QUESTION: Hello again Sister Pearl
I am a 4th generation JW. When I was growing up I asked my mother (single parent family) how the GB come up with needed changes that had to be made. her answer was most satisfactory to me. It went something like this...
The GB (I do not remember if in the 1960s if it was called the GB...) knows the names of all the remnant around the earth. Jehovah's spirit operates through these ones. In their personal study if they discern a change that needs to be made they write to Bethel with the findings of their studies. If only one or two write nothing is done but if they receive in a short period of time a number of letters from the remnant with the same information from different parts of the earth then it was considered that Jehovah was indicating a need for a change.
For me that made a lot of sense.
Now to the first century congregation. I am sorry I do not have my Bible at hand at the moment but I am sure you will know what I am talking about. I want to know your opinion as to if my understanding is correct please. This has to do with the circumcision issue.
Now I think from memory Peter was in Galatia when certain Jewish ones from Jerusalem (I think the account or one account says from Mark) came to visit. They still held to the need for circumcision. This caused a conflict in the congregation. Paul was not impressed by this.
Now, just from that I understand that the ones coming from Jerusalem "may have" been sent by the "older men" there Because Of The Uncircumcised Gentiles becoming Christians. This would especially be true if one of the accounts says that they were sent by Mark. I have often wondered if this was just one case of brothers from Jerusalem going out to get the Gentiles to be circumcised.
So Paul and Barnabas go to Jerusalem to sort out the matter. After some heavy debating and arguing a decree was sent out to all congregations regarding circumcision and blood etc.
If.... the older men in Jerusalem had originally intended to get all Gentiles men to be circumcised, then that would also give an explanation as to the decree was sent to all congregations.
Now as I read through the various accounts I noticed that the Congregation in Antioch had a lot to do with the work that Paul did and not the older men in Jerusalem.
I started to wonder if there was a first century Governing Body at all or if different individuals were used at different times in the organizing and setting things straight.
A couple of years ago I came across what I understand to be part of a transcript of a talk that Brother Franz gave to the Gilead graduates in 1975
(For those interested in reading the speech of Bro. Franz, it is quoted at the bottom of this article in blue)
____________________________________________
If that truly is a talk from Brother Franz, It almost seems to me that he was saying that there was no 1st century GB either. Well that is the way I read it. Please, what are your thoughts.
I have sent you this information and my questions because of what I read in parts of your profile about Jesus being our leader and "He did not point to power, authority or influence as being the sign of his true disciples. He pointed to fine fruit."
I hope I have not sent a wrong idea about the modern day GB. But some times I feel that they have gone beyond the things written. Just as Davide realized the position of King Saul as Jehovah's "anointed" at that time and did not try to take over, I recognize that there has to be some authority to oversea the preaching work world wide. I also understand that those that take on that challenge are more accountable to Jehovah for their actions for the extra responsibility that they have. If they overstep the line then Jehovah will deal with them.
I am a 4th generation JW. When I was growing up I asked my mother (single parent family) how the GB come up with needed changes that had to be made. her answer was most satisfactory to me. It went something like this...
The GB (I do not remember if in the 1960s if it was called the GB...) knows the names of all the remnant around the earth. Jehovah's spirit operates through these ones. In their personal study if they discern a change that needs to be made they write to Bethel with the findings of their studies. If only one or two write nothing is done but if they receive in a short period of time a number of letters from the remnant with the same information from different parts of the earth then it was considered that Jehovah was indicating a need for a change.
For me that made a lot of sense.
Now to the first century congregation. I am sorry I do not have my Bible at hand at the moment but I am sure you will know what I am talking about. I want to know your opinion as to if my understanding is correct please. This has to do with the circumcision issue.
Now I think from memory Peter was in Galatia when certain Jewish ones from Jerusalem (I think the account or one account says from Mark) came to visit. They still held to the need for circumcision. This caused a conflict in the congregation. Paul was not impressed by this.
Now, just from that I understand that the ones coming from Jerusalem "may have" been sent by the "older men" there Because Of The Uncircumcised Gentiles becoming Christians. This would especially be true if one of the accounts says that they were sent by Mark. I have often wondered if this was just one case of brothers from Jerusalem going out to get the Gentiles to be circumcised.
So Paul and Barnabas go to Jerusalem to sort out the matter. After some heavy debating and arguing a decree was sent out to all congregations regarding circumcision and blood etc.
If.... the older men in Jerusalem had originally intended to get all Gentiles men to be circumcised, then that would also give an explanation as to the decree was sent to all congregations.
Now as I read through the various accounts I noticed that the Congregation in Antioch had a lot to do with the work that Paul did and not the older men in Jerusalem.
I started to wonder if there was a first century Governing Body at all or if different individuals were used at different times in the organizing and setting things straight.
A couple of years ago I came across what I understand to be part of a transcript of a talk that Brother Franz gave to the Gilead graduates in 1975
(For those interested in reading the speech of Bro. Franz, it is quoted at the bottom of this article in blue)
____________________________________________
If that truly is a talk from Brother Franz, It almost seems to me that he was saying that there was no 1st century GB either. Well that is the way I read it. Please, what are your thoughts.
I have sent you this information and my questions because of what I read in parts of your profile about Jesus being our leader and "He did not point to power, authority or influence as being the sign of his true disciples. He pointed to fine fruit."
I hope I have not sent a wrong idea about the modern day GB. But some times I feel that they have gone beyond the things written. Just as Davide realized the position of King Saul as Jehovah's "anointed" at that time and did not try to take over, I recognize that there has to be some authority to oversea the preaching work world wide. I also understand that those that take on that challenge are more accountable to Jehovah for their actions for the extra responsibility that they have. If they overstep the line then Jehovah will deal with them.
ANSWER: Hello Xxxxx,
I have a few thoughts for you. First I will tell you my experience with the Governing Body (as an anointed one), and then I will insert a post I wrote about this subject (I hope you don't mind), as I feel it touches on this subject. I would also like to recommend (if you've got the stomach for it), an article I wrote on the interpretation of Rev.9. This article is still under construction, but I'm sure you will find plenty of "meat" to chew on even now. I will give you the web address below.
When Jehovah gave me true light, and an awareness of needed adjustments within the doctrine of the society...I did write them. I too believed as your mother explained...that the GB is the "Steward" of the household, and when all the "domestics" bring in their contributions, the Steward determines what to serve, and when.
I have since spoken to other anointed who have had the same experience as me....that of being sent a response that basically told us to shut up and follow whatever we were told. This stance is clear in many Watchtowers, which indicate that the other anointed do not contribute to the "spiritual food" or "new light". Yet, the GB calls themselves, the remnant's representative...clearly a false claim.
What follows is the post (I hope there is enough room). It is a comment on a recent Watchtower study article. Since I am on my way out for a full day in service, I do not have time to address all that you have written at this time. After you read what I am passing on to you, please submit another question, mentioning all that I did not address.
POST
Wow, what a masterful deception is underfoot! Today's article "The Spirit searches into the deep things of God"....
...in a nutshell?
The governing body are the only ones to whom Holy Spirit reveals the deep things of God. This, despite all the scriptures that were read and indicated the opposite (see 1John 2:20,27). And how about all the scriptures that were nullified, because of one word?
At Hebrews 9:9, Paul spoke of the "tent, or temple of God", as NOW being present.
(See comments on John2:19,20,21 in the "follow up" half way down
the page, concerning the real meaning of the "temple" being
established "NOW" at https://pearl-raiseitup.blogspot.com/ )
They draw the literal conclusion that this indicates that the tent was already completed in the first century, and therefore it can not represent all anointed. How many scriptures use this same means to describe a future accomplishment, using the word "now"?
"The hour is coming, and it is NOW, when the true worshipers......"
"The Kingdom of the heavens IS in your midst"
These and other scriptures show that once God's purposes have begun fulfillment, or the foundation laid, the evidence is established that it is done...not literally, but assuredly.
Yet they take Paul's one word, "now" and use it to nullify all the other scriptures that prove that all anointed ARE this true tent of living stones (1Cor.3:16), set up "for God to inhabit". (Eph. 2:20,21,22)
Why? Why do they promote this idea? And why promote it in tandem with who the spirit is using to reveal spiritual truths today? What connection do these two different subjects have in common???
Only one. The goal of discounting and discrediting all anointed except those on the Governing Body. Interesting.
What could possibly be the objective of that?
Does the Governing Body truly seek unity with their other anointed brothers?
Do they really consider the evidence of Holy Spirit and spiritual light coming from their brothers?
In the article it reads, "The Governing Body as a whole, considers adjusted explanations."
(So, wow, the WHOLE GOVERNING BODY considers. 8 men. There are over 11,000 anointed in the earth, and they are growing. This is the same governing group of men who expressed alarm at an increase of 28 partakers in the past.)
What adjustments do they consider? Do they take into consideration all the hundreds of alarmed letters from their fellow anointed ones, imploring them to adjust the many untruths they are publishing?
NO.
They have released the statement that "only a few men were used to write the scriptures" as the rationale for rejecting all letters sent to them. Oh, I see...the Watchtower is equal to scripture, divinely inspired. So only a few men are apparently needed or are receiving new, conflicting, waffling, ever changing divine truths (equal to scripture).
(By the way, the doctrine asserted in this issue, that of the temple and tent of God--NOT being the anointed (but instead, it being Christ himself); is contradicted in the "Christian Unity" article in September's Study issue. In par.3, it states that Paul likened anointed Christians to the "holy temple". Now the WT is applying this to ALL Christians, even though, according to their own doctrine; the Christians he was speaking about were all anointed. whew-boy!) Is the tent and temple of God; Christ, the anointed, or all Christians? They don't seem sure, do they?
But The Governing Body, apparently does not need, "a multitude of counselors" (Prov.15:22).
Did the "Governing Body" of first century Jerusalem function like this? The article refers to the ONE letter that came from Jerusalem as establishing this arrangement. Why did the older men in Jerusalem consider the circumcision issue? According to scripture, it all began like this....
Holy Spirit was poured out on PROPHETS IN ANTIOCH. According to the spirit, THESE PROPHETS DIRECTED Paul and Barnabas to preach to the Gentiles. When Paul and Barnabas followed the direction of these prophets and spirit, they had phenomenal success! But, there was a problem. According to the words of James, the men from Judea went to Antioch to make "trouble" for the Gentiles, strongly insisting that salvation depended upon circumcision. Acts. 14:2; 15:2
The source of this disruptive trouble was coming from Jerusalem and Judea. This, despite the fact that Peter and the other apostles in Jerusalem already knew for a long time, that God was accepting Gentiles. Peter witnessed the demonstration of this with Cornelius. Yet, the apostles neglected to discipline the Jews from their own area who were causing all this turmoil. In allowing this intolerance toward the Gentiles, the older men in Jerusalem were actually against the witness of Holy Spirit. It had demonstrated to them, that the Gentiles were acceptable.
Because of this apathetic response to the trouble being caused Paul and Barnabas' ministry, Paul and Barnabas had to go to Jerusalem and ask the older men there to correct those they had direct influence over. To encourage them to do this, Paul had to explain how obvious it was that Holy Spirit was directing the ministry to the Gentiles, reminding these men what they already knew, but had failed to act upon. These were apostles, and so if a decree were to come from them, it would aid in a quelling of dissension from men of their own area.
So, the question for paragraph 5,6 B asks, "Through whom were these issues raised, and how were decisions made?
The scriptural answer is:
These issues were raised because the men in Jerusalem were neglecting the trouble their Congregations were causing for Paul and Barnabas, even though Holy Spirit had directed Paul's ministry to the Gentiles, not the men in Jerusalem (Gal.1:11,12,16,17,18,19,20). Paul and Barnabas had to travel there to call the brothers attention to this. Paul explained the indisputable evidence the Holy Spirit gave and all they were able to accomplish my means of it.
The older men in Jerusalem, yielded to Paul; but more importantly; they yielded to Holy Spirit and respected it's evidence. The older men in Jerusalem complied to Jesus' words, "all of you are brothers and only one is your leader, the Christ." In this way, the older men in Jerusalem showed a yielding attitude and openness to the concerns of other anointed. The older men in Jerusalem, then made known their APOSTOLIC decision, for the sake of harmony and peace. As apostles, their lead and decision held weight in their local area of Jerusalem and Judea....the source of the resistance to Holy Spirit (Acts7:51).
When you read this account, found in Acts ch. 13-15, it becomes clear that the conclusion drawn by the WT article; namely, that the "governing body" is the only source of spirit or direction, is a fallacy!
(note: the men on the "governing body", are not members of the twelve apostles)
Again,
What adjustments do they consider?
Based on the underlying thrust of this article, they consider how they can discredit all anointed except themselves, in order to diminish this perceived threat to their authority and power. Considering Truth is not so urgent a consideration as is maintaining power.
Truth and the cleansing of false doctrines is not so urgent a concern as setting up "apostate" execution protocol, devoid of scriptural backing.
This discord between the anointed...this discord between those seeking to obey Jehovah and proclaim his truths, and those seeking to maintain power, will intensify. Watch and see how these supposed brothers of Christ, finally use their power and spell over the Congregations, to "expel from the synagogues" those who will not submit to their lordship.
These articles are a tool. They are being used to train the perception of the Congregations to accept the current and future rejection and expulsion of Christ's faithful sheep. After this happens, the Congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses (the "house"), will no longer be in association with his true anointed ("mountain") (Isa.2:2-4), but rather it will come under the full domination of Satan, and his tool, Wormwood. This counterfeit "mountain"("what *seemed like* a great mountain") is seen as burning with Jehovah's judgement of condemnation. (Rev.8:8; Jer.51:25; Zech.4:7) Satan will have gotten the worship of God's people! Jehovah is allowing it, since they are willing to "trade the truth for the lie" (Isa.28:15; 2Thess.2:9,10,12; Rev.9:1; 13:14,8). God's named people are choosing to worship an organization of men (and it's "image" of divinity) as their head, and not the Christ, the truth, or the Bible. They will stand by as the faithful brothers of Christ are dismissed from among them (John 16:2; Isa.66:5; Rev.13:15; 11:7).
The ship is well into it's turn. Watch, in the days ahead, as the GB continues to use the Watchtower journal, not to teach "deep things of God", but to strategize power and dominance, and remove their only real threat...the brothers of Christ who see what is going on and will not submit! (Matt.24:24,25; Rev.13:11) ("false Christs" literally translates, "False Anointed".)
Be forewarned...the beast is emerging out of the abyss, demanding that the great and the small receive it's mark (it's stamp of approval) on all spiritual goods (buy and sell Rev.13:17; Isa.55:1,2; Rev.3:18). No other spiritual food will be allowed. Any who do not receive this mark (accept false Governing Body doctrine), will be "killed" (removed from the congregation). The mark is on the head (thinking and beliefs), and on the hand (rules of conduct). Do you worship imperfect power-intoxicated men, and let them mediate your relationship with Jehovah?(1Tim2:5) Do you let them tell you what is true, even if it contradicts scripture? If so, be warned. In speaking of all those who receive this mark, John says, "Not one of them has been written down in the scroll of life."
"Let him who has an ear, hear what the spirit says to the Congregations."! As far as the brother's of Christ who are being put under threat for speaking Jehovah's truths; do not be silenced by these threats. "We must obey God as ruler, rather than men". As Rev. 9:14,15 exhorts, Be Untied! Ride forth with Jehovah's judgement decrees against Wormwood! He is in the service of Satan, and is deceiving Jehovah's people, to their condemnation and death! If you have received Jehovah's message, be untied and ride forth!
It is gravely unfortunate that Jehovah's people today are making the same mistake as the Israelites. They too have erected a "golden calf". They too feel that it is acceptable to mix their worship. They mix the worship of men with their worship of Jehovah. The time will come for them, as it did for the Israelites, to face God's judgement for this abomination. At that time, their proud opinion will not matter. They have strayed from Jehovah's explicit commands, not to share his glory with anyone. Isa.42:8; 43:8-11
“I am Jehovah. That is my name; and to no one else shall I give my own glory, neither my praise to graven images. Definitions: ("graven"=strongly fixed.) ("Image"=representation)
“Bring forth a people blind though eyes themselves exist, and the ones deaf though they have ears. 9 Let the nations all be collected together at one place, and let national groups be gathered together. Who is there among them that can tell this? Or can they cause us to hear even the first things? Let them furnish their witnesses, that they may be declared righteous, or let them hear and say, ‘It is the truth!... I—I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no savior.””
Idolatry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Idolatry is a pejorative term for the worship of an idol, a physical object such as a cult image, as a god,[1] or practices believed to verge on worship, such as giving undue honour and regard to created forms other than God.
Behaviour considered idolatrous or potentially idolatrous may include the creation of any type of image of the deity, or of other figures of religious significance such as prophets, saints, and clergy, the creation of images of any person or animal at all, and the use of religious symbols, or secular ones. In addition, theologians have extended the concept to include giving undue importance to aspects of religion other than God, with no involvement of images specifically. For example, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship...Man commits idolatry whenever he honours and reveres a creature in place of God".
The so called "Faithful and Discreet Slave" is a "strongly fixed representation" which is receiving worship right alongside Jehovah. They demand obedience to themselves and their doctrines, even when such are not scripturally based. They direct and control every aspect of worship, an authority that should belong to Jehovah alone. They have made themselves, equal to God; and have given authority over God's people, to the "man of lawlessness". (2 Thess.2:4)
What did Paul say when he became one of the apostles?
(Please read Gal.1:1,11,12,15,16,17)
Other articles of interest can be found at:
Revelation Chapter 9 or 4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com
pearl-wormwood.blogspot.com
Pearl
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QUOTE OF BRO.FRANZ:
Well, you missionaries, you're being sent forth today, after your graduation as missionaries. The last, eh, telegram we heard was about two being sent to Bolivia. There were others who're being sent, maybe four or six or, or eight to a, a different country as assignment for work. Now don't you missionaries think because you are being sent forth two together, or maybe four or six or maybe eight, that you are being sent forth as a committee to take over the work in the land to which you're assigned. No such thing. You are being sent forth as individual missionaries to cooperate together, and to cooperate with the branch of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society which is operating and directing the work in the land to which you are assigned to act as an evangelizer. So don't get this committee idea into your head because you're being sent out in groups to a special land.
Now, Jesus Christ finished his course as the greatest evangelizer of all. And then time moves on, and there is a man who comes on the scene, and he is the only one who is directly called an evangelizer; that's his personal title--we find it in Acts chapter 21, verse 8. And that is Philip of Caesarea. And when Paul visited him on his stopover there at Caesarea, why he was called "Philip the evangelizer." He's the only one! Paul told Timothy in his final letter, 2 Timothy 4:5, that he should "do the work of an evangelizer." But Philip is the one who is directly--and the only one--thus called personally "an evangelizer." But of course we know there were other evangelizers. Now how did this man come on the scene, and who made him an evangelizer or missionary? Now that's the point to observe. Well, we remember how the scripture in Ephesians four, verse eleven, tells us how the Lord Jesus Christ ascended on high and led a body of captive, and how he gave "gifts" in the form of men. Verse eleven says he gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelizers … and some as shepherds and teachers. The Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the Congregation … he gave not only apostles, not only prophets, but also evangelizers.
[ … contents abbreviated … ]
And then after that, what happened? Why, God's, Jehovah's angel talks to Philip and says, 'Now you go.' This is … the assignment for you, from Jehovah's angel. 'You go down to the road that leads south from Jerusalem to Gaza.' And he went down there on that assignment from Jehovah's angel. And then is when he had the encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch. And he baptized him, and after the baptism, why he was quickly caught away, or led away, by God's spirit. And he went down there to the Philistine people, then up the coast of Caesarea, where he settled down and he had four daughters, and he was there as an evangelist when the apostle Paul came on that boat trip back to the Holy Land. And so that's what happened with Philip, how he became an evangelizer. Now these are things to note, friends.
Then something happened right after that. And, eh, the Lord Jesus Christ took action. And he took direct action without consulting any man or body of men on earth. And that's when He, the Head of the Congregation, met Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor there, on the road leading to Damascus. He stopped him! And he said , 'Now, this is a chosen vessel unto me. I'm choosing him as the Head of the Church, without consulting any people on earth.' And he chose Saul to be an evangelizer, to carry the message not only to the Jews but also to all the gentile nations.
Well, what about Jerusalem and the body down there? Later on the account tells us that Barnabas took Paul, or Saul of Tarsus, down to Jerusalem. But they were all afraid of him! And Saul of Tarsus, or Paul, tells us that when he went up there to Jerusalem he saw none of the apostles except Peter, with whom he spent fifteen days, and also, uh, the apostle James. [Nota bene: this is an error, as Galatians 1:18, 19 indicates it was "James the brother of the Lord," not the apostle James.] Those are the only two. And then he went back to Tarsus, and, uh, he continued on his way. Later on, why, Barnabas was sent down there to Antioch, and he hunted up Saul, brought him there, and, uh, they talked in Antioch for quite a while. Paul became a member of the Antioch congregation. And he was one of the prophets there in that congregation, specially mentioned. And then, all of a sudden, as he was serving there, uh, in Antioch, in Syria … not in Israel, but in Syria … why, God's spirit spoke to that congregation there in Antioch and said, 'Now, of all things you set aside, you, this congregation in Antioch, YOU set aside these two men, namely, Barnabas and Saul, for the work for which I have commissioned them.' And so the Antioch congregation did that! And they laid their hands upon Paul, or Saul, and Barnabas and sent them forth as a number of translations read … 'sent them forth.' And then they went forth by the holy spirit operating through the Antioch congregation, and they went out on their first missionary assignment.
So you see, the Lord Jesus Christ was acting as Head of the congregation and taking action directly, without consulting anybody here on earth what he could do or what he could NOT do. And he acted in that way with regard to, to Saul and Barnabas. And they were both apostles of the Antioch congregation. And so they went out on the work and had great success, and in course of time they completed their first missionary tour, and where did they go … where did they report? Well, there's a record, you read it for yourself in the closing verses of the fourteenth chapter of Acts: THEY WENT BACK TO ANTIOCH, TO THE CONGREGATION THERE, and the account says they related things in detail to them, to this congregation that had committed them to the undeserved kindness of God for the work that they had performed. So there's where they reported. So the record also says, now they stayed in Antioch not a little time.
Well, now, what happened? All of a sudden something, eh, occurs, and, uh, Paul and Barnabas, they go up to Jerusalem. Well, what's the matter? What brings them up to Jerusalem? Well, is it, uh, the body of apostles and of other elders of the Jerusalem congregation that have summoned them up there and said, 'Looka here. We have heard that you two men have gone out on a missionary tour … and you finished it, and you haven't come up here to Jerusalem to report to us. DO YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE? We're the Counsel of Jerusalem! Do you two recognize the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ? If you don't come on up here in a hurry, we're going to take disciplinary action against you.' Is that what the account says? Well, if they had acted that way toward Paul and Barnabas, because they reported to the congregation, uh, by means of which the holy spirit had sent them out, then this Counsel of Jerusalem, of apostles and of other elders of the Jewish congregation would have put themselves ABOVE the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But that isn't what occurred. You know what happened, how Jews came down from Jerusalem and stirred up the matter of circumcision, and, eh, it troubled the congregation there in Antioch so much that the ANTIOCH congregation sent Paul and Barnabas UP TO JERUSALEM, to have the Counsel settle the issue. And, of course, being sent by the Couns … by the congregation at Antioch, they had to come back and report and advise the congregation of the settlement of the question, or the decision that was made by the Counsel there at Jerusalem. And THEN it was, when they were arguing in favor of Christians from the gentiles not having to be circumcised like Jews … it was THEN that Paul and Barnabas told what God had done by means of them in the gentile world. And THEN it was that the counsel got the report. Then they went back to Antico...och,, which had sent them forth to make known the decision, and the Jewish, then, eh, Counsel , why, sent along two men, Judas and Silas, with them. And so they delivered the report from the Counsel and, eh, there was great rejoicing among the gentile believers.
Now time passes, and Paul and Barnabas are at Antioch. And what occurs now? Well, did they receive an assignment from somewhere … on their next move? The account says that, eh, the two men, Paul and Barnabas, Paul says to him, he says, 'Of all things let us go and visit the congregations that we have established.' And, eh, they were agreed on, on this matter. And then, eh, the matter of, uh, accompaniment came up-who was gonna go with them? And, eh, Barnabas was in favor of Mark … John Mark. But, eh, Paul didn't want him, because he had left them in Pamphylia in Asia Minor and had not gone along with them to the finish of the first missionary tour. So Paul didn't have any confidence, eh, in Mark for the time being. And they had a great altercation, as you know. And it resulted in a split! And Barnabas took along Mark, and it proved to be a good choice, because afterwards Paul appreciated now the faithfulness of Mark and said, 'He's a useful servant even to me.'
But what about Paul? Well, he chose Silas, or Silvanus, as his companion in his missionary tour. And here's one thing we must note again … now this happened up in Antioch. Toward the close of the fifteenth chapter of Acts it says that after Paul and Barnabas had been commended by the brothers of the Antioch congregation to the undeserved kindness of God, that they went forth on the second missionary tour of the apostle Paul. So again the Antioch congregation is being used to send out missionaries. …
And so, as we examine this account of these two most outstanding among the missionaries, uh, recorded, in, uh, Bible history, we find that they were sent out especially by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church … a fact which the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society has upheld and accepted ever since the Society was formed. So we see how the Lord Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church has a right to act direct, without other organizations in view, no matter WHO we are. He's the Head of the Church, and we can't challenge what HE does.
Well, so that Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, uh, operated throughout the years, and then, to make the story short, we come down to the year 1942. And I can remember a special meeting that was held on Thursday, September the 24th, of the year 1942. A new president had, eh, arisen to preside over the affairs of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. And on this specified date, why, he called a joint meeting of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Corporation and of the New York Corporation. There was a joint meeting of us members of these boards. Because both of these corporations were involved, now, in the project that was going to be submitted, uh, to this body of men. And I can remember how there was at that meeting, which was held up in Brother Rutherford's, eh, the former president's, eh, office, there were present the president, the new president, N. H. Knorr, and also vice president H. C. Covington, and secretary-treasurer W. E. Van Amburgh, and, uh, H. H. Riemer, who was my roommate at the time, and also T. J. Sullivan, and Arthur Goux, and myself. There were all seven members of the New York Corporation present at that meeting. And there were five members of the Pennsylvania Corporation at that meeting.
Now, we got together, and the president of the Society, of both societies, Brother Knorr, uh, he first read a portion of the charter of the New York Corporation to this joint board meeting. How it was devoted to, uh, promoting the preaching and teaching of the Good News. And then he called attention to the fact that up there at Kingdom Farm there was this building, Gilead by name, and it was not being used to the full extent, only to one third of its capacity. And then he pointed out the fact, something that he had cherished in his heart for a long time, that this would be an excellent place to establish a SCHOOL, for the training and preparing of missionaries.
Well, this was a delightful proposal that was submitted by the president to all the rest of us, uh, board members, and there was favorable discussion all around about this proposed school. And then my roommate, H. H. Riemer, he made the motion that the president of these societies set in motion the operation to establish such a school for the preparing of men and women who at a moment's notice could be sent out in preaching work to different countries. Then, H. C. Covington, the vice president and also the legal counsel, he added something to Riemer's motion, and he said that the president of the Society should be AUTHORIZED to make all plans and arrangements to see that this school is established according to his discretion, and that he should also make all plans and arrangements to see that this school is financed and kept in operation. Well, I seconded that motion, and the motion was unanimously, eh, acc, eh…accepted, approved by all those present. And right after that, then, the president, he made further proposals about educational work of the societies, and proposed the publication of a school textbook that would be used by ALL the congregations of Jehovah's people. And after the motion was made, why T. J. Sullivan approved of that educational motion, too. So that now the question was thrown to a united board meeting and this was also unanimously approved.
So, you see, dear friends, that the boards of directors of the New York Corporation and of the Pennsylvania as constituted back there, they had respect for the office of the president, and they did not treat the president of these organizations as a poker-faced, immobilized figurehead presiding over a society, a 'do-nothing' society.
Well, you can ask Brother Arthur Goux what he remembers of that meeting, he was there. And here is a copy of the minutes of that meeting [he opens a copy of the minutes; a rustle of noise is evident from the audience], to verify what I've told you. So you can see that, eh, this society really has the right and the authority to send out missionaries. That's the challenging question I raised at the very beginning of this talk. And that society has continued on till now sending out missionaries now to the number of more than five thousand. Now isn't that a wonderful? [Audience responds with sustained applause.]
And I'm sure that many of us here today are very glad that Jehovah has preserved the original president of the school down till now, and as president of the New York Corporation, why, he will continue in his office until the end of the current term on July 1st, Nineteen Hundred…or rather January 1st, eh, Nine…Eighteen…, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Six.
And when you come to think about it, dear friends, it's really remarkable. Today, do you know, is the seventh day of September, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Five. [Loud audience stirring can be heard.] And do you know what that means according to this diary, Hebrew diary, from the land of Israel? Why this is the second day of the month Tishri of the lunar year Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Six. And do you know what that means? That here on this day of your graduation, why, it is the second day of the SEVENTH MILLENNIUM of man's existence here on earth. Isn't that something? Isn't that something, friends? [Loud applause from the audience.] That the opening days of the seventh millennium of mankind's existence is signalized by the operation of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in full compliance with the terms of its charter, sending out the fifty-ninth class of the Gilead School for missionaries. And furthermore, I'm told that, eh, by the arrangement of the New York Corporation, we already have some twenty brothers and sisters who are going to form class number sixty in the Gilead School. And, very interesting that at the end of sixty centuries of human existence here on earth, why class number SIXTY is going to start its schooling at the opening of the seventh millennium of mankind's existence.
These are, eh, surprising things, startling things, HAPPIFYING things over which we can rejoice. And I'm sure that many of us here can be very, very happy that Jehovah God put into the mind of Brother Knorr and into his heart to establish this missionary school at Gilead. Jehovah God certainly has blessed it, and by its fruits, why it has become KNOWN as an approved agency in the hand of Jehovah God, so that there is no NEED to challenge the RIGHT and the AUTHORITY of this society to send out missionaries. And, friends, notice this, that just as God used the Antioch congregation to send out the two most out...two of the most outstanding missionaries of the first century, Paul and Barnabas, so today Jehovah God is using the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the New York Corporation, to send out further missionaries. And they're determined to keep ON in that course. That's something very, very gratifying.
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End of quote
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I have a few thoughts for you. First I will tell you my experience with the Governing Body (as an anointed one), and then I will insert a post I wrote about this subject (I hope you don't mind), as I feel it touches on this subject. I would also like to recommend (if you've got the stomach for it), an article I wrote on the interpretation of Rev.9. This article is still under construction, but I'm sure you will find plenty of "meat" to chew on even now. I will give you the web address below.
When Jehovah gave me true light, and an awareness of needed adjustments within the doctrine of the society...I did write them. I too believed as your mother explained...that the GB is the "Steward" of the household, and when all the "domestics" bring in their contributions, the Steward determines what to serve, and when.
I have since spoken to other anointed who have had the same experience as me....that of being sent a response that basically told us to shut up and follow whatever we were told. This stance is clear in many Watchtowers, which indicate that the other anointed do not contribute to the "spiritual food" or "new light". Yet, the GB calls themselves, the remnant's representative...clearly a false claim.
What follows is the post (I hope there is enough room). It is a comment on a recent Watchtower study article. Since I am on my way out for a full day in service, I do not have time to address all that you have written at this time. After you read what I am passing on to you, please submit another question, mentioning all that I did not address.
POST
Wow, what a masterful deception is underfoot! Today's article "The Spirit searches into the deep things of God"....
...in a nutshell?
The governing body are the only ones to whom Holy Spirit reveals the deep things of God. This, despite all the scriptures that were read and indicated the opposite (see 1John 2:20,27). And how about all the scriptures that were nullified, because of one word?
At Hebrews 9:9, Paul spoke of the "tent, or temple of God", as NOW being present.
(See comments on John2:19,20,21 in the "follow up" half way down
the page, concerning the real meaning of the "temple" being
established "NOW" at https://pearl-raiseitup.blogspot.com/ )
They draw the literal conclusion that this indicates that the tent was already completed in the first century, and therefore it can not represent all anointed. How many scriptures use this same means to describe a future accomplishment, using the word "now"?
"The hour is coming, and it is NOW, when the true worshipers......"
"The Kingdom of the heavens IS in your midst"
These and other scriptures show that once God's purposes have begun fulfillment, or the foundation laid, the evidence is established that it is done...not literally, but assuredly.
Yet they take Paul's one word, "now" and use it to nullify all the other scriptures that prove that all anointed ARE this true tent of living stones (1Cor.3:16), set up "for God to inhabit". (Eph. 2:20,21,22)
Why? Why do they promote this idea? And why promote it in tandem with who the spirit is using to reveal spiritual truths today? What connection do these two different subjects have in common???
Only one. The goal of discounting and discrediting all anointed except those on the Governing Body. Interesting.
What could possibly be the objective of that?
Does the Governing Body truly seek unity with their other anointed brothers?
Do they really consider the evidence of Holy Spirit and spiritual light coming from their brothers?
In the article it reads, "The Governing Body as a whole, considers adjusted explanations."
(So, wow, the WHOLE GOVERNING BODY considers. 8 men. There are over 11,000 anointed in the earth, and they are growing. This is the same governing group of men who expressed alarm at an increase of 28 partakers in the past.)
What adjustments do they consider? Do they take into consideration all the hundreds of alarmed letters from their fellow anointed ones, imploring them to adjust the many untruths they are publishing?
NO.
They have released the statement that "only a few men were used to write the scriptures" as the rationale for rejecting all letters sent to them. Oh, I see...the Watchtower is equal to scripture, divinely inspired. So only a few men are apparently needed or are receiving new, conflicting, waffling, ever changing divine truths (equal to scripture).
(By the way, the doctrine asserted in this issue, that of the temple and tent of God--NOT being the anointed (but instead, it being Christ himself); is contradicted in the "Christian Unity" article in September's Study issue. In par.3, it states that Paul likened anointed Christians to the "holy temple". Now the WT is applying this to ALL Christians, even though, according to their own doctrine; the Christians he was speaking about were all anointed. whew-boy!) Is the tent and temple of God; Christ, the anointed, or all Christians? They don't seem sure, do they?
But The Governing Body, apparently does not need, "a multitude of counselors" (Prov.15:22).
Did the "Governing Body" of first century Jerusalem function like this? The article refers to the ONE letter that came from Jerusalem as establishing this arrangement. Why did the older men in Jerusalem consider the circumcision issue? According to scripture, it all began like this....
Holy Spirit was poured out on PROPHETS IN ANTIOCH. According to the spirit, THESE PROPHETS DIRECTED Paul and Barnabas to preach to the Gentiles. When Paul and Barnabas followed the direction of these prophets and spirit, they had phenomenal success! But, there was a problem. According to the words of James, the men from Judea went to Antioch to make "trouble" for the Gentiles, strongly insisting that salvation depended upon circumcision. Acts. 14:2; 15:2
The source of this disruptive trouble was coming from Jerusalem and Judea. This, despite the fact that Peter and the other apostles in Jerusalem already knew for a long time, that God was accepting Gentiles. Peter witnessed the demonstration of this with Cornelius. Yet, the apostles neglected to discipline the Jews from their own area who were causing all this turmoil. In allowing this intolerance toward the Gentiles, the older men in Jerusalem were actually against the witness of Holy Spirit. It had demonstrated to them, that the Gentiles were acceptable.
Because of this apathetic response to the trouble being caused Paul and Barnabas' ministry, Paul and Barnabas had to go to Jerusalem and ask the older men there to correct those they had direct influence over. To encourage them to do this, Paul had to explain how obvious it was that Holy Spirit was directing the ministry to the Gentiles, reminding these men what they already knew, but had failed to act upon. These were apostles, and so if a decree were to come from them, it would aid in a quelling of dissension from men of their own area.
So, the question for paragraph 5,6 B asks, "Through whom were these issues raised, and how were decisions made?
The scriptural answer is:
These issues were raised because the men in Jerusalem were neglecting the trouble their Congregations were causing for Paul and Barnabas, even though Holy Spirit had directed Paul's ministry to the Gentiles, not the men in Jerusalem (Gal.1:11,12,16,17,18,19,20). Paul and Barnabas had to travel there to call the brothers attention to this. Paul explained the indisputable evidence the Holy Spirit gave and all they were able to accomplish my means of it.
The older men in Jerusalem, yielded to Paul; but more importantly; they yielded to Holy Spirit and respected it's evidence. The older men in Jerusalem complied to Jesus' words, "all of you are brothers and only one is your leader, the Christ." In this way, the older men in Jerusalem showed a yielding attitude and openness to the concerns of other anointed. The older men in Jerusalem, then made known their APOSTOLIC decision, for the sake of harmony and peace. As apostles, their lead and decision held weight in their local area of Jerusalem and Judea....the source of the resistance to Holy Spirit (Acts7:51).
When you read this account, found in Acts ch. 13-15, it becomes clear that the conclusion drawn by the WT article; namely, that the "governing body" is the only source of spirit or direction, is a fallacy!
(note: the men on the "governing body", are not members of the twelve apostles)
Again,
What adjustments do they consider?
Based on the underlying thrust of this article, they consider how they can discredit all anointed except themselves, in order to diminish this perceived threat to their authority and power. Considering Truth is not so urgent a consideration as is maintaining power.
Truth and the cleansing of false doctrines is not so urgent a concern as setting up "apostate" execution protocol, devoid of scriptural backing.
This discord between the anointed...this discord between those seeking to obey Jehovah and proclaim his truths, and those seeking to maintain power, will intensify. Watch and see how these supposed brothers of Christ, finally use their power and spell over the Congregations, to "expel from the synagogues" those who will not submit to their lordship.
These articles are a tool. They are being used to train the perception of the Congregations to accept the current and future rejection and expulsion of Christ's faithful sheep. After this happens, the Congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses (the "house"), will no longer be in association with his true anointed ("mountain") (Isa.2:2-4), but rather it will come under the full domination of Satan, and his tool, Wormwood. This counterfeit "mountain"("what *seemed like* a great mountain") is seen as burning with Jehovah's judgement of condemnation. (Rev.8:8; Jer.51:25; Zech.4:7) Satan will have gotten the worship of God's people! Jehovah is allowing it, since they are willing to "trade the truth for the lie" (Isa.28:15; 2Thess.2:9,10,12; Rev.9:1; 13:14,8). God's named people are choosing to worship an organization of men (and it's "image" of divinity) as their head, and not the Christ, the truth, or the Bible. They will stand by as the faithful brothers of Christ are dismissed from among them (John 16:2; Isa.66:5; Rev.13:15; 11:7).
The ship is well into it's turn. Watch, in the days ahead, as the GB continues to use the Watchtower journal, not to teach "deep things of God", but to strategize power and dominance, and remove their only real threat...the brothers of Christ who see what is going on and will not submit! (Matt.24:24,25; Rev.13:11) ("false Christs" literally translates, "False Anointed".)
Be forewarned...the beast is emerging out of the abyss, demanding that the great and the small receive it's mark (it's stamp of approval) on all spiritual goods (buy and sell Rev.13:17; Isa.55:1,2; Rev.3:18). No other spiritual food will be allowed. Any who do not receive this mark (accept false Governing Body doctrine), will be "killed" (removed from the congregation). The mark is on the head (thinking and beliefs), and on the hand (rules of conduct). Do you worship imperfect power-intoxicated men, and let them mediate your relationship with Jehovah?(1Tim2:5) Do you let them tell you what is true, even if it contradicts scripture? If so, be warned. In speaking of all those who receive this mark, John says, "Not one of them has been written down in the scroll of life."
"Let him who has an ear, hear what the spirit says to the Congregations."! As far as the brother's of Christ who are being put under threat for speaking Jehovah's truths; do not be silenced by these threats. "We must obey God as ruler, rather than men". As Rev. 9:14,15 exhorts, Be Untied! Ride forth with Jehovah's judgement decrees against Wormwood! He is in the service of Satan, and is deceiving Jehovah's people, to their condemnation and death! If you have received Jehovah's message, be untied and ride forth!
It is gravely unfortunate that Jehovah's people today are making the same mistake as the Israelites. They too have erected a "golden calf". They too feel that it is acceptable to mix their worship. They mix the worship of men with their worship of Jehovah. The time will come for them, as it did for the Israelites, to face God's judgement for this abomination. At that time, their proud opinion will not matter. They have strayed from Jehovah's explicit commands, not to share his glory with anyone. Isa.42:8; 43:8-11
“I am Jehovah. That is my name; and to no one else shall I give my own glory, neither my praise to graven images. Definitions: ("graven"=strongly fixed.) ("Image"=representation)
“Bring forth a people blind though eyes themselves exist, and the ones deaf though they have ears. 9 Let the nations all be collected together at one place, and let national groups be gathered together. Who is there among them that can tell this? Or can they cause us to hear even the first things? Let them furnish their witnesses, that they may be declared righteous, or let them hear and say, ‘It is the truth!... I—I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no savior.””
Idolatry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Idolatry is a pejorative term for the worship of an idol, a physical object such as a cult image, as a god,[1] or practices believed to verge on worship, such as giving undue honour and regard to created forms other than God.
Behaviour considered idolatrous or potentially idolatrous may include the creation of any type of image of the deity, or of other figures of religious significance such as prophets, saints, and clergy, the creation of images of any person or animal at all, and the use of religious symbols, or secular ones. In addition, theologians have extended the concept to include giving undue importance to aspects of religion other than God, with no involvement of images specifically. For example, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship...Man commits idolatry whenever he honours and reveres a creature in place of God".
The so called "Faithful and Discreet Slave" is a "strongly fixed representation" which is receiving worship right alongside Jehovah. They demand obedience to themselves and their doctrines, even when such are not scripturally based. They direct and control every aspect of worship, an authority that should belong to Jehovah alone. They have made themselves, equal to God; and have given authority over God's people, to the "man of lawlessness". (2 Thess.2:4)
What did Paul say when he became one of the apostles?
(Please read Gal.1:1,11,12,15,16,17)
Revelation Chapter 9 or 4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com
pearl-wormwood.blogspot.com
Pearl
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QUOTE OF BRO.FRANZ:
Well, you missionaries, you're being sent forth today, after your graduation as missionaries. The last, eh, telegram we heard was about two being sent to Bolivia. There were others who're being sent, maybe four or six or, or eight to a, a different country as assignment for work. Now don't you missionaries think because you are being sent forth two together, or maybe four or six or maybe eight, that you are being sent forth as a committee to take over the work in the land to which you're assigned. No such thing. You are being sent forth as individual missionaries to cooperate together, and to cooperate with the branch of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society which is operating and directing the work in the land to which you are assigned to act as an evangelizer. So don't get this committee idea into your head because you're being sent out in groups to a special land.
Now, Jesus Christ finished his course as the greatest evangelizer of all. And then time moves on, and there is a man who comes on the scene, and he is the only one who is directly called an evangelizer; that's his personal title--we find it in Acts chapter 21, verse 8. And that is Philip of Caesarea. And when Paul visited him on his stopover there at Caesarea, why he was called "Philip the evangelizer." He's the only one! Paul told Timothy in his final letter, 2 Timothy 4:5, that he should "do the work of an evangelizer." But Philip is the one who is directly--and the only one--thus called personally "an evangelizer." But of course we know there were other evangelizers. Now how did this man come on the scene, and who made him an evangelizer or missionary? Now that's the point to observe. Well, we remember how the scripture in Ephesians four, verse eleven, tells us how the Lord Jesus Christ ascended on high and led a body of captive, and how he gave "gifts" in the form of men. Verse eleven says he gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelizers … and some as shepherds and teachers. The Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the Congregation … he gave not only apostles, not only prophets, but also evangelizers.
[ … contents abbreviated … ]
And then after that, what happened? Why, God's, Jehovah's angel talks to Philip and says, 'Now you go.' This is … the assignment for you, from Jehovah's angel. 'You go down to the road that leads south from Jerusalem to Gaza.' And he went down there on that assignment from Jehovah's angel. And then is when he had the encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch. And he baptized him, and after the baptism, why he was quickly caught away, or led away, by God's spirit. And he went down there to the Philistine people, then up the coast of Caesarea, where he settled down and he had four daughters, and he was there as an evangelist when the apostle Paul came on that boat trip back to the Holy Land. And so that's what happened with Philip, how he became an evangelizer. Now these are things to note, friends.
Then something happened right after that. And, eh, the Lord Jesus Christ took action. And he took direct action without consulting any man or body of men on earth. And that's when He, the Head of the Congregation, met Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor there, on the road leading to Damascus. He stopped him! And he said , 'Now, this is a chosen vessel unto me. I'm choosing him as the Head of the Church, without consulting any people on earth.' And he chose Saul to be an evangelizer, to carry the message not only to the Jews but also to all the gentile nations.
Well, what about Jerusalem and the body down there? Later on the account tells us that Barnabas took Paul, or Saul of Tarsus, down to Jerusalem. But they were all afraid of him! And Saul of Tarsus, or Paul, tells us that when he went up there to Jerusalem he saw none of the apostles except Peter, with whom he spent fifteen days, and also, uh, the apostle James. [Nota bene: this is an error, as Galatians 1:18, 19 indicates it was "James the brother of the Lord," not the apostle James.] Those are the only two. And then he went back to Tarsus, and, uh, he continued on his way. Later on, why, Barnabas was sent down there to Antioch, and he hunted up Saul, brought him there, and, uh, they talked in Antioch for quite a while. Paul became a member of the Antioch congregation. And he was one of the prophets there in that congregation, specially mentioned. And then, all of a sudden, as he was serving there, uh, in Antioch, in Syria … not in Israel, but in Syria … why, God's spirit spoke to that congregation there in Antioch and said, 'Now, of all things you set aside, you, this congregation in Antioch, YOU set aside these two men, namely, Barnabas and Saul, for the work for which I have commissioned them.' And so the Antioch congregation did that! And they laid their hands upon Paul, or Saul, and Barnabas and sent them forth as a number of translations read … 'sent them forth.' And then they went forth by the holy spirit operating through the Antioch congregation, and they went out on their first missionary assignment.
So you see, the Lord Jesus Christ was acting as Head of the congregation and taking action directly, without consulting anybody here on earth what he could do or what he could NOT do. And he acted in that way with regard to, to Saul and Barnabas. And they were both apostles of the Antioch congregation. And so they went out on the work and had great success, and in course of time they completed their first missionary tour, and where did they go … where did they report? Well, there's a record, you read it for yourself in the closing verses of the fourteenth chapter of Acts: THEY WENT BACK TO ANTIOCH, TO THE CONGREGATION THERE, and the account says they related things in detail to them, to this congregation that had committed them to the undeserved kindness of God for the work that they had performed. So there's where they reported. So the record also says, now they stayed in Antioch not a little time.
Well, now, what happened? All of a sudden something, eh, occurs, and, uh, Paul and Barnabas, they go up to Jerusalem. Well, what's the matter? What brings them up to Jerusalem? Well, is it, uh, the body of apostles and of other elders of the Jerusalem congregation that have summoned them up there and said, 'Looka here. We have heard that you two men have gone out on a missionary tour … and you finished it, and you haven't come up here to Jerusalem to report to us. DO YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE? We're the Counsel of Jerusalem! Do you two recognize the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ? If you don't come on up here in a hurry, we're going to take disciplinary action against you.' Is that what the account says? Well, if they had acted that way toward Paul and Barnabas, because they reported to the congregation, uh, by means of which the holy spirit had sent them out, then this Counsel of Jerusalem, of apostles and of other elders of the Jewish congregation would have put themselves ABOVE the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But that isn't what occurred. You know what happened, how Jews came down from Jerusalem and stirred up the matter of circumcision, and, eh, it troubled the congregation there in Antioch so much that the ANTIOCH congregation sent Paul and Barnabas UP TO JERUSALEM, to have the Counsel settle the issue. And, of course, being sent by the Couns … by the congregation at Antioch, they had to come back and report and advise the congregation of the settlement of the question, or the decision that was made by the Counsel there at Jerusalem. And THEN it was, when they were arguing in favor of Christians from the gentiles not having to be circumcised like Jews … it was THEN that Paul and Barnabas told what God had done by means of them in the gentile world. And THEN it was that the counsel got the report. Then they went back to Antico...och,, which had sent them forth to make known the decision, and the Jewish, then, eh, Counsel , why, sent along two men, Judas and Silas, with them. And so they delivered the report from the Counsel and, eh, there was great rejoicing among the gentile believers.
Now time passes, and Paul and Barnabas are at Antioch. And what occurs now? Well, did they receive an assignment from somewhere … on their next move? The account says that, eh, the two men, Paul and Barnabas, Paul says to him, he says, 'Of all things let us go and visit the congregations that we have established.' And, eh, they were agreed on, on this matter. And then, eh, the matter of, uh, accompaniment came up-who was gonna go with them? And, eh, Barnabas was in favor of Mark … John Mark. But, eh, Paul didn't want him, because he had left them in Pamphylia in Asia Minor and had not gone along with them to the finish of the first missionary tour. So Paul didn't have any confidence, eh, in Mark for the time being. And they had a great altercation, as you know. And it resulted in a split! And Barnabas took along Mark, and it proved to be a good choice, because afterwards Paul appreciated now the faithfulness of Mark and said, 'He's a useful servant even to me.'
But what about Paul? Well, he chose Silas, or Silvanus, as his companion in his missionary tour. And here's one thing we must note again … now this happened up in Antioch. Toward the close of the fifteenth chapter of Acts it says that after Paul and Barnabas had been commended by the brothers of the Antioch congregation to the undeserved kindness of God, that they went forth on the second missionary tour of the apostle Paul. So again the Antioch congregation is being used to send out missionaries. …
And so, as we examine this account of these two most outstanding among the missionaries, uh, recorded, in, uh, Bible history, we find that they were sent out especially by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church … a fact which the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society has upheld and accepted ever since the Society was formed. So we see how the Lord Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church has a right to act direct, without other organizations in view, no matter WHO we are. He's the Head of the Church, and we can't challenge what HE does.
Well, so that Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, uh, operated throughout the years, and then, to make the story short, we come down to the year 1942. And I can remember a special meeting that was held on Thursday, September the 24th, of the year 1942. A new president had, eh, arisen to preside over the affairs of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. And on this specified date, why, he called a joint meeting of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Corporation and of the New York Corporation. There was a joint meeting of us members of these boards. Because both of these corporations were involved, now, in the project that was going to be submitted, uh, to this body of men. And I can remember how there was at that meeting, which was held up in Brother Rutherford's, eh, the former president's, eh, office, there were present the president, the new president, N. H. Knorr, and also vice president H. C. Covington, and secretary-treasurer W. E. Van Amburgh, and, uh, H. H. Riemer, who was my roommate at the time, and also T. J. Sullivan, and Arthur Goux, and myself. There were all seven members of the New York Corporation present at that meeting. And there were five members of the Pennsylvania Corporation at that meeting.
Now, we got together, and the president of the Society, of both societies, Brother Knorr, uh, he first read a portion of the charter of the New York Corporation to this joint board meeting. How it was devoted to, uh, promoting the preaching and teaching of the Good News. And then he called attention to the fact that up there at Kingdom Farm there was this building, Gilead by name, and it was not being used to the full extent, only to one third of its capacity. And then he pointed out the fact, something that he had cherished in his heart for a long time, that this would be an excellent place to establish a SCHOOL, for the training and preparing of missionaries.
Well, this was a delightful proposal that was submitted by the president to all the rest of us, uh, board members, and there was favorable discussion all around about this proposed school. And then my roommate, H. H. Riemer, he made the motion that the president of these societies set in motion the operation to establish such a school for the preparing of men and women who at a moment's notice could be sent out in preaching work to different countries. Then, H. C. Covington, the vice president and also the legal counsel, he added something to Riemer's motion, and he said that the president of the Society should be AUTHORIZED to make all plans and arrangements to see that this school is established according to his discretion, and that he should also make all plans and arrangements to see that this school is financed and kept in operation. Well, I seconded that motion, and the motion was unanimously, eh, acc, eh…accepted, approved by all those present. And right after that, then, the president, he made further proposals about educational work of the societies, and proposed the publication of a school textbook that would be used by ALL the congregations of Jehovah's people. And after the motion was made, why T. J. Sullivan approved of that educational motion, too. So that now the question was thrown to a united board meeting and this was also unanimously approved.
So, you see, dear friends, that the boards of directors of the New York Corporation and of the Pennsylvania as constituted back there, they had respect for the office of the president, and they did not treat the president of these organizations as a poker-faced, immobilized figurehead presiding over a society, a 'do-nothing' society.
Well, you can ask Brother Arthur Goux what he remembers of that meeting, he was there. And here is a copy of the minutes of that meeting [he opens a copy of the minutes; a rustle of noise is evident from the audience], to verify what I've told you. So you can see that, eh, this society really has the right and the authority to send out missionaries. That's the challenging question I raised at the very beginning of this talk. And that society has continued on till now sending out missionaries now to the number of more than five thousand. Now isn't that a wonderful? [Audience responds with sustained applause.]
And I'm sure that many of us here today are very glad that Jehovah has preserved the original president of the school down till now, and as president of the New York Corporation, why, he will continue in his office until the end of the current term on July 1st, Nineteen Hundred…or rather January 1st, eh, Nine…Eighteen…, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Six.
And when you come to think about it, dear friends, it's really remarkable. Today, do you know, is the seventh day of September, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Five. [Loud audience stirring can be heard.] And do you know what that means according to this diary, Hebrew diary, from the land of Israel? Why this is the second day of the month Tishri of the lunar year Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Six. And do you know what that means? That here on this day of your graduation, why, it is the second day of the SEVENTH MILLENNIUM of man's existence here on earth. Isn't that something? Isn't that something, friends? [Loud applause from the audience.] That the opening days of the seventh millennium of mankind's existence is signalized by the operation of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in full compliance with the terms of its charter, sending out the fifty-ninth class of the Gilead School for missionaries. And furthermore, I'm told that, eh, by the arrangement of the New York Corporation, we already have some twenty brothers and sisters who are going to form class number sixty in the Gilead School. And, very interesting that at the end of sixty centuries of human existence here on earth, why class number SIXTY is going to start its schooling at the opening of the seventh millennium of mankind's existence.
These are, eh, surprising things, startling things, HAPPIFYING things over which we can rejoice. And I'm sure that many of us here can be very, very happy that Jehovah God put into the mind of Brother Knorr and into his heart to establish this missionary school at Gilead. Jehovah God certainly has blessed it, and by its fruits, why it has become KNOWN as an approved agency in the hand of Jehovah God, so that there is no NEED to challenge the RIGHT and the AUTHORITY of this society to send out missionaries. And, friends, notice this, that just as God used the Antioch congregation to send out the two most out...two of the most outstanding missionaries of the first century, Paul and Barnabas, so today Jehovah God is using the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the New York Corporation, to send out further missionaries. And they're determined to keep ON in that course. That's something very, very gratifying.
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