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Watchtower Bible & Tract Society
(Jehovah's Witness)

The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society (WTS) does not appear to have any presence on the Internet. Also, as a matter ofpolicy, they do not engage in inter-faith projects. For source material, we have had to rely upon their publications, and reviews of the WTS in various religious encyclopedia, etc for source material.

Jehovah's Witnesses derive their name from:
     - Jehovah, an English translation of the name for God in the Hebrew Scriptures.
     - Witnesses which is primarily taken from the passage in Isaiah 43:10:
                    "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord. .."

They currently have about 5 million publishers (active members) and pioneers (half to full time witnesses) in over 75,000 congregations in over 200 countries. Over 12 million people (pioneers, publishers, adherents and potential members) attended their Memorial service (Easter) in 1994.

History of the Movement

The WTS traces their origin back to Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916). After periods of being a Presbyterian, Congregationalist, skeptic, and Adventist, he organized a Bible study group in Pennsylvania in 1870. Their intense examination of the Bible caused them to reject traditional Christian teachings on the nature of deity, and the immortality of the soul.

By 1880,30 congregations had been formed in 7 states. Zion's Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society was incorporated in 1884. IN 1896, it deleted Zion from its name. After Russell's death in 1916, the WTS's lawyer, Judge Joseph Franklin Rutherford took over the presidency. Under his control, the Society became more centrally controlled. Perhaps his best known phrase was "Millions now living will never die ".

Public and Government opposition mounted against them, particularly during the two World Wars, when many Witnesses took an unpopular stand as pacifists and refused to serve in the military. Eight members (including Rutherford) were arrested during World War I; thousands served time during World War II.

A split occurred over Russell's book The Finished Mystery which was published in 1917. The Dawn Bible Students Association broke away; the main group continued and became known as Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931. After Rutherford's death in 1942, Nathan Homer Korr was elected president. Under his presidency, the WTS greatly increased its publication efforts and published their own translation of the Bible. Succeeding Korr was Frederick W. Franz.

Jehovah's Witnesses' Religious Texts

     - They revere the Bible as the infallible, revealed word of God. In 1961, they published their own English version called New World             Translation of the Holy Scriptures. It is currently available (wholly or in part) in over a dozen languages, and will shortly be seen in             30. Some Christians who are not Jehovah's Witnesses have criticized the translation, implying that the original Hebrew and Greek           texts have been distorted during translation to more accurately reflect WTS theology.
    - They publish two semi-monthly magazines for public distribution. One is the Watch-Tower which has a circulation approaching 10             million world-wide. They also distribute Awake with a circulation of about 8 million. Kingdom Ministry is a monthly publication for use         within the organization.
     - They publish many booklets and videos, such as: D Let God be True, by Joseph Rutherford
     - "Should you Believe in the Trinity" (1989) which denies the traditional Christian concept of the Trinity.
     - Jehovah's Witnesses, The Organization Behind the Name (1990), a video tape.

Jehovah's Witness' Church Organization

13 elders in their head office in Brooklyn NY are the highest authority in the WTS. The Society is organized into:

     - Individual members. Members of both genders actively go from door to door, attempting to convert the public. The average active            member "witnesses" more than 200 hours a year. Those who are dedicated public canvassers are given the title Pioneer
     - Congregations (called Kingdom Halls). Older members, called Overseers or Elders teach and act as guardian or watchman.                     Ministerial Servants handle administrative duties and assist the Elders.
     - Circuits are groups of about 20 congregations, served by a Circuit Overseer. The "CO� periodically visits each congregation for a            one week period. Circuits also organize two day conventions for their congregations, which are held twice a year .
     - Districts are made up from many circuits; there are 22 districts in the United States. The District Overseer (DO) runs the district               conventions which are held once a year. He also attends the circuit conventions.
     - A number of districts form a Branch D Headquarters is in Brooklyn NY.

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