History Of Jehovahs Witnesses

The history of Jehovah's Witnesses began in the 1870s when Charles Taze Russell took the lead a study group of the Bible in Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. Originally known as a "Bible Students" Witnesses experienced a significant rift in 1917 when Joseph Franklin Rutherford had just become chairman of the movement. Rutherford, who had announced 1925 as the date of Armageddon, gave a new direction to the movement and created the name "Jehovah's Witnesses" in 1931.

After his death, Nathan Homer Knorr assured the presidency of the Watchtower Society , an organization that oversees the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. Later, 1975 was announced as the date for Armageddon. Since 1976 , the direction of movement is ensured by a governing body called College Central.

Influences

Raised in a Presbyterian , Charles Taze Russell had nearly lost faith before meeting the preacher Adventist Christian (one of the spiritual heirs of the Millers ) in 1870. His faith revived, Russell organized a study group of the Bible in Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. Ministers Adventists George Storrs (editor of Bible Review) and George Stetson (pastor of the Christian church of the advent of Edinboro), proved powerful influences in the early days of their collaboration with and is of them he drew his inspiration millenarian. For example, George Storrs was an ardent advocate of the belief that the soul is mortal and immortal receive a gift that faithful Christians, and he also thought that hell fire and no published books including Six Sermons (200 000 copies) summarizing his theological vision. Joseph Seiss, pastor Methodist also inspired Russell.

In January 1876 , he met Nelson H. Barbour he had originally known by the Adventist periodical that he edited at the time. Russell later adopted the biblical chronology Barbour, itself originally edited by Christopher Bowen in 1861. Barbour, like Wendell, had planned a return of Christ to 1873 , and the date passed, delayed its forecast for 1874 . Convinced of this teaching, Russell decided to undertake a campaign when preaching. Once the date is reached, he said that Christ was indeed returned to 1874 , but had done so invisible . He brought further financial assistance to Barbour and became co-editor of this magazine, Herald of the Morning (Morning Herald) . In 1877 , Russell brought out the booklet The Object And The Manner of Our Lord's return devoted to Christ's return, and with Barbour published jointly by the book The Three Worlds (The Three Worlds) , a book dealing mainly with the restoration and prophecy based on biblical chronology. They differed from most followers of the second Adventism in what they taught that Adam would have another chance to live in a paradise earth .

However, in the August 1878 the Herald of the Morning, Barbour wrote an article in which he asserted that Christ's death was not substitutionary. Believing that it would deny the doctrine of redemption of sins, Russell published other articles in this magazine that defended this teaching. Following the disagreement, he dissociated himself finally with Barbour in July 1879 and quickly began to publish his own magazine, Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence (The Lighthouse Tower Zion Messenger Presence of Christ) , now known as the Tower Guard , whose first issue was printed in 6000 copies. He kept teaching Barbour that the "end times" began in 1799 and Christ had returned invisibly in 1874 . The year 1878 became the date of the coronation of Christ as King in heaven, the resurrection of the anointed, and Judgement of God of Christianity , and 1914 , the end of a harvest period which would result in Armageddon .

Doctrine of the "Bible Students"

Following their screening of the Bible , the Rev. Russell and other Bible Students had come to believe that the faith traditions and Christian contained significant errors, and needed now restore true Christianity as he was taught and practiced in the ^first century. However, they felt that their beliefs were neither new nor personal, but those of Christ , although their ideas have often been declared heretical by the leaders and followers of the churches of the time. Russell joined other faiths from the Protestants as to the superiority of the Bible and the doctrine of justification by faith alone, but felt that mistakes had marred their interpretation. He agreed with many Protestants of the nineteenth ^century , including Millerites on the concept of a great apostasy that had commenced in the late ^first century , as well as the belief in the imminent coming of Christ and the coming of Armageddon. The areas in which its scriptural interpretations differed from those of Catholics and many Protestants concern:

• The hell of fire, refuted. Russell maintained that there would be a resurrection heavenly anointed 144 000 members and members of the "great crowd" (Revelation 7:9-17 as) as a secondary class celestial, and the rest of humanity in sleep death, pending an earthly resurrection.
• The Trinity , as was usually presented. Russell believed in the divinity of Jesus Christ , but diverges from the orthodox teaching that Jesus had received this divine gift as his heavenly Father, after his death on the cross. He also taught that the Holy Spirit was not a person, but the manifestation of the power of God.
• Russell calculated that 1874 would be the year of the coming of Christ, and taught until his death that he was invisibly present, reigning from heaven as of that date. He predicted that the period known as "Time of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24) would end in 1914 and at that time the battle of Armageddon would take place and Christ the direction of earthly affairs. He later sang the First World War as the beginning of Armageddon, which is marked by progressive deterioration of civilized society and a leading multinational in its heyday on Israel with a reconstituted anarchy world. Regarding 1914 , Russell and other Bible Students hoping to be swept that day in heaven to reign with Christ .
• He rejected the common chronology Bible to calculate 6000 years dating from the creation of Adam to the year ending 1874 , when he says Christ is returned invisibly.
• Russell based his chronology by the pyramid. Indeed, he believed that the Great Pyramid of Giza was built by Melchizedek (identifying the inhabitants of Salem Hyksos ) under the direction of God , only to be understood at the time of Russell; it the has designated the occasion as "the Bible in stone" ("Bible in stone"). Based on some biblical texts, such as Isaiah 19:19,20 among others, various aspects of the monument have been interpreted as symbols of the fall of man, the constitution of the Mosaic Law , death of Christ and the resurrection of the anointed in heaven. Calculations on the basis of a pyramid inch to one year, gave dates such as 1874 , 1914 and 1948 . For example, 1874 was found from a measurement of 3,416 inches pyramid , as updated in 1910 to 3457 inches to designate 1915 . The idea that the Great Pyramid was a model prophetic of biblical chronology, was maintained until 1928 .

Russell was a one of the first Christian preachers supporters of what was later called Zionism. Borrowing an idea promoted by Nelson Barbour, he taught from 1879 that the favor of God had been restored to the Jews from 1878 as a result of a "double" prophetic. In 1910 , he led a meeting at the famous theater, the hippodrome of New York before an audience including thousands of Jews. Preaching against their conversion to Christianity , Russell also claimed that the land of Palestine belonged to the Jewish people, and that this God called them again on their land, which would be the capital of his kingdom on earth. Early on, Russell believed - wrongly - that the Jews would flock to Palestine and form their own nation by 1910.

Organization and Publishing

Russell, already famous as a Protestant pastor, formed in 1881 a corporation which became a nonprofit organization : The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania (W. Conley was the first president), which remains today yet the entity's central movement. In 1884 , Russell became president. Initially, the organization's headquarters was in Pittsburgh , at 101 Fifth Avenue, then to Allegheny , 44 of the Federal Street, and from 1889 to Allegheny always, but at 56-60 Arch Street, where the four-storey building was named House of the Bible . In 1908 , the premises were transferred to the 'Bethel Plymouth' (center formerly belonging to the Congregational Church ) in Brooklyn , at 13-17 Hicks Street, renovated and renamed the Brooklyn Tabernacle. A four-storey house was also bought in Brooklyn, 124 Columbia Heights, to house of representatives and volunteers from the Watchtower Society, and subsequently enlarged by the acquisition of adjacent buildings , called Bethel (House God) .

Russell visited about this time several states in the U.S. ( Pennsylvania , New Jersey , New York , Ohio , Massachusetts , Michigan ) to bring readers the Watchtower , who do not know until then to form several congregations and weekly meetings . Russell also urged his readers to be preachers , particularly in disseminating to the public with leaflets baptized first Bible Students' leaflet, then Old Theology Quarterly . The faithful of the organization were encouraged to leave their church if it was corrupt and tied to the world . From 1886 , the invitation to the commemoration of Memorial figured in The Watchtower and in the late 1890s , the meetings began a week at various locations in members .

In recent years, many millions of copies of Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence were distributed in several languages to proclaim Christ's presence and the dawn of the millennium. In addition, Russell wrote six volumes of manuals to study the Bible , originally called Millennial Dawn (Dawn of the Millennium), but renamed Studies in the Scriptures (Studies in the Scriptures) in October 1904 , which brought together the manuals doctrines fundamental result of his ten years of exegesis in the 1870s. Thus, the Bible Students were sometimes called 'Millennial Dawnists' (Dawn of the Millennium').

An intense campaign of evangelization was begun through the press : in fact, Russell telegraphed a weekly sermon to a news service that retransmitted to newspapers U.S. and Europe. Thus, in 1913 , these sermons have reached 15 million people through 2000 newspapers .

In 1907 , Russell predicted that Armageddon would occur during the year 1914 . That year he founded the International Association of Bible Students in Britain. Beginning in January, the Bible Students hurled public performances of photo-drama of creation , combined with a projection of a film and still pictures with synchronized sound, covering the history of the Bible from Creation to the end of the millennium. As there were 80 daily performances in different cities with more than 20 sets of photo-drama of Creation into four parts, assistance in 1914 rose by just over nine million people . There was also the Eureka Drama, less known, which included the discs (speech and music) and sometimes stills .

Russell died on October 31 1916 on a train to Pampa in Texas , at age 64, during a national tour of discourse . During the next ten years, the pastor remained faithful to the "Messenger of Laodicea" and the "faithful and discreet slave" .

The radicalization with Rutherford, from 1916 to 1942

Transition and schism

According to the last will and testament to Russell , a drafting committee of five members was put in charge of the magazine The Watchtower after the death of the Pastor October 31 1916. A steering committee of three members was appointed by the Board .

On 6 January 1917 at the Annual General Meeting of the Watchtower Society, Joseph Franklin Rutherford (also known as "Judge Rutherford") was elected second president of the Watchtower Society , while Pierson was appointed Vice Van Amburgh president and secretary-treasurer. At the same meeting, new regulations strengthening the authority of the president came into force . Initially, the Board of Directors of the Company had opposed the change, but at the same time, the closest associates of Rutherford it was prepared ^, . In the first of two booklets Harvest Siftings he wrote, Rutherford cites the new regulation: "The president will always be the leader of the League Executive and the Director General." Version of the four directors of the conflict has been published in Light after darkness and Facts for Shareholders .

June 20, 1917 , a meeting of the Board of Directors meeting adjourned for a full month a proposal to return control of the Company to the Board . An impromptu meeting of the Council, in the absence of Rutherford, was interrupted by the police . The crisis culminated on July 17 1917 at the outlet of the book The Mystery accomplished book that was prepared without consulting the Council, and in violation of the last will and testament to Russell, but he was considered the seventh and final volume of Studies in the Scriptures . Meanwhile, Rutherford announced that he was dismissing the four directors of the Board on the grounds that their election did not meet the regulations of the Company, and replaced by new members .

The reaction was as vivid as if a bomb had exploded! " . Rutherford asked for a democratic vote among the community of Bible students, the majority of them supported his administration . On Saturday, 4 January 1919 , the annual meeting of the Watchtower Society decided to reelect President Joseph Rutherford and William Van Amburgh secretary-treasurer, and elected vice-president Charles Wise .

Still, dissension and schism occurred in large congregations. Some opponents of Rutherford left the organization and dsignrent Students shareholders of the Bible , or simply the Bible Students. In 1918 , the Pastoral Institute of the Bible was founded and launched The Herald of Christ's Kingdom. At the same time, Fryetag Alexander, former head of the subsidiary Swiss of the Church, dissociated himself and founded the Movement of Friends of Man. For its part, the Watchtower Society made new predictions for 1918 , as the destruction of all churches , and 1920 , with the end of all the republics .

Incarceration leaders

In America , it is with The Finished Mystery, from 000 to 850 at any end 1917 , a real conflict broke out. The book accused the hierarchy violently Catholic , to embody the Antichrist and the destruction of merit in 1918 with all nations, Christian. The allegations shocked many Catholics Canadian who obtained the banning of books on Canadian soil, then, by their wide dissemination, they attracted the attention of the Government of the United States , who had just entered the world conflict, because certain passages condemning war, patriotism and conscription. In 1918, the Watchtower Society published three leaflets baptized News of the Kingdom which contained a strong denunciation of the clergy , notably accused of religious intolerance .

Administations the Watchtower Society in 1918
From left to right: WE Van Amburgh, JF Rutherford , AH Macmillan, RJ Martin, FH Robinson, CJ Woodworth, GH Fisher, G. De Cecca

Rutherford and the seven directors of the Watchtower Society were then incarcerated in federal prison for Atlanta and sentenced in 1918 for having written, edited and published The Mystery accomplished and inciting members of the movement to not only refuse to bear arms, but also service non-combatant, despite their sudden reversal, had called to pray for victory of the United States in The Watchtower and claiming to have supported the war effort by buying treasury bills . Meanwhile, more calls to major newspapers, senators, governors and members of Congress asking them to intervene on behalf of prisoners, the followers of the Watchtower Society organized in March 1919 a petition asking President Woodrow Wilson them amnesty for their unconditional release or release on bail pending trial, and this petition brings 700,000 signatures in two weeks . The same month, the eight prisoners were released on bail in the amount of 10 000 each, and then following the finding of several flaws, the trial was broken waiting for a new trial. On 5 May 1920 , the government prosecutor announced in open court the charges dropped after the nolle prosequi procedure. The following Sunday, May 4, Rutherford spoke to Los Angeles a speech entitled "Hope for Distressed Humanity" which brings about 3500 people .

During the imprisonment of seven directors, the Steering Committee of the Watchtower Society had decided to sell the Tabernacle of Brooklyn and move its headquarters into an office building over two streets, Pittsburgh (Federal Street and Reliance street) .

. Distribution campaigns Rutherford's book, Millions of people now living will never die, were organized , providing for the "end times" for 1925 . The many writings of the President of the Watchtower Society were distributed by the millions through the zealous preaching of the faithful of the Church. Portable phonographs, processions of men, sandwiches and radio were some of the methods used then in the context of preaching. From 1927 , the faithful were encouraged to participate in the group particularly preaching on Sunday. Special preaching missions, known as 'divisional campaigns' were multiplied, resulting number of arrests on the grounds of peddling without a license, disturbing the public order or violation of laws on the Sabbath Sunday . Therefore, a legal staff was specially formed to advance the interests of the faithful in the courts of the United States and Canada , including issues relating to evangelism and non-participation in national ceremonies. These legal battles were often won the effect of significantly improving the right to freedom of expression and religion in both countries . From the 1930s , emphasis was placed on the fact to denounce the "false religion", notably through the book Enemies, published in 1937 .

• Prophetic dates. After the failed prophecy of 1925 , no further date has been suggested in the immediate future , but Armageddon was still seen as imminent . From 1925 to 1933 , beliefs Doomsday of the Church underwent radical changes : the year 1914 was now considered that the return of Christ , his enthronement as king and early 'days', not as the final date of the timeline biblical . The resurrection of the anointed has been moved from 1878 to 1918 and the teaching of Divine Judgement of religions has been postponed to 1919 . These lessons for 1914 , 1918 and 1919 are still part of the official creed of the church, however, dates from 1799 , 1874 and 1878 no longer have any eschatological significance for her.

• Awaiting the return of the Patriarchs. In 1929 , a large villa with a dozen pieces called Beth Sarim was built with the offerings of the faithful in California to accommodate the patriarchs of the Old Testament , this expectation was disappointed, Rutherford lived there before the Watchtower Society decided to sell after his death.

The Bible Students to Jehovah's Witnesses

From a standpoint of doctrine , and organizational behavior, the movement underwent many changes during this period.

• Festivals and cross. During the 1920 and 1930 , the Church ceased to celebrate the festive Christmas (in 1926 ) and birthdays , rejected the cross as a Christian symbol (in 1936 ) and abandoned the pyramid previously used by Russell (in 1929 ) . The movement also opposed the Mother's considered idolatry.
• Exclusivity of salvation. From 1925 , the movement became radicalized, explaining that now everyone belonged either to the organization of Jehovah (the followers of the Watchtower Society), or that of Satan .
• End of the Drafting Committee. The Drafting Committee was dismissed in 1931 Rutherford, who had already replaced from 1925 .
• New name. 26 July 1931 , Rutherford presented a resolution at a meeting of Columbus in the Ohio : in the speech entitled "A new name," he proposed that the group adopted the name Jehovah's Witnesses, a name based on Isaiah 43:10 -12. Thus, the Bible Students remained faithful to the Watchtower Society differed when the Bible Students remained more faithful to the teachings of Russell.
• Identification of the "great crowd". In 1935 , at the meeting of 30 May to 3 June, the "great crowd" mentioned in Revelation 7:9-17 was identified as a class of humans who would be baptized and be as faithful as the anointed, and this for a hope of eternal life on earth. Following this clarification was issued in 1936 the book Resources .
• Refusal hello to the flag. Rutherford also taught in a speech broadcast on October 6 1935 , hello to the flag was "contrary to the divine commandment" , which led a wave of persecution in the United States against the Witnesses for their preaching and the expulsion of state schools for children of believers.
• Denunciation of other religions. Known for his rhetoric some daring and highly authoritarian personality, Rutherford invented the term "religion is a snare and a fraud", strongly denouncing the Catholic Church and Christianity in general, Judaism, modern and national governments. He also opposed the League of Nations and the prohibition . He denounced as vigorously as the clergy Catholic he called "band of swindlers" .
• Engaging children. June 16, 1941 , all parents of Jehovah's Witnesses found themselves reminded by letter of commitment that children should have in the organization . On 10 August following day was declared a child in the district assembly in St. Louis (from 6 to 10), in which Rutherford made a speech titled "Children of the King" and announces the publication of the book Children. The 15 000 children in attendance adopted by acclamation a resolution considered a "declaration of war against the enemies of the theocracy" supposed to demonstrate "that they were fully devoted to God and were willing to serve from now" . Therefore, children were encouraged to engage in the activity of preaching .

Under Rutherford , the Jehovah's Witnesses went from about 44,000 in 1928 to 115 000 to his death in 1942. Informed, however, until 1928 , support had dropped by almost 75% over 1922 , due to infighting at the head of the organization and forecasts disappointed about the year 1925 .

Under the Nazis

Main article: Jehovah's Witnesses in the Third Reich.

In Germany , in 1933 , Jehovah's Witnesses sent a Statement of Facts to the Chancellor of the Reich , letter written by both American and German leaders to obtain the annulment of the ban imposed in Saxony , Baden and Bavaria. Some see it as a clumsy search ideological conciliation on the part of Jehovah's Witnesses, meanwhile, have rejected this interpretation . In this statement, the authors state that "there has never been any money from Jews who contributed to our work, "the Jews have completely rejected Jesus Christ and emphatically deny that he is the Savior of world sent by God for the good of humanity "and that" this is sufficient evidence to show that we do not receive support from Jews " and stigmatize jumble of "Anglo-American empire" the League of Nations , capital (big business), the Catholics and Jews in New York and report to be "advocates" of "high moral goals and ideals promulgated by the national government of the German Reich " , in regarding the injustices committed against the people German and relationship with high and holy God . Despite this, the Jehovah's Witnesses suffered persecution because of their refusal to swear allegiance to Hitler , hello to the Nazi and bear arms. 7 October 1934 , all congregations of Germany sent a letter to the Nazi government to convince their political neutrality . Starting with October 1934 , management has decided to fight frontally against the regime through the distribution of the literature involving openly, persecution redoubled intensity, and took various forms: bans, arrests, detentions, imprisonment and deportation. If a good half of German Jehovah's Witnesses, according to the latest figures from 1933 , do not wished to follow their superiors in this fight to the death against Hitler, about 10,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany and Europe have been in prison or camps concentration , 1 200 have died in the camps, including 250 by running (the site United States Holocaust Memorial Museum about 2 500 to 5 000 in total including 200 deaths by execution ). In the concentration camps, the purple triangle was the hallmark imposed by the prison administration Nazi .

The increase with Knorr from 1942 to 1975

Following a meeting of both Boards of Directors 13 January 1942 , Nathan Homer Knorr, a member of Bethel in Brooklyn since 1923 , was elected new president of the Watchtower Society. Hayden Covington, lawyer 's movement, was elected Vice-President, before yielding his place to Frederick William Franz 5 October 1945 .

Organizational Changes

Deemed efficient administrator, Knorr founded in 1943 the Theocratic Ministry School to train all the faithful to preaching and teaching to this end, the brochure was published at the annual "Call for Action ", held in the United States on 17 and 18 April. This school has today held weekly in each congregation. Proposed at the joint meeting of the Boards of Directors of 24 September 1942 , the School of Gilead entered into force on ¹ February 1943 to form with function in twenty weeks of missionaries. She stood first in the Farm of Bethel, at South Lansing, the State of New York. Albert Schroeder, a future member of Central College , was secretary and then headed the organizing committee. The School of the Ministry of the Kingdom, located in South Lansing, was also established, 9 March 1959 , to train supervisors in the congregations .

To assess the needs of subsidiaries in different countries, Knorr made many international trips in 1945 to 1956 , travels recounted in The Watchtower. Subsequently, supervisors of subsidiaries experienced servants were appointed zone (currently area supervisors) to allocate tasks to subsidiaries and visit homes of missionaries. From ¹ October 1972 , the congregations were no longer headed by a single supervisor, but by a college of elders, one of which would be the president, and candidates for the office of former and departmental assistants (called government servants at the time) would now be submitted in advance by the Company. On 6 September 1971 , it was agreed that each member of the Central College chair the Watchtower Society in turn alphabetical order .

In addition, publications such as books Equipped for every good work and May God be recognized as true! In 1946 , Prove all things in 1953 , From paradise lost to paradise regained in 1958 , All Scripture is inspired by God and useful in 1963 , were published to help the faithful to teaching biblical. From ¹ September 1953, a training program was undertaken to preaching in congregations . Vice President Knorr, Frederick William Franz became the leading theologian, and was probably the main translator of the New World Translation , first published in part ( New Testament ) in plain English in 1950. At the same time were the King James version published in English (Bible King Jacques), a version Interlinear Greek - English New Testament (The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures) and a dictionary Bible (Auxiliary for a better understanding of the Bible) . In 1968 was published the book The Truth that leads to eternal life to serve as a study guide to encourage people attending the Jehovah's Witnesses to be bound by the baptism.

Progression of staff

Editor Knorr, staffing experienced significant growth in France and worldwide. In 1947 , the average proclaimers in France was 2184 (181,071 worldwide), 30 years later in 1977 when he died that same average was 64,549 (2,117,194 worldwide). However, during the sexual revolution of the 1960s , thousands of Witnesses were expelled from the movement each year.

The number of branches rose from 25 in 1942 to 97 in 1976. Similarly, assistance at meetings increased significantly: for example, the assembly "Increased theocracy" held from July 30 to August 6, 1950 at Yankee Stadium in New York brings record attendance at the time of 123 000 people ; one called "The Divine" organized from 27 July to 3 August 1958 gathered 253,922 assistants .

The prediction of 1975

Despite the failure of the prophecy of 1925, Armageddon had always been seen as imminent, but it was not until 1966 that the organization ventured again to calculate a date. During the 1960's and early 1970's , many references have appeared in publications and at meetings suggest that the millennial reign of Christ would begin by 1975 , the year marking the 6000 anniversary of the creation of man by understanding Biblical Watchtower Society. As we approach that date, more than ever believers were encouraged to invest more in the business of preaching and to forgo a career in the secular world . Although the deadline of 1975 had been advanced more cautiously, redoubled fervor of the faithful, bringing an increased proselytizing and refusal to compromise. Jehovah's Witnesses then underwent further persecution, the terrible Malawi .

The failure of the prediction of 1975 brought a new crisis over at the same time, an attempt by the Central College to dictate the sex lives of married couples led to other departures and excommunications. Of a total of more than two million Jehovah's Witnesses, 95,000 leave the movement between 1973 and 1975 and 551 000 from 1975 to 1979 . In the five years after 1975, about 20% of the faithful have left the movement or become inactive . The crisis touched the bodies; internal reform in 1976 gave most powers to the Central College , the president no longer an administrative role on the Watchtower Society itself reduced to its role as a commercial entity .

The Central College from 1976 to today

Crisis of Conscience

When Knorr died in 1977, Frederick Franz succeeded him with limited powers.

Within the Central College, then the doctrine is called into question not only the elements that brought the date forward to 1975, but also on the principles that there are two classes of politicians, the big crowd and anointed, as well as the importance of the date of 1914, whose generation would see Armageddon . Raymond Franz , nephew of the president and himself a member of Central College, is involved in these disagreements and resigns before being expelled in 1981 .

According to historian Bernard Blandre , about 13,000 people will be excluded in the purge that follows, but it does not involve new division, and from 1982 to 1985 the movement was resumed growth .

The idea that the 1914 generation would know the Armageddon was dropped in 1995.

Normalization?

In recent years, developments have given the impression to sociologists that the movement committed to a normalization, in particular Jehovah's Witnesses had begun a dialogue with States about their status, conscientious objection and alternatives to transfusion blood . This impression, however, was contradicted by the reaffirmation at major meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2006 for their determination "not to be part of the world" .

See also

Internal Links

• Jehovah's Witnesses
• Photo-Drama of Creation
• Central College
• Movements from the Bible Students
• Association of Students of the Bible
• Charles Taze Russell
• Joseph Franklin Rutherford

External Links

• (En) History of Jehovah's Witnesses, on the BBC

References

• (In) This article is partially or entirely from the article in English entitled " History of Jehovah's Witnesses (see the list of authors )

1. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, p. 43. It was also known as "Second Adventist. "
2. (en) The Present Truth or Meat in Due Season, Jonas Wendall, pp. 35,36
3. (en) Evidences for The Coming of the Lord in 1873: the Midnight Cry Gold, Nelson H. Barbour, 1871.
4. (en) The Midnight Cry and Herald of the Morning, March 1874. See "Our faith".
5. (en) Harvest Gatherings and Siftings, June 15, 1906, Watch Tower Reprints, p. 3822.
6. (en) Questions Of The Morning Herald from 1874 to 1876.
7. (en) The Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World, Nelson H. Barbour & Charles T. Russell, 1877.
8. The Three Worlds, pp. 184, 185.
9. (en) Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence ^"1 June 1879, in which Russell describes his break with Barbour.
10. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, p. 631.2.
11. Thy Kingdom Come, 1890, Volume 3 Studies in the Scriptures, pp. 305-308.
12. (en) The Watch Tower, January 15, 1892, Reprint, p. 1355.
13. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, pp. 48-49.
14. Faith on the March AH Macmillan editions Prentice-Hall, 1957:

    "Some of us thought seriously that we would go to heaven during the first week of October this year. "

15. Thy kingdom come, the third volume of Studies in the Scriptures, CT Russell, MMIL edition, p. 357
16. (en) Detailed examination of the prophecies of Russell rappor1t with the pyramid.
17. Thy Kingdom Come, edition of 1904, CT Russell, WTBTS, P. 34
18. Thy Kingdom Come, 1910 edition, CT Russell, WTBTS, P. 342.
19. The last favorable reference to the great pyramid is located in The Watchtower April 15, 1928, p. 125.
20. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993 54.
21. Ibid, p. 59.
22. The Watchtower, March ^1, 1909 (English):

    "This new home, we'll call 'Bethel' [word that means" House of God]. "

23. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, p. 50.
24. Watchtower, July-August 1881 (English):

    "We believe that no one will be part of the small herd without being a preacher. (...) In fact, we were called to suffer with him and to proclaim the good news now, so that in time we are glorified and accomplish the things we preach now. We have not been called or anointed to receive honors and amass wealth but to spend and be spent, and to preach the good news. "

25. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993 51.
26. Ibid, p. 52
27. Ibid, p. 55
28. (en) Articles of The Watch Tower from 1879 to 1916.
29. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993 58.
30. The Time Is at Hand, Charles Russell, 1907, p. 101.
31. Ibid, p. 56-57.
32. Ibid, p. 60.
33. Ibid, p. 63.
34. The Mystery accomplished WTBTS, 1917, p. 66.
35. Ibid, p. 5.
36. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993, pp. 64.65. The five members of the Drafting Committee cited in the will of Edward Russell were Brenneisen, William Page, Frederick Robinson, Henry Rockwell and William Van Amburgh. Due to unavailability, the first two were replaced by Joseph Hirsch and Robert Rutherford. The Steering Committee consisted of A. Ritchie, J. Rutherford and W. Van Amburgh
37. The Watchtower, January 15, 1917, English edition.
38. Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of the Jehovah's Witnesses, Jemes Penton, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1985 51. Rutherford as General Counsel legal chief of the Watchtower Society, had himself written the new regulations. See Harvest Siftings II JFRutherford.
39. (en) Harvest Siftings, JFRutherford, where it gives his version of the conflict.
40. (en) Harvest Siftings, JFRutherford.
41. (en) Light after darkness.
42. (en) Facts for Shareholders
43. "Seeds begin to Bring Forth" Harvest Siftings, JFRutherford.
44. The four directors could not muster the necessary quorum of five to handle cases. Rutherford had left instructions as to call the police to prevent such an action (Faith in march, AH Macmillan, p. 79). However, managers claimed that the police officer had not forced out (Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of the Jehovah's Witnesses, Jemes Penton, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1985, pp. 319-320). In Harvest Siftings, Rutherford said situates these events in July 5, 1917.
45. The Steering Committee had appointed George Fisher and Clayton Woodworth to compose this book commenting on the biblical books of Revelation, the Song of Solomon and Ezekiel.
46. Faith on the March AH Macmillan, p. 80; Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of the Jehovah's Witnesses / I>, Jemes Penton, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1985 52, where the ousted directors discussed their disagreement with this decision:

    "... If the directors were not legally elected, this was not the case of three officers: Rutherford, Pierson, and Van Amburgh. To be elected in January 1917 they have already been legally elected directors. However, they had not been, and according to the logic of Rutherford, they had no legal position. "

47. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993, pp. 66-68.
48. Jehovah's Witnesses: The New World Society, Marley Cole, pp. 89-90. Cole reported that 31 members of headquarters staff were expelled and that the voice emanated from 813 U.S. rallies. The minutes of the referendum was published in The Watchtower December 15, 1917 (English).
49. ^{a and b} Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993, p.74.
50. The Mystery accomplished, 1917, p. 485:

    "Also, in the Year 1918, When God Destroy the churches wholesale & the church members by millions, it Shall Be That" any escape That Shall Come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn The Meaning Of The downfall of 'Christianity'

    .
51. The Mystery accomplished, 1917, p. 258:

    "And the mountains sept found. Even The Republic Will Disappear In The Fall of 1920. And the mountains sept found. Every kingdom of earth Will pass away, Be Swallowed up in anarchy. "

52. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993, pp. 69.70. 3 New Kingdom respectively called themselves "The way the Bible Students are treated recalls the 'dark ages'" (March 15, 1918), "The Mystery accomplished and the reason for its suppression" (April 15, 1918 ) and "two major battles rage - The fall of autocracy is certain" (May 1918).
53. May 30 for prayer and supplication, WTR, June ^1, 1918, 6271-72 (en).
54. The Dust of His Feet, WTR, May 15, 1918, 6257 (en) and Stand fast - Striving together, WTR, March ^1, 1919, 6395 (en).
55. Ibid, p. 76.
56. Ibid, p. 71
57. Powered by CJ Woodworth was intended as a general information magazine for the general public to proclaim the coming of the golden age. He published many articles relating to medicine and pseudo-science: the misdeeds of the aluminum (September 23, 1936, p. 803), vaccines ⁽¹ May 1929, p. 502) and Modern Medicine (September 8, 1937, p. 771) were recurrent themes.
58. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993, pp. 259, 260
59. (en) Millions of people now living will never die.
60. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993, pp. 632, 633; The way to heaven, WTBTS, 1924, pp. 220-235.
61. (en) Some of the writings of Rutherford available online.
62. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993 80:

    "Thus, February 26, 1922, in California , Brother Rutherford gave his first radio address. Two years later, February 24, 1924, the WBBR, radio station owned by the Watchtower, began broadcasting from Staten Island (New York). Subsequently, the Company has set up networks spanning the world to broadcast programs and speeches to biblical character. In 1933, a maximum of 408 stations transmitted the message of the kingdom on the five continents. On 11 September 1938 in England, Joseph Rutherford gave the keynote address "Confronting realities" in the Royal Albert Hall in London, more than 10,000 people filled the hall and millions more listened to the speech by radio. "

63. Ibid, p. 82. There were 268 arrests on these grounds in 1933, 340 in 1934, 478 in 1935 and 1149 in 1936.
64. For example: Cantwell v. State of Connecticut, Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette.
65. Ibid, pp. 84,85,87
66. (en) Vindication, vol. 1, JF Rutherford, 1931, pp.338, 339:

    "There Was A measure of disappointment On The hand of Jehovah's Faithful ones on Earth Regarding The Years 1914, 1918, and 1925, Which disappointment lasted for a time. Later the Faithful Learned That Were definitely thesis dates fixed in the Scriptures; aussi And They Learned to quit fixing dates for the Future and Predicting What Would come to pass on a certain date, to Rely goal (and They Do Rely) upon the Word of God did to The Events That must come to pass. "

67. "The Remaining months Before Armageddon," The Watchtower, September 15, 1941, p. 288.
68. (en) Historical Idealism and Jehovah's Witnesses - A critical analysis of how this THEY Their History, by Thomas Daniels.
69. The Harp of God, 1921, p. 231, 400, 1928, ed., P. 236, 400, stated that "the Lord's presence in second place in 1874." The Watch Tower, March ^1, 1922, p. 71 and the book Prophecy, 1930, reiterated this position. However, from 1930 to 1933, publications have been rather evasive about this: The Watchtower, October 15, 1930, p. 303 spoke of "about 1875" and The Watchtower, November ^1, 1932, p.325 of "approximately 1875". The first clear relation with 1914 was made in 1933, in The Watchtower, December ^1, 1933 which stated: "The year 1914 marks, therefore, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
70. The Watchtower, June ^1, 1927, p. 106.
71. (en) Light, Book 1, JFRutherford.
72. Time Magazine, March 31, 1930.
73. Salvation, P. 311:

    "At San Diego, California, There Is a small piece of land, Which we, in the Year 1929, There Was built a house, Which Is Called and Known as Beth Sarim. The Hebrew words Beth Sarim mean 'House of the Princes'; & the purpose of acquiring property and building That WAS The House That There Might Be Some tangible proof That There Are Those Who on earth today fully-Believe God and Christ Jesus and in His kingdom , and Who Believe That The Faithful men of old Willie Soon Be Resurrected by the Lord, be back on earth, and Take Charge of the visible affairs of earth. "

74. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993, pp. 200-201.
75. "The birth of the nation", The Watchtower, March ^1, 1925 (English). This paper presents a new interpretation of Revelation 12.
76. Until 1931, each issue of The Watchtower was published with this notice:

    "This newspaper published" under the supervision IS Of An editorial committee, at least Three of Whom Have read and have approuv truth EACH and Every Article Appearing In These columns. "

    See "vs. Rutherford. The Editorial Committee", in a people for his name, by Timothy White, pp. 186-188.
77. The Watchtower, June 15, 1938, p. 185:

    "In The Beginning Of The first Hebrew month of The Watchtower March 1, 1925 published l'article" The Birth of The Nation, The Kingdom Meaning HAD Begun to function. An editorial committee, humanly Provided for, Then WAS Supposed to Control the publication of The Watchtower, and the Majority of That committee strenuously objected to the Publication of That article "The Birth of the Nation" goal, by the Lord's grace It Was published and That really marked-The Beginning of The End of the editorial committee, informal & informal That the Lord Himself Is Running The Organization. "

78. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993 83.84. This class has been identified as that of Jonadab (Jonadab having, in the Old Testament, supported the king who symbolized the anointed Jehu for Bible Students). See "goodness", The Watchtower, November 15, 1934.
79. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993, pp. 196,197
80. Prohibition & the League of Nations: Born of God or the Devil, Which?, JF Rutherford, 1930.
81. (en) Watchtower, ¹ November 1924, pp. 323-225.
82. Speech by J. Rutherford ' Fascism or Freedom, "October 2, 1938, then resumed in booklet form.
83. Informant, July 1941, p. 1.
84. Informant, September 1941, p. 1.
85. For example, Informant, December 1941, p.1.
86. Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of the Jehovah's Witnesses, Jemes Penton, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1985 61.
87. Letter to the Chancellor of the Reich.
88. Awake!, July 8, 1998, pp. 10-13.
89. Statement of Facts, the site of Jacques Luc :

    "It Is falsely charged by Our Enemies That We Have Received Financial Support for Our work from the Jews. Nothing is Farther from the Truth. Up to this hour There never has been "the Slightest bit of money o Contributed to work by Jews. We are the Faithful followers of Christ Jesus and Believe upon Him as the Savior of the World, Where the Jews reject Jesus Christ and Entirely emphatically deny That He Is the Savior of the World feel of God for man's good. This of Itself Should Be Sufficient proof to show That We Receive No support from Jews Therefor And That The Charge Against us are maliciously false and could "PROCEED only from Satan, Our Great Enemy. "

90. Statement of Facts, the site of Jacques Luc :

    "A Careful examination of books and literature o Will Disclose The Fact That The Very high ideals and promulgated Held By The present national government are set forth in and Endorsed and Strongly Emphasized In Our publications, and show That Jehovah God Will See to It That thesis high ideals in due time Will Be attained by all persons Who Love Who righteousness and obey the Most High. Instead, Therefore, of Our literature and o's work being has threatened to The Principles of The Present Government we are fans of The Strongest Such high ideals. Reason for this Satan, The Enemy of All Men Who desire righteousness, has Sought to misrepresent o Prevent us from work and Carrying it on in this land. "

91. Statement of Facts, the site of Jacques Luc :

    "The people of Germany Have Suffered great misery Since 1914 and Have Been The Victims of injustice practiced upon Much Them by Other. The Nationalist Have Declared Themselves Against all unrighteousness Such Announced and that `Our relationship to God is high and holy '. Since our organization fully-righteous thesis Endorses Principles am and is Engaged Solely in Carrying forth enlightening The Work of The People Concerning the Word of Jehovah God, Satan by subtilty [sic] Endeavors to Set The Government Against Our Work and destroy it Because We magnify The importance of "knowing and serving God. Instead of Our organization's being has threat to the Peace and safety de fait, it Is the one organization standing for the Peace and safety of this land. "

92. ^{a and b} Jehovahs Witnesses: Victims of the Nazi Era, on the site United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
93. Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1974, pp. 110 and 141.
94. Persecution and Resistance of Jehovah's Witnesses during the Nazi regime, headed by Hans Hesse, p. 382.
95. Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1946, pp. 221-224 (English edition), The Watchtower, ¹ November 1945, pp. 335.336 (English edition).
96. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993, pp. 95.103.
97. Ibid, pp. 106-107.
98. Released at the meeting "The company's new world", from 19 to 26 July 1953, this paperback book of 416 pages at 70 topics gathered more than 4,500 Bible verses.
99. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993 100
100. Crisis of ^Conscience, 4th edition. Raymond Franz, Atlanta, 2004, p. 56: Since 1942, publications of Jehovah's Witnesses are published as part of a policy of anonymity. The former member of the Governing Raymond Franz said that the translators of the NWT were Fred Franz, Nathan Knorr, Albert Schroeder and George Gangas.
101. In 1988, it was replaced by two volumes called Insight on the Scriptures (English)
102. The Quid and the Guinness Book of Records 2003, p. 196, consider this book as a bestseller with 107 million copies sold.
103. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's kingdom, WTBTS, 1993, pp. 99.101.
104. Awake!, October 8, 1966, pp. 17-20, first mentioned in 1975 as the year can be Armageddon, then eternal life in the freedom of the son of God, 1966.
105. (en) Watch Tower, May 22, 1969, p.15
106. ^{a , b and c} of Jehovah's Witnesses - A Historical Perspective Bernard Blandre Ed Descle de Brouwer, 1987.
107. Crisis of ^Conscience, 4th edition, Raymond Franz, Atlanta, 2004, pp. 237-253.
108. ^{a and b} Jehovah's Witnesses, Introvigne Ed Cerf, 1990
109. Raymond Franz tells his story in a book Crisis of Conscience, 1983.
110. The Jehovah's Witnesses to an output of the sectarian logic?, Regis Dericquebourg in Sects and Democracy, edited by Francoise Champion and Martine Cohen , 1999 (pages 115 to 120).
111. Resolution of the Assembly of Jehovah's Witnesses 2006: "deliverance is near! " on the site of MMCC.

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