Going over to CT Russell's tomb, anybody want any closeups? Requests?

by thecarpenter 24 Replies latest jw friends

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  flipper

  Would my pink plastic flamingos be considered defacing? flipper
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  blondie

  Remember he is not buried in the large pyramid like structure. I think that was added later.

  

  His dust is under the tombstone. There are some excellent pictures.

  

  Remember, for all intents and purposes, Russell is not responsible for today's WTS. It is the child and/or grandchild of Rutherford, Knorr, and Fred Franz.

  I know, but does anyone know what it means that Russell was the Laodicean Messenger?

  Blondie
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  Nathan Natas

  It sounds like you have a pretty good plan already. If time and storage capacity permit, I would ask you to document all four sides of the pyramid, paying special attention to the "book of life" section on each of the four faces, which is supposed to contain the names of everyone else who is buried in the old Bible Students plot. Then fan out and document the other graves in the vicinity. The pyramid marks the CENTER of the plot. I have no idea how many other graves there are, but each of those names is a little piece of history.

  I have tried to track down the history of the cemetery without success, but I'm more than 2,000 miles away. My understanding is that the property was originally farmland that belonged to Russell's family that was "sold" to United Cemeteries Corp., which was a C. T. Russell "false front" business (this from testimony given during the Russell v. Brooklyn Eagle "Miracle Wheat" trial). All I lack to substantiate this theory is some tangible evidence like deed histories and the documents of the original corporation. Now it is more than a century later... fat chance we'll ever see those, eh?

  Thanks for taking a documentary approach to your project as opposed to a tourist or drunken frat boy approach.

  -- NN, drunken frat boy tourist class
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  stev

  I visited the cemetery about 30 years ago. There was no Masonic lodge at that time. I went into the cemetery office and after much begging, was shown the cemetery records for the plot. There were many names of people that had been buried there in the plot that did not have tombstones. The pyramid only lists a few names. The pyramid was not planned by Russell, but was built after his death, in 1919, as I remember. I am not sure about Russell's tombstone, but I doubt that Russell had planned that either. Is there any photograph of a different tombstone that preceded the present one?

  The cemetery office had the burial record for Russell, but all I can remember the cause of death listed was incorrect. One thing that is curious is that on the cemetery records, for the officers at that time, the signatures of a man named Bohnet and Spill show up. Bro. Bohnet and Dr. Spill both worked for Russell, and yet they also were officers for the cemetery. This shows that there was some connection between the Watch Tower and the cemetery. Does anyone have clearer information about the cemetery? My memory is that cemetery office had told me that the Watch Tower had once owned the cemetery or the plot of land.

  Russell never called himself "The Laodicean Messenger". This comes from the book of Revelation. There were messages to the angels of the seven churches, one of which was Laodicea, the last of the seven churches. Russell taught that the seven churches represent seven stages of the church during the Gospel Age, and that the angels, which can also be translated "messenger" represents human messengers which Christ used to give messages to the Christian church.

  The seven messengers is covered quite thoroughly in the book "The Finished Mystery", written by Woodworth and Fisher, not Russell as the book claimed. There Russell is called The Laodicean Messenger. In the years after Russell's death, Russell was canonized by the Society, and glorified. After his death, he was called "That servant" as well. Russell never openly admitted to being "that servant", although it is likely that he believed so.

  The canonization of Russell and the pyramid and tombstone are a reflection of the need for Rutherford to establish the legitimacy of his authority. Russell had never designated a successor, and from his Will and Testament for the Society, it is clear that Russell did not plan for one-man rule. Rutherford gained the Presidency by behind-the-scenes political maneuvering and bullying and other suspicious activities, followed by his illegal removal of Board members who did not agree with him. In elevating Russell and thus the Society that he led for many years, Rutherford was able to enhance his own position. When Rutherford's authority was in place, he initiated the decanonization of Russell, and condemned the very "creature worship" that he fostered.

  Although Russell had his faults which cannot be excused, the present anger toward Russell is misplaced. Until the internet there was never any hint among the Bible Students/JWs of a Masonic connection, which is based on speculation and ignorance of the true history behind the JWs. Although the pyramid at the tombstone resembles the Great Pyramid, it likely represents the Church class glorified. See the Chart of the Ages, which has many pyramids, including pyramids which represent the Church class, Little Flock.
• 

  betterdaze

  Arabella Mann & Mary J. Whitehouse on Russell’s Pyramid?
  
  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/130866/1.ashx
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  Dino

  Hello thecarpenter. Could you also focus on the "eye of Horus" thingy at the top of the pyramid? It seems to have eroded greatly as the years go on. Thanks, Dino
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  horrible life

  Nathan, I need clarification

  I would ask you to document all four sides of the pyramid
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  bigdreaux

  actually, although russels doctrine was flawed, his idea on religion is far from what the witnesses are today. his idea was never to have an organised religion. i respect alot of what he said, apart from the doctrine of course.
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  Kenneson

  From the Souvenir Report of the Bible Students Convention, Pittsburgh, Pa. 1/2-5/1919, page 7.

  "AT THE GRAVE

  "On Monday, a party of about 150 was conducted by Brother Bohnet to the grave of Brother Russell. Upon a hillside, sloping toward the south, we joined hands around the grave and sang: 'Blest be the tie that binds our hears in Christian love, the fellowship of kindred minds is like that to above..'

  "We visited the marble works and there watched the workmen slowly but surely chisel out the monument to be erected as a memorial to the Society. The Watchtower Society burial lots in Rosemont United Cemeteries, five miles due north of Pittsburgh City, contain ample grave space for all the members of the Bethel family, and the Pilgrims and their wives--in all more than 275 adult graves. In the exact center of the Bethel lot will be erected diagonally the Pyramid Shaped Monument as designed by Brother Bohnet, and accepted by Brother Russell as the most fitting emblem for an enduring monument on the Society's burial space. The size of the structure is nine feet across the base, and its apex stone is exactly seven feet above the ground level.

  "It rests upon a concrete foundation five feet deep and heavily re-inforced with barbed wire, the work of Brother Bohnet, who would not entrust this important task to anyone else, so we are assured that the job is well done. The brother gave a full description of the securing of the rock material at the time he piloted the conventionists to the cemetery and urged us to help ourselves to souvenir chips in the shop of the granite worker nearby...

  To be continued
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  Kenneson

  Continued

  "Each slope of the pyramid will face one of the large lots, and on each of these slopes is cut in four-inch embossment a Teacher's Bible, on the pages of which will appear the names of the ones buried there. The burial space for Brother Rutherford was indicated and his name, like that of Brother Russell, will be at the top of opposite Bible pages. A Bible space is being set apart for the Pilgrims--all in one lot of forty-eight grave spaces, so all the names will appear on the same Bible.

  "Above the Bibles are spaces for the inscriptions in full, W.T.B.&T.S., I.B.S.A., 'Dead with Christ', 'Risen with Christ', etc. And above these the Cross and Crown and Wreat, and the whole capped with the apex stone, highly polished--its shape of course being pyramidal.

  "Within the structural, encased in a block of granite, will be sealed a metal box in which is a complete set of Karatol Scripture Studies, the Memorial Tower, and one of every tract, photographs of Pastor Russell, a copy of the Society's charter, and many other things to interest the people who at some future date may open the pyramid and find them.

  "It is expected the monument will be in place before Decoration Day. Any truth people desiring a chip of the stone may send postage enough to carry a piece about the size of an egg, with enough additional to pay the Society for the trouble of having it wrapped in the mail."