William Henry Conley and the Christian and Missionary Alliance

In 1914 a religious writer, Rev. G.P. Pardington, produced a book of 238 pages that has a bearing on Watch Tower related history. It was a self-congratulatory history of a movement that dated its official start from 1889, although growing out of efforts from earlier in that decade.

The Christian and Missionary Alliance was founded by Albert B Simpson (1843-1919). Simpson was originally a Presbyterian clergyman who started an independent ministry in New York in the early 1880s. He was a prolific writer of books and hymns. Several ventures including two magazines came together into the Alliance by 1889.

Pardington’s book outlined their belief system: the Alliance’s theology was pre-millennial, strongly evangelical, with a special emphasis on miraculous physical healing, which Simpson believed he had personally experienced.

The book spends some time giving the history of various supporters and workers around the globe, most of whom had died by that time. However, for those with an interest in Watch Tower history, one reference stands out – to the first president of the Watch Tower Society.

Over pages 208 and 209 – part of chapter called “Our Honored Dead” there is a eulogy to one John Conley.

The date of death (July 25, 1897) and Pittsburgh location clearly identifies this person as William Henry Conley, who readers here will know as the first president of the (unincorporated) Watch Tower Society in 1881.

Conley was an associate of CTR throughout much of the 1870s, being mentioned in George Storrs’ Bible Examiner along with the Russells. He became a wealthy industrialist and co-owner of an iron and steel business known as the Riter-Conley Company. When Zion’s Watch Tower Society first started as an unincorporated body in 1881, Conley was one of four who donated substantial sums for a tract campaign. He was president of the Society and CTR was secretary-treasurer. Yet by the time the Society was incorporated in 1884 Conley was missing and CTR was now president.

He would reappear briefly with a letter to Zion’s Watch Tower in 1894 which we will come to later.

As noted by Pardington in 1914, Conley died back in 1897. But he was sufficiently well-remembered seventeen years later to merit a paragraph in the book. Although it has to be noted that he was not sufficiently well-remembered for Pardington to get his name right!

Going back to the time when William Henry and wife Sarah were very much alive, quite a picture can be built up of their high-profile involvement in this movement. The Alliance published a weekly paper originally called The Christian Alliance and Missionary Weekly. The Conleys are mentioned in its pages literally dozens of times.

A key reference is when Sarah died, a decade after her husband. Her obituary also covers some of William’s history. It is found in the Alliance Weekly for November 21, 1908.

William and Sarah’s support for the Alliance took many forms. To review, here are some sample extracts from The Christian Alliance and Missionary Weekly over the years. In addition to supporting mission work in Palestine, as noted by Partington above, William was noted for his hospitality.

As his home had earlier been made available for the Memorial celebration for the first two years of Zion’s Watch Tower, now it was available for Alliance activities. From their paper for April 13, 1894:

His hospitality extended to lavish spreads for Alliance visitors. From December 12, 1889:

Sarah Conley was very fond of music. From February 6, 1891:

And November 11, 1892:

William was not just a sideliner supporter, but as the above obituary for Sarah from 1908 shows, he also accepted office in the Alliance.

Here he is a vice-president of the International Missionary Alliance (March 21-28, 1890):

For the Pittsburgh branch of the Alliance he became the president (March 13, 1896):

This support for the Alliance was not just in administration, William also preached for the cause. Here he is presiding at a church meeting (September 11, 1896):

Some of the topics he preached on would not have sounded out of place from a ZWT evangelist, although the details may have differed. From March 5, 1895 – “Dispensational Truths” (complete with a chart):

From February 22, 1896 – “The Second Coming of Christ” – complete with another chart and William and Sarah singing:

     

From the same issue (February 22, 1896) – “Meat in due season”:    

After William died, the obituary for his widow Sarah showed how much she continued her support for the Alliance. She also accepted positions in the movement.

From a regional convention covering five US States in 1907 (September 7, 1907)

Returning to the time when William died, his support was so notable that a room at the Alliance’s own training school was dedicated in his honor. The Missionary Training Institute in Nyack, New York, was founded by A B Simpson back in 1882 and in due course became the official educational facility for the Alliance. A special building was constructed for the school overlooking the Hudson River in 1897. A news item from December 2, 1916 referred back to this event:

Unlike Pardington, here in 1916 the writer at least got Conley’s initials right. So, while Conley rapidly faded from ZWT view, he was extremely visible elsewhere.

His support for the Alliance was mentioned in the newspapers when reporting on his death. From The Pittsburgh Press for July 31, 1897:

So why did W H Conley part company with CTR, at least theologically?

Several possible reasons are suggested here, and it may have been a combination of factors.

The first possible issue was how religious movements in the past sometimes evolve from proclaiming a future hope to trying to deal with the “here and now.” A general example is the Salvation Army where William Booth and others wanted to evangelize the poor, but are more known today for social care. This did not happen to the Bible Student movement. When ZWT began, its focus was clearly on preaching the message, gathering in the last of the “saints,” and declaring the hope that God will provide lasting solutions to mankind’s ills. It kept to that. Whereas the Conleys obviously veered towards social care – supporting hospitals, a refuge for women, rehabilitation of prisoners, etc. This was a different focus.

The second possible issue was a personal tragedy in the Conley family.

One assumes that William and Sarah were unable to have children themselves, because they adopted a little girl called Emma. She died in 1881. That she was adopted is clearly shown by the notice of her death in the Pittsburgh Daily Post for 15 December, 1881, which drew attention to the fact.

Her grave marker has the poignant inscription “Our Pet.”

Photo by the author

This tragedy may have affected Conley’s religious focus. A main feature of the Alliance platform was Divine Healing. Simpson firmly believed he had been miraculously healed; this was a main prompt in starting the organization.  For a while it would have links with the developing Pentecostal movement. It would be too late for Emma, but a belief in Divine Healing may have attracted Conley.

However, perhaps the most obvious reason for a parting of the ways was a straightforward theological divide. As ZWT commented on doctrines in its early years, there was an obvious rift in the making. The various groups that provided a background to CTR’s ministry had widely diverging views on God and Christ, but many were non-trinitarian.

In marked contrast, the organisation that Conley threw his money behind was strictly orthodox. It still exists and as the Alliance World Fellowship claims a membership of over six million today. A modern-day website lists its core beliefs. Under WHAT DO WE BELIEVE? the first statement of faith is:

“We believe that Jesus is the Christ, God incarnate.”

Elaborating further: “There is one God…existing eternally in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

Those are not words you would ever find in Zion’s Watch Tower. Instead, the issue for July/August 1881 (R249) calls the trinity a “heathen dogma” and by July 1883 (R505) the doctrine was described as “totally opposed to Scripture.” This allowed no room for compromise.

Other doctrinal differences likely surfaced when Conley helped fund George Peters’ monumental work The Theocratic Kingdom published in full in 1884. CTR obviously had a preview because he reviewed it in Zion’s Watch Tower for May 1883. Conley is given a prominent dedication for financial help given at the start of the third volume. CTR’s told his readers how they could obtain the work but there was a warning. He wrote:

“We regret to have it to state, however, that he is not free from Babylon's shackles, being yet identified with the Lutheran sect – hence has been hindered from a fuller development in grace and knowledge of the word and plan of God than if he stood in the full liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.”

Peters identified himself as “Rev” in volume one, and “Evang. Luth. Minister” in volumes 2 and 3. Conley had come from a Lutheran background and likely knew Peters from earlier days.

CTR did not exactly raise enthusiasm for the book. He concluded his comments:

“While we cannot recommend it to you more than as above, to briefly state the facts and circumstances, yet if you should conclude to order it or a prospectus of it you should address our brother and friend as above.”

CTR called Peters a “brother” and “friend” but it was hardly an endorsement of a huge project Conley had helped bankroll.

So by 1884, perhaps for a variety of reasons, there had been a parting of the ways. Many years later, when CTR reviewed his association with Conley in The Watch Tower for July 1, 1912, pp.211-213, he singled out Conley’s take on faith-healing as a problem. He also suggested that Conley had been ensnared by materialism.

As noted earlier, Conley was to reappear “out of the blue” in a letter written to Zion’s Watch Tower in 1894.

CTR had been subjected to an attack on his personal integrity including his business dealings from four former associates. He responded with a special issue of Zion’s Watch Tower dated April 25, 1894, entitled A Conspiracy Exposed and Harvest Siftings. The aftermath of this was another special Zion’s Watch Tower for June 11, 1894, which reproduced many letters of support. One came from W H Conley. CTR introduced the letter before reproducing it.

“Another brother who was a member of the early Allegheny Bible Class writes as follows:

“My Dear Bro. In Christ:—
I have read carefully pages 92 to 119 of A Conspiracy Exposed and Harvest Siftings with special interest, and must say my recollection of events named by you are very much like your own; and while there are some details, in some cases, of which I know nothing, and hence cannot speak as to them, yet I do know there were such transactions as you name, and at the dates given. I am quite conversant with some of the dealings, and am surprised at the very merciful manner in which you speak of those with whom you were associated. "The servant is not greater than his Lord." "If they have done these things in a green tree, what will they do in the dry?"—"Perils among false brethren," etc., etc.
As to myself, you can rely on one thing, viz., All reports stating that I deny the ransom are absolutely false...
    W.H. Conley”

By this time however, he was fully and very publicly committed to the Missionary Alliance. There is no mention that he had once been president of the Watch Tower Society. CTR simply called him “a member of the early Allegheny Bible Class.” This avoided controversy and maybe even potential embarrassment for Conley.

Looking back on William Conley’s life of philanthropy, some subjective readers may conclude that probably the best thing he ever did with his money was that early help he gave in the start of Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society.

Charles Taze Russell on William Henry Conley

     Charles Taze Russell gave his thoughts on William Henry Conley in a Watch Tower magazine for July 1, 1912. The article was “Delivered for the Destruction of the Flesh.” Under the subheading “The Cares of the World Overcome Many” CTR warned about being deluded by “the deceitfulness of riches.” He gave a warning example. While not namng names the main example cited has to be Conley. He was someone who had been very close to CTR, who started as a book-keeper and then made his fortune. This proved to be a snare. He joined the Christian Alliance and tried to practice faith healing. It didn’t work in his case, and in spite of calling in a doctor he subsequently died. His attitude had more or less cut the two men off from their previous intimate fellowship. CTR thought that, while he likely did not get into the kingdom, probably he would be part of the Great Company.

     It is probably best to just let CTR speak for himself. Extracted from July 1, 1912, WT pages 211-213.

 

     THE CARES OF THIS WORLD OVERCOME MANY

     There was a gentleman with whom the writer was once very intimate; we were like brothers. One day he said, "Brother Russell, I should like very much indeed to be out in the Lord's work and to do some kind of service for the Truth, but I have a wife, and I understand that the Lord holds me responsible for the care of my wife. I could not think of going out and leaving her dependent. But if the Lord in His providence should ever send me money so that I could go without my wife's suffering any serious inconvenience, I would be very glad to go out and preach the Gospel." The Lord took him at his word. He was then a bookkeeper; but the Lord opened the way, by the death of a member of the firm, for him to become one of the principal partners in that firm. Without any effort at all he prospered financially until he was worth at least half a million dollars.

     One day we said to him, "Brother, we have a very serious matter that weighs on us a great deal." He said,"Tell me what it is and I will assist you, whatever it costs." You see how gracious he was! He thought that we were after his money! Dear friends, we thank God that we have never yet found it necessary to ask for money; and we do not suppose that we ever shall. We said, "Brother, we are in great distress, and no one but you can help us." "Tell me what it is," he replied.We said, "Dear Brother, we desire to call your attention to something which you said several years ago when you were poor." Then we recited our previous conversation as best we could, and said, "The Lord has given you the money; He has done His part; are you ready to do yours?" With streaming eyes he answered, "Brother Russell, I am so bound to my business--hand and foot-- that it would be impossible now." The cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, according to his own words, had bound him hand and foot; but his heart was still loyal to God.

     We have no desire to be his judge, but we are inclined to think that dear brother did not get into the Kingdom. While we do not know, yet we fear that his being bound "hand and foot" may have stood in his way, though we think that he was truly a child of God. Are we to suppose that because he failed to make that sacrifice which he had agreed to make, he would go down into the Second Death? We hardly think so. We think that the Lord loved him and that he had a very loyal character. The Lord loves good characters. Our thought is that quite probably the dear brother will be in the Great Company; and we are very glad that there will be a Great Company class...

     …Regarding the case that we have mentioned earlier in this article you might ask, Did that Brother lose the knowledge of the Truth? We will tell you; for this is a very interesting question.

     In this Brother's case we do not know what were the sentiments of his heart, of course, for we are not able to judge those. But he left us and joined the Presbyterian Church. Then he joined the Christian Alliance people and tried to believe in faith-healing and to practice it, although he had possessed much knowledge of the Truth along these lines. After pressing along the line of faith-healing, etc., he had several attacks of sickness and had to call in a doctor, notwithstanding faith-cures. Finally, after very serious illness lasting a number of weeks, he passed away. We do not know enough about him to say to what extent his mind was turned toward the Lord. We had no opportunity of knowing; for his attitude had more or less cut us off from our previous intimate fellowship. 

History Puzzle

 The image below is from a Watch Tower letter to colporteurs dated August 15, 1924. Do you know of any examples of locally produced inserts, especially of those which harmed the message? [click on the image to see entire]

 

For another project

 Another bit of German text I cannot decipher on my own. Can you translate this?

Update

 I had my last surgery yesterday. No word yet on the biopsy. Ugly looking thing. The doctor showed it to me before sending it to the lab. There are at least three more surgeries to go, but six or more months in the future. 

Now? My pain is reduced some. This is a good result. I'm unsteady on my feet. This is not new, but it is worse. The pain meds leave me 'loopy.' So I have trouble concentrating. That means I will have little to add to this blog for some time. 

I accept submissions. They must be on topic, though I will accept articles that focus on the Rutherford era. My preference is something focusing on the Russell era. Your submission must be footnoted to original sources. Speculation is not welcome. This is, as I've said before, a history blog, not a fantasy fiction blog. Grammar conventions matter, but if English isn't your first language we will work with you. Exact topic up to you. There is no payment, and no guarantee of publication.

Anyone? 

Addenda for Henry Weber

A recent post (September 21) reviewed the photograph of Henry Weber, who was a Society director for nearly 12 years and who died in 1904.

At least one of his children stayed with the Society. His daughter, Diana, lived to be 93, and her funeral notice from the Cumberland Evening Times of 3 April 1971 made the point that she was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

From Zion's Watch Tower to The Watch Tower - Why?

    Guest post by Gary

     First produced in July 1879 as Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence, on January 1, 1909, the magazine’s title was changed to The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence. But why was this?

      The book Jehovah’s Witnesses – Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom explained that the name of the magazine changed “in order to focus attention more clearly on the objective of the magazine.”(1) But more can be added which it was not necessary for the passing mention in the Proclaimers book to include.

     Popular religious ideas in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century featured the thought, still held by many today, that the Jews who had become dispersed throughout the nations would eventually return to the Holy Land under the slogan of “Zionism.” Indeed, Pastor Russell shared such a belief which is apparent in his writings and perhaps reflected in the name originally chosen for the magazine he published. But it was not until the 1930s that Jehovah’s Witnesses adjusted their perspective from the natural nation of Israel to “Spiritual Israel.”(2) So why was it that reference to Zion was dropped from the name of the magazine as early as 1909? 

     The answer is provided in the magazine’s last issue of 1908 which explains that some members of the public were wrongly assuming the magazine was related to John Alexander Dowie, who in 1900 had founded the city of Zion, Illinois, 40 miles north of Chicago.  To quote:

     “With the New Year we expect to drop the word "Zion's" in the title of our Journal, because many of the friends inform us that the word is objectionable, having been so much used by Mr. Dowie and his followers. They report that our Journal is frequently cast aside under the supposition that it is published under Dowie's auspices, or in some manner affiliated with Zion City, which he founded. The new name, THE WATCH TOWER, is the one by which the Journal is usually mentioned.”(3)

     So who was Dowie and why did Russell see need to distance from him?  Dowie was a Scottish-Australian immigrant who, like Russell, believed in an end-times restoration of true worship. Unlike Russell, Dowie believed this restoration necessitated a return to apostolic gifts including faith healing. In contrast, Russell believed that “the necessity for miracles as introductions to the Gospel message is no longer manifest” and that, consequently, “We are inclined to look with suspicion upon miraculous healings of the present time, whether done by Mormons or by Christian Scientists or by Christian Alliance people or by Mr Dowie and his followers or others.”(4)

     A charismatic figure, Dowie had settled in Chicago and in 1893 gained considerable attention at the World’s Fair.  He launched his own publishing house, Zion Publishing, and started a weekly newsletter, Leaves of Healing which ran until 1909. Between 1894 and 1901 Dowie founded the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church which is said to have attracted some 6,000 adherents by the start of the twentieth century, some of whom were keen to invest money in Dowie’s new city, founded in 1901, and its Zion Bank which, of course, was controlled by Dowie. In 1899, Dowie claimed to be "God's Messenger" and, by 1901, was considered by followers to be Elijah the Restorer.  

     Dowie taught adherents to abstain from tobacco, alcohol, pork, doctors, medicines and “apostate churches.”

     Additionally he welcomed African-Americans into his new city which had only one church.  All seemed to be going well with this utopian city, but as it grew in size and prosperity, Dowie adopted an increasingly lavish lifestyle, building himself a 25-room mansion and adorning himself in ornate ecclesiastical robes modeled after those worn by Aaron, the high priest of Israel.

Dowie from Wikipedia

     Unsurprisingly perhaps, Dowie proved spiritually and financially untrustworthy as the entire structure of Zion soon fell into debt, and eventually crashed with Dowie becoming unable to handle his affairs. By 1905, he had suffered a stroke and left Zion to recuperate. While absent he was deposed from his business affairs and religious leadership by a colleague whose investigators claimed huge amounts of money were unaccounted for. A splinter group rejected the new leadership and left Zion with some embracing the budding Pentecostal movement.  Meanwhile Dowie attempted to recover his authority through litigation, but ultimately retired and accepted an allowance, which was paid until his death in 1907.

     Evidently therefore, the deletion of the word “Zion’s” shifted focus away from a disreputable competitor, as Russell was keen to distance his magazine from even the slightest semblance of Dowie.  In so doing, the magazine could “focus attention more clearly on its objective” as Herald of Christ’s Presence.  

 

References:

(1) Jehovah’s Witnesses - Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom p.724

(2) In discussing Jeremiah 31:31-34, for instance, the book Jehovah, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1934, stated conclusively: “The new covenant has nothing to do with the natural descendants of Israel and with mankind in general, but . . . is limited to spiritual Israel.”

(3) Zion’s Watch Tower December 1908, p.372, R4294. Another concern, at the time, was that African churches and papers used the word ‘Zion’ extensively, which led some to inquire whether the magazine was written for black people when, in fact, the Watch Tower aimed for a multiracial audience.

 

(4) Zion’s Watch Tower January 1904 p.14, Reprints p. 3301.                               

(5) For further reading on Dowie, see From Sect to Cult to Sect: The Christian Catholic Church in Zion, Ph.D dissertation by Warren Jay Beaman, Iowa State University, 1990.

Henry Weber

A year or more ago there was a flurry of correspondence on this blog about a picture hanging on the wall of the Bible House parlor. Who was it? Was it perhaps an elderly Joseph Lytle Russell? After some skillful manipulation of the image it was established that it appeared to be Henry Weber, former vice-president of Zion’s Watch Tower Society, holding a copy of Millennial Dawn.

I have only just noticed that this same photograph – face on – has been in the Society’s historical exhibition. Earlier today I was watching the 2014 video of the exhibition that opened in Brooklyn, and there – on the wall – was Henry Weber.

Here is a screen grab from the film.

Below is a close up.

 

Obviously when visits to the new exhiition in Warwick are allowed one might be able to get a much clearer picture, and of course it may be in a different place in the current exhibition.

Henry was a director of the Society for nearly 12 years. He died in 1904. He was a horticulturist and his company H Weber and Sons, lasted until 1978. The records of the company were ultimately donated to the Smithsonian Institute by a descendant.

J F Rutherford talks 1914-1917

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

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

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

 

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

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

J F Rutherford talks 1920-1921

On May 22, 1921, at the now historic Kismet Temple in Brooklyn, J F Rutherford gave his famous Millions talk. Below is an advertising leaflet.

The Kismet building is still standing and below are two photographs of the exterior.

 

(The one in color is taken from Wikipedia and dates from 2013)

The leaflet provided some interesting information. JFR had just returned from visiting Palestine and Egypt. There he had been involved in two of the Kinemo films which were eventually given general release in 1922. JFR did a kind of Alfred Hitchcock cameo appearance in both of them.

The leaflet also mentions events the previous year (1920) when the same subject had been presented at the New York Hippodrome, and where the crowds had been so large some could not gain admittance.

Below is a postcard showing the exterior.

 

The Hippodrome was demolished in 1939. The reverse of the postcard describes its original capacity.

 

A photograph exists of the interior during JFR’s”standing room only” lecture.

 

All photographs and ephemera came from Tom’s collection.  With grateful thanks for sharing.

Bruce

Bruce had his surgery today, the first of two. It went well, but he is experiencing significant pain. He will be away from his blog for some time.

- Anastasia d'isles-Stewart

The "joys" of old documents

 

One of the “joys” of historical research is deciphering old documents. Forget issues like Latin or ancient languages, just the vagaries of time on writing materials, coupled with a hit and miss approach by scanners, can create unwanted puzzles.

To illustrate, below is a document where the puzzle has been solved, but it still illustrates the problem when, for example, you don’t have newspaper confirmation of events.

This register of deaths from Washington State is from 1905. Homing in on one entry, can you make out whose name this is?

To put you out of your misery, this is Barbour, Nelson H. Yes, it is THAT Nelson Barbour, dying away from home on August 30, 1905.

The date can be worked out from other more legible dates on the page.

Travelling along the line we find more information. So what do you make of this?

Deciphering the columns, Nelson was 81 when he died.

He was M – i.e. male

He was widowed

Where did the death happen? Do – i.e. ditto from the name Tacoma hgher up the page.

And Nelson died from?

By a comparison with other entries on the page, Nelson died from “exhaustion.”  The word is more clearly seen for other deceased persons on the page. It seems to be a fairly common event for the time and area. Its vagueness is similar to descriptions often given of people dying from “heart failure.” (CTR is an example of this). It is a sort of catch-all; everyone dies from heart failure, but the real question is, what caused it? What caused Nelson to die from “exhaustion?”

The continuing line goes onto the next page, asking where from, names of parents, etc. but this is all blank for Nelson. The information was not available or at least was not recorded, although they obviously knew where he was from because his body was sent nearly three thousand miles back home to be buried alongside his late wife, Emeline.

Headstone in Throopville Rural Cemetery, Auburn, New York.

For some reason the Proclaimers book says he died in 1906, but the date as above was 1905.

Some Reminders

 

We have strayed from this blog’s purpose. It is my fault, but I am with this post remedying the problem.

1. This is not a news site. I do not intend it as a forum for current news about Jehovah’s Witnesses or related groups. While I have allowed the posts on the Pyramid monument, doing so has led us away from this blog’s focus which is solely to present well-researched history of the Russell era. I will not allow news features in the future.

2. This is a history site, not a controversialist site. Accordingly, I do not accept links to videos that are polemic in nature. Don’t post any links to a youtube video. If you believe a video adds value to my blog, enquire.

3. Keep your feelings for or against the Watchtower to yourself. They have no place here. If you must express them, post them on a more appropriate site. This blog draws interest from academics, from Witnesses, from former Witnesses and from the merely curious. It is not, however, a place for you to express your pro- or anti-Witness beliefs. We’ve had too much of that lately. I’m not taking down articles or comments that cross that line, but I will not allow them in the future.

4. DO NOT LINK TO THIS BLOG VIA FACEBOOK. EVER

Handbills

 I need scans of handbills from the 1940s and 1950s. Anyone?

More on the United Cemeteries' Pyramid

WHAT PYRAMID?

 

The pyramid was removed very carefully on September 1. These photographs are from September 2. On top of the CTR grave stone is a small piece of granite salvaged from the pyramid site. 

For the background as to what led up to this, see the post from August 22.

Usher Instructions

 Usher Instructions was a four page instruction sheet for convention administration in the 1930-40s. I need a good pdf scan of it. Anyone?

The Missing Bible Students of Mount Dora (part 2)

 

by Chris G

Photographs and recollections of the Estate Sale.

If you haven’t already done so, please read the original article as published here on August 11, 2021, before reading this.

     

     As a follow up from my previous some had inquired whether I might share a few more photos of some of the items found at the Estate Sale mentioned.

The Russell Portrait

     This is evidently a large print (approx 24 x 36) of an original painting.  The print is of very high quality and the detail is stunning.  It was sitting in the garage with tools and common yard equipment along with a few other framed family pictures from the 1800s and early 1900s.  None of the characters looked at all familiar to me so I passed on them, I wish now I had at least photographed them so I could have researched them later.  At the time however I was overwhelmed with what I was finding.

The Russell Portrait, 8/10 original pencil sketch.

     I ran across this gem as it was laid next to the painting above.  On buying it I assumed it was a simple copy like the one below but days later I studied the detail of the image only to confirm it was the original pencil sketch that was evidently used by Bible Students when reprinting the Watchtower bound volumes.  Does anyone know who this artist is, “J.E. Sweet”?

    

     I suspect this portrait of CTR would have gone unpurchased and disposed of if I hadn’t attained it.

     Above from the same sale is a six volume set of Studies in the Scriptures, black “leather” c. 1937.  PSL Johnson had these printed as mentioned in the original article.  I’ve never heard or seen any other black sets in over 20 years of searching for different editions.  If any readers of the blog have any information I would appreciate their input.  The material is not the normal feel of the more common red sets, and feels like leather or faux leather. 

Some of our readers will want this.

 On ebay at a very reasonable price. Storrs and Russell were both influenced by this book.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154579514299?hash=item23fda833bb:g:RgoAAOSwo6xg4ZEF

1777 Dissertations on the Prophecies by Thomas Newton DD, 3 volumes leather 

For another project

 Another German language document I need translated. Can you help?

The Pyramid

Please see addenda from August 24 and September 1, 2021 (below)

Visitors to Pittsburgh with an interest in Watch Tower history have often visited the United Cemeteries in Ross Township where CTR is buried. A famous landmark is in the center of the site, a 7 feet high pyramid which was designed as a memorial for all those buried on site. The idea was to have all the names engraved on the sides. In the event only nine names were ever recorded before the plan was dropped.

Below is a photograph of the pyramid taken by the author in 2014.

 and

This is the north face of the pyramid showing the inscriptions for Arabella Mann and Mary Jane Whitehouse.

Sadly in recent times this has been badly vandalized. Below are some current photographs.

Some months ago, the cross and crown motifs on each of the four sides were hacked out. The structure was built as four triangular pieces leaning towards each other, with a capstone holding it all together. But now the capstone has gone, and the sides appear to have been partly prized open.

It was put together in 1920 and unfortunately publicity was given to a treasure trove of memorabilia buried inside it. This was all stolen back in 1994, so there is no value to anyone getting inside it again.

The pyramid has now lasted a little over one hundred years. But now weakened, with its extremely heavy granite sides it may present a danger to the public. If not restored, it may be necessary to take the whole structure down.

Addenda from August 24

When this article first appeared, I received reports back-channel that the pyramid may have been taken down. I can confirm that the two photographs below were taken on August 23.

Ultimately, any issues of public safety may decide what happens to the monument.

Addenda from September 1

The pyramid was carefully taken down today. No doubt pictures will circulate in due course.

Call for submissions

 I would welcome a well-researched article considering opposition to Russell as it was before 1895.

I cannot pay for submissions. Though this blog is copyrighted, all rights belong to the author.

Anyone?

Scandals and hand wringing.

This will, I suppose, seem off topic, but it is not. I need newspaper and other accounts of supposed or real scandals involving people associated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance or with A. B. Simpson's New York Tabernacle between 1885 and 1910. I need bad results from Alliance "Faith Cure" practice. I need sex scandals (there are a few real ones to be sure). I need reports of supposed financial misdeeds. Excluded from this is the Emilio Olsson affair. I believe I have all I need from that. 

If you can find these through any of the newspaper search systems, please forward them. They need not be 'true' or accurate. It is the fact of the report that matters. 

I'm tracing the effect of untoward reports on the Conleys, especially Sarah Conley after her husband's death. This isn't an occasion to 'beat on' the C&MA people. It is, instead, a research quest. And not as easy as it may seem.

ALSO

In September 1889 Sarah founded “Beulah Home,” a large structure at 136 Sheridan Avenue in Bellevue, Pennsylvania. I need details. When did it close down? What happened to its assets? Why did it close. All I have now is this paragraph:

"In September 1889 Sarah founded “Beulah Home,” a large structure at 136 Sheridan Avenue in Bellevue, Pennsylvania. She called Oliver S. Schultz and his wife Caroline [Sometimes spelled Carolina] to manage it. O. S. Schultz [born c. 1851] was an associate of A. B. Simpson, serving as treasurer of Simpson’s Berachah Orphanage in New York City.  It was a home for women, providing respite and refuge for what was then called ‘the worthy poor.’ The 1910 Federal Census lists the Schultz’s, a servant, and fifteen female residents aged between six months and seventy-four years. Sarah’s intention was that the home continue after her death, and she made some provision for that in her will." 

I'm confident that the above is correct, with the exception of "the worthy poor" sentence. What can you add?