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How did Joseph Franklin Rutherford change the International Bible Students Association?
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Jehovah’s Witness
Adherents of the Jehovah's Witness movement distributing literature about their faith in Hong Kong, China.
Joseph Franklin Rutherford, who succeeded Charles Taze Russell as president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in 1917, significantly transformed the International Bible Students Association into a tightly knit organization.1
His key changes included:
- Name Change: In 1931, he renamed the group Jehovah’s Witnesses to emphasize the belief that Jehovah is the true God and that the members were his specially chosen followers.1
- Evangelism: Rutherford molded the members into a cadre of dedicated evangelists. He introduced the use of portable phonographs to play his recorded "sermonettes" on street corners and in the homes of prospective converts.1
- Infrastructure: Under his leadership, the movement began purchasing its own facilities, which were designated as Kingdom Halls, moving away from the practice of meeting in rented halls.1
- Organizational Structure: He oversaw the development of a more structured approach to proselytizing, where congregations were assigned specific territories and members kept detailed records of their preaching activities, including visits and literature distribution.1