Russell continued his teachings until his death on October 31, 1916, 
aboard a transcontinental train in Texas.  The former pastor had a 
remarkable life highly colored with legal entanglements, but not without 
success in his chosen field.  In fairness to the reader and in the 
interest of truth, the following account is quoted from The Brookly 
Daily Eagle, Novermber 1, 1916 (Obit. Column), and has been inserted at 
this point to authenticate beyond doubt the true history of Russell so 
that even his most devoted followers may realize the character of the 
man to whose teachings they have entrusted their eternal destiny.

        A year after this publication, The Watch Tower, had been 
    established Russell married Maria Ackley in Pittsburgh.  She had 
    become interested in him through his teachings, and she helped him 
    in running the Watch Tower.

        Two years later, in 1881, came "The Watch Tower Bible and Tract 
    Society," the agency through which in later years "Pastor" Russell's 
    sermons were published (as advertisements) in newspapers throughout 
    the world.  This Society progressed amazingly under the joint 
    administration of husband and wife, but in 1897 Mrs. Russell left 
    her husband.  Six years later, in 1903, she sued for separation.  
    The decree was secured in 1906 following sensational testimony and 
    "Pastor" Russell was scored by the courts.

        There was much litigation then that was quite undesirable from 
    the "Pastor's" point of view regarding alimony for his wife, but it 
    was settled in 1909 by the payment of $6,036 to Mrs. Russell.  The 
    litigation revealed that "Pastor" Russell's activities in the 
    religious field were carried on through several subsidiary societies 
    and that all of the wealth which flowed into him through these 
    societies was under the control of a holding company in which the 
    "Pastor" held 990 of the $1,000 capitol and two of his followers the 
    other $10.

 Thus Russell apparently controlled the entire financial power of the 
Society and was not accountable to anyone.
    The Eagle column goes on to say:

        After the "work" had been well started here, "Pastor" Russell's 
    Watch Tower publication advertised wheat seed for sale at $1.00 a 
    pound.  It was styled "Miracle Wheat," and it was asserted that it 
    would grow five times as much as any other brand of wheat.  There 
    were other claims made for the wheat seed, and the followers were 
    advised to purchase it, the proceeds to go to the Watch Tower and be 
    used in publishing the "Pastor's" sermons.

        The Eagle first made public the facts about this new venture of 
    the Russellites and it published a cartoon picturing the "Pastor" 
    and his "Miracle Wheat" in such a way that "Pastor" Russell brought 
    suit for libel, asking $100,000 damges.  Government departments 
    investigated the wheat for which $1.00 a pound was asked, and agents 
    of the Government were important witnesses at the trial of the libel 
    suit in January, 1913.  The "Miracle Wheat" was low in the 
    Government tests, they said.  The Eagle won the suit.

    Prior to entering the court the Eagle had said,

        The Eagle goes even further and declares that at the trial it 
    will show that "Pastor" Russell's religious cult is nothing more 
    than a money-making scheme.

    The court's decision vindicated the Eagle's statement and proved its 
reliability.

        All during this time the "Pastor's" sermons were being printed 
    in newspapers throughout the world, notably when he made a tour of 
    the world in 1912 and caused accounts to be published in his 
    advertised sermons telling of enthusiatic greetings at the various 
    places he visited.  It was shown in many cases that the sermons were 
    never delivered in the places that were claimed.

 For the benefit of any naive Jehovah's Witness who may think that the 
"Miracle Wheat" fraud is an invention of the "jealous religionists" who 
are trying to defame the "Pastor's" memory, we document the scandal, 
trial, and verdict as follows:

    From originals (now microfilmed in New York) of The Brooklyn Daily 
Eagle, the following dates and articles -

    (1) January 1, 1913, pages 1,2.  Miracle Wheat Scandal.
    (2) January 22, 1913, page 2.  Testimony of Russellite beliefs.
    (3) January 23, 24, 1913, page 3.  Testimony on wheat.
    (4) January 25, 1913, page 16.  Financial statements proving 
        Russell's absolute control, made by Secretary-Treasure Van 
        Amberg.
    (5) Van Amberg's statement:
        "...We are not responsible to anyone for our expenditures.  We 
        are responsible only to God."
    (6) January 27, 1913, page 3.  Government experts testify on 
        "Miracle Wheat" and ascertain beyond doubt that it is not 
        miraculous or overly excellent.
    (7) January 28, 1913, page 2.  Prosecution and Defense sum-up.  
        Russell assailed, but not present to hear it.
    (8) January 29, 1913, page 16.  Russell loses libel suit.

    In recent years the Watchtower Society has maintained that Russell 
never made money on the "Miracle Wheat," and that proceeds from its sale 
were "contributions" to the organization.  They fail to note that 
Russell controlled the Watchtower Society, owning 990 of the 1,000 
shares of its stock.  Any contribution to it were also to Russell!

    The Brooklyn Eagle led the fight to expose the hypocrisy of the 
"Pastor" Russell and nothing could be more appropriate than their on-
the-spot testimony as to his many fraudulent claims.  The following 
documentary evidence is taken from The Brookly Eagle, page 18, February 
19, 1912, and is titled "Pastor Russell's Imaginary Sermons - Printed 
Reports of Addresses in Foreign Lands that He Never Made - One at 
Hawaii, a Sample."  These excerpts concern the Pastor's "World Tour" and 
are very enlightening with respect to his reliability and truthfulness.

        "Pastor" Russell, who has found the atmosphere of Brooklyn 
    uncongenial ever since the Eagle published the facts concerning his 
    methods and morals, is making some new records in the far parts of 
    the world.  He is delivering sermons to imaginary audiences on 
    tropical islands and completing "searching investigations" into the 
    missions of China and Japan by spending a few hours in each country.

        Following the Eagle's exposing "Pastor" Russell's "Miracle 
    Wheat" enterprise and the publication of the testimony on the basis 
    of which Mrs. Russell obtained a separation and alimony, the 
    "Pastor" developed the "world tour" idea.  He set his printing plant 
    to work to get out advance literature, huge bundles of which were 
    sent to every place where he inteded to appear.  Then he contracted 
    for advertising space in many American newspapers to print his 
    imaginary sermons.

        His first stop after sailing from the Pacific Coast was 
    Honolulu.  And Presto! - the newspapers in which advertising space 
    had been engaged printed long cable dispatches which presented the 
    "Pastor's" discourses.  In one paper which printed the advertisement 
    the opening sentences read "Honolulu Hawaiian Islands:

        "The International Bible Students Committee of Foreign Mission 
    investigation stopped at Honolulu and made observations.  Pastor 
    Russell, Chairman of the Committee, delivered a public address.  He 
    had a large audience and attentive hearing."

        Then follows the sermon, full of local color and allusions to 
    the "Paradise of the Pacific":

        "I can now well understand [the printed report makes the 
    'Pastor' say] why your beautiful island is 'The Paradise of the 
    Pacific.'   I note your wonderful climate and everything which 
    contributes to bring about this Paradise likeness."

        And so on for two columns.

        It has long been know that "Pastor" Russell has a strong 
    imagination, but now it appears that he is even capable of 
    delivering imaginary sermons.  Pastor Russell never spoke in 
    Honolulu during the few hours that his ship stopped there to take on 
    coal.  In the hope of scuring an accurate report of his sermon, the 
    Eagle wrote to the editor of the Hawaiian Star, which is published 
    in Honolulu.

        The following reply was shortly thereafter received:

        "In answer to your inquiry of December 19th concerning Pastor 
    Russell, I would say that he was here for a few hours with a Bible 
    students' committee of foreign mission investigation, but did not 
    make a public address as was anticipated." Walter G. Smith, Editor, 
    Star.

    That this was an isolated occurrence is refuted in other 
documentation.  The following evidence is taken from The Brookly Daily 
Eagle, January 11, 1913.

        Tour of Orient branded huge advertising scheme.

        As to the "Pastor's" methods of carrying Russellism to the 
    heathen and the speed with which his searching investigations into 
    the missions of the world are being conducted, the Japan Weekly 
    Chronicle of January 11 supplies some interesting information.  
    After explaining how the office of the paper had for weeks been 
    bombared with Russell literature and advance agents with contracts 
    "just as if the revernd gentleman were an unregenerated theatrical 
    company" the Chronicle says:

        "These gentlemen arrived in Japan on Saturday the 30th December. 
    On the following day 'Pastor' Russell delivered a sermon in Tokyo 
    entitled 'Where are the Dead?' which, though the title is a little 
    ambiguous, does not seem to have any special connection with the 
    mission work.  On Monday it is assumed that the mission work in 
    Japan was begun and finished, for the next day seems to have been 
    devoted to traveling, and on Wednesday 'Pastor' Russell and his 
    coadjutors left Kobe for China in the same vessel in which they had 
    arrived in Yokohama...the truth is that the whole expedition is 
    merely a huge advertising scheme!"

 Russell carried on many such advertising stunts, and despite his 
protestations about earthly governments and laws being organizations of 
the devil, he was always the first to claim their protection when it was 
convenient for him to do so.

    To mention one instance in addition to the Eagle suit, Russell 
brought suit for "defamatory libel" against the Reverend J.J. Ross, 
pastor of the James Street Baptist Church of Hamilton, Ontario, when the 
fearless minister wrote a blistering pamphlet denouncing Russell's 
theology and personal life.  Russell lost this attempt (see The Brookly 
Daily Eagle, January 11, 1913) with J.F. Rutherford as his attorney.  
For the benefit of the interested reader, at this time we recount the 
facts concerning the libel suit as it actually occurred.

    In June, 1912, the Reverend J.J. Ross, pastor of the James Street 
Baptist Church, Hamilton, Ontario, published a pamphlet entitled, "Some 
facts about the Self-Styled 'Pastor' Charles T. Russell" which minced no 
words in its denunciation of Russell, his qualifications as a minister, 
or his moral example as a "Pastor."  Russell promptly sued Ross for 
"defamatory libel" in an effort to silence the courageous minister 
before the pamphlet could gain wide circulation and expose his true 
character and the errors of his theolgy.  Mr. Ross, however, was 
unimpressed by Russell's action and eagerly seized upon the opportunity 
as a means of exposing Russell for the graud he was.  In his pamphlet, 
Ross assailed Russell's teachings as revealed in "Studies in the 
Scriptures" as "the destructive doctrines of one man who is neither a 
scholar nor a theologian" (page 7).  Mr. Ross scathingly denounced 
Russell's whole system as "anti-rational, anti-scientific, anti-
Biblical, anti-Christian, and a deplorable perversion of the gospel of 
God's Dear Son" (page 7).

    Continuing his charges in the pamphlet, Ross exposed Russell as a 
pseudo-scholar and philosopher who "never attended the higher schools of 
learning, knows comparatively nothing of philosophy, systematic or 
historical theology, and is totally ignorant of the dead languages" 
(pages 3,4).  It must be clearly understood at this point by the reader 
that in a libel suit of the type pursued by Russell, the plantiff 
(Russell) had to prove that the charges lodged against him by the 
defendant (Ross) were not true.  It is significant to note that Russell 
lost his suit against Ross when the High Court of Ontario, in session 
March, 1913, ruled that there were no grounds for libel; and "the case 
was thrown out of Court by the evidence furnished by 'Pastor' Russell 
himself" (page 15). [1]

    "Pastor" Russell refused to give any evidence to substantiate his 
"case" and the only evidence offered was Russell's own statements, made 
under oath and during cross-examination by Ross's lawyer, Counselor 
Staunton.  By denying Ross's charges, Russell automatically claimed high 
scholastic ascendancy, recognized theological training (systematic and 
historical), working knowledge of the dead languages (Greek, Hebrew, 
etc.), and valid ordination by a recognized body.  To each part of Mr. 
Ross's pamphlet (and all was read) Russell entered vigorous denials, 
with the exception of the "Miracle Wheat Scandal" which he affirmed as 
have "a grain of truth in a sense" to it.  "Pastor" Russell had at last 
made a serious mistake.  He had testified under oath before Almight God, 
and had sworn to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the 
truth."  He was soon to regret his testimony and stand in jeopardy as a 
perjurer, and unpleasant experience for the "Pastor" which more than 
explains his aversion to the witness chair.

    Jehovah's Witnesses cannot deny this documentary evidence; it is too 
well substantiated.  This is no "religionist scheme" to "smear" the 
"Pastor's" memory; I offer it as proof of their founder's inherent 
dishonesty and lack of morals, that they may see the type of man to 
whose doctrines they have committed their eternal souls.
    The following reference quotations are taken in part from Mr. Ross's 
second pamphlet entitled Some Facts and More Facts About the Self-Styled 
Pastor - Charles T. Russell:

        But now what are the facts as they were brought out by the 
    examination on March 17, 1913?  As to his scholastic standing he 
    (Russell) had sworn that what was said about it was not true.  Under 
    the examination, he admitted that at most he had attended school 
    only seven years of his life at the public school, and that he had 
    left school when he was about fourteen years of age...

 The cross examination of Russell continued for five hours.  Here is a 
sample of how the "Pastor" answered.

    The following reproduction of the Russell v. Ross transcript 
relative to the perjury charge made against Russell is taken from a copy 
on file in the headquarters of the cult in Brooklyn and is presented in 
the interests of thorough investigation.


    Question: (Attorney Staunton) - "Do you know the Greek alphabet?
    Answer:   (Russell) - "Oh yes."
    
    Question: (Staunton) - "Can you tell me the correct letters if you 
              see them?"
    Answer:   (Russell) - "Some of them, I might make a mistake on some 
              of them."

    Question: (Stauton) - "Would you tell me the names of those on top 
              of the page, page 447 I have got here?"
    Answer:   (Russell) - "Well, I don't know that I would be able to."

    Question: (Stauton) - "You can't tell what those letters are, look 
              at them and see if you know?"
    Answer:   (Russell) - "My way..."[he was interrupted at this point 
              and not allowed to explain]

    Question: (Stauton) - "Are you familiar with the Greek language?"
    Answer:   (Russell) - "No."

 It should be noted from this record of the testimony that Russell 
frequently contradicted himself, claiming first to "know" the Greek 
alphabet, then claiming under pressure that he might make mistakes in 
identifying the letters, and then finally admitting that he couldn't 
read the alphabet at all when confronted with a copy of it.

    From this it is easy to see that Russell did not "know" the Greek 
alphabet, in any proper sense of the term, since it is assumed that when 
we say we "know" the English alphabet, for example, we shall be able 
upon request to name the letters by their correct titles.

    "Pastor" Russell in failing to name the letters of the Greek 
alphabet, therefore, proved himself a perjurer, for he had previously 
stated that he "knew" them, thereby implying the ability to recite them, 
which he could not do.

    It makes very little difference, therefore, whether the Watchtower 
wants to admit Russell's guilt or not since their own transcript shows 
that Russell said he "knew" what was later proved he did not know.
    Here is conclusive evidence; the "Pastor" under oath perjured 
himself beyond question.  Can one sincerely trust the teachings of a man 
who thought nothing of such evidence?

    This, however, was not all of Russell's testimony, and as Counselor 
Staunton pressed him further the "Pastor" admitted that he knew nothing 
about Latin and Hebrew, and that he had never taken a course in 
philosophy or systematic theology, much less attended schools of higher 
learning.  Bear in mind now that Russell a short time before had sworn 
he did have such knowledge by denying Mr. Ross's allegations.  But there 
was no way out now; the "Pastor" was caught in a bold-faced fabrication 
and he knew it.  However, all was not over yet.  It will be remembered 
that Russell claimed "ordination" and equal if not superior status to 
ordained and accredited ministers.  Counselor Staunton next smashed this 
illusion by demanding that Russell answer "Yes" or "No" to the following 
questions:

    Question: (Ross' Lawyer) - "Is it true you were never ordained?"
    Answer:   (Russell) - "It is not true."

    Question: (Counselor Staunton) - "Now, you never were ordained by a 
              bishop, clergyman, presbytery, council, or any body of men 
              living?"
    Answer:   (Russell, after a long pause) - "I never was."

    Once again Russell's "unswerving" honesty received a rude blow; the 
situation was out of his hands and Russell stood helpless as Counselor 
Staunton wrung statement after statement from him which established him 
beyond doubt as a premeditated perjurer.  Russell further swore that his 
wife had not divorced him, and that the court had not granted alimony 
from him, a statement he soon regretted when Counselor Staunton forced 
him to admit that the Court did divorce [4] him from his wife, and did 
award his wife alimony.  The evidence was in; the case was clear.  
Russell was branded a perjurer by the Court's verdict "No Bill."  As a 
result of the Court's action Mr. Ross's charges were proven true and the 
real character of Russell was revealed, that of a man who had no 
scruples about lying under oath and whose doctrines were admittedly 
based on no sound educational knowledge of the subject in question.  
Much evidence is available concerning Russell's moral life, but I see no 
reason to inject lewdness into the text.  The Character of the man is 
evident for all to see.



[1] Some facts and More Facts About the Self-Styled Pastor - Charles T. 
    Russell.  Mr. Ross's second pamphlet.
[4] Neither party, however, obtained an absolute decree.

Reprinted from Walter Martin's book "The Kingdom of the Cults."

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