Nathan Homer Knorr (April 23, 1905 - June 8, 1977) was the third president of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society doing so on January 13, 1942, replacing Joseph Franklin Rutherford, who had served in the position since 1916. April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (114th in leap years). ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania is the main corporation representing the Jehovahs Witnesses, and publishes The Watchtower. ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Joseph Franklin Rutherford 8 November 1869—8 January 1942, is best known as the second president of the Watch Tower Society, the legal organization used by Jehovahs Witnesses. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Life

Born April 23, 1905, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, he began to show interest in the International Bible Students at age 16. He left the Reformed Church in 1922 and in 1923 he was baptized as a Bible Student. Ironically, the person who gave the talk that day, was Frederick W. Franz, who was some years older than him. He outlived Knorr, however, and later succeeded him as the president of the Watchtower Society. The two men became close friends and companions, and they served several years together as members of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses. Knorr died from a cerebral tumor June 8, 1977. Map Political Statistics Founded 1741 County Lehigh and Northampton Counties Mayor John B. Callahan Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 50. ... The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organizationally independent. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Frederick William Franz - (September 12, 1893-December 22, 1992) was an important figure in the organization of Jehovahs Witnesses. ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...

Contribution to Jehovah's Witnesses

Knorr's most striking contribution to Jehovah's Witnesses was an intense educational focus. Within a month of his taking office, arrangements were made for an Advanced Course in Theocratic Ministry, a school that featured Bible research and public speaking. On September 24, 1942, Knorr suggested that the Society establish another school to train missionaries for service in foreign countries where there was a great need for Kingdom proclaimers. The suggestion was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors. In upstate New York, the first class, with 100 students, commenced on Monday, February 1, 1943. September 24 is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years). ... This article is about the year. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

Knorr was an excellent organizer who understood that good branch organization was needed to keep pace with the forward movement of the preaching work. In 1942, when he became president, there were 25 branch offices. By 1946, despite the bans and hindrances of World War II, there were branches in 57 lands. Over the next 30 years, the number of branches increased to 97. 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Jehovahs Witnesses in Germany were persecuted between 1933 and 1945. ...

Publications

Some of the publications used by Jehovah's Witnesses which were released during Knorr's stewardship were: Equipped For Every Good Work, Let God Be True, Make Sure Of All Things, From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, Awake! magazine, which replaced Consolation (formerly The Golden Age), All Scripture Is Inspired Of God And Beneficial, and the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Awake! is a general-interest magazine published by Jehovahs Witnesses. ... Encyclopedias Reasoning from the Scriptures Aid to Bible Understanding Insight on the Scriptures Other references The Comprehensive Concordance is a listing of every occurrence of all the principal words in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. ... The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is a modern-language translation of the Bible published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. ...

Organizational adjustments

Beginning October 1, 1972, adjustments began in the oversight of the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses. There would no longer be one congregation servant, or overseer, but a body of elders and ministerial servants. One elder would be designated chairman, but all the elders would have equal authority and share the responsibility for making decisions. The chairmanship of the Governing Body would also be affected, rotating according to alphabetical order. October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ...

In December of 1975, leadership of Jehovah's Witnesses passed from the president of the Watch Tower Society to the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses. Beginning 1 January 1976 the Governing Body formed several committees to oversee publishing, writing, teaching, service and personnel. Knorr worked with the new arrangement until illness forced his move to Watchtower Farms in Wallkill, New York shortly before his death.

See also

• Organizational structure of Jehovah's Witnesses
• Jehovah's Witnesses literature
• List of Jehovah's Witnesses literature