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Sunday, July 1, 2012

H B RICE - AN IMPECUNIOUS MAN


by "Jerome"


A name that occurs in many histories of the Watchtower Society (although omitted from the Proclaimers book) is H.B. Rice – full name Hugh Brown Rice. His name is found in the first issue of Zion’s Watch Tower as a contemporary of CTR. Rice had attempted to start his own journal The Last Trump – but financial woes resulted in failure. CTR offered to send the new ZWT to Rice’s subscribers, and listed him as a regular contributor to ZWT – although that was not to happen.


Financial difficulty was a recurring theme throughout Rice’s association with the Age to Come movement.


Back on January 26, 2008 on the original blog, Bruce posted quite a detailed article on Rice in an early draft of one of the chapters. This article will attempt to fill a few gaps that subsequent research has uncovered, but readers are well advised to read the earlier article to get the fuller picture.


In a letter written in 1887 (reproduced in full at the end of this article) Rice gives some brief biographical details of himself. “I was educated at Amherst College, Mass., (class of 1870) and was for a time in Auburn Theological Seminary at Auburn, N.Y….I preached for a short time among the Presbyterians and then for some seven years among the “Disciples,” but…seeing the way of the Lord more clearly in reference to the life eternal and the gospel of the kingdom, I was baptized on the confession of this faith by Brother Richard Corbaley in Yale County, Cal., in 1878 or ’79.”


Richard Corbaley (1820-1903) was an old-timer in the Age to Come movement, who had travelled west in the early 1870s along with Benjamin Wilson. Corbaley was credited with founding the first Church of God congregation on the Pacific Coast in the Restitution for May 24, 1876. His life story is given in his obituary in the Restitution for September 9, 1903.


A letter from a Thos. Hughes in the Restitution for March 13, 1878 reviewed the personnel in his area, which included Richard Corbaley, along with “Bro. Wilson, Rice and wife at Sacremento.” Whether this is H B in early 1878 is unknown, but certainly by 1879, H B Rice is very much in evidence as a featured speaker with Corbaley at the annual Church of God conference in California. This was held over August 14-17, 1879 and a full report then published in the Restitution for September 10, 1879. This report indicates where Rice’s main loyalties and interests lay so soon after ZWT began publication and now that his own paper The Last Trump had folded.


The report reads (in part) “Brother R. Corbaley submitted his report as Evangelist…in the (Friday) evening we were profitably entertained by listening to a discourse delivered by Brother H.B. Rice from John xvii.3…by motion Brother Richard Corbaley was elected as Evangelist for the ensuing year…in the (Saturday) evening Brother H.B. Rice delivered a discourse on “the key of interpreting the Scriptures,” during which he dwelt at some length upon the fact that the natural always precedes the Spiritual…(on Sunday) after listening to short but interesting discourses by Bros. H.B. Rice and R. Corbaly (sic) the friends and brethren proceeded to bid each other farewell.”


The same report included the appointment of a future business and conference committee to include a certain C.W. Russell – not CTR, but a name that avid readers will find elsewhere on these blogs; and also a commendation of The Restitution as a “valuable paper” to whom the report was of course sent.


Rice then seems to disappear from view, apart from brief correspondence found in ZWT and Barbour’s Herald. Barbour’s June 1879 Herald mentions Rice’s “business failures” and “lack of means.” CTR’s Zion’s Watch Tower last hears from Rice in its July 1880 issue which again talks of “loss of business.” It mentions that Rice has obtained a situation in San Francisco and has moved there.


Several years go by and then Rice resurfaces in the pages of The Restitution in 1885. His comments indicate that as far as financial woes are concerned, not a lot has changed.  In The Restitution for January 21, 1885, he writes from San Jose, California, that he is now in the Real Estate business, but wants to go preaching and “to devote more time and attention to this matter than I have done for some years.” But there is a problem, “In worldly goods I am very poor, and have a wife and four children to support.” He asks for “a helping hand” – which could be interpreted as someone moving there to preach, or financial help so he could do it further.


A couple of years later, he pops up again, this time from Oleander, California, and indicates that financial woes have continued dogging him. In the Restitution for September 21, 1887, he describes himself as “poor in this world’s goods, and…hampered by business connections entered into for the purpose of providing for my family.” Not much has changed except that there are now five children to feed, quaintly described by Rice as “all young and non-productive of material needs.” Rice is now running “a little country store here but am partly in debt for my building and my stock.” But it is a good location – maybe someone could go into partnership with him or perhaps buy him out? It was a good prospect – honest! Brother Benjamin Wilson was nearby, but organizing anything had proved difficult.


Whether anyone responded to his business suggestion is not recorded, but in the November 7, 1888 issue of Restitution, Rice is now at Delano, California on “a government claim, a homestead of 160 acres,” enthusing about the Philadelphia National Conference to come, and bemoaning (as always) his financial circumstances. He would love to go preaching but “am too much burdened by the cares of a large and helpless family”. Farming is not working out, so “unless the brothers know of my condition and feelings they certainly can never help me to devise ways and means to do gospel work.” Basically, please can someone help me financially?


Something must have worked out temporarily for him, because in the January 9, 1889 Restitution, Rice writes two letters about his current preaching tour. Unfortunately – and you could say almost par for the course – Rice runs out of money and gets himself stranded far from home. Home is California but Rice has been preaching on the opposite side of the States in Wilmington, Delaware. The friends there suggest that he moves on to visit his mother and sister in Knoxville, Tennessee, the city of his youth. Perhaps it is reading too much into it, but one almost hears a sigh of relief when Rice moves on, because once in Knoxville, he writes to The Restitution, “I am as yet, of course, unable to return to my family in California, and I suppose God has a work for me to do here yet, else he would send me the money to get home.” How his “large and helpless family” back home are managing during this time is undisclosed.


Somehow, Rice does get back home and almost immediately - indefatigable as ever – he is writing to the Restitution again. From the February 13, 1889 issue: “I reached home Jan. 30th after a long and eventful absence…It occurred to me…to say that if any of the brethren in California so desire and can arrange to meet the necessary expenses (!) I could preach some this summer.”


This is followed up with another letter that results in editorial comment on February 27, 1889, to the effect that they have received communication from Brother H B Rice at Delano, Ca. “There seems to be a door opening for him there, but he needs some help financially...” In other words – the usual! Rice’s letter was due to be published in the next issue, but unfortunately that issue is not extant.


The final reference to H.B. Rice that this writer has been able to find in The Restitution was a month or two later in the issue for April 10, 1889. Referring back to an announcement in the previous week’s issue (which again sadly is missing) there is an editorial note that they were in error last week saying that the Executive Board had passed a resolution that Bro. Rice should receive some money from the Evangelical Fund – it should have been Bro. Niles...  Oops! One wonders what the story was behind that.


At this point the impecunious H B Rice disappears from the pages of the Restitution – this time apparently for good.


There had been a repeating theme to his writing over a ten year period; however, at this distance it would be harsh to judge the man’s sincerity. He obviously lacked the financial acumen of a CTR, and for whatever reasons his early forays into commerce were a regular disaster area. However, his frequent appeals for financial help were always linked to his desire to preach as he saw fit.


But once disappearing from view, he finally obtained a position enabling him to feed his family. Being an Age to Come preacher had not really worked out and perhaps that decided that his religious interests (however they now evolved) should remain as a spiritual hobby rather than livelihood.


From research presented a few years ago on these blogs we know he ended his days – no longer impecunious – but also no longer apparently in association with the Restitution. When he died, there was no mention in its pages. And his connection with CTR had ended almost as soon as it started.


His obituary was published in the Los Angeles Herald for November 3, 1905. The main subheading concentrated on his business activities – “Pallbearers Are Selected From Intimate Business Friends of the Deceased Steamship Agent.” The account stated that he “was president of the Hugh B. Rice company, steamship and touring agents.” The funeral service had been conducted by “Rev. J.W. McKnight, pastor of the Magnolia avenue Christian church…assisted by N.W.J. Straud, leader of the Bible class of which the deceased was a member.”


The complete obituary along with a photograph of the family gravestone can be found on the Find a Grave site under Hugh B Rice, born October 6, 1856, died October 31, 1905, Mountain View Cemetery, Altadena, Los Angeles County, California.


For a photograph of H B Rice, please see Bruce’s earlier post on January 26, 2008 referred to above.







Letter to The Restitution, September 1, 1887, page 3.


OLEANDER, Cal.


Dear Restitution:


I notice with interest and joy all attempts to organize effort in the spread of the glad tidings of life through the Son of God. I, too, long to preach the good news of the kingdom, but, knowing that the very many of the called, chosen and faithful are, like myself, poor in this world’s goods, and being hampered by business connections entered into for the purpose of providing for my family things honest in the sight of God and men, I have supposed it were impossible to obtain the needed means to enable me to devote my time to preaching. So I have kept silent. But when I read of the call for laborers, when I see the fields white for the harvest, when I go to hear professed gospel preachers who are blinded by the errors of the apostasy and see how the people are feed (sic) on husks while our Father’s storehouse is full of rich food for the hungry, ready for their use if only the shepherds would give it to them.


Oh, my heart burns within me, and I long to give all my time, all my energies to this work. My heart is full of love and pity for the erring, the blinded, the famishing, the dying men and women around me on all sides. Starving, but not for the food which perishes – this is a land of plenty – but for the bread which comes down from heaven. But how can one who has a wife and five children, all young and non-productive of material needs, who has no money except as earned slowly by daily toil, to feed, clothe and educate these dependent ones, how can such as one go out and the preach the word in a land containing but a handful of brethren?


I have a little country store here but am partly in debt for my building and my stock. It is a good location, in the very midst of the fruit and raisin industry which makes this part of our State famous already. My store is situated between and about one hundred yards distant from two packing houses and fruit driers. Last season the Curtis Fruit Company, which owns one of them, put up 23,000 boxes of raisins, and this year the two institutions together will probably put up 60,000 boxes. This gives employment to many men, women and children at fair wages. It is a new but prosperous neighborhood, all the while improving. We have either a family or young bachelor living on nearly every twenty acres. We are nine miles south of Fresco and five west of Fowler, and have most of the conditions necessary for a good country business. We have a good school house and a postoffice, and with the exception of about three months of hot weather (in June, July and August) a very fine climate indeed. Eastern people are usually delighted with it.


My house is new, worth about $1500, stock and fixtures $500 more. Hence $2000 is about what I consider my place worth as I have it now. With an additional $2000 the place and business can be put in fine shape for a comfortable home and moderately remunerative income for one or two small families. The postoffice, which can be had in the store if desired, pays now $10 a month and would draw trade besides. Now if some brother who has the capital and a taste for the mercantile life in a humble way in the country will join me or buy me out possibly I can devote more if not all my time to the ministry or gospel preaching. I have been lecturing in the school house on Life and Death and trying to interest and instruct people. Considerable interest has been manifested.


Perhaps I should say that I was educated at Amherst College, Mass., (class of 1870) and was for a time in Auburn Theological Seminary at Auburn, N.Y., that I preached for a short time among the Presbyterians and then for some seven years among the “Disciples,” but that, seeing the way of the Lord more clearly in reference to the life eternal and the gospel of the kingdom, I was baptised on the confession of this faith by Brother Richard Corbaley in Yale County, Cal., in 1878 or ’79. Since then I have been isolated from brethren a good deal but have been giving myself to reading and the study of God’s word as I have had opportunity, never neglecting to speak a word in private or in public as occasion occurred if I could aid a fellow mortal or honor my Father in heaven and our elder brother Jesus of Nazareth the Christ of God and our only true life-giver.


I have thus told you of myself and how I wish to give myself wholly to the gospel word. Do you know of any way to accomplish this end? Or do you know of any brother who would trade for my store or go in with me in such an enterprise. My idea would be, so far as I am concerned, to make the store only a means of support while I gave myself mainly to preaching and teaching the word. We have a few brethren and sisters here but no regular organization. Brother Benj. Wilson is here, two Brothers Balch (?) and Brother Calder and their wives, about a dozen of us in all. Circumstances have made it out of my power to do more than speak to them and others who were interested to come and hear. There are causes not necessary to name here which have operated to prevent any attempt at organization, but which I hope soon will be removed. If you see fit to state my case in an abbreviated way (what I have written is too long and rambling to print) in THE RESTITUTION, I would like to see if the Lord may by such means open a door for me. I am with much love,


Your brother in Christ,


H.B. RICE


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

M. Joblin

We believe there is a connection between an M. Joblin and the Russells and maybe Stetson and Storrs. I haven't been able to make it yet. Anyone know anything helpful?

Monday, June 11, 2012

I appreciate that some of you may be curious about our personal details. Without meaning to be unkind, we do not intend to post them or answer queries via email. Bruce does not belong to any social networking site. I have a twitter account I seldom use.

My name as it appears on our book is my writer's name. It's a form of my real name. Rachael is the fifth in a string of given names. It is not my true first name, though it is my name. de Vienne is part of a longish last name which is composed of place names. Use of the full last name is regulated by law. My maiden name, though of French derivation, belongs to a German family. My married last name is a fairly common Scots last name. None of this will assuage the curiosity of those few who feel compelled to ask personal questions. Hopefully, the clues I've given here will send them off looking in the wrong corners. In a semi-teasing way, I'm telling you 'no', and saying I won't hand out personal details.

As much as I ever tell, I tell on my personal blog. http://wardancingpixie.blogspot.com/ It's a boring blog and seldom contains anything about this project.

I value my privacy. So does Bruce. Please do not ask personal questions. I am not comfortable with them.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

We need ...

First names for three early Watch Tower evangelists, Sisters Cox, Wier, and Harper, all active in Kentucky in the 1890s.

Information needed

We need biographical information for the D. Widner mentioned in the April 1883 issue of Zion's Watch Tower.

We need biographical information and a photo for W. V. Feltwell, an Episcopalian minister. He's mentioned in several issues of ZWT.

We need biographical information and a photo of William Evert Parsons of West Virginia. He is found on page 643 or the WT reprints. Parsons was pastor of the Church of the Reformation in West Virginia.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Don't

Do not send me invitations to social networking sites. I do not accept them. If you wish to contact me you may post a comment here or email me directly. I do not have a facebook, skype, twitter, towoo or other account. I don't want one. Please don't spam my email with invitations.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Need to see ...

Any report, including notes by anyone attending, personal letters or any thing at all that describes the annual meeting of the Watch Tower Society in 1942.

Friday, May 18, 2012

We need ...

We need a clear recording of F. W. Franz's remarks on his personal history made the District Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1978. Anyone?

Monday, May 14, 2012

Just a note ...

We have not placed this material here for you to appropriate as your own without credit. Please credit us if you use what you find here. Also be aware that much of this material has been updated, and there are some details that are not accurate. We no longer post long sections of research on this public blog. Our updated and on-going research is on our private, invitation only blog.

Wish List Continued

Our Wish List

There are several major items that we would like to see. They’re all expensive or involve travel we can’t afford.

1. We would like the Storrs archive at the NY Public Library microfilmed. That’s about 300 dollars. We don’t have that money. We’re not certain what is in the archive. Someone visiting NY City could make copies fairly cheaply.

2. Also in NY City at Columbia University is a run of Our Rest magazine. They also have some really important tracts. This requires a personal visit, and you can’t just walk in the door. Anyone in the New York City area or who will visit there who wants to help should email me.

3. We have located in the Washington D. C. area a run of A. D. Jones’ magazine. We do not know if it is helpful or not. Microfilm costs approach 370 dollars. Ideally someone in the D. C. area could view these and copy out the more helpful items. Again, email me if you plan on being in D. C. or live in that area.

4. At the Library of Congress is an archive of early Liberian missionary papers. Some of these relate to the Rev. Seton who wrote to Russell in the 1880s. There are more letters in an archive in Texas. We do not know the worth of these items.

5. There is a large archive of letters and documents in Washington D. C. relating to the arrest and prosecution of Rutherford and others in1918.

6. At the NY Public Library is a political booklet by A. D. Jones. We would like a really good duplication, especially if his photo is attached.

Most of the polemical material listed in the previous post is available through interlibrary loan. We simply cannot afford the fees at this time. If you have any of these or are curious enough to send for photocopies, please share with us.

Also on our wish list are any letters by early Bible Students no matter how irrelevant they may otherwise seem. We’ve made all sorts of connections off what seem to be very slight clues.

Looking way ahead to other things, we would like Watchtower Society letters from the 1940s. We also would like personal letters written by Witnesses during that time.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

We need to see these ....

J. A. Maynard: Russellism, 1928.

Carlyle Boynton Haynes: Russellism: Or the Coming of a False Christ. No date.

Joseph Kyle: Russellism: A Review of the Teachings of the Watch Tower and Bible Society, no date.

Alva J. McClain: Russellism: Its Claims, Methods and Doctrines, 1931.

Karl Linsenmann: Russellism, no date

William James Dawson: Russellism, no date

Amzi C. Dixon: "Russellism" under the searchlight: the red flag of warning with reference to the movment known as "Russellism" or "Millennial Dawn", 1914.

Joseph Stump: Russellism; a Counterfeit Christianity, 1923.

L. C. H. Hopkins: The IBSA of Russellism, 1922.

Thomas Williams: Russellism Refuted, 1905.

Percy George Cross: Russellism, a Caricature of Christianity, 1913.

George Candee: Bible and Reason Versus Russellism, 1912.

Merwin Stone: Russellism, Or, The Church of St. Bunco, 1915.

George W. Sandt: Another Pious Fraud, Or, The Story of Russellism, 1914.

William Hamilton Nelson: Is Jesus Coming Soon? A Bible Study of Adventism, Russellism, Etc. 1918.

Gover Cleveland Loud: Evangelized America, 1928. pages 294-296 only.

Daniel Webster Key: What is Russellism, no date.

J. G. Tasker: Dr. Loofs on Russellism, Expository Times, January-March 1922.

F. Mellows: Russellism: The Latest Blaspheme, no date, published in the UK.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

FUTURE PROBATION

By "Jerome"

In Bible Examiner (hereafter abbreviated to BE) for October 1877, page 6, the editor George Storrs made one of his periodic pleas for support. While thanking readers for their prayers, he noted that financial help would also be welcome. His paper, he claimed, was unique. He argued “shall the only paper in America that speaks out boldly on this question be compelled to suffer and be crippled for want of funds?” There is an asterisk by the word America, and the footnote reads: “I except “The Herald of the Morning,” a paper published by Dr. Barbour, Rochester, N.Y.”

By this date, Charles Taze Russell (hereafter abbreviated as CTR) was supporting the Herald, (and if only the 1877 issues were extant to check, was probably writing for it as well).

Since the same issue of BE has Storrs debating with CTR over the date-setting properties of Three Worlds, it was obviously not Barbour’s chronological gymnastics that appealed. The doctrine or “question” that set The Herald apart from all other current publications in Storrs’ mind was Future Probation.

It is not the purpose of this article to comment on whom might be nearer the truth on the subject, as we are writing history not theology. But future probation had been a contentious issue for Christendom for centuries.

To define the concept – future probation is the belief that in the future individuals could have a testing period with the prospect of eternal life ahead of them. So their everlasting prospects were not just determined by what they did in this life, but they would benefit from a probationary period in the future after resurrection. It was usually (although not exclusively) tied in with a literal Millennial reign by Christ over a literal earth. However, just who might benefit was a bone of contention amongst those espousing the doctrine – would it include “the wicked” or just the “ignorant” like the heathen or unbaptised infants - and if “wicked” how exactly might one define the term?”

Orthodoxy in centuries past came out strongly against such a concept. If individuals did not accept Christ in this life, then that was it, there was no further chance. One example was in the official creed of the established Church of England. In 1552 Archbishop Cranmer produced the “42 Articles of Faith.” Article 42 attacked those who believed in future opportunities after death with the words: “They also are worthy of condemnation who endeavour at this time to restore the dangerous opinion that all men, be they never so ungodly, shall at length be saved, when they have suffered pain for their sins a certain time appointed by God’s justice.” While attacking a Universalist view, and perhaps a further swipe at the Roman Church’s purgatory (already attacked in article 22), it also reaffirmed that the “ungodly” – however defined – had lost out forever at death. Any other view was “a dangerous opinion.” Since the concept of Future Probation requires a location for it to happen – such as the earth during the Millennium – Article 41 of the same document obligingly condemned believers in the Millennium as heretics. However, it should be noted that ten years later in 1562 these articles ended up on the cutting room floor. The Church of England of today has to manage with just 39 Articles.

When this view was coupled with traditional teachings on hell – that all those not accepting Christ in this life were destined for eternal torment – it was perhaps unsurprising that some felt uneasy at the prospect of millions being so condemned. This was especially so if their opportunities to accept Christ in this life had been limited by geography and circumstance. Putting it in very human terms – was that fair? Those raising such questions were not accusing God of being unfair, but were aiming at the theologians who seemed to suggest that the vast majority of mankind would have been better off not being born at all.

One reaction against orthodoxy was to swing to the extreme of Universalism – the concept that eventually all would be saved. Writers such as John Murray in America promoted Universalism in the 18th century. Universal Salvation might take some time – it WOULD take some time – but ultimately that was God’s plan. Some individuals were even sufficiently magnanimous to include the Devil in these calculations. (A few associated with CTR would eventually leave the Bible Student movement to become Universalists, including John Paton and his aptly-titled Larger Hope Publishing Company).

Once interest in the Second Advent drew various people together in the first half of the nineteenth century, another dimension was added by the acceptance by many of conditional immortality. This doctrine taught that immortality was not automatic, but was conditional. Those who did not gain eternal life would gain eternal sleep. That dealt effectively with the concept of a burning hell, but also affected the concept of future probation. If the wicked – whether through intent or ignorance – were just going to sleep forever, that wasn’t so bad, was it? So while future probation was debated by the Advent Christians and Age to Come groups, the majority came out against the concept, or at least had views on salvation more exclusive than inclusive.

Taking the Advent Christians first, their official histories had some tart comments to make on the doctrine. Isaac C. Welcome in “History of the Second Advent Message” (1874), pages 515, 613, laid into George Storrs’ view of “probation after the Advent” as erratic and radical and “very detrimental to the progress of truth and sound doctrine.” The doctrine was “nearly analogous to Universalism.” Albert C. Johnson in “Advent Christian History” (1918), pages 242-243, described 19th century advocates as a kind of fifth column –  “(they were) finally distracted and disorganized by the advocates of future probation theories, who worked their way into the conference quietly until they gained control” – the conference had “been perverted by the age-to-come teachings.”

As suggested by the last quote, Age to Come groups were more sympathetic towards the idea. The first prerequisite for the unsaved to return for their “chance” was somewhere for them to return to, and the Age to Come focus was already on human life for a thousand years. But their paper The Restitution was happy to publish such articles as J.F. Wilcox’s ‘A Major Proposition and its Results’ in July 28, 1875, which categorically pronounced that “the whole...world who have not had God’s revealed word, but who...sinned without law, shall never be raised from the dead...as natural brute beasts they utterly perish in their own corruption.” An article promoting future probation, ‘The Progressive Age’ by Elder J. Parry, was denied publication, so Storrs published it instead in his BE for July 1874. By October 3, 1877, Elder John Foore was writing to The Restitution that he would like the paper “much better if it could be opened for the advanced views such as the blessing of all nations and all kindreds in the age to come.” The request apparently fell on deaf ears.

With other columns denied him, Storrs believed BE to be the primary voice for this doctrine, and fended off critics from all sides. When opponents dubbed the position “second chance” – it was met with the retort that for millions who died in ignorance this was their first chance. When critics then came back with “better chance” – it was met with the riposte, how could that be when now the chance was to be part of the bride of Christ?

Others settled on “fair chance.” As it happened, Storrs didn’t like that description any more than the others (BE October 1875, page 5), but it was more correct – you could say, more fair - in describing his theology

When opposers accused Future Probationists of being closet Universalists – Storrs standard response was that while he did not believe in universal salvation, he did believe in universal opportunity.

And yet Storrs’ position was not quite the same as others believing the doctrine. He defined his position as The Ages to Come. While it sounded like the Age to Come belief in a literal thousand years for humans on earth (and probation for nations then living), Storrs embellished it considerably. He spoke of Ages because he did not believe probation would happen for the dead during the Millennium, but rather after the Millennium in what he called “a succession of ages” or Ages to Come. (BE October 1874, editorial ‘The Ages to Come’). He accepted that not everyone would come back, and had broken with the Life and Advent Union over his belief that wicked dead would not be resurrected; nonetheless, the number would still be sufficient to require potential Ages (plural). And some who came back could still lose out – albeit a minority.

A key scripture for Storrs was Revelation 20 v.5: “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” In his article ‘Due Time’ (BE August 1876) Storrs used this to reason that their resurrection and probation had to take place after the Millennium. Others might interpret this as referring to beneficiaries only coming to full life after passing their test at the end of the thousand years. Those opposed to the concept in its various shapes and forms, might dismiss the verse as an interpolation.

Storrs was a major influence on CTR. CTR chose the BE columns for his first known literary efforts, and in ZWT for May 1,1890, singled out Storrs (along with George Stetson) for special mention before recounting how his understanding of the ransom and restitution developed – to encompass far more than he had previously thought. The original May 1, 1890 issue, page 4, has CTR explaining how “in 1873 I came to examine the subject of restitution from the standpoint of the ransom price given by our Lord Jesus for Adam, and consequently for all lost in Adam, it settled the matter of restitution completely, and gave fullest assurance that ALL must come forth from Adamic death and be brought to a clear knowledge of the truth and to fullest opportunity of everlasting life in Christ.”

When CTR reprinted the article in A Conspiracy Exposed and Harvest Siftings – a special ZWT of 1894, he made several revisions to this paragraph (as found on page 96), including changing the date from 1873 to 1872. All future printings including those from June 15, 1906 (reprints 3821) stick to this revision.

But this was future probation. Without going into details, this was Storrs’ basic message in BE. Storrs had restarted BE in late 1871, after breaking with the Life and Advent Union. We do not know if CTR received Storrs journal then, because the first two years of the revived BE are unavailable. It was a weekly newspaper and may not have survived. But from October 1873 it became a monthly which could be bound into volumes. These have survived, and the Russells are readers from the start. However, they obviously would know of Storrs from his previous reputation. The Russell names are also found in the letters received columns of The Advent Christian Times and the World’s Crisis in the early 1870s – and the Crisis is certainly known to have publicised Storrs’ views by vigorously attacking them at the time.

CTR would claim in ZWT May 1, 1890, page 4, that he brought this concept to Nelson Barbour. “When we first met, he had much to learn from me on the fullness of restitution based upon the sufficiency of the ransom given for all.”
All this helps to explain why in October 1877 Storrs would single out “The Herald of the Morning, a paper published by Dr. Barbour, Rochester, N.Y.” as the only journal he believed to be supportive.

Barbour had already submitted an article endorsing future probation to BE, which was published in September 1876. In ‘The Work of Redemption Progressive: or Ages Employed in Accomplishing It’ Barbour stated “there is much positive scripture...to prove that there is to be probation in the world to come, for all who have not been brought to the knowledge of the truth in this world, and committed the unpardonable sin.”

While the article was sympathetic of Storrs’ views in principle, it was a little short on specifics. And looking closer at the details, there would be a key difference between Storrs’ views and those of Barbour and Russell. As noted above, Storrs taught Ages to Come, and looked beyond the Millennium for future probation to be worked out. In contrast, both Barbour and Russell would favor a more traditional view – that the Millennium was the judgment “day” and that a thousand years would be sufficient.

In Barbour’s Three Worlds (1877) for example, we read on pages 10 and 66: “There is much positive Scripture...to prove that there is to be probation in the millennial age, or world to come, for all who have not been brought to the knowledge of the truth in this world, and committed the unpardonable sin...It follows that probation must end with the thousand years.”

When CTR began publishing under his own name, he presented the same view. From Object and Manner of Our Lord’s Return (1877), page 26: In (their day of trial, when they are on probation for eternal life) their “day of judgment” (not a 24-hour day, but the millennial or judgment age) they will fare better than the Jews — have fewer stripes.” He elaborated further in Food for Thinking Christians (1881), page 95: It is their judgment day—one thousand years. During all that time, God’s truth, as a two-edged sword, will be quietly, but surely as now, doing a separating work...The great mass of mankind will learn God’s ways, and delight to walk therein. These he calls his sheep—followers, and during the age they are gradually gathered to his right hand.”

Looking at CTR’s theology overall, this was his main message, a legacy from Storrs, in spirit if not in detail. Yes, the second presence of Christ was a key theme with its chronological framework. Yes, “putting the hose on hell” with conditional immortality was a key platform. Yes, there would be issues like clashes with orthodoxy over the trinity. Nonetheless, in CTR’s mind at the time, future probation – summed up by his slogan “A Ransom for All” was what he believed to be the key message of the Bible. And he made sure as many as possible knew it.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Where we're heading

This is raw material from what will be chapter six or seven. This chapter focuses on new congregations, new workers and the character of the early fellowships. The two men we profile below appear only once in Zion's Watch Tower, but they're representative of many who read the magazine and who carefully considered its contents. We lack detail. That's an constant issue. The story is in the detail. We can't tell you what we do not know.

Please read the following. If you have details to add, please do so. Comments are welcome.

Amon Hipsher and Lorenzo Jackson Baldwin

Amon Hipsher was a resident of Ames, Story County, Iowa. Born in Pennsylvania about 1820, he was a successful and wealthy farmer.[1] Hipsher was active in Church of God (One Faith) conferences. He was elected conference president in December 1874.[2] At a subsequent conference someone objected to him being placed in sole charge of future arrangements, describing the arrangement as Hipsher acting as a “little pope.” This seems to have been an objection only to the arrangement, not a comment on his personality. He declined re-election for the next year at the December 1875 conference. By 1884 the conference was renamed The Christian Conference of Iowa, and Hipsher was elected vice president.[3]

We know little of his religious background prior to 1874 beyond the fact that he subscribed to The Heretic Detector, an anti-Universalist magazine published in Middleburg, Ohio.[4] He lived in areas reached by Stetson and his closest associates, and there is an obvious connection on that level. He was one of the first readers of Zion’s Watch Tower, and in the March 1881 issue Russell addressed a question sent in by him, writing, “Bro. A. Hipsher, for answer to your question: see ‘Unpardonable Sin,’ page 3.”

It appears that Russell wrote his article on unpardonable sin specifically to answer Hipsher’s questions. His approach was interesting [continue]

Lorenzo Jackson Baldwin was another Iowa resident. He was born March 2, 1823, in Vermont and died in Madison County, Iowa. He was a small-time farmer in the Mackenburgh, Iowa, area. In 1883 he wrote to S. A Chaplin, editor of The Restitution, seeking “a boy between 15 and 20 years old” to live with them for “two or three years.” He promised “to send him to school winters and pay wages for eight or nine months in the years.” Baldwin and his wife specifically asked for “a reader of The Restitution and a believer in the gospel of the kingdom.”[5]

Baldwin was also active among One Faith believers in Iowa. We find him attending a One Faith conference in September 1875 with an Elder Baldwin, apparently a relative.[6] We find him noted in the same "questions and answers" article in which we met Hipsher. He apparently asked a flood of questions. Russell’s response was: “Bro. J. Baldwin: It would require the entire space of Z.W.T. for a year or more to answer all your questions in full. We commend to you the reading of all the tracts 3 or 4 times; then read ‘day dawn.’ You need not expect to obtain all the truth on so great and grand a subject at one swallow, it is a continuous eating. You must seek. ‘He that seeketh findeth.’ ‘Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord.’ (Hos. 6:3.)”[7]

Based on Russell’s recommendation of Bible Students Tracts numbers one and two, we believe that Baldwin’s questions centered on issues of “second probation” and the reason for and manner of Christ’s return. These were issues that would have raised questions among Russell’s One Faith readers.

It is evident that some considerable interest came from Ohio and Iowa which were strongly Age to Come and had been one of the focus points of Barbour and Russell’s early ministry.

[1] The 1860 Census returns for Story County, Iowa, say his real estate was worth five thousand dollars and his personal property worth five hundred dollars.
[2] Conference Report, The Restitution, January 6, 1875.
[3] “Little Pope”: Report of the Conference Held Near Alden, Iowa, The Restitution, July 25, 1875. Declines Nomination: Iowa, The Restitution¸ December 20, 1875. Vice President: Iowa Conference Report, The Restitution, October 15, 1884.
[4] His subscription is noted in the November 1840 issue.
[5] Mr and Mrs. L. J. Baldwin to Editor Restitution, The Restitution, October 24, 1883.
[6] Mrs. M. V. Duggar: Iowa Conference, The Restitution, September 22, 1875.
[7] C. T. Russell: Questions of Correspondents, Zion’s Watch Tower, March 1881, page 8.

Friday, May 4, 2012

On the private blog ...

We're nearing completion of a lengthy biography of George Storrs, focusing on his separation and conflict with Millerite Adventism, his adoption of Age to Come belief and similar matters. We have corrected a generally circulated error about the influence of John T. Walsh, identified John Thomas, not Walsh, as the individual who introduced Non-resurrection of the wicked dead doctrine to Examiner readers, and documented Storrs' continued Age to Come belief while in the Life and Advent Union.

We correct standard misconceptions about the LaAU. My impression is that almost no one who's written about it since 1880 bothered to read the original material, certianly none of those who see this as Storrs' return to Adventism did so. We're writing up Storrs separation from the LaAU this week and maybe into next.

This is part three of chapter two. The full chapter consists of the life details of Wendell, Stetson, and Storrs as they relate to the Russells. This is followed by a general discussion of Russell's interactions with Adventist and Age-to-Come believers and his association with the One Faith movement.

We are accepting requests to join the private blog. Not every request will receive a positive response. We're looking for those who can contribute in some way. If you are interested, email one of us, tell us something about your self and why you're interested. If you think you can contribute to our research in someway, say that too.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Do any of you have ...

The May 23, 1844, Midnight Cry? We need to see the full text of Miller's letter re Storrs found in that issue.

Monday, April 30, 2012

john t. walsh

Walsh is credited with introducing the non-resurrection of the wicked dead doctrine to Storrs. Within the documentation we have (original, not secondary sources), it appears that John Thomas did that in an article in the December 1847 Bible Examiner. Everyone says Walsh did it. Every secondary source we have says that was Walsh. People who should know say it was Walsh. We can't find anything to indicate Walsh adopted the idea before Thomas did, but we also don't have most of the Examiner for 1847. Can you help us solve this puzzle?

Sunday, April 22, 2012

We need to see this ...

Teachings of "millenial dawn" shown to be unscriptural : being a brief review of doctrines found in their own published works
Author: G F Haines
Publisher: Boston : Advent Christian Publication Society, 1908

Anyone?

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

A snippet from chapter 2 of next book. Rough Draft only

Life and Advent Union

            In 1863 Storrs and his associates formed the Life and Advent Union to promote the teaching that the wicked dead would not be resurrected. Storrs was elected president [insert others] and the editor of a new journal, The Herald of Life and the Coming Kingdom. We do not know if this intentionally echoed the title of Elias Smith’s Herald of Life and Immortality, though we strongly suspect it did. It is important to note that they were united only by this doctrine. Animosity flowed from Second Adventists, including those associated with the Seventh-day sect, and some congregations voted to exclude Life and Advent speakers. However, until the mid-1870s, LaAU speakers participated in the Advent Christian ministry and spoke at their conferences.
The Life and Advent Union was not seen as a separate church. In this era neither the Advent Christian Association nor the Union, were churches in their own right, but associations of people, many of whom belonged to other churches, focused on a particular doctrine. More modern writers, especially polemicists, lose sight of this. Some have never grasped the point. They simply do not understand this era. Their research is shallow, or they parrot what others, equally uninformed, have written. Some slant the story to fit a polemic.  Neither group could fairly be described as a church until the late 1870s.
It is a mistake to see Storrs’ participation as a return to Millerite Adventism. None of those who remained Millerites saw it that way. He did not abandon his Literalist beliefs, but continued to advocate them. There were Adventists in the Union. Most of its adherents came from among Adventists. But some, including Storrs, no longer counted themselves as Millerite Adventists, and a goodly portion of The Herald of Life’s readership came from outside the Adventism.[1] The early advertisements for it focused on distinctively Age-to-Come doctrine rather than Millerite belief. As with most of magazines and papers focused on Christ’s return and more narrowly focused on a specific doctrine, it never achieved a significant circulation.[2]


Advertisement from the January 30, 1864, Scientific American. Note the Age-to-Come phrasing. [photo caption]

            Most Adventists and Age-to-Come believers rejected the doctrine. Horace Hastings wrote and published a tract entitled Retribution to voice his objections. He adopted an argument he found objectionable when it came from hell-fire advocates. Hastings, though widely praised later for his Anti-Infidel Library, was a vain, self-promoter who frequently commented negatively on other’s writing and reasoning ability, and circulated photos of himself to those who admired him. While denying to hellfire believers the claim that “soul sleep” tended to foster immorality, he adopted that argument to refute Storrs and his fellows:

The moral bearings of a doctrine which teaches that to every sinner ‘death is an eternal sleep;’ that they shall not all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one shall not give account of himself to God; that God shall not bring every work into judgment; that there shall not be a resurrection of the, dead, just and unjust; that they that have done evil shall not come forth to the resurrection of condemnation; that no sinner need to meet his blasphemed and insulted God in judgment; that a pistol-ball, a dagger, or a cup of poison, can, in an hour, put the vilest transgressor where neither God nor man can judge him for his iniquities, or punish him for his crimes; that he who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the redeeming blood an unholy thing, shall not be counted worthy of a ‘sorer punishment’ than all, both righteous and wicked, receive in natural death; that there is no cause for ‘a certain fearful looking-for of judgment and fiery indignation’ by those who ‘sin willfully, after’ they ‘have received the knowledge of the truth;’ … the moral bearings, I say, of such a doctrine as this are proper subjects of serious consideration. … A mother, after her youthful daughters had been associated with a preacher who taught this doctrine, told me how they drew inferences of impunity in sin, and security in impenitence, which they could mention and act upon, even though he might not be affected by them. I myself have been met with the same objection, when I have sought to warn unconverted men to repent and turn to God. ‘If we die, and that is the last of us, it is no great loss.’[3]


[1]           This continued to be true into the 1930s. Religious Bodies: 1936, Volume II, Part 1; Denominations A to J Statistics, History, Doctrine, Organization and Work, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1936 (1941 edition), page 41, notes that “a number of people hold the views of the Union who are not enrolled in its organized churches.”
[2]           S. M. Jackson [Editor]: Concise Dictionary of Religious Knowledge, New York, 1891, page 18, estimates that it had a circulation of 1000 in 1890.
[3]           H. L. Hastings: Retribution: The Doom of the Ungodly After the Resurrection of the Dead, just and Unjust, Boston, 1862, second edition, pages 154-155.

January 30, 1864, Scientific American


Note the Age to Come phrasing.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Storrs preached here every Sunday in the late 1840s and early 1850s.

Good stuff ...

We sent a partially completed chapter off to Jan Stilson, a historian who writes about Arbrahamic Faith issues. The Abrahamic Faith congregations overlap Watch Tower history in the 1870-1900 period. Also called One Faith, Russell associated with them for some years. Her response was:


Rachael; I read this quickly, some parts more thoroughly than others. Wow. You have done extensive research and written a very thorough document. it is quite readable, not stuffy. I think all your analyses about the interactions of the Literalists, the Age to Come, the Various Adventists and Russell are spot on. I don't find anything to complain about. Also, you hit the nail on the head with David G*****. He has done extensive research but his analysis is not always to be trusted. I look forward to seeing the finished book.

Bruce sent the same material to a writer for a major religious magazine whose interest is in the same area as ours. He made favorable comments too. We can't reproduce them because of confidentiality issues. But we are happy to have them.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Today on the private blog ...

Jerome has written a well-researched article on the interplay between Adventists, Age to Come belief and Russell's place in the Age to Come movement.

We are open to requests to read the blog, but mere curiosity will not get you access. We're sorry that this is so, but bad experiences from both sides of the isle have made some caution necessary. Tell us who you are, why you want to see it, and if you think you can contribute something beyond curiosity.

The prime rule is that what is on the private blog stays there. You may not copy it to your web site, use it in your book, article or controversial post. You many not link to it.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Today ... on the Invitation Only Blog

I've posted the first section of Chapter 2 of our work in progress. It defines the broad influences on Russell's theology, pointing to Age-to-Come belief as promoted by the Wilsons and others through The Restititution, a newspaper published in Indiana.

We find that the quality of research is often reflected by the footnotes. An educated eye can distinguish research into secondary sources  in the guise of primary sources. When we research we check what others claim and we check their sources. You have no idea how often the footnotes found in books that purport to be serious schollarly efforts betray the writer.

Here are the footnotes from our chapter two. I think they show the quality of our research. Do not expect us to post this chapter on the open blog (this blog.) Unless you are member of the other blog, you won't see it until publication. But I will let you see the footnotes:

[1]           C. T. Russell: Harvest Siftings and Gatherings, Zion’s Watch Tower, July 15, 1906, page 229.
[2]           Russell self-identifies as a pre-millennialist in an interview published in the December 26, 1878, issue of the Indianapolis, Indiana, Sentinel. The review from John O’Groat Journal is copied in the March 1, 1898, issue of Zion’s Watch Tower, page 80.
[3]           Emma Doolittle: Millennial Dawnism, later reprint by Faith Publishing House, Guthrie, Oklahoma, no date but originally not earlier than 1914.
[4]           Hatchet: Destiny of Man in the Ages to Come, The Millenarian, February 1887, page 1. Vitringa (1659-1722) was professor of Oriental languages and later professor of Theology and sacred history at the University of Franeker. His major prophetic statement was Anacrisis Apocalypsios Johannis Apostoli, published in 1719.
[5]           Institutio Interpretis Novi Testamenti, 1761.
[6]           J. Piscator: Commentarii in Omnes Libros Novi Testamenti, 1613.
[7]           Modern Millenarianism, The Biblical Repertory and Princeton Review, January 1853, page 68.
[8]           J. V. Himes: The Rise and Progress of Adventism, Advent Shield and Review, May 1844, page 92.
[9]           For a helpful article see David Graham: The Age-to-Come Influence of Elias Smith, Church of God General Conference History News Letter, Summer, 1984, page 1. The claim that Elias Smith was the first to preach Age-to-Come made in the Editorial accompanying the article, (see page 10) is, of course, false.
[10]          The resolution is reproduced in full in L. E. Froom: Prophetic Faith of our Fathers, volume 4, pages 617-618.
[11]          G. Storrs: The Return of the Jews, The Midnight Cry! February 17, 1843, page 1. (Pages are not numbered in this issue.)
[12]          J. V. Himes: The Rise and Progress of Adventism, Advent Shield and Review, May 1844, pages 47-48.
[13]          The Story of Chicago in Connection with the Printing Business, Regan Printing House, Chicago, 1912, page 203. Rowell’s American Newspaper Directory, 1872 edition, page 31.
[14]          Rowell’s American Newspaper Directory, 1873 edition, page 53. Marturion is the Greek word for Testimony. Wilson’s conception was of a society of witnesses to God’s word and work.
[15]          David Graham: The Old Union Church and the Church of God Abrahamic Faith in Indiana, Church of God General Conference History Newsletter, Autumn 1984, footnote 8 on page 7.
[16]          Thomas Wilson wrote in Our Rest: “I have been for some time prayerfully engaged in the study of that greatest wonder of earth (The Great Pyramid), 'the witness,' and the Lord has at last blessed my investigations by revealing to me what I sought after, viz., a perfect chronology, reaching back to the beginning of the world. I have felt impressed for some time with the idea that this building of His, so perfect in all other respects, would not fall short here, and so it has proven. The testimony is gradually being given, and in every instance it witnesses for the truth of that good old book, the Holy Bible.” – Quoted in B. W. Savile: Anglo-Israeliteism & the Great Pyramid, London, 1880, page 102. Wilson wrote a series of articles on the Great Pyramid in the 1880s. Two of the most significant are found in the January and November issues. These were picked up and commented on by The International Standard: A Magazine Devoted to … The Great Pyramid. See the May 1884 issue, pages 117, 124.
[17]          Jan Stilson: Editorial, Church of God General Conference History Newsletter, Autumn 1984.
[18]          J. W. Houghawout: Report of Labors, The Restitution, August 14, 1878.
[19]          Amos Sanford: Controversy, The Restitution, June 12, 1876.
[20]          AC Times as quoted in H. V. Reed: Doubt Castle Invaded, The Restitution, December 16, 1874. Characterization of Age-to-Come as “trash”: AC Times, July 18, 1877.
[21]          David Graham: A Short History of Anti-Sectarianism in the Church of God, Church of God General Conference History Newsletter, December 1992/January 1993, page 1ff.
[22]          Mary Bush” Letter to S. A. Chaplin in the January 22, 1879, issue of Restitution.
[23]          Abby A. Perry, Letter to S. A. Chaplin in the April 16, 1879 issue of Restitution.


The next section should go up in a few days. It profiles Jonas Wendell in detail not found anywhere else.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

J. T. Walsh

Walsh and Storrs associated for a period in the 1840s and 50s. A biography of Walsh is found here:
http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/17021

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Rose Ball

Do we know the name of Rose Ball's father?

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Roberto ...

Some of your questions may be answered by the new post on the private blog.

Charles Taze Russell and The Restitution

by "Jerome"


(Note: The article below was first published on the closed blog in June of last year. Since there has been some recent debate over whether CTR’s theology was mainly influenced by Adventist or Age to Come belief, it seemed relevant to republish it here. The Restitution was the main paper for Age to Come believers in the last three decades of the 19th century. The amount of space they gave to CTR, and the increasingly unfriendly tone of their comments as CTR’s theology developed, is a strong indication of where he had come from, and then – in their minds – deviated from. This writer suspects that researchers would be hard put to find a similar level of fixation in Adventist publications of the era, which tells its own story.

There is also a postscript at the end detailing what further research has uncovered since the article was originally published)


One of the key Age to Come papers of the 19th century was The Restitution. It started life as a successor to journals edited by Benjamin Wilson (of the Emphatic Diaglott) and his nephew Thomas Wilson. The title Restitution ran from 1870 to 1926.

It originally represented scattered autonomous groups that used terms like Abrahamic Faith, One Faith, Age to Come, Blessed Hope and Church of God, and originally allowed a wide range of views, as well as debating with what one writer called “half brethren” (July 28, 1880, page 2) such as Adventists and Christadelphians. Regular hot topics included the Second Advent, the resurrection, Jesus’ pre-human existence, a personal Devil, and what current events with literal Israel might mark the close of the Gentile Times.

Contributors in the 1870s included familiar names such as George Storrs and particularly George Stetson. Between 1876-1878 Stetson may possibly have written more for The Restitution than for Adventist journals like the Times and Crisis.

We know that Charles Taze Russell (hereafter abbreviated to CTR) associated with Storrs and Stetson, and also attended meetings with G D Clowes, who is listed preaching at Quincy Hall, Allegheny in the Restitution’s Church Directory in its issue for November 5, 1874. When George Storrs visited what he called a “little group in Pittsburgh” in the mid-1870s, he met both Clowes and Joseph Lytel Russell, CTR’s father. (See for example, Storrs’ Bible Examiner for November 1875, where both G D Clowes and J L Russell write to Storrs about the same meetings). Although CTR is not mentioned here, he obviously associated with Clowes because ZWT for March 1889 carries an obituary where CTR refers to “our dear Brother Clowes” (see reprints page 1110).

So when CTR began his own publishing ministry, The Restitution was an obvious place to send his material.

This article is going to look at CTR’s connections with The Restitution over a ten year period. During this time, in addition to his own periodical, CTR published four main works, Three Worlds, Object and Manner of Our Lord’s Return, Food for Thinking Christians, and The Divine Plan of the Ages. All were featured in The Restitution, and in a sense, they illustrate how the relationship between CTR and this One Faith group deteriorated as the years went by.


THREE WORLDS

An advertisement for Three Worlds in found in The Restitution for May 30, 1877, on page 3. Three silhouetted globes surround the title Three Worlds. It may well have been a paid advertisement, and it would be interesting to discover which other papers also printed it. It gives the publisher as C T Russell, Rochester, NY. The by-line reads – should be in the hands of every Bible student. No actual review has been found in surviving issues of The Restitution.

Nelson Barbour of course was the main author of Three Worlds, CTR’s role here was as publisher.


OBJECT AND MANNER OF OUR LORD’S RETURN

The Restitution for February 27, 1878 on page 2 made the following announcement: The Restitution supplement, as was noticed last week, was furnished by the writer C T Russell, to the readers of our paper, at his own expense both for the printing and mailing. (end of quote). Unfortunately it does not give a title and the issue from the previous week which probably did give a name is lost. Editorial comment suggests that this was Object and Manner which would be the logical thing for CTR to send out at that time.

It illustrated that CTR, as a successful businessman, had one advantage over many others – he could afford to send out material at his own expense both for the printing and the mailing. By contrast, The Restitution was always concerned about lack of funds and asking for donations. It is interesting to note that CTR chose this journal for the purpose.

The results must have been mixed. The review has a friendly but condescending tone. Rather magnanimously it states “we do not wish to prejudice our readers as it is a present to them which has been quite an expense to the writer”. However, readers must “prove all things” and the reviewer certainly had different views on resurrection and the Second Advent. Still (to quote again) the “fair chance” part of the supplement will probably please some of our readers. (end of quote).

Assuming that this February 27 freebie was Object and Manner, when others had time to assimilate its contents, they were not prepared to be so charitable. In The Restitution for June 26, 1878 one Restitution stalwart, J. B. Cook, had read it through thoroughly and did not like it one bit.

Cook’s review took center stage on the front page – The Object and Manner of Our Lord’s Return by C.T. Russell, noticed by J.B.Cook.

Cook starts by saying the pamphlet had been circulated both directly and indirectly and he received his copy with Herald of the Morning. The suggestion that Christ’s return had already taken place invisibly did not sit at all well with Cook. And as for the “second chance” gospel from H. Dunn, this was “another gospel”. Cook’s review is peppered with expressions like – delusive - utterly fallacious - the phantom of an excited brain... He concludes his attack with the words: (quote) It is in deep sorrow for them that I write. Brother R is spending his money for that which is not bread, and the brethren are scattered by “uncertain sounds, yet I rejoice. “The Lord knoweth them that are his”. Amen. “The half has not been told” to these brethren, but adieu. (end of quote).

There is a hint of theatrical flourish in the final “adieu” with perhaps a suggestion of 1 John 2 v.19 about it – “They went out from us, but they were not of our sort” (NWT)


FOOD FOR THINKING CHRISTIANS

CTR’s next publication for mass distribution was the 160 page pamphlet Food for Thinking Christians. Ultimately, over one million were circulated. This could hardly be ignored by The Restitution, although they really tried.

It was general policy to include cuttings from exchanged journals as fillers, and the November 2, 1881 issue of The Restitution, page 2, quoted from a letter J. C. Sunderlin sent to Zion’s Watch Tower from London. Sunderlin gives a little homily on running the Christian race, prompted by an engraving seen in a Fleet Street window. (The original is found in Zion’s Watch Tower for October-November 1881, reprints page 292.)

Sunderlin’s whole point in being in London was to organize the distribution of Food for Thinking Christians, but you would never know that from The Restitution. One wonders why they even quoted what they did.

The silence about Food continued for a year or two, by which time many Age to Come groups were familiar with the publication and it could no longer be ignored. The June 13, 1883 Restitution finally devoted four long columns on its back page to the problem, in the article A Brief Review by regular writer Wiley Jones. In a critical and not particularly brief review, Jones studiously managed to avoid mentioning either the name of the book, the publisher, or the author. He even makes the point that (quote) the name of the writer does not appear on the title-page (end of quote) – which was true but the implication appears deliberately misleading. All Jones would admit to was that (quote) a pamphlet of 160 pages, published in 1881...has been handed to me with a request that I would say something against its errors. (end of quote).

Wiley Jones obligingly referred to specific page numbers as he presented his criticism. His pen was not quite as poisonous in tone as J.B. Cook’s, but his view was much the same. The idea of the “second chance” for many dead did not appeal, and the chronological speculations on the timing of an invisible presence and the start of the resurrection were definitely not something for Restitution readers. By his amnesic approach to title and author Jones no doubt hoped to prevent further readers checking it out for themselves – even if just out of curiosity. But those who had seen the Food booklet would have no doubt what was being criticized.


THE DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES

CTR’s next major work, and ultimately the one that received the widest distribution of all was the first volume of Millennial Dawn, entitled The Divine Plan of the Ages.

CTR’s Divine Plan was widely reviewed. J B Rotherham for example, in The Rainbow for December 1886 was to give it over nine pages. The Restitution regularly quoted from The Rainbow, and no doubt some of its readers subscribed. And these journals had other journals in common. The writing was on the Age to Come wall - you cannot avoid mentioning a book that everyone else will mention. So The Restitution’s own review appeared on October 13, 1886.

And here we hit a problem. The extant Restitution file was put together from several church collections in the 1980s and unfortunately the poor quality paper used, along with imperfect storage conditions over a century means they are incomplete. Frustratingly a key chunk of the Restitution’s review – what THEY actually thought about CTR’s book is missing. The main section that survives is quotes from other reviewers. As such these are secondary sources – where you have to take on trust that they have been quoted correctly and in context. However, in reviewing CTR’s links with The Restitution, it does seem worthwhile to document here that they did, in fact, review The Divine Plan of the Ages.

What survives of their review is reproduced in full below:

“Millennial Dawn – The Divine Plan of the Ages, by Charles T. Russell – (Pittsburgh: Zion’s Watch Tower). The Inter Ocean has before made mention of this work. It is the first of a series of volumes, each complete in itself, and designed to expound and make clear “the plan of the ages” in the salvation of man. It is strong writing, showing much research and excellent arrangement and method in its treatment of its subjects. Upon the opening pages is a chart marked “the chart of the ages,” which divides the periods into three dispensations. First to the flood – 1656 years; second includes the Jewish or gospel age, and third, yet to be fulfilled, the millennial age under the reign of Christ. “For this end Christ died and lived again that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.” There will doubtless be many exceptions taken to the theology of the writing, but none will doubt the honesty or earnestness, or the intended devotion to truth of the author. Christian readers may find teachings in the book to combat, but they will find much more to commend. From a scholarly standpoint the book will be marked as one of merited literary excellence.”

On the contrary the New York Independent says: - “Millennial Dawn, Volume 1, The Plan of the Ages, throws no light on our mind, and only adds to the old perplexities. It is hard to classify either the book or the author. He is a fifth monarchy man, and talks in a wild and dangerously anarchic way of the authority of governments and of social order. He seems to belong to the wing of the Adventists, known as “Sleepers” on account of their belief that all men, good and bad, sleep in Jesus until their “restitution” at the pre-millennial coming of Christ. At all events, he believes in the restitution at the second and pre-millennial advent of the entire race to an earthly life under the reign of Christ, and with Jerusalem as the world’s capital. The mild reign of the Prince of Peace hardens in his hands to a “rule of iron,” which, with evident relish of the anticipation, he asserts will not be at all to the liking of a very considerable portion of the 142,000,000,000 of the restored dead. So far as we can disentangle the confusion of the book, it is a ludicrous mixture of restorationism, pre-millennialism of the more or less orthodox type, and a large portion of adventism of a kind which we must leave to those who believe in it to say whether it is orthodox or heretical. To us it falls into the large but simple class of well-meant fooleries.”

Thus our readers will see how the “doctors disagree.” While there is no paper that comes to our office that we more highly esteem than the Independent, we think the literary reviewer, who wrote the above critique, has been too caustic in some of his expressions, and somewhat unfortunate in a few of his leading objections; inasmuch as these very objections seem to conflict as much with positive Scripture language as with statements contained in the book reviewed. See Ps ii. 9; Rev. ii. 26,27.

Human destiny is a problem of immensely solemn importance. Ontology, Soteriology, Eschatology, - the doctrines of Existence, of Salvation, of Last-Things – are the irrepressible questions forcing themselves upon the attention of all the thoughtful in this age of critical investigation. It has become apparent to many theologians – though painfully so in many instances – that the old creeds are about so many concentrated formularies of extravagant error on eternal retribution. To speak for ourselves, we like some chapters of this work. Of other chapters we must say that the themes discussed are open questions. To those...

(at this tantalizing point nine lines are missing, and then the last four lines are incomplete)

....woman (?) what.....saved, and obtain....of glory that fadeth not away.

(end of review)

It would be nice if – somewhere - a copy with the complete review could be found.


So, looking back one can see the distance growing between the Age-to-Come people and the fledgling Bible Student movement – although any attacks on conditional immortality would provoke a mutually defensive position.

In 1902, it must have been extremely galling for the Restitution office, who had stocked Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott for decades, when CTR obtained the plates and took over the role of publisher.

If their new people wanted a Diaglott, or if older members wished to replace one, now they had to go to The Watch Tower. Which probably meant they would read a copy of The Watch Tower. Horror of horrors! They might even choose to become Bible Students instead.


ADDENDUM

The article above had to assume that the supplement sent out with The Restitution for February 20, 1878, was CTR’s Object and Manner, because regrettably this particular issue is not extant. This can now be confirmed from George Storrs’ review in Bible Examiner for March 1878, page 167. Storrs writes about Object and Manner (quote) The author is one of my very dear friends, and is a sincere lover of truth. I have not the slightest doubt of his stern integrity...his sacrifice of time and money shows his faith (end of quote). But Storrs cannot accept the second presence concept and that it has already happened, and quotes approvingly from a current Restitution review, which queries invisible presence, and is critical, albeit in a kindly fashion.

Volume 2 of CTR’s Millennial Dawn series, The Time is at Hand, was given a kindly review by A J Eychaner in The Restitution for February 4, 1891. Eychaner disputes aspects of chronology (quote) I wish in this paper simply to call attention to an error in the count of Bro. Russell, which I think is fatal to his whole time argument (end of quote). However, this review is quite friendly, it calls CTR “Brother” and ends with “Submitted in all charity”.

By The Restitution for December 12, 1894, comments on Volume 2 were far more vitriolic. CTR has been (quote) blinded by his own invention...we squarely charge the author of Millennial Dawn with setting aside the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and representing his as deceiving the apostles by creating a body and clothing for that purpose. A man who would represent him in whose mouth was no guile, as capable of such abominable trickery in order to sustain his own, or some borrowed subterfuge, ought to be closely watched...All this folly grows out of want of faith in that great and glorious truth – justification by faith (end of quote).

What had probably not helped the writer’s blood pressure was the previous issue for December 5, 1894, detailing how a Bible Student had been giving out copies of the Old Theology Tract no. 21 Do You Know outside their place of worship. Restitution readers were being targeted! In the words of the writer (quote) evidently the Christ Mr Russell expects to reign with, never died for him....we admit there is a fraud, and as between the Lord Jesus and Mr. Russell, we decide it is the latter (end quote).

As noted at the end of the original article, CTR obtaining the plates for the Diaglott must have been the last straw.

Friday, March 9, 2012

It occurs to me ...

That most of those who read this blog pronounce B. W. Keith's last name as Keeth. It's a German name. It's pronounced Kyte, K eye t.

J. A. Seiss isn't Seesz. It's S eye sz.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Who wrote this?

It's signed E.B. It's probably from about 1920.


E. W. Brenneisen often signed correspondence using his initials E.B.
This is a suggested answer? Any thoughts?

Sunday, March 4, 2012

On the Invitation Only Blog

I've posted a near final draft of Chapter One of our next book. It details the Russells' lives from immigration to 1870 with some spill over into later years. Many new things find their way into this chapter. We know the name of the Presbyterian Church the Russells attended, the names of its two pastors, the name of the Congregational Church C. T. R. joined, the names of its two pastors. We have a photo of one of them. We explain Russell's claim to "private tutors."

We correct the record in significant ways. Statements that find ready, uncritical acceptance from other writers are significantly wrong. We point out the errors and present original source documentation to support our claims.

One section of this chapter remains unwritten because we're waiting for a collection of documents from a church archive. Without that section (which should be brief) the chapter is fifty-two pages long formatted as it will be for publication. It's documented with 233 footnotes, almost all of which come from original sources such as immigration records, letters, financial documents, obituaries, and extracts from Russell's own words. There are many seldom seen photos and illustrations.

Want a sample of the footnotes? Here are some from later in the chapter:

Woodward & Rowlands’ Pittsburgh Directory for 1852, page 9.

Russell transcript, page 118; Diefenbach’s Directory: 1882-1883, page 869; In the Superior Court of Pennsylvania Western District: No. 202, April Term, 1908. Maria F. Russell by her Next friend Emma H. Russell vs Charles T. Russell, Appellant. Paper Book of Appellant, pages 7-8.

Russell transcript, page 43. Appellant’s Paper Book, page 8.

Charles Tays Russell’s will is on file at Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Apparently no one repeating the outrageous claim of one individual has bothered to check the original.

Document dated September 2, 1886, relating to Mary Jane Russell’s inheritance found in the probate records of Charles Tays Russell, Allegheny County.

Bill of Sale between C. T. Russell and Bernard M. Block dated February 27, 1896, found in the archives of the *** Center of the *** Archives [We need some surprises, right?]

This sample should be enough to show that this is serious, well-documented history.