The Last Reformer

The last great reformer to whom was given the honor of being the instrument for the COMPLETE restoration of “the faith once delivered to the saints,” was Charles Taze Russell.

He made no claim of a special revelation from God. He only claimed that because it was God’s due time for the Divine Plan of the Ages to be understood, because he was fully consecrated to God and ready, able, and willing to serve God, his mind was stimulated and illuminated. He was permitted to understand the plan and transmit his knowledge to others. He was not the founder of a new religion and never made such a claim. He was only an instrument. He simply revived the great truths taught by Jesus and the apostles which were spoken by the mouth of all God’s holy prophets. It was God’s due time the time of Christ’s second presence. This very fact further identifies Pastor Russell because our text says: “Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, WHEN HE COMETH, shall find so doing.” Doing what? Giving the Lord’s household “meat in due season.” Dispensational truths are meat in due season. Whom did the Lord find so doing? Was anyone else extensively preaching dispensational truths at the time of our Lord’s return? The timing is perfect. It just could not be anyone except Pastor Russell.

Then in this same text we have a statement of tremendous significance. It says: “He shall make him ruler over ALL his goods!” All the beautiful and harmonious doctrines of the Divine Plan were restored and dispensed by the ministry of “that servant.” All the basic truths spoken by the mouths of all God’s holy prophets since the world began were included!

Brother Russell was a modest man. But he knew he had the truth. He was so certain of it that his modesty did not forbid him to write these first 49 words of his first volume of Studies in the Scriptures:

“The title of this series of studies, The Divine Plan of the Ages, suggests a progression in the Divine arrangement, foreknown to our

God, and orderly. [Note what he says next.] We believe the teachings of Divine Revelation can be seen to be both beautiful and harmonious from this standpoint and from no other.”

Thus he lifted up a positive standard for the people of God. (Isaiah 62:10)

During his ministry, Pastor Russell traveled more than a million miles and this was before the advent of air travel. He delivered 30,000 sermons many of them three hours long. He wrote over 50,000 pages of Bible teachings which were circulated by tracts, newspapers, and books, by the millions of copies and in many languages throughout the entire world. He wrote about a thousand letters a month. Is it any wonder that he is called “the man . . . which had the inkhorn by his side?” One of my favorite pictures of Pastor Russell shows him at his writing desk with a fountain pen in his hand. At one time his writings were subjected to an analysis of 20,511 scripture references. These were assembled in Biblical order and disclosed only six points of inquiry, all easily harmonized.

Through his writings the scriptures were once again seen to be beautiful and harmonious, teaching a loving plan of redemption and honoring God. Faithful hearts seeking to walk in the way of the Lord who were confused and distraught just like those disciples on the way to Emmaus, now had the pure gospel preached to them.

Through the instrumentality of Pastor Russell the Lord joined them on the way and spoke to them. Once again beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded unto them all the scriptures. Once again the hearts of these modern disciples burned and glowed as the treasures of the scriptures were opened to them and everything fell perfectly into place! As Jesus’ words were “meat in due season” for those who walked with him to Emmaus so long ago, so those who now sought to walk in his footsteps were supplied the same abundant and nourishing “meat in due season” through the ministry of Pastor Russell.

He called his books “Berean Studies.” By this he encouraged his readers to emulate those noble ones of the early church who “searched the scriptures daily,” to prove “whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11) He did not desire anyone to accept what he taught because it came to them through a certain channel. Not at all! The scriptures must be searched and everyone fully persuaded in his own mind. But he also taught that doctrines once proven are to be faithfully held.

Pastor Russell fulfilled his ministry and passed beyond the veil in 1916. Then were the words of Ezekiel fulfilled:

“And behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.” Ezekiel 9:11

What had he done? He had been the ready instrument in God’s hands for the restoration of the basic truths of the Bible the faith once delivered unto the saints. These basic truths of the Divine Plan are not subject to change; they are ETERNAL truths.

After Pastor Russell died Paul’s prophecy regarding “grievous wolves” had a secondary fulfillment. “Perverse things” again began to be spoken. Ambitious leaders repudiated Brother Russell’s writings and many were drawn away from the truth. I saw this happen; I was there. It was a heart-breaking experience.

Now after many years Paul’s warnings are once again appropriate. “WATCH and REMEMBER,” he said. Let us remember and hold to the old truths.

The truth regarding the ransom and sin-offering has not changed. Justification is still the same as Brother Russell saw it and taught it. The words he used to describe it are still good. Tabernacle Shadows is still correct as he wrote it. Chronology is still accurate even though some hoped-for events have not yet occurred. The chart of the Divine Plan of the Ages is still correct as drawn. There is no doubt that we are in the seventh thousand year period of man’s history, the Times of Restitution. The time prophecies of the Jubilees fit too well to be denied. It is still true that Christ has returned and that he came as king. There is no change in the future role of Israel as a channel of blessing to the world. These and other truths promulgated through “that faithful and wise servant” are worth holding and fighting for.

As Jude 3 says, we “should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” That is why the reprinting of all of Brother Russell’s works is so important.

But someone may quote, “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” (Proverbs 4:18) This is supposed to prove that we must always expect new light to be revealed until God’s kingdom is fully established. But that isn’t what this scripture says. Let us look at the context. Verse 14 reads: “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.” The subject here is paths. This is –followed by three verses emphasizing the sinfulness of a wrong course, or path, in life. Then by way of contrast it says in verse 18: “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” In other words, “Avoid the wrong path, the evil way; but rather walk in the right path, the path of the just.” What are the rewards of the right path? As we walk in it there will be an increased “shining” an individual development and growth into the likeness

of our Master a development of character. This is exactly the same thought that we find in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory,” or “shining more and more unto the perfect day.” When is that “perfect day”? Paul describes it:

“Till we all come, in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a PERFECT MAN, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:13

The perfect day for each one of us will come when, having walked in “the path of the just” to the end of it, we are considered worthy to hear the Lord’s “Well done” when we have made our calling and election sure. This does not mean, of course, that nothing will be seen clearer than what Pastor Russell saw. We are bound to see things clearer as prophecies begin to be fulfilled before our eyes. For example, the restoration of Israel as a nation; the division of the world into Communistic and Capitalistic camps–East and West; the development of the atomic bomb which for the first time in history threatens “all flesh”; and other such events. BUT THE FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES OF THE TRUTH REMAIN THE SAME! Tampering with any one of them destroys the balance of the entire structure. The pieces no longer fit. As Brother Russell said, they are harmonious from this one standpoint, and from no other!

Although to the Jews “were committed the oracles of God” (Romans 3:2), they were always straying to other pastures. They had been delivered from bondage in Egypt, sustained with food and drink in the howling wilderness, and brought at last to their Canaan. Yet they repudiated their Master’s provision again and again, and went after idols. Isaiah aptly puts it:

“The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his Master’s crib; but Israel doth not know; my people doth not consider. They have forsaken

the Lord; they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger; they are gone away backward.” Isaiah 1:3,4

We too, the Israel of God, have been delivered from the bondage of false doctrines. We too have been sustained and fed with the word of truth from our Master’s table as served to us by that faithful and wise servant amid a howling wilderness of confusion all about us. We too have been brought at last to a Canaan of brilliant enlightenment and rest in the Lord. Should we as the Jews did, forget OUR Master’s table and long for the leeks and onions of Egypt the so-called “new light” doctrines of sensual appeal to exchange our heavenly manna for the fleshpots of Egypt to go backward into error?

Did any of you come into the truth by yourself? Did you without assistance and guidance discover for yourself all the precious details of the Divine Plan? Of course not! We all received the truth through the voice of the seventh angel, Brother Russell the COMPLETE truth, the FINISHED truth. As it is written:

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be FINISHED, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” Revelation 10:7

It is no longer a mystery. It is a RE-understanding of the Divine Plan for the “restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”

It is once again appropriate to remember Paul’s warnings which he made with pleadings and tears concerning grievous wolves and men speaking perverse things. Let us remember that Paul also said:

“Be no more children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, and cunning craftiness.” Ephesians 4:14

“Be ye steadfast, unmovable.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Rooted and grounded.” Ephesians 3:17