Frank Jannaway
Encyclopedia
F. G. Jannaway was an English Christadelphian writer on Jewish settlement in Palestine
, and notable for his role in the conscientious objector
tribunals of World War I
.
Frank George Jannaway was born in Kensington
, Brompton in 1859. He became a Christadelphian following his two elder brothers William John and Arthur Thomas Jannaway (1854–1938).
, from 1882 then at Islington
and Clapham
, and was a notable debater. His debates were not just on doctrinal subjects (e.g. 1894), but also, more unusually for Christadelphians, on the subject of Christian Socialism
(1908, 1909).
in Galilee. But even among Christadelphians F.G. Jannaway expressed exceptionally strong sympathy for the return of the Jews to Palestine. His two books which deal with this Palestine and the Jews (1914) and Palestine and the Powers (2nd Ed. 1918) were summarized and referenced in an overtly Zionist appeal Palestine and the world (1907, 1922): "F.G. Jannaway has for long been known for his interest in and strong sympathy with the return of the Jews to Palestine."
F.G. Jannaway visited Palestine four times, in 1901, 1902, 1912 and 1914 in the company of Charles Curwen Walker
, editor of The Christadelphian
.
. As the clouds of war gathered in Europe the South London Ecclesia urged a petition for Christadelphians
to obtain status as conscientious objectors in 1913, but Walker and other Birmingham brethren had not been convinced of the need. The Birmingham "Temperance Hall" Ecclesia initially took the view that work as "non-combattants", for example stretcher bearers, was acceptable, but Jannaway strongly urged that this was still participating in the war. In 1914 Jannaway undertook the compilation of a register of all brethren likely to be affected by the draft, with the objective to keep the Christadelphian body entirely outside the Army. In doing so he succeeded in obtaining signatures from 154 Christadelphian "ecclesias" across Britain, with the notable exception of Temperance Hall, which had already drafted, its own petition of 1,000 members, leaving open the issue of non-combattants, but hesitated to submit it to Parliament. On 11 February 1915 Arnold Stephenson Rowntree
, the Quaker Liberal M.P. for York presented Jannaway's petition to Parliament, which was accepted and made Birmingham's petition irrelevant. However the Birmingham brethren continued to have more flexible views than South London on the subject, leading to problems which were to extend beyond the war itself.
. In 1894-98 A.T and F.G. were directly involved in reaction to a second controversy which had originated in London, over "resurrectional responsibility". Although the immediate problem had partly been solved by the original source of the teaching, J.J. Andrew, having withdrawn himself in 1901, the Jannaway brothers were instrumental in persuading the influential Birmingham Central Ecclesia, who then met at Temperance Hall
, and the then editor of The Christadelphian
magazine, C.C. Walker
, to take a stricter line over those who failed to adopt the 1898 "Amendment" to their statements of faith, leading to the separation of a third of Christadelphians in North America into the Unamended Christadelphians
, led by Thomas Williams
of Chicago. Then in 1923 F.G. Jannaway broke with Walker, his former travelling companion in Palestine, when Birmingham failed to discipline two of their "Arranging Brethren" who had abstained on a vote to "disfellowship" two members serving as special constables. This split led to the formation of the Berean Christadelphians
with a majority of Christadelphians in London lining up behind the Jannaway brothers. This coincided with the Jannaway brothers' support for William Smallwood in North America who led the majority of the remaining Amended Christadelphians
to separate for what would be a period of thirty-two years (1923-1952).
The 1923 division proved to be the last major division within the Christadelphian movement, and after the departure of Clapham the mood in the main "Central" grouping turned towards efforts for reunions, effected 1952-1957. However in the Clapham group the doctrine of fellowship held by the Jannaway brothers, effectively guilt by association, led to further splintering. In 1926, when F.G. was 62, and his brother A.T. was 68, the brothers themselves divided over the question of the allowability of divorce in cases of adultery. A.T., who took the more lenient view and had advanced that it was allowable, had to leave Clapham, and formed the Family Journal fellowship. F.G. Jannaway also separated from another influential speaker, Viner Hall.
Debate and doctrinal:
Palestine:
Conscientious objection:
Berean Christadelphian:
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
, and notable for his role in the conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
tribunals of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Frank George Jannaway was born in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, Brompton in 1859. He became a Christadelphian following his two elder brothers William John and Arthur Thomas Jannaway (1854–1938).
Speaker and debater
Jannaway gave regular public lectures at the South London Ecclesia first at WestminsterWestminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, from 1882 then at Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
and Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
, and was a notable debater. His debates were not just on doctrinal subjects (e.g. 1894), but also, more unusually for Christadelphians, on the subject of Christian Socialism
Christian socialism
Christian socialism generally refers to those on the Christian left whose politics are both Christian and socialist and who see these two philosophies as being interrelated. This category can include Liberation theology and the doctrine of the social gospel...
(1908, 1909).
- 1894 public debate with Rev. William Henry Jones, Curate of St. Paul's, LlanelliLlanelliLlanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...
, on the immortality of the soul. - 1908 Which is the Remedy? Verbatim report of debate on Socialism between Mr. F. G. Jannaway and Rev. N.E. Egerton-Swann. Monday, November 23, 1908, etc. (1909, 2nd ed.)
- 1909 Ought Christians to be Socialists? Debate with the "red vicar" Rev. Conrad NoelConrad NoelConrad le Despenser Roden Noel was an English priest of the Church of England. Known as the "Red Vicar" of Thaxted, he was a prominent British Christian Socialist...
on Jannaway's "A Godless Socialism".
Jewish Settlement in Palestine
Christadelphians had taken an active interest in not just predicting, but actually assisting in a Jewish return to Palestine since 1891 when Roberts called on the Christadelphian community to support Laurence Oliphant's appeal for funds for the Rosh Pinna settlement at Al-Ja'unaAl-Ja'una
Al-Ja'una or Ja'ouna , was a Palestinian village situated in Galilee on the slopes of Mount Canaan near al-Houleh Plateau, overlooking the Jordan Valley. The village lay on a beautiful hill side 450–500 meters above sea level, 5 kilometers east of Safad near a major road connecting Safad with...
in Galilee. But even among Christadelphians F.G. Jannaway expressed exceptionally strong sympathy for the return of the Jews to Palestine. His two books which deal with this Palestine and the Jews (1914) and Palestine and the Powers (2nd Ed. 1918) were summarized and referenced in an overtly Zionist appeal Palestine and the world (1907, 1922): "F.G. Jannaway has for long been known for his interest in and strong sympathy with the return of the Jews to Palestine."
F.G. Jannaway visited Palestine four times, in 1901, 1902, 1912 and 1914 in the company of Charles Curwen Walker
Charles Curwen Walker
Charles Curwen Walker was a Christadelphian writer and editor of The Christadelphian Magazine from 1898 to 1937.-Life:C. C. Walker was born near Diss, Depwade Rural District, Norfolk on February 18, 1856, son of a landowner. His middle name "Curwen" indicates his descent from the aristocratic...
, editor of The Christadelphian
The Christadelphian
The Christadelphian is a Bible magazine published monthly by The Christadelphian Magazine and Publishing Association . It states that it is 'A magazine dedicated wholly to the hope of Israel' and, according to the magazine website, it 'reflects the teachings, beliefs and activities of the...
.
Conscientious Objection
The Christadelphian name itself, and to an extent the defined limits of the movement, had first arisen in 1863-1864 as a direct response to the draft in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. As the clouds of war gathered in Europe the South London Ecclesia urged a petition for Christadelphians
Christadelphians
Christadelphians is a Christian group that developed in the United Kingdom and North America in the 19th century...
to obtain status as conscientious objectors in 1913, but Walker and other Birmingham brethren had not been convinced of the need. The Birmingham "Temperance Hall" Ecclesia initially took the view that work as "non-combattants", for example stretcher bearers, was acceptable, but Jannaway strongly urged that this was still participating in the war. In 1914 Jannaway undertook the compilation of a register of all brethren likely to be affected by the draft, with the objective to keep the Christadelphian body entirely outside the Army. In doing so he succeeded in obtaining signatures from 154 Christadelphian "ecclesias" across Britain, with the notable exception of Temperance Hall, which had already drafted, its own petition of 1,000 members, leaving open the issue of non-combattants, but hesitated to submit it to Parliament. On 11 February 1915 Arnold Stephenson Rowntree
Arnold Stephenson Rowntree
Arnold Stephenson Rowntree , was a Quaker and Liberal MP for York, England.He was the son of John Stephenson Rowntree , and the nephew of Joseph Rowntree , philanthropist and chocolate manufacturer....
, the Quaker Liberal M.P. for York presented Jannaway's petition to Parliament, which was accepted and made Birmingham's petition irrelevant. However the Birmingham brethren continued to have more flexible views than South London on the subject, leading to problems which were to extend beyond the war itself.
The Christadelphian Divisions 1885-1923
In 1885, when F.G. Jannaway was 25, his older brother A.T. Jannaway, then 31, became involved in the first of a series of "controversies" which would mark, and hamper, the development of the Christadelphian movement in London. A.T. Jannaway strongly supported the position of Robert RobertsRobert Roberts (Christadelphian)
Robert Roberts is the man generally considered to have continued the work of organising and establishing the Christadelphian movement founded by Dr. John Thomas...
. In 1894-98 A.T and F.G. were directly involved in reaction to a second controversy which had originated in London, over "resurrectional responsibility". Although the immediate problem had partly been solved by the original source of the teaching, J.J. Andrew, having withdrawn himself in 1901, the Jannaway brothers were instrumental in persuading the influential Birmingham Central Ecclesia, who then met at Temperance Hall
Birmingham Law Society
The Birmingham Law Society is a professional association of solicitors, barristers and legal executives based in Birmingham, England. It is the oldest such organisation in England and Wales, and the largest except for the national Law Society of England and Wales.-History:The society was founded on...
, and the then editor of The Christadelphian
The Christadelphian
The Christadelphian is a Bible magazine published monthly by The Christadelphian Magazine and Publishing Association . It states that it is 'A magazine dedicated wholly to the hope of Israel' and, according to the magazine website, it 'reflects the teachings, beliefs and activities of the...
magazine, C.C. Walker
Charles Curwen Walker
Charles Curwen Walker was a Christadelphian writer and editor of The Christadelphian Magazine from 1898 to 1937.-Life:C. C. Walker was born near Diss, Depwade Rural District, Norfolk on February 18, 1856, son of a landowner. His middle name "Curwen" indicates his descent from the aristocratic...
, to take a stricter line over those who failed to adopt the 1898 "Amendment" to their statements of faith, leading to the separation of a third of Christadelphians in North America into the Unamended Christadelphians
Unamended Christadelphians
The Unamended Christadelphians are a "fellowship" within the broader Christadelphian movement worldwide, found only in the United States and Canada. They are, like all Christadelphians, millennialist and non-Trinitarian...
, led by Thomas Williams
Thomas Williams (Christadelphian)
thumb|right||Thomas WilliamsThomas Williams was a Welsh Christadelphian who emigrated to America and became editor of the Advocate magazine of the Unamended Christadelphians.-Life:...
of Chicago. Then in 1923 F.G. Jannaway broke with Walker, his former travelling companion in Palestine, when Birmingham failed to discipline two of their "Arranging Brethren" who had abstained on a vote to "disfellowship" two members serving as special constables. This split led to the formation of the Berean Christadelphians
Berean Christadelphians
The Berean Christadelphians are a Christian denomination that separated from the main Christadelphian denomination in the 1920s, withdrawing congregational fellowship in the process...
with a majority of Christadelphians in London lining up behind the Jannaway brothers. This coincided with the Jannaway brothers' support for William Smallwood in North America who led the majority of the remaining Amended Christadelphians
Amended Christadelphians
This article refers to a distinction that is today only directly relevant in North America. For more complete information on Christadelphians please see the main article...
to separate for what would be a period of thirty-two years (1923-1952).
The 1923 division proved to be the last major division within the Christadelphian movement, and after the departure of Clapham the mood in the main "Central" grouping turned towards efforts for reunions, effected 1952-1957. However in the Clapham group the doctrine of fellowship held by the Jannaway brothers, effectively guilt by association, led to further splintering. In 1926, when F.G. was 62, and his brother A.T. was 68, the brothers themselves divided over the question of the allowability of divorce in cases of adultery. A.T., who took the more lenient view and had advanced that it was allowable, had to leave Clapham, and formed the Family Journal fellowship. F.G. Jannaway also separated from another influential speaker, Viner Hall.
Publications
General:- F.G. Jannaway The British Museum with Bible in hand,: Being an interesting and intelligent survey of all the exhibits on view at the British Museum which confirm the absolute accuracy of the Holy Scriptures 1921
- F.G. Jannaway The Bible, and how it came to us Sampson, Low, Marston & Co.
- My new Bible 1915
- A Bible student in Bible lands 1926
Debate and doctrinal:
- A godless socialism: Or, The "hanging of Haman with his own rope" : a criticism of the uncertain sounds of Robert BlatchfordRobert BlatchfordRobert Peel Glanville Blatchford was a socialist campaigner, journalist and author in the United Kingdom. He was a prominent atheist and opponent of eugenics. He was also an English patriot...
concerning "God and my neighbour", and "Britain for the British" 1908 - The Salvation Army and the Bible - a lecture 1909
- Satan's biography or the Devil of "Christendom," contrasted with the Devil of the Bible 1909
- The Triune God of the Church of England, etc. Two letters by Frank George Jannaway 1913
- Christadelphian Answers on all kinds of difficulties, objections, arguments and questions 1920
- The Worst Enemies of the Bible. An indictment of the pulpit 1932
Palestine:
- Frank G. Jannaway Palestine and the Powers. The intentions and aims of Russia, Germany, Britain, and Turkey, regarding the Zionist movement, in the light of prophecy. 2nd ed. 1918
- Palestine and the Jews: Or, the Zionist movement an evidence that the Messiah will soon appear in Jerusalem to rule the whole world therefrom 1914
- Palestine and the World.
Conscientious objection:
- Without the Camp. Being the story of why and how the Christadelphians were exempted from military service. With plates and with a supplement 1917
- Lest We Forget or Have Forgotten: being a timely reminder and a warning against non-combatant service in time of war by Christadelphians 1923
- Christadelphians during the Great War 1929
Berean Christadelphian:
- Ed. Christ Our Passover; or, true Christadelphian teaching concerning the one great offering, etc. 1925
- Ed. Christadelphians Then and Now. A plea for the Birmingham statement of faith 1927
- Solemn Warnings concerning Christadelphian Apostasy 1927
- Ed. 1928 Berean Christadelphian edition of Roberts' Christendom astray from the Bible
- Christadelphians and Fellowship. Reasons for the Birmingham Statement of Faith 1934