Bro Johnson and "the Door"

If someone were to [and many have] state that this Kingdom we all await was a farce, I might be likely to take their sanity into question but lets look at Bro Johnsons statements from his point of view. He did not make them with those in mind who would reject them 70 years later. They were based on what Bro Russell taught, and the things they shared together in common as they served together from 1903 onward. Bro Johnson brought to Bro Russells attention some thoughts akin to these and Bro Russell pondered them for a couple of years before the first of them were published in 1913 in a WT article These Things Were Types. Had Bro. Russell gave them no weight, he would not have published them, unless he too were insane. Of course, Rutherford claimed over and over that Bro Johnson was insane after 1917 in an attempt to not have to deal with him further. It was easier to ignore him than to answer him.

The subjects of great interest in the last two years of Bro. Russells ministry all had to do with the finishing up of the Little Flock, and their dealing with the Great Company class, in dealing with the 2nd goat, etc Bro Russell is the one who stated that he believed it was just upon them [in January 1916] that they would expect to witness the division of the Little Flock and Great Company, SEPARATE AND DISTINCT

Now tell me dear brethren, how could or would that possibly happen, unless, while in the flesh, the Little Flock would clearly see the Great Company brethren, and know that they were crown losers? The great division set in in 1917 just after Bro Russells death via the actions of the acting President of the Society and his cronies by forcing the brethren at large to accept whatever he put in front of them as truth or be cast off. Most had not heeded Bro. Russells warnings to make the truth their own, and thus leaned on the name of The Watchtower as an instrument that the Lord would certainly [in their crooked estimation] not let fall it became a fiery trial for all involved as the Tower Organization became the fiery Chariot that divided the two classes. Ever since, the brethren have been more and more divided, into many various groups [much like Christendom] who all claim to have the truth. All those who became known as Bible Students per say, are groups who insist that Bro Russell didnt have a clue what he was talking about when it came to the division of the LF and the GC. Would we not then say that HE WAS INSANE? Of course not

Now if what Bro Russell taught and believed along these lines to the very end just turn out to be true, and those classes were separated there in 1917, just what is the chance that the last member of that class would be known, seeing as how the last members of the LF were responsible, in their last earthly act, to deliver the 2nd goat to the gate of the tabernacle? How could one do such a work without recognizing who the goat was? And truthfully, if you look back to those days, it was quite clear that the majority of those who had followed the teaching of Bro. Russell strayed quickly from them after his death and easily fell prey to Rutherford, who by 1926 had rejected the 6 volumes and the majority of their teachings and created a New Society that was hardly recognizable as something Charles T. Russell had anything to do with so much so, that to this day its adherents do not consider the rest of us even as brethren! Also take into account the fact that many thousands came into the truth late in 1914 and soon thereafter, much to Bro Russell's amazement; from the Church nominal. They had been watching him for years and his claims as to the coming trouble in 1914, and when the war broke out they came tumbling in. They did not make the Truth their own... they were acting out of fear and credulity. They were in fact the Lot class who would not leave Sodom until the fire began to fall. No big surprise then to see these thousands being fearful to leave the Society when Rutherford took over... they were clinging to the name (nominally)... it was all they knew how to do.

Bro Johnsons viewpoint is nearly the only one in existence that feels no need even at this late date, to change the chronology or any of the teachings of That Servant, in order to continue in its path. At a recent BS convention in Ohio it was mentioned from the platform that major changes were needed to Bro Russells chronology So much of what he taught has been done away with by many Bible Students in order for them to continue to believe the call of the previous age is still in effect.

So we will have to wait for the Lord to make it known just what is what. We will no doubt continue to disagree on this point but maybe we can at least be civil and maybe just agree to disagree no need here to incite a riot or insist on the insanity of any who disagree with us. That is rather un-Christian, dont you think?

By His redeeming grace

bro jon

written in 2002