Clear picture of the stage with the banner over it
1922—One Hundred Years Ago
“GOD . . giveth us . . . victory through . . . Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:57, King James Version) That the scripture they use for the yeartext in 1922. It reminded the Bible Students that Jehovah will bless them for their faithfulness. And that year, Jehovah really bless them. He bless them when they started printing their own books and when they started using radio to spread the Kingdom message. Then later on in 1922, we saw clear prove again that Jehovah was blessing his people. The Bible Students attended one important convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, America. What happen to that convention affected all the work Jehovah organization been doing from that time up till now.
“THAT WONDERFUL IDEA”
When plenty people started preaching, the brothers and sisters needed more publications. The brothers in Brooklyn Bethel use to produce the magazines, but they still use to depend on other companies to produce hardcover books. Then for many months the printing company was not able to print enough books. Brother Rutherford ask Robert Martin, who was the factory manager, if it was possible for them to produce their own books.
The Concord Street factory in Brooklyn, New York
Brother Martin said, “that wonderful idea, because it mean we will open our own factory to produce our books.” The brothers rented somewhere on 18 Concord Street in Brooklyn and got all the materials they needed.
Everybody was not happy with this new idea. The president of the company that been producing our books visited the new factory. He said: “yor get good machines to print books but none of yor know how to use it. In six months time, yor will spoil all the machine them.”
Brother Martin said, “it make sense, but we knew that Jehovah was coming to help us and he really help us.” Brother Martin was right. It not stay long the new factory started producing 2,000 books every day.
The brothers standing side the machine them in the factory
USING RADIO TO REACH PLENTY PEOPLE
Apart from printing some of their own books, Jehovah people started using one new way to spread the good news, it was radio broadcasting. On Sunday afternoon, February 26, 1922, Brother Rutherford talk on the radio for the first time. He gave the talk “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” on one radio station they call KOG in Los Angeles, California, America.
About 25,000 people listen to that program. Some of them sent letters to say thank you for the radio program. One of these letters came from Willard Ashford, who was living in Santa Ana, California. He told Brother Rutherford thank you for the fine talk. Then he said: “If it was not for the radio broadcast, we were not coming to listen to your talk, because three persons were sick in my house and were not able to go anywhere.”
After that, the brothers continue to gave more talks on the radio. By the end of 1922, The Watch Tower said that “about 300,000 people heard the Kingdom message through radio.”
The way the people were showing interest, encourage the Bible Students. So they decided to build one radio station in Staten Island, not far from Brooklyn Bethel. In the years that follow, the Bible students use this station call WBBR, to spread the Kingdom message to plenty people.
“ADV”
The June 15, 1922 Watch Tower announce that the brothers were coming to have one convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, from September 5 to 13, 1922. The Bible students were too happy when they reach to the convention in Cedar Point.
In his first talk Brother Rutherford gave, he told the people: “I very sure that the Lord will bless this convention and that plenty people will hear the kingdom message more than ever before.” All the speaker them on that convention encourage the brothers and sisters to preach.
The crowd attending the 1922 convention in Cedar Point, Ohio
Then on Friday, September 8, about 8,000 people enter the hall and they really wanted to listen to Brother Rutherford talk. They were expecting him to explain the meaning of “ADV” that was on the invitations. When they sat down, plenty of them notice one big cloth roll up over the stage. Arthur Claus came from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to attend the convention. He found one seat where he was able to listen to the talk good-good; because that time they were not having microphone or loud speaker.
“We were listening good-good”
The chairman announce that nobody will enter the hall when Brother Rutherford start giving his talk so that latecomers can’t disturb. By 9:30 in the morning, Brother Rutherford started his talk by quoting Matthew 4:17. It say, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (King James Version) When he was talking about how people will hear about this Kingdom, he said: “Jesus self say that when he become king he will help plenty people learn the truth. During that time he will bring the true and loyal ones together.”
Brother Claus, who was sitting down in the main hall said: “We were listening good-good.” But then he just started feeling sick, so he left the hall. Brother Claus left even though he not wanted to leave, because he knew they will not let him come back inside.
It not stay long he started feeling better. He said when he was going back in the hall, he heard heavy clapping. He really wanted to know what was happening. So he decided that if it will mean for him to climb on top of the roof just to hear this wonderful talk, he will do it. Brother Claus, who was 23 years old that time, found some kind na way to climb on top of the building. The windows on top of the building were open. He said, “when I got close to them I was able to hear the talk good-good.”
But that not brother Claus one was there. Some of his friend them were also on top of the roof. One of them was Frank Johnson who came and ask him, “you having any sharp pocket knife?”
Brother Claus said, “yes I get one.”
Frank said, “we been praying to find somebody who get knife. You see this big cloth that roll up? That banner they tie on the nails. Listen good-good to the judge. a When he say, ‘and you must advertise, advertise,’ then you must cut the four ropes.”
Brother Claus and his friend them was waiting with the knife to hear Brother Rutherford say the words that will be the sign for them to cut the ropes. It not stay long Brother Rutherford reach to the most important part of his talk. Brother Rutherford was talking with zeal, maybe he almost shouted when he said: “Be faithful and true witnesses for the Lord. Continue to preach until every part of false religion get destroy forever. Preach the message everywhere. The world must know Jehovah that God and Jesus Christ that King of kings and Lord of lords. Now that the most important time in history. Look, the King ruling! Yor work that to tell everybody about this. So, advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and his Kingdom!”
Brother Claus said that he and the other brothers cut the ropes and the banner roll down easily. The banner explain that “ADV” mean: “Advertise the King and his Kingdom.”
IMPORTANT WORK
The convention in Cedar Point really help the brothers to focus on the important work of preaching the Kingdom message. And all those that were willing were happy to do it. One colporteur (now we can call pioneer) from Oklahoma, America, wrote, “We preach in one coal mining area and the people there were very poor.” He said that most of the time when people hear the message in the Golden Age magazine, “they will burst up with crying.” He said, “that real blessing to comfort them.”
The Bible Students knew what Jesus said in Luke 10:2, was really important: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.” When the year was ending, they were more encourage to advertise the Kingdom message everywhere.
a Sometimes, people use to call Brother Rutherford “the Judge” because he use to serve as judge in Missouri, America.