Avenger, you'd have to read his entire sermon where he makes that statement of being a free mason. You'd understand why he makes it.
Ded, Russell was born a congregationalist and studied with the Advent Christian Church for a good part of ten years. He was interested in started a new religion. In fact he didn't consider it a religion. He was simply extensing a ministry others had started and it took off. The Society was just a publishuing house firm. When he died, Rutherford turned it into the modern day Jehovah's organization,with his "be in or be damn" theology.
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"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional."