A Clerical Conspiracy to Injure Pastor Russell

A Clerical Conspiracy to Injure Pastor Russell

Clerics Fear That the Pastor's Clear and Convincing Presentations of God's Word Will Discredit Them as Blind Leaders of the Blind Into the Ditch of Confusion and Unbelief – Matt. 23:13.

Modern Burning at the Stake Is Done in Churches Dedicated to God's Worship and Instruction in Justice and Love, and is Termed "Roasting."

The various denominations of Christendom, after fighting each other for centuries, have concluded that they all are partly wrong and partly right, and that they do not know where the Truth lies, nor what is Truth, nor what is Error. The decline in church attendance and contributions combined with the increase of church expenses, cause troubles many and grievous. The lessons of the success of Financial Trusts inspires them to form a Church Trust or "Federation of Churches." They hope thus to impress the people by a bold front. But especially they desire to impress the newspaper proprietors and the politicians for such services as they may call for. The proposition is a frothy one, representing a very few – nearly all clerics. The people of all denominations are unenthused. In doubt on all religious problems, and hungry for the Truth, the poor sheep are confused by the actions of their clergy.

Led by the Federation's press agent, Mr. Ellis, the "Religious Rambler," a systematic attack is being made on Pastor Russell through the religious (?) press as well as in the secular. All the clergy have been urged to join the conspiracy, and nearly one-fourth of their number have joined the campaign of lying and slander. Others more noble have refused, after the manner of Gamaliel, saying, If this thing be of God ye cannot overthrow it! Take heed lest ye be found fighting against God! – Acts 5:34-39.

EXCUSE – THE GOOD CAUSE.

Jesus was crucified for the good of the cause as the Scribes, Pharisees and Chief Priests declared. The Apostles similarly suffered for the good of the cause of error. The martyrs executed for centuries past were done to death for the good of error's cause. The Truth, the cause of God, of Christ, of the Apostles, never needed to put anybody to death, either physically or figuratively. Error and Tyranny are fearful and prepared to do violence for their own preservation.

So it is today. We are in the dawn of the Golden Age, the Millennium. The light of the new day is scattering the gloomy spectres and hobgoblins of the night. We are awakening from the horrible nightmare which so terrified our fathers and threatened to alienate us from our God and from His Word, the Bible. Fear of sectarian fences, gates and bars is seizing some whom the Bible denounces as "hypocrites." (Isaiah 33:14.) Wild, lest their hypocrisy should be revealed to the public, these murder a Christian brother and fellow servant and excuse themselves by saying, We do it for the good of the cause. (1 John 3:15; Isaiah 66:5.) Truly so, but as usual for the good of a bad cause – the cause of Error, Superstition and Misrepresentation of God and His Word. Beware of such! Be not deceived! God is not mocked! He that doeth righteousness is righteous – not those who conspire against the promulgation of the Truth. "My soul, come not thou into their secret" scheming. – (Genesis 49:6; Prov. 1:15,16.)

"NOT RENDERING EVIL FOR EVIL."

In none of his sermons or writings has Pastor Russell ever made a personal attack upon preachers or others. He remembers and obeys the command of the Bible, "Speak evil of no man." Even under the attacks of slander and misrepresentation he has never returned evil for evil, nor railing for raillery. He has set a noble example for all, in preaching the Word of God fearlessly, courageously, even when he knew from experience that it would be met, not by logic or reason or Bible truths, but by poisoned "arrows" of slander as the Bible forewarned. – Psa. 64:3.

Pastor Russell does indeed attack errors of doctrine, unsparingly, though in kindly terms. This is the crime for which he is being "roasted." His attacks are so forceful, so logical, that they carry conviction; therefore he is feared and his words misrepresented, to keep Christian people who are really hungering and thirsting for Truth from reading the Pastor's writings. But if it be a crime to refute and denounce Errors, Pastor Russell has the good company of his Redeemer and the Apostles, and of all reformers. He is backed by the Lord's Word. "Cry aloud! Spare not! Show My people their sins!"

THEIR GREAT MISTAKE.

The preachers who are complaining about small congregations, and who blame Pastor Russell for this, are mistaken. Higher Critics in our Colleges and greatest pulpits have for thirty years been undermining faith in the inspiration of the Bible. Their teachings have come to be believed by the people. The result is that the people are too honest to take pleasure in supporting by presence and purse what they no longer fully believe, and they discredit the preachers as less honest, and as merely preaching for the sake of money and honor.

Many ministers are reading Pastor Russell's books and preachings much of what they read, and then denounce Pastor Russell to keep the people from reading the same books. One prominent Evangelist, after breaking a few chairs and denouncing Pastor Russell, preached a sermon on Christ's Second Coming which, if not quoted from the Pastor's books, is so much like his writings that some people think them quotations. [CR352]

It is time that the people know the facts, and hence this statement. This issue of The Bible Students Monthly is, however, reserved for use only in places where the preachers make preconcerted attacks on the Pastor. This is not a retaliation, not an attack on the personality of any one, but a showing of the clear facts as in contrast with the dark slanders of the Pastor's opponents. A marked sample copy of this issue has been sent to all preachers to warn them re the course of error being pursued and that they are forcing the Truth to be told.



We can only very briefly here give the Pastor's answer to the Calumnies of The Eagle and the Ministerial Clique. We can, however, supply free on request his full reply and also the Missionary Committee's Report. The Pastor affirms briefly as follows:


I never defrauded my wife nor anybody else. My wife and I mutually agreed that the property I earned and owned should be devoted to the Lord's service. I carried out my part of the agreement and made a deed, which my wife did not sign. Subsequently the property was sold for debts which my wife had contracted unknown to me. Her dower interest was sold for her debt at public sale. The property being mortgaged, brought all that anybody probably would have paid.

The girl who sat on my knee and who kissed me was an adopted child in short dresses. Her brother had died, and she was in grief; besides, my wife had publicly requested her to kiss me every night before retiring, as her foster-father. If there be any crime in this, let the stones fly, but tell the truth.

As to my being in a girl's room with the door locked. Our servant girl was reported to be sick, and my wife asked me to take time to see her, as I had some knowledge of medicine. In the room where she was there was a noisy pump and sink, and after being interrupted, I turned the key for quietness for about one minute. My wife never charged me with unfaithfulness; nor had she any ground for so doing. She stated under oath that she made no such claim, and also under oath stated that she and I had lived celibate lives for eighteen years.

It is quite untrue that I was silent to my wife for months. The reverse was true – that my wife was silent to me except in the presence of others. She thus and in every way sought to coerce me into giving her more liberty in the columns of the Journal I edited and published, The Watch Tower--because she had adopted suffragette sentiments. She was not granted a divorce. There were no grounds for it. She got a legal separation nine years after she had left me.

I never claimed, nor sought to show, that my wife was insane.

In my tour of foreign lands a year ago there were with me six other members of the Committee appointed to investigate the Foreign Mission work. Of these, five are still living: Dr. L. W. Jones, of Chicago; Mr. E. W. V. Kuehn, of Toledo, Ohio; Prof. F. H. Robison, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Gen. W. P. Hall and Mr. J. T. D. Pyles of Washington, D.C. These well-known, reputable Christian gentlemen will fully corroborate my statement that I spoke publicly at every place reported in the hundreds of newspapers which publish my sermons weekly.

I did sue two newspapers for damages the one case I won and the other I lost. I consider that my cause in both instances was just and that this is not the first time that justice had miscarried in court.

In conclusion, I ask, what must we think of a Christian minister who, because he has no Scripture to back up his side of the argument, would resort to such misrepresentations of facts in an attempt to murder the reputation of his opponent? All sane people must feel sorry that a Christian minister would take such a course.



The above is taken from "Convention Reports Sermons". It evidently originally appeared in Bible Students Monthly, Volume 4, Nnumber 10. Name of author not given.