The Adventist/Jehovah Witness Connection

[John317]

Charles Taze Russell--- who founded the Bible Student movement from which the Jehovah's Witnesses arose.

By the time he was 20, Russell had left both Presbyterianism and Congregationalism because he could not reconcile the idea of an eternal hell with God’s mercy. He had drifted into skepticism when a chance encounter with some followers of the Adventist movement begun by William Miller introduced him to the idea that the Bible could be used to predict God’s plan of salvation, especially as the plan related to the end of the world.

With the help of tutors, Russell managed to master the use of Hebrew and Greek dictionaries to study the Bible, and he formed his first Bible classes in 1872. With N.H. Barbour of Rochester, N.Y., Russell published Three Worlds and the Harvest of the World in 1877.

Basing his judgment on complex biblical calculations, he preached from 1877 that Christ’s “invisible return” had occurred in 1874 and that the end of the Gentile times and the beginning of a golden age would come in 1914, followed by war between capitalism and communism or socialism, after which God’s kingdom by Christ would rule the earth. Russell dedicated his life and his fortune to preaching Christ’s millennial reign. In 1879 he started a Bible journal, later called The Watch Tower, and in 1884 he founded the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, which became an extensive publishing business. His own books and booklets (notably seven volumes of Studies in the Scriptures) reached a circulation of 16 million copies in 35 languages, and 2,000 newspapers published his weekly sermons. He was president of the society until his death.

Russell’s movement survived the problem caused by the apparent failure of his eschatological prediction.

Two Former Millerites (non-SDA Adventists) Influenced Charles Taze Russell:

1) Elder Jonas Wendell

(December 25, 1815 - August 14, 1873) of Edenboro, Pennsylvania, was a zealous Adventist preacher following in the spirit of William Miller. Following the "Great Disappointment" Wendell experienced periods of weak faith, as did many Adventists. He eventually recovered his faith after renewing his study of Bible chronology (historic and prophetic) and began to preach extensively throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, the Virginias, and New England By the late 1860s he had been studying the chronology of the Bible, and was encouraged by conclusions showing Christ's return would occur in either 1868 or 1873/4. In 1870 Wendell published his views in the booklet entitled The Present Truth, or Meat in Due Season concluding that the Second Advent was sure to occur in 1873. Unknown to him, attendance at one of his presentations restored Charles Taze Russell's faith in the Bible as the true word of God, leading to Russell's ministry.

2) George Storrs

Storrs was originally a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1837 he found a copy of a pamphlet by Henry Grew on a train, concerning the doctrines of conditional immortality (the non-immortality of the soul), and hell. For three years he studies the issues on his own, only speaking about it to church ministers. However, in 1840 he finally resigned from the church, feeling he could not remain faithful to God if he remained in it.

Storrs became one of the leaders of the Second Advent movement and affiliated with William Miller and Joshua V. Himes. He began publication of his magazine The Bible Examiner in 1843 and continued it until 1879 with a few breaks. After a considerable amount of study, Storrs preached to some Adventists on the condition and prospects for the dead. His book Six Sermons explained his conditionalist beliefs.

In 1842, 1844, George Storrs published "Six Sermons" on the conditional immortality of the dead, and these sermons had a significant influence on some Millerites, including James White and Joseph Bates.

Storrs' writings also influenced Charles Taze Russell.

[John317]

Deacon Henry Grew of Philadelphia became a believer in conditional immortality while serving as a Baptist preacher. He later wrote a tract on the subject, which was read by George Storrs, a Methodist preacher, in 1837. Storrs then wrote his own tract in 1841, and published six sermons on the subject in 1842, 1844. Copies of his six sermons eventually amounted to 200,000, and even reached England.

Just after their publication he heard of Miller's teachings and became a Millerite preacher himself. He preached to thousands in New York, Indiana, and Ohio. A number of Millerite ministers joined with him in his belief on conditional immortality.

Miller, Josiah Litch, I. E. Jones, and the Signs of the Times all came out against his views on conditional immortality, so his views were anything but unanimously held. But the point is that the idea of conditional immortality was definitely introduced before a consensus was reached among Sabbatarian Adventists regarding the investigative judgment (Froom, vol. 4, pp. 805-807; Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2, pp. 300-315).

Joseph Bates and James White were members of the Christian Connection, which "as a body rejected the inherent-immortality-of-the-soul-position" (Ibid., pp. 283, 672, 675). Bates and James were therefore acquainted with the idea long before Storrs introduced the subject among Millerites.

[phkrause]

I didn't know there was a connection. Thanks for the info John.

pk

[John317]

One reason I posted it is that some people say that Russell was an Adventist at one time, but this is untrue. What is true is that he went to some meetings held by Sunday-keeping Adventists and he also read some of their books.

In the early days-- up until the 1920s-- the JWs believed in the "time of the end" as SDAs do, dating it from the end of the 1260 day prophecy of Daniel 7: 25. The difference is that the JWs began the period in 539 and ended it in 1799. They apparently stopped teaching this sometime in the 1930s, so that today very few Jehovah's Witnesses are even aware of it.

[Dr. Rich]

Yes, thanks John. I suppose that the word Adventist was not totally defined at that time yet. His association with others that became or were Adventists is not clearly understood today. Thanks for setting the record for us.

[John317]

The historical relationship helps to explain many of the doctrinal similarities between SDAs and Jehovah's Witnesses. When studying their beliefs I found that I was in about 70% agreement with them, except for their almost complete misunderstanding of the book of Revelation. They are much more in agreement with the SDA's interpretation of Daniel than of Revelation, a fact that is probably due to Russell's study of books written by former Millerites.

[Dr. Rich]

I find it interesting that the JW's latest book on prophecy of Daniel and Revelation has a statement that says that when new truth is presented in the future, it will be presented in their updated books. By this they are admitting that there is still new truth to come. I also find it interesting that EGW said the same thing.

This is my question; Why is it that people tend to fight and argue with people who have new truth? Are we so set in our ways, much like the leaders and teachers were in the days of Jesus, that we make ourselves blind to words given to us by people who present only the words of Jesus given to us by His eyewitnesses?

[phkrause]

Now that's interesting dgrimm. I wonder why people decide what they except, seems that they just chose and pick what sounds good or whatever.

pk

[BobRyan]

One reason I posted it is that some people say that Russell was an Adventist at one time, but this is untrue. What is true is that he went to some meetings held by Sunday-keeping Adventists and he also read some of their books.

Thanks. I heard that the JW's were either Millerites or early SDAs - but then split off. But This shows that they were neither.

in Christ,

Bob

[Dr. Rich]

While your post(s) were great, rejecting the idea that Ressell was not an Adventist at one time can't be proven one way or the other. Why you ask--because being an Adventist was what called one who believed that Jesus was going to come as what William Miller taught and Russell taught the same thing.

Come on John, there were no 28 doctrines at that time! It may be true that Russell was not a certified member in good standing--but then no one else was either at that time. There just is no proof one way or the other for this issue.

[BobRyan]

Rich you are arguing out of the void of what you don't know.

Let me help. Notice my insert below "in red"

Charles Taze Russell (February 16, 1852 – October 31, 1916), --- who founded the Bible Student movement from which the Jehovah's Witnesses arose.

By the time he was 20 (1872), Russell had left both Presbyterianism and Congregationalism because he could not reconcile the idea of an eternal hell with God’s mercy. He had drifted into skepticism when a chance encounter with some followers of the Adventist movement begun by William Miller introduced him to the idea that the Bible could be used to predict God’s plan of salvation, especially as the plan related to the end of the world.

With the help of tutors, Russell managed to master the use of Hebrew and Greek dictionaries to study the Bible, and he formed his first Bible classes in 1872. With N.H. Barbour of Rochester, N.Y., Russell published Three Worlds and the Harvest of the World in 1877.

Basing his judgment on complex biblical calculations, he preached from 1877 that Christ’s “invisible return” had occurred in 1874 and that the end of the Gentile times and the beginning of a golden age would come in 1914, followed by war between capitalism and communism or socialism, after which God’s kingdom by Christ would rule the earth. Russell dedicated his life and his fortune to preaching Christ’s millennial reign. In 1879 he started a Bible journal, later called The Watch Tower, and in 1884 he founded the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, which became an extensive publishing business. His own books and booklets (notably seven volumes of Studies in the Scriptures) reached a circulation of 16 million copies in 35 languages, and 2,000 newspapers published his weekly sermons. He was president of the society until his death.

Russell’s movement survived the problem caused by the apparent failure of his eschatological prediction.

Two Former Millerites (non-SDA Adventists) Influenced Charles Taze Russell:

1) Elder Jonas Wendell

(December 25, 1815 - August 14, 1873) of Edenboro, Pennsylvania, was a zealous Adventist preacher following in the spirit of William Miller. Following the "Great Disappointment" Wendell experienced periods of weak faith, as did many Adventists. He eventually recovered his faith after renewing his study of Bible chronology (historic and prophetic) and began to preach extensively throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, the Virginias, and New England By the late 1860s he had been studying the chronology of the Bible, and was encouraged by conclusions showing Christ's return would occur in either 1868 or 1873/4. In 1870 Wendell published his views in the booklet entitled The Present Truth, or Meat in Due Season concluding that the Second Advent was sure to occur in 1873. Unknown to him, attendance at one of his presentations restored Charles Taze Russell's faith in the Bible as the true word of God, leading to Russell's ministry.

2) George Storrs

Storrs was originally a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1837 he found a copy of a pamphlet by Henry Grew on a train, concerning the doctrines of conditional immortality (the non-immortality of the soul), and hell. For three years he studies the issues on his own, only speaking about it to church ministers. However, in 1840 he finally resigned from the church, feeling he could not remain faithful to God if he remained in it.

Storrs became one of the leaders of the Second Advent movement and affiliated with William Miller and Joshua V. Himes. He began publication of his magazine The Bible Examiner in 1843 and continued it until 1879 with a few breaks. After a considerable amount of study, Storrs preached to some Adventists on the condition and prospects for the dead. His book Six Sermons explained his conditionalist beliefs.

In 1842, 1844, George Storrs published "Six Sermons" on the conditional immortality of the dead, and these sermons had a significant influence on some Millerites, including James White and Joseph Bates.

Storrs' writings also influenced Charles Taze Russell.

By the 1870's William Miller was dead and Ellen White was already established as the Adventist prophet. Also the fact that Miller did not agree with Seventh-day Adventist was well established by the 1870's.

The Biography for Russell is specific that the information was Millerite and not Seventh-day Adventist.

in Christ,

Bob

[Dr. Rich]

My my aren't we picky. I never said "Seventh day Adventist" did I? At the time Russell was studying he also believed in the soon advent--that then made him an adventist. But so what? or 'whatever?'

And yes, I have read all about him and the JW have more info then what you got your info from. You did not provide where you got your information from did you? Perhaps I missed that.

[BobRyan]

Quote:

My my aren't we picky. I never said "Seventh day Adventist" did I? At the time Russell was studying he also believed in the soon advent--that then made him an adventist.

"Adventist" as in pre-mill 2nd coming so by the second half of the 19th century that would be "adventist" like Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian as they all adopted the pre-mill view.

The premillennial revolution (acceptance of the idea that Christ would come before the millennium) began in the first of half of the 19th centure -- that is BEFORE Russell comes around on this point. The fact that he finally talks to a former Millerite (not an SDA) does not make him SDA - nor does it make him Millerite since by the 2nd half of the 19th century even Baptists and Methodists are all coming on board to the correct view of a pre-millennial 2nd coming.

Today Baptist, Methodists, Presbyterians are almost united in believing in a pre-mill 2nd coming ("adventist") as they would have been called in the early 1800's.

in Christ,

Bob