Hi RR,
I guess you must've been on-line as I posted my first question. Thank you. I confess I don;t fully understand the argument. Some on this site say Russell was a mason; you say he wasn't. If say, a person did everything in the world which suggested to all observers he was a purse-snatcher, what chance do you think he would have of being believed if he denied it?
For example, and you correct any pertinent errors here, Russell and Conley started Zion's (unincorporated) Watchtower circa 1870-1881. Conley, the methodist banker was president, and parted company with Russell circa 1884 when Russel decided to incorporate.(Zion and zionism are related subjects)
Zionism, while not yet publicly articluated by Theodor Herzl until 1897, existed within the Jewish Haskalah movement. It had as part of its theology the restoration of a Jewish state (Judenstaat). The European banking dynasties of families such as Bauer, Herch, Cassell Oppenheimer et.al virtually controlled Europe's political destiny. These folk were gradually making inroads to the Americas and Asia during this period. Many American bankers were Bauer's (Rothschild) agents.My understanding is that Conley was one such an agent.Russell and his ideas of a restored Jewish state seemed to be linked to the theology of the very secret societies that the Banker-families headed. Religiously, they identified themselves then as the Illuminated Ones within the guise of ostensibly benevolent and Christian groups such as Freemasonry.
Russell, by all appearances, adopted much masonic imagery. "Watcher", and "watchtowers" not in any wise reminiscient of middle-eastern construction, but mystical versions of a LightHouse and crashing waves reminscient of Tarot card #7. The Rose & Crown, Knight's Helmut & Weaponry , pyramid theology or dispensationalism is highly suggestive of Knights Templar links. These links are fairly extensive, and this is why I say that Russell was flagging to all onlookers that he was a mason and had secret masonic agenda. How would you reply to this?