Awesome quote from the Watchtower!

TimothyT

I found this awesome quote from the book Captives of a Concept:

Beware of "organization.” It is wholly unnecessary. The Bible rules will be the only rules you will need. Do not seek to bind others' consciences, and do not permit others to bind yours. Believe and obey so far as you understand God’s Word today, and so continue growing in grace and knowledge and love day by day. (The Watchtower, September 15, 1895)

If he said that in our day, Russell would have been disfellowshipped! Hehe!

Incidently I agree with him. What do you think?

HOW FASCINATING!!!

Timmy xxx

Reality79

....and as this very site shows, somewhere down the road things got REALLY f*****d up!

They were more clued up over a 100 years ago than they are now, talk about being backward!

sizemik

Well spotted Tim . . . yes it's a "famous quote" that you won't find repeated post-Rutherford.

C T Russell's view on matters was as different from current WTS teaching as Mormonism is today.

still thinking

nice find TimothyT...... shame they didn't stick with that idea....although I think it is human nature to turn things into some sort of organization....and once an organization begins its primary goal is to sustain itself..all other motives go out the window.

Shanagirl

That's the difference between Spirituality and Religiosity. That's the only statement from the Watchtower that makes sense.

cofty

At this stage Russell encouraged his readers to stay in their own churches and try to be a good influence for bible study. He even praised an organisation called the "Evengleical Alliance" and speculated that it was an example of "the faithful and wise slave".

How things changed when popularity went to his head later in life.

xFLms

Its funny that after Russell There was a split. If I am not mistaken, a Circuit overseer told me a bit ago that after russel passed there was split in the organization... the start of the Russellites and the Jehovah's Witnesses as they are known today. Don't know much about them other than they are veiwed as appostates now by the organization, but maybe they were on to something. LOL

WontLeave

They occasionally pay lip-service to this ideal:

Remember, too, that you have made a dedication to Jehovah God himself, not to a work, a cause, other humans, or an organization. Your dedication and baptism are the beginning of a very close friendship with God—an intimate relationship with him. - bh ("Bible Teach") p.183 ¶24

This is something to keep in mind, because if you're in the back room for not kowtowing to the powers that be and you try to invoke a quote from the 1800s, you'll be laughed out. They don't care about "old light", when the "new light" gives them infinitely more power.

Fernando

@Shanagirl

How true, and well stated!

This painstakingly well researched and free e-book shows just how badly so-called "Christianity" has lost its way: http://www.christinyou.net/pdfs/Christiantynotrel.pdf

Greetings and blessings

Fernando

sizemik

xFLms . . . welcome to JWN . . .

Yes you are correct. Rutherford sacked all of Russells WTS appointments among much controversy . . . so he could get his hands on the publishing company. I believe the International Bible Students are still around today . . . somewhere.

Awesome quote from the Watchtower!

Share this