by EndofMysteries 147 Replies latest watchtower scandals
What is in the background?????
Now read what was released and given to all convention attenders about the building of his gravesite, about what's inside it, and about who owns all the land.
From the book called Souvenir Report of the Bible Student's Convention Jan. 2-5, 1919 link:
http://wtarchive.svhelden.info/archive/en/publications/1919_Jan_Bible_Student...
So with all of that being said, is there any doubts anymore?
“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 towards the south, we joined hands around the grave and sang: ‘Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.’
Our last lingering look upon the scene recalled the peaceful manner of our Pastor’s ‘passing beyond the veil.’ Brother Rutherford’s words came to mind: ‘I am glad this prison experience was reserved for us, rather than for our dear Brother Russell.’
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 Shape 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 this structure is nine feet across the base, and its apex stone is exactly seven feet above the ground surface level.
It rests upon a concrete foundation five feet deep and heavily reinforced 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 was 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 ...
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 space[s], so all their names will appear on the same Bible.
Above the Bibles are spaces for 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 Wreath, and the whole capped with the apex stone, highly polished — its shape of course being pyramidal.
Within the structure, incased in a block of granite, will be a sealed 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 the next 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 for the mail.”
Souvenir Report of the Bible Students Convention, Pittsburgh, PA., January 2-5, 1919, page 7.
The Laodicean Messenger (a biography of Russell published in 1923) describes the Pyramid at Russell’s grave and the extra precautions taken to protect his gravesite from vandalism.
“Elsewhere in this book will be found some reproductions of beautiful photos taken of the surface, showing the "Pyramid" and Head Stone with inscription, likewise the plat beneath which is hidden the ashes of one who we believe is now crowned both King and Priest. The casket was placed in a vault beneath the surface of the earth, inclosed in solid cement two feet thick, and carefully sealed. This is in order that the ghouls might not "come by night and steal the body" for experimental purposes. Scientifically speaking that skull would have a great value, so money might be supplied without stint to obtain it. The committee thought it best to not put temptation in the way of any of the basely and curiously selfish, so they took proper precaution to prevent the grave being thus desecrated.” (Page 259)
The link doesn't work. It says "page not found"
I think we should open the pyramid and copy scan upload on PDF for the whole world to see what's inside it. :)
Sorry THIS is the link to download the original
http://wtarchive.svhelden.info/archive/en/publications/1919_Jan_Bible_Student_Convention.pdf
You know I have no love for the superfine apostles up there in Brooklyn, but this photo alone does not prove masonic ties. The building in the background is a masonic center, however it was built AFTER Russell was buried under his pyramid. If you could find proof that the Mason's owned the cemetary in the past or that it is a primarily Masonic cemetary ie. most other graves circa 1916 were masonic members that might help. The Pyramid itself is wrong there is no doubt about that but the center in the background is only damning if there is a direct tie to it from the WTBTS. Otherwise anybody could have built on that property. If the democratic national commitee built headquarters there that does not mean that Russell was a democrat unless he donated them the land.
However that does not prove that Russell was not a Mason either. I guess it is curios but no definitive one way or the other without more information.
I used to be on the Russell was a freemason bandwagon too. But the facts just don't fit. Russell thought the Mason's were right in some areas, and so he made the comment that Bible Students WERE Masons, and their foundation and Chief Mason was Jesus Christ.
But if you go on to read further, Russell shows that he is was not a mason in the sense of actually belonging to the organization of Masons. There have been SEVERAL threads on this site debunking the whole thing. C.T Russell was not an official freemason. He thought that the term "Mason" applied to all those that had rejected Christendom and had Christ as their "master worker" and "Chief Mason".
Also, Barbara Anderson actually wrote the Masons and they confirmed that C.T Russell was never an official Mason. I can't find the thread, but if someone could post it, that would help.
EoM, interesting!
Your link to the Souvenir Report of the Bible Student's Convention comes up "Page Not Found"
Here is the link:
Here is a link that contains a ton of Russell freemason investigation links. Going through it, it seems clear to me that Russell was not a mason:
http://ctr.reslight.net/?p=1734
and this one:
http://pastorrussell.blogspot.com/2008/09/was-charles-taze-russell-mason.html
I posted this last link with reservations. It's a JW site, but it does have some good evidences regarding the claim that Russell was a mason. There also is a lot of copy/paste stuff about other subjects from the WT. But the Russell/Mason link is well done.
Read the bible student convention pamphlet, also the street to the grave is called masonic way, unsure if before or after. Also that gravestone is the center of the grave yard, that bethel owned, so I think that mason temple sits on what was the center of it. But why would they build one right there? Why during the early days were assemblies at mason halls?
Also terminology, Jehovah is supposedly a word used by masons.
They call eachother "brother".
I am looking for the so called court documents that showed the rothschilds as helping fund and start the "ZIONS" watchtower.
Also a chance that Russell may have not been one, but Rutherford could be the one who fully was, he did do the grave and all those things.
Also a mason is sworn to never admit they are, so Russell would never be able to say he was one, and since one is not allowed to say if they are, asking them if somebody is mason they would not be allowed to admit either. So all who say they've asked them and the said no, they wouldn't say yes even if he was.
