JW’s
I. The History of the JW’s
A. The founder = Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916)
1. CT Russell was of a Scottish-Irish birth to Scott-Irish Presbyterian parents.
2. At age 15 he rejected the doctrines of the Presbyterian Church and joined the congregational church.
3. By age 17 he dropped out of the congregational church, because they taught one doctrine that CT didn’t like and that was the doctrine of Hell.
4. At age 17 he became a skeptic of all religions that were organized.
5. At age 18 Russell organized a Bible class of about 6 members and began to follow the teachings of the Second Adventist but had a problem with them. He believed in the invisible return of Jesus Christ in 1870.
6. In 1877 Russell began to publish his first predictions in prophecy also he sold his interest in his family clothing business for ¼ of a million dollars.
a. With this money he began a paper called the "Herald of the Morning" which founded today’s book "The Watch Tower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom"
7. Around 1900 Russell began an all out assault against organized religions. He organized a plan for people to go to churches and give out watch tower papers after the services on Sunday morning he went as far as to include a withdrawal letter in the paper for the church member to resign from his church.
8. Russell’s Character
a. Russell married Maria Atchley in 1879 and in 1897 they separated and got a divorce in 1913. He died 3 years later.
(1.) She sued him on grounds of conceit,
Egotism, and domination.
(2.) The second part of her suet was that he showed misconduct with other women.
b. Miracle Wheat
(1.) He sold it for 1 dollar a pound when normally it was sold for 4 cents.
(2.) It was claimed to grow 5 times more and bigger than regular wheat.
(3.) The "Brooklyn Eagle" exposed this scam and said it was just the same as regular wheat.
(4.) The U.S. government began an investigation and they filed a claim against him and CT lost.
c. "The Watch Tower" was a money maker
(1.) Russell owned 990 shares of the company and close personal friends owned the other 10.
(2.) So 99% of the profit went to Russell
d. His speaking engagements
(1.) He claimed to have spoken at many places around the world.
(2.) Many of those places he had never been to.
e. Russell’s Perjury
(1.) He was taken to court over lying in his publications in a court case Russell Vs. Ross and he lost again.
f. C.T. Russell died on Oct. 31, 1916
g. There’s never been a biography written about him.
B. Judge Joseph F. Rutherford (1869-1942)
1. He was a lawyer and a judge from Booneville Missouri
2. He was brought up in a Baptist family.
3. He defended Russell in the Ross case in 1913
4. He became interested in the "Watch Tower" in 1894
5. Rutherford became the second President of the Watch Tower in 1917
a. The organization split in 1931 because of his personality
(1.) The followers of Rutherford’s policies were called Jehovah’s Witnesses.
(2.) The Followers of Russell’s teachings called themselves the Dawn Bible Society.
6. Rutherford’s only real difference was that he put more enfaces on door-to-door soul winning than on the Bible Study groups.
7. Rutherford’s Character
a. Convinced his followers that to oppose him was to oppose Jehovah himself.
b. Distributing anti-war propaganda in World War I they were arrested and some put away for 20 years.
(1.) Jehovah witnesses believe all wars are from Satan but the battle of Armageddon.
(2.) Rutherford though only spent 9 months in jail.
c. With a fanatical zeal Rutherford convinced the JW’s they must get all the literature into the world that they can.
d. Rutherford mandated that spirituality be mandated in time quotas and attendance quotas.
(1.) Selling books became a mode of worship.
(2.) At the time Russell offered the members 2 free books for every one that was sold.
e. He died on Jan. 8, 1942 from cancer at his mansion he named Beth-Sarim (a house of princes)
C. Nathan Knorr (1905-1977)
1. He was elected the 3 president on Jan. 13, 1942
2. His impact for the JW’s was in publishing.
a. He wrote the JW’s bible "The New World Translation" in 1961.
3. Under his leadership the JW’s expanded into 200 countries.
4. Upon His death in June 1977 Fredrick W. Franz succeeded him.
5. Franz died in 1992 and was succeeded by Milton W. Henschel.
II. Logistics
A. Figures taken by the JW’s of their numbers as of 1996
--- 5,413,769 JW’s in the world
--- 975,829 JW’s in the U.S.
--- 43,663 were baptized in the U.S. in 1996 alone
--- 366,579 were baptized in the world in 1996 alone
--- 178,325,750 hours preaching in the U.S. in 1996 alone
--- Over 1 million hours preaching in the world in 1996 alone
--- Conducted 530,200 Bible studies in the U.S. in 1996 alone
Note: not our Bible’s were used but their own literature
--- Conducted over 4 million Bible studies in the world in 1996 alone
--- 13 million people attended their Lord’s Supper in the world in 1996.
a. Only a small fraction could partake of the Lord’s Supper they had to be people in the anointed class. Which means were born on or before 1914.
b. It’s a prime recruiting tool they invite family and friends to come
c. It’s meant to show unity in the Watch Tower community.
B. Watch Tower Publications
1. The society has 2 main publications
a. "The Watch Tower"
(1.) Published in 125 languages
(2.) 18.9 million copies sold monthly
b. "Awake"
(1.) Published in 81 languages
(2.) 15.7 million copies sold monthly
2. Contemporary Watch Tower Publications
a. 832 million combined copies of literature are sent out a year
b. Putting out 3.5 million copies of new book titles a year.
c. Two of the Bible reference aids are:
(1.) "All Scripture of God is Inspired and Beneficial"
(2.) "Insight on the Scriptures"
3. Bible Translations
a. "New World Translations" in 1961 was written by Knorr.
(1.) Taken from the Wescott-Hort text.
b. Emphatic Diaglott
c. The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures
d. They all were copyrighted in 1969 and 1985
4. Publication facts
a. Since Rutherford’s death all their publications have been anonymous
(1.) The society contends that this preserves the humility of the contributors and focuses attention on God’s will and word, rather than on the human agency used to communicate the devine truth.
(2.) " It is also a way to conceal their identity, qualifications, authority, and expertise in that area which they write.
5. Assets
a. Owns all Kingdom Halls
b. Owns an 8 story factory in Brooklyn
c. They own 7 additional factories world wide
d. They own a large office complex in Brooklyn.
e. They own several blocks of apartments in Brooklyn
(1.) They have 3,000 workers
f. They also own farmland in upstate New York.
(1.) The farm feeds the workers.
III. Their Organization
A. A governing body in Brooklyn New York manages "The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society".
1. The Governing body maintains strict control of the society
a. They are made up of the appointed body currently numbering 12.
(1.) Ruled over by President Henschel
2. The Ranking
a. Headquarters
b. Zones
c. Branches
d. Districts
e. Circuits
f. Congregation
(1.) A President Minister
(2.) An Assistant President minister
(3.) Bible Study Servant (holds Bible studies in peoples homes).
(4.) Literature Servant (Orders and cares for literature).
(5.) Magazine-Territory servant (Overseas the placing of the "Watch Tower" and "Awake" in businesses and public places.)
(6.) The Accounts servant (Responsible for maintaining the Kingdom Hall and other expenses) Note: No Salaries in a Kingdom Hall, No tithes, No offering Plates, and no list of contributors. There is only an offering box in the front of the Kingdom Hall.
(7.) Publishers (commit an average of 1200 hours a year)
(a.) Door to door soliciting
(b.) Side walk soliciting
(c.) And book studies with new members.
(8.) Pioneer (Someone who commits 150+ hours a month visiting homes.)
IV. Kingdom Hall Services
A. Congregational book study
1. One hour study of "The New Translation"
B. Theocratical Ministry School
1. Preparing for house to house visitation
C. A Service Meeting
1. Used to promote sales skills for literature and prospects.
a. These meetings usually have special speakers
D. Public Meetings
1. Usually held on Sunday’s after morning evangelism
E. The Watch Tower Study
1. " The most important study of the week" according to the JW’s
