Annual Meeting

The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania held its annual meeting October 1, 1971, at Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, Buckingham, Pennsylvania. There were 2,076 persons in attendance. A number of branch servants who were in attendance, as well as the seven directors of the Society, spoke at this annual meeting.

The membership of the Pennsylvania Corporation at the present time totals 450, and 438 were there in person or by proxy. The terms as directors expired for F. W. Franz and J. O. Groh, and these two brothers were unanimously elected again as directors for a period of three years. While all seven directors had a part in the program, when F. W. Franz spoke he clarified the distinction between the board of directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania and the governing body of Jehovah’s witnesses. This proved very interesting. Details on this matter are appearing in The Watchtower of December 15, 1971. Brother Knorr spoke on the subject “Bringing the Holy Place into Right Condition,” which was based on the text at Daniel 8:14: “Until two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; and the holy place will certainly be brought into its right condition.” This discussion held the attention of everyone, and it appears in the December 1, 1971, English edition of The Watchtower.

A resolution was passed to the effect that the 1972 annual meeting should be held on October 1 in the Civic Arena of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The program presented at that time, it was announced by the president, will include not only the annual meeting but also the graduation exercises of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead.

On the following Monday, October 4, at 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, N.Y., all the directors of the Society, N. H. Knorr, F. W. Franz, Grant Suiter, J. O. Groh, M. G. Henschel, T. J. Sullivan and L. A. Swingle, were present and the directors again voted that N. H. Knorr should be president, F. W. Franz vice-president, Grant Suiter secretary and treasurer, and J. O. Groh assistant secretary and treasurer. Other matters of business were discussed and all expressed their gratefulness for their privileges of service. The meeting was closed with prayer offered by F. W. Franz, requesting Jehovah’s blessing upon the work that should be done during the ensuing year.

 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

In accordance with notice to the membership and provisions of law, on Saturday, January 2, 1971, the annual meeting of the members of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., was held in the offices of the Society located at 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York. In the absence of N. H. Knorr, who was caring for the Society’s business in Africa, the vice-president, F. W. Franz, presided. The 54 members of this Society were there either in person or by proxy. The members voted that F. W. Franz, J. O. Groh and Grant Suiter succeed themselves as directors of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., and each was unanimously reelected to serve again for a term of two years. Various interesting reports were made by members of the Society. Immediately thereafter the directors of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., met and they elected N. H. Knorr as president, F. W. Franz as vice-president, Grant Suiter as secretary and treasurer, and J. O. Groh as assistant secretary and treasurer.

The other directors of the Society are G. M. Couch, L. K. Greenlees and M. H. Larson. The meeting was adjourned with prayer offered by L. K. Greenlees.