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[freyd]

  http://ctr.reslight.net/?p=127

"With this background, then, if we apply these to various time-periods in the history of the church, which I believe we should do, to what extent are we to keep the singularity of the literal application to singular individuals in the history of the church, or does it lose its singularity of application? It certainly loses it application of singularity of a single church in a specific location.

Then, also, we have the problem of trying to identify who these individuals might be. Not all Bible Students agree on who they are, and there are several different versions of "who" they might be, both from within the Bible Student movment and by writers not associated with the Bible Student movement. To what extent should we spend our time looking for each of these individuals and/or studying their writings? To what extent should we submit ourselves to their writings and not go beyond they wrote, even if we have what they wrote? To what extent should we hold ourselves to the writings of Martin Luther, for example, who wrote over 60,000 pages of material?

Further, we often here some say that they are fully in agreement with what Brother Russell, since he was the "last" messenger to the church. Is there anyone who is 100% in agreement with all that Russell wrote, or who actually does stay by everything he wrote, and not beyond? As far as that goes, where in his writings does he say to do this? Many have indeed added much to, and often contradicted, what Brother Russell wrote in their zeal to claim that we should follow only what Russell wrote."

What was Russell's last statement concerning trying to find Brother Russell in the Bible? As far as we have been able to determine, it was this:

"Another thing: Some of the dear brethren seem to find as much about Brother Russell in the Bible as they find about the Lord Jesus, and I think that is a great mistake. I do not find it there. Some of them say that I am blinded on that subject, that they all can see better than I can. Perhaps they can, I do not know, but I think, dear friends, that there is a danger in that direction, and I would like to put you all on guard. I think it is the Lord's will that we should recognize every agency God uses, but we are not to recognize any agency of God as being in any competition whatever with the Lord or with his divine arrangement. He is the fountain of blessing, he only is most to be praised. I think that is the right sentiment. I believe you all agree with that. And yet I think there is a danger of some dear friends preaching Brother Russell. Brother Russell would like for you not to do so.

"He thinks it would not be to the glory of God. Let me repeat, then, dear friends, that in my opinion we have so much of the Gospel of God, so much of his plan to study, so many opportunities of showing forth his praises, that we should employ all our time in that way. My advice, therefore, is that we give very little attention to anything outside of that.

"The Scriptures do indeed say that we may render honor to him to whom honor is due, and that is applicable to anybody and everybody; as, for instance, we look back and we see Martin Luther, and he did a grand work, and we thank God for him; and we might say the same of John Wesley, and very truthfully; I am glad in God's providence he lived, and that he was a faithful man. And there were others of the Lord's people in the past. Let us be glad and rejoice in every one, and be thankful to God he has used various agencies in helping us, and in helping others, and in bringing forward his great cause; but let us not go into anything that would be at all like man-worship, for I am sure that would be displeasing to the Lord and injurious to ourslves. I remind you again of the Scripture in Revelations where the Church is pictured, which we called attention to, I believe, thirty years ago. John, the revelator, who was seeing these things, fell down to worship the angel who showed them to him, and the angel said, 'See thou do it not; worship God; I am thy fellowservant.'

"And so, dear friends, if our Heavenly Father and our Heavenly Lord have used Brother Russell in any measure he is very glad and very thankful to be used. And if the Lord is pleased to use him any more, he will be glad to be used down to the last breath, but he does not want any worship, he does not want any undue adoration, he does not want any praise. He is glad to have the love of all those who are brethren of the Lord and to be considered a fellow-servant with all, striving to bring to pass all the glorious things that God has promised, striving to tell the good tidings of great joy to as many as the Lord, our God, shall call." -1910; ("Convention Report Sermons", pg. 125)
http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/russell/crs.pdf


Thus, Brother Russell did feel that many of his brothers were "preaching Brother Russell" and possibly getting into creature worship by doing this. The fact that many would be involved in such a worship was demonstrated in John's worship of the angel. Is it up to us to determine the heart of another, as to whether he is actually giving worship to creature should only belong to God? Do any of us, personally, have that power to know the hearts of others along this line?"