Why did Russell look so different?

startingover

I have a photo taken in 1915 with C. T. Russell standing in a large group of men. I have seen lots of pictures of him but usually he is by himself. Something that stood out in the picture is how different he looked from everyone else in the picture. He was the only one with long hair and a beard. I did some research as to what the style was back then and he would have really stood out in the crowd, no one looked like he did.

Any ideas on why? Was this all part of the plan to stand out from the crowd?

thetrueone

A true opportunistic salesman will always try and make himself standout.

Doesn't the grey beard signify wisdom, integrity and honesty, old age and all ?

White Dove

Old people tend to hold onto styles that were becoming in their golden years (golden years doesn't mean old age but young age, best of their lives).

startingover

Not sure I agree with the age thing. Look at Woodrow Wilson, he was approximately the same age as Russell, he didn't have long hair and a beard. I never thought about it before, but now I think it was all about making himself unique, a pattern that Rutherford made sure to continue.

yknot

I think he thought it looked 'biblical'.....

I mean having a Woodrow Wilson haircut and shaven face doesn't exactly make the death toga look good.......

Aussie Oz

maybe he was just an eccentric kook?

truthfully... i think he was in love with his self image.

blondie

W.E. Van Amburgh is the bearded man at the left in this picture...I think this is a post-Russell picture.

W.E. Van Amburgh was bearded like Russell. They tend to resemble many men of their time.

mindmelda

I think these guys were making cough drops on the side.

startingover

The more pictures from that time I look at the more I'm leaning toward eccentric kook. Trying to put this in persepctive for myself, Knorr was the guy from my earliest memories. What if he had long hair and a beard? Wonder if my parents would have followed along like my grandparents followed Russell? I guess I grew up when the organization was full of rules and regulations. Since Russell didn't think an organization was neccessary I'm sure things were different when he was in charge.

startingover

Wonder if he was looked upon by the rest of society as an ecentric kook?

Why did Russell look so different?

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