Editing Jehovah's Witnesses (section)

===Joseph Rutherford===
[[File:J.F. Rutherford.gif|thumb|right|upright|Joseph Rutherford in 1910]]
In January 1917, the Watch Tower Society's legal representative, [[Joseph Franklin Rutherford]], was elected as its next president. His [[Watch Tower Society presidency dispute (1917)|election was disputed]], and members of the Board of Directors accused him of acting in an autocratic and secretive manner.{{sfn|Penton|1997|page=53}} The divisions between his supporters and opponents triggered a major turnover of members over the next decade.{{sfn|Penton|1997|pages=58, 61–62}}{{sfn|Crompton|1996|page=101}} Because of disappointment over the changes and [[Unfulfilled Watch Tower Society predictions#1925: Resurrection of the patriarchs|unfulfilled predictions]], tens of thousands of defections occurred during the first half of Rutherford's tenure, leading to the formation of several Bible Student organizations independent of the Watch Tower Society,{{sfn|Rogerson|1969|pages=39, 52}}<ref>{{cite book |author=Herbert H. Stroup |location=New York|pages=14, 15|publisher=Columbia University Press|title=The Jehovah's Witnesses|year=1945}}</ref><ref name="Penton, 1997, 58">{{harvnb|Penton|1997|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=38SYXalMLeQC&pg=PA58 58], [https://books.google.com/books?id=38SYXalMLeQC&pg=PA61 61]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Gruss|first=Edmond C.|title=Jehovah's Witnesses: Their Claims, Doctrinal Changes, and Prophetic Speculation. What Does the Record Show?|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kSZL8BWc9KcC&pg=PA218 |year=2001|publisher=Xulon Press|isbn=978-1-931232-30-2|page=218}}</ref> the largest of which was the [[Dawn Bible Students Association]].{{sfn|Crompton|1996|page=150}} There are varying estimates of how many Bible Students left during Rutherford's tenure, with Alan Rogerson believing the total number to be unclear.{{sfn|Rogerson|1969|page=52}} By mid-1919, an estimated one in seven of Russell-era Bible Students had ceased their association with the Society. By the 1920s, three-quarters were estimated to have left.<ref name="Penton, 1997, 58"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Gruss |first=Edmond C.|year=1970|isbn=978-0-87552-305-7|page=265|publisher=Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co.|title=Apostles of Denial: An Examination and Exposé of the History, Doctrines and Claims of the Jehovah's Witnesses |url=https://archive.org/stream/ApostlesOfDenial/1970_Apostles_Of_Denial#page/n275/mode/1up}}</ref>

Rutherford enacted several changes under his leadership, many of which are considered "distinctive" to modern Jehovah's Witness beliefs and practices. Some of these changes include advocating for door-to-door preaching, prohibiting celebrations believed to be pagan such as Christmas, the belief that Jesus died on a stake instead of a cross, and a more uniform [[#Organization|organization]]al hierarchy.{{sfn|Chryssides|2022|page=21}} In 1919, Rutherford instituted the appointment of a director in each congregation, and a year later all members were instructed to report their weekly preaching activity to the Brooklyn headquarters.{{sfn|Franz|2007|loc="Chapter 4"}} In 1920, he announced that the Hebrew patriarchs (such as [[Abraham]] and [[Isaac]]) would be resurrected in 1925, marking the beginning of [[Christ]]'s [[Millennialism|thousand-year earthly kingdom]].{{sfn|Franz|2007|page=144}}<ref>{{cite journal|first=George D.|last=Chryssides|author-link=George Chryssides|doi=10.1558/ijsnr.v1i1.27 |issn=2041-952X |issue=1|journal=International Journal for the Study of New Religions|pages=27–48|title=How Prophecy Succeeds: The Jehovah's Witnesses and Prophetic Expectations |volume=1|year=2010}}</ref> In July 1917, he released ''The Finished Mystery'' as a seventh volume to the ''Studies in the Scriptures'' series. Rutherford claimed it to be Russell's posthumous work, but it was actually written by Clayton Woodworth, George Fisher, and Gertrude Seibert.{{sfn|Chryssides|2022|page=20}} It strongly criticized Catholic and Protestant clergy and Christian involvement in the [[World War I|Great War]].{{sfn|Penton|1997|page=55}} As a result, Watch Tower Society directors were jailed for [[sedition]] under the ''[[Espionage Act of 1917|Espionage Act]]'' in 1918 and members were subjected to mob violence; the directors were released in March 1919 and charges against them were dropped in 1920.{{sfn|Rogerson|1969|page=44}} 

On July 26, 1931, at a convention in [[Columbus, Ohio]], Rutherford introduced the new name ''Jehovah's witnesses'', based on [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 43:10: "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me" (King James Version). It was adopted by resolution. The name was chosen to distinguish his group of Bible Students from other independent groups that had severed ties with the Society, as well as to symbolize the instigation of new outlooks and the promotion of fresh evangelizing methods.<ref name="Rogerson 1969 55">{{harvnb|Rogerson|1969|page=55}}.</ref><ref name="Beckford 1975 30">{{harvnb|Beckford|1975|page=30}}.</ref> 

In 1932, Rutherford eliminated the system of locally elected elders.{{sfn|Franz|2007|loc="Chapter 4"}} In 1938, he introduced what he called a [[theocratic]] organizational system, under which appointments in congregations worldwide were made from the Brooklyn headquarters.{{sfn|Franz|2007|loc="Chapter 4"}} Doctrine regarding [[#Life after death|life after death]] also evolved under his tenure. In addition to the preexisting belief that there would be 144,000 people to survive Armageddon and live in heaven to rule over earth with Jesus, a separate class of members, the "great multitude", was introduced. This group would live in a paradise restored on earth; from 1935, new converts to the movement were considered part of that class.<ref>{{harvnb|Beckford|1975|page=31}}</ref>{{sfn|Penton|1997|pages=71–72}} By the mid-1930s, the timing of the beginning of Jesus' presence, his enthronement as king, and the start of the last days were each moved to 1914.{{sfn|Crompton|1996|pages=109–110}} As their interpretations of the Bible evolved, Witness publications decreed that saluting national flags is a form of idolatry, which led to a new outbreak of mob violence and [[#Government interactions|government opposition]] in various countries.<ref>{{harvnb|Beckford|1975|page=35}}</ref>{{sfn|Garbe|2008|pp=145}}