The Jehovah's Witness Movement
The Jehovah's Witness Movement was organized by Charles Taze Russell. Mr. Russell had been greatly influenced by the Adventist movement until William Miller's predictions concerning Christ's return proved to be fraudulent. Miller expected Christ's return in 1843. After the date came and went, Miller rescheduled Jesus' return for 1845. Charles Russell insisted the date of Christ's return was to be 1874 (the very year Charles Russell began to preach).
Russell first organized his followers in the year 1872, in the city of Pittsburgh. He assumed the role of President, and eventually moved its headquarters to Brooklyn, NY in 1909. Charles Russell is credited for having penned 13,000,000 studies in the Scirptures, which were printed and circulated in a 6 volume set (Russell prophesied he would write 7 volumes -- but died before he could finish).
These were the foundation doctrines of a new sect established in 1931 (previously known as Millennial Dawnist, International Bible Students and Russellites). In these six volumes, Charles declared that God's plan was being made known through him "as never before". He claimed God was "opening the books of revelation" through him and spoke in terms of an incomplete revelation. Russell made it clear, no one but he understood the book of Revelation, thus he would declare the true explanation to all mankind.
After Russell's death in 1916, Judge Rutherford assumed the lead, and a new and improved organization was promoted. With a new leader and organization it was apparent a new name would be needed (not Russellites). The new name, Jehovah's Witness, was given in October of 1931 at a convention held in Columbus, Ohio. The new name was defended on the basis of Isaiah's prophesy concerning the giving of a new name (Isaiah 62:2).
Rutherford and his followers contended that Jehovah had had a witness since the days of Abel. Each issue of the Watchtower Magazine quotes Isaiah 42:12, "You are my witness, says Jehovah." Today the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (still headquartered in Brooklyn, NY) prints over 100 million copies of their material in some 80 languages each years.
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Words of Men |
Words of God |
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The Watchtower teaches a man who lays down Russell's books and reads only the Bible will become as a sheep without a shepherd. "Within two years he will go into darkness." (Setp. 10, 1910, p. 298) |
"I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel; which is not another gospel only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema." (Galatians 1:6-8) |
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Charles Taze Russell will lead us into all truth. (Sciprture Studies, Vol. 1, p. 20, 28) |
Jesus spoke to the apostles: "The Spirit of truth...shall guide you into all truth." (John 16:13) Charles Taze Russell was not present.
"If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting: for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works." (2 John 9-11) |
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Charles Russell and the Watchtower's writings complete the word of God. (Sept. 15, 1910, p. 298) |
"Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete unto every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)
"His divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him..." (2 Peter 1:3) |
| Russell prophesied Christ's return in 1874 and then again in 1914. |
"When a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken; the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously..." (Deuteronomy 18:21, 22) |
| Man does not possess a soul. |
"May your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire" (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
"Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21) |
| "Jehovah's Witness" a name used since 1931. |
"...the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts 11:26) |
| Jesus was not divine while in the flesh, only human. "In truth...He was a perfect man, nothing more and nothing less." (Scripture Studies Vol. 1, p. 179) |
Jesus repeatedly accepted worship as God. (Matthew 8:2; 1:23; John 1:14)
Good men did not accept worship. (Acts 10:25; 14:15) |
| The earth will never be destroyed. (Make Sure of All Things, p. 108) |
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief...the earth and the works therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10) |
| Jesus' body was not raised/resurrected but preserved somewhere or dissolved into gases. (Deliverance, p. 170; The Time Is At Hand, p. 129 -- Rutherford) |
"This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:32) |
| Christ's second coming will be invisible. (Scripture Studies Vol. 2 p. 153) |
"Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him." (Revelation 1:7)
"This Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven." (Acts 1:11)
"...Rest with us, at the revelation of the Lrod Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire..." (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9) |
| Source: Traditions of Men Versus the Word of God by Alvin Jennings |
Daniel S. Dow
Huntington Church of Christ
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