Russell became rich after founding WatchTower?

by GermanXJW 9 Replies latest watchtower scandals

  • GermanXJW
    GermanXJW

    A participant on German Infolink-Board claims that Russell was not rich before he founded the Watch Tower Society. He refers to an English source. I am reluctant to believe this but here are people like RR who can answer with authority:

    What we have been told.
    Up to now, no one has contested the explanation that has been provided by The WT Society and their official history. Supposedly, Russell sold his clothing store and financed his activities from the proceeds...
    Russells finances.
    It will surprise many people to learn that Charles T. and his father Joseph L. were quite poor in 1870. They boarded and their store was rented to them. In 1870, they were not involved in religion yet, and the two of them had not a single piece of property. Josephs personal belongings were $ 2,000. (1870 Census of Pittsburgh, Ward 4, pg. 98, Line 4,5,6).
    The first good financial break was when Charles T. Russels uncle by the same name dies Dec. 1875. His father inherited $ 1,000. (Will of C.T. Russell, Sr).
    The popular story is that Pastor Russell gave all his money to his great crusade and dies a poor man, leaving his poor wife with only $ 200. The Court records show a very rich man indeed. And most of Russells money CAME IN AFTER HE STARTED UP HIS Watch Tower Society.
    Because C.T. Russells wife divorced him in 1897 Russell hid his money so that his ex-wife would not be able to get any support. In Court, C.T. Russell would not honestly state his holdings even under oath. J.J. Ross investigated on his own and discovered that Russell had lied under oath. After having lied in Court, Pastor Russell had to make a clean breast of his lies when the Reverend Ross confronted him in Court with the facts and the charters of SOME OF RUSSELLS COMPANIES (Ross, Rev.J.J. Some Facts and More Facts About the Self-Styled Pastor Charles T. Russell, Hamilton, Ont. 1920, pp. 31-32. See also Courthouse Records, Deeds, Allegheny Co., PA, citations from numerous volumes and pages).
  • VM44
    VM44

    Hi German, Thanks for posting this. It is an interesting thought, that Russell and his father were not wealthy, and the wealth came after forming the Watchtower Society. We need more documentation about this matter. Does anyone know how it can be obtained? --VM44

  • Gerard
    Gerard
    Court records show a very rich man indeed.

    A cult leader made money out of his followers? I am shocked NOT.

  • GermanXJW
    GermanXJW

    I am reluctant to believe this. Keep in mind that the same people claim that Russell was wealthy and because of this had connections to masons.

  • nicolaou
    nicolaou

    Can you provide a link to the original post G JW?

  • pettygrudger
    pettygrudger

    *Marking this post as I would be interested as well.

  • GermanXJW
    GermanXJW

    Can you provide a link to the original post G JW?

    No, I am sorry. There was an error and a restructure in the German board and the WebMaster deleted part of the database.

  • Gerard
    Gerard
    Keep in mind that the same people claim that Russell was wealthy and because of this had connections to masons.

    From: http://m2.aol.com/RichClark7/rev/masonic.htm

    Masonry is just a veiled form of Satanism using occult terminology to hide itself from the initiate until he is so fully involved that it is nearly impossible to escape.

    On July 14, 1889, the grand pontiff of universal free masonry, Albert Pike, issued instructions to the 23 supreme councils of the world. He said,

    "That which we must say to the crowd is: We worship a god, but it is the god that one adores without superstition." And he also said, "To you sovereign grand inspectors general, we say this, that you may repeat it to the brethren of the 32nd, 31st and 30th degrees - the Masonic Religion should be by all of us initiates of the high degrees, maintained in the purity of the Luciferiandoctrine." And again said, "If Lucifer were not God, would Adonay (Jesus - God of Christians)... calumniate [speak evil of] him?" - "Yes, Lucifer is God..."

  • RR
    RR

    Okay, let's see what I can do here.

    Russell owned a chain of men's furnishings along with his Father, except it was Russell who eventually expanded the stores. By the time he was 25 he was worth 250,000.00 a considerable amount of money in those days. Yes, his uncle Charles Tayes Russell left him $10,000.00 and he no doubt invsted that money and helped in expanding his stores. Russell had his hand in everything, stocks, bonds, and other investments.

    He even owned "The Solon" which was a sears catalog type company. in the from 1868 -1878, he was involved with the Advent Christians, his father, sister and he were baptized in 1874 by George Stetson, an Adventist Christian Church minister. Russell's father, Joseph, appeared in quite a few Advent Christian journals. When the Watch Tower was formed however, Russell was just an editor, William H. Conley was the president, while Russell served as secretary. Conley was a bank president.

    And although Russell eventually closed down his stores, he had a lot of property, that were owned by his Father and uncle. The United Cemetary, was one big farmland owned by his uncle. And he held onto his other investments.

    Between 1897-1907, he began to liquidate his assests, true this was during his separation, but I don't blame the guy. He wasn't trying to cheat his wife, because he was paying alimony.

    Maria Russell was living in a house rent free, she then began to sublease a room, she took the rend as well as the alimony payments and bagn publishing booklets AGAINST Russell.

    RR

  • GermanXJW
    GermanXJW

    Thanks, R.R. Are the above accusations new to you? Ever heard of the 1870 census before?

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