watchtower: jehovah's servants defended, 1941

8/20/2019 Watchtower: Jehovah's Servants Defended, 1941

1/36

JEHOVAH S

SERVANTS

DEFENDED


2/36


3/36

JE.HOVAH S

SE

RVANTS

DEFE.NDED

I

N

RECEN

T

yean,

and eapeeially

l i n ~

the fall of

totalitarian spirit upon the rulers, it

hu

become

neceaary 6a t Jehovah God ',

&ervante

be de

fended

in

the

courU

of

thit

laud

- Ame

ri &.

Such

would not have been dreamed of by the founders of

thia

eauntry,

who

6 00

from

rtli.poUII

perleeulioo dur-

ing and after the Catholic InquISition in Europe and

wisely ancllored and sceured the Iibertiea of the

peo-

ple in tbe fundamental }IW

of

the nation, tbe

Co

n

. titution.

n t'fery state of the Union, upward of three thou

aand Itrvanta of the

Lord

annually are faltely ar

rested and malieiously proeeeuted beeaUlM of their

worship of A m ~ b t y God, Jebovah, and for their

determined uel'elle of their right of freedom of

preu. Only and

all

thoee thus mistreated and

ar-

reate<

are Jehovah', witneaee.

For the sola pUl"}'I08e of aiding the

pel'lOllII eo

n·

cerned in insUting that justice

be

done, and

10

pre

vent malieioua proeccutiontl and diacardina the Con

. titution,

this

pamphlet

ill

wri tten.

Who

are

J ehovah

's

witnesse

s?

JehoVl.h . witnesses

are.

not a &eel, a

Coull

or a

",ligion. They an true and obedient Ie anta of

Almighty Ood, Jehovah, following c:xcluaively

in

the

fOOI.tePI

of ehritt

JtI UI.

R iigiMl it

the

doing of

an)'thin,

contrary

to the

will of

J ehovah God.

A c"U

ia a 8)'1tem of religioUlJ

belief

practicing

eeremoniCII

and traditioD l of men in an orsanUed body. A net

ia a religioUl organization of pertOlll who follow I

particular ereature in their belie

and praetiee a .pe.

ei&. rtligion

ba5ed

OIl the traditioIll of men.

•


4/36

2 JEHOVAH S SERVANTS DEFENDED

Jehovah'. witneaea . re made up of pcll"lOllI who

are entirely devoted

to

Jehovah

God

.nd

His

king-

dom

.nd

who

~

diligent and faithful in

urrying

out His orden 81 tommallded by tbe ~ f o e t High by

preaching the gospel of God'. kingdom by presenting

10

the people on the pubUe lreeta and

at

the

homea

literature explaining tho Bible prophceies, which are

God'. reve.led Word. This literature pl.inly ehaWl

that religion.

is «

8IIare employed

by Satan

through

Itllt\sh men to preyellt tho people from seeing t i l

'ruth

concerning Jehovah'.

purJ>08('$

toward man·

kind.

It

.how. furthermore that the time i near at

hand when Jehovah

God

is

about

to

deatroy Satan'

entire organitation, invisible and v i ~ b l e including

the commercial, politieal and eteleailltieal elements

of the present world and all pet lOllI who wmin,ly

.upport

d organizatmnl. That lUeh dee:truetJ,·e

wtlrk will be by Jehovah', invisible foree.

at

the

baule of Arm'geddon .nd is to

be

followed by the

complete establillhment of a government to

be

ruled

over

h,.

Chriat

JeaWi

known u The Theocraoy, which

will remain forever in tbe earth

to

bring peate,

pros-

perity, happ'inea, and

everluting

life

un

to al l per-

IOnl who Willingly obey all the command. of J ehovah

od_

Thill

WOrk

done

by

J eho ....h·. wilneeses is a kind

warning to the people to abandon religion and Satan'e

orpniution

now

and

livf ,

or

remain ond

dif .

Thil

work tannot

bf

distontinued by Jehovah'. wit-

ne :SCI

in

any eommunity,

reprdleea

t threata

or

interlerence of any kind, ~ a u s e If they rduse

to

preach the

goepd

and proelaim the warning thf livea

of thOle not warned

will b

required from the wit-

n _ who

rd\1loe8

Or fails to earry

u ~

the tommand

to give the '''Irning. Therefore they IIlUit obey God

rather then men.

Many

pel lOlII

obiect to the poeition of Jehovab'.

witnessee, We ought to obey God rothn than men."

(Acts 5: 29) They refuse to obey the UDoonatitu t ional


5/36

JEHOVAH S

SERVANTS DEFENDED 8

commands of persons

that

they atop preaching

the

ppe l ; hut

rueh coDlmaDru are

nol

la ... S. LaW1 which

conflict

willi

the

law

of

Almighty God are

Dlwtione


6/36

, JEHOVAH S SERVANTS DEFENOED

Accordingb', they follow in the footsteps of

Chriu

Jelua in going from

bOUM

to hOIlM

Matlhew

1

0:7

12-14; Luke 8:1; Actl20:20i I Peter 2:9,21.

But

from

the

1ega1 point of view ,II religi6w.r or

ganizatiODi

and

nao

worshipers

of

Almighty Ood

are put

in

the lame

c l .

and hence Jehovah' . wit

nellSel are entiUed to the benefit of the protection of

the law. The laws do not eontemplate and were never

intended

1.0 interfere with Il\y

peMlOru'

ltv or

meant

of worship, rtgardJea of wha t w.y or m lUlll they

employ.

It

ill

t

he

re lpoll8ibility of judleial o m ~ r under

t

heir

OIItluJ

to

uphold

the

Con

stitulion

and

protect

Jehovah', witnases from wrongful rTCIts nnd proo-

ecution. bI mis(uided

ptl'101U..

To aid them in the

dieeharge of Ibit duty the inlonuation berein eon.

tained

it

IlUbmitted.

The t l..M eharges whicll t

he

judgCl have been and

are now eaI.led upon to prevent

heirl"

applied

to Je

bo ...h'. witne111e8 I r t "lOlieitiog, peddling, ean . . . . . .

mg, Idling, hawking,

md

BeWn, from

hoUMI

to

house

and on lhe IIlreeu without permit

or

licente", "tres.

puriog, "oft'ending and

'nnoyin,

people,'" "ditor

derly oonduct," "breach of the peaet." "&edition,'"

v.grancy, ... "distribut in¥ leafl.eta and pamphleta

without a penn it,' "inCIti

ng

riot," "violating t

he

Sabbath

l

aWII, ,nd many othera.

U

nconsti

t

ution

al.

I n

ever')'

ease

the

I.",..

applied

to

Jehovah', wit

n_ea through the

.bo ...

ch.rgea

have b« o

held

un.

oonstitutiooal

lI

COft ll Ved

Inld

oppli«J ranltin, in

the

eha1'Rea being dismis8ed and Jeho'U.b'a witn

diacbarged

from

eustody.

Space doea oot

permit

quo

talion from Cry

cue dieeussing

the matter. Aeeo

rd

.

in,l,.,

partl of th8

outstanding

eaMl

are bere let

fortb

and

other CdeI

cited only. An

uamlnation

of

the

reportl

will

diaelose t

he

entire opinion in each

'.


7/36

JEDOVAB S

SERVANTS DEFENDED 5

All eonstrued and applied.

I t

Ihould

be kept in

mind

that it is

the wrongful

application of • valid ordinanee or law

that

makes

it

unconrtilUlional

aDd

unenforceable u to

Jehovah'.

w i ln .

whoM work

is

lawful.

In tbe ease of

CoftGOrdLil

Pir

l"'IU"(lIiU Co. v. lUi.

floil (1934), 292

U.S.

535,545, the Supreme Court

of the United Stat.ea IBid,

"Whether

I ate • nlid 0'1'

invalid

unlkr

the

eqw

protHtion

ellUl4

ol

the. Fo

ur1.etnth Amwd,,",n oftt:n

dependt on bow the

at.tale is

eon,trued and applied.

H 111& be valid wben r i Y ~ I

1\

r r t i ~ u l u application

&lid

inulid

wbe: givw.

. lother

III other wordJi, the validity of the .ttlut. depends

on whit 1IClt

of

racts it i t applied to. II applied

to

Jehovah',

wilnelel'

aetivity. protoeted and guaran-

teed.

by the Constitution, the law be«lmes uneonali-

tutiona and void to the ertel'll applied.

Laws again

st

distribution

of

pamphleta with·

o

ut

. permit.

I n

wlldl

v.

Cilll o Grifj. .

(1938) ,

303

U. S. 444,

one

of

J ehovah'. witnesees oonvicted of violating

an ordinance whie:h prohibited distribution of IItel1l-

ture,

on the

atreou

or from home to house,

wit.hjll

lhe

Oeorgia

e:i

ty t

Griffin. She W811

going trom

houtIC

to house diatrlbuting literature printed by tho W.6.Tefl-

TOWER

Dmu:

AND

TRACT

Socn:TT and

recej,'ing in ex-

thl1nge

thtrefor

oontributioDl of money. The United

Stalol

Supreme Court Bet aside her e:onvletion

and

aaid:

ww.

think thll

u.e

o n l i n a a ~ iI

in"tllld

.. ita

r-.

Wbal.e'ttt the moti .......bicb inelUC fd u. adoptiOllt ita dIar

ader

•

wdi thl.t it

IItrikee

. t

tht

'tff'

t o u n ~ l i o a of

tht treeclom or the

pre. by

Rlbjerlinr It

to

l i cc .

.:lei

ee_rabip. Tb. atronle

for

the

fl'ftdom or

the pre.

.....

primuil,.

direeUd

againa

the

po ...

of

the lioeDlOr.

H .....

Pin ..

U: t t

power

tiuot John lI.iItora dil llded lI iII

~ t b,. hit 'Appeal lor lb. Liberty of Unl i _d


8/36

6 JEnOVAH'S SERVANTS DEFENDED

Printinf'. And the- libert.y of tIM P -

nitially

• ricbl to publiab . . . . , ~ o . l • i_

what

formerly eooJd

bt pllblisbed

0111

. i l l one.' IS. Wiekwar, "Th. Sl.rp,-

f

ie

tor tile

Freedom

of the P. - , p.

15.]

Whil, that

rtedOID

rom

p.."iOllI

retUsmt

llpo11 pllbiiutioo

eatlDO

be reprdlld . . eduu•• lJ th, I'I'lr IIty of libaty, u..

preYention of that """rami , . u • leadiDc ~ in

the adoption

of tbe

_Ituulioaal proYitiGQ . 6f,e P ~ l f

••

_

lOll Y. C""'nlb,

20G

U. 8. 464, 482;

N

lii"auolo,

283

U. S. 897,

113-7141;

Chwi-I'

Yo

A-"cw"

Prru Co_

P& )I.2t1

U. S. 233, 246, m.

r....w.tioo

of ti l, type of

the OrliiDarlN ill qlXllUoa 1I'ould the of

lioeIu6 uel _ n h i p

in ita

baldal form.

"The liberty

of

lb,

p n . Wi

DOt

_a..ed

to

ue ....

~

and periodkala.

I t lI_ril

f t I Ib.--

pulphleta

and

leahu. Tb_

inde.d hay. benr. hiltorio _pona in tbe

ddenM

of

Liberty

...

th, p.mpbJet. ot

Thoma. Paine

otben

in oW'

OWII billol")' ablllldanuy alteR.. The

pre .

in ita biltori. eoPnotatioo

compn hetldJi eve..,.

.on

of pllblieatioll wbi/ II &tI'ordt • V1 hiele

of

inlonnalioa

&rid opiniou. What 1 hay. bad r e « n ~ oeetfioa

to

. .

with

rapt< t to

lb, ";t.. importanOl ot

p ~ l i I I r

thil

_nl ia )

liberty

trom "e..., .art ot infnDl'l'lDenl need

lIot

M

~ . t t d . N , ~ r ' I . J ( M l I ~ , . u ~ n ;

Grl l l j tu

v.

,A .... rku Pr, .

011 '''11>

lupn; D. JllllfI' ' I . Or'flil

[299 U. S. SM 8M], RPrL"

Similar decisions ho

lding that like

ordi

nante5 IIrc

unCOlUltitutional Ilnd elllIllot be apvlied to J ehovah',

witnessea are Sdnwi/hr v. Sf(lf. (19391,308 U. S. 147;

Stol,,$

re l

lVitlon dill. v. Ilu.sreil 1941),1 So.2d

569, whcre it

is

Aid:

COW'lIoCI

lor Lbl City 01 Clelf'll'atu rFlorida) ill bia

briel

detendl

lb.

ordiDane.

GO c.ha

tbeory:

(a)

tba' the

ehallenred o n l i o a n ~ e i I , wa.

me

.",; (b) ehiel

01 poliee b,. the w,1 IDII of t i l ordinane.

. .

wilboul ru.-

erel;on

in

the

iau,nee

or witbboldm, of

puurile;

(0) the

OI'dinanee i I dsiped 10 prohibil lb,

t.eaebiq

of III dOlI

tmu

ll of di8obRlI UOO 10

,II

ei .i1I1. . . ;

Id)

lbl cm:Iin..,eo

is deliped to prohibit tbe teadaina ot anarelly ..,d I

refuallO

..Jute til. f tq;

(I) tile

replat ion of the di .

tribution

of

the JINIIphltU

ud

i iknUin

WIder the I.e,. .

of the onlinaae. II in

blrmooy 'II'i1.b

aad ~ . the-


9/36


10/36

8 JEHOVAH S SERVANTS DEFENDED

Laws requiring permi ts

or

licenses

before

se il -

Ing

articles or

peddling

on the

s

trtela or from

house t hOUH.

)[lIny citiea

and

towns

hue

peddling

ordinances

requiring

pennia Ind

lieenaee

tor

141 01

roods

Wlros

and

merchaodiae upon

the

atreell and

from

b01i1S

to

hoUie within the mnnieipa1it7. Sueh IicenJel

and pe

r-

mill cannot be required of one engaged in distribu-

t ion of printed matter, either for money eontrihu-

t

ioIUI or

free

of

clIarge. Whila

luch oroinantea

ea n

rightly

be

aVplicniJle to

pel'3Onllelling ordinary

items

of morthandi,e or

goods,

they elMot

be

applied to

one who

is

exercising his

right of

free

pf'illS ,

Pam·

phlets and newspapers are not oonsidert'd 'ordinary

merchlndiae or goods or waros'

and

cannot e brought

within the terms 01 IUeb ordin.nea.

f

the

ordinanee by ita terms prohibita lleddling

or

tellin, of literature it is

void 00 ita

faee and unoon-

,litntlODol.

The

II treeta

and the hom

N

of th

e p

eop

le

are

the natur

a l

and proper

plaCM

lor distribution

of

literature.

Peddling ordinances

were

outlawed

and

held

un·

oo1l5titulionai

8 :1

applied

to J ehovah's witnesses

In

th., case or

c t i d ~

v al

(Town

of

Irvin

gto

n,

Now Jc.rsey) (1989),

80s

U. S. 147.

Clara

Schneider,

one

of Jehovah'. witneaes,

w u

going

from

house

to

hoWJl

in

Irvington

ealling

at

the

homoe

of the poo-

pie, oll'c.ring to them

the

Bible liter

ature

above do-

.e.r ibed lind reech·ed eootributionll therelor.

She

was

arre8ted lind

c h a ~ with

viol

ating

the local peddling

oroinanee whieb prohibited c.anvaaaing, aolic.itmg, ped.

dling,

or

distribution

of any matter

from hoUle to

house

or

on

the

IItreeu

in tha

town

without. permit

f

rom the Chid of

Police.

The

Supreme

Court of

the

United Stataa aet aaide

her

eonvietion

and

held the

ordinanee

l'Ould not

e

eonat

itutionaUyapplied

to

ber

work, and

8IIi

d :


11/36

JEHOVAtrs

SERVANTS DEFENDED 9

"A.ltbou,b .. m:ll1ieipality may trlact I'@I'Ul.t.ti_inu..

iaterMt of the pllbLie -..fety, health,

nit.,..

01'

COD'1 Il_

ioeftoe the. 1

Dol.

.bride- lb iadiridul libert.

_

Cllred by

liM

Collttitutioo to

th .

W q

with to

lpe&k,

write,

prillt

O ~

ei.rea.late

intonnatlOtl

01'

opiDioa.

"?atUD.ieip. &IItboriLi..,

. .

~ to the pub/ie,

lave

the dllty to kMp their COIIUIIllDiti_ t l a opt'll uel

.".i1AbI, for mOMmallt of peopkl uel property, tbe pri_

lII&ry

pllrpoloe t.o wbich .he

l ine a n

dediuted.• • • •

"[n oY'ry

use,

l h e r t t o ~ 1 ..hon l

.waU .

b

r i ~ l l I t

of tbe

rllbtl

i t ~ tile

CIOIIJU lIholild

be ulut. to

uamine the , I f ~ t of

tb, C h a l l l l l ~

leJillation, Mcro

legill.ativi prr:fonmee. or

~ l i e . t l

IftPfClln, matte

...

of

pllblle el)IIYenieno:e .....1I ",,/1 #liP""" , , ~ , , " " a l l

di tI#d

•• 0

. . . .

,urH1WI1 OIdittUiu, but be iMlIlliciml

10 J ~ i . . ' "

Reb ... dUIIiniabN the e l ~

of

I"icbu . c ) '.Hal to the

mainte" ..u of demoe ....tic

intlilutiona.

.And .0 .

..

_

.. rite,

\ be

delieat. and difIIcult taU

talb

npoa lb, eourll

to

weia:h

lhe eittamttan_

and to. .pp,... the AlbRa:>.

twity

of u..

re_ .dnnoed ill

"'Vport

ot

u..

,,,.

alion of Ibt

frM . . oy1mat

of

1.11, ,.;pta.

I I •• • M y burdf,n m ~ npon the eitf authorili .

in

df&1lint'

and

Qrill&' tor

tile

_mil . . . an

'ndirect

«1:1.

w q n _ 01 l I I ~ h dw.ribulioo mol

. from

the I O I l I t i t ' ~ _

tionoU proteetioa of

tbe

~ O Q I

ol .J*Ch ud p ~ .•••

.. . . • But, i i i

'Ire

hue aid , loW " ....

.

0,. ftIIhlral . d

prop'r pl4t

for , . ,

d ,lftlll '' ' '

of ''''ONIIO''O

.1Id

opf"'IHt; .... d oat

ia

lIot to lav, Ib, u • u ol

bia

lih

erty of

UpnulOIl in appropriate pl_ abridg.d

oa lhe

pl61. lbat ,I

may

It

Utl'tieed

in IODIn otller plaall...•

"At

laid

in

Lou,II

•.

CiI II

0/

Gril1_, fIIpr., pampbloll

laye

proved mo.t efleeti

.. wtromenll

in

Ihi d:i8len>ina

lioD

of opinion.

A JJerkp. , h

_OIl

.,. i.

_II 0/

II ' ; . ,...

10

loW _ i« 0/ , I ', d, Y

,ll r

ilUlri

h

.... 0' 'oW

40

." 0/

,Jo

pHpU On

tIIi.

_tIIod of

OOCIIllllUliealioa tb

ordir>P.ce ~ oen.onbiPI abuM

01 wt.id e n ~ d e r e d

the atmmrlt

\II. Englud whld .ven-

luated

in tht

eetabliabmll DI o(fbe doeum. of

tIM

frMdam

of

1bt

embtclied

in

our Conetitution. To ~ u i n a

oen.orWiip

Ihroop u.n..

whkh Il'lUe1

i m ~ i h l t

t h

b-ee

and unhampenJd diaLribntioa

of

pempbJe

...

rikel

at tb

1'U f

bflll1 ollbb ronstitoliooal

ruaran ' -

[Italics IddedJ


12/36

10 JEIlOVAH'S SERVA,l;TB DEFENDED

Not peddlers.

In

BPl«HUky v. SIMA: (1940),199 So.

129; J96

L...

307, involving one of J ehovah'.

[theMeS,

the Loui. .

iann S u p ~ m e Court ~ t uide a judrment and held

that Jehovah'. willlesses nre not peddlers, and said:

WTbe piaUltilf

'UI diatributm,

&.lid wllill, boob

lind

PlLlllpble' T propaptia.c,

...

d cn-inalio, doetrillQ

of

the rellJlolD

lll et

of whicb e lIIembel'

u d

•

miniatn. From • reading of the .bo'we quoted pro"WOll

of the Act it would appear lb.t it doa nOI

_ I ~ p t . l l

Inll

. . t i o ~ of this lnlllrt' • • tn view 01 the \.Iture

of theta

l

ranMetiOlUl WI 111 t

the

II

pini

on

tbat

t.b,

LqilIalllre did not intend 1.0 requirll thOle cmgared in

d_min

.

tin,

the

doetrinel anll prillcip N

ot

an)' 'cli-

riOUI Ittt,

('tiber

bl the diltnbution, or ukl, of boola

or

pampblell pertaining to

iJUcb,

to pay • peddler's

Ii.

otUI ,

or to

c]...aily them ptddtara.

N

The foregoing

SetlWlMky

ease aleo uphol


13/36

JEROVAII S

SERVANTS DEPENDED 11

ot fadll

..,41

yet

nlid applied to

ILIIOt.beT. Wlll

Y. C- if___ 27-

U.S. ~ 1

n

1..

Ed.

10il;

O d d .

1V"'hr

JliUi lI Co y.

Bolld..... u, 251

U.S.

282, 6tI

1..

Ed.

23ti

B cto

'1',

W/M7

[301U.

8.

242, 82

1.. Ed,

9 111].

IJUpra.

I f

the _rieu

.

ba d 00 toIi4itint' the Alb«rip-

Uoa

of

.. plibliM.lion without

..

permit, it

u enor

m -

der the dllOitio.... of lbis e


14/36

12

JEHOVAH

'S SERVANTS DEFENDED

neues, who

wu « l n v i e t ~

of violating

an

ordinance

of tbe City of Atlanta, Georaia, providinl that

any

penon

_hoee

duty i t

shall

be

to

zqiner

their busi

Ilea and wbo ah.all fail and l tfuse to do «I ahall

be

fined.

The

ddendant

1I U

arrested while walking along

tbe

IItrtet and from house

to

hoU811

with

I

phonograph,

Ind wu

alleged to have told and peddled literature

to ruidwtt.

He

had

not regilUred

lIor

obtained a

licenBe,

the

ume not being neee.sary to carry

on

hill

work at pffilehing tbe gospel. The Georgia

Court

of

Appoall held:

We

do not think i t i t tlte duty or

.n

o r d . i n ~ d min-

iller

of

the

p ~

to

rtgilter bit

bD"n

with

the eity.

Neither

i .

it peadlinr for snth miDiite. to CO into h o _

and

pb;l' •

.ietrol.,

or to

prucb

lhertin Or to .ell or

dittribu1e literature de.liD, . j th hi.

faith

The

pftlleb.i.nr and teaclI.ng of • minister

i t

not neb

• busio_ ma,. be requirtd

to neUter

ud obtain and

pal'

for • l i

0

to do. Neither ;

•

Iale by .ueh

mu.iatu

of lnete

or

boob _netted

with

hit

laith

a

riot.liOil of a statuti apil l l l peddliar '

Alto the

S u p r e m ~

Court

1

South Carolina

held,

OD JDly

1,

1941,

that

the

ule

1 boob and booklets

by Jehovah', witnesses

doell not

constitute peddling.

In

the

CtISC

of Slat

v.

Tho ,,

Mer-edit , _

S. E.

2d _ , the rourt said:

"The literature unied around

by

lb. defeodant OOD-

li,ted of

booka or

booklet. entitled

' f tdUJ-' ,

'Salvation',

and

~ o p i c l

of

the

'Watchtower' mnpr.me, all of

\ l l b i ~ h

Ire

' p l l h l i ~ a t i O l l '

i.ut< .

by

the

W.ttbto

..u Biblo

Trael

SoeWity. Tbe teJtimOllY abo ...

Ib.t

tile maio and

primary

pllrpwe and

eeeupatlOll

of the d e r ~ n d . a n t ..... to

prueb

and ttaebl'.riDeiPtetl mW11 from

the BihLe,

ia

_rdaDee

...

itb

b;'

aith,

... I e , ~ r

_ 01' two _ r e

pothered to.

,ether

and

would Jia'.en to bim.. Ria ..... III

."angeliatic

_1 11:,

tor

,.bieb he rHei .

ed

no mate-rial

_aideratioa,

and to

,.bleb bI

dn'oted b;' l i f .

TbI diatributiou of

the

boob

a.a.d

~ p h \ l o t a .....

bIIt l.ZIothtr

Ottthod

or ~ b a n o e l

thfO\l(b ,.bleb r e dU8emlnated the nJigiolUl opiniou. ....d

helie . of Jehov&h'.

wi tn_

An

ulJll.iaatioo

ot

them

Iho

...

tbat

,1M, «nil ' IIOIA'IIg

06 ...... '0

g XJ l

..

,.,1IlI


15/36

JEHOVAH'S SERVANTS DEFENDED 13

Of" h I , ,1 10 ,A. ,.0Nt Gl ,"110 ' " A ' i ' i t filiI, ~ ,

I b l ,...

~

a '

dillrib

.. io

.

01 ' ll4Ili/frtll.r,

til ..

_

I .

i ~ I A l 10

. , . . . . . ' , _.I.:

01 _ ..

d

..

a '

toOl

" l.o l

.d

10

'''11 _

..... ...,

~

co Od1l¢IH

~ l ~

HIIGl

' , .

Tilt

fftO'I'd

Iho

..

that

the

- 1

i

by

~

or Lb,

boob

and

pamph1ell WII

~ i ' l ' e d II

• eontribution to the ea..-e, IUd

.....

deYoted

to tbe pub.

Iieatioo ot other nligioof; lit.en.lun..••

Tbi. Section (7120) doee not porport either to de

l1li, th, o f t _ ot

bawkiD( or peddling,

01'

10 e,liarp it.

dellnitioo II buetofon reoogniled, but eimply deelal'6l

thllt

'uo ptll"iOtL

liball, II hawker

or

peddler, ezpoM tor

. . e or len ally goock, ,ara

t

and merebandiM in all7

¢OlI

nt

y'

without

lIaviag

Am

obtailled

a

li

een. .

from

t

ho

Clark

of

the Collrt

of

Common PI

......

Under

tbe eonoeded fada t

tbi.l

_ . be

'ale'

of

the book by the

d d m d a l l ~

WII _ Iy

eouat.nl to

the

maill

PurpoM

in which be WII enrand,

whiet.

... to

preach ....d kub

tilt

1eIIet. of

hill

ref cion. And

u.. onr

opinioa, it ;.

lIot peddling,

that word

i.

,uall, _-

Itnaed,

110. , rioflltiOll of

the ltalute,

for Il llliaiaLe.,

WIder the

cirewutanee.

Iho, , bere,

to

..uit t M

iIoIII

of

the

people, ahent

objeetiOP,

&lid

. .

a

part

of IIi.

preathin, &lid tn.cbinf to ofter

to

..u

or

lell ...

ia"iw.

litentlllre Uplanlltol']' of

hia

faith, wbeno 110

prollt

mo-

llYfl ia io'O'olnd. The .11, of

hia

boob and pamphlew,

. .

heretofore pointed oot,

WII merel, incidental 10

th

,

ehid ru poae of th,

dcfClldant,-wbich

w . Ihe Ipreed

ing 0 hia

mligion. . . .

Judpen

l fe1'

• ..-ed." I t a 1 i

ddedl

In

SIa l,

$l:

r . I / ~ o

1

l 1 .

l oodru

/T

(May

27,

194J).

1 So. 2d - .

be

Florida Sup reme Court found lnd

held

Ihat J eho'O'ah'. witnClll8tS'

takillg contributions

for end

diatribuling WClleAlolO,r

lnd

C()IU(IlGlion

magatina OQ the

eity

atreebl of

T&Il\p& d

id

not tol l ·

It

ilu

te a violation of an ordinllnce making It

unla

w

ful

for peddle ,

and

hawke

to eell goods, ",el'M and

merchaQdiae upoQ

the

street. without. permit , and

tb

e eonvletion

WII

Jet

aside.

The

eourt.

lIid

the

ap.

plication

of

tlte

ordinance

made

t

unOOllltitulional,

adding :


16/36

14

JEllOVAll'S

SERVANTS DEFENDED

T ~

real

lJueWoa then

q wbethtr

or 1I0t tbe onti-

a IICIl

e>omplained of aIId the pdi t i_ r

.....

witlaiA

the

uotptlOQ to the rea:.eral ruI. ddMcl

in

tht;

__

relied

1111

by

him aad e l ~ ~ l a . W. h . . .

u.rriliI.ed

~

and

.hile

W'II

the

u:ceptioa

COIItfDded

fOT,

b'tfl ..,ached the _e.l- oa tbat petiliOllu

ill

eo«red by the rule father

than

u.. ueeptioG. W I

do

lI

ot lbink t.be

onliI>anN

.ppm.

to to;,.. bllt

It

it did

it

"01114 be iII ... 14 10 that

uUnt.

SinN

\hit

i t the ea.,

81 ,m fS

rll. WU,OIl

.,. Row.U deeided April 8,

lMl

[1 So. 2-d 669] • . . . would _ 10 rule lb. ilUunt DUel '

In the ~ e of ~ i d

t l

oi. .... BorowDA of Brookville

II

at (I

lay 2, IM1), _ F. Supp. . the United

St4tel Dirtriet

Cou

rt

for the

Wtltern Distriet of

Pennsylvania IP'lUltM an I t t j u n ~ t i o n perpetuall, re-

atraining fou r mUDeipalitiee

wed

from enforeinlJ

IIpirat Jehovah . witncses

(1)

the

Brook:f ilIe otdi

nanu

prohibiting l8le of

any

roerchll.ndiae

upon

the

i t l ftta without. permit;

(2)

the

Clearfield borough

onlilWlCC

prohibiting ea.Dvaainglrom boUle to

house

Ind upon the Itreett lor

goocIa.

Wart. and merehan·

diM; (9) the 1I0nmen city ordinanee prohibiting

distribution by anyone of rintod matter unless a

pennit be l int obtained, an requiriug the applieant

to

salute

the fta, 81

a

requisite to

a

Iicenlfl; and ( )

tile New Bethleh

em

borough ordinance prohibiting

atreet preaching without

a

permit or peddling pri.

vately or on the pubUc Itreetl without a pennlt or

without a Jietn8e. The

court

held

tbat

aU lueh ordi·

nancea were um:on4titutional

when

applied

to

Jeho.

\ Ilh .

w i tn . and their eruorftment cou ld not con·

tinue.

II

aneh

would

be violative of the Fint and

Fourteenth Amendmentt to

the

United Statea Con·

.titutlon. There the court laid:

"The fUMtioa

ot eacll 'll'itD_

ncb

ordained min.

id.er ia to

..u or t1iatributa

1lIe

jl8riodiw. or tradli put

forth by

tbI Watch To1l'tJ'

Bible ok

Trut Societ,.

upon

th, IJlrftt or by

•

bouae·to.h_ taD,,,, In

thit diJ.

lrihution

rtl

igioa prMtieed and .dvoeated by

orpD'

med cll u

rtb

hodiea

it

dellOWloed a

' lOIN and

a

racket


17/36

JEHOVAH S SERVANTS DEFENDED

15

-this

bela, ill

..eo '. with

lbe

decdaratlont of

the

W.t.eb

TO'Wel'

pliblier.tiClona."

See ,180 DI'tIfI d Ill.

II.

Oilll o I .eu" . " . 1

d,

(At.y 2

0

1941

), _

F.

Supp.

.

by the United

State.

iatriet

Court for the Western Diltriet of

PennsylvUlia, declaring a peddling and hawkers' or

dinance invalid u appUed to Jehovo.h'. 'fI'\tn.e..

The fad that lIterarure III cl

a

im

ed

to be

sold

mlltters not.

In OommonWl Uh (Borough of Clcarileld ) v.

Reid

et

1ll:.

(

June SO, 19U),

_

A.

2d

- - .

th e

PenD

I)'

vania

SUpe

ri

or

Court

eet uide

a convietion ot two

of

Jehovah'.

witnesses who were

eonvieted

01

alleg&d

selliuglnd

olleril),

for

sa1e literalure

upon

thenreell

in

violation

of

the borol§h ordinance.

Th,

ordinanee

Will held In.-lid II applIed, .nd the court Aid:

' l ,

hiatoriea.l

m ~ t . )

'P'J Ipblew.'

i l l that {l wU

, . Oilll

01

GriJJ_ aapn.]

opmlOG u d In oI.htr opiD,

of

tb t

court

(Sehoeider .,.

State

,

•

; Tbornhill

".

AJab.ma. 310

U.8. S8,

1t7;

• • •

elG.)

Is

not limitecl to

'pampb

lellr' whid.

u

diRribuWl

without eoet.

Evu ,

s t u ~ t of

h ~ I o ?

Imo.... that

u.. 'pam

pbifb' refel'ftd

IG

b.r

Chief

JIQ\.i,oa BugMt in hi.

o

piaiOll, nil.

by Mr.

JlUhOll

Sulbtrla.od

ill tb

Of(llljou cue,

r e nol ttr

th llloat p4r t

cil"llulMcd

,raly,

bul

"e

..

diatributed

ta

u ~ r i ~

... or ..,101

'fhl)'

' ' 'ere the immediate pr tde_

10 ...

of

1Ifftkly ne-.papl llS.

. • •

Cador Q _

AlIni pam

phlet.

arrived al a rua.a.rbble

dqlf t ol lIaporb.aoe.

Nonr lido ...

or tinoe baa

t h ~

method

o.f

publication

been 11M by loeb mute.... of thought I.IId

~

Political omtin& of aDY ~ of

aaLboritl " Illmoat

Jl.lltirel,

_aaea

to pulpbTet-.

If

tbe Wb, " . . . . . .

~

IG command

tbe _ i o n of

Addisoa

nd-

Steele,

U:a

Tori.

foarbl with the terribJ, pea. of

S.ill.

' EU"1eio

pedi.

Britanniea,

Vol. 20, Pamphleta,.

pp.

Mf.e60. 'TLe

ampblet

ia popular au

iMtl"'llDleG l

of reli ';o. or

,Ilea"

eoob-o'l'en,

iJI

timet of.

stn&.

It

it .... ativ", 111-

upellli.,.

to the plU'ehuer,

llId to

th,

author

or

tl:.

pllblitber it OUI

be 1110.-.

limely

thM

a book boond ill

e10tb

or

lutber,

IILDd it

live.

agLbor

and

"aden I t

.


18/36

16

JEIIOVAB'S

SERVANTS DEFENDED

mu.imUIII benet'll

of of the p_ ' TIM CoIWDbi.

EOq'dopedia, 'Pamphlet'."

In thill

connedlOll

we quotl from the opinlop of

the Unitt< Slates

First.

Cireuil Court of Appeal.,

Bocton, the following

dear ttltement

of the American

prineiplea (

11,11 '011.

t

oZ

v. Cill

0/

iil;wulaill

et at

taby 29,

1941]. _ F. 2d

_I

"Tbe t ~ t ar'll II.I.twal and proper ple_ for Pllf

p

of a.emhly, of intuebanp of thau,M

and

opin-

Ion

011 rtli8ious, political and other lIIatten, either by

III'ord of

mouth

or by

the diltribotioll

of lilontuN.

Su.,},

11M

of

lb,

_Inlet. and publ;o

p l . - ,

IAlIWoned

by

all

ritllt

-re,

hal bf.eome part

of the

liberti.

ot Ihe people

proteded

by the Fourlftl'lth Amendm9t hom

.late en

.

ero&cl&_l D.tguI". C.

I.

O' -S07

U.

S. 490, Gill; Selma-

def Y St..te, S08 v 8.147,ll1:1i C ..

t -U

I.

Con_tical.,

910

U.

S. De,

303.

We take It aJ.o

lUI t h ~ COnatitll-

tioaal

rirht

to

mall.

reuou bIo _ of

u.. Itfftl l

for

the

UfPl*'

of

diltriblltilll l ituatul I

it

IICI

I i ' d

10 .

I

;. "'" / .

II/

eMrl', but

illC'llllk

•

. . 1M ",10,1

10

til" til. «t.ro/llr. (Dr ...,.

10

. . to defray lila

- ot

p u b l i f l i o o - - - « b e ~ ,

I.htI

eireulalicm of

011'

"

opiniou

or

I.htI P"lpaptiOll

of one',

hitb 011 aD uterui.,

KaI.

...oold "'lid

to beeomt .. p ~ r o p . l i v .

of

c he w e l l ~

CI

to.,11 ...

Grimra, 80S U. S. 444,

&52.

10

Canh.,U ..

COIIntetieut, 310 U. S. 296, .. tWe Itttuw:

.....

in .....

i

datlld . .

aD

b.nllOnltilllliOl1a l rutrictiOll

011

tl . ri8h1 to

I O l i ~ i t IllDdI

lor

~ l i g i o U l i

object&.

. . . . . IIstrietiOlUl

properly applicable

to

ba

ken and

peddl_

.Uin,

ordinary artielea or

merehandiN on the

I l . . w

lII;,bl oot

be approprb. .. 10

rtplac.. the

... e aDd

dimibutioa

of

IitetalON of the -oTt ofl'end

lor

..... by

lb. pJaintifta ..... [Jtaliea added]

Thus

it

b clearly evident that to

hold

th.t freedom

of the pre. means

thlt

onl1 fre diftribution

or

"gift"

or

litel'ltuNi

b

protected by

tbe Constitution

ill

to lOund the death toll to constitutional ri,htl in

thb

country. Such a doelrine

ill

foreign

to

American

j l U ' b p M 1 d e n ~

and eontrary

to

the fundament.l prin.

eip " of liberty aDd justiee.

To

thus bold

;.

to moke


19/36

JE110VAB'8

SERVANTS DE)'ENDED

17

the liberty

of the pres.

the privilege and prel Osative

ot the

ricit and

well·to--do and

to

deny

that

right to

the poor and 1 _ fortunate.

8M

Wo

tile

DIIIIed State. SlI.pretlle Coart _

of

a

e u

y. 0 . 1. 0 . d e l (19311), 307 u.

S. 4ge:

alto TllI D

U.

Knll


20/36

18 J EHOVAH'S SERVANTS DEFENDED

"Green Riv

er"

type

of

ordin

an

ce prohibiting

calls a t r esidences witho

ut

prior invitation

or

co

nM

nt

of ho u

se

hold

er

Is

In

, .

lid

as

to work of

Jehovah

's

witnesses.

1 11

*lme munieipalitiel

there

are ordinances known

f\S the "Green River"

ordinance.

Thil type of ordi-

nllnee prohibits making ealla at

the

hOlllea

of

people

by peddlera and itinerant merehnnta for the purpOllt

of

Klling

goods, wares or mel'Chnndi811 witbout the

prior Invitation or consent

of

the

hOUlICholder

. Thil

t

ype

of

ordinnnce

hI

been

repeatedly

hdd

to

be

un-

eon.titulionnl and void

on

ill fllee. ·

• CUv ~ I Oitl.... I. (S.C.) .... A t . ~ ~

( ~ t . o b 8 r

2 1923),

U I S. E . 2U; RH/ Sill:

Hori#,

JI.;u. 1'. Cily ~ I Rieh._d

(Cllif.) (April U,

1924

) , 298 P. 12 i E6 P . ~ I ' Jl . . ~ d

(TUN) (0U0b8r 1, 19 ..6), 276 S.

w. 1011; O,.."b


21/36


Such "Green River" o r d i n a n ~ has ,110 been

h e ~ d

invalid and uneonttitutional as eoMtrutd and applied

to J ~ o l l h

•

. . - i tn- .

by the United Statee: Diltrict

Court for the Southern District of Ohio in

ill

deei-

sian of

April

25,

l KJ, ill

the

cue t

Zimm.,..,IUI el

Ill. v. VilloO

o

et o ., _

F. Supp.

. where

In injunction

wu

granted to Jehovah'. wJtneaes. and

in wbkb thlt eourt.

said:

' 'It

rolla

...

therdon, that

the

I'fttrldiOll or the

",-

dinan"" . . tnfDreed

-raiDst

l h _ plaintlffa amollnt.l to

• dent.l

of

freedom af the

prut

and of

the

right ;It

( I M

lpeet' h, righl. I ~ r a n l e e d by tbe COIIltilntiOll and

p ~ ~

qain. t

state

infringement

by

the Fourteenth

~ n d m t n t AJlhouab

the

theory of the Ordilll_

i8

purported1r

t

the

llieo'7

ea a

ri

.. no IUIcli(m

10

tbe

detl1al of

tund.lInental

",btl IIIHI., tIM

Contti·

1IlIioa..

"Demoeruy 1'81 llpoll the theory I.hat u mell Uti

of . r ta ia u.amllabl. riplA, Iht .

rithl

. i

tlemoeruy

i8

to n r r i n

IIIDlt

be billed l lpoa mlllu.N tol-

erance and u n ~ n W l d i n r . They t i n

to

no u... or poop

the

r iPl

lei

d i e k ~

lei

another

.bat

bill

opipiOM

01'

be.

liili

.a..11

be. • • •

~ l t

ill

tbe ooncluaiOll

or

lhill

Court

thaI

1M

II'laintilb

ba.,. a lIQIUtitutiol1al. righl lei dilbibulo their Iiteratul"II

fTom

door 10

doo

r i a &11

orduly

manner, withaut inter.

fereu


22/36

20

JE

HOVAH S SERVANTS DEFENDED

within the

tenIlJ

of

ltatutea

pf'Ohihiting worlt and

bu.inees on Sunday and therefore ,anDot be guilty.

See Opinion of Attorney General of State of Ntw

York, 45 New York

State

Department Reporta 286,

Poopl.

v.

Pi"",

57 Misc. 569, 110

N. Y.

S. 22,

and

fdoJr o v. MONU (one of J ehovah',

w it n _ ,

155 P.

296. Their work of Detestity

aDd

eharity performed,

,"en though they t4ke contributlona ot money for the

boob,

prevent. tbem from being deelflred guilty un·

der IUeb Sunday laws. Thus ther lire entitled to Ihe

IIIme

pro

teetion accorded to "religiout" or "chureh"

OfgIl

I\lUtiOUI. See Commollwtollll

v.

Nerbi' (I '•. )) 84

PI.

St..

Jwp.

398

j

Cram ,

v.

H

orton

(

Mil

•

), 1

3G

A

aIJII

884;

Slat (Ken.) v,

Nudllom,

1

84

Kan. I» ; 4 P.

2d 464; 60

Corpu J,,'; 1056; Dill.

v K"

.p

p, 98 Pa.

St. Rep. SSg, ; BrVln, v. WallO (Ind.) 62 N. E.

666

; 127 IDd 42; Pt. Mod. I" M E. C \ w r e ~ v. D _

atU,

81

N. W. 111 ; 110 Iowa 5; AIl 1l Y

u ~

4

N.

W. 427; III r.

Hwll,

18 Idaho 175 ;

B lll ltU

1 .

BrooJu, 91 M

us.

118

"Pre18

a e t i ' l ' i ~ y

such as

d i l J t f i b u t i n ~

bookleu.

dOe

not come within prohibition of luth 'Sunday" l

aWIJ

,veil thoui h not done as an aet of wOl'lhip, aueh as

by newapapel'l. (See Pulilu .. Pub. Co . •. McNiGholl

(Mo .), 181 S. W. 1.) IIowevcr, the dlltribut ion of lit-

er.tute by Jehovah's wltnMSet b their wily Of

mc. U

of wOl'lhlp or .8Ilfvi

ce

of Almighty God by preaching

or deelarinll B ia ml M/lge concerninl The Theocracy.

Playing

of

phonograph recorda

and

distribut-

Ing literature atmeklng religion as a ana

re

ls

protected by

th

e United Statea Constitution, and

such does not amount

to

breach of puce

or

dis-

orderly conducL

Thu. W q e:tpl'elSly held in the ease of CC

ld",,"

Y.

Co",,"ticu' (1940

),

310 u S. 296, where Newton

CantweU t.nd his IOnl

Je8IIe

t.nd

Ruan

ordained

miniBtert,

eteh

one of

J e

ho

vah'.

witneaet, while en-

g,a«

in preaching the gospel from

hOU3e

to bouse,


23/36

JEUOVAlI'8 SERVANTS DEFENDED 21

otl'ering literature apl.luiug the purpoet.a of A[..

MIGHTY 000 . . outlined in

Hil

Word, the Bible,

IUld playing phonograph reeorcU eonlaininl Bible

talks

were arreated

in

New

Have.n

, Connectieut, and

eharpd with statutory and eGmmon la" olfentes:.

Upon trial ther .....ere found guilty or violating a

ltatute rtgu atiIll 'solieitation' becallM

the,

went

from door to door and when pel lOllII obtained the

literature the Cantwells l1e< epted eontributiont there

f

or;

turther,

Jeue

was found guilty of 'breaeh

of

the pellU' because of

the

playing of a phonograph

reeord entitled "Enemica", dcaeriblng a

book

of the

lOme

name,

.lld

whieh

:reeord

was dialiked by two

Catholic lDen b«auae i t expoeed and attacked their

"religion". The United Slates Suprtme Court aaid:

"Tbt rt«Wd

pla,.M by Cant.ell tlllbooi* .. general

.nulr. 011

all O f l ' ~ ~ i g i o ... . . . . ~ m a

u

inltnuntau

of i.ltan &lid illjuriOWl to 1IlaD; it Ibtn ImgtN out tlte

ROII:I&n Catholie

Cbllfth

for .t.rictllfft in

terma

_hid

natllrally .ould

otrmd

Dot 011.1 . penone of that

ptl lllaaloD,

bllt

all

othen

.ho

l'elpett

the

l I_ t l .

htid

~ l i g i

faith

of IMir ftilows. The hUn:rI 1Ftre in faet

highl,.

otrended. ODe

of lbeat

aid be

felt l ib hitting

C4IItweU and th. other that he w u templed to throw

Cantwell otr the

Itreet.

The 0111 . . 10 tIIItillod he

lit

like bilting CaDtwell u..id, in anlWI'

to

the qllMtion

'Did yOIl do anything elee or he' 'l

In . otber

' tltlio"t'

'No, lir, beealUO

lie

aid be wouLd take the 9ietroi.o. and

be

wenl Tho otber

wllne. If:Itlfled

lll,t

he

told

Cant

...

U

he

bad

better

r-t

oft

th

e

.treet

hefn

.

IDmething

hap

pelled to bim .nc that . .u tile end of the matter

. .

CIQt.

wtil

picked lip

tu.

boDb

.nd "a1bd ap the ItmlL • • .

"JD

llIe realm

of

relirioua

I.itb, and in that

01

politi·

cal

K I ~ f ,

&harp

di6U"HlU11 ilMI.lD

both kick tbe te:ut.

of 0lIl man y _ the rIInkf:lt u n r to hi. neighbor.

To pernade

othus

to

hi.

O'II D

point ol'fitw, the pleader,

u

we

Imow, al times,

rftOIU to

e.uagerllIiOD,

10

9ili8ea-

tiOll 01 _ n who hue bem,

01' are,

prominent in ehllreb

OJ'

.tat.e,

and

e9f.11

to

fala

ItateDlI llL

Bat

tbe

peopl.

of

thi.

D.tioa hUI

o.-dained in tbe light

01

hiatory,

that,

in

. pile

of

the

r nbability 01u nd a t n -

theM


24/36

22

JEHOVAH

S SERVANTS DEFENDED

""'-rti. are. in tbe lour mw, tal

to

enligh\.eQflI

"Fillion ....d right wndllet 011 tile part.

of

the citisaul

I I

• dellloOC\l M:y.

"The

tial

ehanderiati6 of

tb t . l ibern. i., that

lIIIiler

their

~

maD1

type.

ot

lite, ehandell',

opiDioa

aad belief I I den-lop ImlllolelJl.ed and lIIIoIMtruded.

N ~

,bue

it this shidd i l ion ,. than in

OIIt own

eounlry t o r . people IlOmpoMd of .... 1 . nee. ....d of

lIIan1 erftda.

T b ~ l l I

an limita 1.0

the

an te ; of t

b _

libel'ti• •

The

r in

timet f '(lm

th. eoere;l'e

activiti of t b_ who in tho de/uliOl1 ot ncial or reli.

&iou. oonuit 'll'ould ineile violene. and bmleb. of tho

IICeetl

ilL

order to deprive othen of lheir

~ u a l rlj'ht

to

the u:oreiM

of

tile;,

liborti-,

i.

Ilm

llhatized

by

evnnta

r

lImar 10 all. ThNII 4l1d otber

t ~ Q

of thou

limlu IhI lUtoi IPPNlprilou.I, lI1ay punitb.

~ • • • the petitionc ..... communicalioa., oona i

del"l d in

the lirbt of the

_illll;OII&

'

,..lftIIteet,

llIiMd no auch

clear and p t o pllbliol PftCe and order

10 rmdu him

liable

to

oon, ..eliOfl

ot the

-....011 I

• •

airtIMe in q ~ i o n .

In the Glltwdl

cue

the Court

abo

held that a stat

ute which

required

a

pennit

. .

a eondit

ion (lrecOOent

to

IOlieiting

tun& for

"a religiolll

or chantnblc

or.

pniUltion" was unconstitutional 411 a ,plied to Jeho

vah', witnessea.

Tn

the

et\Se

of City of Ulllf )r1

v.

khnbaklr (de.

eided June

28,

1Ml ), _ S. E. 2d __ one of J ehG-

vah', witnC:8 e8 was aecused of "diaorderly

eo

nduet".

The South Carolina Supreme Court found and held

in

thu

ell

all

follotl'll:

"Tbe

IIppelllnt

. .& I

one of ~ n JM........ IQt II

.ad

women, tl'bo lDW-red the city of Seufort ~ l J earl,. on

Sunda,.

morning, JllDe 30, llH


25/36

JEHOV

AH

'S SE

RVANTS DEFENDED 23

epithet.,

. .oro.,

0'1' geIluns,

attempt to

provoke IUI_

other ..... 1 II. d«med.

ruiltl'

or dUo. . . . ,.

oonrluct,

&lid npoa _, ietioD tbfteot be bed ia

'1

Rm lOt

ul ' f tdiq ODe

Buadred

nou

.... Of' impriMMlmmt, lOt

ueee4iiD,

Thirly

da,..'

.. . . . We b••• earetuJl,. read

the

t.l.UaOllJ. all of

w h ~ h

ie

printed

ill lb, . . - . I , IUId

.... bd 11 1111 which

would jultitl _'riet;0Il 01 the .ppellaDt of • riolatioa

or

the quoted

ordinan

. . IUlda

..

l ~ l

th.

w p ~ t d

Wllrieted and Imwoed, 10 the latter

will bot e ~ n e d . . . •

~ T h

~ n d g m w t t the Cinluit Court I, vened 1\1 ie

the eonVldion Inel lentcote or

tb,

appellan t by

tb, Ci

t,

Court or Beln/ort."

''V'CrlDey''

IO

metimes

is

wrongfully laid al a "dis.

orderly eonduet"

clal'g$

against Jehovah',

witnUS11 3

when unlawrully interrupted in the doing

ot

tbeir

good work. e

K(lIMrifU ArcJur

[one. of Jehovah'.

witnll8lOl1 v.

INrd

Cr. J lI4icial Did Cftlrj 0/ B,rgefl

CCI'IIlIly

(l-J.

J.)

(November I,

1932

) , 162 A. 914, dee;

.ion by New

.1ersf Y

Supreme Court, Rlting uida ber

wrongful couvietion.

Th

e

fact that vi

olence is

threatened

al'ainst

dis

tributor Is

no

ground tor

atopplng Jehovah

's

witnesses, who r

ightl

y

~ i s t actua

l violence.

In W

Aihuil

v.

Coli/or?lilJ.

274 U. S.

857, Ole United

SUlCI SupN me

Court

said:

Tilt I.e tlld IJlfteb

i.

likely

to

rellIlt in caUsiDg

_ riOltDOII • • • II DOt tDo,,&"b to jut ify it . 11IppNe-

110ll."

In Dtoroo", P",bluhi"l1

Co

..... PlItl1 rold, (1921),

2'71 F. 479, where the mayor and othtr otlltia . of

Cleveland, Ohio,

'lll"tNl

prohibiting the dilltributlon of

the

Deorb_

If dtpew.d.,.f on the atreels, the United

St.-Ia Cireuit C o ~ r t of Appeals said:

I f i t ba -.umed lb.t the artide mipt tead to p _

eit.

othen ta

b ~

af

the

peaee, the

reply

Is

pt.m.

It . .

th.

dut,.

of

all olBci.1s

~ a r c e d with

praerrin«

order ILIId p e _ la IUpprHt Ihml,. ILIId promptly all


26/36

24 JEHOVAU'S SERVANTS DEFENDED

pnwot (\lilly of diRllrbiDg it, illlcl 100 lo IM mnOllft1t

p u w o a ~ Ie exume Lheir lawful

and equal npla,

rr defendanta' u t i _ wu. lUltained. LIM -.tihttiollal

hbert1

ot

tvMY ( i ~

tree?'

to

lpe&k, w r i ~ and PliO

liah

bill

_timent..

Oft

all

lub,.tf,

briIr.,

fWpocWble

oalt

tw

..

buat of th,t

risbt,

wO'll1d b8 plaeed .. tIMe

~

of ....u r

p l l b l ~

olllri.1 11'110 for the EDomellt "'&1 clothed

"itb authority

to

P"'rTO tbe publie ee- gel lb.

ri,bl

to • tree p n

thll$

dellMyed•• , •

Another eue in point ill that of

Oitll

tJ

GoI IIAy v.

Pwt1WJm (decided

June

2, 1941, by the South Caro-

lina Supremo Court), _ S. E,

2d

_ Theft one of

Jehovah'. witnesses

was

diltributing literature which

highly offended the religioU8 .uaceptibilitiel of one

Fowlu, who attacked Putnam. Putnam resisted,

.tanding

hill ground manfully and firmly defended

the Kingdom intef'fttl in hannon, with God.given

inatruetion contained in the

Bible..

Putnam w .

pro.

eeuted

tor

l1 upon hi, _i lan l . On trial Put.-

nam, ana ot Jeho\'ab'. w i tn . wu eonvieud

of

violating an onlinanee or the eity, pertinent Plrta

of whieh

m d

u Collon:

"Any ~ n or pe.1'SOIla erNli l( .... y diaturblnr 110_

or

PII.king,

ereating or

ellpgUl,

In any b,.wl, riol, at-

tny n,htiDr

or indlll,ill,

in protUWl, obIenIe,

.bpain

or

volg.,

1...

1tI'1.tfI ,

• • • lball i t found

ruilly, be

lob-

jeel to • line."

On hearing th8 ease

on

appeal, the Supreme Court

of

Soulh Carolina held

that

"th,

detellUnt

wu

lIot

1tIillt:r,

in

our

oplniOOl,

of

aDy

• • LIlt, ....d it ill r l t U

tliat

.Fowler, wbo pro.obd the

dill\cllllYl.Dd wu lbe pbyaieal aa:r-r thr'Ollrbout, bad

110

nunDably _II

rOllllded

apprehemion

ot

bodily

h&n:.

or

d n ~ r to ill penoa. So \hat

the

ft &I QIl8UOQ

pre-

.erattd by the appeal

ill .m.tber the "0"

ooaoemin(

ntlicioo

and Ch.,.ianity, .potU 1I0o ..-

the

i ~

abo••

IlAn'Ilted (Putnam

wi

called

out

in a

norm.a.l

ot voiee: ~ R e t i l O i l ill

ruinin&

the DatiON, Cttriatianity

will

be

people"/,

a d ~

to

tho

pllblie

at tarre,

COIlItituied or Ih_ VftI

Gmticnt

Itral JlIItillutiOll

tor


27/36

JEHOVAH S SERVANTS DEFENDED 25

til. _ l i t made by Fo.l t t. It

q

plailll.b.t.t they 60 ntll.

h i

new DC t"- faet thai

pot_ . . .

4 rood

orde:r

torbid

lila'

Indi jduw

.b.1I ricb tbeir own wnlllP. ,... 1I a...

1UIlI0000oed the RM in 01:lmefOUI _

that ill

1M _eN

of

pantel

mltA

words,

DO

mlttlrr

bow

&ba.i".,

intuit_

ing.

,nuoge

or thrulenin, tbey may

be,

.nil not j_

tity aD 1t or battel'Jl

1I01e.

&c COmpaDitd by 10

Mtual offer ol ~ h 1 l i W n o ~ . - - - . J t b o u p they

may

mitipte

the

pullilhmtnt. Slate y, CooI'r, 112

8.

C. 86,

is

5. E. 845; Sutt\ ' . Workm.... S9 8.C.lOl, 17 B.E.

694; State .. , Jacob., 2S S.C. 29, S.E. 7119; State t.

JacUon, S2 8. C. 27, 10 S. E. 769.

"Nor un it be III_

filII,

contended tbat in attempt-

ing

to

d.efend

h i_ I I

undu

tho

f&eta

in t h i l _ ,

Pub&m

Y pill , of &&lull

I;IpGIl

J'owle.r. On.

_ellng

in lelf·

d e l _

to repel .... IlIIlnrlal attack ill lIot pUtr

of

'lIlt; be

IDlY

repel fOR\

..

th tOl Dfl and DOolUlue btl

.u-dettrIM

. . 1011, u tbe danaer app"renUy

_1[011&

Thil Suprema Court boldine upheld Putnam'. right

to have defended the intemJU ot the

KinBdom

and

clearly defined

the

re1igionilt as in

th

e wrona in

al.

uetinl' Putnam.

Thougb he disliked

the meseq:e Pllf...

nam a t offerill8, he mould have pUled on. For en·

tire

text of thil remarkable opinion tee CO I&o/aficm

maauine for July 9, 1941, No. 569, p.

8.

Tilt work

ot

Jebovah's witn6llSCS,

or

their

J t t e m ~ n t

that "religion iI e Inare , dOO8 not ool1J:titute a breneh

of

the peace

or

dilorderly conduct even whllll done

in

the prtMnce

and

hcnring of thote

who

are

offend·

ed

at

the meeaage.

People 't. Oulbri (18311), 2e N. Y.

S.

2d 288

People ... UJdo'tici

(1839),

19 N. Y. 8. 2d 88

Peopiol't. Kieraa oat a1. (lMO), 2e N. Y. 8.

2d

2

People

... NorthWll g

at (1940),

41

C.

A.

2d

2M;

103

Cal.

Supp.

*

People 't. C• ..,.k It al. l ~ ) , _ N. Y. 8. 2 d _


28/36

28

.JEHOVAH'S SERVANTS DEFENDED

United S

tat

es District Court

dtd

area Jtho-

,-ah , witnesses not Bub\'crsive

or

seditlonlsts.

In the

cue

01

uur

tt

cal

. y. SlIlij" do l. (June 4,

1941 ), _ F .

Supp.

.

wh

e

re.iz

faithlullltrvallu

of Almighty God were wrongrully jailed and beld

without bond Wlder falae eMrget

of

tedition fo r .1.

maat. three

month&,

indieted and

n1eued on

bail,

the

United Statet District Court for the

Eutern

District

of Kentucky ,ranted a permanent i

nj

unction holding

that t

he

literature of J ehovab'. witneQeIJ 11 not mb

"orsive, not 8Cditious, and did not advocate tho over·

throw of tho government

by

foree; and that 8ueh

1U''OKl uting

officials

be

mtrainoo

from in

tcriering

with the distribution

by

Jehovah'. witnes.es of their

Bible Iiteratlll'e. The entire ted of the decision ap

pears in the

Comulolio maauiue

for

July 9, llU.l

( No. 569) .

ReCusal to salute a flag Is

1I0t

rrouftd for In

terf

er

ing with Jehovah's

wUnesse&.

Jehovah', witne:.es refuee

to

wate

the

liar

of any

Dation,

not

becaU3e

of

dia'apeet,

b u ~ IOIe y beeaU e

they

are

in a covenant with Jehovah Ood

to

do Bis

will,

alld bealuae

His

oommandment

writte

n in the

Dible is thllt H is faithful scrvllnl8 must M ~ how down

to or salute nny emblem

01'

I)'mbol

of

any gove

rn

·

mMt

01' anything

save lind

exee:r.t

J ehovah God.

(Exodut 20: 1

-6

) Tbey

re pect the

III and the thinga

for whicb

i t

stands,

and

willingly obey a ll the laws

of the land whieh are nol in conft.iet with the la . .

or Almighty Ood,

01'

which do

not r e q u i ~

them to

violate tbeir covenant

with

Jehonb God.

The coul15 have reoopiUd

the rigbt t Jehovah ,

witneaes

to re tI8e

10 &elute the tlafr Ind

gra.nt them

proteclion of the Constitution in

this belief.

In

B y

Ioidl

v.

R(lyborn (April

25

, 1938) , 116 S.

W. 2d

836,

the

Tens

Court

of

Civil Appeals

at

Amaril lo

aaid:

"The ft.,-

i

f t D b I ~ l I I A t i e of the j ~ N

f tUbI_

IJId


29/36


poww

or

the

United State.

":ene, t.onther,

I(U&lIUIlH

tIM

poIilioal hbert,. ot

tho . tiuo, but u Bq: IS

O _

IJlIIboIicI ot .be

jMl i - .

~ . I . n - a d powu of -

tounlry

wben tbey (UU'Ultee to tile aliw> tlftCIOOI

of

toMhmN

ill

I t ~

~

to

~ p

IIi. Ood

&6-

eordina' to tJ e dietate. or lila i e a ~ 8-}'OIId my

eomprW...wa are u..

Tapn e

ot pt'Ople. .ho c1.im ~

_pt

the protMtioa

of

Uw i:r

l O ' ~ o t

io order to

lfOrihip God lcoordiDg to

the

dictate. 01 their ODII.eieDOlI,

but

refute to aalule tbeU eGWlb'y'1 liar in recopUoalion

of lueb proteetioa. YII, A_reM 'ftHd.ouibl. 10 U 'IOCIo

COD"dud 1''''1/ 11. III C


30/36

28

JEnoVAB'S SERVANTS DEFENDED

he.ld

that

it

was not unlawful for one of Jehovah',

wilneaet to refute to _luu the

f\q,

and that court

t t

aride I eonvietion of ono of Jeho't'.tt,. w t n ~

under tbe delinquency

law ot New

York. The boy

had

been

abo

expelled from

lebool for his

rtfusal

to

. . ute . tlag.

A like

eue

ill that of

["

r. HoleJld Le,.bt1f .

oM:

olMr (llay 6,

1941),

20

A.

2d 185.

There the

New

Dampahlre Supreme Court held that. Jehovab'.

wit-

n8lllel were noladin,; contrary

to

the law when they

refulltd to salute the

Hag. In

thie

.Me

the lower

wurt

had committed to the reform II(lhool three children

of Jehovah'.

witnead

...

ho had baen expelled from

publie school for refU lll

to

aalute the

flag,

The Suo

preme

Court

held

that

such did not connitute adin_

queney or

yiolation 01

the

law,

and relened \he wi.

dren. The court

aho

Mid:

"Loriq pweat. . .be do their -t IIW their obildru

ill

t'IIpport, IIl1.rture IJId

dmOllitioa

an ot more worlb.

tbo pmutiuy IDWII.

Ri(hk-oa

aud prGIII l I loti ft

-1

M

of

mw.

importance

Uwa

notioDt that chima

. i th

majority opilliOM of n a t II: torm or wbd

it the beat

_tho(

of ~ a c b i b palnot.ilm. . • . Bllt in

lie" of the

aureduHI in

"hieb the

Stal( hu

. l , , ~

beld

freedom of rdigiou.

_ . c ~ l I e 1 ,

it

~ impc:.ible for

III ttl attribute

to the

leail:lalure

u

iuknt

to

lIulhorUe

the hrealUllI' lip of

amir,

lite

lor

no

other 1 1 _ th

. .

beoIi of it.

memberl

hue -.imtiOIJll

religiou.

.cruplel not

.tLued by

the

m-Jorit, t the eomllluni T,

at Ie.ut. prorided

ihoee

.cnlpla

. . . .

uereiMd in

rood

faith, alld their

uerUte

ia

Dot

tinpd

with

immor1Ii.i.t,.

or

marked

by

d ~

ttl

the

rigbta of otben. " . . P'lIritr,

of

tbe

action

of the cbildren

in

u-.

reaanla

it adaultad. '

In Kefnwir ej do '1'. City

o

Jlo cotI:J

d at (Idaho)

(Uay 14,

1941), _ F. Supp.

___ the

United States

DilJtrict

Court for Idaho held that

Ontl

could not be

lawfuUy required to salute the flag and recite the

pledge of allegiance lIS a conditioD precedent lO dis.

lributiDg

lituature.


31/36

JEHOVAH S SERVANTS DEFENDED

29

Tb.

United States Dis1riet Court for the Western

Dialriet of Penn.tll1t'ania (R8id .t

Ill.

,. BrookWl

II

ol.

[lIly 2,

19.u].

_

F.

Supp. _ ) .tao held to

the

urne

effect.

in

enjoininll:

the

tnforeement

of

I

aim

i1ar ordin.net of the PenN1ivania cit,. 01 Moneseen.

Wearin( or ea.rrying lima

cannot

be

re

gu lated

b ,

requlrinJ' • permit., or otherwiAe prohibited.

The Suprema Court

of

the United

Sutet

80 held

in

the UIeII of

f MrMillv.

A/.abGmo (1940) ,310 U. S.

88,

and

ClUr.ot.

.... ColifrYf flWJ

(liMO), 310 U. S. 106.

Following l h _ S:J.preme Court opiniorll an th, hold

mgs of the J 1 Uletta Supreme Judicial Court

in

CO IIIIItOltItlt4iIIi V. Aftda,..01t

(19 -1 ).

32

N. E. 2d 6M,

and

CtmlmoluueollA

, .

~

(AprilS,

1941), _

N E

d_

Conclusion.

The abo . e

8ft,

e In,olvlog J ehovah'. w it n .

.nd

the

many othen herein referred to, are

just

a

few

of the hundreds of favorable decillions rendered

in

behalf of J ehov.h', witnoaes by

rair-minded, Jib

erty-loving

judgu

of the land of liberty. Such men

are holding up the Col\lltitution bulwark againll

the Romln Cltholic Hierarehy'l movement

1111

fifth

eolumn'

to . .

botage,

hamstring, ...nd

bag

and destroy

American

eonatit

ut

innll l

righllJ .nd

to

mpprees ire -

dom of wonhip of Almighty Ood. Hierarehy-ln.II.u

eo

ted

judge. would tolerate only

tboee

tnditional

re

Iillious

pneli


32/36

30

JEHOVAH'S

SERVANTS DEFENDED

nu of _ritin , ...hid me Iwdl, cooi.eDd tor , &lid

10 ~ l i f e l Pf'OIIIote."

} Iany

lhoUllUldJ

of

judg1lll 1 the inferior coun.

of Amerlta

have talleu

under

the evil inflW llCl of

sueb totalitarian diclatorial movement Ind, either will.

ingly or unwittingl,. hive yielded to demoniud lud-

ership againat liberty; have

,pinel_I,.

joined the hue

and cry of the Roman Catholic Hieran:hy 10 'atop

Jehovah',

witnesses'

Ind, in violation 01 their oaths

ot office,

have wrongtuJly

IUld

withonl juriadietion or

ju tiflcation "coDv icted"

J ehovah',

wituOlllJCl,

f

ou

told in

PWm

94: 20.

Let

8uch

pu

blic o

fficials

notice.

Section 20

of

the

Federal

Code (Title 18, Seetiolll

51 and 52

of

U. S.

C. A.)

makOl It a Celony

lor DY-

one, under color

of ony

law

or

ordinance, to deprive

any ciliulUl of constitutional richtl

or

privileget. And

this at.tut.e Ippliet

to

otfteiab

who

ted:

to

collect Ii.

cwae fee. from penons oollititotionatly uempt (rom

,,,,,,,,,l

A pollee otIicial Ol' other otlIoer,

or

perlODI actively

participating

in eausing

or

making an Irrest under a

t i OniillDftoU,

ean

be Jar,OMlIII held lor genenlllld

~ i f l c damagc, aectl v, McDonald, 16ri U, S, 58, 89)

Violation of the above natute

il

punishable by a tine

oll8veral thousand dollaf'll

or

leveral yean impr ilton

ment,

or

both,

Among the oldest easel bn

the

p'o:inta herein act

forth

ie

tbe one recorded

in

the

Bible

book

of The

Aeu

of the A ~ t 1 e s

chapter:;

beginning Ilt VCrte

tWtnty-aix. DUleipllll

of

Jeeua Christ weN publicly

infonning the people,

diaeminating

lbe truths

of

the

Word of Almiahty God in obeciienoe tG

Bil

oommand..

luligionista

were griC\'ed and anrered beeaUM

God'.

truth

wu being proelaimed. The

e1erv ana

other

reiigionistl conspired against the di8ciplet who were

pUblishing

THE

TRUTII.

Thoee

COlllPi

rlltorll insti

gated

the

arn::st

of the diaciplet, who were haled into


33/36


the judsmtDt hall. A higb Roman court then

tittinc

in

Palatine heard that e&K. After

hurin,

tbe evi-

dence, one of the members of that eourt, Gamaliel, I

leamed coUllleior, arote and,

addrrain,

hil

fellow

members of the eourt and all present, uid:

~ . I 're",

._

. . . . . . n, on" '

tIM

no,

I

.

, , '-

H l

... 1M.

- r t<

Ito 0 ' ....... I I will . . .mo

•• " ,U lh t l

_ ~ .

It It

1M

lOt

OM, , . .

' .M o t

. ~ .. I I

• •

w

II I ..

ha,I,

YO 1>0

lOll

n" n o n •• lh I

Ia-h '

. .

God."

T h ~

temperate

and

ulcbrious

principle all right..

minded per.ona alwaye follow.

Here

it

fa well to remember, .1ao, the Creator'.

Inu tl

word to

Hi,

humble eervanu: "They

[haten

of

TnE

TRUTH) thaI fight ataintt

thee

but the)'

,hall

not

pre\-.ill,.inR thee; for ]

am witb thee

uitb

JEDO·

VAH,

to

deliver thee,lt (J eremiah

1:19,

AM Hft).

Ver.)

An,

who

are

willitll hear, the

Crutor .bo

colllUeia:

'I. . .

M _w

, ....

,_ . 0 ~ .

_I

. . . .

""

' . . . . . . .d

. . . . , . .

,

. . . . . . .

of

til_

..

.u..

.......

JIlHOVAH

w

f u r

,

.....

, . .

"Ie. wl,,, 1""",1011,,• . III.. H Ion. T H . IIINO, lUI . . . . . .

•10,.,.• • nd ,.. " ••• rr-. .". W17, w ..... " •• _oil . II " '10 .

btll

1 l i l t

.

I N I . . . . I". , .

1110

~ I U.llr

tt100t

." . . ..... -10 ..

... "

10.1"

To aid .ll in ineil uns: on the doing of fuatlce thb

booklet ie

Confidently aubl'llitted,

W"TCflTOWU

BlBUI:

.um T ....cr Socmn, IKa.

Brooklyn, New York.

August, 1941.


34/36

sa

JEHOVAH'S SERVANTS DEFENDED

INDEX

"We oboe, Ood ntber thaD lllea-

~ n d by Cou .itutica ~

S

Wl"OIlIral applieation mUN 11 ua-.titvtiOD.l.l _ II

Cuaot

require ~ or permit

to

diatribul.6

bocIb and

p e l l l p l ~ _ _______

II

Court.

11 11111

ol

ON

u

to

parlilan

doemanda

or

people

0

to

prolftt

tn.

wonbip

1

Opoa tile etteN I.Dd tr- - to IIoI1llll

proper

~

or

diltributica or Iitentun 8 \1

C o o ~ e a i e a .

to publie otllomi

aot

(l llUd. for

I I p p ~ i o l l _

_ _ \I

Jebeu..b',

w i ll l

do

not _I lib;'

"poddlm,: I.Dd ba kiu,., I t

..

10-16

F n

thallllOlM'J'

ie

reeei-'

mn d w l p for litel lltul1i

doell aot

permit ftICIIlatioa or i l l ~ 1>-11

Jehenh'l w i l n .... ord.aiatcl ,iDisteri ___ 11

0rdiD

...._

prohibitin,

eaUill, 't b o _

witbout

prior

inTilttioli ....

l I o l a p p l i ~ b l e

to Jebcrrah'.

itn_

18, 19

"SUDda)'· 11 ,

&nI

lOt

.pplieablt

to the work 19,20

A.ltac:kinr

rll rica

..........

ie

upbtld

by II(ftlrtI _

20-23

Ti>rut

of

'floIeM.

i I Pot

~ d

few

.toppin, ork

23.-

.el f -Get_

by Jeb01'ab. w i ~

upheld

__

_

Jeho.ah'. w i t n not I1Ihnrtl to ,crrenllUf.llt _

2CI

F\ar-u ut4

ret_

lIot

IfOUd for

.toppill( work __ 26-2IiI

OMeus

depriTiDa: ODe

1 lneGom

lithia ill

dtmacw SO, SI


35/36


36/36

watchtower: jehovah's servants defended, 1941

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