Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society was started in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on February 16, 1881 to organize the printing and sharing of pamphlets written about God and the Bible. William Henry Conley, a Pittsburgh businessman, was its first president and Russell was its secretary-treasurer. Its main publication was "Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence", a Bible-based magazine first published in 1879 by Russell. On December 15, 1884, the society became officially registered and Russell was listed as its president. Russell wrote its charter, or statement of its purpose, and explained that it was for "the mental, moral and religious improvement of men and women, by teaching the Bible by means of the publication and distribution of Bibles, books, papers, pamphlets and other Bible literature, and by providing oral lectures free for the people". 