1917 Watchtower Bible Student Schism - A2Z.org

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HARVEST SIFTINGS
The brethren living at the New York Temple tent the foE
lowhe: -- -
U ~ la ~ 1917. i ~
"Dz.u Bstm~ll RWT=~VOPD:
"We wish at this time to assure you qf our f&t
Christian love and to utpress our apprecution of your
loyalty to the Lord ond faithfulaers b the Guse of
the Truth and the Brethren.
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''Daily we Pray the Lord's continued blessinn uoon
your re~ccs.
'THE TEMPLE FAMILY.
"G. E S m m
"R H. Loll0
"3. A. M ~ ~ N . "
Additional to the foregoing, several individual comforting
assurances have been handed me by various members of the
Bethel Family, of which the followmg are samples:
"July 23, 1917.
Baar~~n Rm~mrono:
w e cannot tell you how sorry we are that this
prumt cloud is resting upon the home. We have
md earnestly for every one of the dear brethren
osd in this diflicul hoping that matters could be
adjusted, and that brogerly love might contiaiu
"This evening, wcare prayin that the Lord's overruling
providence will enable d t~ ree eye to eye, not
only for their own sakes, but for the good of the
Church at large.
"If there is anything that we could do to assist,
we would be most happy to be wed of the Lord in
u y m, not feeling b t we have special ability, but
knowing that the Lord an make use of weak and
@dwt inrtruments-the praise belonging to Him.
We want to assure you, dear brother, of our love,
sympathy a d prayers .ur tl$s revere trial.
"Your rbterr ro the Lor
"LOWIS2 L YatON,
. "Jusxr .G Kme"
"July Twenty-foorth, 1917.
"Dm Bnarw R ~ ~ O B D :
"Evca our Master who wu crfect, craved the
human aymptkj qf & fhdr behow of no way
!o tail ou of OIIT love lor you, dm Brother, except
in rord.. Wo bdkm by far the majority of the dear
Bethel fa*
foe1 towd mu as these words express.
Our, mcktioa ycrterday in mrilihg the Memorial
Tower with your bi phy brought to our hearts
tendr fdiags t0-G. It ir our earnut desire
that this sp'cubn of our love may be a measure of
strength an comfort in the peculiar trial of the hour.
You are rfwap a strength and comfort to the loyal
faithful brethren, who discern in you the spirit of
our dear Lord and Head. He who has placed ou
to represent Himself as the head of the,farnily of 6od
at BtthJ will surely give you His wisdom, His courage,
I& unfailing power. We have time this mornhg
for the signatures only of the little group mention4
bat we represent the sentiments, dear Brother,
of every loyal heart in Bethel and of every faithful
member of Christ on earth united to Him in the spirit
6f our begetting as New Ceatures.
'Your brethren in His love, in the esteem born of'
loylltp and faithfulness, and in fellow-swice ia
Christ.
%LHena
"Anm H. ESRUXAN
"STEUA M. WILSON
"IDA C. Wnson
"FLOWCE PACK
"H~nanrr BARBER."
8eBrooklyn BebheI, July 4, 1917.
"Om Bwveo BROTH RVIHPMRD 7
'The Lord bless you and keep you. 'The Lord
cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious
unto you and give you peace1
"Although I have, diligently refrained from discussions
as requested, I was drawn into one last
night against my will and purpose, and I see
clearly that it doer no good. Hpnceforth, counting
the Lord Jesus as my sufficiency, I will refrain
absolutely, asking your pardon for seeming over
warm, though I wu but rpeuking iss dtftwe of
your position.
"With malice toward nne and judging none,
but trusting in the Preciour Blood and in the
promise of grace mfficient.
"Your sister in the Christian faith, hope, love
and joy,
U A L DASLIX~ON.*
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rcllDs will Such a ptatement is wholly without foundation.
Brother Rossel~r will written in 1907. In 1908 Judge
Carpenter, who was-lading cpunsel for Brother Russell m
some Irt~gat~on in Pittsburgh ~nvolving his voting rhares, to
my personal knowledge told him that these voting shares
could not be trrnsferred by will or in any other manner. Thesame
question came up at the trial against us in the case of
the."Brooklyn Eagle," and I discussed this matter with him
agaln. Brother Russell never changed his will in this regard;
in fact, it was sealed up in 1910 and never opened thereafter
prior to his death. Within a short time after his death. I
informed the Board of the facts above stated and suggested
that by voting these shares they were wrong. We would set
a precadent, so that if someone else died whose relatives
were against the Truth they might vote their shares to the
disadvantage of the Society; and with the knowled e and
went of the Board we procured the opini~n of a trm of
ALL CHARGES WHOLLY WITHOUT .WARRANT
The four brethren accuse me of disregarding Brother Rw-.
lawyers in writing whicb was r ~ to d the five risters by
Brother Van Ambur h, and they fully agreed that it was not
wise to vote those %ares. They would havc voted for me,
and it surely annot be said that I disregarded the will for
any ulterior- motive.
,Brother Russell did not by his will appoint the Board of
Directors. The laws of Penna. and the Charter done can provide
for suck There is not a ringle instance where it can be
pointed out that I havc disregarded Brother Russell's will,
except when I voted for Brother Sturgeon for the Editorial
Committee. It was Brothers Ritdrie and Van Amburgh who
signed the'contract to sell the Photo-Drama, and in that they
were supported by the other four brethren. It was Brother
Ritchie who first ropossd Mwa th Bprtb &at the hge!oe
phone be sold m%kr 8ad that the &aw turn onr to &la
the $18,000.06 tht 8u than h the bank to the credit of Che
Angelophone CathpMy and which bdongrd to the w,
and that he would Msurpe the ~~nka&.outtgllding. I prt-
vented this from l&g doo~.
In harmony with the laws of NOW York ond to.protcet the
PEOPLES Puum &WCIA~N, and 1a harmon with fjmttur
Russell's wish, a, pmiotafy ~ CP~S+ to flmth*
the manufacturing part of &e Angellco Cbmfmn WSJ sold
to Brother Cooke and the Sde.ty reserved the rigit in make
and furnish the records whlch it still has.
The Second Edition of the Munorial issue of the WAT~
T o m which coaainad 8 brief biognphy of myr$ft w;u sent
out over my repeated rote Brother Kush Ul8~ted tkrt
it should be dona in 4s inM& of the wok The 0th~
members of the ramittee -ally supported. him and
C%
finally I said: ''Stst m, you do u pu pkuc, bgt ym
must take the rupomibility."
Thus it will be tern that the apparition arising has not been
aused by any alleged rnismaragmtwmt or misconCuct of
affairs. The whole trouble kas ariren because of ths drsire
of the brethren named to put Bwar Macmtllm out of
the position in which hc was placed by &&et Ruuelf
and ut themselves in control and BO do m bmd, that I
coudpractical~y do nothing. I subdt *we bets, th.reforr,
to the brethren everywhere in aphnatfon af what 1 have
done. and leave it to your judgment to determine whether or
not I acted in the proper manner.
SEVENTH VOLUME BORN IN TRAVAIL
We are reminded of a coincidence that we here mention.
This has indeed been a great trial upon the family and upon
others of the dear friends throughout the country who have
heard of iL Brother Russell once said that the Seventh Volume
would be given to the Church in the hour of its direst
nerd, to encourage and comfort them, and the Scriptures
polnt out that there would be murmurers. complainers, etc
The Seventh Volume, as.you know, is now published. The
first copies were in the Bethel Dining Room at the noon hour