Knorr became a volunteer at the Watch Tower headquarters in
Brooklyn on September 6, 1923. He became its factory manager in September 1932. In January 1934, at age 28, Knorr was elected director of the Peoples Pulpit Association, now the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. He was made its vice president in 1935. In January 1942, Knorr became president of the International Bible Students Association and the corporations now known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York. Knorr married Audrey Mock in 1953.
Jehovah's Witnesses Knorr contributed significantly to
Jehovah's Witnesses, with an intense focus on education. Within a month of his taking office, arrangements were made for an Advanced Course in Theocratic Ministry, a school that featured
Bible research and public speaking. In September 1942, Knorr suggested that the Society establish another school to train missionaries for service in foreign countries. The suggestion was unanimously approved by the board of directors. The first class of the
Gilead School, the name given to this missionary school, commenced February 1, 1943. Knorr arranged for the creation of new
branch offices in many countries. In 1942, when he became president, there were 25 branch offices worldwide. By 1946, despite
World War II, the number of branch offices increased to 57. Over the next 30 years, the number of branch offices increased to 97. Knorr began a campaign of real estate acquisition in
Brooklyn to expand the organisation's world headquarters, expanded printing production throughout the world, and organized a series of international assemblies that dwarfed those of Rutherford in the 1920s. In 1958, more than 253,000 Witnesses gathered at two
New York City venues,
Yankee Stadium, and the
Polo Grounds, for an eight-day convention where 7,136 were baptised. Other large conventions were held in the U.S., Canada, and Germany. The doctrine of
not accepting blood transfusions was also introduced during Knorr's leadership.
Organizational adjustments From October 1, 1972, there were adjustments in the oversight of the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses. The writing of
Aid to Bible Understanding led to a new understanding of the Bible's references to elders and "older men" and seems to have been the catalyst for the denomination to adjust its
organizational structure. A revision to the Watch Tower Society's organizational manual in 1972 explained, "it is noteworthy that the Bible does not say that there was only one 'older man', one overseer, in each congregation. Rather, it indicates that there were a number of such." There would no longer be one congregation servant, or overseer, but a body of elders and ministerial servants. One elder would be designated chairman, but all the elders would have equal authority and share the responsibility for making decisions. By 1975, the denomination had more than two million members. The chairmanship of the Governing Body was also impacted. In December 1975, authority over Jehovah's Witnesses passed from the president of the Watch Tower Society to the
Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses. Beginning January 1976, the Governing Body formed several committees to oversee publishing, writing, teaching, service and personnel. Knorr worked with the new arrangement, until illness shortly before his death forced his move from the world headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. Following Knorr's death in June 1977,
Frederick William Franz succeeded him as corporation president. == Death ==