Frank L. Draper

Guest post by Bernhard

He was at the forefront of Bible Students for 25 years and was one of the most prominent and beloved, though he was never an officer of the Watchtower Society, nor wrote articles for the magazine now known as The Watchtower and hereafter referred to by that title. But he was a leading evangelist, colporteur, pilgrim brother, pastor, convention speaker and loyal supporter of Charles T. Russell.

When and where was Frank born?

The US Census for 1910 provides some basic information. Around 1908-1910 and maybe some later Frank was a member of the Brooklyn Bethel family in New York. The census tells us he is 54 years old and was born in Ohio. This leads us back to the years 1856 or 1857.

In the Daily Heavenly Manna book, owned by Rose Leffler, we find the entry that Frank was born on March 2. The Leffler family (parents and eight children) embraced the Truth in 1897, when Frank Draper spoke on “The Second Coming of Christ“ in Tiffin, Ohio.

With this information we can find Frank Draper in the familysearch system. He was born on March 2, 1856 in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. His father was James Draper, born 1831 in England, and his mother Jane Smith who was born 1833 in Ireland. He had four siblings: William H., Annie, Emma J. and Mary Elizabeth.

Around 1879/80 he married 19 year old Elvira, born in Ohio in 1861, and from then on lived in Niles, Trumbull, Ohio. (US Census 1880). His profession at this time is “laborer in R. M.”, his wife is a housekeeper. He lived for a long time in Ohio and that's maybe the reason why he told the 1910 US Census that he was born in Ohio, but actually it was in Pennsylvania. Tragically, his wife died relatively young, possibly from a serious illness and Frank became a widower.

 In July 1890 Frank is mentioned for the first time in The Watchtower (July 1890, p. 5443, reprints). He wrote a letter to Brother Russell:

“Brother Wise (Aaron C.) and myself are pushing the battle. Many are becoming awakened on these questions which are so dear to us. There is an increasing demand for reading matter, especially Old Theology Tract No. 1. Last evening we held a street service. People crowded us almost to suffocation for Tracts and Slips, and some wanted DAWN. We expect to open a building  for meetings soon. In the midst of reproach and evil speaking we are "looking unto Jesus."“

This shows that Draper joined the Bible Students before 1890.

When there were accusations against Russell by J. B. Adamson, Otto Von Zech and others in 1894, Draper took a stand for Russell. He wrote in The Watchtower June 11, 1894, p. 7963:

“Am doing what I am able to support and spread the truth.“

In 1894 he began as part-time pilgrim. In The Watchtower, December 1894, we read:

Brother M. L. McPhail only has been giving all of his time to this work, and he alone has all of his expenses paid out of the Tract Society's fund, the other laborers in this branch of the service, Brothers Antoszewski, Austin, Bell, Blundin, Bohnet, Draper, Merrill, Murphy, Owen, Page, Ransom, Richards, Thorn, Webb, Weber, Weimar, West, Williams, Wise and Witter, being traveling salesmen, colporteurs or business men whose expenses are met by their business or otherwise and who delight to give an evening or a Sunday, as they can arrange it, in serving the Lord's flock--pointing to the green pastures and the still waters and feeding and rejoicing with the "sheep."

He was already giving speeches at least as early as July 1895. [1] At the end of 1896, while in Kentucky, he held 14 meetings in one week, three in private homes and 11 in public places. He reported that in one particular county he had experienced the prejudices of locals against Bible Students, who even used guns, and opposition from a member of the Baptist Church which tried to prevent the holding of meetings, but they did take place anyway. In another place, the Shakers, who usually did not allow preachers of another religion to hold meetings among them, allowed Draper to preach in their school; he was able to hold three meetings there with an average attendance of 75 or 80. [2] In August 1899, Russell had planned to send Draper to Kansas by October 1 of that year, [3] and he was supposed to deliver speeches at the St. Louis convention assembly on October 6. [4] In November 1899 he visited Indiana Territory. [5] By early 1900 he was in Texas and Edward Brenneisen praised him, considering him a capable orator. [6] At the 1903 Memorial, he was in Chetopa, Kansas, [7] and was one of the speakers at the convention in Denver, Colorado, July 10-12 of the same year. [8] He visited Texas in early 1904, [9] and was a speaker at the Los Angeles conventions [10] in St. Louis in October of the same year, [11] in Asbury Park in July 1906, [12] from Indianapolis in 1907, [13] in July he was on his way to Kokoma, [14] from Norfolk on October 3 of the same year, [15] from Put-in-Bay on September 3, 1908, [16] and Denver, Colorado, in July 1909. [17] In 1911 Russell sent him to his parents homeland, the United Kingdom and Ireland. [18]

Samuel Kuesthardt give us the report that Frank Draper was also a baptizer, for example he baptized two in Toledo, Ohio (The Watchtower, August 15, 1898).

In 1908, he was among those who reacted favorably to Russell's vow, made by adherents concerning the attitude to be adopted towards the opposite sex. [19] Likewise, during the New Covenant schism, he positioned himself vigorously in favor of Russell: indeed, he praised the latter for his articles published in October and November of 1909.

In 1913, he congratulated Russell for not having insisted too much, in the last two or three years, on a date concerning the end of Gentile times. [20] He highly praised the Photo-Drama of Creation, which he described as "the most successful project the Society has ever launched". [21]

What was Draper's personality?

Morgan T. Lewis, a staff member at the Bible House, described him  (The Watchtower, February 15, 1898):

His talks and his fine Christian character impressed us very much, and we want to express our gratitude for the helpful occasion. He has a remarkable talent for presenting the truth; so easy do the words flow and so forceful, that they impress the candid hearer. He spoke Saturday evening at Troy and Sunday morning at my home to sixteen of us on the "Narrow Way," and in the evening on the upper features of the chart to about twenty-five, mostly interested ones. The talks did me much good, as I learned how to arrange the talks, and will make use of his plan when I have occasion to speak in public. I want to express myself in regard to the work that Bro. Draper is doing. I think it is one of the best opportunities to help on the cause, and I almost envy the dear Brother the great blessing he must get in going around and meeting and helping the friends. What a joy his must be.

Ernest David Sexton remembered Frank Draper in the 1930 Souvenir Convention Report:

He was a short man; and when I saw him, I did not like to have him notice it, -- notice that I saw it, -- but he had the most prodigious looking feet I ever saw for a small man. One night he called attention to it. (They were bigger than mine.) He was talking about helping one another. He said, You cannot go along because you are strong, and ignore the weak. The Apostle says the uncomely members need the more attention. "You will notice that I have very large feet. That is, I haven't large feet in fact, but I wear very large shoes. My feet are very sore and I have to wrap them up with bandages. When I go to bed at night, I always get a switch and switch my feet because they are so uncomely. No, I don't. I give them more attention, more than any other part of my body. I salve them, and pat them, and give them all sorts of attention because they are uncomely.

Draper even allowed himself to advise Russell on certain matters. In 1905 he criticized the translation "running towards the goal" in Philippians 3:14, a translation which had been suggested to Russell by one of the pilgrims claiming to have received it from a Hellenist scholar. As the translation does not fit the picture of a race, Draper disagreed with Russell and suggested that "the thing be presented to us as someone who knows Greek".

With the end of 1915 he stopped touring as a pilgrim. Why? In the St. Paul Enterprise (January 1916) he wrote that he came to Detroit, Michigan, and stayed there at 148 Lincoln Ave. The reason was his aged mother lived there and he needed to care for her. He became a part of the 250 strong Detroit class. In this class he met a sister named Lois (Louise) Haskins, nee Swain.

In April 22, 1916 he gave a talk at O.E.S. (Order of the Eastern Star) Temple, 43 Alexandrine West, at 3 p.m., Subject: “Do the Scriptures Teach that the Dead Are Asleep?“

One month later he married Lois Swain (daughter of Alexander Swain und Julia Arn) on May 29, 1916. The marriage entry shows that Draper was still an evangelist. Lois (Louise) was born on February 26, 1871).

Lois Swain was previously married to Seth L. Haskins (1866 - February 18, 1909) on January 7, 1888, and they had one daughter Bertha E., born 1894.

On October 31, 1916, Charles T. Russell died and the funeral took place on November 5. Many prominent brothers gave funeral talks. But remarkably Frank Draper was not at the burial. Nowhere is he mentioned; although he was a capable speaker he did not give a funeral talk.

On June 1, 1917, p.175 Frank Draper was mentioned for the last time in The Watchtower:

FORMER PILGRIM HEARD FROM

Although dear Brother Russell will be greatly missed by us all, he is greatly the gainer, having gone beyond the veil to forever with the Lord. You may be assured that whatever influence I can exert in the interest of the SOCIETY and the work it is doing, I will be very glad to exert. My humble prayer is that aIl the dear brethren at the Headquarters and everywhere may work together most harmoniously and successfully. With much Christian love and very best wishes in which Sister Draper joins me, I am. Your brother in the Lord, Frank Draper, Michigan.

On November 10, 1917 he had a talk  at the O.E.S. Temple: Subject: “The Judgement Day. What is it for“

Although he urged others to work harmoniously with the brothers, he was obviously no longer willing to do so himself. We find him mentioned in The Herald of Christ's Kingdom, September 15, 1919:

“Blessed Fellowship at Detroit“

THIS WAS INDEED very manifestly the senti­ment of all of the brethren in attendance at the Convention held in Detroit, Aug. 30, 31, Sept. 1, when a most blessed season of fellow­ship was enjoyed. ...

It was noted that there were about twelve of the old Bethel and Bible House family, formerly in close association with Brother Russell, present, and as many as eleven of the old Pilgrims who had been recognized and received appointments under Brother Russell's supervision in the years gone by. These all, of course, had a part in the program and in the ministry at this Convention. Among this number were Brothers Frank Draper, F. A. Hall, P. E. Thomson, F. F. Cook, S. J. Arnold, H. E. Hollister, E. W. V. Kuehn and four of the Editorial staff of this journal.

This shows us that Frank Draper had left the Watch Tower Society and joined or sympathized with the Pastoral Bible Institute, but like at the Watch Tower Society he did not become an officer. From later testimony his active contact with the PBI was short-lived.

Back in 1909 there had been the schism over the new covenant issue, led by Ernest Henninges in Australia. Although Draper supported the Watch Tower position at the time, after CTR’s death certain doubts came to the surface again. After disappearing from view for well over ten years, Draper wrote to Henninges in 1932. He outlined his path since the death of CTR, and what he now believed. It was published in the July 1932 issue of Henninges’ paper. Draper wrote:

Dear Brother in Christ: For a year, or more, I have felt that I would like to write to you. It is about a year ago that I met Brother Benson, who told me about you and the work you, and Sister H., are in. For nearly twenty years prior to meeting Brother Benson I had not heard a word as to your whereabouts. Therefore was real glad to learn about you from Bro. B., to whom I am indebted for your literature—books and N.C.A.—that I have read with great interest and benefit.

Of course you will recall how strenuously I contended with you, by correspondence, after you went to Australia, in support of Brother Russell's views re the Sin Offering and Covenants. Am sure that those views were honestly held by me—largely, I now see, because so much stress was laid on "that servant" idea. But I was not fully satisfied with Bro. Russell's explanations, as shown by the following: I asked myself the question, "Why did the Apostle have so much to say, in his letter to the Hebrews, about the New Covenant if the brethren addressed were not under it?" Then, too, I saw that a verse you have used in your writings must have some special significance with respect to the New Covenant and the brethren therein addressed. I refer to the l5th verse of the 9th chapter of Hebrews.

I was so much interested in this particular verse that I asked Brother Russell about its meaning. He tried to explain it to suit his idea of the time when the New Covenant would become effective. But his explanation did not satisfy me.

Because I did not fully agree with Brother R. In his teaching that everything would collapse in 1914, I was put out of the "Pilgrim" work. About that time it was most openly taught in the "Watch Tower" that the Church shares with Christ in providing the blood of the Ransom. That was altogether too much for me, and I wrote my protest to Bro. R. For ten years, or more, since then, I did not take an active interest in the Truth, though I continued to believe it.

About two years ago my interest was renewed, and I began to study the blessed Word of God more diligently than ever, and to pray more earnestly, also. Soon light began to break clearly upon my mind re the Sin Offering and the Covenants. Then, about a year later, through the kindness of Brother Benson, your literature came into my hands the reading of which has greatly clarified the Bible teachings on these subjects, as well as some other sacred truths.

For about a year I was an elder in a little class here, but my present views re the Sin Offering and the Covenants have practically separated me from the class. Very few of the friends seem to want the truth with respect to these two essential doctrines found in the Bibele. But I am perfectly willing to stand alone, if necessary, in defence of these precious Truths. I love the Lord, and His Holy Word, and His people much more since coining to see clearly regarding the Sin Offering and the Covenants.

Please convey my Christian love to Sister H., and accept same yourself. Your brother in Christ,—F. L. Draper..

There is a little more we can find out about him. The 1920 US Census shows that Frank & Lois & Bertha still lived in Michigan. Stepdaughter Bertha E., was living with them. The census gives Frank‘s occupation now as masseurist in an auto factory. Bertha married a Howard E. Waite on November 23, 1920.

Then on September 15, 1929 Louise died at the age of 58 in Detroit and Frank was again a widower.

The 1930 US Census shows us that Frank is now living in Los Angeles. Maybe he decided to move after his wife died. He now lives there as a lodger.

Frank L. Draper died on October 4, 1937 at the age of 81 and he was buried in the same cemetery as his second wife in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan. His death certificate gives his occupation as minister, retired for twenty years.

1. The Watchtower, July 15, 1895, p. 1843

2. The Watchtower, December 1, 1886, p. 2076

3. The Watchtower, August 1, 1899, p. 2515

4. The Watchtower, August 1, 1899, p. 2516

5. The Watchtower, April 15, 1900, p. 2605

6. The Watchtower, February 1, 1900, p. 2576

7. The Watchtower, May 15, 1903, p. 3194

8. The Watchtower, October 1, 1903, p. 3250

9. The Watchtower, April 1904, p. 3349

10. The Watchtower, June 15, 1904, p.3383

11. The Watchtower, October 15, 1904, p. 3444

12. The Watchtower, August 15, 1906, p.3838

13. The Watchtower, July 1907, p. 4026

14. The Watchtower, July 1907, p. 4032

15. The Watchtower, November 1, 1907, p. 4081

16. The Watchtower, September 15, 1908, p.4244

17. The Watchtower, September 1, 1909, p. 4462

19. The Watchtower, June 15, 1908, p. 4192

20. The Watchtower, November 15, 1913, p. 5355

21. The Watchtower, April, 1914, p. 5447

 

NEW BOOK

This story of Frank Draper is included in the new book Who's Who – in the Bible Student Movement before 1920. In it we find 4000 names, some biographical notes and short biographies. Also included are almost 1100 portrait photos. It can be found on Amazon.

A. P. Adams on Redemption

 

Adams and "The Spirit of the Word."

 

The Wintons

I know - it almost sounds like "The Waltons..."

Some readers here will know I am working on a book on the Society’s United Cemeteries in Ross Township, much of which started life as articles on this blog 7-8 years ago. In checking out a couple of names that might have added a sentence in one paragraph I came across the story below, which now merits its own chapter. This is a beta version of that new chapter. 

THE WINTONS

In 1907 most of the Bible House “family” in Allegheny had their photograph taken on the pavement in front of the building.

In the front row was an elderly couple, Francis and Susan Winton.

Around the same time another photograph was taken of the group in the parlor inside Bible House, but this time only Francis was in the picture.

The Wintons were the next known Bible Students after William Morris Wright  to be laid to rest in United Cemeteries, quite soon after the photograph was taken. Both died in January 1908. Their story therefore belongs here.

Originally it was thought that Francis and Susan, as a long forgotten couple, would just feature as passing names in a paragraph. However, Francis at least has an interesting back story. So much so that he even has his own Wikipedia entry, if you join all the dots.

The entry reads

Francis Winton (ca 1829 – 1908) was a printer, publisher and politician in Newfoundland. He represented Bonavista in the Newfoundland House of Assembly from 1869 to 1873 as an Anti-Confederate.

The son of Henry D. Winton and Elizabeth Nicholson, he was born in St. John's. In 1860, he was publishing the St. John's Daily News in partnership with his brother. In 1866, he began publishing the Day Book, later the Morning Chronicle. By 1894, Winton had moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he owned a newspaper called the Morning Chronicle. Winton and his wife both died there in 1908.

The material for the Wikipedia article was taken from The Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador volume 5 (initials S-Z) published in 1994.

The Winton family originally came from England. Francis’ grandfather, Robert Winton, was a clergyman in Exmouth. One son, Henry David Winton (1793-1855) married and immigrated to Newfoundland, Canada, in 1818. (Henry David has his own Wikipedia article). He got involved in politics, founded a newspaper, and fathered nine children, three of whom also became involved in the newspaper business. One of these was Francis who was born in 1829.

The Wikipedia article for Francis has a gap of nearly 30 years in his history.

He seems to have spent regular time in America as well as Canada over the years. An obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for January 14, 1908, says he came to America as “a young man.” The 1900 New York census indicates that he married Susan (Peckham) in 1858 (actually 1856 from marriage records) and had been in America since 1843. They appear to have had no children. However, according to Rowell’s Newspaper Directory (published New York 1869) he was also running a newspaper in Newfoundland at that time.

His obituary, which we will come to later, also has him working in New York with newspaperman Horace Greeley who ran the New York Tribune.

Obituaries can be notoriously unreliable when it comes to details because the one person who can verify the information is not there to do so. We are on firmer ground with his application for naturalisation as an American citizen which dates from 1895. He was living in Brooklyn, New York, at the time, and gave his profession as “journalist.” His character witness had known him in America for at least ten years. By the 1900 census he was still in Brooklyn in a rented property and was now a “proofreader.” As he aged, his career seems to have gone from newspaper proprieter (controlling output) to journalist (supplying output) to proofreader (checking other people’s output) with perhaps some overlap along the way. His death certificate went back to recording his occupation as journalist.

In 1903 he relocated to Pittsburgh and he and Susan became part of the Bible House family. How they became interested in the Bible Student message is not known, and it is assumed that in his 70s his role in Bible House was probably his profession as a proof reader. The Wikipedia article on him suggests he had newspaper interests in the city as well. (However, there was no newspaper of the given title in Pittsburgh at the time, although Francis had been involved with a paper of that name back in Newfoundland in the 1860s). He was a well trusted member of the Bible House family as indicated by his being chosen to be one of the trustees for the cemetery company in 1905, although having businessman status would no doubt have made that a more logical choice.

Susan was taken ill with pneumonia and died at the Bible House on January 8, 1908. Her funeral in United Cemeteries was on Friday, January 10. The next night, Saturday, January 11, Francis died as well. His funeral was held on January 14. They were at the same address (612 Arch Street), attended by the same physician, and the same undertaker arranged the funerals at United Cemeteries.

The Pittsburgh Press for January 13, 1908, gave the most detailed obituary.

We do not know where in United Cemeteries they were laid to rest. A special section for full-time workers was not actioned until some years later. Whether they ever had a headstone is unknown. Not all grave markers in the cemetery have been photographed as yet. But Francis and Susan are part of our story.

British postcard sent 1911

Past the Era We Usually Consider

 This is way past the era we usually consider, but the old timers among us will remember it.

Edgars and the Pyramid

 These are on ebay. Some of you may be interested.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265094356174?hash=item3db8dadcce:g:A00AAOSwIEFgS~6s

https://www.ebay.com/itm/313487186373?hash=item48fd4ad9c5:g:uoIAAOSwMU1gcQyo

1950 Covington

 

New to my research library

 

Research Help

 I'm a bit over medicated, as you can imagine, but still working. Up to some research? I need:

1. Other than Russell other writers pointed to 1914. I need a list with references.

2. Many in the Russell era believed Gentile Times were expiring, though they did not point to 1914 but to some other approaching date. I need names with references.

Can you help?

Update on the health situation. I'm in some pain despite the mediation. A series of tests are upcoming. I must travel for those. One cannot be done here because the Medical Center is too cheap to buy the equipment, and they own the hospital in Spokane that has it. So there is a financial incentive to funnel patients there. After the tests we decide on chemo, surgery (likely), or live with it. I'm old, and I do not see much benefit from a surgery that will leave me as distressed as I am now. We'll see. 

Birla

On this blog a couple of years ago, I reproduced the letter below. It was in response to a debate that occurred in The Evening Journal (Wilmington) Deleware in its 7 December 1914 issue. The local Ministerial Union had tried unsuccessfully to get the paper to stop printing CTR’s sermons. The letter as printed in the 22 December issue was one of several commending the newspaper on its “open door” policy. The interesting point is that the writer, Mrs Birla A Kent, wrote from 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn – that is the Brooklyn Bethel.

So who was she? When you start digging, there is always something of a story to tell.

Birla (sometimes Berla, sometimes Burla) was the former Birla Morris and was born in Indiana c.1883. (Her death certificate from 1951 gives the year 1881 but this is likely an error). Birla’s father was George Morris and her mother, the former Rachael (Ray) McMillan. In 1905 she married Rafael Arrillaga Urrutia and thus became Birla Morris Y McMillan de Arrillaga. In 1910 the couple were living in Puerto Rico where Rafael was born.

Shortly thereafter the marriage must have failed because Rafael would marry again in 1912 and live on until 1933.

On 5 January 1914 in Brooklyn, NY, Birla M De Arrillaga married Benjamin Ray Kent (1889-1964). There is an R B Kent on a list of deacons for a New York class, which may or may not be the same person. Benjamin Ray and Birla obviously lived at Bethel in 1914, for her to use that address in her letter of December 1914.

On 5 June 1917 Benjamin Ray completed his draft registration card, and stated that his occupation was Ordained Minister and Stenographer. He was now living and working at Turner Springs, Florida. He also claimed exemption from the draft on account of being a member of the International Bible Students Association.

It is not known whether either Benjamin or Birla retained their interest in the Bble Student message.

In a 1924 city directory Benjamin R and Birla A Kent are listed as a married couple in Fort Worth, Texas. In the 1930 census for Sweetwater, Nolan, Texas they now have one child, Alan Ray Kent, aged 2. Birla’s age is given as 46, so she would have had Alan Ray quite late in life, at the age of 43-44.

Sadly Birla’s second marriage did not last. In the 1940 census, she is now married to a Clair W. Lawson (formerly Larsen from Sweden) and Alan Ray Kent is aged 12 and listed as a step-son of the family head. The marriage took place in 1936. Benjamin Ray Kent also married again in 1940 to a Jettye Kirkpatrick.  You can trace some of the subsequent family history through sites like Ancestry and Find a Grave.

One suspects that when Birla wrote her letter in 1914 she would never have believed that someone would be poring over her family history well over a hundred years later.

Royal Historical Society

 

Are any of our readers members/fellows of the Royal Historical Society?

George Harold Lancaster, Sr.

 I need basic biography for G. H. Lancaster, vicar of St. Stephen's, Bow, London. I especially need birth and death dates, where he was educated, any printed sermons. I have his book on the war and prophecy. I do not need that.

Anyone?

Russia

 

Cedar Point

 Can you identify any of the people in this photo?

A Visit to the White House

Guest post by Gary.

 

A remarkable piece of Bible Student history, much forgotten about in later times, involved the visit of three members to the White House on late Friday afternoon, 11th January 1918, to receive audience with no lesser person than the 28th President of the United States himself, Woodrow Wilson. 

 

The decision to visit followed multiple attempts made over many months by Joseph Rutherford to bend the ear of various authorities so as to gain leniency for a number of Bible Students who had claimed exemption when they registered for the draft, but had then been treated harshly by both their draft boards and the various army war camps they had been sent to throughout the United States. Up until this time the Bible Students were just one of several religious groups who had been viewed with suspicion due to their unwillingness to fight. But though some religious opponents had already attempted to muddy the waters, The Finished Mystery had not become the focus of criticism by the authorities as would shortly be the case. 

 

Having tried every other reasonable attempt at diplomacy, and in the hope that this impasse could yet be broken, at the annual meeting of the IBSA held in Pittsburgh on 5 January 1918, a resolution was adopted defining the position of the Bible Students concerning combatant service in the war, asking that its members be given the privileges of Section 4 of the Selective Services Act. Perhaps in this we can see the start of the resolutions that were sent to various world leaders and became a feature of later conventions.

 

The resolution started with a conciliatory tone stating early that “we believe our position as a religious organization ... is not fully understood by various officers and representatives of the United States Government” and explained that it was the hope that it this might change. The first point of the resolution even called President Wilson “a great man who is using his power and influence conscientiously and according to his best judgement in the interests of the peoples of the world and particularly of the United States.” 

 

Had the resolution simply pleaded for those Bible Students incarcerated in army camps throughout the United States to have been shown reasonable consideration, as had largely been the case with the traditional peace churches, such as the Mennonites, Brethren and Quakers, the resolution might have been favourably received or, alternatively, easily dismissed. But in keeping with the tradition of the Old Testament prophets, opportunity was also taken to pass comment on the questionable alliance between the governments and prominent religious authorities of the day. Notably the fifth point stated:

 

With charity to all and malice toward none, we feel it our duty humbly to call attention to the fact that the nations are now passing through the great crisis foretold by the prophets of the Lord, and that God is now expressing his displeasure toward the relationship existing between ecclesiastical and civil kingdoms of the earth, particularly as set forth in the following cited Scriptures, to wit: Revelation, chapters 17 and 18; Ezekiel, chapter 34.

 

Rutherford delegated the responsibility to share the resolution to three capable and adept Bible Students: Dr Atwood Smith of Louisville, Kentucky, who acted as Chairman, Ernest Sexton, of Los Angeles, California, and Edward Brenneisen, of New York City.  The resolution was to be taken in person to President Wilson, and then to Secretary of War, Newton Baker, with access gained by appointment made via Joseph P. Tumulty, the President’s Secretary

 

  

President Wilson’s religious background and his diplomatic posture

 

Woodrow Wilson was a highly educated man and by religion a Presbyterian with a strong sense of purpose and vision.  He knew his Bible inside out, being one of only a few men who could have held his own in a discussion on scripture with the three Bible Students, had the conversation gone that way. But in interpretation he was poles apart from his earnest but persistent audience. Wilson had studied Social Gospel under Richard T. Ely at Johns Hopkins in the 1880s, and he represented the sensibility of the mainstream Protestant churches in his approach to reform.  Having a powerful sense of right and wrong, like so many Americans of the time, Wilson considered the development and survival of his country as little less than miraculous. If America did have a manifest destiny to follow, who better to chart its course and lead the world than the President himself?  Post millennial thought was central to Wilson’s crusade to make the world "safe for democracy" through the entry of the United States into the Great War. As premillennialists, Bible Students would not share Wilson’s vision of the Social Gospel, American nationalism and superiority, and, as Zoe Knox has noted, “appeared as opponents not only of the conflict but, ... of the optimism and belief that characterized America in times of both war and peace.” Yet even they recognised its rise in status as Biblically predicted and rejoiced since, as Pastor Russell had stated, they considered that “quite the majority of the New Creation live under the highest forms of civil government to be found in the world to-day, and appreciate this as a divine favor and blessing.”

 

Before we understand what took place that day we should first be aware of an event that had occurred some years earlier involving President Wilson, a large petition rather than a resolution, and a visit of a different minority group who sought Wilson’s assistance. 

 

Though seen as an enlightening place to welcome immigrants with the offer of liberty at the time, America was, of course, still very much a racially divided society. During his earlier years Wilson had seemingly offered to bridge differences between white and black Americans to gain popularity. But, in fact, like many Presidents before and after, his preferences remained strongly white. In one November afternoon during 1914 Wilson was visited by William Monroe Trotter, a black civil rights leader and Boston newspaper editor, who had previously received and been satisfied by vague assurances from Wilson of his wishes to help, but by now Trotter was no longer impressed by words only.  To force a showdown, Trotter defiantly pushed his cause to the point of no return by publicly challenging the President’s policy of segregation.  A heated exchange ensued when, shocked by Trotter’s persistent manner, the President reacted angrily by ordering him and his supporters out of the Oval Office. The resultant bad press earned Wilson no favours. 

 

Afterwards, in defending his actions Wilson acknowledged his error was, unfortunately, not that of racism, but that of public relations:

 

What I ought to have done would have been to (have) listened, restrained my resentment, and, when they had finished, to have said to them that, of course, their petition (would) receive consideration. They would then have withdrawn quietly and no more would have been heard about the matter.        

 

Cynical though it may seem, this diplomatic posture appears to have largely adopted by President Wilson when he received the IBSA delegation in early 1918.

 

 

A positive encounter?

 

An upbeat letter sent to Sister Abbott, hopeful of a positive outcome, appeared in the St. Paul Enterprize, an unofficial Bible Student newspaper, and also The Farmington Times, Missouri, explaining in some detail the nature of the conversation and written by Sexton, one of the three Bible Students delegates to visit.  

 

According to Sexton the three men were welcomed into the White House and cordially treated. The President listened attentively and expressed comments of concern regarding the conscientious objectors involved, implying that it hadn’t been the intention of the Selective Service Act to persecute genuine men holding religious scruples.  The President implied his intention to deal with the matter to alleviate their suffering. Encouraged by the time allowed and the President’s apparent concern the men did more than simply leave the long petition for him to read thereafter, they read it to him word by word.

 

Sexton waxed lyrical in his description of the President:

 

My personal impression of Mr. Wilson is, first of all, that he is a perfect gentleman and receives one with true courtesy.  His manner is quiet - in no way flurried or excited, and he would hardly impress one as having practically the weight of the world on his shoulders; in fact, he would rather give the impression that he had nothing else to do but receive us and thus kill a little time. Another thing very noticeable about this man of prominence is that he is far better looking than any picture would indicate. He has a very pleasant personality, and he is by no means the cold-blooded machine that many believe him to be.

 

The letter recorded that Wilson listened patiently while the resolution was read to him, seemingly noted every point made and, at the conclusion, asked if the IBSA conscientious objectors involved would be prepared to engage in work if a reconstructive nature, such as Red Cross work, or anything that was not decidedly of a war or war preparatory nature. In reply the committee explained that in every case this was an individual matter for each man to decide. Also, that though some might be prepared to do such they feared that in order to do so they would be expected to don the army uniform and take the oath of a soldier, which they would not do.  The committee explained that these young men were not cowards, but were prepared to suffer any indignity, even death itself, rather than to discard their religious scruples. At this point the President seemed too show much feeling, responding quickly that “we have no desire to heap indignities upon these men.”

 

Sexton commented that the President “intimated that the courts which had passed sentences upon the brethren had exceeded their authority, rather through ignorance than malice. He promised to give the matter his personal attention, taking a copy of the resolution and putting it with some other papers that were evidently marked due quick action.”

 

Gratified by the response the committee went over to the War Department since the President had arranged an interview with Secretary of War, Newton Baker. Baker also listened to the reading of the resolution and asked pertinent questions while reassuring the men that he and the President were of one mind concerning genuine conscientious objectors, but had difficulty in showing too much leniency in case many others might seek to evade military service who were not.

 

The report from Sexton concluded positively:

 

We have every reason to believe our visit is bearing fruit, and later developments will doubtless demonstrate this to be true. 

 

 

A more cautious approach, reading Revelation chapters 17 and 18 to the Secretary of War, a casual jest by President Wilson and the point of the chapters tragically missed

 

A more cautious approach was adopted by The Watch Tower of the time which reflected that “what effect this resolution may have we cannot of course know.” Rutherford had perhaps read a little too much into a previous casual governmental response which had seemed to imply recognition of the IBSA, and so no longer wanted to raise undue hopes based on vague governmental inferences.

 

A side light to the meeting has been provided in recent times by Mennonite historian Duane Stoltzfus.  In considering the Wilson papers, he records that Baker heard representations from a variety of religious objectors including “Mennonites, Brethren, Amish, and Hutterites, he heard from Seventh Day Adventists; Russellites, later known as Jehovah’s Witnesses; Molokans, members of a small Russian Christian pacifist sect living in the Southwest; and others. At one point Baker joked with the President, the son of a Presbyterian minister, about a religious group that felt compelled to read to him the seventeenth and eighteenth chapters of Revelation while making its case. Wilson, a Bible reader with his own sense of humor, replied that when he met with the group, there was no reading from Revelation - they figured that the president knew the passage by heart, he intimated, unlike his wayward secretary of war.”

 

Stoltzfus did not locate which religious group was the one in question. But we may hazard a reasonable guess by noting that point 5 of the IBSA resolution included reference to precisely the two chapters of Revelation that Baker mentioned.  Ironically, the amusing jest made by President Wilson may have caused the two men in authority to take too lightly the seriousness of the chapters concerned.

 

In fairness to President Wilson, to a limited degree it may be said he did respond favourably to the visit of the three IBSA men, and indeed to other religious groups who attempted to bend his ear at this time. In March the President belatedly gave a much-needed definition explaining what the term ‘non-combatant’ involved. Since the Selective Service Act had been enacted some 10 months earlier this had remained undefined and caused considerable and unnecessary confusion amongst conscientious objectors and the military authorities alike. It was to the President’s credit that this was now resolved, yet to his debit that he had dallied so long and, in so doing, caused untold suffering to so many. It was not just the COs rotting in army camps who had unnecessarily suffered.  Army officers throughout the US attempting to train men for their military offensive found the existence of COs at best an unneeded inconvenience, and at worst a dissenting and disquieting influence in Camp that they would have preferred to be without. It strapped their resources and pushed their patience to an extreme.

 

 

In the cold light of day

                                          

At the time, the visit of the IBSA committee appeared to be well received and offered hope for a positive outcome. In the cold light of day, however, the attempt achieved little success and was later seen as an abject failure. Indeed, The Golden Age later commented:

 

A committee bearing this resolution called upon President Wilson and personally read and presented it to him. Our troubles began shortly thereafter.

 

Sexton also likely viewed his earlier upbeat letter with embarrassment. By early July 1918 he was arrested in Portland, Oregon, as just one of twenty-six Bible Students charged with circulating copies of The Kingdom News as a protest against the Government’s suppression of The Finished Mystery. Consequently, he was alleged to be in violation of the Espionage Act by authorities who now took exception to the Bible Student message. 

 

 

Sources:

 

The New Creation,Studies in the Scriptures, volume 6, 1904, 594

 

The Watch Tower, 1 July 1917, [Reprints 6110]

 

The Watch Tower, 15 January 1918, [Reprints 6203]

 

The St. Paul Enterprize, 12 February 1918, 4

 

The Farmington Times, Missouri, 22 February 1918, 3

 

The Los Angeles Herald, 3 July 1918, 8

 

The Oregon Daily Journal, 3 July 1918, 3

 

The Express Tribune, Los Angeles, 6 October 1918

 

The Golden Age, 9 June 1920, 590

 

Secondary Sources:

 

Pacifists in Chains - the Persecution of Hutterites during the Great War, Duane Stoltzfus, John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 2013, 69-70

 

Black Radical: The Life and Times of William Monroe Trotter, Kerri Greenidge, Liveright 2019

 

“A Greater Danger than a Division of the German Army”, Zoe Knox, Peace & Change, vol. 44, No.2, April 2019, 234

 

 

Postscript from Jerome:

 

For those who like to know these things, Edward Brenneisen stayed with the Watchtower Society and died as a Jehovah’s Witness in 1956.

Ernest Sexton left fellowship with the IBSA and died in 1932.

Dr Samuel Atwood Smith died in 1930. His religious history after the death of CTR is not known.

                                                                                                                              

You takes your choice...

If you have not already seen it, please look at the post "50th Wedding Anniversary" just below this one. 

     In the 1870s there were numerous small Bible classes loosely affiliated with various papers, some Age to Come, some different strands of Adventism. People obtained papers from all manner of sources, and when ZWT started publication it was initially just one more to add to the list. Eventually, people started to choose which direction they viewed as “the truth,” and the Bible Student movement, with its separate identity, came into being.

     However, many attending gatherings that became “Bible Student” meetings continued to still read widely, even if, as time went by, it may have been politic to keep quiet about it.

     In the first few decades of ZWT’s publication, alternative magazines were still being read by various Bible Students as well. This might help us understand certain subject matter in early ZWTs. On occasion CTR would be responding to the work of others which he knew his readers were receiving. The Tabernacle and its Teachings (later rewritten into Tabernacle Shadows) was originally written, at least in part, to combat the writings of Nelson Barbour.

The Herald of the Morning

     In the 1890s Nelson Barbour’s paper The Herald of the Morning was obviously still seen by a few. In the follow up to 1894’s Harvest Siftings (special issue of ZWT for April 25, 1894) defector S D Rogers was accused of visiting ZWT congregations with bad intent and in Rochester, NY, introducing the faithful to Nelson Barbour, described as a “bold and relentless enemy.” (See ZWT for June 11, 1894). There is no other record of this and Barbour’s paper for this era is not available, but taking the account at face value, three things can be noted.

     First, Rogers knew who Barbour was and where Barbour was, to go to him for support against CTR. Second, it was reported back to CTR that this had actually happened. Third, Barbour was still sufficently well-known to ZWT readers for CTR to mention the event as a warning. CTR’s comment would only have real meaning if Barbour was still on selected Bible Students’ radar.

     This is supported by what happened when a few Bible Students, including a Watch Tower Society director, Augustus Weimar, left fellowship and joined the Koreshan Unity in 1895. This was a strange group that among other things believed the earth was hollow and mankind lived inside it.

     In the September 1895 issue of the Koreshan magazine, The Flaming Sword, they used one of Barbour’s articles from November 1891 to attack CTR’s theology. It seems likely that the Koreshans got this from their new intake of ex-ZWT supporters. However, this means that at least one of those supporters was still reading Barbour’s Herald into the 1890s.

https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-watch-tower-and-koreshan-unity.html

 

The World’s Hope

     John Paton left fellowship with CTR around 1882 and started his own paper The World’s Hope, promoting Universalist views. Looking an extant copies of this paper, a number of well-known ZWT names were also readers. It was Paton who reported on the death of the first ZWT president, W H Conley, and obviously knew and was in contact with him. The account about Conley’s death in The World’s Hope for August 1, 1897 was supplied by W I Mann, who up to April 1892 had been a ZWT director.

     For the history of individuals, Paton’s magazine is valuable because in keeping with his views on universal salvation he tried to keep in touch with or at least report on everyone. The interest was not generally reciprocated. From an historical sense one it is a pity that his paper folded in August 1916.  A few more months and he would have no doubt reported on CTR’s life and death as he saw it.

https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/2013/07/john-patons-farewell.html

 

The Spirit of the Word

     Another associate, Arthur P Adams, initially supported Barbour when the split came, but then started a small circulation paper in 1885 called The Spirit of the Word.

     Adams was a Methodist minister who met CTR in 1877 and became associated with both him and John Paton and Nelson Barbour. As a result of unrepentantly expounding Age to Come views he was expelled from the Methodist ministry in 1878. CTR chose to mention Adams in the first version of Harvest Siftings published in 1890.

     It was after this, while on a tour of the New England States, that I met Mr. A. P. Adams, then a young Methodist minister, who became deeply interested and accepted the message heartily during the week that I preached to his congregation. Subsequently, I introduced him to little gatherings of interested ones in neighboring towns, and assisted otherwise, as I could, rejoicing in another one who, with study, would soon be a co-laborer in the harvest field.

     It wasn’t to last. Later in the reprinted Harvest Siftings (1894):

     Mr. Adams espoused the views of Mr. Barbour and likewise forsook the doctrine of the ransom. And, true to our interpretation of the parable of the wedding garment as given at the time, Mr. Barbour and Mr. Adams, having cast off the wedding garment of Christ's righteousness, went out of the light into the outer darkness of the world on the subjects once so clearly seen.

     CTR obviosuly felt it necessary to mention Adams because some ZWT readers would also know of his ministry. One example of this was Ophelia Burroughs. Ophelia wrote letters to ZWT, organized a Dawn Circle in the absence of suitable males to step up to the mark, and wrote hymns and poems which the Society published throughout the 1890s and into the 1900s. It can be confusing because she wrote under several names, including Browning (her maiden name) and Burroughs (the name of her first husband).

     But Ophelia knew Adams. Very well. In April 1905 she went as far as marrying him!

https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/2015/01/ophelia.html

50th Wedding Anniversary

 

The One That Got Away

Please read post “Update to the Update” below this one.

    Below is a “new” photograph of the Allegheny Bible House family from 1907.

     This article is captioned “The one that got away” because this photograph was not included in the book The Bible House that was published back in the autumn.

     To read or re-read a review of that book, please check this older blog post.

     https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/2020/11/a-review.html

     The new photograph has only come to light since the book’s publication and will now be included in future editions.

     There is a famous photograph of the workers at Bible House, in the street outside the entrance, which dates from 1907. This interior shot was taken around the same time because it includes most of the same people. Missing from the photograph are CTR, his sister Margaret Land and also J A Bohnet. The photograph includes Francis Winter who died on 11 January 1908. This helps to narrow down the time the picture was taken.

     It was taken in the Bible House parlor. Below is a colorized photograph of the parlor.

     Below again is the newly discovered group photograph in the parlor, now colorized and with the names of the people, where known, added below. (You may have to click on the photograph to enlarge it to see all the  details).

     With grateful thanks to Bernhard who supplied all the photographs and information for this article.

Update to the Update

 Issues with my health are slowly being resolved. Some time this month I will be in Spokane for a procedure they cannot do here. This is diagnostic. I do not know why my Doctor wants this additional procedure, but insurance covers it, and if it gives him more confidence so much the better.

The surgery is laparoscopic. It takes about 45 minutes if there are no complications. The cancer is localized and has not spread. Recovery time varies, but I should be able to return to my part-time job in a week or so. There is a - what they think is benign tumor on my right kidney. They may remove that at the same time. That's also a laparoscopic procedure. Growing old is not for sissies, someone once said. I agree. 

I'm taking a break from intensive research to focus on doctor visits and pills and easier writing projects. Thanks to everyone who expressed sympathy. 

I have a second surgery over another issue. That's in July. It is same day surgery with a very limited recovery time. 

Submissions to this blog are open. Same standards as always. Anyone have a well researched article about the Russell v. Russell trials? How about the 1912 world missionary tour? Anyone?

One hundred years ago...

 Please read post "Update" below this one.

Images in this post from Tom, with grateful thanks.