by Wild_Thing 21 Replies latest watchtower scandals
So ... who lives in Pittsburgh and is willing to go dig up some archives. I would love to see original scans of newspaper articles about his divorce. Here is one from 3 years after the divorce.
I am wondering what you all think about this? Do you think Russell was another "David Koresh" with multiple "spiritual brides" or do you think he was really celibate? I tend to lean toward the former, but it is, of course, pure speculation. His comments sound perverse and creepy to me.
Interesting story I haven't heard before about Sophie, I would guess there is more about it in the Brooklyn Eagle, which followed Russell's exploits quite closely. I'll have to see if I can get some more info on Sophie in other sources. I don't recall the bit in the quote about Russell's "all-abiding love" and "no one woman can have it all" in the Russell v. Russell transcript, has this been embroidered by the newspaper, or have I forgotten?
I don't know. I have never read the entire divorce transcript in its entirety. Is it available online? This newspaper seems to definitely not think too highly of him, so I guess it is possible that they embellished, but somehow I doubt it.
Also, does anyone know of anyplace online where the Brooklyn Eagle archives are available? I found a website where their archives are availble from the mid 1800s until 1902, but unless I am mistaken, Russell did not make the move to Brooklyn until a few years after that.
hahhahaha... "No one woman can have it all"... if that isn't a gorgeous quote I don't know what is.
There is quite a bit of the divorce proceedings online... I found them and bored myself silly reading the transcripts... I will go looking for the link for you.
Baba.
Here is one:
http://www.pastor-russell.com/misc/bde.html
you may find better in this Google search:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=charles+taze+russell+divorce+transcript&btnG=Search
Cheers,
Baba.
Incidently, this is not the one I read earlier. The other one was much longer, it went on and on.
So some wealthy gals helped him pay his alimony? Three years worth was $7,500. That's $2,500 per year in 1909 dollars. I looked at a currency index site and in 2005 dollars he was paying $45-50,000 a year. Ouch!
Make of this what you will!
Many decades ago, in Bethel, I knew a guy who got put on the shredder in the factory. His job was to destroy confidential stuff.
Anyhow, he took some stuff back to his room, before he shredded it. One thing was some sort of court record in which Russell
supposed said that he acted as a doctor in Bethel, in examining female members of the Bethel family! I was shocked.
That's all I know - or remember
metatron
LOL shouldn't this be in the humour section? ha!
Thank you for the link, Baba. Now that I read it, I think I have seen it before. I will have to bookmark it! I would to have a copy of the entire transcript of the proceedings from start to finish. I bet it is bore, but probably has some good insight into his character and how he behaved with others.
Also, I am not surprised that the alimony was that much. He was a wealthy man. He owned like five businesses, or something like that, before selling them all and pouring it into his "ministry". Plus, after starting his book publishing company, he became even wealthier. The $7000 included lawyer fees, too, so not all of was alimony. Even so, I think $2000 a year would have been a drop in the bucket for him. I thought it was interesting that the article specifically said that wealthy "women" paid this for him. What? No wealthy men around? I wonder how accurate that is.
I can't get over that girl calling him her "spiritual bridegroom"! That made me throw up in my mouth a little! Did he ever refer to himself as that in any of his sermons or in writings, or do you think this is just something that the crazy girl came up with.
Personally, I think they were all crazy ... I guess there are deeper shades of red, though.
WOW!! Thank you for sharing this newsclipping. Where/ how did you find it? I have always wondered about the circumstances surrounding Russell's split with his wife. My ex-husband [my physically, sexually, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually ABUSING ex-husband, i.e.!] has even dared to compare my leaving him with the WTS-revered Russell having been abandoned by his wife and living separated for the rest of their years. --My leaving [and his 'staying'], of course, being proof of my bad heart condition and his good heart condition. Ugh!!! I have always wondered if anything could be found out about the man himself.
