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Tuesday, February 9, 2016

We need more information on this man

SCHUTZ, John 

The funeral of Mr. John Sheetz[sic] who died at the Western Maryland hospital, Cumberland, last Wednesday night, took place Sunday afternoon from the Presbyterian Church on Broadway.  A presentative from Zion’s Watch Tower and Bible Society of Pittsburgh, conducted the services.  Interment was made in Allegheny cemetery.
The Evening Times, Wednesday, August 19, 1908

Monday, February 8, 2016

The Biographies



            I’ve been posting many brief biographies; I should probably explain why we’re pursuing these. The current mythology that passes for history suggests that early believers were all poor, disenfranchised, marginally educated, and probably Adventists of some sort. The early influence of Zion’s Watch Tower is also questioned, even by its friends. The best way for us to analyze this is to examine the issue in detail.
            So ... we’re examining all the newspaper articles and letters to Russell we can find. If we can put a name to a letter, so much the better. But even the anonymous letters have detail. They tell us what the writer’s previous religion was. (Often Methodist; almost never Adventist.) The biographical details, minor though they seem, tell a better, more accurate story than the myth that floats around the Internet.

Hatton Turner

We need more information. Who is this man? Can we tie him to Zion's Watch Tower?


Maps

Bernard is making maps that show early meeting places and places were believers lived. We're working on 1880-1882. If you can add to the list, please do. We need the source of your information.

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Never Ever ...



            Our blog visitors are important to us. Some of you help us as you can. Many of you are repeat visitors, sometimes viewing the blog several times a day. Comments help. Even a question helps, because it can point the way to further research. Most of our visitors are well-behaved. Sometimes we get one that is not.
            The recent Korean troll is an example. All of his comments were marked spam and we no longer see them. In the last few months we had a semi-regular visitor who wanted to insult a religion. He left of his own accord; at least he no longer comments. He’s welcome to comment as long as he keeps it within blog rules. This is a history blog and not open to disputatious comments or insults. Apparently his feelings were hurt by the reminder, and he’s gone. We’re not responsible for your personal angst, peevishness, or rude behavior, and you may not bring it here.
            In the last few months a Russian visitor has emailed me privately, asking questions. I’ve pointed him to answers. But this is a really good place to say that I don’t do basic research for others. I don’t have time. If you want to know what we have to say about Watch Tower history, buy our books. Now ... back to our Russian visitor. He signs himself Vlad.
            Vlad thinks that because I’m a woman and Mr. Schulz’ name comes first on our books, I know less; I’m less capable and pretty much inadequate. So he wanted to email Mr. Schulz. I reminded him that Mr. Schulz is not taking emails. His health is fragile and he’s old.
            Vlad has an agenda. He’s a nominal Witness who believes 1914 is not the date of Christ’s parousia. (I’m sympathetic. But I’m not a Witness trying to sway others to change doctrine.) Vlad wanted Mr. Schulz to agree with him, thinking that because we write independent research he must hold similar opinions. Vlad wrote to Bruce anyway. My cousin answered him.
            Vlad shouldn’t expect further assistance with his research, not because he has views contrary to Witnesses, but because of the sexism and lack of respect for Mr. Schulz’ health issues.
            My screen name may be frivolous, but I am an exceptionally well qualified researcher. I have two bachelors degrees (history, education); two masters degrees (history, education) and a PhD (history). I’m a certificated teacher, with the “Highly Qualified” designation and board certified. What’s between my legs does not make me a second rate researcher, hardly more than a secretary.
            My frivolous blogger name derives from a novel of mine published in 2007. It’s out of print. But some of you have read it. I created the name to comment on the Miss Snark writer’s blog.I see no need to change it.
            My last thought on this matter is, Never, ever peeve a Pixie.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Recent Visitor Map


Help!



I want to bring this back to the top. Bernard, who contributes much to our work, needs help finding “Le Petit Inventeur,” a French language periodical. William I. Mann’s photo and a brief biography appears in the 1930 issues. Copies are in a Paris Library. Anyone in France willing to search for it?

Adamson - Partial, rough draft



John Bartlet Adamson

            Adamson (1837-1904) was a businessman. There is some confusion as to his occupation, but Russell described him as having “a profitable and increasing business paying about $1,500 a year as well as other things.” One presumes Russell meant he had other sources of income. How much beyond that he had in “other things” is impossible to calculate. While fifteen hundred dollars is a paltry sum today, it was a large income in 1881. Later in life he said that he had “always been a church worker of an independent sort” and that he “always took a great interest in religious matters.”[1]
            He was introduced to the Watch Tower message sometime in 1881, while staying at the YMCA in Columbus, Ohio. He found a copy of Zion’s Watch Tower and “was attracted at once, finding in it so much Gospel (good news) and so much better than I had.” He traveled to Pittsburgh, searching for the Watch Tower office. He asked for it “among various religious newspapers,” each of which disparaged the paper. Adamson thought that gave it “Scriptural marks of saintship – being ignored, ‘cast out,’ and ‘suffering reproach’ for Christ’s sake.[2]
            Russell’s explanations confused him: “I could hardly follow Bro. Russell in his explanations and see at once that there really is a plan of God in the Ages, and that all the Scriptures fall into line and harmonize with it. It was too good.” He left Allegheny unconvinced. “Still pondering these things in my heart,” he wrote, “I went East to attend Dr. Cullis’s training school, and finding it unsuitable for me, I went on to Providence, where I acted with the Y.M.C.A. in a revival; thence to Bridgeport, Conn., where I attended the Mission revival services. From that I purposed to return to Boston again, but there was no opening except toward Pittsburgh.”
            We are left wondering if he was confused by Russell’s explanation or if he found it “too good to be true.” Which ever was so, he left Allegheny unconvinced and sought out Charles Cullis in Boston and enrolled in his Faith Training College. Cullis, a graduate of the University of Vermont and a Holiness-oriented Episcopalian, was a homeopathic physician in Boston. He advocated Faith Cures and founded among other agencies the Faith Training College (1876) to advocate his views. Adamson enrolled but terminated his studies, finding the college “unsuitable.” He doesn’t explain if he had a doctrinal difference or if he found he was not an apt scholar.[3]
            He was introduced to Watch Tower readers in the same issue as the two men mentioned above, but only by the initials “J.B.A.” A brief letter of greeting from him and some introductory words by Russell form the basis of most of what we know of him. Russell introduced him as a “very dear saint” and “brother in Christ” and explained that Adamson had decided to “give up all that he has of time, reputation and ability … for the Crown of Life.” Adamson’s self-introduction to Watch Tower readers is worth reproducing in full:

Beloved: It is fitting that new recruits should cheer, if nothing else presents that they can do. It is well that overcomers should continue to use the “word of their testimony.” In true life of faith there must be habitual obedience to the revealed will of God. The just shall live by faith. To the one that lives by every word that proceedeth out of they mouth of God, [sic] it should not appear strange that God should present objects of faith one by one, and not all at once; neither should we stumble if our faith meets with higher truths than those first presented. Faith, like muscular organs, is strengthened by use – the whole gymnasium is open to the athlete; he would spurn the gentle and easy exercises of the invalids. But how often we rebel when this principle is used in the acts of faith: It is trying to the man who has arrived at the justified plane to be told about the entire consecration demanded of the “overcomer.” For a week I have been instructed in the things of the Kingdom especially referring to the presence of Christ doing the separating work preparatory to the marriage. And most joyfully do I receive these teachings.

With shame I record that for three days I rejected these truths, almost wishing they were not scriptural and the very truth of God, instead of joyfully welcoming them with grateful heart. Following closely came another trial of faith and measure of my obedience and consecration, when I as one of God’s stewards, was urged to do the work of a steward and deal out these truths exactly in the measure of my ability to proclaim them. This meant for me the preaching service; the proclamation of truths so unwelcome to many up and down the land everywhere and always.

I ask pardon of the blessed Master – Christ Jesus, that I ever hesitated to accept His place in true humility, and the obedience of faith. I bring not a parade of the Christianizing and civilizing elements to elevate and liberalize the world, and thus make it fit for a coming Messiah; but we proclaim: “The times of restitution spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world began” – the glorious manifestation of the sons of God, so near.

Glorious body of Christ, take courage. “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Sprit, that ye strive together with me in prays go God for me; that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea (the nominal church), and my service that I have for Jerusalem the Baide [Bride] may be accepted of all the saints.”[4]

            This is more than an expression of newly found faith; we see something of his personality in this. He is verbose, as if many words enforce his thoughts. Though he would become an effective colporteur, he was not an effective preacher. He tells us that he once believed it a Christian duty to improve the world, to make it a fit place to which Christ could return. This was a common belief and the belief that stood behind social improvement schemes. We can’t psychoanalyze the dead, at least not successfully. But we come away from his letter wondering about his stability. Angst over new understanding is foreign to the authors’ nature, and we are – perhaps – unsympathetic as a result. We see in this letter an immense pride of self. 
            Adamson explained that he had “always” been religiously inclined because he had “godly parents,” but “I failed to get as clear an idea of consecration as I wished. I never believed in lukewarm or disobedient Christians, but I had no wise, loving saints to confer with in my early religious experience. Few or none thought of the Bible as the only rule; therefore, I was sometimes cast down and discouraged. I never could join a church, or enter the ministry, though I had tempting offers of the necessary funds. .. Yet, I always worked heartily in all churches, Y.M.C.A., or other revival work.”[5]
            We have the benefit of hindsight. We know what outcomes were for Adamson, so we can see elements from his letters Russell and Watch Tower readers could not. Odd, ungrammatical phrasing characterizes some of them. In this one he says he never “believed in lukewarm or disobedient Christians.” He meant that he rejected their behavior, not that he didn’t believe they existed. He wrote as he spoke. He tells us he considered a career in the ministry but found no church satisfactory enough to seek membership. He was a frustrated preacher, and within his Watch Tower ministry often included street preaching, though not always successfully because of the flawed grammar. He confused people, not an uncommon outcome when a speaker makes his audience mentally translate his words. Adamson impresses one as vague. His letters leave an indistinct trail He uses a common vocabulary, but one is occasionally left wondering if he meant exactly the same thing as did everyone else. His description of his first meeting with Russell falls into this category. At first it appears plain and straight forward, but on analysis it becomes imprecise.
            He left Boston for Providence, Rhode Island, where he “acted with the Y.M.C.A. in a revival.” Again, his statement lacks specifics. He doesn’t say if he merely handed out tracts or if he picked up litter, or explain in anyway what “acting with” the YMCA meant. From there he made his way to Bridgeport, Connecticut, to attend “the Mission revival services.” He “proposed to return to Boston again, but there was no opening except toward Pittsburgh.” Again, the lack of specifics is maddening. What, exactly, does he mean by the phrase “no opening except toward Pittsburgh”? That he had no more money than a fare to Pittsburgh? That makes no sense because Boston is far closer to Bridgeport than is Pittsburgh. Business took him toward Pittsburgh? Who knows? The man is frustratingly vague. Nevertheless, six months after he’d visited Russell (December 1880 or January 1881) he returned for another conference. In his verbose, confusing way he reported the results of his second conference with Russell:

With shame I record that for three days I rejected these truths, almost wishing they were not scriptural and the very truth of God, instead of joyfully welcoming them with grateful heart. Following closely came another trial of faith and measure of my obedience and consecration, when I, as one of God’s stewards, was urged to do the work of a steward and deal out these truths exactly in the measure of my ability to proclaim them. This meant for me the preaching service; the proclamation of truths so unwelcome to many up and down the land everywhere and always.

I ask pardon from the blessed Master – Christ Jesus, that I ever hesitated to accept His place in true humility, and the obedience of faith. I bring, not a parade of the Christianizing and civilizing elements to elevate and liberalize the world, and thus make it fit for a coming Messiah; but we proclaim: “The times of restitution spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world began”— the glorious manifestation of the sons of God, now so near. Glorious body of Christ, take courage. “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea (the nominal church), and my service that I have for Jerusalem the Bride) may be accepted of all the saints.” Rom. 15:30, 31.[6]

            Russell’s account differs in minor detail. Adamson says about six months elapsed between his first meeting with Russell and his second. Russell says it was nearly a year. We have no sure way to harmonize their accounts. Russell was impressed by Adamson’s earnestness, telling Watch Tower readers:

It gives me pleasure to thus introduce to the readers of the watch tower one whom we have recently come to know as a very dear saint – a brother in Christ. We first became acquainted about one year ago and his interest has been growing in the precious truths advocated in the tower. Again visiting this city, we have had very pleasant and profitable interchanges on the all important themes – the presence, the “high calling” and the “narrow way” of entire consecration by which it may be reached.

Our brother has concluded as ... to give all that he has of time, reputation and ability for the Pearl of great price, the “Crown of life,” – immortality and joint-heirship. He leaves a profitable and increasing business ....[7]

            As vague as Adamson was as a speaker, he was an adept colporteur and reported success in personal evangelism. He played a significant part in the circulation of Food for Thinking Christians. Russell reported that, “Brother Adamson is now in Illinois and Iowa distributing pamphlets from city to city, and preaching as he goes. An extract from a letter in another column, shows that he is enjoying the work. The Lord give him grace for every time of need – though showing him how great things he must suffer for the truth’s sake.”[8] We do not know what Adamson suffered, but we suppose it was partly financial. He abandoned his business interests and was dependent on the goodwill of his hearers.


In He reported work among Methodists late in [congtinue]

            After some weeks of silence, Adamson wrote to Russell, reporting his progress. Detailed reports from Watch Tower evangelists are rare, and, though his letters reflect his personality, they give us clear insight into methods. Adamson traveled from camp meeting to camp meeting, circulating Food for Thinking Christians and meeting sharp opposition:

After several months engaged in distributing and preaching the Gospel, you will doubtless be glad to hear from me again. I have had good opportunities for observing how this Gospel of the grace of God is received by the different classes in and out of the nominal churches. Only those who go forth into the world, with the real Gospel of gladness, can have a full idea of the joy and rejoicing of God's true people, when presented with these truths. And only such can realize how bitter is the opposition of many of the clergy (Scribes) and false religionists (Pharisees) who abound in the churches now, as they did in the Jewish.

I worked in nearly all the large towns of twenty states, being present also at nearly all the leading Camp Meetings, Conferences, and Assemblies of the year: distributing thousands of books, and addressing many people. At Camp Meetings it was impossible to give away books with much discrimination, but after the season for such gatherings ended, I found time and place for seasonable words about our hope, joy, heirship, and the restitution of the world at "the manifestation of the sons of God." I soon began to realize what a blessed work I was engaged in, and the glorious privilege of being a mouthpiece for the Lord.

The true people of God who are really making good their promises of entire consecration of all to the Lord, received me with every sign of gratitude and love, and praise to God for this message of grace and love, expressing surprise that the "Food" had reached them, and gratitude to God for "meat in due season." Limited in time, I devoted it principally to those who seemed to "have an ear to hear" – the truth hungry, passing by those who seemed to think themselves rich and increased in goods and needing nothing; thus following the example of our Forerunner--convinced that now, as then, no man can come into the light except the Father draw him by his Word and Spirit of truth. There is no inducement of a worldly character to lead one of the world-conforming, Babylon people into the narrow way and race for glory. On the contrary, this teaching is most repulsive to the larger portion of the nominal church, and those who deliver them are continually subject to contempt, reproach, and dishonor. Those who for years have been carrying the honors of the world with the name of Christ in self-indulgence, feel outraged by the teaching that glory, honor, and immortality will only be given to those who take up their cross, deny self, and follow their Leader in a life separate from the world.

Most bitter in their opposition are the clergy who doubtless feel their craft endangered--some of whom obtained the books from their people when I was gone and burned them. This was especially true among the sect calling themselves "Second Adventists," strange as it may seem. They greatly fear, that which they cannot gainsay.

I now gladly recur to the effect of the truths we hold, upon the dear sainted people of God who only are the church – yet for the present much mixed up in Babylon except to God's clear vision. These were glad to get out of her, and hailed the message and the result, as a deliverance from sin. Many infidels and worldly people got to hear the message also, and often spoke of God's plan in the ages, as something reasonable, and as demonstrating his Wisdom, Justice, and Love.

Being a willing instrument in God's hand, subject to any use I can be fitted to, I now try a preaching tour, and expect to meet many of the brethren and labor together with them. Again desiring your prayers, I remain your brother and fellow worker in Christ Jesus.[9]

            Indiscriminately handing out tracts at camp meetings produced little result. We see that from this letter. Yet, for some years it remained Watch Tower practice to dispense tracts at church doors, most of which went unread. Adamson was more effective in personal conversation. He doesn’t say which of the Second Adventist camp meetings he attended, but knowing does not matter. They were especially opposed to the Watch Tower message. Some would have seen it as a continuation of Barbour’s work, though by 1883, Barbour had moved onto other doctrine. Adventists did not see kinship between Watch Tower adherents and themselves. In his last paragraph, Adamson proposed a ‘preaching tour.’ He was an indifferent, discursive speaker. Apparently he meant to visit other believers, working with them.
            In May 1882, Russell reported that “Bro. Adamson is holding some very successful, and we trust profitable meetings in Mercer County, Pa.”[10]


[1]               A Curious Sect, The Wilmington, North Carolina, Semi-Weekly Messenger, January 21, 1898, page 7.
[2]               J. B. Adamson: Letter from Brother Adamson, Zion’s Watch Tower, February 1883, pages 1-2. [Not in reprints.]
[3]               Ann Taves: Fits, Trances, and Visions: Experiencing Religion and Explaining Experience from Wesley to James, Princeton University Press, 1999, page 227; Randall Herbert Balmer: Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism, page 166; See also the article Faith Cure: McClintock and Strong, eds., Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Supplement, Volume 2, 1889, page 372.
[4]               J. B. Adamson: To the Readers of the Watch Tower, Zion’s Watch Tower, July 1881, page 8.
[5]               J. B. Adamson: Letter from Bro. Adamson, Zion’s Watch Tower¸ February 1883, pages 1-2. [Not in reprints.]
[6]               J. B. Adamson: To the Readers of the Watch Tower, Zion’s Watch Tower, July 1881, page 8.
[7]               C. T. Russell’s comments on: To the Readers of the Watch Tower, Zion’s Watch Tower, July 1881, page 8.
[8]               C. T. Russell:
[9]               J. B. Adamson: A Word from Brother Adamson, Zion’s Watch Tower, March 1883, page 4.
[10]             C. T. Russell: View from the Tower, Zion’s Watch Tower, May 1882, page 1.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Adamson

Adamson's last address was Chicago, Illinois. On this basis it appears that our man is John Bartlet Adamson, born 1837 in Pennsylvania. He married Amelia Whitney, August 1882. It appears that there was a second marriage to Emily Moore, in Allegheny City, PA, Nov. 15, 1893. This explains earlier confusion over wife's names. He died in Chicago, Jan. 22, 1904.

So ... can we prove this beyond doubt?

This does indeed seem to be our guy. His address in as given in and 1898 newspaper matches that on the death record for John Bartlet Adamson. Some of the marriage details are puzzling. They may be wrong.The birth date as given in the newspaper matches John Bartlet.

J. B. Adamson

We need a birth and death date for John B. Adamson, an early Watch Tower evangelist. Anyone? Early life details would help too.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Your friends

You truly help us if you recommend our books to your friends.

From "New Workers" - Rough, uncorrected draft.



Alfred C. Malone

            Alfred Malone, a physician from Palestine, Indiana, though aged, was preaching the message at least by 1885. He wrote to Russell explaining that he had preached a series of sermons at Paris, Illinois, and sending a synopsis of their contents which Russell published in the September 1885, Zion’s Watch Tower.
            Malone was born in Indiana March 20, 1819, and was sixty-six years old in 1885. A brief biography of Malone says he went to school in Owensville, Indiana, but was “mainly self-educated.” He was a clerk early in life, then a school teacher.[1] In 1846, he graduated from Ohio Medical College in Cincinnati and practiced as an Eclectic physician. He moved to Palestine in 1850, opening a general store and a drugstore as an adjunct to his medical practice.[2] Shortly after graduation, he wrote to the editor of The Botanico-Medical Recorder, addressing a controversy in medical education. His article is slightly biographical, and we take from it this fragment: “Before I commenced the study of medicine, but coetaneous with the idea, I commenced pouring over my Latin Grammar, and Lexicon so that I might, at least, have a smattering of Latin ... . This idea was so preponderant, that I studied so intensely, and after night by the dim light of a taper, that I have almost studied out my left eye.”[3] His biographer said, “In politics, Mr. Malone is neutral; he has not voted since he helped elect Abraham Lincoln.” He was twice married, his first wife dying in 1861.[4] Malone was a prolific writer, contributing articles to the Cincinnati, Ohio, Gazette, and “three other political papers.” He contributed articles to various medical journals.
            We do not know what his religious affiliation was in the 1840s. But we know something of his religious views, and they tend toward Literalism. He expressed them in response to another physician’s suggestion that doctors maintain a certain mysticism about medicine. Malone rejected this, and compared it to the state of Christianity:

As in the political, so in the religious world, mystery is the watch-word. Let us keep the people in ignorance. Thus it was that the “man of sin – the son of perdition – who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped,” usurped the throne of the King Eternal; and, thus it is, that the leaders of the belligerent parties of the day, in some measure, now keep up the divisions which have been made by the same potent enemy of man – mystery. They teach the people that the word is a mystery; that it must be spiritualized; and that, until this is done, the common people cannot understand it – that they are called and qualified to explain it: but each sectarian establishment explains it differently, hence, so much division. Mystery is mighty you see, ... to subserve party purposes, and unduly exalt a certain class at the expense of the Bible. ...

This is all taught to be religion, and the religion of the Bible. But we know it all to be a farce, and why? Because it has been stripped of its mysteries by God-loving, God-honoring, and God-serving ministers, so that we see all its native deformities. “Technicalities” indeed! They only serve to create a stupid admiration for those who use them. The glorious gospel of the ever-blessed God was noted for its introduction among the poor, and its perfect adaptation to their understanding and condition. “To the poor, the gospel is preached” was one of the Messiah's confirmatory evidences of his mission. The divine philanthropy of the King Eternal encircled in the arms of his benevolence the whole human race, by adapting his gospel to the capacity and condition of the needy as well as the affluent, the illiterate as well as the learned, the rud& as well as the 'polite.

As in the religious, so shall it be in the medical world. Every thing should be plain, and adapted to the capacities and understandings of all as far as practicable. The same arguments that will apply to the abolition of mystery and “technicalities” in the religious world, will apply with equal, if not greater force in the medical world.[5]

            So much of this is Literalist belief that we suspect he had already been exposed to it. There is a confusing bit of Disciples history that associates the Malones with that church in the 1850s. In 1858 he and a few others withdrew (a Disciples history says ‘reorganized’) and formed a separate congregation. We suspect that the division was on doctrinal grounds, but we cannot prove that. Malone connected with One Faith believers as associated with The Restitution. Writing that he was “known as a gentleman and a scholar,” his biographer noted that Malone contributed to Prophetic Watchman, (Howard, Illinois), The Gospel Banner, (Geneva, Illinois), The Herald of the Coming Kingdom, (Chicago), and The Restitution, (Plymouth, Indiana). These are all Age-to-Come and One Faith journals. He wrote to books as well, Bible Religion and The Age to Come. W. H. Perrin, the biographer noted above, described Malone’s books as works of merit. We failed to locate Bible Religion and cannot comment on it. But we think The Age to Come is a thoughtful and well-written book.
            As its title suggests, it presents Age-to-Come belief. Malone’s opening words were: “That the Bible teaches the grand and glorious doctrine of ‘the age to come,’ embracing ten periods of a hundred years each, otherwise called ‘the age of ages,’ I think is fully revealed in that Book, and will be thoroughly shown as we proceed in the investigation.” As cogent as much of Malone’s book is, it is significantly at odds with Storrs and Russell beliefs about the nature and scope of salvation. Malone rejected Fair Chance doctrine.[6] Malone’s Age to Come is an effective statement of where the Allegheny Bible Study Group was in 1870 or so. To adopt Russellite views, he had to travel similar paths. Not many One Faith believers were able to do that, but Malone gives a clue to the impulse that took him to Watch Tower belief. We find it in his book: “Catering to a theory, is not conversion to Christ. An entire acceptance of the Divine Word, a child-like study of its teachings, and an implicit obedience to its commands, not a hunting out of what is pleasing and peculiar in some points only, is the only safe path.”[7]
            We do not know when he finally accepted Watch Tower doctrine, but he was preaching it by 1885. He wrote to Russell, sending a prĂ©cis of lectures he had given in Paris, Illinois, “hoping that it will not be uninteresting to yourself and the readers of the tower.[8] Finding the detailed content of a Watch Tower worker’s message is a rare event.
Malone reasoned from Scripture that God is the Savior of all men from the Adamic sin and death. He is first the savior of “very few, a ‘little flock.’ Then he saves a “great crowd.” Salvation is “builded upon God’s philanthropy and the eternal fitness of things.” The work of the present age is to bring the Little Flock to salvation because it is “destined to be kings and priests with Christ.” The Little flock assists in bringing the many to salvation. However, God is “not now the Saviour, in fact, of all men, nor indeed of any as generally taught – a Saviour from famines, pestilences, earthquakes, cyclones, etc., etc. But he will be ‘the Saviour of all’ from the effects of the Adamic sin and  death.”
            “Adam and Eve wrecked themselves and the race in the loss of innocence, in the loss of God's image, and in a gain of sin and death,” he said. Animal creation was affected because perfect human dominion faded. When perfect, Adam and Eve “only fell a little short of the angels of God.” Using concepts anyone familiar with current Watchtower doctrine will recognize, he amplified his view of paradise:

And all intelligences were put under contribution to administer to their necessities and happiness. His sight was flooded with glory; his taste was satisfied with richest viands, and his ears were thrilled with grandest melodies, his lungs were filled and bathed in the life-inspiring atmosphere, and his blood was made to leap and dance with a perfect manhood – God's inexpressible gifts for the perpetuation of a glorified manhood.

And this perfect state of manhood might have been continued forever, as the means to this end were placed within their reach. But with the entrance of sin, Eden was lost, lordship was lost, innocence was lost, happiness and a glorified humanity were lost, and pain and woe and misery were gained! ...

Through the disobedience of one man the world was flooded with sin and woe and death; and these could never have been lifted had not another perfect and obedient Man Redeemed-Ransomed the race.

            This salvation is universal, and "God will have" it, no matter who may oppose; for "He works all things after the counsels of his own will." Malone did not advocate Universal Salvation, and that’s not what he meant here. He meant that salvation was available to all, through the sacrifice of Christ who filled Adam’s place. He rejected Universalism. Instead he believed that, “As all sinned and died in or by Adam, so God being just, after the ransom was paid, the Redeemer controls all and may restore all to Adamic life and perfection; and then put them upon trial for themselves, not Adam for them; they will live for, or in, their own obedience; or die for their own sins.”
            God accomplishes this through the selection of “a little flock” who are made rulers in the Kingdom of God, administrators of divine blessings. Malone described them as a “race immortal rulers.” This “is an election by grace for kingship and priesthood in the kingdom. This salvation is only for "the little flock," for the Bride of Christ, for members of his Body; and here there can be only so many. Christ's Body is not to be a monstrosity, but perfect and complete.” This ‘truth’ has been “lost sight of” by the many. Instead:

Now it is popular, honorable, and leads to wealth and fame to belong to some so-called orthodox church, but in Paul's day, it meant the loss of caste, of riches and honor, and even life itself to be a member of the true Church. Pure Christianity is unchanged; now, as then, "they that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." And, if we are not partakers of this persecution, of this dishonor, we "are bastards and not sons." That is, many claim to be children of God, to belong to "the little flock," to the consecrating ones, whereas they only have "a name to live while they are dead" to this life of toil and labor and entire obedience to God!

            True members of the Little Flock must live as Christ lived, suffer the insults and persecution he suffered, and accept rejection for the sake of faith. Christ also saves a great crowd. The Little Flock exists for the blessing of the bulk of humanity, including those who fell short of grasping the “crown.” “These, though losing the crown, may be ‘saved in the day of Christ.’” Most of Christendom believed that the world is on trial now. This is not Scriptural. Malone said so:

The world is not now on trial, nor has it ever yet been. Adam was tried and failed, and all men in him. The new trial of the world cannot take place until the Head and Body of Christ are prepared to offer it. The Head of the Christ has been tried and triumphed. "The little flock" is now on trial, and when it shall have triumphed and been joined to the Head, then the trial of the world shall commence. When the King and Queen – the Christ and his Bride – shall have been married, then, and not until then, shall "the times of restitution" bear their perfected fruits. The "little flock" are not to be restored; they are to stand out as bright stars, and shine as the sun over a restored earth. The restored earth and its restored lord- mankind-will be indeed grand, but the "little flock," the Body of
Christ, his Bride with the Head is the grandest of all! far above angels as well as men.

The pure wife is the glory of a pure husband; the redeemed, glorified Bride is the glory of Christ, and Christ is the glory of God! Everything in its own proper place and time; but "God over all blessed forever”!

            Malone was an old man when he entered the Watch Tower ministry. In the spring of 1888 he met General Benjamin Harrison. A record of their meeting describes him as “an elderly physician of Palestine, Illinois.” Malone told Harrison, “I have wanted to meet you, as I am firmly convinced that you will be the nominee for the Presidency by the Republican National Convention ... and that you will be elected next November. I am an old man and do not expect to live to cast a vote in another Presidential election after this year, but it will be a source of great satisfaction during the remainder of my life to know that
I have met the next President of the United States and to have cast my last vote for him.” Alfred Malone died July 28, 1892. Benjamin Harrison served as President of the United States from 1889 to 1893.


[1]               The store that Alfred clerked for in Owensville was Hall & Warrick.
[2]               We read several of his medical journal articles. Only one of them contribute to this history, but, for the record, we found articles by him in the August 1872, Chicago Medical Times; the October 1856, American Medical Journal; the January 1861, Eclectic Medical Journal;
[3]               A. C. Malone: The Physician’s Character, The Botanico-Medical Recorder, October 23, 1847, pages 337-339.
[4]               W. H. Perrin: History of Crawford and Clark Counties, Illinois, Part III, Biographical Sketches, 1883.
[5]               A. C. Malone: The Physician’s Character, The Botanico-Medico Recorder, Pages 337-338.
[6]               see pages 48-50.
[7]               page 105.
[8]               A. C. Malone: Fruits of the Ransom, Zion’s Watch Tower, September 1885, page 4.

OCR Newspaper article - 1914



In Ocean Grove Police Get After New Doctrine preacher BUT GOOD FOLK SHOWER $20 BILLS UPON HIM

"Millennial Dawnism" Gets in Hands of Blue Coats While Originator of the Doctrine Gets Hand Much Coin Pastor Talks on.

New York, July 1. What if the police were called out yesterday to escort out of Ocean Grove, N, J., the disciples of Pastor Russell when they tried to distribute pamphlets on "Millennial Dawnism" in front of the Tabernacle after a meeting in that stronghold of Methodism.

What if the police herded and hustled the Russelites all the way to the Ik'ck Street bridge and seeing them over it into Asbury Park? Pastor Russell he should worry! ' "The objection," Pastor Russell said when seen at Asbury Park after, the rout of his evangelists, "to my association by the, Ocean Grove pastors and others in opposition to me over the country is that I tell the truth that they do not dare tell and I get money without taking; a contribution. It keeps coming in to me. "

"For instance" be drew forth an envelope, ripped it open and extracted five $20 bills, which he slipped into his waistcoat pocket forthwith "There you are now. That's the way we get them every day. I don't take collections. The spirit of need and help prevails in my association;- There is a true spirit of giving. This is what irks the ministers; they don’t get much voluntary gifts. That is the chief reason for their dislike of me."

In the course of the interview the question came up whether Pastor Russell had been separated from his wife. "Oh, yes," said he, "she left me twenty years ago. She tried to get too much space for her writings in our publication and we had to cut her off. That's what made her leave me. We are better off without her.

Escort Pastor Russell Out

July 1, 1914

Greenwood Daily Journal from Greenwood, South Carolina · Page 1

Anyone in France?

Hello again: I want ask you something with William I. Mann.
We all search a long time to get a photo from him.
In the french book/magazine there gives an biography about him. I tried to get this book, but no chance. I have the hope that - maybe- is a photo included, but maybe not. The book titled:
"Le petit inventeur - ed. albin michel, paris 1930 complet"
Do you know readers from the blogg in France which can look in a library in Paris or so???

According to Worldcat, this is a periodical. A library in Paris and a library in Switzerland have it, but we do not know if the library in Geneva has the complete run. Do we have the exact page where Mann's photo appears? - R 

Monday, February 1, 2016

The Shoe Maker. Remember him?

This is where we are in raw, rough draft:



The Shoemaker

            An aged shoemaker wrote to Russell from Delhi, New York, in the fall of 1883. He described himself as over seventy years of age, “a poor man, a shoemaker, or rather a shoemender.” He was raised in the Presbyterian faith, but after immigrating to America in 1839, converted to the Baptist faith “from conviction.” He encountered George Storrs sermons in 1845 or 1846, and would have read Storrs material after his exit from Millerite Adventism. He was convinced by Storrs Six Sermons to abandon belief in inherent immortality and expelled from the Baptist church for it: “The hand of fellowship was withdrawn from me, because I believed I had no immortality now, but rejoiced I had it as a prize before me, and also because I believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. The Bible then seemed to me like a new book, and I bless God it has been brighter and brighter all along.” He also adopted Age-to-Come belief as reflected in Bible Examiner.
            He was an active evangelist locally at least by 1882, subscribing to ten copies of Zion’s Watch Tower that he used as missionary papers. He was less successful than he wish, and reduced the number in August 1883: “I find some actually refuse them; others refused to be interested; and as I do not believe in forcing men, nor think it proper to cast pearls in an unseemly place, this year you may send me five copies. It would give me pleasure to increase rather than decrease the number, but when Jesus says, ‘Let them alone,’ I obey.”[1]
            Despite the many clues to identity found in his letter, we were not able to firmly attach this letter to a name. However, of our limited choices, we believe the most likely identity of our shoemaker is A. W. Webb. His biographical details fit those of our letter writer. He was an immigrant, born in the United Kingdom in 1826. He came to Delhi in 1840 and was “actively engaged in the boot and shoe business.” He was a temperance worker.[2]


[1]               C. T. Russell: View from the Tower, Zion’s Watch Tower, August 1883, page 3.
[2]               History of Delaware County, New York: 1797-1880, W. W. Munsell & Co. New York, 1880, page 169.

Near Future



            We are entering on some of the most complex and difficult research we’ve undertaken. (I wish Ton were still alive!) Here’s what we have before us.

            1. After Russell established Zion’s Watch Tower the controversies over the Ransom/Atonement doctrine continued and grew more complex. There is little you can do to help us with this. It requires a massive amount of reading, and even more “thinkin’ ‘bout it.”
            What you can do:
            We need to see the issues of Jones’ Day Star in the Library of Congress. This requires a personal visit and a good digital camera. The LC is over 3000 miles from my front door, and I can’t afford the trip, but if you live near or will visit soon, please help.
            We have four years of A. P. Adams’ Spirit of the Word. This is a very small collection compared to the total we know were published. If you have any, even a single issue, please scan them for us.
            We need a clear copy or scan of Myers’ The-At-One-Ment.
            Newspaper articles touching on this issue are illusive. Anyone?
           We need any issues of Paton’s World’s Hope. Ask before you copy or scan. We have a fair but very incomplete file.

            2. We think it important to connect Watch Tower adherents and their beliefs to contemporary events. This is very time consuming, and it will require some perceptive re-reading of Zion’s Watch Tower. This will spill past the 1887 date that is the putative end of Separate Identity. We are equipped to do this. We aren’t as well prepared to analyze how events in Europe influenced Watch Tower belief and opinion. Russell’s comments on European events were drawn from American newspapers and from clippings and letters sent from adherents in the UK. We need perceptive comments on the Watch Tower’s view of European events.
            We don’t expect you to write an essay. Just read through the early issues, and, if you find something that ‘clicks’, email me.

            3. We are adding a part 2 to the Food for Thinking Christians chapter. As written, it presents the first circulation of Food in satisfying detail. There is an unexplored after story that we can’t leave out. At first we saw it as a minor issue worthy of a paragraph. It’s far more important.
            I don’t see anything here with which our readers can help. Perhaps newspaper articles from 1883 and 1884 that mention Food.

            There is more, of course, but these are the difficult issues for the days ahead.