Ida Eisenhower’s Letter
Ida was a faithful minister, regularly preaching and remaining faithful to the Watchtower until her death in 1946. While her son Dwight was a General in the U.S. Army, a young man by the name of Richard Boeckel was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses while still in the army. A member of Ida’s congregation had Ida write to him in 1944, August 20th:
A friend returning from the United Announcers Convention of Jehovah’s witnesses, informs me of meeting you there. I rejoice with you in your privilege of attending such convention.
It has been my good fortune in the years gone by to attend these meetings of those faithfully proclaiming the name of Jehovah and his glorious Kingdom which shortly now will pour out its rich blessings all over the earth.
My friend informs me of your desire to have a word from General Eisenhower’s mother whom you have been told is one of the witnesses of Jehovah. I am indeed such and what a glorious privilege it has been in association with [other Witnesses] ….
Generally I have refused such requests because of my desire to avoid all publicity. However, because you are a person of good will towards Jehovah God and his glorious Theocracy I am very happy to write you ….
It was always my desire and my effort to raise my boys in the knowledge of and to reverence their Creator. My prayer is that they all may anchor their hope in the New World, the central feature of which is the Kingdom for which all good people have been praying the past two thousand years.
I feel that Dwight my third son will always strive to do his duty with integrity as he sees such duty. I mention him in particular because of your expressed interest in him.
And so as the mother of General Eisenhower and as a Witness of and for the Great Jehovah of Hosts (I have been such for the past 49 years) I am pleased to write you and to urge you to faithfulness, as a companion of and servant with those who “keep the commands of God and have the testimony of Jesus.”
Surely this portends that very soon the glorious Theocracy, the long promised Kingdom of Jehovah the Great God and of his Son the everlasting King will rule the entire earth and pour out manifold blessings upon all peoples who are of good will towards Him. All others will be removed [killed at Armageddon].
Again may I urge your ever faithfulness to these “Higher Powers” and to the New World now so very near.
Respectfully yours in hope of and as a fighter for the New World.
Ida E. Eisenhower
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