There was a previous thread on the rumor that Russell was poisoned. I cannot see the document that was posted, but apparently it claimed that Russell might have poisoned at the hotel in Galveston on that final trip.
What happened on October 31, 1916?
by blondie 16 Replies latest jw friends
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Nate Merit
Hi S4
There are quite a number of Bible Student groups who continue to publish and sell Russell's works, as well as newer works in line with Russell's thought. Most are composed of really friendly likeable people who have warm relationships with each other, and readily welcome newcomers. They're the antithesis of Rutherford and his Jehovah's Witnesses.
To answer the question "What would the Society have been like if Rutherford hadn't taken over?" one need only look at the websites of these groups, and attend a congreagation or special Assembly near you. Yes they too hold assemblies. None of them have any sort of autocratic central authority. Instead each cingregation is independent and self-governing, electing it's own elders, who then appoint deacons.
As an interesting historical aside, in one of the volumes of Studies in the Scriptures (I cannot recall which) Russell refers to the Great Pyramid as Jehovah's Witness ! (Twilight Zone music rises and fades out....)
Nate -
Mary
If Judge Booze Rutherford hadn't taken over the Borg, things would've been alot different today. While Charles Russell had some weird beliefs, I think he was far more reasonable and laid back than the Nazi-like tactics of Rutherford. Think about it: we'd still be able to celebrate Christmas, our birthdays, they'd still use the Cross as a christian symbol, all christians would still be going to heaven, meeting attendence wouldn't be anywhere near as dogmatic as what it is..........maybe if these changes had never been made, the Organization wouldn't be in as much trouble today as what it is........
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AK - Jeff
This site has all the old issues of CT's writings.
Seems like it was JW's who 'broke off' from the Bible Students - not the other way around. The Bible Students today seem to be nice, kind and gentle people from what I can gather from emails to some of them.
Jeff
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bennyk
It should be noted that the "Studies in the Scriptures" volumes on the website are the post-1914 versions thereof, in which some of the faulty chronology was edited out. However, the Watchtower of its day was honest enough to note that the changes had been made. These changes were recorded in the 01. March 1915 Watch Tower, reprint page 5649 (shortly after "contents").
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stev
Today is October 31. The date October 31, 1916 is one of the turning points of the Watchtower history - the death of Russell. Russell was considered by some, if not most of the Bible Students, to be "that faithful and wise servant." So his death created a emotional vacuum as well as a power vacuum. Russell had intended in his Will and Testament for the Society to be run by the Board of Directors. Russell encouraged the democracy of the ecclesias, however much of the power of the business corporation of the Society resided in himself. It is likely that the Board never had much power when he was alive, so that the Board would have lacked the experience that would have prepared them to manage the affairs of the Society after his death. This balance of power between the democratically-run ecclesias and the autocratically-run Society was upset by Russell's death. This was folloed by a power struggle between Rutherford and the ecclesias, and there were entire ecclesias that left because they would not allow Rutherford to extend his control into their sphere.
Russell also left behind many unanswered questions caused by his own speculations about the future. The departure of the church to heaven had not come by 1914, and he used the story of Elijah and Elisha to speculate on how this might happen in the future. It was expected that he would give the penny in the parable of the penny, and that he would write another volume. Shortly before he died, he set the date of 1918. The world war had started, and he expected it to lead to revolution and anarchy. But he died, and his followers were left confused. This confusion created divisions and even more speculations as ones tried to make sense of it. This resulted in the split of the Bible Students and the Society, which later lead to the JWs.
Steve