[417]About 1870 Charles Taze Russell, of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, then a truly consecrated Christian and a careful student of God's Word, learned from the Scriptures that God has a great and harmonious plan for the salvation and blessing of mankind. Like other earnest watchers, he was watching for the evidences of the Lord's coming. About 1875, while carefully and prayerfully studying the Scriptures, he became convinced of the Lord's second presence, resulting in his writing and publishing a booklet entitled, "The Object and Manner of Our Lord's Return," which had a phenomenal circulation amongst the Christian people of the world. In 1879 he began the publication of a journal, The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, which has since been issued regularly twice each month. This is the first and only publication that for more than forty years has announced the second presence of the Lord. This journal is devoted exclusively to discussion of Scriptural questions, being the means of carrying the food to the household of faith in due season.
[418]Then followed the great work of gathering together the true followers of Christ Jesus, regardless of denomination, sect, kindred, or tongue. Charles Taze Russell, who afterwards became better known as Pastor Russell, was the greatest preacher of modern times. He was elected pastor of upwards of 1,200 congregations at one time. He traveled all over the earth proclaiming the message of the divine plan of the ages, particularly calling attention of Christians to the presence of the Lord. Between the years 1881 and 1904 he wrote and published in six volumes the STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES giving a full and detailed explanation of the various features of the divine plan. These books were translated into about thirty languages and their combined circulation exceeded 11,000,000 copies. In 1917 the seventh volume of the series of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES was published, known as "The Finished Mystery", which has had a very wide circulation. These books are the first clear explanation of the divine plan ever published. In addition to the above, he published and widely circulated various booklets, "What Say the Scriptures About Hell?" "Spiritism," "The Bible Versus Evolution," "Tabernacle Shadows," and many other tracts, pamphlets, etc. He was the author of the Photo-Drama of Creation, as well as the scenario used for this drama, which gives an outline of the divine plan from the creation to the times of restitution. He organized and conducted a lecture bureau which employed a large force of Bible lecturers who traveled and who yet travel throughout the world, proclaiming the message of the divine plan. For a period of time his sermons were published weekly in more than 2,000 newspapers, with a combined circulation of 15,000,000 readers; and in all about 4,000 different newspapers published his sermons. Some idea of the scope of his work can be understood from the words written in The Continent, a publication not friendly to him:
[419]"His writings are said to have a greater newspaper circulation every week than those of any other living man; greater, doubtless, than the combined circulation of the writings of all the priests and preachers in North America; greater even than the work of Arthur Brisbane, Norman Hapgood, George Horace Lorimer, Dr. Frank Crane, Frederick Haskins, and a dozen other of the best known editors and syndicate writers put together."
[420]Without a doubt Pastor Russell filled the office for which the Lord provided and about which he spoke, and was therefore that wise and faithful servant, ministering to the household of faith meat in due season. Pastor Russell finished his earthly course in 1916.
[421]In 1884 he caused to be incorporated the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, intended by him to continue the work of the harvest after his earthly career was finished, and which is yet carrying it on.
[422]This great work of gathering together Christian people can be designated in no other way than as a harvest, and fully meets that which was foretold by the Lord Jesus. This work, which has covered a period of about forty-five years, has never had for its purpose the forming of any arrangement by which Christians join anything. Its purpose and work has been and is to enlighten men and women concerning the great divine plan, and by this means of proclaiming the message of truth has gathered together Catholics and Protestants, Christians from all denominations in all parts of the earth. These Christians are not the followers of Pastor Russell, but are followers of the Lord and rejoice to feed upon the food that the Lord has provided for them through his wise and faithful servant.
[423]Furthermore, Jesus said with reference to his second presence: "For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together". (Matthew 24:28) And so it is. The carcass here refers to the spiritual food provided for the household of faith. The eagles are those of keen vision and sharp appetite, anxious to know of the Lord's Word, and equally anxious to feed upon it. Hence we find gathering together many earnest Christian people in groups in various parts of the earth, who know no nationality, whose citizenship is in heaven, whose allegiance and devotion is to the Lord and to his kingdom of righteousness.
[424]Jesus defines the wheat class as the true followers of himself, children of the kingdom, and the tares as the imitation Christians, who are Christians in name only. He declared: "Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn."—Matthew 13: 30.
[425]It is a well-known fact that since 1878 there has been a tendency on the part of all denominations to bind themselves into leagues and combines, associations, Interchurch World Movement, etc., thus fulfilling this prophetic statement of the Lord of binding together the merely nominal Christians preparatory for the great fire, the great time of trouble, which is now upon the earth. To the truly consecrated people of God, who have been identified with these various sectarian or denominational systems the Lord has been calling in this time of the harvest, saying: "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and receive not her plagues". (Revelation 18:4) Concerning his work with the others, the wheat class, Jehovah through his Prophet long ago said: "Gather my saints together unto me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice". (Psalm 50:5) The great work of the harvest, that is to say, the proclaiming of the second presence of the Lord and the gathering together of those who truly love his appearing, has been so remarkably fulfilled since 1874 that it is one of the most striking and conclusive proofs of the Lord's second presence.