Charles Taze Russell: Conman & Founder of The Jehovah's Witnesses.

On This Day in History: November 1
Watchtower vs. Eagle

BROOKLYN — The original Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1841-1955) never passed by an opportunity for a good story and an exposé appeared in the November 1, 1916 issue. This one concerned one of Brooklyn’s most renowned citizens in the late 1800s — “Pastor” Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916) — founder of the religious sect now known as Jehovah’s Witnesses, the international headquarters of which is located in Brooklyn Heights. Followers of Russell so believed in his teachings they originally called themselves “Russellites.” These days the Witnesses are seen handing out their publications on the streets or in door-to-door visitations. Many residences and business buildings in Brooklyn Heights are utilized by the sect, the older ones beautifully restored.

Miracle Wheat
$1 Per Pound
The Eagle’s story, based on an ad Russell placed in his Watch Tower publication for wheat seed the growth of which would supposedly be miraculous, was a sensation but resulted in a lawsuit — one that the Eagle won! This is a reprint of the article in part:

“After the ‘work’ had been well started here, ‘Pastor’ Russell’s Watch Tower publication advertised wheat seed for sale at $1.00 a pound [quite expensive in those days].

“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 these new ventures 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 damages.

“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.” Relevant articles appeared in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle in the month of January 1913. The titles and their dates were:

1/1: Miracle Wheat Scandal
1/22: Testimony of Russelite Beliefs
1/23-24: Testimony on ‘Miracle Wheat’
1/25: Financial statements proving Russell’s absolute control were made by [Watch Tower] Secretary-Treasurer Van Amberg who was quoted as saying, “… We are not responsible to anyone for our expenditures. We are responsible only to God.”

Russell’s 99%
Some Jehovah’s Witnesses these days may wish to minimize the significance of the “Miracle Wheat” claiming that the profits from its sales went to the Watchtower Society and not to Russell himself. However the records show that Russell owned 990 of the 1,000 shares of Watchtower Society stock. By this figure, 99% of every “contribution” for Miracle Wheat” was in effect a contribution to Russell himself.

The Eagle never passed by a chance to publicize other items of interest regarding C.T. Russell. These opportunities included the revelation from Brooklyn court records that Russell’s wife divorced him in 1896 on charges of incest and adultery. She won the sensational lawsuit. In 1912 Russell went on a world tour and had sermons published in many places as paid advertisements. The 2/19/1912 issue of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle stated that the newspaper had proof that Russell never preached the sermons as he claimed. He stated he had preached them before thousands but witnesses who were on the same cruise refuted it. They were said to be imaginary sermons and Russell was again proven to be a fibber.

Whatever human faults Charles Taze Russell might have had or whatever little tiffs he and the Eagle experienced, his religious beliefs and methods of sharing them have touched well over one million members of the sect in the world, more than a half million of them in the U.S. At times in Brooklyn Heights it seems all of them are in the community. © Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2006

A wicked CULT built on dishonesty in order to deceive their deluded followers.