A man who has aliases is promptly put down as a rogue and a deceiver. Similarly a religion that has aliases stands self-condemned in adopting them.
Millennial Dawnism is a religion invented by one man, the self-styled "Pastor" Russell, now dead, and set forth by him in one work, entitled "MILLENNIAL DAWN," comprising six volumes, containing over 3,000 closely printed pages, presenting an official setting forth of the doctrines of the system.
But severe criticism of the false doctrines contained in "MILLENNIAL DAWN" has brought the system into deserved disrepute in many minds. So the title has been changed to "STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES," a colorless description calculated to throw the public off their guard, and allay suspicion. Terms such as "THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS, ASSOCIATION," "BIBLE HOUSE AND TRACT SOCIETY," "BROOKLYN TABERNACLE," "PEOPLE'S PULPIT," "THE WATCH TOWER AND HERALD OF CHRIST'S PRESENCE," "EVERYBODY'S PAPER," are so many aliases to gain entrance for their pernicious literature into unsuspecting houses.
"THE WATCH TOWER " issue of September 15th, 1910, presented the following astonishing statement to its readers. Referring to Russell's chief work, "Millennial Dawn," alias "Studies in the Scriptures," we read: "If the six volumes of 'SCRIPTURE STUDIES' are practically the Bible, topically arranged, with Bible proof text given, we might not improperly name the volumes 'THE BIBLE IN AN ARRANGED FORM.' That is to say, they are not merely comments on the Bible, but they are practically the Bible itself... Furthermore, not only do we find that people cannot see the Divine plan in studying the Bible by itself but we see also that if anyone lays the SCRIPTURE STUDIES aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years—if he then lays them aside and ignores them, and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the SCRIPTURE STUDIES ' with the reference and had not read a page of the Bible as such he would be in the light at the end of two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures."
No wonder that such a shocking statement led to some of Russell's dupes getting their eyes opened, and leaving him. One group of the secessionists commented very justly upon this: " When man thus belittles God's Word and makes his own superior to that of God, it seems to be nothing short of blasphemy. Reflect upon it! To confine one's self to the Bible means outer darkness—to take the word of this one man and never read a page of the Bible means to be in the light."
Surely if ever statement hoped to succeed by sheer assumption it is this we have just quoted from "THE WATCH TOWER,' but to every thoughtful mind it will carry its own condemnation in no uncertain way.
Let us examine in brief detail "Pastor" Russell's theories. To begin with, he announced
Christ's Second Coming as occurring in 1874.
He made a great show of appealing to Scripture, and only bound himself to a literal interpretation when it suited him. But we shall have to show, in the course of our brief examination, that he handled the Word of God deceitfully.
Examine the following cool statement in the light of Scripture: " In view of the evidence presented in this and the preceding and following chapters, we have no hesitation in announcing the heart-cheering intelligence... that the Master is again present... though his presence is graciously veiled from human sight." (Vol. 1, page 156). " The harvest of this age began with the presence of the Lord at the beginning of earth's great Jubilee in 1874... and ends with the overthrow of the Gentile Power in A.D. 1914—a period of forty years " (Vol. 2, page 234).
But can this claim be substantiated? Even "Pastor" Russell had his doubts, and asked his readers to make up in credulity what he lacked in proof.