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Charles Taze Russell

Charles Taze Russell, (February 16, 1852 - October 31, 1916), founder of the Bible Students Association, which developed into what is today Jehovah's Witnesses.

Russell was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA. He was the second son of Joseph L. Russell and Ann Eliza Birney, who were Presbyterians of Scottish-Irish descent.

Russell was a skilled businessman. He became a partner with his father in a lucrative clothing store at the age of 11 and opened several shops of his own.

By the time he was 18, Russell had left both Presbyterianism and Congregationalism because he could not reconcile the idea of an eternal hell with God's mercy: "A God that would use his power to create human beings whom he foreknew and predestinated should be eternally tormented, could be neither wise, just nor loving. His standard would be lower than that of many men."

Russell was no atheist though, he just could not accept the teachings of the churches: "Gradually I was led to see that though each of the creeds contained some elements of truth, they were, on the whole, misleading and contradictory of God’s Word." Turning away from church creeds and searching for truth, Russell examined some leading Oriental religions, only to find these unsatisfying. His faith in the Bible was rekindled by Adventist Preacher Jonas Wendell. Adventists introduced him to the idea that the Bible could be used to predict God's plan of salvation and Christ's return. In Russell's own words:

"Seemingly by accident, one evening I dropped into a dusty, dingy hall, where I had heard religious services were held, to see if the handful who met there had anything more sensible to offer than the creeds of the great churches. There, for the first time, I heard something of the views of Second Adventists [Advent Christian Church], the preacher being Mr. Jonas Wendell . . . Thus, I confess indebtedness to Adventists as well as to other denominations. Though his Scripture exposition was not entirely clear, . . . it was sufficient, under God, to re-establish my wavering faith in the divine inspiration of the Bible, and to show that the records of the apostles and prophets are indissolubly linked. What I heard sent me to my Bible to study with more zeal and care than ever before, and I shall ever thank the Lord for that leading; for though Adventism helped me to no single truth, it did help me greatly in the unlearning of errors, and thus prepared me for the Truth."

Thus, in 1870, Russell and some of his aquaintances began a systematic study of the bible. An associate later described their study this way: "Someone would raise a question. They would discuss it. They would look up all related scriptures on the point and then, when they were satisfied on the harmony of these texts, they would finally state their conclusion and make a record of it."

As they researched the Bible, they concluded that immortality was a gift to be attained by those who became corulers with Christ in his heavenly Kingdom. (Ezek. 18:20; Rom. 2:6, 7) They saw the doctrine of the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the opportunity that this provision made possible for humankind. (Matt. 20:28) They concluded that although Jesus first came to the earth as a man in the flesh, at his return he would be invisibly present as a spirit person. (John 14:19) They further found that the reason for Jesus’ return was not to destroy everyone, but to bless the obedient families of the earth. (Gal. 3:8) Russell wrote: "We felt greatly grieved at the error of Second Adventists, who were expecting Christ in the flesh, and teaching that the world and all in it except Second Adventists would be burned up."

1872 Charles Taze Russell who founded the International Bible Students Association. Forerunner to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Before they became known as the Jehovah's Witnesses, they were called Russellites, Millennial Dawnists, and International Bible Students. Russell was a Knights Templar Mason of York Rite, in Allegheny Pa. Confirmed Mason. Also Russell had a secret Rosicrucian membership with the Quakertown, PA group of Rosicrucian's, as revealed by the pyramid he ordered erected over his grave site. Also his use of the Winged-Sun-Disk. 1874 The Lord became present in October, 1874" {TKIC 1923 Ed 235} [many other references in HOTW, TIAH 170, OLOR 27, HIS2 133]

1874-8 "Our Lord's presence as Bridegroom and Reaper was recognized during the first three and a half years, from A.D. 1874 to A.D. 1878." {TIAH 1913 Ed 239}

1876 January when he was 23 years old, Russell received a copy of The Herald of the Morning, an Adventist magazine published by Nelson H. Barbour of Rochester, New York. One of the distinguishing features of Barbour's group at that time was their belief that Christ returned invisibly in 1874, and this concept presented in The Herald captured Russell's attention. It meant that this Adventist splinter group had not remained defeated, as others had, when Christ failed to appear in 1874 as Adventist leaders had predicted; somehow this small group had managed to hold onto the date by affirming that the Lord had indeed returned at the appointed time, only invisibly. Wealthy Russell paid Barbour's way to Philadelphia and met with him to discuss both beliefs and finances. The upshot was that Russell became the magazine's financial backer and was added to the masthead as an Assistant Editor. He contributed articles for publication as well as monetary gifts, and Russell's small study group similarly became affiliated with Barbour's. Russell and Barbour believed and taught that Christ's invisible return in 1874 would be followed soon afterward, in the spring of 1878 to be exact, by the Rapture-the bodily snatching away of believers to heaven. The Witnesses do not believe in rapture in modern day doctrines, but that only a 144.000 will go to heaven.

1878 When this expected Rapture failed to occur on time in 1878, The Herald's editor, Mr. Barbour, came up with "new light" on this and other doctrines. (Sound familiar) Russell, however, rejected some of the new ideas and persuaded other members to oppose them. Finally, Russell quit the staff of the Adventist magazine and started his own. He called it Zion's watchtower and Herald of Christ's Presence and published its first issue with the date July 1879. In the beginning it had the same mailing list as The Herald of the Morning and considerable space was devoted to refuting the latter on points of disagreement, Russell having taken with him a copy of that magazine's mailing list when he resigned as assistant editor. At this point Charles Russell no longer wanted to consider himself an Adventist, nor a Millerite. But, he continued to view Miller and Barbour as instruments chosen by God to lead His people in the past. The formation of a distinct denomination around Russell was a gradual development. His immediate break was, not with Adventism, but with the person and policies of N. H. Barbour. 1891 For 62 years,

1891 to 1953, the WTS taught that God resided on the star Alcyone in the Pleiades constellation and that from this star he governed the universe! This belief was taught in 1891 in Volume 3 of Studies in the Scriptures and was based on passages in the Bible. The WTS also taught that the Great Pyramid of Egypt provided additional proof of God's throne in the Pleiades! (The Golden Age 1924 September 10 pp. 793-794)

1902 July 15, While it is true that the white race exhibits some qualities of superiority over any other, we are to remember that there are wide differences in the same Caucasian (Semitic and Aryan) family; and also we should remember that some of the qualities which have given this branch of the human family its preeminence in the world are not such as can be pointed to as in all respects admirable....The secret of the greater intelligence and aptitude of the Caucasian undoubtedly in great measure is to be attributed to the commingling of blood amongst its various branches; and this was evidently forced in large measure by circumstances under divine control. (Zion's Watch Tower, July 15, 1902, p.215-216)

1904 8th of April. Aleister Crowley claimed that, in Cairo at 12 noon exactly and for the following two days at the exact same time?he actually heard a voice in his ear, dictating the words of the text (as if through some transmitter in his brain), and that he transcribed them faithfully. It was not "inspired," then, so much as received. The voice itself claimed to be that of Aiwass, or Aiwaz, "the minister of Hoor-paar-kraat," or otherwise, Horus, the god of force and fire, child of Isis and Osiris, and self-appointed conquering lord of the New Aeon, officially announced through his chosen scribe, "the prince-priest the Beast." This much of Crowley?s controversial life and claims is more or less confirmed. It is, as promised, to be found, there in the writings themselves?the proof as it were is in the pudding. Anyone who has read the work, and suffered the resulting conflictive feelings of admiration and disgust, will not doubt that there is something about the "little red book" that puts it in a class all its own. The whole apparatus of ceremonial magick (as conceived and adapted by the Golden Dawn and its offshoots, many of which were directly influenced by Crowley) that formed the true inner protocol of Nazism (originally spawned by the Thule Society) is dedicated?in theory?to the one single end and purpose of: contact with preterhuman or extraterrestrial forces.

1906 This testimony was given by Mrs. Russell on direct examination on Thursday, April 26, 1906 from a suit for a separation brought by Martha (sic) F. Russell against Charles Taze Russell, her husband, popularly known as Pastor Russell Then he said, "I am like a jellyfish. I float around here and there. I touch this one and that one, and if she responds I take her to me, and if not, I float on to others"; and she wrote that out so that I could remember it for sure when I would speak to him about it. And he confessed that he said those things.

1906 Two of the key early Watchtower Society leaders were Bundy's. These were Walter H. Bundy, who went with Charles Taze Russell to Great Britain on his May 29-31, 1909 trip, and Edwin Bundy who worked at the Bethel Headquarters at the turn of the century and traveled around the U.S. for the Watchtower Society from 1906 to 1910.

1914 The supposed end of the "Gentile Times", Jesus would come to judge the earth and annihilate the wicked.

1914 Russell's prediction for Armageddon fails.

1914 The Watchtower Society started transferring all of the doctrines about 1874 to 1914. They explained that Christ's kingdom had been set up invisibly in 1914, and that although secular governments were still in place, their rule was no longer valid. Based on the Society's writings, Jehovah's Witnesses looked forward to momentous events in the year 1918.

1915 Russell's prediction for Armageddon fails.

Russell acknowledged assistance from other individuals as well as Jonas Wendell, two whom Russell were most fond of were, George W. Stetson, pastor of the Advent Christian Church in Edinboro, Pennsylvania and George Storrs, publisher of the magazine Bible Examiner, in Brooklyn, New York. Russell read extensively. He acknowledged indebtedness to Joseph Agustus Seiss, a Lutheran clergyman, for his initial views on an invisible return of Christ. He was also influenced by Henry Dunn. --See "To Readers of the Herald of the Morning, 1879.

In 1877, Russell wrote The Object and Manner of the Lord’s Return. Though later Watchtower publications give a publication date of 1873, all known copies have an 1877 publication date. Around 50,000 copies were published. In 1879, he began publishing Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, now known as The Watchtower.

Convinced of the need to promote what he considered to be the truth of the Bible’s message, Russell dissolved his partnership in his father's haberdashery business and devoted his entire fortune, approximately a quarter of a million dollars, to the promulgation of the Christian religion and the distribution of Bible literature.

With the help of tutors, Russell managed to master the use of Hebrew and Greek dictionaries to study the Bible. Russell (who was never ordained by an institution) dedicated his life and his fortune to preaching Christ's millennial reign. In 1881 he founded Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society, known today as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, which became a flourishing publishing enterprise. His own books and booklets (notably seven volumes of Studies in the Scriptures) reached a circulation of 16 million copies in 35 languages, and 2,000 newspapers published his weekly sermons.

Russell died at the age of 64 on a train in Pampa, Texas, while on a lecture tour of the midwestern and southern parts of the United States.

I desire to be buried in the plot of ground owned by our Society, in the Rosemont United Cemetery, and all the details of arrangements respecting the funeral service I leave in the care of my sister, Mrs. M. M. Land, and her daughters, Alice and May, or such of them as may survive me, with the assistance and advice and cooperation of the brethren, as they may request the same. Instead of an ordinary funeral discourse, I request that they arrange to have a number of the brethren, accustomed to public speaking, make a few remarks each, that the service be very simple and inexpensive and that it be conducted in the Bible House Chapel or any other place that may be considered equally appropriate or more so. (from Watchtower Reprints, 12/1/16) for those wishing to visit the gravesite: The area is the North Hills area of Pittsburgh. It is in the "Rosemont United Cemeteries at Allegheny, in the Bethel Family plot, according to his request." (Jehovah's Witnesses In The Divine Purpose, 1959, p. 62) Charles T. Russell Gravesite External Link

Interest in pyramids

Russell believed that the Great Pyramid of Gizeh was "the stone Witness". This is often reflected in his life and writings. Even in his death, he had a huge pyramid structure dedicated to him, which can still be seen to this very day in Rosemont United Cemetery.

During his life, Russell looked to the pyramid of Gizeh for collaboration for his prophecies. He did this by using a system of measurments:

"In the passages of the Great Pyramid of Gizeh the agreement of one or two measurements with the present-truth chronology might seem accidental, but the correspondency of dozens of measurements proves that the same God designed both pyramid and plan..." (Watchtower 1922 June 15 p.187.)

The second president of the Watchtower Society, Joseph Franklin Rutherford, eventually began to distance the organisation from some of Russell's teachings and doctrines. One of the many things he rejected from Russell's teachings was his teaching on the Great Pyramid.