally
condemned patriotism.
The original wording
caused the attack by the government and copies of The Finished Mystery in
circulation had the offending pages removed. However, to replace them a few
pages were produced which could fill the gap. Below is an example. The heading
plainly shows the purpose, and the text gives us our variant on “patriotism” as
“hatred.”
When replacement pages
were actually bound into the book at source, at some point in 1918 the wording
changed subtly to “race hatred” as covered in the above article. That this
became the favored text is shown by The Watch
Tower for June 1, 1920, which gives a whole five pages of suggested
alterations which readers could make in their copies if they chose.
The notice does not
reveal what wording was being replaced, whether “hatred” or the original “patriotism.”
It is unlikely to have been the ZG version of “German autocracy” which seems to
have stayed in the magazine version only without any reference to a page 247.
As noted in the original article above, in the 1920s the text reverted to the original “patriotism.”
Friday, January 7, 2022
John Aquila Brown
Bruce,
This is an excellent find. There were two articles in the PDF from Google. Here is the text from them.
Jeff
DEATH.
On Wednesday, January 20th, at his house, Bouverie-street, Fleet-street,
London, Mr. John Aquila Brown, for some time past the active and zealous
secretary of the Philo Judean Society, in the 56th year of his age. He was for
several years connected with the church and Sunday school at Jewin-street; also
secretary to the North London Auxiliary Sunday School Union, and a very useful
member of the committee of the Sunday School Union.
Mr. Brown having been much exposed to the inclemency of the weather during the
fire which happened near his house, took a severe cold. No alarming symptoms
were at first manifested, but when, at length, he appeared in some danger, a
physician was sent for; before he arrived, however, the hand of the fell
destroyer, death, had snatched Mr. B. from this earthly scene, and his spirit
had Winged its way to a heavenly abode. From the resting-place of his ashes
will be heard the admonition – “ Be not slothful, but followers of them who
through faith and patience inherit the promises.” –The Sunday School
Teachers’ Magazine and Journal of Education, March 1830, Page 192.
MEMOIR OF JOHN AQUILA BROWN.
BENEVOLENCE is that disposition of mind, which, when genuine, is always
attended with sufficient decision of character to excite the person who
possesses it, to form greater projects, to devise more extensive plans, and to
engage in more arduous labors, for the benefit of his fellow-creatures, than
can ever be accomplished by a single individual.
“His heart contrives for their relief, More work than his own hands can do.”
Such a person contemplating, with the deepest feelings of sympathy, the misery
which exists in the world as resulting from ignorance and sin, cannot suffer
himself to rest in a state of inactivity; but fixing his mind on the
amelioration of the condition of mankind, as an object worthy of his noblest
efforts, he employs all suitable means to afford relief, to the illiterate, the
wretched, and the abandoned part of the community.
An individual of this description was our lamented friend and fellow-laborer,
JOHN AQUILA BROWN. His prevailing disposition was benevolence; his general
plans of Operation were the result of intense thought; and his active exertions
for the attainment of his philanthropic objects, were not to be impeded by any
difficulties, however formidable.
Our acquaintance with Mr. Brown commenced at a time when the North London
Auxiliary Sunday School Union was in a languishing state, for want of proper
officers to attend to the concerns of that institution. A special meeting was
held in the year 1817, in the vestry room of St.--------church, in
Silver-street, for the purpose of considering how the Auxiliary Union could be
revived. Mr. B. attended that meeting, and such a man “could not be hid.” The
interest he took in the proceedings of that evening, and his connexion with a
flourishing Sunday school in the district, pointed him out to the meeting as a
proper person to be elected SECRETARY to the Auxiliary Union; which was
accordingly done unanimously. He with some diffidence and hesitation, at length
consented to accept the office. His active mind speedily set him to work, and
in connexion with the Committee, he revived and re-organized the Auxiliary, and
brought it to a state of efficiency to which it had never previously attained.
Mr. B. took great interest in the establishment of the QUARTERLY CONFERENCE of
Sunday School Teachers belonging to the North Auxiliary, and at its various
meetings he manifested deep interest on every subject that was calculated to
improve the minds of Sunday school teachers, to render the plans adopted in the
various schools more effective, and to promote the prosperity of these useful
institutions.
Mr. Brown held the office of secretary to the Jewin-street chapel Sunday
school, from the year 1817 to 1827, during which period he had the principal
superintendence, and general management of its affairs. His indefatigable
exertions conferred great benefit on that institution, and the rules which he
arranged for its general regulation were admirably adapted to answer the
important purposes for which they were designed. He proposed, and established a
Relief fund, for the assistance of the most necessitous scholars, which still
continues in useful Operation.
In the year 1821, the EDUCATION BILL, as proposed to parliament by H. Brougham,
Esq. M. P. claimed the strict examination of Mr. B. and after mature
deliberation, so thoroughly convinced was he, that, if passed into a law, its
tendency would prove injurious to the cause of Sunday schools, that he exerted
his utmost influence to promote opposition to this measure. He accordingly drew
up the resolutions which were passed by the North Union, and published in in
the Teachers’ Magazine, vol. v. page 100; reference to which will show what
were the opinions of himself and his co-adjutors on the proposed plan, which its
advocates considered as likely to promote general education, but from which Mr.
B. differed exceedingly.
At that time, he spared no trouble to collect an accurate account of the number
of children who attended Sunday schools in the north district of the
metropolis, and who also received education at day schools. On turning to the
Teachers’ Magazine, vol. v. page 168, it will there be observed that nis
communication to the Editor States, “I have now before me the returns from 19
Sunday schools, which contain 3,840 children, of whom are educated in day
schools 1,594, being as near as possible, in the proportion of 41 to 10. It
should also be observed, that by far the largest portion of the day school
children are in the lowest classes, so that those who stand most in need of the
instruction imparted in Sunday schools, would, in general, be deprived of the
advantages which their age requires, were it not for the existence of such
institutions.”
ln the same year, Mr. B. transmitted also to the Teachers’ Magazine a very
forcible appeal which he had written “On the Education of Jewish Children.”
vol. v. page 239.
“The attention of Sunday school teachers has lately been directed to the gipsy
babes, and shall the children of Abraham be neglected? Forbid it honesty,
charity, and Christianity; all our comforts and religious advantages have
descended to us from the Jews; consequently they have the first claim to our
benevolence, O, let it be extended to their young and rising generation; let
the different auxiliaries open schools exclusively for their instruction; let
the Old Testament be the school book, and I am satisfied they will attend. I
speak not at random, for I have four Jews in the school under my own care, who
attend on these conditions,—that they read the Old Testament exclusively, and
return home instead of going to chapel.”
This extract will serve to show the extreme ardor of his mind towards “the lost
sheep of the house of Israel” and will in a great measure account for his sub
sequent secession from several societies to pursue more vigorously the plans
which he had formed and unfolded for benefiting the Hebrew nation in its
present scattered condition.
Mr. Brown, as a representative of the North London Auxiliary, was a member of
the Committee of the Sunday School Union, and during his connexion with this
institution, he was remarkable for his constant attendance at the meetings, and
his close application to the business of the society. While secretary to the
book Department, his exertions and habits of business contributed greatly to
the firm establishment and subsequent good management of the Depository in
Paternoster Row, which has proved so extensively useful in supplying Sunday
schools with suitable books at low prices. To his diligent revision, many of the
publications of the Sunday School Union owe much of their correctness and
excellence. To the cash accounts his attention was peculiarly directed, which
tended greatly to enable the Committee to present clear and well-arranged
Statements to the public in their annual reports. His spirited and
argumentative addresses delivered at the quarterly meetings of the Union, will
long be remembered by many of his co-adjutors. The natural warmth of his temper
might on some few occasions have carried him rather farther, in his expressions
of difference in opinion, than was quite agreeable, but no doubt could be
entertained of the sincerity and uprightness of his intentions.
Whenever Mr. B. was completely convinced that important benefits were likely to
result from energetic proceedings, he was never to be satisfied with half
measures. To prove this fact, he, in the year 1824, was the chief promoter of a
very spirited Statement which was published by the North Auxiliary, and
circulated among the committee and members OF “THE SOCIETY FOR THE SUPPORT AND
ENCOURAGEMENT OF SUNDAY SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE BRITISH DOMINIONS.” This address
respectfully recommended to the Society a revision of its rules, and a decisive
change in its measures. Many of his friends at that time considered that
he was too intemperate in this measure, and though they were desirous of seeing
that Society extend its usefulness, they could not agree with Mr. B. as to the
mode which he had adopted to force the members to compliance with his wishes.
Still they respected his ardent zeal, and the result was, that the Society's
donations of books were subsequently considerably extended, from which
necessitous Sunday schools reaped a decided advantage.
The devoted attention of Mr. B. to the concerns of the North London Auxiliary
Sunday School Union, during the eight years in which he was secretary, will be
evident from the Statement, that at the time of his appointment in 1817, that
Auxiliary reported 5,520 scholars, and 550 teachers, in connexion with the Union,
and in the year 1825, THE NUMBERS HAD INCREASED TO 14,012 SCHOLARSs, and 1,371
teachers.
From the early age of 15 years, we have been informed, that the mind of Mr. B.
had been very sensibly impressed with the deplorable state of the Hebrew
Nation, and his sympathies never suffered him to tum his attention from the
prophecies that he considered had a favorable aspect towards the Jews. He had
on several occasions shown a strong disposition to render any assistance that
he could towards benefiting that ancient people. He accordingly wrote and
published in the year 1823 the “Even Tide,” in two octavo volumes; also an
abstract of it, called the “Mount of Vision,” designing thereby to show that
the period for the re-gathering of the Jews was not far distant, and
explaining, according to his views, the prophecies relating to that event. By
the year 1827, his mind had become so completely absorbed in the subject, and
his time so fully occupied in attending meetings, and carrying into effect
plans which he had devised for bringing to the knowledge of the Jews the cause
of their present condition as a people, and their future delightful prospects;
that having his attention thus engrossed, and his time thus constantly
employed, he was obliged, in a great degree, to cease from his other benevolent
labors, in connexion with Sunday schools, and the Sunday School Union. By this
secession, the cause of religious instruction in Sunday schools, lost one of
its most efficient and arduous supporters; and from that time the Jews, almost
exclusively, reaped the advantages of his disinterested labors.
This was particularly the case since the establishment of the PHILO-JUDEAN
SOCIETY, in the year 1826, of which he was the chief originator and principal
agent. His interest in the concerns of the Jewish nation, and in the prophecies
relating to them, was, however, of much earlier date, and in fact it was this
subject which first called him to the scene of public life. Shortly after the
formation of the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews, Mr.
Brown, formed with a few friends of the cause, at the west end of the town, in
the year 1810, the “Westminster Auxiliary Committee” of which he was secretary,
until its dissolution in 1817, when a “Westminster Auxiliary Society” was
formed instead. In connexion with that committee, he proposed and carried into
effect the establishment of a library of books relative to the prophecies, to
be circulated among its members, which, while it served to spread more widely a
knowledge of, and interest in those portions of the sacred volume, which refer
to the expectations of the church, and of the chosen seed, afforded him ample
opportunities for pursuing his own assiduous studies on these subjects. Still
farther to awaken the attention of the public, separate courses of lectures to
Jews and to Gentiles, were at the request of the committee delivered in various
places of worship, both by clergymen of the establishment and dissenting
ministers.
Mr. Brown’s intimate acquaintance, not only with the scriptural prospects of
the Jews, but also with their habits and modes of thinking, led him to the
conviction, that to produce a general and permanent effect upon the minds of
that interesting people, a more enlarged plan of proceeding must be adopted,
than that permitted by the rules of the London Society; which, together with
the change of his residence to the city, induced him to relinquish the part
which he had taken in the proceedings of the Westminster Auxiliary committee,
when it was merged into a distinct auxiliary society. But although, during a
period of nearly eight years from that time, he was not in any public capacity
engaged in the Service of the Jewish cause, his writings, published in the
interval, show that his attention was not in the slightest degree diverted from
it, nor his zeal relaxed. In 1825, at last, a circular, issued by Mr. William
Brooks, of Salvador-house, entitled Domestic Mission to the Hebrews, renewed
his hopes of enlisting the public energies in support of an object to him so
interesting. The result of the first deliberations at Salvador-house, was the
formation of a new society, under the name Abrahamic Association, which,
however, was soon dissolved, in consequence of a clashing of views between the
parties concerned in it. A secession took place, and the remaining members
formed the PHILO-JUDEAN SOCIETY, which has ever since been actively engaged in
promoting the temporal as well as spiritual welfare of the Jewish people; the
former chiefly by its exertions to procure the removal of the civil
disabilities under which they labor, and by charitable assistance to poor Jews,
irrespectively of their creed; the latter by the circulation of the Scriptures,
the establishment of schools, and argumentative discussions on the Old
Testament, and especially prophetic subjects. Mr. Brown*s views were, however,
not confined to the benefiting of the Jews; they extended to the enlightening
of the Gentiles, and he had the satisfaction of seeing the cause for which he
had suffered much obloquy and ill favor, powerfully vindicated in the
celebrated lectures delivered in 1827, by the Rev. Hugh McNeile, at the church
of St. Clement Danes.
A further object soon presented itself to his active mind; and at the end of
the year 1828, he put forth the plan of an institution for the reception of
enquiring Jews, who should find in it an asylum against the persecution of
their brethren, and an opportunity of supporting themselves by some regular
employment. This plan gained ground so rapidly, that a society was almost
instantaneously formed, of whose committee Mr. B. became an active member. Two
houses having been taken in Randolf-street, Camden Town, the Hebrew Institution
was commenced in spring 1829, and at the time of Mr. B’s. death contained seventeen
inmates.
During a fire which happened nigh to his house, he was so much exposed to the
severity of the weather, that he took a severe cold. No immediate danger was
apprehended, his disorder however increased, but such was the activity of his
mind, that with in four days of his death, he made daily efforts to rise, at
least for a few hours, notwithstanding the exhausted state of his Constitution.
At length the ties of nature were broken, and his spirit winged its way to the
abodes of bliss, on Wednesday afternoon, the 20th January, in the fifty-sixth
year of his age. His mortal remains were carried to the grave by Jews belonging
to the Hebrew Institution, at their own particular request, and deposited in
Bunhill-fields, on Wednesday, January 27th; the family procession being joined
by his fellow laborers of the Philo-Judaean committee. The impression produced
upon the minds of the Jews by the intelligence of his death, was very great;
and the officiating clergyman remarked, that during the long period of his
appointment at Bunhill-fields, he had never seen such an assemblage of Hebrews
on the ground. The same interest was manifested by their numerous attendance at
the sermon preached in memory of the deceased, by the Rev. T. S. Miller,
minister of Salem Chapel, on the appropriate text: “Help, Lord, for the godly
man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.”
We conclude with an extract from a letter written by the Rev. Thomas Wood, of
Jewin-street chapel, which, while it bears additional testimony to the
excellences of our departed friend, calls to notice several more particulars of
his useful and truly Christian career.
“I have personally known Mr. Brown about 13 or 14 years, and on October 3rd,
1817, I had the pleasure of giving him the right hand of Christian fellowship,
on his admission to the church over which I am pastor, in Jewin-street. Of his
zeal, his activity, his tact for business, his liberality, &c. &c. in
promoting the cause of Christ amongst us for a number of years, I cannot speak
too highly, nor recollect without the highest admiration and esteem. We took
sweet counsel together, and went to the house of God in Company, with mutual
delight. It is well known, how-ever, that within the past two or three years,
our excellent friend was completely abstracted from almost every object of a
public nature, excepting the Philo-Judaean Society. On that point I had the
unhappiness to differ from him in opinion, and our intercourse of late has been
much less frequent; but at the same time, I believe our reciprocal friendship
had not suffered the least declension. When we could not accord in opinion, we
could exercise Christian candor, and it affords me great satisfaction in
saying, that I always experienced the utmost kindness from him. When he had in
a considerable measure withdrawn himself from worshipping with us, I was not
astonished; indeed, my surprise was, under all circumstances, that he had
continued so long, because our ideas on that very point on which his whole soul
was set, were in complete Opposition. But, I repeat, he acted in that affair,
not in the spirit of dictatorial insolence, not with censoriousness, not as one
determined to make divisions in the church of God; but with the meekness of
wisdom, as a friend, a gentleman, and a Christian. He ever took an active part
in the annual meetings of our sabbath school; and it is with more than ordinary
satisfaction that I have to state, that on the very last monthly association of
the congregational churches in London, which was held at our chapel, on the 7th
January, our deceased friend was with us, both at the public Service and at
dinner. He took a part in the interesting conversations and discussions of the
afternoon; and subsequently expressed himself as much gratified with the
proceedings of the day. But, alas! ere one short fortnight had passed away, he
was numbered with the dead, and separated from all transitory scenes, to hold
an immediate intercourse with the realities of eternity. Of Mr. Brown’s birth,
parentage, and early life, I know nothing, excepting I have sometimes heard him
say, he was a pupil under the late excellent Cornelius Winter, of Painswick.
Under that-reverend gentleman, I trust our deceased friend received those
important instructions, and imbibed those evangelical principles, which were so
closely connected with HIS USEFULNESS ON EARTH, and HIS HAPP1NESS IN HEAVEN.” -The Sunday School Teachers’ Magazine and Journal of Education, April
1830, Pages 227-235.
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
John Aquila Brown
An extensive obituary of J. A. Brown appeared in The Sunday School Teachers' Magazine and Journal of Education. This is available through Google Books. I need a volunteer to transcribe it into text so I can post it on this blog.
Anyone?
Monday, January 3, 2022
Sunday, January 2, 2022
Research Help
You up to the challenge? I need original source material for these Watchtower statements:
*** w67
2/15 p. 108 par. 13 Jehovah Makes Full Might Abound ***
13 A forceful example of this was
the series of debates held in 1903 between the Watch Tower president of that
time, C. T. Russell, and a Pittsburgh clergyman, Dr. E. L. Eaton.
As a result, not only did many of Dr. Eaton’s congregation leave him to
become Jehovah’s witnesses, but a number of clergymen acknowledged the
correctness of The Watch Tower’s stand on fundamental issues. After the
last debate, during which Brother Russell clearly showed that “eternal torment”
is unscriptural, one of these clergymen told him: “I am glad to see you turn
the hose on hell and put out the fire.”
*** w55
2/15 p. 107 Part 4—Going on the Offensive ***
Interesting side lights: During the debates several
of the local clergy were on the platform with Dr. Eaton to give him
textual and moral support, while Russell, alone, stood his ground as a sort of
Daniel in a lions’ den. On the whole, Russell came off victorious for each of
the six debates and especially the last one, on “hell.” It is reported that one
of the attending clergymen, acknowledging that victory, came up to Russell
after the last debate, saying, “I am glad to see you turn the hose on hell and
put out the fire.” Soon after this exposure of the false doctrines of the “Babylonish”
church systems quite a number of Eaton’s Methodist congregation became Bible
students.
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Talk outline needed.
I need a scan of the original talk outline for this Circuit Assembly main lecture from 1950. Anyone?
Monday, December 27, 2021
Standards
Speculation has little to no place on this blog. We maintain an ethical standard that the controversialist blogs and boards lack. Speculation based on the lack of records falls into one of the major logic faults. I am open to well researched articles, footnoted to original sources, even if they reach a conclusion other than one I 've reached. Neither Jerome nor I are open to anything based on flawed, speculative research.
So you left a comment here, and we disallowed it? Return to your research. Improve it. Make it solid. Try again. One of the professional societies to which I belong notes the following standards. I expect those who comment here, especially those who wish to present 'controversial' conclusions to abide by them:
The maintenance of high professional standards includes:
• being acquainted with best practice in the use and evaluation of evidence, in whatever form it takes;
• understanding and following copyright laws;
• being mindful of intellectual property issues;
• taking particular care when evidence is produced by those still living, when the anonymity of individuals is required and when research concerns those still living;
• observing the ethical and legal requirements of the repositories and collections being used;
• being aware of conservation issues concerning materials that historians and those working in the heritage sector use and produce;
• eschewing plagiarism, fabrication, falsification and deception in proposing, carrying out and reporting the results of research;
• following the most rigorous procedures for the citation of sources, including materials obtained from the internet;
• observing the law of the land, and not committing, planning or colluding in the deliberate breaking of the law.
Wednesday, December 22, 2021
Tuesday, December 21, 2021
Monday, December 20, 2021
Ives: Bible Doctrine of the Soul
My Thanks for help acquiring this. As you will - I hope - remember, Ives was admired by Storrs who read his work. Ives is responsible for Storrs view of the Holy Spirit, which remains our view. This is an excellent find, and a real contribution to my research.
Friday, December 17, 2021
A Reminder
Because of the extremely bad behavior of someone posting as Jose, this blog is moderated. That means your comments will not appear until either Jerome or I review them. You need only post once. We'll see it. Jose? His posts will never appear here again.
Thursday, December 16, 2021
Tuesday, December 14, 2021
W E Van Amburgh
W E Van Amburgh at C T Russell’s grave in January
1917.
Taken from a card listing Bethel hymns and prayer meeting texts for March 1917.
The original card pictured here was sold on eBay in December 2021 for over 700 dollars.
Monday, December 13, 2021
I am a bit reluctant ...
My research fund is depleted. I need to raise $80.00 to purchase a Storrs relevant booklet. The seller will not come down on price. If you are inclined to help, please do so.
I no longer need donations to the research fund. Thank you for your help.
Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Update on the update of the ...
To answer several emails: My health is still precarious. I have an ultrasound of my kidneys and related areas on the 9th. I'm on some rather strong pain pills. I'm accomplishing very little meaningful work. If you wish to help I can use any newspaper or other reference to A. P. Adams. You may post them in comments or email them directly. There will be another surgery sometime next spring or summer.
In other news, I received an email notifying me of my election as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. This is useful in small ways.
Best part of the last two weeks came from my youngest daughter: "I love you dad." Always nice to be reminded of what I already know.
We need a new car. That's in the distant future. And that's the news for today. ...
Oh, and I'm still open to submissions. Usual stuff: Times New Roman, fully justified, tab key for first line. Must be footnoted to original sources. Controversial is okay as long as your work is well supported. Submit via email: bruce . schulz @ aol . com
Thursday, November 25, 2021
The Chicago City Temple and the Photodrama
Following on from meeting places being called Tabernacles (e.g. Brooklyn Tabernacle, London Tabernacle) it was easy to see why some large halls would be called Temples in the Bible Student world. So there was the New York City Temple, where the Photodrama of Creation was shown in New York. However, probably the most famous of all was the Chicago City Temple (formerly the old Globe Theater), which again was used for the Photodrama.
The Chicago class
produced a special brochure entitled Our
Temple, which is highly collectable today. It shows how the Photodrama
presentation worked, and as a bonus had a photograph from the first Bible
Student convention held in Chicago in1893. It also contained numerous portrait
photographs of men and women who were involved in the Photodrama work; in many
cases these are the only photographs that have survived of some of these
individuals. If you visited the Chicago Temple you would likely
Albert Edward Franz (1889-1940)
As a link with more
recent times, his younger brother, Fred Franz, was president of the Watchtower
Sociery from 1977-1992.
The Temple was only
used by Bible Students for a short time. The Chicago class grew to about 600 in
1914. They first hired the Auditorium Theater in Chicago to show the Photodrama
in April-May of that year, while looking for a more permanent location. They
then obtained a lease on the Old Globe Theater (which was origionally built to
exhibit the Panorama of the Battle of Gettysburg) and after much work
redecorating opened for business as the Temple later in 1914. There is an
article in the St Paul Enterprise for
October 16, 1914, showing it to be up and running then. As well as a theater it
included a book room, library, dining room, and accommodation for the workers.
The address was 700 South Wabash Avenue, near 7th Street.
However, an internet
search shows that this building became the Strand Theater in May 1915, so it
wasn’t used by the Bible Students for very long at all. When a new film for
Bible Students called “Restitution” came to town in 1918, they were back in the
Auditorium Theater. The former Chicago Temple was demolished in 1921.
In that window of
operation the Temple sold postcards, and one is reproduced below from Tom’s
collection. It was mailed on November 13, 1914.
Whatever connection with the Bible Student movement there may have been with this particular postcard is sadly lost in time.
Thursday, November 18, 2021
Monday, November 15, 2021
Families in Bethel
The Story of the MacMillan family
The post that follows
this shows how many children at one time lived with their parents at the
Society’s hedquarters. This was particularly true after the move to Brooklyn in
1909 and the establishment of Bethel.
One such family was
that of Alexander Hugh MacMillan (1877-1966). He is known today for his 1957 autobiographical
work Faith on the March. However,
although the book covers his conversion and many key historical facts of Watch
Tower history, much of his personal life is omitted. He does mention in his
book (on page 43) that he was married in 1902. For the record, his wife was
Mary Goodwin (1873-?). The marriage took place on October 6, 1902, when he was
26 and she was 29. She supported him as a Bible Student and full-time worker
for the Watch Tower Society.
Picture of Alexander and
Mary taken from
Who’s Who in the Bible Student Movement.
Alexander and Mary were to have two children, and in
the census returns for the Brooklyn Bethel taken in April 1910, the whole
family are living there. Alexander is listed as Minister, Bible Society. The
head of the whole household is given as Charles Taze Russell. The MacMillan’s
first son was Albert Edmund Cole MacMillan who was born on December 11, 1907.
In the 1910 census he is 2 years old. Their second son, Charles Goodwin
MacMillan (shortened to just Goodwin in the census return) was one month old.
Charles Goodwin was born on March 28, 1910, but died of tubercular meningitis
on February 3, 1912.
The 1910s was a
tumultuous decade for the MacMillans. It included the death of a child, the
death of Charles Taze Russell, the appointment of a new president, Joseph
Franklyn Rutherford, and then the arrest of key officals on charges of sedition
in 1918. Alexander was one of those convicted and sentenced to twenty years
imprisonment. The men were freed in 1919 and all charges then dropped.
By the 1920 census
Alexander, Mary and Albert Edmund were back in the Brooklyn Bethel with J F
Rutherford as the head of the household. Here is an extract from the census
return. Albert Edmund was now 12. Alexander is listed as Minister, Religious
Pub(lishing) House.
Travelling forward to the 1940 census, Albert
Edmund is no longer with them (at some point he married Dorothy, born 1908,
died 1969) and Alexander and Mary now live in West Virginia. Alexander’s
occupation is now Regional Director for the Watch Tower Society.
According to his life
story in The Watchtower for 1966 Alexander went back to live in Bethel in 1948.
It may be that Mary had died. He was to work extensively at the Society’s radio
station WBBR and then write his famous book.
When he died, the
newspapers gave Albert Edmund as his main surviving relative.
Albert Edmund did not stay with the religion of his parents. He died in 1971 and was buried next to his wife in the Long Island National Cemetery.
The Brooklyn Bethel family in 1910 and 1913
This article could be subtitled: Did they have a crèche?
A review of the 1910 Brooklyn census reveals the
names of those then living in the newly established Brooklyn Bethel. What is
unusual by modern-day standards is how many children were living there.
There were fifteen married couples living there, and
nearly double that number who were single people. But the married couples
included a number of children.
For example, the Brenneisen’s (Edward and Grace) had
two children, Susan aged 10 and Ralph aged 7. The MacMillans (Alexander and
Mary) had two children, Albert aged 2, and Goodwin aged one month. It might
explain why MacMillan disappears from view at times in the Society’s history –
he could have been outside Bethel handling family responsibilities for while.
The Sturgeons, (Menta and Florence) had a son,
Gordon, aged 11. The Parkepiles (Don and Blanche) had a daughter, Mildred, aged
11. The Horths (Frank and Lilian) had a daughter, Marie, aged 15. And the
Keuhn’s (J G and Ottile) had a daughter, Mildred, aged 16, as well as four
adult children living there.
In a supplemental
census a few days later, the names of Joseph and Mary Rutherford, with son
Malcom aged 17 were added.
We could well ask, did they have a crèche?
Moving forward two and one half years we find that
the Bethel family still had a number of children living there.
The occasion was the trial in January 1913 of
Charles T. Russell vs. Brooklyn Daily Eagle (commonly called the “miracle
wheat” trial). In the trial witness Menta Sturgeon was asked to name all those
who were currently part of the Bethel family, either living in or working there
regularly. He was asked first in direct examination, when he outlined mainly
the married couples and families there, and then in cross examination when he
added those who were single. I am providing the full list here. They have been
alphabetised according to surname. Sometimes Sturgeon gives a first name or
initial, but often he does not. Of course, this is not as accurate as a census
return; it is all down to his memory on the witness stand, so there may be
omissions.
Miss
Alexander
Miss
Allen
Mrs
Ambler
Mr
and Mrs Bain and son
Mr
and Mrs William T Baker and son
Miss
Bebout
Miss
Bourquin
Mr
and Mrs Brenneisen and child
Mr
and Mrs A Burgess
Mr
Cohen
Mrs
Cole
Mr
and Mrs Cook and two daughters
Miss
Darlington
Mr
Davidson
Mr
John DeCecca
Mr
and Mrs F Detweiler
Mr
Dockey
Miss
Douglas
Mr
Drey
Mr
Edwards
Mr
Emmerly
Mr
Ferris
Miss
Fitch
Mr
Gaylord
Miss
Gillet
Mr
and Mrs Glendon and son
Miss
Hamilton
Mrs
Hartsell
Mr
Heck
Mr
Holmes
Mr
and Mrs Isaac Hoskins
Miss
Edith Hoskins
Miss
Elizabeth Hoskins
Mr
Howells
Mr
Hudgings
Mrs
James
Mr
Jansen
Mr
and Mrs H F Keene
Mr
and Mrs John Keene and three daughters
Mr
Knox
Mr
and Mrs A H Macmillan and one child
Mr
Mayer
Mr
and Mrs McGregory and daughter
Mr
William Miller
Mr
and Mrs Mockridge
Mr
Myers
Mrs
Nation
Mr
and Mrs Nicholson
Miss
Niland
Miss
Blanche Noble
Miss
Virginia Noble
Mr
W Obert
Mr
John Perry
Mr
and Mrs Peterson
Mr
Plaenker
Mr
and Mrs Raymond and daughter
Mr
and Mrs Ritchie
Mr
and Mrs Robinson
Mr
and Mrs Rockwell
Pastor
Russell
Mr
and Mrs Schuler
Mr
Seary
Mr
Shearer
Mr
Stamball
Mr
Stevenson
Mr
and Mrs M Sturgeon and son
Miss
Taft
Mr
Thompson
Miss
Tomlins
Mr
Totten
Mrs
Wakefeld
Mr and Mrs A G Wakefield
It
is interesting to note how many families still lived there. Where the children
were of adult age they appear to be listed separately as working there in their
own right. But those listed as sons and daughters and uncategorised children
may well have been minors.