As the front door of the Bethel was open, some might have thought there were easier ways of reaching the street than the way Johnson chose, and they would have been right. But had Johnson chosen the easy way, the milkman that morning would have missed a sight that made his day, that of a silk-hatted, frock-coated city gent, feet shod with rubber overshoes, shinning down a drainpipe.
No matter why and how it happens, it is funny. Johnson came back to New York and beg Rutherford to back to Britian. Rutherford refuse to do it. So, Johnson cause trouble in New York and eventually Rutherford put his belongings out the door.
Hi Sherlock,
While the LHMM’s magazine The Present Truth and Herald of Christ’s Epiphany claimed that PSLJ never called himself the “World’s Great High Priest,” they are wrong as their own literature says so. Uh oh!
Johnson was the “self appointed” epiphany messenger. Not only did he go after Rutherford and the WTB&TS, but he also belittled the other Bible Students that were affiliated with the Dawn and the Pastoral Bible Institute. In fact many of the “Russellites” of today want nothing to do with Johnson or his supporters. He saw himself in the scriptures, and he gained supporters because of his many references to Br. Russell. He road Russell’s coattails right to the grave.
Johnson felt that he was the last member of the body of Christ, and his main crony Raymond Jolly was said to have been the last member of the great company (as if Jesus told this great truth to these two guys.) Johnson saw “types” in everything, and he was very long winded. If the WTB&TS could explain something in 3 paragraphs, Johnson would take 3 chapters. “for they imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words.” - Matt. 6:7
Most people have never even heard for Johnson or his LHMM, he is the property of the diehard Russellites, so much for being the “Epiphany Messenger.” If you were to check the WT Library CD-ROM the brothers make few references to Johnson. However the Johnsonites still complain about the JWs, in fact the main offer on the Bible Standard web site is a booklet about the JW’s. Like most apostates, they can’t live with use, nor can they live with out us.
The wording from Harvest Siftings II is (notice the added bold type):
"After several weeks of defiance, and when he thought probably he would have to go, he packed his baggage and left it in his room. He went out on the street without his hat and remained out for several hours. His hat and baggage were taken to the front hall, and when he returned they were handed out to him on the doorstep and admittance was refused. He was then offered some money to pay his expenses to his home in Columbus, Ohio, where he had not been since last November. This he declined. We feel sorry for Brother Johnson and regretted that is was necessary to publish as much facts as were did relating to his episodes,..."
The magazine of Johnson’s movement The Present Truth and Herald of Christ’s Epiphany (October, 1975) calls the fact that he entitled himself the “World’s Great High Priest” an unprovable “false charge,” stating that “Surely [he] never arrogated to himself such an office or its prerogatives!” and “at most [he] claimed to be a member of the Body of the World’s High Priest.”
However:
There are a number of references we can point to corroborating the fact that P. S. L. Johnson undoubtedly did claim that he was “earth’s great high priest.” After Johnson separated from the Bible Students, he began to publish the periodical The Present Truth and Herald of Christ’s Epiphany. Later he wrote a series of books entitled Epiphany Studies in the Scriptures. In Series VI of Epiphany Studies in the Scriptures, entitled “Merariism,” published in 1938, he states on pages 358 and 359 that “the High Priest here referred to [at Hebrews 7:26, 27] ‘offers up sacrifice first for His own sins.’” So Johnson raises the question: “Can this High Priest be the Church’s High Priest alone, i.e., Jesus?” The reply he gives: “We answer, Certainly not . . . Whose High Priest then is meant here? We answer, Only the World’s High Priest, i.e. Jesus and the Church, as Head and Body.” Thus, Johnson taught that the “World’s High Priest” included not just Jesus but also those that would rule in heaven with Jesus, referring to these as “the Body of the World’s High Priest” and “a Holy Priesthood.” So, according to him, Jesus’ followers while still alive on the earth would be “ministering sacrificially now as parts of the World’s High Priest.”
Thereafter, P. S. L. Johnson clearly identified himself as the “earth’s great high priest.” In Epiphany Studies in the Scriptures, Series X, published in 1941, page 142, he explains that Zechariah, the son of high priest Jehoida was an antitype of himself. Using the initial J to represent himself, Paul S. L. Johnson (see the abbreviations used on page 755), he refers to the “antitypical Zecharias, J. [Paul S. L. Johnson], the last of the star members, and the last member of the Little Flock to remain on earth.” He adds: “Accordingly, the Zechariah of 2 Chro[nicles] 24:20-22 types J. [Johnson], and that as the main priestly rebuker of the symbolic fornication practiced between the U.S. government and the Romanist Church.” Since he taught that he was the last one of the “Little Flock,” or those that would be part of the heavenly priesthood, he therefore claimed to be the last one of the earthly part of what he taught as “the World’s High Priest.”
At his death, it was clear from the writings of his followers that they believed this. For instance, on page 189 the December 1, 1950, issue of The Present Truth and Herald of Christ’s Epiphany states: “You have the Epiphany writings and doubtless know of Bro. Johnson’s oft repeated presentation that he would be the last Little Flock member to leave the earth.” On the same page of The Present Truth, after making the above-mentioned quotation from page 142 of the Epiphany Studies, (Series X), the author of the article, Mr. Jolly, explains: “Here Bro. Johnson states most clearly that he is the last member of the Little Flock to remain on earth. We also have here a clear Scripture proof of his being the last member of the Body of Christ to remain in the flesh.” This writer’s comments reflect the concept that the World’s High Priest includes not only Christ but also “the Body of Christ,” or the Church, of which Johnson was believed to be the last living member.
Therefore, that issue of The Present Truth on page 191 describes Johnson’s death as “the removal of the last priest from the earth.” Thus, by reason of the writings of Johnson himself and his followers, it is evident that he viewed himself—and was viewed by others—as “the World’s High Priest” until his death.
Thank you. The information following the first paragraph did not originate with me but from an anonymous erudite researcher. I checked the quotes only with the Epiphany Studies books.
The October, 1975 issue of The Present Truth and Herald of Christ’s Epiphany contained a response to our 1975 Yearbook information on their beloved PSLJ.*
With that said, yes you may. Thank you for asking for permission.
* This article is in pdf form at the Russellite site "Pastor Russell dot com" in its "legacy" section. See the part "Bro. Johnson Never Claimed To Be The 'World's Great High Priest.'"
You could have the heading,
“the World’s High Priest”--a false charge?
And sign it with "Rebuttal from an anonymous Jehovah's Witness researcher".
This information was sent to me and I've been sitting on it for a while.
Additionally, I read from the BSs that PSLJ claimed to be "the last member of the Church." The last member. And since the LHMM's confused rebuttal to the 1975 YB confirmed that he also claimed to be "a member of the Body of the World’s High Priest," then what's the problem? He claimed to be the last member of the World’s High Priest. Amazing.
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