confused, unlearned theologians, and neither was a scholar. Although Je hovah’s Witnesses base many of their teachings upon Russell’s supposed knowledge of Greek and Hebrew, it is a well-authenticated fact that once in court when Russell was asked to read the Greek alphabet, he was un able to do so! Both men were ego tistical and controversial and had many brushes with the law. Russell was deported from Canada during World War I, charged with hamper ing mobilization and Rutherford ac tually served a term in Atlanta Fed eral Penitentiary for violation of the Espionage Act. Yet Jehovah’s Wit nesses boast of their patriotism, claim ing to have uncovered “ the fifth col umn,” while at the same time re fusing to salute the American flag! T he original textbooks of Je on the market, they sold in the millions. Jehovah’s Witnesses early learned the power of the press, and for many years from the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, with present headquarters in Brooklyn, N.Y., have poured literally tons of their heretical literature. While for reasons I will disclose later, the Je hovah’s Witnesses should like to dis claim Russell and Rutherford, they continue to teach exactly the same doctrines they taught. In fact, many of their “ new” books aré only re writes of Russell and Rutherford. The Jehovah’s Witnesses cult is one of the fastest-growing in America, particu larly appealing to those who have lit tle security in this world by their promises of an earthly paradise. A l though the founders died enormously wealthy men, there is no evidence that the “ followers are enjoying much financial prosperity.” R u th e rfo rd claimed his “ theocracy” was the only hope for mankind” (p. 226, L ife). May God help the poor who have been misled into this Christ- dishonoring system by such promises of happiness for this world or that which is to come. Jehovah's Witnesses and the Bible As I stated before, in company with all the cults, Jehovah’s Wit nesses comes with its book or books. Christian Science comes with Mrs. Eddy’s Science and Health, Mormon- ism with the writings of Joseph Smith, Seventh-day Adventism with the books of Mrs. Ellen G. White, and so on through every one of them. Russell called his books “ the light now due” and stated that it was
Jehovah’s Witnesses continued of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).
that their books are the authority and the Bible is ruled out. However, if they said that to start with, peo ple who have had some Christian in fluence, and some faith in the Word of God, would be frightened away. They wait until the unwary have been ensnared and then they make it plain that it is not the Bible, but their books, that are God’s message for this age. No matter if you have the Old and New Testaments, that is not enough. You must have the “ rev elation” from some man or some woman. Another characteristic of every cult is that one and all they strike at the person and redemptive work of Christ, at His deity and His sin less humanity. That proves that back of them is the arch-enemy of our Saviour, Satan himself. Then they all reject a literal hell, and adopt annihilation of the wicked, soul- sleeping or the like. Finally, they all teach some kind of works for salva tion — not the finished redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross alone. And it all comes down to this: You are saved or lost according to what you do, not what He has done; and of course, what they tell you to do. If this message reaches any mem ber of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I beg of you to divest your mind of every prejudice, and to look at your views in the light of the Word of God. When I was saved, I had a great many wrong ideas from which I had to shake myself loose when they were measured up against the Bible. If you are right, what I am saying cannot hurt you; if you are wrong, the sooner you acknowledge it, the better. I do not expect to reach many who are already completely sold out to these heresies, although I know there is nothing in any of them to satisfy the heart and give the peace of God. I do trust, however, that God will use His Word to de liver some deluded ones who have been dabbling with these systems without really knowing what they teach, and that now they will turn away from them in horror. Origin of Jehovah's Witnesses This movement was launched in 1886 with the publication of “ Pastor” Russell’s books and expanded into a great propaganda machine for the old Arian heresy by “ Judge” Ruther ford, although Charles Taze Russell was never a pastor, and Joseph Frank lin Rutherford was never a judge. Both were prolific, tedious writers,
So now we come to the false re ligious system called Jehovah’s W it nesses, and we will examine it not by our opinions but by the Word of God. M aybe it will be a little difficult for some of you to identify this cult be cause it has changed its name so many times it is a veri table moving picture! For instance when I came to America from Australia in 1911, this cult was called M illennial Dawn. It should have been named Millennial Nightmare! Then in succession it was entitled Zion’s Watch Tower, International Bible School Students Association, The Brooklyn Tabernacle, The Peo ple’s Pulpit, the Metropolitan Taber nacle, the Watch Tower, Russellism and Rutherfordism. The name of ficially adopted in 1931 was Jeho vah’s Witnesses, although there is a split called The Dawnites, who claim to be the real orthodox Russellites, and who have a coast-to-coast broad cast under the names of “ Frank and Ernest.” But as the late eminent Bi ble expositor, Dr. William G. Moore- head stated:. “ If called by any other name, it would be the same. All things to all men that by all means to deceive some! It is a mixture of Unitarianism, Universalism, Second Probation, and Restorationism, and the Swedenborgian method of exege sis . . . Mr. Russell imposes on Scrip ture his own views and reads into it that which never entered the mind of the inspired writer. May God in His infinite mercy preserve His peo ple from being deceived and be trayed by this counterfeit of Chris tianity!” If you find a man running round with six or seven names—who is “ John Smith” today, and “Tom Jones” tomorrow—you can put it down as a dead-sure thing that the police are on his trail! All of the names mean Russellism, and while they now call th em se lv es “ Jehovah’s Witnesses” there is not one witness to the true Jehovah of the Bible in the entire organization. One thing that characterizes every false religion, is that each one claims to be the mouthpiece for God. They do not consider the Word of God sufficient. Each one comes with a book, and says, “ The Bible plus this book.” What they actually mean is
hovah’s Witnesses were the six books of Russell, which sold in the thousands, but when Rutherford’s publications came
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TH E K IN G 'S BU SINESS
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