Vintage photos of Governing Body Members and other things..

[jwhess]

On 9/18/2018 at 4:36 AM, Dages said:

I'd love to find so written talk from Rutherford when he was quite spicy against the Church.

Perhaps the booklet "Intolerance" would fit the bill.  I have included a scan of the cover and an excerpt from the Preface.

 

 

[Dustparticle]

Well here is me drowning in the chocolate lake and that is the only thing I have of me and enjoy. 

 

Edited November 3, 2018 by Dustparticle

[jwhess]

Clayton J. Woodworth was an early associate of CT Russell. He was a full-time minister for the IBSA in 1894.  He was one of the compilers of the Finished Mystery (7^th vol of the Studies in the Scriptures book).  He became the first editor of our Golden Age magazine that is now called Awake.

 

William E. Van Amburgh was another early associate of CT Russel. He was associated with the IBSA prior to 1900 (letters in the Watchtower in 1895).  He was elected a director in 1901 and the Sec Treas in 1903. He resigned this post due to health reasons in 1947 and died that same year.  In 1925, Br. Van Amburgh wrote the book “The Way to Paradise” for younger ones to be used in special schools for teaching them. It was published by the Watchtower Society for several years.

 

These men (and others) are a part of our “Spiritual Heritage”.  Loved by many and today remembered by few.

 

[Qapla]

Clayton Woodworth was one of the seven brothers, including the Society’s then president, J. F. Rutherford, who were sent to Atlanta Federal Penitentiary on false charges at the climax of World War I in 1918 but were released in 1919 and exonerated thereafter.

 

We used to have a Brother in our Congregation that was related to Clayton Woodworth. He had a letter that Woodworth had written while in prison that he shared with us.

[jwhess]

Before we had the “Examining the Scriptures Daily” book to read for our daily text, we had the “Daily Text and Comments” in the back of the Yearbook each year.  But before that, we had a publication called “Daily Heavenly Manna” with a scripture for the day, pages for recording birthdays, marriages and deaths.  This publication was printed by Zion’s Watchtower but written (authored) by a sister named Gertrude W. Seibert.  She was associated with the Bethel family at 124 Columbia Heights in Brooklyn.

 

My copy is dated as 1907.  It was used for years.  It is mentioned in some yearbook reports and is note in the Proclaimer’s book on page 201.  She offered to update the publication in 1926 but by then the writing of literature was done by appointed brothers.  So the offer was declined.  Seibert died in 1928.

[Bek]

On 9/17/2018 at 9:13 AM, jwhess said:

Here is the first president of the Watchtower Society, William Henry Conley.

 

*** jv chap. 26 p. 576 Producing Bible Literature for Use in the Ministry ***
The following year the first of an extensive series of tracts designed to interest people in Bible truths was prepared for publication. This work quickly took on immense proportions. In order to handle it, Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society was formed on February 16, 1881, with W. H. Conley as president and C. T. Russell as secretary and treasurer.

 

 

Wow, that's something new! I often hear that brother Russell was "the founder" of our "religion" and as a result, we sometimes get labeled as "Russellites" or "followers of Russell". 

 

Next time someone raises that issue, I should tell them to get their facts right. 😁

[jwhess]

6 hours ago, Bek said:

Wow, that's something new! I often hear that brother Russell was "the founder" of our "religion" and as a result, we sometimes get labeled as "Russellites" or "followers of Russell". 

Next time someone raises that issue, I should tell them to get their facts right. 😁

Br. Nurzat, when we incorporated the Watchtower Society in 1881, CT Russel was the "first" president of the new corporation.  In our un-incorporated beginning it was WH Conley.  It is just some history trivia facts and does not change any beliefs.  Br. Russel and his father were both present and sharing in the original company.  The meetings were held in Br. Conley's house in Allegheny. 

[jwhess]

In 1891 the Watchtower began to promote the idea that the Great Pyramid was used to foretell the outcome of Bible prophecy by means of the measurements of the pyramid.   CT Russell was greatly influenced by a series of pyramid writes of the day.  Two of those writers were closely associated with the Watchtower Society.  John and Morton Edgar wrote books and pamphlets, lectured at Bible Students conventions and took Br. Russell to Egypt on a trip to see for himself the “Miracle in Stone”.

 

Below are pictures of John Edgar, Morton Edgar, a picture of CT Russell at the pyramid (around 1910) and a picture of one of their books.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2018 by jwhess

[Old]

These teachings were still around when Studies In The Scripures were published

 

Brother Rutherford did away with the Pyrmid Doctine.

[jwhess]

Our organization completely ended any association with pyramids in 1928.

 

*** w00 1/1 pp. 9-10 pars. 16-17 Serving With the Watchman ***
17 This so-called Bible in Stone was held in esteem for some decades, until the Watchtower issues of November 15 and December 1, 1928, made clear that Jehovah needed no stone monument built by pagan pharaohs and containing demonic signs of astrology to confirm the witness given in the Bible. Rather, Isaiah’s prophecy was seen to have a spiritual application. 
 

[retroHelen]

There wasn't a great knowledge of Egypt and dating of the pyramids back then, so whenever anything was found there, then many people would automatically look for Biblical evidence, and some would get a bit carried away.

 

There were many in Christendom who had the theory that Seth lived long enough to travel to Egypt and help with the building of the Pyramids and had had them built with clues to special knowledge that might match Biblical prophecies. 

 

Many Victorians had sponsored explorations to find more evidence from other pyramids - as if they were all from the same eras in history -  to discover clues to Bible prophecy.

 

Later Archaeology has of course shown that the Pyramids are purely the result of pagan beliefs of afterlife and no Truth can be found there.

 

But all those people were faithfully seeking the Truth and we know some of them got closer than others in their faithful quest and were humble enough to discard those theories they once spent time and money looking into to no avail. This left them open for new and better quests for Truth in just the Bible itself.We are still at it today as the light gets brighter when it needs to and Jehovah sees fit to use humble men to guide us and we all check and reason for ourselves on what is put before us. We are all on the quest together to survive together with faith based on reasoned study, so we can continue receiving instructions we have come to know are right to follow.

[retroHelen]

Sorry for typo - not Seth - Shem. too late to edit it when I spotted the error!

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Plenty of 'old' photos in the Jan Broadcast. Anyone have one with all the names attached?

Just Older

[jwhess]

In the video of the Annual Meeting discussing the museum, they showed Br. CT Russell on his "Transcontinental" train trip.  Here are a few pictures from that time.  I have several showing the train party stopping at various "Natural Wonders" and admiring God's handiwork.  I have included a picture of Br. Russell in California at one of the sequoia/redwood exhibits.  I have a historic photo showing Gen Fremont and family at the same spot many years earlier.  The tree seems to be named after him.

 

 

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Was this his 'final' trip? I could not see any year on the banner. (Or was this an earlier trip?)
PS Nice pics!

Just Older

[jwhess]

29 minutes ago, TonyWenz said:

Was this his 'final' trip? I could not see any year on the banner. (Or was this an earlier trip?)
PS Nice pics!

Br.  Tony , the trip described in the museum video was the one in 1913 (about 8,000 miles).  The one Br. Russell died on was in Plano, Texas in 1916.

 

*** yb75 pp. 57-58 Part 1—United States of America ***

ABOARD A “CONVENTION TRAIN”

As time passed, requests for personal appearances by C. T. Russell increased. … he sometimes had traveled aboard a special railroad “convention car,” a small group accompanying him…. It was not uncommon for these “convention trains” to be used in visiting large cities in the United States and Canada.

 

Why not board a “convention train” and ride with a happy company of Christians? In June 1913 a special train was engaged for over 200 Bible Students who would accompany C. T. Russell from Chicago, Illinois, on a trip that would take them to Texas, California, Canada and then to a convention in Madison, Wisconsin, with a side-run to Rockford, Illinois. Malinda Z. Keefer supplies these details:

 

“Our train was to leave from the Dearborn station over the Wabash Railroad at noon, June 2…. It didn’t take long to realize we were one big family. . . . and the train was our home for a month.”

 

Finally, it is time to leave. “As the train pulled out of the station on its 8,000-mile journey,” continues Sister Keefer, …It truly was a spiritually upbuilding journey. Says Sister Keefer: “At every stop on the trip there were conventions being held—most were for three days, and we stayed one day with each convention. During these stops Brother Russell gave two talks, one to the friends in the afternoon, and another to the public in the evening on the subject ‘Beyond the Grave.’”

 

Attached is a postcard from the trip.

 

[jwhess]

A little over 3 weeks ago the world celebrated the Christmas holiday.  Our organization also celebrated this holiday at Bethel for almost 50 years.  The last Christmas celebration at Bethel was 1926.  Here are a couple of pictures from that day.  The Bethel family are opening presents in the dining room.  Part of this photograph is shown on page 98 or the Kingdom Rules book.

 

 

[leoperales]

On 1/9/2019 at 4:38 PM, jwhess said:

The one Br. Russell died on was in Plano, Texas in 1916.

He died in Pampa, TX not Plano, TX 

[jwhess]

1 hour ago, leoperales said:

He died in Pampa, TX not Plano, TX 

Very true Br. Leonardo.  My mistake.

[leoperales]

3 hours ago, jwhess said:

Very true Br. Leonardo.  My mistake.

You must have relatives in Plano. . I have friends and relatives in both Pampa and Plano.

[jwhess]

Here is a photo of "Cart Witnessing" in public. Prior to 1900.

[jwhess]

Here is a picture of the 1935 Watchtower Calendar and the reference in the Watchtower magazine announcing its availability.

 

***Watchtower January 15, 1935 page 18***

1935 CALENDAR

You will be especially pleased with the Society's calendar for 1935. Full of action and graphically representing the astounding victory Jehovah will gain for his name's sake, the calendar picture is most expressive of the Year's Text and sets forth, too, the part that Jehovah's witnesses must perform all through 1935 and clear through to the glorious finis.

 

 

Edited February 19, 2019 by jwhess

[Old]

Here is a photo I just came across. I believe it was taken about 1945/46 at Brooklyn Bethel or Gilead School in South Lansing. That is my grandmother Betty Shilton seated at the piano. Any forum members reconize any of the others?

 

 

 

[jwhess]

2 hours ago, Old said:

Here is a photo I just came across. I believe it was taken about 1945/46 at Brooklyn Bethel or Gilead School in South Lansing. That is my grandmother Betty Shilton seated at the piano. Any forum members reconize any of the others?

 

 

 

Br. Jerry, the older brother by the piano looks like William Van Amburgh.  He held several positions with our organization from 1916 until his death in 1947.  He was a member of the GB and he had an affection for music.

 

 

[Old]

6 minutes ago, jwhess said:

Br. Jerry, the older brother by the piano looks like William Van Amburgh.  He held several positions with our organization from 1916 until his death in 1947.  He was a member of the GB and he had an affection for music.

 

Thanks, that would be my guess also.

The photo looks like it could be part of a montage. I don't know where it came from, or who took it.

Any idea on the sister on the extreme right? She looks familiar.

Edited February 20, 2019 by Old
wasn't done yet