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Life of Pastor Russell
By E. D. Stewart
PASTOR Charles Taze Russell was born February 16, 1852, and died Oct. 31, 1916,
aged 64 years 8 months and 15 days. Thus in years, months and days, we measure the
duration of his life; but measuring the duration of a life is not measuring the life.
"We live in deeds not years;
In thoughts, not breaths."
We can count the number of his years, but many a man has lived longer to whom
mankind owes no debt of gratitude. We can count the number of his days, but the value
of a day depends upon what is put into it. One day may be worth a thousand other days,
and how much he accomplished in those 64 years we can only begin to know when we
learn the intensity with which he lived them.
In testimony meetings, thousands all over our land and in every land under the sun, bear
witness to their gratitude to God that he has raised up a man who has been the
instrument in his land of snatching them from the very brink of doubt and infidelity,
placing their feet on the solid rock of Christ's "ransom for all." Some of these men
simply could not believe the Bible as interpreted by their religious teachers. They would
not say they believed when they did not. They did not wish to be infidels, and they
bewailed their lack of faith and hope. You need not tell me that normally constituted
men are infidels from choice. You need not tell me that normally constituted men
deliberately choose to believe and are glad to believe that they die as the brutes, with no
hope of a future life. Many of these men are infidels not so much from their own fault as
from the fault of their religious teachers who gave them an interpretation of the Bible
contrary to reason and impossible for them to believe. Many a man in this attitude has
gone to hear Pastor Russell. They have gone to the service infidels and came back
rejoicing Christians. Their religious teachers kept saying: "Don't go to hear that man
Russell; he preaches dangerous doctrine." But, by the grace of God, they went and
received the spiritual food they had been starving for, the spiritual food their religious
teachers did not know how to give. It is no wonder that men would sometimes stand in
a crowded aisle and listen to his inspiring words for two hours at a time without moving
from their places --no wonder, when those words were bringing hope instead of despair,
faith in the place of doubt, peace in the place of agitation and unrest, joy in the place of
sadness.
When men with heart full of gratitude would tell him of the blessings they had received,
he would simply say something like this: "Brother, I am glad you received blessing
from God's word; his truth is very precious." He simply ignored his part in the matter.
In proof that this was his attitude, hear his own words, as found on page 10 of his
celebrated book, "The Divine Plan of the Ages."
"Though in this work we shall endeavor, and we trust with success, to set before the
interested and unbiased reader the plan of God as it relates to and explains the past, the
present and the future of his dealings, in a way more harmonious, beautiful and
reasonable than is generally understood, yet that this is the result of extraordinary
wisdom or ability on the part of the writer, is positively disclaimed. It is the light from
the Sun of Righteousness in this dawning of the Millennial Day that reveals these things
as present truth, etc."
He believed that the time was due for these truths to be made known, and if he had not
written them, God would have found some one else to do so.
One of the great objects of his life was to show that the Bible, when correctly translated
and rightly understood is harmonious throughout, and gives the most exalted and
uplifting conception of our Creator and our duties to him that is possible for a human
being to attain. To show this complete harmony of the Bible, of all its parts, was no
easy task. It meant labor. At that time there was great indifference on the part of the
people. Most of them did not seem to care whether the various texts of the Bible were in
harmony with one another or not. Each seemed more interested in seeking such texts as
prove or seemed to prove his particular creed, and ignored such texts as oppose it. Even
ministers, when texts were brought to their attention that contradicted their creed, would
make such remarks as: "Oh, don't trouble yourself about such matters as that. There is
enough in the fifth chapter of Matthew to save anybody." They were merely seeking
such knowledge as they thought would save them and their friends, and seemed utterly
indifferent as to what truth honors God most. In 1st Sam. 2:30 the Lord says, "Them
that honor me, I will honor." This promise is not to those who carry on some great
work of charity or make some great attempt to convert the world, for these things are
often done in such a way as to dishonor God. Many are engaged in these things; few
make it the chief object of their lives to do those things and to preach those doctrines
that bring most honor to God's name. Most men seem utterly indifferent on this matter.
At a time when such indifference was widely prevalent, Pastor Russell began his work
of showing the harmony of the Bible with itself and with the character of its Divine
Author. He saw that there is no way to bring permanent blessing to the human race
except through faith in God and faith in the Bible. He, therefore, sought to show how
worthy the Bible is of all our faith and love. That was the great motive of his life. We
know that this was his motive, not because he has told us so, but because the motive
rings through every article that he wrote and every sermon that he preached. A motive
like that could not live in a narrow life. It could not find room in a little heart.
Therefore it is natural for us, as thoughtful men and women, to inquire, "What were the
events of his life and the various circumstances leading up to such a motive? What
must his childhood, his boyhood and his early manhood have been?"
Charles T. Russell was the second son of Joseph L. and Ann Eliza Russell, and was
born in Pittsburgh, Pa. His father was a well-to-do merchant, and the son, when not
engaged in study, spent much of his time helping his father in the store. By so doing, he
rendered himself liable to the awful charge that certain ministers in various parts of the
country have brought against him, that in his early life he was "a seller of shirts." In
this work, however, he developed the qualities of industry, perseverance and
earnestness of purpose, qualities that have been such prominent characteristics of his
mature years. As the father was a very successful business man, it was only natural for
the son also to begin business as a merchant. In this work the young man manifested
such business acumen that, in a few years, he was the owner of five clothing stores. In
all this work he was so thoroughly honest and his goods so thoroughly reliable that his
success was marvelous, so marvelous that some who then knew him believe that if he
had continued in the mercantile business he might have rivaled in the accumulation of
wealth some of the richest money kings
of his day. But his great desire was not to be rich, but to be useful. We need not tell
you this, you may know it for yourself when you consider the following facts:
At one time in his life, while he was yet a young man, the valuation of his real and
personal property is said to have reached over $200,000. Of this $40,000 were spent in
the publication and circulation of his first book, "Food for Thinking Christians." At
various times he contributed large amounts to the Society of which he was president. In
fact at the time of his death he had but $200 left of his own private fortune.
Notwithstanding this fact, there have been men so ignorant of the facts in the case, or
had so little regard for truth and veracity as to say: "Russell has just started this religious
movement as a money-making scheme." The utter foolishness of such a statement could
not be fully manifest to persons unacquainted with the manner in which the Watch
Tower Bible and Tract Society is operated. The very idea of a company of men getting
rich preaching the gospel without money and without price, while their friends at the
various appointments advertised the meetings "Seats free; no collection." The truth of
the matter is that those ministers who have done this talking about "money making
scheme" concerning Pastor Russell have simply been "measuring his corn in their own
half-bushel." A man whose own life is actuated by low motives cannot appreciate a
higher motive in another man.
In all of Pastor Russell's work, and in all the work of the Society including missionary
work, translation of the books into all the important modern languages, exhibition of the
Photo Drama of Creation, etc., not one penny was ever solicited and no collection was
ever taken. That, of course, does not mean that money has not been liberally
contributed, but every contribution is and must be absolutely voluntary and unsolicited.
Two years ago last summer in the northern part of Pennsylvania, a little girl eight years
old came to me after the services and said: "Here is five cents to help other little boys
and girls to see the Photo Drama." The five cents were forwarded to the Watch Tower
office, along with larger contributions, and in the course of a few days the proper officer
of the Society sent her a receipt with just the same care that a $50 contribution in a
neighboring town was receipted for.
Pastor Russell was a man of great faith, and he always had perfect confidence that
money would be forthcoming for every work that the Lord wanted done. On one
occasion, after he had spoken to a large audience, he was shaking hands with the people
as they passed out, when a man handed him an envelope. He put it into his pocket and
went on shaking hands. After a few minutes some of the brethren were consulting with
him concerning some work that all agreed would be good to have done; "but where was
the money to come from?" Brother Russell said: "If it is a work the Lord wants done, he
will see that the money is provided." He opened the envelope. It contained a check for
one thousand dollars, and the work went on.
Men have sometimes come to him and said: "Brother Russell, I have been greatly
blessed by your explanation of the Scriptures. I feel that this is a great work. How can I
get some money into it?" This may sound strange to men who all their lives have been
dunned for money "to pay the preacher," but "Truth is stranger than fiction." "The Lord
loveth a cheerful giver. The cattle on a thousand hills are his," and he does not need
money that must be begged for or raffled for at box socials or church fairs.
His "Divine Plan of the Ages" has a circulation several times that of any other book
ever published in the English language except the Bible. He is the author of five other
principal books and of numerous booklets and tracts. He is also the author of the "Photo
Drama of Creation," which has been seen and heard by over nine millions
of people. His sermons of recent years have appeared regularly every week in over a
thousand newspapers, and are read by millions of people.
While Pastor Russell had his friends and admirers he also had his enemies and
persecutors. "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." So if any
one is not suffering persecution he is not living godly in Christ Jesus. When you read
that a certain man did not have an enemy in the world, you have found a man that never
steadfastly and earnestly opposed the wrong. On the other hand, every man that has
done anything earnestly to free the race from wrong and error and superstition has had
his opposers and persecutors. Christ and all his apostles save one suffered martyrdom
for the truth they preached, and from that day to this, every man who stood for
unpopular truth and against popular error has had his persecutors. So Pastor Russell has
likewise had his persecutors who tried to minimize his work, burned his books and
attempted to destroy his good name. Yes, they sometimes burned his books, and they
did so for the very same reason that they used to burn the Bibles; they were afraid of the
truth there was in them. But the more they burned the books, the more the truth spread.
I had the pleasure a few months ago of speaking in a town where, not long before, some
of the religionists had got together and agreed to advise the people to burn Pastor
Russell's books. In a few weeks colporteurs came into the town and sold far more
books than had been burned. The bigots who had burned the books had merely aroused
the curiosity of the people. In the Dark Ages they sometimes sought to terrify the
people by burning the Bibles in the streets, and thus compel them to submit to the
prescribed forms of religion, the "Orthodox" forms. There is too much of the spirit of
liberty and tolerance in free America for such an indignity to be perpetrated to-day
without arousing a sense of justice in the minds of those who hate tyranny.
It is interesting to note how the books have found their way through the hands of those
who did not appreciate them into the hands of those who did. It often happens that one
man buys and does not appreciate them, then loans them to another man who enjoys
them with all his heart. At one of the conventions, a lady tells us that a friend sent her
"The Divine Plan of the Ages" and she burned it. Another friend sent her a second book
of the same kind, and she burned it. A third friend sent her a third book, and she stopped
and thought. It is sometimes a good thing to stop and think. "Finally," says she, "I read
this book and it burned me." By this, I suppose, she means that it burned away all her
prejudice and left her ready for the heart-glow of joy that comes to those who see what
beautiful truth God has in store for those who are ready to enjoy it.
The parents of Charles T. Russell were of the "orthodox" faith, and up to the age of
fifteen he believed all and only such doctrines as his sectarian ministers took the trouble
to teach him. To fully understand doctrines at that time was very difficult. The clergy
as a rule discouraged questions. So he simply believed the doctrines of the church he
attended, especially the doctrine of the eternal torment of all except the saints. His
favorite teacher was Spurgeon, because, as he said, "he peppered it hot," his claim being
that if one believed a thing he should tell it with all his might. So at the age of fifteen
he used to go about the city of Pittsburg on Saturday evenings with a piece of chalk
writing on the fence boards and telling the people not to fail to attend church on Sunday,
so that they might escape that terrible hell in which he so firmly believed. At about this
time it seems that Providence had decreed that he should attempt to reclaim an infidel
friend to Christianity. By skillful questions that neither layman or minister could
answer and hold to the accepted creed, the infidel completely routed young Russell, and
he became
a skeptic. He saw, for instance, that with the doctrine of eternal torment in it he could
not believe the Bible; though he still held to a belief in God and the hope of a future life.
As he desired to learn the truth in regard to the hereafter, the next few years were
devoted to the investigation of the claims of the leading Oriental religions, all of which
he found unworthy of credence. At the age of twenty he was possessed of much
knowledge and voluminous data in regard to "religion" as believed and practiced in all
parts of the world, but his mind was unsatisfied and unsettled.
At length he decided to search the Scriptures for their own answer on hell-fire and
brimstone. Here was the turning point in his life. Picture to yourself a young man in
the early twenties with large business responsibilities upon him, and with little time for
research, and yet longing to know the truth in regard to the great hereafter. He believed
that the Creator of all things must be a loving God, and in harmony with this he read in
the Bible, "God is love." He also read, "The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies
are over all his works." That too was in harmony with what he believed the character of
the Creator must be. But how could he harmonize this with what his creed taught?
How could God's tender mercies be over all his works when some of his works, some of
his creatures, were to be roasted eternally in an abyss of fire and terrors? How could
there be any "tender mercies" in a course like that? How could our loving Creator be a
God like that? Then the question came, Does the Bible really teach the eternal torture of
the unsaved?
As he searched the Scriptures for the answer, the answer came. Not one text, merely,
but texts by the hundreds showing the foolishness and unreasonableness of the doctrine
of eternal torment. We do not know the order in which these texts came to his mind,
but we know that they came. He read, "The Lord preserveth all them that love him"
(Yes, he preserveth them, to all eternity) "but all the wicked will be destroyed." It does
not say "All the wicked will he roast eternally." Again he reads, "He that converteth the
sinner from the error of his ways shall save a soul from death," not from eternal
torment. Again he reads "The soul that sinneth it shall die," not live in torment eternally.
In fact, he saw that all the comparisons and contrasts in the Bible are never between life
in happiness and life in misery, but always between life and death, eternal life or eternal
death, all the wicked utterly destroyed in what the Scriptures call "the second death," so
completely destroyed that "they shall be as though they had not been," and even "the
remembrance of the wicked shall rot," utterly pass from the memory of all forever.
Then this young man saw God finally triumphant over all evil, when "at his name every
knee shall bow," when "at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven on the
earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory
of the Father." So he saw the whole glad universe uniting in one grand hymn of praise
to the Creator, no room in that happy universe for men or demons who choose to remain
in rebellion against the Creator, but all ready to join in a hymn of praise. Then this
young man saw a loving God looking down upon a sin-cursed earth with an eye of pity
and love, and in order to make it possible for us to have eternal life, he must give what
was dearest to him in the whole universe. "For God so loved the world that he gave his
only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not die eternally but live
eternally." When, as a young man, Charles T. Russell saw all this and far more, his
great heart was thrilled to its very depths. He was ready to do anything for the God he
had found to be so wise, so loving, so wonderful. It was then that he gave his heart to
the Lord in full consecration, ready to do or say or be whatever the Lord might show
him. Little
did he care for wealth, or fame, or worldly pleasure. He had found a better God than he
before had known, and he must tell it, and he did tell it out with a shout, hallelujah!
Praise God's holy name, that he has found a man strong enough, true enough, brave
enough to vindicate His character from the unscriptural and unreasonable doctrine of
eternal torment. To the very ends of the earth he has told the Bible truth that "the wages
of sin is death," and not eternal torment. Yes, and his words have been heard, heard by
many who will not admit that they have heard, believed by many who will not admit
that they believe. A few years ago a minister who was then preaching in this country
was asked by one of his parishioners if he believed the doctrine of eternal torment. He
admitted that he did not. "Then why do you preach it?" asked the parishioner. "Oh,
there has to be some kind of a whip to bring them in," was the reply. A minister who
used to preach in Waynesburg made the same admission to one of his parishioners.
"Then why don't you tell your congregation so?" said the parishioner. "If I did that, I
could not hold this pastorate," was the reply. A minister of Washington, Pa., made the
same admission. The young man said to the minister: "Then, why don't you tell your
congregation? He replied: "Young man, my bread isn't buttered on that side." That is the
very class of men that are circulating false reports about Pastor Russell and other men
who are opposing their false doctrines.
"Yes, but in regard to Pastor Russell's character, the people say__________" Yes, "the
people say" and "the people said" are the cudgels with which Satan has destroyed the
reputation of many an innocent man. A few years ago, W. W. Giles, a leading financier
of Brown Summit, N.C., made the following offer and published it broadcast wherever
the English language is spoken:
"I have deposited $1,000 in the American Exchange National Bank of Greensboro,
N.C., and $500 in the First National Bank of Miami, Florida, to be paid to the first
person who proves through any court of justice in the United States that Pastor Russell
is guilty of immorality such as is the gossip of those ministers who preach 'for pay.'"
No one ever responded.
The editor of the Evening Journal of Wilmington, Del., about two years ago, published
a statement that his columns were open to the publication of anything that might be
published against Pastor Russell's character, provided the whole truth was stated with
all the related circumstances and accompanied by the writer's name. Why did none of
Pastor Russell's defamers respond to this fair offer?
The people say! The people said! Satan's weapon now; Satan's weapon always. The
people said that Jesus was a blasphemer. His friends on one occasion "went out to lay
hold on him, for they said, He is beside himself." The people said that the apostles were
unfit to live, and put them to death. The people said that the noble John Huss was unfit
to live, and when they burned him at the stake, they confined a ball of brass in his
mouth, in order, as the historian states, "that the people might not understand his just
defense against their unjust condemnation." The people said that the brave Savonarola
was a heretic and they hanged him and afterwards burned his body in reproach.
The people said that the noble Alexandre Campbell was a "heretic." "He is not
orthodox." "He is little better than an infidel." The people said that the brave and true
John Wesley was a "falsifier," "a fomenter of strife," "a breeder of contention." They
talked about the jealousy of his wife against Sarah Ryan, the jealousy against him of the
husband of Sophia Christiana Williamson and how his wife finally deserted him. Does
what the people say, weaken our confidence in the purity of John Wesley's life? By no
means. The only difficulty was that he was so pure-minded himself that he forgot to
guard himself well against impure minds who were watching to
find a charge against him. John Wesley, Alexander Campbell, Charles T. Russell, three
of the bravest, purest men of modern times and the three most severely persecuted and
slandered. Do we believe those slanders? Not if we are charitable, thoughtful and wise.
Their names will go down in history together as the three greatest and truest reformers
of the last two hundred years. We have only space to conclude with a quotation from
Judge Rutherford:
From a personal and painstaking examination of every charge that has been made
against Pastor Russell, I am thoroughly convinced and confidently state that he is the
most unjustly persecuted man on earth. Notwithstanding this, his good work continues,
and thousands testify to the blessings received therefrom. For many years he has stood
forth to battle for the right. He is prematurely aged from his arduous and unselfish
labors in behalf of mankind. He is loved most by those who know him best, and while
he has some relentless enemies, his staunch and substantial friends are numbered by the
thousands.
Obtained from What Pastor Russell Wrote for the Overland Monthy, pages 435-441.
For more information about Charles Taze Russell, see:
http://reslight.net/l-russell.html
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