THE ORIGIN OF DENOMINATIONS
Lesson Eighteen
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
(1881)
I. ITS BEGINNING:
Jehovah's Witnesses, as they refer to themselves, had
their beginning as the result of the work of Charles Taze
Russell (1852-1916). At various times this group was known as
"Millennial Dawnists," "International Bible Students" and
"Russellites." At the age of 18, Russell organized a Bible
class which elected him their "Pastor" when he was 24. In
1879 he founded the paper, "Zion's Watch Tower." In 1881 he
organized "The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society" at
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Russell was the author of six books
(between the years 1886 and 1904) which he entitled, "Studies
in the Scripture." A seventh volume was added in 1917, a year
after his death.
In 1908 their headquarters were moved to Brooklyn, N.Y.
It was in 1931 that the name "Jehovah's Witnesses" was
adopted. "Pastor Russell" was the "President" of the
religious organizations which he founded. He was succeeded by
"Judge" J. F. Rutherford. "Rutherford spoke at the funeral
service of 'Pastor' Russell in 1916 and placed himself in the
limelight which was formerly occupied by Russell, and was
chosen to be their leader, which position he occupied until
his death. Rutherford was a more prolific writer than
Russell, writing more than a hundred books and pamphlets which
have been translated into at least eighty languages. After the
death of "Judge" Rutherford in 1942, Nathan H. Knorr was
elected president." (A Workbook on Some Denominational Errors,
Sam Binkley, Jr., pg. 39.) The current president is Milton G.
Henschel (1992-present).
Russell taught that Christ and the apostles returned to
earth in October of 1874 and have continued to be here since
then. "And while we therefore conclude that their resurrection
is now an accomplished fact, and hence that they as well as
the Lord are present in the earth, the fact we do not see them
is no obstacle to faith when we remember that, like their
Lord, they (the apostles) are now spirit beings, and, like
Him, invisible to men." (Studies in Scriptures, Vol. 2, page
234.) Russell also taught that all worldly kingdoms will end
in 1914 and the Church of Christ will be set up with Christ as
head. (S. in S., Vol II, p. 170.) He prophesied that all
denominations would cease to exist in 1914. (Studies in the
Scriptures, Vol. III, page 153-155; Vol. 2, p. 245.)
Rutherford prophesied in 1920 that "the new order is
coming, and that 1925 shall mark the resurrection of the
faithful worthies of old and the beginning of reconstruction,
.........When the times of restoration begin there will
doubtless be many men of the earth who will be very old and
almost ready for the tomb. But those who learn of the great
ransom-sacrifice and who accept the Ransomer shall return to
the days of their youth; they shall be restored to perfection
of body and mind and live on the earth forever...." (Millions
Now Living Will Never Die, Rutherford, pg. 97-98.) The year
1975 was also predicted as the end of all human organizations,
civil and religious. These are but a few of the dates which
have been picked by this organization as the time for the
return of Christ and as they claim the reconstruction of this
earth.
"Mr. Russell's character as a man was nothing of which to
boast. The courts of Pennsylvania ruled that he tried to
perpetuate a fraud upon his wife and denied his plea of being
penniless when his wife sued him for divorce. It later
developed that he had transferred $317,000 to the Watch-tower
Bible and Tract Society, of which he was president, seemingly
with the intent to avoid paying his wife alimony. His wife
obtained her divorce from him on account of his unmanly
conduct and gross familiarity with other women. Open court
testimony concerning his character recorded him saying of
himself, 'I am like a jelly-fish; I float around here and
there; I touch this one and that one, and if she responds, I
take her to me, and if not, I float to others'." (Churches of
Today, Tomlinson, pg. 97.) There are many other unscrupulous
actions taken by Russell which are engraved upon the pages of
authentic history.
Note the quotation of Russell's statement concerning the
Bible and his own "Studies in the Scriptures": "If the six
volumes of 'Scripture Studies' are practically the Bible,
topically arranged with Bible proof texts given, we might not
improperly name the volumes 'The Bible in an arranged form.'
That is to say, They are not mere comments on the Bible, but
they are practically the Bible itself. Furthermore, not only
do we find that people cannot see the divine plan in studying
the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the
'Scripture Studies' aside, even after he has used them, after
he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for
ten years -- if he lays them aside and ignores them and goes
to the Bible alone, though he has understood the Bible for ten
years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into
darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the
'Scripture Studies' with their references and had not read a
page of the Bible as such, he would have the light of the
Scriptures." ("The Watchtower," September 15, 1910, p. 298.)
II. ITS ORGANIZATION:
"The world headquarters is in New York. We have branch
offices throughout the world. Then there are districts and
below that circuits and then congregations and book studies,
which are small groups of families that meet to study the
Bible. Elders govern on each of these levels." (One Way, Lilla
Ross, p. 44.)
III. SOME OF THE MAJOR DOCTRINES OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES:
1. That one cannot have true light without "Studies in the
Scriptures."
2. That there is only one person in the Godhead.
3. That Christ was a "created being." In their translation
(New World Translation), John 1:1, reads: "In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was A
God." Thus, they deny the deity of Christ.
4. That Christ's body was not raised from the dead.
5. That the Holy Spirit is only the influence or power
exercised by God.
6. That the Kingdom has not yet been established, but will be
established when the Millennium (?) comes.
7. That salvation is by faith only.
8. That every man shall have another chance.
9. That death is a destruction; an annihilation. It is
unconsciousness.
10. That there is no eternal punishment for the unrighteous.
11. That the Lord's Supper is to be observed annually.
12. That the apostles have been living on this earth since 1874
as invisible spirits in bodily forms.
13. They taught that all worldly kingdoms would end in 1914 and
the earthly phase of the kingdom would then be set up.
14. That the earth will be Paradise.
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