LIBEL CASE (1940-1943)

Olin R. Moyle v. Fred W. Franz, Nathan H. Knorr, Grant Suiter, Thomas J. Sullivan, William P. Heath, Jr., Hugo H. Reimer, William E. Van Amburgh, Arthur R. Goux, Charles A. Wise, Clayton J. Woodworth, Matthew A. Howlett, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

OLIN R. MOYLE Counselor

117 Adams Street. Brooklyn . New York

Telephone Triangle 5-1474

July 21, 1939

Judge J. F. Rutherford, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Dear Brother Rutherford:

This letter is to give you notice of our intention to leave Bethel on September 1st next. This

reasons for leaving are stated herein and we ask that you give them careful and thoughtful

consideration.

Conditions at Bethel are a matter of concern to all of the Lord's people. Nowhere among

imperfect men can there be perfect freedom from oppression, discrimination and unfair

treatment, but at the Lord's headquarters on earth conditions should be such that injustice would

be reduced to the minimum. That is not the case here at Bethel and a protest should be made

against it. I am in a good position to make such protest because your treatment of me has been

generally kind, considerate and fair. I can make this protest in the interests of the Bethel family

and of the Kingdom work without any personal interest entering into the matter.

Treatment of Bethel Family.

Shortly after coming to Bethel we were shocked to witness the spectacle of our brethren

receiving what is designated as a "trimming" from you. The first, if memory serves me correct,

was a tongue lashing given to C. J. Woodworth. Woodworth in a personal letter to you stated

something to the effect that it would be serving the devil to continue using our present day

calendar. For that he was humiliated, called a jackass, and given a public lambasting. Others have

been similarly treated. McCaughey, McCormick, Knorr, Prosser, Price, Van Sipma, Ness and

others have been similarly scolded. They have been publicly called to account, condemned, and

reprimanded without any previous notice. This summer some of the most unfair public

reproaches have been given. J. Y. McCauley asked a question which carried with it a criticism of

the present method of Watch Tower study. For that he was severely reprimanded. Your action

constituted a violation of the principle for which we are fighting, towit, freedom of speech. It was

the action of a boss and not that of a fellow servant. Securing an efficient mode of study with

imperfect study leaders is no easy task, and no method yet produced has proved to be one

hundred per cent perfect. You stated that no complaints had come to you concerning this method

of study. If that be the case you have not had all the facts presented to you. There is complaint in

various places that the Watch Tower studies have degenerated into mere reading lessons. It

maybe that the present method is the best that can be used, but in view of known limitations

honest criticism should not be censored nor honest critics punished.

Brother Worsley received a public denunciation from you because he prepared and handed to

brethren a list of helpful Scripture citations on fundamental topics. How can we consistently

condemn religionists for being intolerant when you exercise intolerance against those who work

with you? Doesn't this prove that the only freedom permitted at Bethel is freedom to do and say

that which you wish to be said and done? The Lord certainly never authorized you to exercise

such high handed authority over your fellow servants.

Since the Madison Square Garden meeting there has been a distressing condition of restraint and

suspicion at Bethel. The ushers were placed in a tough spot but did an excellent piece of work.

They exercised care and diligence in watching arrivals at the Garden, and prevented a number of

suspicious characters from entering. They were on the job immediately when the disturbance

started and quelled a disturbance which would have otherwise reached serious proportions. But

for two weeks following the convention there has been constant criticism and condemnation of

them from you. They have been charged with dereliction of duty and labeled as "sissies". To see

some of these boys break down and cry because of your unkind remarks is, to say the least

saddening.

The brethren at Bethel have thoroughly demonstrated their loyalty and devotion to the Lord, and

do not need to be berated for wrong doing. A suggestion or a kindly admonition from you would

be more than sufficient to check any wrongful action, and would eliminate resentment and induce

greater happiness and comfort for the whole family. You have stated many times that there are no

bosses in the Lord's organization but the undeniable fact cannot be evaded that your actions in

scolding and upbraiding these boys are the actions of a boss. It makes one sick at heart and

disgusted to listen to them. If you will cease smiting your fellow servants Bethel will be a happier

place and the Kingdom work will prosper accordingly.

Discrimination.

We publish to the world that all in the Lord's organization are treated alike, and receive the same

as far as this world's goods are concerned. You know that is not the case. The facts cannot be

denied. Take for instance the difference between the accommodations furnished to you, and your

personal attendants, compared with those furnished to some of your brethren. You have many

many homes, towit, Bethel, Staten Island, California etc. I am informed that even at the Kingdom

Farm one house is kept for your sole use during the short periods you spend there. and what do

the brethren at the farm receive? Small rooms, unheated thru the bitter cold winter weather. They

life in their trunks like campers. That may be all right if necessary, but there are many houses on

the farm standing idle or used for other purposes, which could be used to give some comfort to

those who work so long and so hard.

You work in a nice air conditioned room. You and your attendants spend a portion of the week in

the quiet of country surroundings. The boys at the factory diligently work thru the hot summer

months without such helps, or any effort made to give them. That is discrimination which should

receive your thoughtful consideration.

Marriage

Here again is shown unequal and discriminatory treatment. One brother left Bethel some time

ago for the purpose of getting married, and, so I am informed, was refused the privilege of

pioneering in New York, apparently as an official disapproval of his action in leaving Bethel. On

the other hand when Bonnie Boyd got married she didn't have to leave Bethel. She was permitted

to bring her husband into Bethel in spite of the printed rule providing that both marrying parties

should have lived there for five years.

Harsh treatment of one and favored treatment of another is discrimination, and should not have a

place in the Lord's organization.

Filthy and Vulgar Language.

The Biblical injunctions against unclean, filthy speaking and jesting have never been abrogated.

It is shocking and nauseating to hear vulgar speaking and smut at Bethel. It was stated by a sister

that was one of the things you had to get used to at Bethel. The loudest laughter at the table

comes when a filth or near filthy joke goes through, and your skirts are not clear.

Liquor.

Under your tutelage there has grown up a glorification of alcohol and condemnation of total

abstinence which is unseemly. Whether a servant of Jehovah drinks alcoholic liquor is none of

my business, except in giving a helping hand to a brother who is stumbled thereby. Whether I am

a total abstainer is nobody's business but my own. But not so at Bethel. There appears to be a

definite policy of breaking in new comers into the use of liquor, and resentment is shown against

those who do not join them. The claim is made, "One can't be a real Bethelite without drinking

beer." Shortly after we arrived it was arrogantly stated, "we can't do much with Moyle, but we'll

make a man out of Peter." A New York brother intimated that I was out of harmony with the

truth and with the Society because I didn't drink liquor. A New York sister stated that she had

never used liquor or served it until some of the Bethel boys insisted upon it. A brother who used

to drink liquor to excess became a total abstainer after getting the truth. He knew that a single

drink of liquor would start him off to his former drinking habits, but in spite of that brethren from

Bethel insisted upon his imbibing liquor and inferred that he was out of harmony with the

organization through refusing. Total abstainers are looked upon with scorn as weaklings. You

have publicly labeled total abstainers as prudes and therefore must assume your share of the

responsibility for the Bacchus like attitude exhibited by members of the family.

These are a few of the things which should have no place in the Lord's organization. There are

other more grievous injustices but I have had no personal contact with them and therefore do not

discuss them.

It hasn't been an easy or pleasant task to write these things to you, and its still harder to make this

protest effective by leaving Bethel.

We sold our home and business when we came to Bethel and fully intended to spend the rest of

our lives at this place in the Lord's service. We leave in order to register most emphatically our

disagreement with the unjust conditions related in this letter. We are not leaving the Lord's

service but will continue to serve Him and His organization as fully as strength and means will

allow.

Neither am I running away from battling the Devil's crowd in the courts. I expect to return to the

private practice of law, probably in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and hope to be in the fight in every

way possible. With this letter I am enclosing a statement of the major cases now pending in

which I am actively participating. It would be unreasonable and unfair to drop these matters into

your lap without further assistance or consideration. I am ready and willing to press these issues

in the courts just as vigorously and carefully as though I remained at Bethel, and will do so if that

is your desire.

We have considered this action for some time, but this letter is delivered to you just as we are

leaving on a vacation trip for very specific reasons. First: It is desirable that you take time for

thought and consideration of the matters herein set forth before taking any action. Hasty and ill

considered action might be regrettable. Second: Frankly I have no desire for a verbal argument

with you over these matters. I have had plenty of occasion to observe that a controversial matter

does not receive a calm and reasoned discussion of the facts. Too often it turns into a

denunciation of some person by you.

I am not interested in that kind of a wordy battle. These statements are the reasons presented by

Sister Moyle and myself for leaving Bethel. If we speak erroneously or wrongfully we are

responsible before the Lord for so speaking. If we speak truthfully, and we stoutly content that

everything here related is the truth, then there is an immediate responsibility on your part to

remedy the conditions necessitating this protest. May the Lord direct and guide you into fair and

kindly treatment of your fellow servants is my with and prayer.

Your Brother in the Kings service,

Olin R. Moyle.

P.S. Should you desire to write to me concerning these matters during vacation a letter will reach

me at Ticonderoga, New York, General Delivery after July 29th.

******************************************************************************

Joseph F. Rutherford did not refute the allegations listed in Moyle's letter, but rather, side-

stepped the facts by asserting that the accusations brought against him "personally," were to be

considered as allegations against the "entire Society," which was considered by Rutherford as the

"Lord's" organization.

Therefore, (in Rutherford's mind), when Moyle spoke against him "personally," then Moyle was

to be judged as speaking against the "Lord" as well! Moyle's letter was written in defense for

better treatment of the Bethel members and the Society as a whole, however, against Rutherford's

drunkenness and law breaking.

Rutherford described Moyle's allegations as, “wicked slander, libel, filled with lies,” and pleasing

only to the Devil. Then, Rutherford induced others to join with him in publishing slanderous

statements of his own against Moyle in the Watchtower magazine. Ironically, the accusation of

"inducing others," or "causing divisions" among the brethren was exactly what Rutherford had

published against Moyle!

Rutherford used the old, "guilt by association" fear tactic! By pointing out that the "President" of

this so-called, "Theocratic government" was a drunk, a criminal, and a cowardly bully, Moyle

would later be described in Rutherford's Watchtower letter as the "evil servant".

Moyle had been the Society's Lawyer and sued the Society after these defamatory statements

about him appeared in the October 15,1939 Watchtower, pages 316-317. Moyle won this action

against the Watchtower organization. Rutherford’s letter against Moyle are photocopied next.

Taken from pp. 1975-1984 of Moyle vs. Franz et al. Defendants Exhibit D-36 Brooklyn, N.Y., August 8, 1939

Minutes of the joint meeting of the Boards of Directors of The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, the Pennsylvania Corporation, and The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc., of New York, on this 8th day of August, A.D. 1939, at a meeting of the Boards of Directors of the aforementioned Corporations there were present all the members of the Boards, to wit: J.F. Rutherford C.A. Wise W.E. Van Amburgh T.J. Sullivan C.J. Woodworth H.H. Riemer F.W. Franz W.P. Heath, Jr. Grant Suiter A.R. Goux N.H. Knorr

The President reported to the Boards of Directors a letter which he had received, addressed to him by O.R. Moyle who for some time past has acted as legal counsel for the Corporations. Thereupon the letter was read before the Boards, and which letter is marked "Exhibit A" and made a part of this record and filed amongst the papers of this Corporation. Upon the reading of the letter a motion was made by T. J. Sullivan that a committee be appointed to consider the letter and make recommendations to the President. This motion was duly carried. Thereupon the President appointed such a committee composed of T.J. Sullivan, H.H. Riemer, and Grant Suiter. The committee retired to consider the letter. After due consideration the committee unanimously reported a resolution which in words and figures is as follows, to wit:

"At a joint meeting of the Boards of Directors of the Pennsylvania Corporation, and the New York Corporation of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society held at the office of the Society at Brooklyn, New York this 8th day of August 1939 at which other members of the family were present, there was read to said Boards and in the presence of O.R. Moyle a letter dated July 21, 1939 written by said Moyle and addressed to the President of the Society.

"For four years past the writer of that letter has been entrusted with the confidential matters of the Society. It now appears that the writer of that letter, without excuse, libels the family of God at Bethel, and identifies himself as one who speaks evil against the Lord's organization, and who is a murmurer and complainer, even as the Scriptures have foretold. (Jude 4-16; 1 Corinthians 4:3; Romans 14:4.

"The members of the Board of Directors hereby resent the unjust criticisms appearing in that letter, disapprove of the writer and his notions and recommends that the President of the Society immediately terminate the relationship of O.R. Moyle to the Society as legal counsel and as a member of the Bethel Family.

"(signed)

T.J. Sullivan H.H. Riemer Grant Suiter"

A motion was made that the Resolution be adopted. The motion

being duly seconded, the letter and the Resolution were discussed at length by each member of the Board. O.R. Moyle, being also present at this meeting, was invited by the President to make any statement he had or to make any defense he desired to make and his only statement was this, to wit: "I have nothing more to say. The letter speaks for itself." Thereupon the name of each member of the Board was called and each one voted to adopt the Resolution. Upon the adoption of the Resolution, the President made the following remarks, which are here inserted in the record, to wit:

"I have been at this desk for 22 years. I have had many accusations from the 'evil servant', but never had I had a worse one than this, if as bad. The complaint about me having different places in which to reside is the very language of the evil servant class. The accusations made in this letter that I have many places in which to live, and which are much better than any other members of the organization: The facts concerning this have been published time and again and the brethren everywhere know the facts, and they know that I do not own a foot of land under the sun; that those provisions have been made to further the kingdom interests, and, as stated in the book SALVATION, I wanted something as a tangible record and as evidence that we believe that God is going to bring back to the earth the faithful men of old. The Farm was bought for the support of this Family, and for other good reasons which I have not yet disclosed, but which are in the interest of the kingdom. As Brother Knorr has stated, this office was arranged for me, I had nothing to do with arranging it, but it was done by Brothers Martin, Knorr, Wise and Van Amburgh.

"I have been criticized in this letter for having an air-conditioned room. Brother Van Amburgh will bear witness to this, that my office is the hottest room in this building, right under the roof and difficult therein to get good air. An air-conditioned arrangement was put into Brother Van Amburgh's office first, and he is the one that came to me and begged me to put it into my office. The Society did not pay a dime of the cost. (Brother Van Amburgh verified this.) I think the criticism about that is a cold-blooded cruelty, no matter whom it comes from. If it enables me to work, why should somebody criticize except one who has the spirit of the evil servant.

"REBUKES: Every rebuke I have administered has been given, as I believe, in the interest of the Society. The Apostle Paul was the special spokesman of the Lord Jesus Christ. As the WATCHTOWER has stated, Timothy and Titus pictured the Society and as the Lord through Paul instructed them so the Lord through the Society instructs and directs others. The Society speaks by its official Head. To Timothy Paul said: 'They that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.' (1 Tim. 5:20) Concerning one who had taken a wrongful course Paul instructed Titus in these words: 'This witness is true, wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith.' (Titus 1:13) Again, he said: 'These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.' (Titus 2:15) As I have often stated to some of the brethren, it hurts me far more to administer a rebuke than it does the one who receives it. If I see something in the organization going wrong, as I believe, then I would be unfaithful to the Lord if I did not rebuke such wrongdoer.

"I have tried to proceed according to the rule announced by the apostle, which is God's rule, that is to say: 'Whom the Lord loves he rebukes.' (Heb. 12:6) If every person is permitted to take his own course the organization would go to pieces. One who believes in the Theocratic government, and that Jehovah therefore is directing his people, must see that it is the proper course for the Society to arrange a system of study. Then if every person should be permitted to bring forth and adopt his own method of study that would mean acting contrary to the Lord's instructions. Rebukes are therefore necessary to bring such matters to the attention of others that they too may fear to go contrary to the Lord's arrangement.

"DISCRIMINATION: I have made no discrimination with reference to marriage. When Bonnie Boyd got married that was her business. It was my business to determine whether or not she should remain in the house. I either had to let her husband remain here or else dispense with her services. She has been my secretary for fifteen years and the most efficient one that I have had in the office. She has taken dictation for everything I

have written, speeches, magazine articles, Watchtower, books and booklets. It was for me to determine whether she should remain in the office and I did determine that she should and that was my affair and my responsibility, and not that of someone else.

"FILTHY LANGUAGE: If others in this house use it, that is their responsibility. The statement that filthy jokes are told at the table and that the fam ny ily laughs at these and these only, is a damnable outrage and aman that says that such is the case is a deliberate liar regardless of who he is and from whence he comes.

"LIQUOR: This charge is vicious. I have always been open and aboveboard about such matter. Brother Van Amburgh was once a prohib uor itionist. Upon the doctor's advice he takes some intoxicating liqand I help him to get it. Brother Wise has stated from three doctors he has been advised to drink beer. I have furnished liquor to Brother and Sister Sullivan, especially her when she was ill, and to others in the house. That is my business and my responsibility. (Speaking directly to Moyle) You denounce me as the 'god of wine', which is the meaning of Bacchus, which is the word you use. You had to go to mythology and not to the Scriptures and find this name for me. Mythology proceeds from the Devil and other wicked spirits. Jesus made wine, the apostle advised that it be taken in moderation and you are welcome to compare their statements to that of the evil spirits, if you wish. If your statement is not of the evil servant then I am not able to understand it. In this connection your charge against the family is vicious and false and shows that it proceeds from the spirit of the wicked one and is a damnable thing.

"Now, I say this to you, Moyle, you have allied yourself with the Devil; you have willingly, without any just cause or excuse even, withdrawn yourse vil's lf from the Lord's organization, and you are going back to the Deorganization to engage in the practice of law. I have never known any man to withdraw from the Lord's organization and go into the Devil's organization, that ended up right. When you say you want to continue to fight for the Lord, there is not a person in this presence that believes a word of that. Henceforth you shall never represent the Watchtower by my consent. This Resolution has been adopted. I shall follow it. You have served notice to leave September 1. You need not wait but move out of the house this day. If you wish to join the enemy and fight, do so. I have no use for a quitter. You are a quitter. You have furnished as an excuse that the president of this organization has not conducted the Society according to your ideas, and I don't think your ideas are Scriptural. In the 4 years that you have been here, I have never heard you ask or answer a single Bible question in the Bethel home. Any man that pretends to be of the Lord's organization, and who does not attend the studies and does not engage in the spiritual discussion in this home, but who devotes himself to his

general work, and then goes about talking with others to cause discord and to find fault with the organization, cannot be in the truth. I shall read this letter to the family or have it read. You may be present; if you wish to defend yourself. Henceforth I shall expect you to ally yourself with those who oppose the Society as long as I am here."

MOYLE: "I don't expect to ally myself with any opposition."

BRO. RUTHERFORD: "You complain about accommodations. You have the best room in the house aside from my own. What business is it of yours e what somebody else has? That is not your business. You have gonto the Farm and talked to Brother Bogard's wife about conditions there. That is none of your business. If there was something wrong there you should have reported it to me. You have never reported it to me. If you were a real confidential servant of the Lord, and of this Society, you would have reported such things, but you did not.

"Quoting from the Apostle Paul in substance, your criticism of me is a small thing. I care nothing about that. The apostle said: 'Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be faithful, but with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment....He that judges me is the Lord.' --1 Cor. 4:3, 4.

"If everything that you have stated in this letter were true, that is no excuse for what you have done. 'Who art thou that judgeth another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth.'--Romans 14:4.

"Your difficulty, Moyle, is fear, probably not that you might receive some bodily injury, but fear you won't be approved of men and have it said you are a good fellow. In my opinion you are a religionist and not a Christian."

BROTHER HEATH: "Moyle, I wish to propound to you this question: Are you a Jesuit?"

MOYLE: "Absolutely no, a thousand miles from it."

BROTHER RUTHERFORD: "You might explain, Moyle, why you were so familiar in the court with McDonald, patting him on the back, when you knew that he was one of the leaders in the assault on the Lord's organization at Madison Square Garden. Had you performed your duty to our brethren the situation would have been far better for us now in the fight with the enemy who attempted to break up the Madison Square Garden meeting.

"TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Now, brethren, your advise and this Resolution is adopted and will be carried out."

The President thereupon ordered that said Moyle should be discharged as legal counsel for the Corporation and, in harmony with the Resolution, immediately terminated his relationship to the Society.

There being no further business, upon motion the joint meeting adjourned.

W.E. Van Amburgh Sec'y

September 1, 1939 Watchtower p. 258 announcing Olin R. Moyle is no longer with the Society.

December 15, 1939 Watchtower p.382, letter from Peter O. Moyle “changing his position”.

Now t h a t govcrt lmcnt "upon h i s shoulder" is funct ionir lg ' a n d clearly t h e y sound t h e w a r n i n g of t h e g r e a t tri!)ul:?- ( I s a ~ a l t 9 : 6 . 7 ) S o w t h e publ i shers of t h e K i n g d o m joy- t lon ~ u s t a h c a d f o r a l l t h a t dwel l u p o n t h e f a c e of t h e \\hole fully and iliccssantly a n n o u n c e God's j u d g m e n t s a l r e a d y e a r t h , a n 3 t h e y m a k e k n o w n how some m a y be shielded a n d w r i t t e n i n t h e Bible a g a i n s t t h e "man of sin", a g a i n s t p ro tec ted and c a r r i e d t h r o u g h that grea tes t of all calamitlcs. "Christendoln", h e r rulers, a n d chief men, and a g a i n s t a l l in which t h e power of the Eternal O n e sha l l be s h o w n In who hime d e f a m e d the n a m e of t h e Jlost High. Fearlessly "his s t r a n g e act".

Oh sing unto Jehovah a new song: sing unto Jehovah, all the earth. Lct the lreavens be glad, and let the earth r e p a c e . . . before Jehovah; . . . for he cornell& to j~tdge the earth: he will ~ t t d g s the world wbth r~gh;eousness, and the peoples wath his truth.

-Psalm 96 : 1,11,13, A.R. Y,

L E T T E R S RESOLUTION and dangerous to ourselves. All of the faithful, having been

13 LAR BRETHRLX : warned, would do well to be on their guard agnlnsr the ul1t.s of mre, the Jefferson [TVls.] company of JehovahYs witnesses, those "wild waves of the sea, . . . for whom the blackness of

ackno&dge Jehovah God a s the great Theocrat, that hrs organ- darkness bath been reserved for ever". (Jude 13, A R V ) These uatlon 1s a theocracy, and that Christ Jesus is the Chief Officer do not discern the body, but, as J u d e says, ' s h o ~ respect of persons thereof. for the sake of advantage.'-Jude 16.

lye are in full accord with Jehovnbls Word, the Bible, and Owing to force of c ~ r c u m s t ~ c c s uhlle I am still 'tent making' hu explanatLon of the Bible which he 1s now rcveallng to us we are seldom where there is a company of servants i y e know that throligll his earthly ehaariel, the WATCH TOWER, and realize ~t EI the faithful all over the earth wlil hasten t o stand openly on the oar duty as hlu chosen servants to work together shoulder to slde of our brethren a t Bethel, and agamst all wicked accusers shouldcr in proelalrn~ng hls Kmgdom message. Wc, also, w ~ s h to be found fighting shoulder to shouider w ~ t h our

We resolve t o let nothlng hlnder us in cafiplng out Jehovah's brethren, and to let ~t be known that, by Jehovah's grace, u e shall wlll, and will work together i n unity under the direction of the ever be found standing f o r Jehovah God, his Kin6 Christ Jesus, Theocracy, 1 ~ 1 t h the hope and full assurance that we shall have the Kingdom, and all who f a l t h f u l l ~ serve that kmgdom. Jehovah's approval and blessmg. With mach love, we remam,

Your brethren and fellow locusts, DECLARATION G R A N V ~ L L E E FISKE.

[)EAR SRETIIREN : GRACE FISKE, Paorreer. We of the Waupua [Wls.] company do hereby declare that we

are \\.holly devoted to Jehovah's Theocracy under Christ ; RESOLUTION That we absolutely refuse to consider the mal~cious letters DEAR BROTHER R U T H E R M ) ~ :

trtich those of the lLevll servant" class have been circulating among The brethren of the North unit [of Ch~cogo, Ill , company] the brethren, seeking self-just~fication and sympathy ; of Jehovah's witnesses have unnnlmously adopted the fvllowlng

That ne will not co-operate with that class who oppose Jeho- resolu:lon: vnh's Theocratic Government under Christ. "We, Jehovah's witnesses of ibe North unit will be or1 :he

alert f o r any information from the enemy rn relatlon t o the t h ~ n g , THE CHANNEL THE LORD IS USING Brother Wowlett brought to our at tent~on Sunday, October 1, 1939,

DEAR BROTHER RUTHERFORD AXD ALL THE BETHEL FAMILY: retatwe to 0. R. hfoyle. We a re one hundred percent back of you 1Ia\1ng read the srtlcle "Informnt~on" in the October 15 issue in the Theocrntle Oovernment, pushlng forward to ~,ublluh the

of Tile If'utctrtower, we wish to express our d i sapprov~l of the Klngdom as commanded by the l l lm~gkty God through his Vuldl- thlngs done by 0 R. &Ioyle against the family a t Bethel. cator Ihng Chnst Jesus."

W\'e do not know the contents of the letter written by Mr. Jloyle, nor d o we care to know. It is enough for us that our great IN HARMONY WITH ACTION TAKEN God. JEHOVAH, is pleased to use you all m bls sewice, and IS We, the Racine [Wis.] company of Jehovah's witnesses, wish showermg you wlth biessmgs. to express our disapproval of the actions of 0 R 3foyle agamst

TVe believe that the Society is the channel the Lord is using the Society and its president. We do hereby acknowledge the to carry on his Kingdom interests in earth at t h ~ s time, and that WATCH TOWER SOCIETY ss the visible channel of JehovahJs Tteo- our brethren at Bethel a re bemg spent in that service. cratic Government, and we a re m complete harmony wlth the

We never listen to accusations against Brother Rutberford or action taken by the board of directors. W e are thankful to the any faithful servant of God who is performing h u glven serv~ce Society for sendlng Brother Homlett m our mldst to explnrn tfie in the Theocrntic Government; fo r to do so would be disobedient matter, which he did s o well.

(Continued from page 194) ADDRESS INFORMATION NOT APPEARING IN PREVIOUS ISSUE dateb wlll be Ju ly 24-28 mcluslve. Announcement is made in ad- Beaumont, Texae: (Watchtower Conventlon CommLt~ee) (9292) vauce ln order that JehovahJ$ witneses and aU people of good will 1353 Cottonwood St, may have ample o p ~ o d u n l t ~ to arrange their affms so as be Burlington, ~ t . : (WCC) B~~ 75, shelburne, vt. a t Columbus, Ohio, o r other cities tied in by direct wire communl- c a t ~ o n and loud-speaker equipment. B y the Lord's grace, the DuIuthp (WCC) Box '9 New Duiuth~ Iblnn. president of the Watchtower Society will be in attendance in per- (Douglas 510-'N) son at the key assembly m Columbus. For further details see The El P-1 Texas: (WCC) 3020 Tularosa St. {Alr irn -5407) ~~atchtowez,~issues of ~ u n e 1 and 15, 1940. Memphis, Tenn.. 4 p.m. [CDST]

report on the vitally important speech on "Integrity" bp Judge Rutherford, and by its untrue personal slaps at the speaker. A swift and deserved retnbutlon and judgment came: a t five o'clock thls evenmg there was released for circulation among the people of St. h u ~ s the prlnted copy of what the speaker actually dld say m his speech. The August 15 issue of The Watchtower contained the full text of the speech, and now thousands of copies of this Issue were made available to magazine distributors to put out im- med~ately. This unexpected chance to return the fire of the enemy thrdled God's people, and forth they went with this new ammu- nltion 1~1th bolllng zeal, and shortly the entire supply of all magazines waa exhausted. The pro-Catholic Globe Democrat of St Louis spoke of the speaker ( a native Missourian) as a "tall, BALDING, wmg-collared Califomran", much after the manner as when the prophet Ellsha was on his way to Bethel and many religious youths came out and mocked, saying, "Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head!" and Ellsha turned and uttered Jehovah's judgment upon them and two she-bears from the forest came and 'tore' 42 of them. Doubtless by the time thls assembly closed the puhllc press felt it had been tom by the claws of some- thing f a r worse than two lltcral bears and that a "cnrse" rested upon it for ~ t s stubborn course of willful, lying mockery agalnst the El~sha work today and those dolng it.

Attendances at the sesslons mcreased, as the assembly in- creased to 70,000 attendants, the number originally published ss expected; and thousands more were yet en route to St. Louis. BIuch profit mas derived from today hearing capable speakers deal with such subjects as "Magazme Route Work", "Magazine Street Witnessmg," "Courage," "Jael?s Experiences," "Zone As- sembly and I ts Purpose,'' and "Covenant Obligations1'. These speeches stressed Jebovah's Theocratic organization and its struc- ture, and the work i t is now commissioned to do, and the effective ways of getting the witness done; also the requirement to obey organization arrangements, and our obligations as consecrated Christians to fulfill our side of the covenant wlth Jehovah God as hls faithful and true witnesses, if we would garn life and have part in the ~vldicatlon of h ~ s greatly reproached holy name.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8

Thls was notably Pioneers' Day. Due to Jehovah's lovlng pro- vision through hls vlsible organization more than 5,000 pioneers from America and other lands were enabled to come and share the glorious Kmgdom servlce a t St. Louis. All rcpstered as such on nrnval, and the Soclety provided free meals for them and also roomrng accommodations for as many as needed it This supports that the Society is in very truth a "charitable1' organ~zatlon even according to the definition of the worldly law. There was a booth in the Arena corrldor marked "New Pioneers1', and up till thls polnt 300 new pioneers had already signed up at t h ~ s assembly, one being a seven-year-old. (Before the conventron closed more than 700 had signed up.) The present pioneer band rncludes some rnen 86 years old and some women 77 years old, and some children nlne years of age. 'According to the faith of all such be it unto them,' as Jesus said.

At 3 p m. all the pioneers had assembled in the main audi- torlum in front of the speakers' platform, t h e ~ r identrfication cards admitting them. The rest of The Arena was all packed out ngam, by other publishers. Dwelling on the subject "Pioneer's Place in the Organization" a speaker empbaslzed that "the tlme of mdependent isolation of the pioneers is past" and now they must faithfully co-operate also with the regional and zone serv- ants and with the organized companies with whlch many are associated. Another apeaker considered "Ploneer Requirements" and stressed the need for meetlng the "hours" requirement to remain permanently m the work, and that the back-calls made by pioneers should be increased. In the United Statea only 6.5 per- cent of a11 pub lde r s were pioneers, whereas in the Bntish Isles 11 percent are such, and hence this countrg could well increase

its percentage of pioneers. I n this connection the speaker read a letter from a St. Louis radio announcer settrng out the frank statement by a prominent religious lecturer from Bntam concern- ing the stabilizing and heartenrng effect the fearless witness work of Jehovah's witnesses has upon the mornle of the Bntish people during this war, and also concerning theu faithfulness rn con- centratlon camps in Germany, to the dlsmay of the Kazls. (In- cidentally, copies of this letter were thereafter released to the press fo r publication, but not a single newspaper dared prmt such favorable publicity concerning Jehovah's sentnnts.)

Then Judge Rutherford greeted the pioneers. He expressed it as a privilege to greet such flghters for The Theocracy, and that the activities of such a band as these must "make some of the 'old womau' mighty slck". Pioneering men fled from Ellrope to seek and establ~sh here freedom of speech, of assembly and of worship of God; they never ~rnapned that such freedom would ever be hampered here a s it is today m this land. This IS all traced to religion and its allies. Wben these hare finally closed dorm on our work here and cry "Peace and safetyf" then a mjghty rs- plosion will occur and blow off the 11d. "You pioncrrs are In thls witness work not for selfish aggrandrzement, nor to make a nnmc for yourselves, but for the Lord's name's sake.'' Isalnh 62. 10 includes a command for the pioneers: "Go through the gates!" The gates are open for all now, particularly the Lord's "other sheep". "Prepare ye the way of the people!" Thls it is your pnv- ilege to do by telling them the truth. "Cast up the highway !" That is, ,to walk in the Lord's way of righteousness. "Gather out the stones!" These are religion's stumblingstones; gather them out by taking to the people God's Vord . "Lift up a standard for tl,c people!" What standard? Not Hlt1erfs swast~ka! The flag of America is a dignified and beautiful symbol, whose real meaning ii "freedom" and "rrghtsl' of free men. Demonized Aa, 0-wave! 3

try to force you to bow down thereto m violatron of GOD'S law. Such ones are the first to violate the laws of the Unlted Stntcs. "I Say to the people of Xllssouri, where I have fought for tbc pnnclples of democracy, because I believcd them r ~ g h t . 'Jehovah's witnesses have the highest respect for what the flag represcii!~, but, by God's grace, they will not bow down to AXYTHI~G!"' (Applause) You ploneers are real liberators of the people. When you go out from thls convention you wlll have lots of scoffing, reproaches and ridicule, but not by honest men and women. Re- joice LR tribulation. Don't think you are the whole thing bccnux you are a ptoneer. Keep on encouraging those who love the Lorrl "XOW GET BUSY!"

Immediately followmg, the assembly cbn~rman bncfly re- vlewed the legal aspect, and the legal battles the enemy h~ld thrust on God's faithful witnesses, and that the SOCIETY lind dlrcctrd them to fight to the last d~tch, and that a t the grcatcst expense tbcy had done so and gone up to the Supreme Court of tlie nation, nnd the SOCIETY was fightlng for the thugs for which the Bag stands, and now many legal vlctorres had been won. I n Germany hundreds of legal cases were won before the witness work mas closed down there; likewise i t may be here in America. Then a great outburst of gladness broke a t the chairmnn's announcement that Judge Rutherford had caused to be published a new 32-page booklet entitled "Jehovabls Servants Defended1', setting out the judlcial decisions of hlgh courts in cases we had fought and won ; he now authorized the release of the booklet and a copy to be glven free to each one there. Thls grnc~ous provlslon and g ~ f t put a new weapon in the hands of the battling wrtnesses for use m meetlng the enemy both In the field and before the tr~bunals

This same day a sharp judgment of the great Lawgiver ngamst the "evil servant" class (Matt. 24: 48-51) was expressed a t the beginning of the afternoon's sessions. An ex-army officer of the Un~ted States appeared on the platform and asked and wns gmnt- ed the privilege to present a Resolution concerning one bloyle. Said lawyer proved unfaithful to his positlon of trust In the Lord's orgenization, elandered and abused the Bethel famlly a t

Brooklyn, quit his post of duty, and thereafter sued the Society and its board of directors and others for $100,000 for libel be- cause the facts were published in The Watchbowe~ for the pro- tection of Jehovah's witnesses throughout the land. The Resolu- tion condemned such course of action and such reconree to worldly courts as unscriptural, unwarranted and unjustified. Put to a vote, the Resolution was adopted with a unanimous ''Aye" by the vast assembly of more than 75,000. Thereafter copies of the Resolution were given free to all, to take home with them.

Tbe afternoon's program conc!uded mth a stirring speech by one from Canada, where the ranking prelate of the greatest reli- grous foreign power has dictatoriaIly caused Jehovah's own or- ganizatlon to be declared "illegal" and forbidden, and its adherents to be imprisoned; but where true Christians continue to obey God's commands rather than man's, and of whom 2,000 were then In attendance at the assembly and rejoicing. Bn example of a well- ordered Theocratic service meeting, presented by four young workers from headquarters, and a discoum on "Ehud and HIS Dagger" closed mother blessed day.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9 The event everywhere advertised for today and eagerly awaited

was the dellvery of the public address by the president on "Com- fort All That Mourn", a t 3 p.m The great publicity campaign had gone over! Now 105,000 persons jammed The Arena and auxihary buildings, the grounds all around, and the eleven-mile- dlstant trailer camp. A private telephone line connected .The Arena platform with the WATCH TOWER headquarters a t Brook- lyn and the admmistration bullding of radio stat~on WBBR on Staten Island, N. Y., where other audiences assembled. Both when the speaker ascended the platform and when the chairman presented him to speak the audience gave him a great ovation. The orchestra, now augmented to 126 instruments, rendered a selection suitable to this significant hour. Then the speech began. The publlc-address system was working a t its best, and every- one in every location could hear well. The speaker's voice was m excellent conhtion, and filled with the quality of comfort. All hung on his words in rapt attention, only to break out in repeated applause, on nineteen occasions.

Referring to the cause of mourning, the speaker stated: "It is the truth that will make the people free from fear and mourn- mg. Receiving the truth, their joy a t once begins, and that's why 100,000 on these grounds today an: all smiles!" (Applause) A reference to the "Axis Powers" and then to Daniel chapter eleven and "the klng of the north1' and "the h g of the south" quickened the audience into unusual alertness. Both "kings" are npt men, but world rullng powers1 Then the scalea fell from the Iisteneml eyes as Judge Rutherford identified the 'northern kmg' as the rullng power which is totalitarian and represented in the A x ~ s combine and opposing Jehovah's Theocracy and ~ta servants; and the 'southern lung' as the world ruling power which rules and elalms the nght to rule the nations in the name of Democracy, and is represented in the Bntish Commonwealth of Nations and supporting nations, but which also doee not support The Theo- cratic Government. A brief survey of Daniel 11: 27-45 followed, and ended all too soon. But when he added, "Ths Watchtowsr will publiah the same, that the people of good-will may be en- lightened," there was a joyous expression of satisfaction. More applause, later, when he commented, on Daniel 11: 45, "that will mean the end of the h i s Powers, including Naciem, Fascism, and ROMANISLL 1"

Concerning the good news of The Theocracy he exclaimed: "Thank Qod that the measage d m not proceed from any man 1" (Applause) The fulfillment today of Daniel's prophecy and its understanding mean the "end of the day$' i~ here, and "which is proof that we may confidently expect Daniel the prophet of God to soon staad amonget the peoples on thie earth and many will see him and rejoice". (Applause) The audience thrUed again

into applause when he added that the Lard's people "are laohng for those faithful men of God and they will not be surprised when they come". He then proceeded to detsd the bless~ngs of God's kingdom, and interrupted to cry out, "I challenge any gov- ernment nuder the sun to polnt out any hope that they hold out!" (Applause) More blessings described, and he turned hls words to his auditors: "And ~t is the duty and privilege of the peo- ple of this convention to tell the people of Missouri and of all parts of the land about The Theocracy." (Applause) Next a glo- rious description of "the Holy City"; then "no more death!" (Rev. 21: 1-4) AE to our period of transition from the wicked to the Theocratic rule, "soon the combined elements of wicked- ness will put forth their supreme effort m their final endeavor to destroy all who support The Theocracy, and they ml1 cry 'Peace and safety !' because they have all of Jehovah's wltnessvs in the jug!" (Applause, w t h smiles of understandmg) "They shall fail, and none shall help them, because God has decreed ~t so." Then came words of hope concerning the Armageddon sur- vivors, followed by a contrast between the wicked and the m s e : "They that be wise will choose to serve the King of glory and receive the blessings of everlasting life."

With the words, "And now, my good fnends, I am sure you will want to join m sending a message of comfort,'' Judge Ruther- ford read a prepared "message", addressed "To all persons of good-will toward Jehovah and His f i g , Christ Jesusi'. Con- cluding it, he put the question, "If you beheve that thls ls the message of loving-kindness that you wish to send to the peoplc, say Aye!" There was a unanimous "Aye!" seconded by grent applause. During the speech Judge Rutherford appealed "to the people of my native state [Missouri] to calmly look mto the Bible for the hope of eternal lrfe" (Applause), and now he er- pressed it as a "great privilege to speak to the chddren of the people of this state", and he ssked: "What do world powers hold forth? Nothing! What does The Theocracy hold forthl" Every- thing worth-whde l

The speech ended and Judge Rutherford retired, but a further joy awaited. Before the speech tbe chslrman announced that, anticipat~ng the great demand for it in print, the speech h ~ d been published and copies were on hand. Now ~t was announced that ten copiear of the new booklet "Comfort All That Mourn" would be given free to each one there to distnbute at once to the people of St. Louis, and without contribution; but any recipient so desiring and asking might contribute whatsoever he felt m- clued. The response to this opportunity after such a public ad- dress was electrical, and parties and ~ n l v l d u d s scattered to all parts, the slums, the sidewalks front~ng the "cockatrice hatchery" the Vatican mamtains m St. Louis, and other locations conven- ient for the quick-distribution work.

Other presentations on the day's program were "Advice for K~ngdorn Pubbhers" by the Society's legal representative, and also discourses on "Transltlon" aqd on "Theocracy1', all whlch were recelved with much aid and beneflt. The eupply shlpped of the new booklet "Comfort All That Mourn" was quickly exhausted and distributed far and mde, and thus comfort from above was epread to other hundreds of thousands.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10. "CHILDREN'S DAY" On an was ion last spring Judge Rutherford stated a t head-

quartera in Brooklyn, "This ki the day of the children." Today at the assembly marked the time even as such. The full aigaificance of what AImightp God here caused to come to pass on this day will only be realiced later under H ~ B revelation. He h o w s the end from the start.

Early this morning, at seven-thirty o'cloek, there was an as- sembly of the candidates to hear the d i s c o m on "Baptism", prior to heir immersion ; where 3,803 pteeented themselvw there- for, of whom 1,357 were children, and out of almost "all nations, kindreds, people and tongues". Pools had been contracted for m