Ronald Day Senior

I am not sure what exactly is being referred to. I am a follower of my Lord Jesus, but this is no secret. I do make use of Russell's works, as well as that of many, many other Christian authors, but that is no secret either. Anyone who has dedicated his life to be a "follower" of Russell, however, is something of a self-contradiction, since Russell taught that one should follow Christ, not Russell. Who knows "what" really? Without knowing exactly what is meant by this, I can only reply to what I think it may be referring to. Anyone, however, who is truly familiar with the works of Russell would know that he was not a Freemason, nor was he in support of the Freemasons or any of man's secret organizations Regarding the "sun of righteousness' symbolism that Russell made use of: Even Fritz Springmeier recognized that the "sun of righteousness" (although he did not refer to it as such) that Russell used is based on the Bible (especially, Malachi 4:2), but he, in effect, claimed that Malachi had been under the influence of the "pagan world" when he wrote this. If this true, then when Malachi quoted Jehovah as stating these words, Malachi, according to Deuteronomy 18:20, Malachi was a false prophet who should have been put to death. And if that is true, since the New Testament cites Malachi as being a prophet, then Jesus and all that New Testament writers are all false prophets. Of course, in reality, we have no scriptural reason to imagine, assume, add to, and read into, what Malachi wrote, that he was simply under the influence of paganism. The testimony does support that Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, did indeed actually state what is recorded in Malachi 4:2. As far as the idea that Russell's Biblical study of God's Witness in Egypt is of the Freemasons, again, anyone who is truly familiar with the study of God's Witness in Egypt would KNOW that it is not of the Freemasons, although some individual Freemasons may have undertaken a similar study of God's Witness in Egypt. rlctr.blogspot.com-Sun of Righteousness Symbol.pdf

As stated, the above is misleading. Russell's Watch Tower and its message of "good tidings of great joy for all the people" is totally different from the message now presented the "The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom." Rutherford led his followers into rejecting the message of the WT in Russell's day, and with his alleged "new light" regarding "the second death", Armageddon, Adam not covered by the ransom, he led his followers into the rejecting the very basis of the atonement that the original WT was created to proclaim and defend. In effect, the message of good news of great joy that will be for all the people Russell dedicated his life to preaching and defending was rejected and replaced with bad tidings of great woe for most of the people if they do not join the organization that Rutherford created.

The wording is a little confusing as it seems to confuse the Jehovah's Witnesses with the Bible Students movement. The Bible Students movement is totally different from the Jehovah's Witnesses. Rutherford created the Jehovah's Witnesses organization after Russell died, but evidence indicates that the vast majority of the Bible Students movement rejected Rutherford's "Jehovah's visible organization" dogma. The Bible Students movement exists today totally separate the Jehovah's Witnesses organization that Rutherford created.

Russell was definitely never a member of the Freemasons, nor did he implement the practice that the JWs have of having those claimed to be of the great multitude of not partaking of the emblems representing the body and blood of Jesus. Indeed, Russell never assumed any authority to claim to identify Christians as being either of the great multitude or of the 144,000. He even refused to pass such a judgment upon himself, leaving it up the Lord Jesus.

I will first say that the statement, "Charles T. Russell, founder of the 'Jehovah's Witnesses', was a mason," is in error in two ways. 1) Russell was not the founder of the "Jehovah's Witnesses". He did not believe in, and even preached against, such authoritarianism until his death in 1916. Russell did not believe in such an organization, preached against such an organization, and preached against the kind of Armageddon message that is preached by that organization. Russell was definitely never a member of man's "Mason" organization. Again, his life works overwhelmingly prove that he was not in support of the goals of that organization, and especially the idea that sinful, imperfect, man should conspire to take over the world is the opposite of what he spent most of life preaching. The Biblical study of God's witness in Egypt definitely is not of the Masons, although some Masons may have endeavored a Biblical study of God's witness in Egypt. The Biblical cross and crown symbol definitely is not of the Masons, nor is it an "occult symbol". Contrary to what is stated, although the form used by Bible Students is similar to that used by the Knights Templar, is not exactly "the same". As far as Masons who do not profess to be Christian, I do not see that it would hold any particular meaning. The fact that the Knights Templar adopted this symbol from historic usage of Christians does not make every form of that symbol be inherently of the Masons, anymore that the fact that the Knights Templar make use of the Bible makes the Bible itself to be a "Masonic" book. I have written more concerning this on my website: http://rlctr.blogspot.com/2016/12/cross-symbol.html

Again, this appears to be a reading a lot into what Russell said that he did not at all say. The author appears to reading later JW claims back into what Russell said. From Russell's standpoint, the "one class" he was speaking of was any child of God, irrespective of denominational ties, who belongs to Christ. Russell believed that the true church -- the one class referred to in the quote above -- is "composed of consecrated followers of Christ, irrespective of all denominational lines — those who, turning from sin, accept Jesus as their Redeemer, through whom they have forgiveness of sins and reconciliation to the Father–those who have become disciples of Christ, taking up their cross to follow him, and who have received the begetting of the holy Spirit." (1910 International Bible Students Convention Report, page 79) Thus, he could refer to Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, Presbyterians, etc., as well as Freemasons who profess to be Christian as "brethren". At other times, he also spoke of himself as being a Baptist, a Methodist, as Catholic, without meaning that he was a member of those denominations. Similarly, he spoke of himself as being a Mason, not meaning that he was a member of the Freemasons' organization, but as being a mason for Christ.

Evidently, by the last statement, what Russell stated is being misunderstood as saying something he did not say. Russel'sl statements were, in effect, in agreement with the statement, "Christ died for our sins to set us free from the condemnation of sin and death." It is the Bible itself, however that refers to the spiritual temple of God -- the church, of Christ and his kingdom -- as being a secret, a mystery. -- Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11; Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 3:4-9; 5:32; 6:19; Colossians 1:26,27; 2:2; 4:3; 1 Timothy 3:16; Revelation 10:7.

This is another quote from Brother Russell's sermon, The Temple of God. Here Brother Russell is speaking discouragingly of a Christian being a member of the Freemasons, without assuming authority to tell anyone they cannot be a member of the Freemasons, and points to submission to Christ as the only way to be built up as a member of God's temple.

I am not sure why this is being quoted; I presume it is thought to give some kind of proof that Russell was a freemason. Russell pointed out that he was discussing "Bible Masonry". The quote is from Brother Russell's sermon, entitled, "The Temple of God". The sermon is about how God is building his temple as spoken of in the Bible, and how this temple building is a secret not understood by the world in general. Russell, in the context, showed his source as being the Bible, when he stated: "in respect to what the Bible says, and that contains all the truth, I believe, on every subject." In other words, Russell was saying that he went into conference with the Lord through prayer, requesting God's spirit to help understand what has been revealed in the Bible. Russell presented elsewhere how the message of the Bible is kept secret from the world, and thus to appreciably understand anything revealed in the Bible would mean that one has secret information that the world does not have. See Russell's sermon, Who May Know God's Secrets? Thus, those acquainted with Russell's works would know what Russell meant by his statement. It is only by taking that statement out of context of Russell's teachings that one would think that Russell was speaking of receiving special or inspired revelation from God. Those who are familiar with Russell's works would know immediately that Russell was not claiming that he received his information directly from Jesus in the sense, for instance, that Jesus gave a revelation to John. (Revelation 1:1-5) It could be claimed that any understanding of the Bible is direct revelation from God in the sense to a child of God who is guided by the Holy Spirit through the words of the Bible itself. Any Christian can be in conference with God through Jesus when he prays; likewise, to the extent that a Christian submits to what has been revealed in the Bible, that Christian is guided by God's Holy Spirit. In whatever sense one may claim that the Bible itself is a direct revelation from God, then one can claim direct revelation from God as it is found in the Bible. Nevertheless, the understanding of the Bible comes as result of one's having God's spirit to the extent that one submits to what God's spirit has revealed in the Bible. This principle applies to any and every child of God, irrespective of denominational ties. I have the entire sermon on my website at: http://rlctr.blogspot.com/2016/11/temple.html

The above is highly deceptive! First, the change noted in was originally made in the 1905 edition of "Thy Kingdom Come", not the 1916 edition. Many wish to make it appear that the change was not made until sometime after 1914, so as to make it further appear that the change was made due to an alleged failure of 1874 and/or 1914, although it is often presented in vague manner. Second, the change is related to only one of the measurements, and did not effect the other measurements that lead up to both 1874 or 1914. Third, since debris in the lower part of the desceding passageway made it impossible to measure the floor of the descending passage, the measurement of the lower part of the descending passageway had already been noted as being questionable, and thus the discussion as to its actual length was nothing new. Later the Edgars removed the debris and actual measurements were then made of the floor. Fourth, Russell often used 1915 to designate what he called Jewish years, beginning in October. Thus, often when he spoke of the beginning of 1915, he was speaking of its beginning as being in October of 1914. That this is what is meant in the latter quote above can be seen from the next sentence: "Thus the Pyramid witnesses that the close of 1914 will be the beginning of the time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation--no, nor ever shall be afterward." Fifth, neither the date 1874 nor the date 1914 is based on any of the measurements of the Great Pyramid. Those dates are based on study of many Biblical prophetic time features, as Brother Russell presented in his second and third volumes. The measurements of the God's Witness in Egypt only corroborate the dates. Sixth, Brother Russell gave brief explanation regarding this change in the Watch tower, September 15, 1909, page 283, again showing that the change had originally been made long before 1916. Seventh, Brother Russell disclaimed many times that he had any authority over fellow believers, and he disclaimed being a prophet. He did not speak as being an authority over a religious organization, and while he was alive, he refused to allow the WTS he created to hold authority over fellow believers. Just before he died, he reiterated this in his words published in the Watch Tower, August 15, 1916, page 248: "Let it be borne in mind that the Society exercises no authority, makes no criticism, but merely gives advice; and that in the interest of the Lord's Cause and the Lord's people." This began to change after Russell died. For more related to these changes, one might see: http://rlctr.blogspot.com/2017/01/changes-gp.html

I do not know of any time that Russell ever claimed that any pyramid had "mystic power" or that he had exclusive knowledge of any secrets related to any pyramid. Most of what Russell knew about the great pyramid, he learned from others. When the Edgar brothers produced a book that does not agree with all the conclusions he presented, he did not condemn them for doing so, but rather he published many positive notices in his magazine about those books, and recommended that readers order those books.

I will first state that I am not with the Jehovah's Witnesses, but am a Bible Student as was Russell. Russell was never a member of the JW organization, and that organization did not exist while he was alive; indeed, he preached against such authoritarianism. Thus, I am not here to defend the JW organization, nor do i defend Russell in all that he said. He never claimed to be perfect, or that all of his conclusions were without error; and he never claimed any special authority over fellow believers. I do believe, however, that God did make use of Brother Russell to restore many truths from the Bible that had been distorted by man's dogma, and thus Satan has influenced many to produce a lot of false accusations against Brother Russell that would discourage others from reading what he wrote, except perhaps to find something that may be distorted to bring forth some kind of accusation against him. I have been studying the works of Russell for more than 50 years (along with many other works of other Christian authors), and I know he that he was not in support of any kind of demonic spiritualism, or occultism. The word "occultism", as it is generally used in Christian circles, refers to secretive religious teachings that are not allowed to be revealed to any but those who have been accepted into the inner circle of the religion, with the inference of demonic influence. The term occultism is often used in connection witchcraft, astrology, seances, ouija boards, spiritism, etc. Russell's study of God's Witness in Egypt in connection with the Bible had nothing to do with such occultism. Contrary to advocating occultism, Russell constantly admonished Christians to have nothing to do with such occultism. Thus he admonished: Also contrary to the false accusations, Russell did not teach that "the pyramids in Egypt are divine omens." Russell's interest was in one pyramid, the Great Pyramid. His only interest in the other pyramids was to show their inferiority and differences between them and the Great Pyramid. Nowhere does Russell make reference to the Great Pyramid as some kind of divine omen, although he did believe that the Great Pyramid contains corroborations of the Bible, even as the fact that Egypt's and Israel's existence in this day are also corroborations of the Bible. I also believe that the Great Pyramid is God's witness in Egypt, for I cannot ignore the abundance of evidence that supports this conclusion.

I will add that I don't know of any Masonic cemetery that Russell was buried close to.

Although many like to imagine and assume that the Biblical symbolism Russell used has something to do with the Masons, and/or that his Biblical study of God's Witness in Egypt had something to do with the Masons, the reality is that neither is of the Masons, any more than the Bible itself is of the Masons. rlctr.blogspot.com-Masonic Symbols.pdf