Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

Organized to Serve “the God of Peace”

God’s Kingdom Rules!
- 3, 4. What problem was addressed in the Watch Tower of November 15, 1895, and what far-reaching change was announced?
  
  ³ An extensive article published in the Watch Tower of November 15, 1895, laid bare a problem: Stormy waves of trouble were disrupting the peace in the association, or organization, of Bible Students. Brothers increasingly argued about who should be the leader in the local congregation. To help the brothers see what was needed to correct that divisive spirit of rivalry, the article compared the organization to a ship. Then it candidly admitted that those taking the lead had failed to prepare the shiplike organization for stormy weather. What had to be done?
  
  ⁴ The article noted that a capable captain makes sure that life preservers are aboard and that the crew is ready to batten down the hatches when a storm is coming. Similarly, those leading the organization needed to make sure that all congregations were prepared to handle stormy conditions. To accomplish that, the article announced a far-reaching change. It directed that starting immediately, “in every company, elders be chosen” to “‘take the oversight’ of the flock.”—Acts 20:28.
  
  5. (a) Why was the first elder arrangement a timely step forward? (b) What questions will we consider?
  
  ⁵ That first elder arrangement signified a timely step forward in establishing a stable congregation structure. It helped our brothers to navigate through the raging waves stirred up by World War I.

Organized to Serve “the God of Peace”

God’s Kingdom Rules!
- How Christ Leads the Congregation
  
  11. (a) A study of the Scriptures led to what adjustment in understanding? (b) What were the brothers of the governing body determined to do?
  
  ¹¹ From 1964 to 1971, the governing body supervised an extensive Bible study project that examined, among many other subjects, how the first-century Christian congregation functioned.a As to organization structure, it was learned that the oversight of congregations in the first century was carried out by a body of elders instead of just by one elder, or overseer. (Read Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 4:14.) When that point was better understood, the governing body realized that their King, Jesus, was guiding them in making improvements in the organizational structure of God’s people—and the brothers of the governing body were determined to yield to the King’s direction. They promptly made adjustments to bring the organization into fuller harmony with the elder arrangement set out in the Scriptures.
  
  HE HUMBLY ACCEPTED CORRECTION
  
  THE Finnish edition of The Watch Tower of April 1, 1916, contained a letter from Brother Russell directed to a few brothers in Scandinavia, including Brother Kaarlo Harteva. Brother Russell wrote to them: “We encourage all of you, dear brothers in the faith, to return to the truth and the work that belongs to this era.” Why did Brother Russell make this appeal?
  
  Kaarlo Harteva
  
  Brother Harteva, who was born in 1882, was one of the first Bible Students in Finland. He was baptized in April 1910, and in the summer of 1912, Brother Russell authorized him to publish The Watch Tower in Finnish. All went well until World War I broke out. Brother Harteva wrote in the December 1, 1914, issue of The Watch Tower: “Because of the difficult economic situation, . . . we cannot promise that The Watch Tower will have the same number of pages or will be published as often this year.” However, in 1915, to raise funds, Brother Harteva and others founded a cooperative association called Ararat, which began to publish a magazine by that name.
  
  As Brother Harteva focused his attention on the new association and the new magazine, another brother began to serve as editor of the Finnish Watch Tower. Ararat magazine published Biblical articles but also articles on such topics as natural cures and the newly invented language Esperanto. Before long, the new magazine distracted the brothers from the clear teachings of truth. At that point, Brother Russell, out of concern for their spiritual welfare, appealed to Brother Harteva and others to “return to the truth.”
  
  How did Brother Harteva react? He published Brother Russell’s letter in Ararat magazine, together with his own reply. Brother Harteva apologized for his actions and stated: “If I may correct the matter, I want to do what I can.” Shortly thereafter, in the last issue of Ararat magazine, Brother Harteva again apologized for the confusion he had caused and added: “I will try to be more careful with regard to every aspect of the present truth.” Unlike some of the proud elected elders of those days, Kaarlo Harteva humbly accepted correction.
  
  Later, Brother Harteva was again appointed as the editor of The Watch Tower in Finnish and as branch overseer. He continued to take care of those responsibilities until 1950. He finished his earthly course in 1957, faithful to Jehovah and to the truth. Indeed, those who humbly accept correction from their King, Jesus, are refined and receive Jehovah’s blessing.

How Christ Leads the Congregation