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1920—One Hundred Years AgoThe Watchtower (Study)—2020 | October
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PRODUCING OUR OWN LITERATURE
To ensure a supply of spiritual food, the brothers at Bethel began printing some of the literature themselves. They purchased equipment and installed it in a rented building located at 35 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, a few blocks from the Bethel home.
Leo Pelle and Walter Kessler reported for Bethel service in January 1920. “When we arrived,” recalled Walter, “the printery overseer looked at us and said, ‘You have one and a half hours until lunch.’ He put us to work pushing cartons of books up from the basement.”
Leo recalled what happened the next day: “It was our job to wash walls on the first floor of the building. It was the dirtiest job I ever had. But it was the Lord’s work, and that made it worthwhile.”
Within just a few weeks, The Watch Tower was being printed by zealous volunteer ministers. Sixty thousand copies of the February 1, 1920, issue of The Watch Tower rolled off the flatbed press on the second floor. Meanwhile, in the basement, the brothers set up a press they called the Battleship. Beginning with the April 14, 1920, issue, The Golden Age was also being produced. Undoubtedly, Jehovah blessed the efforts of those willing workers.
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