Russell/JW teachings depend on the leadership being God's mouthpiece although they have always been coy about it.
Maybe that's because him and the men who followed him running the WTS. (Rutherford) weren't a faithful slave to Jesus and his instructions in preaching his Gospel but faithful to their agenda of literature proliferation.
Russell propagated other men's theologies including Pyramidology
These men and others proved the return of Christ is a valuable and saleable commodity.