Hello RR,
It really is not important whether Charles Taze Russell was a member of any Masonic Lodge. WE need to clarify what the real issue is here. How did Charles Russell have so much insight into Masonry and how was he privy to Masonic concepts held only for sages and adepts in Masonry?
He must have studied it in depth. A review of Russell's sermons showed them to be purely Masonic sermons with just a touch of Christianity.
While Russell, on one occasion stated that he wasn't a Mason, he referred to the Masons as his "BROTHERS in Masonry." He also referred to the International Bible Students as "The highest order of Freemasonry." Therefore, he considered himself a Mason of a higher order and he believed that the International Bible Students were an order of Masonry which had risen above the normal Masonic hierarchy.
This is common and encouraged in Freemasonry, which has spawned many religious orders, such as Rosicrucianism, Mormonism, Christian Science, Wiccanism, the Watchtower Society, and many others.
The Watchtower was founded on Freemasonry beliefs and symbols, including: the watchtower, pyramids and Masonic capstone, cross and crown, rising sun, rose crossed, winged globe of the Egyptian sun god RA, the name Jehovah, concepts of progressive revelation, theocratic warfare, no hell, work salvation, demotion of Jesus, new light, secret orders, and the esoteric language of Freemasonry.
Edited by - SCORPION on 23 December 2000 0:18:17
Edited by - SCORPION on 23 December 2000 0:52:36