Charles Taze Russell

Charles Taze Russell (February 16, 1852 – October 31, 1916), or Pastor Russell, is a prominent early 20th century Christian restorationist minister from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, and founder of what is now known as the Bible Student movement, from which Jehovah's Witnesses and numerous independent Bible Student groups emerge after his death.

Beginning in July 1879, he begins publishing a monthly religious journal, Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence.

The journal is now published by Jehovah's Witnesses on a semimonthly basis under the name, The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom.

In 1881, he cofounds Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society and in 1884 the corporation is officially registered, with Russell as president.

Russell writse many articles, books, tracts, pamphlets and sermons, totaling approximately 50,000 printed pages.

From 1886 to 1904, he publishes a six-volume Bible study series originally entitled Millennial Dawn, later renamed Studies in the Scriptures, nearly 20 million copies of which are printed and distributed around the world in several languages during his lifetime.

(A seventh volume is commissioned by his successor as society president, Joseph Rutherford, and published in 1917.)

The Watch Tower Society officially states that it ceased publication of Russell's writings in 1927, though his books continue to be published by several independent groups.

Russell is a charismatic figure, but claims no special revelation or vision for his teachings and no special authority on his own behalf.

He states that he does not seek to found a new denomination, but instead intends merely to gather together those who are seeking the truth of God's Word "during this harvest time".

He writes that the "clear unfolding of truth" within his teachings is due to "the simple fact that God's due time has come; and if I did not speak, and no other agent could be found, the very stones would cry out."

He views himself—and all other Christians anointed with the Holy Spirit—as "God's mouthpiece" and an ambassador of Christ Later in his career, he accepts without protest that many Bible Students view him as the "faithful and wise servant" of Matthew 24:45, and is described by the Watch Tower after his death as having been made "ruler of all the Lord's goods".

After Russell's death, a crisis arises surrounding Rutherford's leadership of the society, culminating in a movement-wide schism.

As many as three-quarters of the approximately 50,000 Bible Students who had been associating in 1917 have left by 1931, resulting in the formation of several groups that retain variations on the name Bible Students.

Those who maintain fellowship with the Watch Tower Society adopt the name Jehovah's witnesses in 1931, while those who sever ties with the Society form their own groups including the Pastoral Bible Institute in 1918, the Laymen's Home Missionary Movement in 1919, and the Dawn Bible Students Association in 1929.

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