Focus on Charles Taze Russell

Phrenology: a psychological theory or analytical method based on the belief that certain mental faculties and character traits are indicated by the configurations of the skull. — Dictionary.com Unabridged; Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

Phrenologist: One versed in phrenology; a craniologist. (Webster, 1913)

Crainology: the science that deals with the size, shape, and other characteristics of human skulls. — — Dictionary.com Unabridged; Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

Some have claimed that Russell is “into” numerology, with the idea that
Russell was into some kind of demonic occultism, or spiritism. In reality, Russell was not into any kind of spiritisic numerology. What does the word “numerology” mean?

nu⋅mer⋅ol⋅o⋅gy

noun
the study of numbers, as the figures designating the year of one’s birth, to determine their supposed influence on one’s life, future, etc.

Often many make the claim that Russell was the founder of the JWs, and confuse the JWs organization stance as the only true church with Russell. Russell did not believe an earthly “Jehovah’s organization,” as Rutherford and the JWs speak of. In truth Charles Taze Russell was not the founder of the JWs, nor did he believe in such an authoritative organization as the JWs. Russell believed that one can be saved by grace by faith in the blood of Jesus, regardless of denominational affiliation. Russell stated: “the Lord in Heaven records as members of His true Church all the saintly — whether Roman Catholics, Anglican Catholics, Greek Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, etc. — and none others…. Do we not see that a part of our mistake was in calling the outward organization the Church of Christ, instead of remembering that the Lord alone writes the names of the Church, that He alone reads the hearts, that He alone is the Judge, and that He alone has the right to blot out the names of those who become reprobates? … We must see that the Church is a comparatively small company of saintly footstep followers of Jesus, irrespective of sectarian lines.” And Russell stated: “all who are worshiping any church organization should be warned. See thou do it not.’ These are thy fellow servants. ‘Worship God.’ `Rev. 22:9`.” He further stated: “so far as the true Church is concerned, the only authority in it is the Lord, the Head of the Church, and his Word, and the words of those whom he specially chose to be his mouth-pieces, the apostles.” And, “we believe that in every nation and denomination there are some true saints of God, members therefore of the true Church of God.”

The following links provide searches of Russell’s writings for the words given related to ransom sacrifice of Jesus, salvation and the true gospel.

ransom for all

atonement Jesus

Jesus paid it all

atoning sacrifice

justified faith

justification faith

justified works

justification works

saved faith

saved works

salvation faith

salvation works

Gospel “good works”

true gospel

Gospel faith

The links below provide a Google search of Russell’s works for the words given:

Rothschild

Rothschilds

Related to arguments that Russell was a member of the  Freemason’s organization, or the false statements that Russell was financed by the Rothschilds, such as certain statements by Fritz Springmeier.
Reference is often made to Fritz Springmeier’s book “Bloodlines of the Illuminati” with the claim that the Rothchilds worked with Charles Taze Russell in sending Jewish people to Israel.

Charles Taze Russell is often associated with Thesophy by some who would try to link Russell with occultism. In reality Russell denounced Thesophy many times.

CLICK HERE to search Russell’s writings for the term “Theosophy.”

The following is the text of the article that appeared in The Bible Students Monthly, January, 1914, issue. Written by Charles Taze Russell, the article relates his viewpoint concerning “the end of the world,” and how he was not expecting the “end of the world” in 1914. Indeed, the article further shows that Russell was not expecting the second coming of Jesus in 1914, as some have claimed. We have expanded the names of some of the Bible books that were abbreviated in the original, in order to aid electronic searches for scriptural references. Links are provided for relevant information on some words or phrases of the text, which may be accessed by clicking on the words or phrases. We do not necessarily agree with all of Russell’s conclusions as presented in the article.

In 1870, at age eighteen, he cautiously attended a presentation by the famous Adventist preacher, Jonas Wendell. Wendell focused on what Russell considered to be rational, logical matters relating to Biblical prophecy and chronology, drawing attention to the future date of 1874 as the supposed date for Christ’s return.

Many sites claim that Russell was into astrology, and that he used astrology to support his expectations (often falsely presented as being “failed prophecies”) concerning 1914.

A quote that is often presented, and is often falsely attributed as words of Russell, is found in the Watch Tower of May 1, 1903. The way it is usually quoted, presented as alleged failed prophecy, is like this:

1903 “When Uranus and Jupiter meet in the humane sign of Aquarius in 1914, the long-promised era will have made a fair start in the work of setting man free to work out his own salvation, and will insure the ultimate realization of dreams and ideals of all poets and sages in history.” (Watchtower, May 1, 1903, p. 130-131; p3184 Reprints)

These links provide Google searches of Russell’s works for words pertaining to astrology.

Astrology

Stargazing

Spiritism

If anyone knows a similar term that might be added to this, click here to let us know in the comments form at the bottom of the page.

1914

CHRONOLOGY–October, 1914, Re the High Calling. Q89:1:: QUESTION (1914)–1–Dear Brother Russell, in the event of October of this year coming and going, and you should still be in the flesh, do you think that that would be an indication that the Lord had left you out of the High Calling class?

ANSWER–I would not. Our understanding, dear friends, respecting October, 1914, is that to the best of our judgment–judgment of the Scripture testimony, of how to read the chronology furnished in the Bible, to the best of our judgment the year 1914, the month of October, will mark the end of the Gentile times.

1913::

We take this occasion to remind our readers afresh that nowhere in our writings have they found anything positively stated respecting the closing years of this Age, except that we understand that the Gentile Times will close in October 1914, and that consequently we expect, speedily following that date, the transfer of the rulership of earth to the great King of Glory, in a “time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.” We have pointed out that prior to that date a testing work will be in progress in the Church–a time in which the question will be, not so much, who will fall? as, who shall be able to stand in this evil day? – Ephesians 6:11.

1908:

1886:

Many statements have been made to the effect that all of Charles Taze Russell’s expectations concerning 1914 were a failure. However, for those familiar with Russell’s writings, it is obvious that what is being said is not entirely true. Yes, not all Russell expected for 1914 came to pass, but his main expectation, that the “time of trouble” was to begin in 1914, we believe did come true.