The first Zion's Watch Tower

For a collector of Watch Tower history and memorabilia, one of the prized items would have to be an original copy of the very first issue of Zions Watch Tower magazine for July 1879. Originally only 6000 copies were printed (Proclaimers page 48), which at the time – even with links to existing readers of Adventist and Age to Come papers – was still quite ambitious.

But now we know that there was not just one published paper for that July. Like the 1611 King James Version Bible (with its two versions, a “he” and a “she” Bible) there are two known printing of the July 1879 Zion’s Watch Tower. If you are one of the very, very few with an original, which one do you have?

The article involved was on pages 4-5 of the very first magazine. It is called ‘God’s “Little While”’ and, unlike some of the other articles which give the writer’s initials, this one is uncredited. There are around five examples where changes were made in just this one article. One assumes that some copies were printed and then additional proof reading caused the typeface to be adapted before the remainder came off the production line.

We will examine the changes as version 1 and version 2, and then explain where these can still be seen today, even if you don’t have an original. Most readers today will either have scans of the original issues, a text file of the Watch Tower for 1879-1916, or the reprint volumes – or probably all three. They reflect the two different versions of the magazine for July 1879.

Change number one – version 1 above and version 2 below:

The scripture is changed to show the correct chapter and verse, not two chapters.

Changes number 2 and 3. This covers the end of one column and the start of a new column. First, version number 1:

Compare that with version number 2:

In the second version at the end of the extract there is an extra dash for punctuation. But the biggest change is at the start of the extract. Version 1 has a question “How long, Paul, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in?” Version 2 splits this into two sentences – the first is the question, but the second is the answer to the question: “How long, Paul? Until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.”

Change number 4 has version 1 reproduced first, followed by version 2.

The words “high calling” are now in inverted commas.

And finally, example number 5. This too has version 1 first, followed by version 2:

We note that the word “may” is added to second version, and the whole phrase is now placed within inverted commas. This is because, although the paragraph ends with a reference to Romans 11 v.2-25, this is actually a paraphrase of verse 31 of that chapter. The words inside inverted commas now reflect that, although it is still slightly adjusted from the standard King James’ Version words, which read: “Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.”

So where do we find the two versions preserved today?

Most collectors will have scans of the first Zion’s Watch Tower in general circulation. This scan takes its material from version number 1.

It is also found in the text edition of Watch Tower 1879-1916 that many will have.

Apart from the reference to Acts 15-16 which an eagle-eyed transcriber noticed and changed, this was all taken from the first version.

But then in the early 1920s the Watch Tower magazine was reprinted in seven volumes. The organization had to borrow some issues from the friends to complete this because their own file was incomplete. But the reproduction of the first July 1879 was now all taken from the second version.

This indicates that both versions must have been in general circulation at some point for this to happen.

We know that version 2 with its amendments comes from a copy originally in private circulation. It is now inaccessible in a display under glass, but the key graphics were extracted some time ago.

We don’t know the story behind all the small changes and why they were made in 1879. But if you want to have the very first Watch Tower in your personal collection – now you need to have TWO.

Good hunting!

 

(With grateful thanks to Leroy who noted the changes and provided the scans for version two)