C. T. RUSSELL vs. THE ORGANIZATION

[RR144]

In my Bible discussions with Jehovah's Witnesses, there is one topic that always seems to come up. They just can’t wait to share with me that Jehovah has an Organization. Just what do they mean by "Organization"? The Watchtower Society says:

"Jehovah's organization is theocratic. This means that it is ruled by the direct administration of God, and all who desire to serve in association with the organization must respect the theocratic arrangement of things." (Qualified to be Ministers, 1955, p. 380)​

The earthly leaders of this organization are called the "Governing Body". The Watchtower says,

"... recognition of that governing body and its place in God's theocratic arrangement of things is necessary for submission to the headship of God's Son.” (Watchtower, 12/15/72, p. 755)​

In light of these Watchtower claims, we will look at what the first Watchtower president, Charles Taze Russell, had to say about organization. We think you’ll find his thoughts very interesting, if not enlightening. Did he believe a governing body should set rules for our lives?

Russell warned:

"Beware of It is wholly unnecessary. 'organization.' The Bible Do not rules will be the only rules you Will need. seek to bind others consciences....and đo not permit others to bind yours. Believe and obey so far as you can understand God's Word today....” (WATCH TOWER,1895, p. 216​

He also said:

"...it is plain that the forming of a visible organization of such gathered out ones would be out of harmony with the spirit of the divine plan …” (Watch Tower, 1894, p. 384)​

Therefore, for Russell the Watchtower's founder, God's Church should not be an organization. Ironically. since Russell refused to recognize a central governing body of human leaders, he would certainly be "disfellowshipped" from the Jehovah's Witnesses today. Yes, Charles Russell would not qualify as a Christian in the eyes of today's Watchtower leaders. But Russell would not understand their reasoning.

He said:

"There is no organization today clothed with such divine authority to imperiously command mankind... though we are well aware that many of them in theory claim that they ought to be permitted to do so….”​

So we see a great battle between the thinking of present-day Watchtower leaders and their founder.

Early in his career Russell was asked this question, "Would not an earnest, aggressive organization, built upon Scriptural lines, be the best means of spreading and publishing the real Good Tidings?" In the March 1883 WATCH TOWER, page 6, he answered:

"The natural man can see that a visibly organized body, with a definite purpose, is a thing of more or less power...But the natural man cannot understand how a company of people, with no organization which they can see, is ever going to accomplish anything."​

Now it matters not what you may believe about Russell’s character and theology. What I wish to illustrate is how the Watchtower's first president would argue that today's Watchtower organization has no right to even exist! Would it not be well for Watchtower leaders to read the advice of Jesus who dealt with the pride of his own disciples. He said at Mark 9:35, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and minister of all.” - NWT

 

[Gottservant]

In my Bible discussions [...]

Would it not be well for Watchtower leaders to read the advice of Jesus who dealt with the pride of his own disciples. He said at Mark 9:35, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and minister of all.” - NWT

I read quickly over your post, until I read the line at the very end - that's when you got my interest!

You are right, Jesus had a standard in mind for Church leadership.

I wonder how others are going to reply!

 

[RR144]

I read quickly over your post, until I read the line at the very end - that's when you got my interest!

You are right, Jesus had a standard in mind for Church leadership.

I wonder how others are going to reply!

What's interesting, the Witnesses will say that since the death of Russell they have received new light, new understanding of God's plan of Salvation. The problem is, were Russell to see what the organization he founded has become, he wouldn't recognize it. In fact, it was the Society AFTER his death that promoted him as "that faithful and wise servant" of Matthew 24:45. Now, were there those who believed he was during his lifetime? Sure, but he NEVER proclaimed himself as such, never claimed anything special. A few years after his death, the Society under the leadership of J.F. Rutherford, claimed "That Servant" was not an individual but a class, all true Christians associated with the Society, the 144,000 of revelation 7. Russell was then demoted from being THE Servant of Matthew 24, to being a member of that Servant Class. Then later he was kicked out of the class. How so? Well, Rutherford moved Christ's return 40 years. Claiming as the Witnesses believe today that Jesus returned invisibly in 1914, and then searching around for the next few years for those who were doing His will. Finding them in 1918, he appointed the Watchtower Society as his earthly channel. Since Russell died in 1916, he couldn't possibly be "That Servant" as an individual or part of "That Servant Class". It would take 100 years later for the Society to introduce new light and state that "That Servant Class" was not made up of the 144,000 left on earth but was indeed made up of the Governing Body who run the worldwide organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.

One must wonder why the Lord would return in 1914, chose a group of people doing a work He approved of, praise them for such a work and then reorganize them so drastically that they no longer resemble the work they were doing when he returned. A work that they have overhauled doctrinally and organizationally hundreds of times, so that what they taught in 1918, so no longer taught in 2018 and what was taught in 2018, is no longer taught in 2023. All under the guise of "new light". Jehovah is not a God of confusion; He is a God of Light and order.