"Little Flock" as meant in 1881 by Rusell?

by TheListener 7 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  TheListener

  Can someone please help me with some old literature references about what exactly the society (russell) meant when he referred to the little flock in the early 1880s.

  From my memory they thought that there would be two classes, the little flock, who spearheaded and performed the preaching work; and the bigger flock, who may have been in christendom's churches but had right hearts. Both flocks were going to heaven but the little flock would be co-rulers with jesus.

  Right??? Any quotes to back that up, or that show it's wrong???
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  TheListener

  Found my first reference: CoC page 288. Franz says that in the 1930s there were two heavenly classes. One was the "little flock" and the other the was the "great company." The difference was their amount of faith.

  Any information on where that can be backed up and was that the thought prior to the Rutheford era? How about early in the movement like 1880s?
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  M.J.

  Here's a piece I put together with a bunch of embedded links for further research:

  The "LITTLE FLOCK" idea was inherited by Adventists, former Millerites. Young Russell adopted Nelson Barbour's particular brand. These Adventists saw themselves as the few true believers that would be part of the Bride of Christ and rule as kings and preists during the millennium. See: http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/Contents/bsllinks/History.htm

  Russell taught that the "little flock" would be transferred to heaven at the end of the "gentile times" in 1914, when all the earth's rulers are overthrown (p 101 ), clearing the way for God's kingdom. All mankind on earth would participate in a thousand year "probation" period, with a chance to become perfect humans like Adam in the garden. As earth's divine new rulers, the "little flock" would have the ability to appear on earth as invisible spirits or by materializing into physical bodies. Together with Christ they would become mankind's "spirtual mother" and redeemer. You can see how this was all purely inherited from Nelson Barbour through his publications. Also see: his magazine . In the Three Worlds book which can be found in the first link, Barbour teaches how the Little Flock, or THE (true) CHURCH is united with The Christ on pages 5-6. On page 11 Jesus and His bride are the "Second Adam and Eve". On Page 13 it explains how the Little Flock will become divine Gods, and "become part of the Godhead".

  As Ken Raines put it at: http://www.premier1.net/~raines/offshoot.html

  This Christ or God class [as explained in the "Three Worlds" book] would redeem humanity during the "probationary" period of the Millennium (p. 10) and thus become the "spiritual mother" of the rest of mankind (p. 16). These 144,000 "spiritual beings" would "materialize" as men on earth at will during their Millennial reign or remain invisible while on earth, thereby keeping tabs on the spiritual development of mankind during this period (pp. 43 47). Mankind's worship would in part consist of serving and obeying these "rulers" or "instructors" in the Millennium (p. 68).

  One mistake in Raines' article here, however, is that Barbour never actually linked the "Little Flock" with the 144,000. This, from what I gather, is Russell's doing. I searched around quite a bit to find this link before Russell's original wrintings and came up empty. The SDA's, as instituted by Ellen White's vision, however, DID put a lot of significance in the 144,000 as being remnants of the true church upon Christ's return. I don't know if there is any link between this and Russell's emphasis on the 144,000, however.

  (Russell also inherited all of Barbour's own personal chronology, including the Gentile Times)

  After Russell and Barbour "broke up", Russell started molding his ideas in his own "Watch Tower" publications. He started linking the "little flock" with the 144,000 that was mentioned in Revelation. According to his new understanding, Russell's own followers were the last surviving portion of the 144,000, and the full number was chosen in 1881. He determined that all the dead members of this group (going back to the apostles) were invisibly resurrected into heaven in 1878. As for the kingdom, he wrote that in 1914 the Old Testament "ancient worthies" like Abraham, Issac and Jacob would be resurrected to the earth as perfect humans. They would have the ability to communicate directly with the 144,000 in heaven, kinda like how perfect Adam communicated with Jehovah in the garden. They would be put in charge of the rest of mankind (p. 619, 625), thus eliminating the need for the 144,000 to have to come down to earth personally.
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  M.J.

  As for the "other sheep", and the whole idea of separating people into various classes came from an elaborate scheme by Charles Russell called "The Divine Plan of the Ages". This involves all those years like 1799, 1874, 1914, etc and how all these classes fit into this. If you ever attempt to read what Russell wrote about this, you will truly appreciate how much of a nut-case this guy was.

  The whole class system is outlined in the Studies in the Scriptures volumes.

  Originally, Pastor Russell taught that the "Great Multitude" identified in Revelation was a secondary class of Christians who were not part of the 144,000 but they still were a heavenly class. They were justified by faith in Christ’s sacrifice and "spirit begotten" or born-again, but failed to pass the trials of dedication and so did not get to reign as preists and heirs of the kingdom with Christ. And then there was yet another class of people who was to be an "Eartly Class". They were all people who ever lived, who were covered by Christ’s sacrifice but did not show faith and were not "spirit begotten". They would all be resurrected onto the earth and finally reach perfection after a trial period 1000 years, the millenial reign, being redeemed by the "Little Flock" and Christ. But their ultimate destiny was the earth. There were other classes in the mix which made for a big complicated mess in explaining who did what, who these people were, how one class of people would have to join another if they didn't make the cut, where they stood symbolically in the temple or in the courtyards, who was a Levite, who was a preist, how perfection was acheived, yada yada yada. These class distinctions were all designed to fit nicely in Russell’s complicated timetables and calculations for "the end of the age" which was come to a total end in 1914. He even taught that in 1881 the 144,000 positions had been filled up but that replacement positions were still opening up due to people falling away. Perhaps someone else can explain the technicalities better. I never took the time to try and sort it all out.
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  TheListener

  thank you mj. I'm doing quite a bit of research and your information will be very useful.
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  M.J.

  Also, here are quotes from Russel on the "Great Company", if you have the initiative to wade through all of them:

  http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/treatises/Smith%20GREAT%20COMPANY%20AND%20COMMENTS.htm
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  Ingenuous

  Russell's Studies in the Scriptures are available online. One location cross-referenced to scriptures (and easier to navigate on specific topics) is located here.

  In Vols. 5 and 6, respectively, about the "little flock":

  The Gospel age, from Pentecost to the setting up of the Kingdom at the second advent, is the time for the selection of this elect Bride of Christ class, variously termed "the Church," "the body of Christ," the "royal priesthood," the "seed of Abraham" (Gal. 3:29), etc.; and the continued permission of evil is for the purpose of developing these "members of the body of Christ" and to furnish them the opportunity of sacrificing their little and redeemed all, in the service of him who bought them with his precious blood; and thus of developing in their hearts his spiritual likeness, that when, at the end of the age, they are presented by their Lord and Redeemer before the Father, God may see in them "the image of his Son." Col. 1:22; Rom. 8:29

  He [Jehovah] ordained that Christ should be the world's Redeemer, and that his reward should be exaltation as the first member-- Head, Lord, Chief of the New Creation. He ordained also that a certain specific number should be chosen from amongst men to be his joint-heirs in the Kingdom--participants with him of the New Creation. We have every reason to believe that the definite, fixed number of the elect is that several times stated in Revelation (7:4; 14:1); namely, 144,000 "redeemed from amongst men."

  In Vol. 4, Chapter 3, Russell writes about the "great company":

  Neither is there a second call during this Gospel age, though, as we have previously seen, there is a second class of saved ones selected during this age--the Great Company (Rev. 7:9-14) "whose number no man knoweth, out of every nation and kindred and tongue," who shall serve God in his temple and before the throne in contradistinction to the Bride, who will be in the throne and members, or living stones, of the temple. But these of this second company have no separate and distinct call. They might as easily, and with much more satisfaction, have attained to the glories of the divine nature had they rendered prompt and hearty obedience. They do come off victors in the end, as is shown by the fact that to them are granted the palm branches; but their lack of zeal hindered them from being accepted as of the overcoming class, thus preventing their eternal joint-heirship and glory as participants in the New Creation, as well as depriving them of much of the joy and peace and satisfaction which belongs to the overcomers and is enjoyed by them even in this present life. The place to which they will attain, as we have previously seen, will apparently be one similar in many respects to the estate or plane of the angels.
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  stev

  These are good posts on Russell's views on the Little Flock. Russell had a complex theological system which he formed from various sources, but he did not always credit his source.
  There are two potential sources for his view of the Little Flock:

  One is Henry Dunn. Russell was familiar with Dunn - he mentions him in the supplement to the first issue of the Watch Tower as a forerunner. Dunn's restitution views were shared by George Storrs and Jacob Blain, both active among the Adventists. Dunn tried to reconcile seemingly contradictory scriptures: that there are many that are saved, and that there are few that are saved. This is how Dunn answered this question : the many saved are the World in a future probation, and the few saved were the Church selected now to in the future reign over and serve the World. So Dunn taught two salvations. Quoting Dunn : the election of the few are for the benefit of the many . (Russell took this view over and made it a central part of his doctrinal system).
  Dunn also wrote of a "secondary spiritual class", who failed to make their calling and election sure, and yet were saved eternally. Dunn viewed election as meaning not eternal salvation but election to the highest rank in the kingdom - kings and priests. Dunn noted that there were parables of reward, and distinctions of rank. Russell named the elite class "The Little Flock" and this secondary spiritual class "The Great Company".

  Another source of Russell's view was the minority opinion of the "partial rapture" theory - that the saints are raptured in groups, the first group is more faithful, and the next group less faithful. This is based on Rev. 7: the 144,000, and the Great Multitude, or "Great Company". Russell called the 144,000 the Little Flock, and considered it a literal number. Also, the parable of the wise virgins (Little Flock), and foolish virgins (great company).
  He considered both to be spiritual classes. However, he also believed there would be an earthly class after the Great Company, made up of those who consecrated after the door to the high calling, spiritual calling, was closed, similar to the earthly class of the Ancient Worthies of the Old Testament. However, Rutherford considered the "Great Crowd" to be an earthly class. I wonder if Rutherford merged the "Great Crowd" class and the "Modern Worthies" class or confused them.
  Getting back to Russell's view of the Little Flock in 1881: he expected the rapture of the Little Flock in 1881. This did not occur. He then changed his view of the rapture, and taught all the Little Flock would die. He next expected the change ( how this was to happen was not clear) to occur by 1914. This also did not occur on schedule. He then interpreted the story of Elijah and Elisha as a picture of the separation of the Little Flock and Great Company. Elijah was the Little Flock and Elisha the Great Company. The taking of Elijah to heaven was interpreted as a type of the rapture ( as in Russell's book with Barbour called the Three Worlds) , but Russell had modified the theory of rapture. After Russell's death, the Bible Students splintered into various groups. Instead of the Great Company being revealed by the supernatural event of the rapture, some thought it to be revealed by which Bible student group you were in. (Timothy White's book has a good explanation of the Elijah and Elisha views.) Ones were condemned as being of the Elijah class, Great Company, and lower and lesser than others. (This was an unfortunate consequence of Russell's confusion on this matter).

  My own opinion about this:
  Dunn's views were stated tentatively, as inferences, and explained in detail his reasons and basis for his views. Russell took them over and stated them dogmatically, and did not always give his reasons, but assumed it to be true. The theory of the two salvations of Dunn and Russell has merit and is likely the most attractive aspect of Russell's system. It is possible that there are indeed distinctions of rank in the kingdom of God, known by and rewarded by God. However, this is a different matter than a division among Christians in this life. But Russell believed that the endtimes had already started,and that division was imminent. This division of Christians into higher and lower classes has not borne good fruit. It has led away from charity and unity, toward spiritual pride, legalism, judgmentalism, and spiritual abuse, and confusion over one's class. It would be better to view all Christians as equals, and leave the judgment up to God.

  Steve