On October 31, 1916 the founder of the Bible Students, Pastor Charles Taze Russell, died. The organization he established became fragmented and subject to strong personalities who felt they knew how to best continue his legacy. These differences between the groups who trace their roots to the Pastorâs ministry continue to our day.
Pastor Russellâs message of hope, so different from that of the Christian denominations of his day, attracted critics who, when unable to counter his Scriptural arguments, resorted to maligning his character. Such attacks still continue even though few today embrace his original message in its purity.
This book, the culmination of over ten years of research and writing, traces the work of Pastor Russell from the earliest days of his search for truth, through the immense popularity he enjoyed particularly through the publication of his sermons in the newspapers, and then the events that followed his death. All the fundamental beliefs he promulgated are reviewed. Each of the attacks brought against him are thoroughly investigated including his credentials to preach, the selling of âmiracle wheat,â the state of his marriage, and the question of which books he really authored. The facts contained in each chapter are marked with endnotes so the reader can check the original sources to confirm what is said.