Charles Taze Russell

by thedog1 18 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Terry

  In the Sci-Fi novel I'm writing (The Monorails of Mars) there is a scene where Maria references this event.

  1879­­­­

  “Charles, I’ve held my tongue through so much of this . . . “

  Pastor Russell’s wife, Maria lit the gas jets along the walls just as she did every evening as daylight faded. Her husband, Charles sat very still by his favorite window staring sullenly out at nothing in particular.

  “1878 was your comeuppance. All pastors and leaders reject your message. They don’t respect you or your message. They called you names when the rapture didn’t come as your time table indicated. That chart is a laughing stock . . . need I mention the invasion by Mars? Was that perhaps an invisible event as well?”

  The twenty-seven year old husband stiffened and clenched his whiskered jaw tightly. He slowly turned in his chair but said nothing. He watched his spouse in name only most curiously as she spoke.

  “I’m here as wife and helpmeet. Let me be that help. Listen to reason. Wasn’t I the one who talked you into staying home in your foolish white robe instead of joining the others on a bridge? How would that have looked on the front page? Wasn’t I right in advising you to break with that awful Barbour fellow? Was his wonderful chart worth all the money it cost you? What now, Charles? More empty predictions? Is this the purpose of our union? Can’t we simply have a conventional, yes--normal Christian marriage?” Her face flushed as her bosom heaved slightly. Her eyes bore in.

  Russell flinched, swallowed hard and stood purposefully. “Our union and our purpose were mutually limited before our marriage, Maria. We must make sacrifices of fleshly reward now for greater heavenly ones later.” At that, Maria demurely crossed the distance and stood beside her husband.

  She eagerly took his hand. “Let me be of real help in the here and now.” Russell incuriously lowered his gaze downward to his wife’s smooth, lovely hand.

  "I let you hold my meteor, isn't that enough?"

  <snip>

  The plot line being, Russell has been contaminated by an alien parasite residing in a meteor which crashed through the roof of his family home when he was a child. The parasite affects various organisms differently. Russell, for instance, becomes obsessed with the 2nd Coming, the Great Tribulation and Armageddon being connected to a Martian invasion he must warn others about. Unknown to Russell, he is a dupe being manipulated to make a laughing stock of the very idea of Martian takeover. He is influenced to set date after date which prove false.

  That's all I can say without giving anything away . . .
• 

  Finkelstein

  Thats funny Terry , will have to read this when you have it completed .
• 

  stirred but not shaken

  Old Goat has nailed it. The book (the second in a series) he refers to is by far the most comprehensive and best documented account of the history of Russell and the Bible Students. In an attempt to vilify Russell, too many make inaccurate statements, passing on rumors as facts. This only gives the opposition the powder they need. BTW, Russell was never an adventist.
• 

  Apognophos

  I don't have an opinion on this subject one way or the other, but what about the claim that when he was close to dying, Russell asked for a toga? Did he want to be wearing a white robe when he "translated" upon death? Or is that claim dubious?
• 

  designs

  Terry- that should be a scene out of V
• 

  Old Goat

  The toga was real, the reason you give for it is not. He died of a condition that makes the skin tender to touch. If you read Menta Sturgeon's original comments, you will see it was an issue of pain, not of some silly robe. Russell did not believe that one could make his own white robe. He believed a spirit bodies doctrine and saw the white robes of revelation as symbolic.

  You've detached the event from its setting. Don't swallow things like that. There is enough that is "real" to point to. When we 'apostates' point to something like this that is wrong, well known to be false, then we destroy our message.

  Part of the cure is to inform yourself. Read Penton's books. Read both of Schulz and de Vienne's books. And before you make a claim or believe someone else's claim, check it out. All the old Watch Towers are online these days. Go look. I like this board (and some of the people who post here) but its 89 percent stupid and 11 percent informed.
• 

  cofty

  Old Goat - I'm sure it was in an appendix of Studies in Scriptures that I read Russell's brief biography and a mention that he died on a train wearing a toga.

  Thank you for sharing a reasonable explanation for that.

  The book is going on my next x-mas book list
• 

  Apognophos

  The toga was real, the reason you give for it is not.

  I didn't give a reason. I asked if there was a possibility that there was a connection. The toga subject has come up before, and I haven't seen any reason given for it by anyone here.

  He died of a condition that makes the skin tender to touch.

  Thank you, that explains it.

  You've detached the event from its setting. Don't swallow things like that.

  I asked if the claim about the toga was dubious, so clearly I didn't swallow anything. Heaven forbid that we be able to ask questions on this forum.
• 

  reslight2

  Sturgeon, who admitted that he was having dificulty understanding what Russell said, claimed that Russell asked for a Toga; if Russell did ask for a Toga, even in the context of Sturgeon's report, it appears that what he was asking for was two sheet penned together over his shoulders by which he could keep himself warm. At any rate, I believe the Toga incident has been given more meaning that Russell ever intended.