A kindhearted Mrs. Barry accepted the six volumes of Pastor Russell’s books, ‘because she felt sorry for the old gentleman.’ Early in 1909, her son William and a companion were leaving on a six weeks’ trip by boat to England. Seeing the six volumes, and knowing they would have to ‘kill time’ on the trip, they threw the volumes into one of their travel bags. By the time they had sailed halfway round the world via Valparaíso, Cape Horn, Rio de Janeiro, Teneriffe and finally to London, Bill Barry had studied the volumes to the point of accepting their message as truth.

Years later, in June 1914, his companion wrote him: ‘Bill, the world has never looked more peaceful; Pastor Russell must have been wrong.’ But then came July and August, and the Great War exploded in a time of terrible trouble, something that the Bible Students had been expecting for that year.

In the 1920’s, the truth became well known in the business world of Christchurch as “Bill Barry’s religion.” In his younger years Brother Barry was acquainted with some clergymen and would discuss the truth with them. He said he knew a number of ‘decent’ parsons before the first world war, but never could he find a one after that time. He put this down to their bloodguiltiness in advocating the war, so that they were judged and rejected by Jehovah.

Later Bill did a fine job of inculcating Bible truths into the heart of his children.

[Picture on page 210]

Bill Barry (right): In Christchurch the truth was known as “Bill Barry’s religion.” His son Lloyd (left) is now a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses