Our man has endured hearing that being in the well is but a figment of his imagination from the founder of Christian Science (Part 4). Upon his dire circumstances now arrives…

[Begin the Man in the Well BLOG Series from the first installment, the Greek Orthodox Priest]

CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, the Jehovah’s Witnesses

Just then another visitor appeared who styled himself “Pastor”  Russell.  He held in his hands a number of brightly coloured pamphlets, later published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Without giving me time to say a word, he began to deny nearly everything I had ever believed.  He denied the deity of Christ when on earth, and therefore his incarnation; he denied His atonement, since, according to his teaching, He was merely human [and “dead, forever dead].¹

He denied His physical resurrection and second coming; [he denied Jesus as the mediator for all except 144,000].²   Moreover, he denounced […all other Bible-based groups as false and this religion as the only true church]³ and ironically, the Bible he almost completely set aside. ⁴

“But,”  I exclaimed,” when I got a chance to speak, “all I want to know is how to get out of this well.”

“Oh, that will be mainly by your own efforts,” was his reply.

“But when can I get out?”  I cried.

“Not until some future time,” responded this instructor. “But do not worry, for even if you fail to get out now, you may still be delivered in the life hereafter. And if you should die in the well, you will remain in soul-sleep until the great awakening. Then if you are obedient, you will live forever.  But in any case, should you never get out, you will simple be annihilated.”

Practically all he had said had to do with the future, rather than the present.  He made no offer of any immediate deliverance, so I gave up all hope.

Join us next week for Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, better known as the Mormons, as he attempts to show us how to escape this dreadful well…

¹Editor’s insertion taken from Studies in the Scriptures,  Vol. 5.  International Bible Students:  New York, 1899, p. 454.

² Worldwide Security Under the Prince of Peace. Watchtower:  New York, 1986, p. 10

³ Editor’s insertion taken from “The One Right Religion.”  The Watchtower, Watchtower:  New York, Feb. 15, 1955, p. 124.

⁴ Editor’s insertion taken from The Watchtower. Watchtower:  New York, 8/15/1910, pp. 298-299.  (“Reading the Bible alone will lead to darkness; reading Studies…will lead to light.”)

Part 1, Greek Orthodox Priest

Part 2, Jewish Rabbi

Part 3a, Roman Catholic Priest

Part 3b, Roman Catholic Priest

Part 4, Mary Baker Eddy of Christian Science