Subject: Fw: Presby. Minister's Commentary on Bro. Russell
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2006 16:37:38 -0400
An interesting and complimentary passage from a clergyman about C.T. Russell.
"Where Else But Pittsburgh?" A book written by George Swetnam, an ordained
Presbyterian minister, who wrote for years for the Pittsburgh Press
newspaper, and is regarded as the foremost historian of the Pittsburgh and
Western Pennsylvania areas...Interesting Excerpts from the book: "Where
Else But Pittsburgh?"
"It is an amazing thing that no Pittsburgh history has ever even so much as
contained the name of C.T. Russell, since his influence has easily been the
widest of any man who ever lived in the city... including Andrew Carnegie.
He was a pioneer in the Chain store, the Motion Picture industry and
other important ventures. He was one of the most prolific and widely read
authors of his day, turning out many books and a column carried by more
then 1500 newspapers, with some 15 million readers. Russell traveled over
a million miles, delivering more than 30,000 sermons and lectures...
"His parents were Reformed Presbyterians, a sturdy sect which refused to
acknowledge any government except that of God, and who refused to pay
taxes or take part in military service...
He was always interested in religion, writing Bible verses on the sidewalks
with chalk when a youth. As a boy he was quick & alert, so his father took
him into partnership in his general store at the age of 11.
When he was 15 he was sent out as a buyer.
"Like many other youths Charles was troubled in mind. He battled over the
doctrine of predestination and was pondering these things for while he was
unable to accept religion he was unable to let it go. It was a successful
but skeptical businessman of 18 that he stepped into a dingy basement to
see if a handful who met there had anything more sensible than the creeds
of the churches. What he heard set him searching the Bible again, which he
did for 46 years!
Soon he rented a hall & started a Bible School where for 5 years he
lectured. Then, convinced he had a divine mission, he did a strange thing
for a young man of 26 with no formal theological education. He invited ALL
the ministers of Pittsburgh to a meeting, explained his beliefs and urged
them to unite with him! The fact that they accepted his invitation shows
how high young Russell stood in the community. Yet after hearing they
declined his offers..
"Rebuffed by the ministers in his home town Russell turned himself to a
life of evangelism. He carried on his haberdashery business for some time
but his interest in commerce gradually waned and he closed his store for
the next year..
Russell was nearly 6 feet tall, well built, with piercing gray eyes.
His manner was always CALM, stressing argument rather then emotion,
sometimes adding a touch of humor. In later life he was snowy haired,
white bearded, and saintly in appearance..
In 1914 he completed work on the first epic motion picture: "The Photo
Drama of Creation" 15 years before any other sound pictures were produced.
It ran for eight hours and was viewed by some eight million people!
"Late in life he set up his entire fortune, by now amounting to well
over a million dollars, into a trust fund for the W.T.B.& T Society, the
business organization for Jehovah's Witnesses...
"He made many close friends and bitter enemies. He was the target of
many stories accusing him of all sorts of crimes and wrong doing in regard
to his marriage, although there appears to be little if any basis for such
charges...
"All through his life Russell told his followers NOT to revere him; He
taught them this so well that the publishing house he founded has never
published a biography of "Pastor Russell"...
" The movement he founded now has worldwide scope & is still one of the
worlds fastest growing religions. In 1958 some 250,000 came to NYC to hear
the same doctrines Russell preached to the unreceptive clergy 80 years
earlier."
