While on a lecture tour of the midwestern and southern parts of the US, 89 years ago, Charles Taze Russell died on a train in Pampa,Texas, at the age of 64 (picture of him in 1916 below).
What happened on October 31, 1916?
by blondie 16 Replies latest jw friends
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ozziepost
Makes ya wonder - what would have happened if he'd lived longer and Joe Ratherflawed hadn't made his coup?
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blondie
Based on my Bible Student grandparents, things would have been much different. They were not happy with JFR's "improvements."
I always thought CTR was so much older. I was surprised to find out he had a sister, Margaret (Mae) Land, who lived into her 90's dying in the late 1940's. I guess she wasn't a JW.
He did have a half sister/niece by his fathers' second wife, who was also his sister-in-law. It made for
a complicated relationship. His half-sister called him "uncle."It's amazing how such information never makes the Proclaimers book.
Blondie
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Seeker4
Russell was only 64? God, he looked 84. And all that history. I remember when I was a Witness someone giving me a whole box of books that they thought were JW books. Turns out the Russellites continued to write "Studies in the Scriptures" for decades after he died.
S4
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stev
A few days ago, I read this account of his death by his personal secretary:
There are several things that strike me as unusual about this account. The thoughtfulness of Russell for his secretary, that Russell spoke at a State Fair, that he could not eat for the last week, that he often would lecture for two and a half hours at a time, that Sturgeon had to spell him a few times during his last public lecture, the personal affection of Sturgeon for Russell, the celebrity status of Russell that made him instantly recognizable in public, and the Roman toga scene.
PASTOR RUSSELL'S LAST DAYS BY MENTA STURGEON
http://www.godstruthfortoday.org/BibleStudents/PastorRussellsLastDays.html
He had a beautiful way of making the one who traveled with him feel at ease, and not consider himself merely as a servant, by handing him enough money at the beginning of the journey to cover all his incidental expenses during the trip. He would then arrange that we pay each other's expenses alternately; he paying all expenses for both one day, and his companion paying all expenses for both the next day, and so on during the entire trip.
How many times have I heard him ask people on the trains, in the stations, hotels, everywhere, "Are you consecrated?" He nearly always brought this in. He had many opportunities; for people recognized him everywhere and desired to speak or have a few words with him. People on the train knew him--brakemen, porters, conductors and passengers.
In the stations, hotels, on the streets, everywhere, he was recognized. Many a time people came to me on the train and inquired, "Is that not Pastor Russell? and would say, "I knew him by his picture in the paper," or "I heard him lecture at such and such a place." Sometimes they would inquire just after he had walked through the train, "Who is that distinguished gentleman with you?" In this way we were able to send out many First Volumes and other printed matter of the Society.
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bebu
.... trick or treating started?
bebu
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Nathan Natas
Toga!
Toga!
TOGA!
TOGA!
... he would have loved the Darth Vader costume!
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chrissy
what was his cause of death?
"It's amazing how such information never makes the Proclaimers book."
lol. how true. just amazing. -
stev
There was an issue in the St. Paul Enterprise that reported on the death and funeral of Russell, and there is a letter from someone who attended the funeral, and he claimed that he saw Mrs. Russell there. It is been both affirmed and denied that she was there. The Harrison book mentions it, but I forget if Harrison believed it or not.
http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/history/st%20paul%20memorials.htm
At the grave, two heavily veiled ladies followed the coffin, one on the arm of Brother Pyles of Washington, the other on the arm of another brother-I think it was Brother Driscoll. One of these ladies was Mrs. Russell-a widow indeed, and I shed a tear for her as I thought how she has suffered and that from her viewpoint she had been wronged. I hope she will be brought nearer the Master by the death of her husband and will not remain in widowhood, but become the bride of Christ Jesus.
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stev
There seems to be some uncertainty as to the cause of Russell's death.
http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/history/st%20paul%20memorials.htm
Notes written on a flying train are often so poorly made that I find it difficult to read my own writing. The story seems to be correct except in two minor matters-one is that when Brother Russell left the platform at San Antonio, the paper has it that he weakened and sat down. The fact is that he did not die of heart trouble, but of an inflammation of the bladder, and while writing you on Brother Bohnet’s desk I could not fail to see on the burial permit that the cause of death was given as "Cystitis" and instead of weakening, the pain was excruciating