He said: "Our Lord's human body was, however, supernaturally removed from the tomb; because had it remained there it would have been an insurmountable obstacle to the faith of the disciples, who were not yet instructed in spiritual things for 'the Spirit was not yet given' (John 7:3939(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:39)). We know nothing about what became of it, except that it did not decay or corrupt (Acts 2:27,3127Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Acts 2:27)
31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Acts 2:31)), whether it was dissolved into gases, or whether it is still preserved somewhere as the grand memorial of God's love, of Christ's obedience and of our redemption, no one knows; nor is such knowledge necessary" (Vol. 2, pages 129, 130).
His theory, that death means annihilation of the personality, drove him into a corner, and the only way he could get out of the difficulty was by boldly inventing a brand new theory of his own. "Pastor" Russell professed to go by Scripture -never was there a more dishonest and hypocritical profession. Where is there a line in Scripture to support the above extraordinary statement, a veritable patchwork of impious guesses and blasphemous assertions?
If "Pastor" Russell's theory is that death means annihilation of the person, then we can understand his bold statement that the Lord ceased to be man in every sense of the word at death, never to take up manhood again; His body thrown aside as worthless, never to be required again, involving the creation of a superior spiritual being, higher than He was before!
Thus resurrection was denied. The witnesses to Christ's resurrection were lightly brushed aside as of no moment. The inspired reasoning of 1 Corinthians 15 was of no account. In their place we were given fantastic blasphemies and impious guesses. What respect can we have for the heart or the head of the dupes who are deceived by the vain imaginings of this American deceiver? Let one short, powerful verse forever sweep aside this flimsy cobweb, sprung from the imagination of an unregenerate mind. "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins" 1 Cor. 15:1717And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17)).
"Pastor" Russell found Scripture speaking of Christ in resurrection in such exalted language that again he was placed in a difficulty. The way out of the difficulty was another invention, as blasphemous as the last.
He said: "We learn that Jehovah, who alone possessed immortality originally, has highly exalted His Son, our Lord Jesus, to the same divine, immortal nature; hence he is now the express image of the Father's person (Heb. 1:33Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3)). So we read, ' As the Father bath LIFE IN HIMSELF' [God's definition of 'immortality'-life in Himself-not drawn from other sources, nor dependent on circumstances, but independent, inherent life]; so hath He given to the Son to have LIFE IN HIMSELF' (John 5:2626For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; (John 5:26))," (Vol. 1, page 211).
If immortality is life " not drawn from other sources," then it is a contradiction- of terms to say that God invested the Lord Jesus with it. If it is not dependent on circumstances, why did "Pastor" Russell tell us that it is the reward given to a perfect human life down here? He told us "immortality" is incommunicable, and before the ink was dry on his pen told us it was communicable. It is impossible to believe both statements.
Fancy the reward of a perfect human life being to lift the creature into Godhead and make him independent of Godhead. "Pastor" Russell ridiculed the idea of the Trinity, and yet invented a theory of two separate Gods, each independent of the other, each with " life in Himself," inherent, independent, not drawn from other sources, nor dependent on circumstances, and yet the one God creates the other God. What a jumble of ideas! What a farrago of nonsense! The question may well be asked in astonishment,