Discussion:
"Pastor" Russell's Miracle Wheat: Fraud And Deception In Watchtower Roots
(too old to reply)
Carl
2008-04-24 03:22:01 UTC
Permalink
The Watchtower Bible And Tract Society (the controlling parent organization
of the Jehovah's Witnesses) has a long history of fraud and deception
starting way back with its founder Charles Taze Russell. James Walker
explains Russell's scam that the WTBTS tries to hide from its members.

May God bless,
Carl
my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/

---

"Pastor" Russell's Miracle Wheat: Fraud And Deception In Watchtower Roots
by James Walker

Many examples of fraud and deception can be found by looking through the
history and claims of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society headquartered
in Brooklyn, New York, but perhaps none more strange that the case of the
"Miracle Wheat."

Almost from its inception, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, known
originally as Zion's Watch Tower, has been guilty of misleading the public
and their followers with claims that are wildly inaccurate and, in some
cases, border on scams.

Watchtower "Miracle" Wheat
An example of the latter can be found in the infamous case of Pastor
Russell's "Miracle Wheat" cited in Dr. Walter Martin's, Kingdom of the
Cults, (pp. 40-42, 1985 ed.).

November 1, 1916, a local newspaper, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, published an
interesting piece of investigative journalism exposing some alleged abuses
by one of their most renowned citizens, Charles Taze Russell, founder of
Zion's Watch Tower. The article states:

"After the `work' had been well started here, `Pastor' Russell's Watch Tower
publication advertized wheat seed for sale at $1.00 a pound (quite expensive
in that day).

"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 [an early term used to describe Russell's followers] 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."

Dr. Martin reproduced from microfilm on file in New York the following dates
and titles from relevant articles of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle all published
in January of 1913:

Miracle Wheat Scandal (1/1/ 1913, p. 1-2); Testimony of Russellite Beliefs
(1/22/13, p. 2); Testimony on Wheat (1/23-24/1913, p. 3).

Financial statements proving Russell's absolute control, were made by (Watch
Tower) Secre¬tary-Treasurer Van Amberg who was quoted as saying, "...We are
not responsible to anyone for our expenditures. We are responsible only to
God," (1/25/13, p. 16).

Government experts testify on "Miracle Wheat" and ascertain beyond doubt
that it is not miraculous or overly excellent (1/27/13, p. 3); Prosecution
and Defense sum-up. Russell assailed but not present to hear it (1/28/13, p.
2); Russell loses libel suit (1/29/13, p. 16).

Some modern Jehovah's Witnesses may wish to minimize the significance of the
"Miracle Wheat" claiming that the profits from its sales went to the
Watchtower Society and not Russell himself.

However as Martin points out, Russell owned 990 of the 1,000 shares of
Watchtower Society stock. By this figure, 99% of every "contribution" for
"Mira¬cle Wheat" was in effect a contribution to Russell himself.

Before going to court, The Brooklyn Eagle made this claim:

"The Eagle goes even further and declares that at the trial it will show
that `Pastor' Russell's religious cult is nothing more than a money-making
scheme," (Ibid).

While the motives of Russell can only be judged by God Himself, few would
argue that such "Miracle Wheat" claims today would be more at home in the
National Enquirer than in the Watchtower - a magazine claiming to be
produced by God's only true organization on the earth.

If today's US Postal regulations against false advertizing and mail fraud
had been in effect at the time, perhaps Russell would have lost more than a
libel case.

This is, with little doubt, a blatant example of fraud and deception going
back to the roots of today's Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
Carl
2008-04-24 04:36:16 UTC
Permalink
John 17:17-19
17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into
the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself,
that they too may be truly sanctified.

May God bless,
Carl
my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
Carl
2008-04-24 16:11:14 UTC
Permalink
Eph 1:18-23
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that
you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious
inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who
believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he
exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his
right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority,
power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the
present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under
his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23
which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

May God bless,
Carl
my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
ResLight
2008-04-30 01:37:17 UTC
Permalink
There was no deception nor fraud on the part of Charles Taze Russell. The
Real deceivers are those who spread falsehoods, distortions, and
misrepresentations about Charles Taze Russell. -- John 8:44; 2 Corinthians
11:14,15.
Post by Carl
The Watchtower Bible And Tract Society (the controlling parent
organization of the Jehovah's Witnesses) has a long history of fraud and
deception starting way back with its founder Charles Taze Russell. James
Walker explains Russell's scam that the WTBTS tries to hide from its
members.
May God bless,
Carl
my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
---
"Pastor" Russell's Miracle Wheat: Fraud And Deception In Watchtower Roots
by James Walker
Many examples of fraud and deception can be found by looking through the
history and claims of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society headquartered
in Brooklyn, New York, but perhaps none more strange that the case of the
"Miracle Wheat."
Almost from its inception, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, known
originally as Zion's Watch Tower, has been guilty of misleading the public
and their followers with claims that are wildly inaccurate and, in some
cases, border on scams.
Watchtower "Miracle" Wheat
An example of the latter can be found in the infamous case of Pastor
Russell's "Miracle Wheat" cited in Dr. Walter Martin's, Kingdom of the
Cults, (pp. 40-42, 1985 ed.).
Walter Martin is hardly a good source for truth.
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.religion.jehovahs-witn/msg/8f9f08c2dfabf798
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.religion.mormon/msg/34a4a6cad830d621
http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.christia/msg/af16def5890d1718
Post by Carl
November 1, 1916, a local newspaper, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, published
an interesting piece of investigative journalism exposing some alleged
abuses by one of their most renowned citizens, Charles Taze Russell,
The Eagle's distortion and misrepresentation of facts could hardly be called
"investigative journalism", but rather it seemed to have served two
purposes: (1) to promote sensationalism, giving the Eagle a greater
circulation, and (2) to serve the interests of Russell's religious enemies,
who seemed to be very supportive of the Eagle, despite the fact that the
Eagle, in those days, would promote "the sensational or off-beat" with
stories that were not actually factual.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CEEDE1F3CF934A35756C0A963958260
http://astore.amazon.com/restorationli-20/detail/0195126246
Post by Carl
"After the `work' had been well started here, `Pastor' Russell's Watch
Tower publication advertized wheat seed for sale at $1.00 a pound (quite
expensive in that day).
"It was styled `Miracle Wheat,' and it was asserted that it would grow
five times as much as any other brand of wheat.
Yes, it was styled "Miracle Wheat" by the one who discovered it -- K. B.
Stoner; this person was not at all associated with the Watch Tower, nor
Charles Taze Russell. Mr. Stoner gave this wheat the name "Miracle Wheat",
not Russell. Of course, no one thinks of calling the man who discovered
"Miracle Wheat" a fraud or that he promoted a scam. Such would not serve the
purposes of the devil, but to smear the name of the a man of God with
distortions, misrepresentations, evil surmissings, etc., does serve the
purpose of Satan, the father of the lie. -- John 8:44.

In 1908, the U.S. Goverment gave a favorable report on this wheat, which
report was released to the press at that time, which stated, in part:

[quote]
The wheat, which came from an unknown source, has been grown in the nursery
every year since that time, and also has been grown under field conditions
the last two years, giving excellent results. The yield has been from two to
three times the yield of other varieties grown on the farm under the same
condition of culture, except the rate of seeding, which was two pecks to the
acre, while other varieties were sown at the rate of eight to ten pecks per
acre, which is the common practice of farmers in the vicinity.
Milling tests have been made of this wheat, and its quality seems to be as
good as, if not superior to, other varieties of winter wheat.
[endquote]

While the original "Miracle Wheat" strain became weaker over the years as it
became blended with other varieties, a new high-yielding strain has been
produced since then, which is also called, guess what? "Miracle Wheat!"
Again, it would not serve the devil's purpose to slander the name of Norman
Boulag, but it does serve the devil's purposes to slander the name of a man
who spoke God's Word of truth.
http://tinyurl.com/5bmj3k

Many make much ado about the price set for this wheat: $1.00 a pound.
Russell was not the one who set the price for the Miracle Wheat, but it was
set by the donor, J. A. Bohnet. The statement given in the Watch Tower
magazine stated that "He [Brother Bohnet] will sell it for $1 per pound,
including postage." The price of $1 a pound was actually less than the 1.25
a pound that Mr. Stoner, the one who had discovered this wheat, had been
selling the wheat. It was also shown in court that farmer Stoner and his
business partner, Mr. Knight, made no sales of this wheat under $1.25 per
pound until September, 1911; and that they had a written contract between
them that none of the wheat was to be sold at any price until the following
year -- 1912. Suddenly in September, 1911, they changed their plans,
considering that they had wheat enough accumulated, put the price down to
$5.00 per bushel, about the time that Bohnet's wheat was all sold at a
dollar a pound. Because of this turn of events, the The Eagle's attorney
claimed this was proof of fraud on the part of Russell.
Post by Carl
"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.
Yes, many claims were written in newspapers and other places for the wheat.
Russell himself, although he printed some of the newspaper reports, as well
as some letters received, was not the source of these claims.
Post by Carl
"The Eagle first made public the facts about these new ventures of the
Russellites [an early term used to describe Russell's followers]
The Eagle proceeded to present distortions as "facts". In actuality, the
Eagle's case was presented in an emotional religious appeal to the jury on
behalf of the Eagle. For defending it the Protestants on the jury were led
to hope for escape from eternal torment through "the pearly gates" of
heaven, welcomed with the words, "Well done!" for giving The Eagle the
verdict. Neither Russell nor his attorneys could offer such inducements
conscientiously.
Post by Carl
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 "witnesses" evidently all gave their testimony through one person,
namely, a Mr. Ball, of the Agricultural Department of the United States
Government, who was neither a farmer nor wheat raiser. Mr. Ball testified
that he was "connected with the U.S. Government with the Department of
Agriculture as an Agronomist and Acting Cerealist in charge of cereal
investigations" (fol. 732). His imposing title was about his only
recommendation. He produced a memoranda of experiments with Miracle Wheat,
supposed to have been made at the Government station, by persons whom he was
unable to name.
Post by Carl
"The `Miracle Wheat' was low in the Government tests, they said. The Eagle
won the suit."
The Eagle won the suit because (1) Russell was not permitted to give
evidence of malice on the part of "The Eagle", not because of any alleged
fraud regarding "Miracle Wheat", and (2) because of the religious sentiments
of the jury that the Eagle's attorney appealed to. It was in vain that
Russell's attorney sought to show the Jury The Eagle's malice -- that it
really was attacking Russell along religious grounds; that it had set itself
as the champion of certain clerical enemies of Russell, and was seeking to
destroy Russell's influence and, if possible, to drive Russell from
Brooklyn. In the court-room sat about twenty-five of Russell's friends, who
had come long distances at their own expense to have an opportunity to speak
a word in Russell's behalf. Through some intricacies of the Law respecting
"evidence", these were unable to be heard in Russell's behalf.

Instead, the Court gave The Eagle's attorney the privilege of saying all
manner of evil against Russell falsely -- and to rail against the doctrines
of Christ, which Russell held to and taught. The Eagle's attorney was
allowed to picture Russell, as The Eagle had done in its cartoon -- as a
thief and robber, masquerading in the garb of a minister of Christ. He was
allowed to ridicule the "Miracle Wheat," although Russell had nothing
whatever to do with it, nor with the naming of it; and notwithstanding the
fact that its superiority had been proven by many who actually had used the
wheat.
Post by Carl
Dr. Martin reproduced from microfilm on file in New York the following
dates and titles from relevant articles of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle all
Again, not a good source for truth, especially in this case.
Post by Carl
Miracle Wheat Scandal (1/1/ 1913, p. 1-2); Testimony of Russellite Beliefs
(1/22/13, p. 2); Testimony on Wheat (1/23-24/1913, p. 3).
Financial statements proving Russell's absolute control, were made by
(Watch Tower) Secre¬tary-Treasurer Van Amberg who was quoted as saying,
"...We are not responsible to anyone for our expenditures. We are
responsible only to God," (1/25/13, p. 16).
In reality, the Board of Directors were responsible to the shareholders of
the Society for the expenditures. I do not have access to what was stated in
context, and, seeing how the deceivers often quote things out of context, I
would have to see the context of the statement to know for sure how to
respond. Although I am not sure, it appears to me that Van Amberg may have
meant that they were not responsible to any government officials or to any
other religious body concerning their expenditures, or that by saying "we",
he included all the members of the Watch Tower Society, including the
shareholders, all whom were counted as members of the Watch Tower Bible and
Tract Society. Nevertheless, most religious organizations are not
responsible to any outsiders for their expenditures, and would have to
assume responsibility toward God for any expenditures.
Post by Carl
Government experts testify on "Miracle Wheat" and ascertain beyond doubt
that it is not miraculous or overly excellent (1/27/13, p. 3);
Again, the actually testimony was given by means of one person.

The chief issue raised by the pleadings in this case was whether or not the
wheat in question was superior to ordinary wheat. Eleven witnesses testified
to its superior quality over other wheat. Following are the names and
addresses of the witnesses: Kent B. Stoner, Fincastle, Virginia; Joseph I.
Knight, Sr., 1067 38th Street, BrookIyn, New York; Isaac L. Frey, Lower Mt.
Bethel, Pennsylvania; Frederick Widener, Belvidere, N.J.; Henry D. Ayre,
Cleveland, Tennessee; William Pray, Mansfield, N.J.; William I. Tomlinson,
Kirkwood, N.J.; Edward W. Hunt, Stratford, N.J.; Dr. Joseph A. Carlton,
Palmetto, Georgia; J.A. Bohnet, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Samuel J. Fleming,
Wabash, Indiana. The eight first named never heard of Pastor Russell or his
religious teachings prior to the trial of this case, but had been
experimenting with Miracle Wheat and found it far superior to any other
wheat. K. B. Stoner, who was not a "Bible Student," was the one who
originally discovered and named this wheat "Miracle Wheat". Thus, the court
was presented with ample evidence as to the superiority of this wheat.
Post by Carl
Prosecution and Defense sum-up. Russell assailed but not present to hear
it (1/28/13, p. 2); Russell loses libel suit (1/29/13, p. 16).
Upon the trial of this case, counsel for the Brooklyn Eagle severely
ridiculed the religious teachings of Pastor Russell in such a way as to
influence the decision of jury. The jury, being largely composed of men of
strong religious prejudices, and at least one of them an atheist,
disregarded the testimony of the 11 practical farmers and wheat raisers, and
the several exhibits of Miracle Wheat actually produced and shown to them,
and decided the case in favor of the Brooklyn Eagle, upon the unsupported
testimony of one Government official who never raised a grain of wheat in
his.life.
Post by Carl
Some modern Jehovah's Witnesses may wish to minimize the significance of
the "Miracle Wheat" claiming that the profits from its sales went to the
Watchtower Society and not Russell himself.
This is indeed true. Russell did not recieve any profits from the sale of
"Miracle Wheat".

Russell, of course, was never associated with an organization called
"Jehovah's Witnesses", nor did he believe in such an organization. Such an
organization did not exist in his day. After Russell died, Rutherford, by
means of deceit and legal trickery, gained control of the Watch Tower Bible
and Tract Society, and used that legal entity to develop the religious
organization which he later gave the name "Jehovah's Witnesses", in order to
distinguish his new organization from the Bible Students who refused to go
along with such an organization.
Post by Carl
However as Martin points out, Russell owned 990 of the 1,000 shares of
Watchtower Society stock. By this figure, 99% of every "contribution" for
"Mira¬cle Wheat" was in effect a contribution to Russell himself.
I am still not sure where this is derived from, except that it might be
related to the "United States Investment Company".

"Shareholders" of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society had voting rights
only. No one has ever owned any "capital stock" in the Watch Tower Society,
not even Russell. There has never been one single share of capital stock
issued. However, for each contribution of $10.00 any contributor was
entitled to one voting share. By 1915 there were nearly two hundred thousand
shares, most of which I understand were owned by people other than Russell,
and as it was written in 1915, though "it would be an easy matter to elect
some other man as president, there never has been cast a vote against Pastor
Russell."

The "United States Investment Company" was formed by Russell for the purpose
of holding investments, especially real estate, for the Watch Tower Bible
and Tract Society, although officially, and on paper, there was no
legally-stated connection between the Society and this company. The company
was formed because evidently some had objected to the Watch Tower Society's
recieving and selling real estate and other items. In order to take care of
this kind of business separate from the Society, Russell formed a company
for that purpose. This company was never a corporation in the strict sense
of the word. It was a limited partnership organized under the Statutes of
Pennsylvania. Its capital was started with $1,000. Pastor Russell furnished
that $1,000 out of his personal means. On paper, I understand 90% was put
down in Russell's name. This company did not own the Watch Tower Society,
nor did it have any thing to do with the sale of "Miracle Wheat," nor did
Russel receive "profits" from the sale of Miracle Wheat through this
company.
Post by Carl
"The Eagle goes even further and declares that at the trial it will show
that `Pastor' Russell's religious cult is nothing more than a money-making
scheme," (Ibid).
While the motives of Russell can only be judged by God Himself, few would
argue that such "Miracle Wheat" claims today would be more at home in the
National Enquirer than in the Watchtower - a magazine claiming to be
produced by God's only true organization on the earth.
While the motives of "THE EAGLE" can only be judged by God Himself, Such
sensationalism as produced by the Eagle in its character assassination of
Russell would probably not even be allowed in the National Enquirer today.

Russell, of course, never claimed that the Watch Tower was was produced by
"God's only true organization on the earth". He believed in no such
organization as the Jehovah's Witnesses claim to be today.
Post by Carl
If today's US Postal regulations against false advertizing and mail fraud
had been in effect at the time, perhaps Russell would have lost more than
a libel case.
Since there was no false adverising, and no fraud, the US Postal officials
would have been better off spending their time elsewhere. I really believe
that the Russell would have received today a much fairer hearing before the
Postal authorities today. There was absolutely no testimony in the case
showing that Pastor Russell had induced a single person to purchase Miracle
Wheat. Not a word tending to show that anyone was defrauded, On the
contrary, shortly after the publication of the libel by the Brooklyn Eagle,
the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY published broadcast over the country
and sent to each purchaser a notice that if anyone was dissatisfied with his
purchase he might have his money returned, and the identical money arising
from the sale of said wheat was held for a year for the purpose of
refunding. Not a single person asked to have his money refunded.
Post by Carl
This is, with little doubt, a blatant example of fraud and deception going
back to the roots of today's Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
Certainly no fraud or deception on Russell's part. The real fraud and
deception is on the part of those who assail Russell through deceit and
twisting of facts.

For the truth about "Miracle Wheat", see:
http://ctr.reslight.net/miracle-wheat.html

Christian love,
Ronald
Carl
2008-04-30 04:18:34 UTC
Permalink
Post by ResLight
There was no deception nor fraud on the part of Charles Taze Russell.
Actually ResLight, there was this has been proven conclusively via court
documents, eyewitness testimony and recorded accounts. It's well know that
you are a Jehovah's Witness apologist.
Post by ResLight
The
Real deceivers are those who spread falsehoods, distortions, and
misrepresentations about Charles Taze Russell.
The points presented in the article I presented are documented and proven
facts. Russell's scam with the "Miracle Wheat" was exposed by the Eagle and
upheld in court. The fact that you're rehashing worn-out Watchtower spin
which has been long refuted (incidentally you've posted most of this before
in other forums) merely shows that the WTBTS is still attempting to cover up
historical facts that put them in a bad light.
Post by ResLight
Post by Carl
The Watchtower Bible And Tract Society (the controlling parent
organization of the Jehovah's Witnesses) has a long history of fraud and
deception starting way back with its founder Charles Taze Russell. James
Walker explains Russell's scam that the WTBTS tries to hide from its
members.
May God bless,
Carl
my website --http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog --http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
---
"Pastor" Russell's Miracle Wheat: Fraud And Deception In Watchtower Roots
by James Walker
Many examples of fraud and deception can be found by looking through the
history and claims of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
headquartered
in Brooklyn, New York, but perhaps none more strange that the case of the
"Miracle Wheat."
Almost from its inception, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, known
originally as Zion's Watch Tower, has been guilty of misleading the public
and their followers with claims that are wildly inaccurate and, in some
cases, border on scams.
Watchtower "Miracle" Wheat
An example of the latter can be found in the infamous case of Pastor
Russell's "Miracle Wheat" cited in Dr. Walter Martin's, Kingdom of the
Cults, (pp. 40-42, 1985 ed.).
Walter Martin is hardly a good source for truth.
Actually Walter Martin is a very good source for documented facts on this
topic. The links to those articles you cited rely heavily on Mormon
apologists Robert and Rosemary Brown who were paid and supported by the LDS
in their books which were basically hatchet jobs on anyone critical of
Mormonism. In short, they were the LDS's chosen character assassins.
Unfortunately for them, they played fast and loose with their "investigative
research" to the point of fabrications, distortions and outright lies all in
attempts to besmirch the character of anyone critical of Mormons and
Mormonism. For example, they claimed Walter Martin's degrees were not
legitimate but those accusations have been shown to be untrue and Martin's
degrees are legit and recognized. Same with Martin's ordinations (of which
Martin's daughter has produced images of the ordination information the
Browns claimed did not exist. Furthermore, Robert Brown tried to attack
Martin on the air but when Martin challenged Brown to make his accusations
in a LEGAL setting Brown refused. The reason was that the Brown's
information would not stand up to legal challenges.

The bottom line is that Russell's "Miracle Wheat" scam was uncovered and
when Russell sued, he was quite discredited and it became apparent in civil
court that he was indeed ripping people off. And the WTBTS has desperately
been trying to cover this up and spin it deceitfully to cover themselves.

Fact remains, this incident is merely one in a long, long line of Watchtower
deceptions.

May God bless,
Carl
my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/


-----


"Pastor" Russell's Miracle Wheat: Fraud And Deception In Watchtower Roots
by James Walker

Many examples of fraud and deception can be found by looking through the
history and claims of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society headquartered
in Brooklyn, New York, but perhaps none more strange that the case of the
"Miracle Wheat."

Almost from its inception, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, known
originally as Zion's Watch Tower, has been guilty of misleading the public
and their followers with claims that are wildly inaccurate and, in some
cases, border on scams.

Watchtower "Miracle" Wheat
An example of the latter can be found in the infamous case of Pastor
Russell's "Miracle Wheat" cited in Dr. Walter Martin's, Kingdom of the
Cults, (pp. 40-42, 1985 ed.).

November 1, 1916, a local newspaper, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, published an
interesting piece of investigative journalism exposing some alleged abuses
by one of their most renowned citizens, Charles Taze Russell, founder of
Zion's Watch Tower. The article states:

"After the `work' had been well started here, `Pastor' Russell's Watch Tower
publication advertized wheat seed for sale at $1.00 a pound (quite expensive
in that day).

"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 [an early term used to describe Russell's followers] 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."

Dr. Martin reproduced from microfilm on file in New York the following dates
and titles from relevant articles of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle all published
in January of 1913:

Miracle Wheat Scandal (1/1/ 1913, p. 1-2); Testimony of Russellite Beliefs
(1/22/13, p. 2); Testimony on Wheat (1/23-24/1913, p. 3).

Financial statements proving Russell's absolute control, were made by (Watch
Tower) Secre¬tary-Treasurer Van Amberg who was quoted as saying, "...We are
not responsible to anyone for our expenditures. We are responsible only to
God," (1/25/13, p. 16).

Government experts testify on "Miracle Wheat" and ascertain beyond doubt
that it is not miraculous or overly excellent (1/27/13, p. 3); Prosecution
and Defense sum-up. Russell assailed but not present to hear it (1/28/13, p.
2); Russell loses libel suit (1/29/13, p. 16).

Some modern Jehovah's Witnesses may wish to minimize the significance of the
"Miracle Wheat" claiming that the profits from its sales went to the
Watchtower Society and not Russell himself.

However as Martin points out, 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.

Before going to court, The Brooklyn Eagle made this claim:

"The Eagle goes even further and declares that at the trial it will show
that `Pastor' Russell's religious cult is nothing more than a money-making
scheme," (Ibid).

While the motives of Russell can only be judged by God Himself, few would
argue that such "Miracle Wheat" claims today would be more at home in the
National Enquirer than in the Watchtower - a magazine claiming to be
produced by God's only true organization on the earth.

If today's US Postal regulations against false advertizing and mail fraud
had been in effect at the time, perhaps Russell would have lost more than a
libel case.

This is, with little doubt, a blatant example of fraud and deception going
back to the roots of today's Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
ResLight
2008-04-30 20:25:44 UTC
Permalink
What actually appeared in the pages of the Watch Tower concerning "Miracle
Wheat" -- no fraud, no deception.

Miracle Wheat in The Watch Towers from 1908 to 1916


Many claims are being made against Charles Taze Russell regarding "Miracle
Wheat".
Often Mr. Russell is misquoted and/or misrepresented in these attacks on his
reputation and character.
Read for yourself the following articles and see what Mr. Russell actually
wrote.

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The following is from
The Watch Tower, March 15, 1908, page 86:



"MIRACLE WHEAT"

The public press is telling of the origin of "Miracle Wheat" in answer to
prayer. The description has the earmarks of truth to it, in that it gives
the address of the man whose prayers are said to have been answered-- "K. B.
Stoner, a farmer of Fincastle, Botetourt county, Virginia." It would appear
from the account that the original stalk of wheat appeared in the midst of a
crop of the ordinary kind, but with "142 heads of grain."

We quote:--

"Mr. Stoner was amazed. It seemed incredible. When a Frenchman, in 1842,
announced that he had discovered a species of wheat in the Mediterranean
country which produced four heads to the plant, people said he was crazy.

"But here was a plant with 142 heads!

"Naturally Mr. Stoner carefully preserved the heads, and the next year sowed
the seed, continuing to do this each year, for he realized he had discovered
a phenomenal brand of grain. And each year his amazement increased.

"That first year after discovering the plant he got 2000 grains. In 1906 he
got sixteen bushels, and has now raised the crop of wheat, all carefully
preserved for seed, to 800 bushels.

"What is most remarkable about the wheat is this: Whereas there is produced
in the wheat sections of that country an average at the best of seventeen
bushels to an acre, the average yield of the "miracle wheat" during the last
three years has been fifty-six bushels to the acre; and whereas from eight
to ten pecks of seed are required to plant an acre in Virginia, Mr. Stoner
uses only two pecks, and, in comparison to the yield of ordinary wheat in
the neighborhood, which is eight bushels for each bushel of seed, Mr. Stoner
gets about seventy-five bushels for one. An ordinary stalk of wheat covers
about four inches of space. The miracle wheat covers twelve.

THE GOVERNMENT REPORT

"Last year United States government officials became interested in the
remarkable wheat and sent Assistant Agriculturalist H. A. Miller to examine
it. In his report he declares:

"'The wheat, which came from an unknown source, has been grown in the
nursery every year since that time, and also has been grown under field
conditions the last two years, giving excellent results. The yield has been
from two to three times the yield of other varieties grown on the farm under
the same condition of culture, except the rate of seeding, which was two
pecks to the acre, while other varieties were sown at the rate of eight to
ten pecks per acre, which is the common practice of farmers in the vicinity.

"'Milling tests have been made of this wheat, and its quality seems to be as
good as, if not superior to, other varieties of winter wheat.'

"The average height of the wheat, according to the report, is four feet four
inches.

"It is said that the Russian government has secured an option on the wheat,
and will buy a consignment of 80,000,000 bushels when that quantity shall
have been raised. During the next year the seed will be distributed among
farmers in Virginia and North Carolina, who will raise it and preserve the
seed, keeping the seed only for planting until the required amount will have
been produced. By next fall, it is believed, 30,000 bushels will have been
produced."

IS IT RESTITUTION WHEAT?

If this account be but one-half true it testifies afresh to God's ability to
provide things needful for the "times of restitution of all things which God
hath spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world
began."--Acts 3:19-21.





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The following article is from:
The Watch Tower, July 15, 1908, page 214



MIRACLE WHEAT

NEW VARIETY PRODUCED YIELDING 277 BUSHELS OF GRAIN TO ACRE

Wheat with stalks like sugar cane and yielding 277 bushels of highly
nutritious kernels to the acre has been produced as a result of experiments
made in Idaho by Allen Adams of Minneapolis.

The new wheat has been named "Alaska" because of its hardiness. It is either
spring or winter wheat, just as the farmer desires to sow. It is so sturdy
that storms that ruin other stock affect its giant stems but little, and the
heads remain upright through ordinary hailstorms.

The yield shows that Adams has been able to obtain an increase of 222 fold.
One head of the giant wheat was planted in the fall of 1904. The seeds from
that head were planted the next year and seven pounds of seed obtained. This
was sown in the spring of 1906, and from the seven pounds were harvested
1,554 pounds that fall. In the fall of the same year he sowed it as winter
wheat, but conditions were adverse. Almost all the "blue stem" and "club"
were destroyed, and only a third of the crop of experimental wheat came to
maturity, yet there was a yield of 50,000 pounds. A heavy hailstorm in July
was the cause of the ruined wheat crop, which left scarcely any of the
ordinary wheat standing.

Further experiments brought forth a yield of 277 bushels to an acre. The
Idaho College of Agriculture has made a laboratory test of the wheat and
reports the grain plump and sound and that it should make better bread than
the ordinary wheat. -- Beloit Free Press.





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The following article is from:
The Watch Tower, October 1, 1908, page 291



MORE MIRACLE WHEAT

OUR notice of the "Miracle Wheat" grown in Virginia, the grower reports, has
caused him lots of trouble answering letters and returning money sent for
small samples. He has shown us representative stalks of the wheat and photos
of its growing in the field, fully corroborating all that we have published
respecting the same. But he refuses to sell any of it until he has secured a
fair stock, which will be in a few years hence.

Meantime the matter has brought out the fact that others are also
propagating "Miracle Wheat," as witnessed by the subjoined reports. We
advise farmers to begin at once to inspect their wheat before cutting and
cull out for seed the choicest, fullest heads or most "stooled." Our thought
is that in this natural way God is preparing for the Millennium, when "the
earth shall yield her increase."

SEVEN-HEADED WHEAT DISCOVERED

W. W. Ward, of Dayton, Washington, has discovered a new variety of wheat
that has seven distinct heads united to a common base. And each head is
larger than the ordinary wheat. Ward figures that the new variety will yield
as high as 280 bushels to the acre, with an average of 200 bushels.

Hundreds of farmers have visited the Ward ranch and are intensely interested
in the new wheat. All have asked for a few pounds of the seed, but Ward is
figuring upon further experiments and plans to plant all of this year's crop
next season, enlarging his present area to about three acres.

Ward has been experimenting for five years to get a wheat that will yield
bigger crops, but never expected anything like the seven-headed variety. --
Sioux City Tribune.

* * *

Neither of the above notes relate to what is termed "Alaska" wheat grown in
Idaho, which we understand had been repudiated by Government experts.





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The next article appeared in:
The Watch Tower, July 15, 1909, pages 212, 213



MIRACLE WHEAT--MIRACLE CULTIVATION

A year ago we called attention to the miracle wheat, which was developed in
Virginia, seemingly by accident. We know not to what extent it has been sown
elsewhere, nor whether any wonderful results have been obtained. However, it
gives to the eye of faith a suggestive lesson as to how God could "Call for
the wheat-corn and increase it" many fold. Now we learn of some wonderful
experiments which have recently been made by the Russian Government, which
serve to show that in soil that is at least twenty inches deep a new method
of cultivating wheat, gives promise of almost miraculous results. Even if
only one-tenth of the results claimed can be obtained the advantage
seemingly would be considerable. Even if the method be at present found
impracticable for any reason, the suggestion to the eye of faith would be
valuable everyway as showing God's people something of the hidden powers
Divine, which are held in reservation for man's time of need.

PLANTING WHEAT INSTEAD OF SOWING IT

The new method of cultivating wheat, based upon these experiments, is the
making of pits or trenches, twelve to twenty inches deeper than the surface
level and forty-two inches wide. One grain of wheat planted at the bottom of
each pit or forty-two inches apart in the trenches is covered lightly with
two inches of soil. Every three weeks the covering process is repeated about
two inches more each time, until ten coverings have been put on. The grain
gives forth three shoots with the first covering. With the second covering
each of these shoots "bushknots" and gives forth three more shoots, so that
with the final covering the total amounts to 59,049 stalks or heads of
grain.

The ten coverings will require about thirty weeks or less, according to the
climate. It is said that this method of cultivation requires no watering,
that the air, having free access to the roots, provides the moisture and
gases necessary for the growth of the plant. It is difficult to believe all
this--that a single seed could thus produce seventy pounds of grain, and
that at the same ratio an acre of land be made to produce forty-five tons of
grain.

Assuredly, as our text suggests, when the Lord's time shall come he will be
well able to call for the increase of the grain for the benefit of the world
of mankind, whom he so loved as to redeem and for whom the blessings of
restitution are shortly to be made available. -- Acts 3:19-21.



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We now present the next article from:
The Watch Tower, June 15, 1910, page 203



"THAT YE BEAR MUCH FRUIT"

"Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit," said our Master. In
this parable the good ground varies in its productiveness -- thirty, sixty
and an hundred fold. The larger the returns, the greater will be the
Father's pleasure and the Savior's glory. Nor is the statement an extreme
one, as some might suppose. The new "miracle wheat" sometimes produces more
than two hundred grains from one. This parable seems to imply that the
responsibility for the fruitfulness of the heart and life and character
depends very greatly upon the individual and how he receives the message of
the Kingdom.

Those in whom the fruits will be the most abundant will be such as grasp the
invitation most intelligently and earnestly. "He that heareth the word and
understandeth it" and whose heart is in a condition of loyalty to God and
who frees himself from hindrances and worldly ambitions and aspirations and,
like the Apostle Paul, can say, "This one thing I do," will surely gain the
Kingdom.

It is not sufficient that we hear the message of the Kingdom; it is not
sufficient that we have good hearts or good intentions in respect to it; it
is additionally necessary, as the Master says, that we should understand the
Kingdom message; hence the need of Bible study. Intelligent people consider
it very wise and proper that several years of study be devoted to
preparation for the few years of earthly life. How much study, then, should
be considered proper for our preparation for the eternal life and Kingdom
blessings? The time and effort thus consumed in character development for
the Kingdom are wisely spent, and the harvest of thirty, sixty or a
hundred-fold illustrates the degree and intensity of our earnestness. The
rewards in the Kingdom will also be proportionate.

"As star differeth from star in glory, so shall it be in the resurrection of
the dead." Varying degrees of glory in the Kingdom will be manifested, yet
none will be acceptable to the Father who shall not have brought forth
fruitage in good measure; the "well done" will never be pronounced if not
merited.





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This next article is from:
The Watch Tower, September 1, 1910, page 279



RESTITUTION WORK BEGUN

"The Divine purpose will not be thwarted by the permission of sin to mar the
original. The sacrificial death of Jesus is the complete offset to the
penalty pronounced on Adam and his race. Restitution to perfection and
Divine favor will result in God's 'due time.' And we believe that time near
at hand.

"Do we not see the promised blessing coming? What are our vast irrigation
schemes by artesian wells and by aqueducts but fulfillments of the
prophecies pertaining to the reign of Messiah and the blessing of the earth?
Hark to the message: Streams shall break forth in the desert; and the
wilderness shall bloom as the rose. -- Isaiah 35.

"Burbank and others are under Divine guidance working miracles in
horticulture, just as Edison and others have been the instruments of
Providence to give us electrical devices. What beautiful fruits and flowers
are the result! It is difficult to imagine greater perfection either in Eden
of old or in the world-wide Eden to be restored!

"Referring to the 'times of restitution' of Messiah's reign the Prophet
declares, 'The earth shall yield her increase.' (Ezekiel 34:27.) Behold
preparations for the fulfillment of this promise: About three years ago a
Virginia farmer found one abnormal bunch of 120 stalks of wheat from one
root--the offspring of one grain of wheat. Under the name of 'miracle wheat'
it is now being developed slowly in various parts--the average yield appears
to be about 1,200 grains from one kernel. And this very year the same
peculiarity in oats has been found--a bunch growing wild by the roadside.

"Additionally the same Divine providence is guiding our chemists to
economical methods of extracting nitrogen from the atmosphere for the
feeding of the soil and thus to the 'increase' of earth's blessings and in
fulfillment of God's promise that he will make the earth (his footstool)
glorious.



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The next article we present is from:
The Watch Tower, October 1, 1910, page 307



MIRACLE WHEAT AND MIRACLE RYE

Some years ago we made mention of the miracle wheat discovered in Virginia,
which originated with the fruitage of one grain found growing by itself. Two
grains of this wheat were given to the Editor, who, in turn, handed them to
a brother in the Truth, who reported that the two grains produced 1,312,
which, planted, produced five pounds -- one grain having fifty stools of
well-developed stalks or straws. The brother planted the miracle wheat
alongside of some ordinary wheat, and reports that the miracle wheat heads
are from three to five inches long and from three to five grains to the
mesh, whereas with the common wheat the heads are from two to three inches
in length.

Another brother obtained some of the miracle wheat and, out of the first
crop, presented the Editor a peck of the same. This was entrusted to another
brother, a farmer, who has just handed the Editor $100 proceeds therefrom,
with the following report: --

As you remember, I secured also a peck of the miracle wheat from a brother
in the Truth as a donation to yourself (because he first heard of the
miracle wheat through THE WATCH TOWER). This was sowed on half an acre of
run-out land. On the adjoining half-acre was sowed a bushel of common wheat
for comparison. The sowing was done in the midst of a seven weeks' drouth.
During the late fall and the early spring the miracle wheat looked very thin
compared with the common wheat. However, in the month of May both plots
appeared to be about the same, except that the miracle wheat laid flatter on
the ground. Late in June the miracle wheat was much the heavier, and stood
nearly a foot higher than the common wheat, and about a week later in point
of ripening. Not having threshed, I cannot at this writing report the
respective yield, but am satisfied that the miracle wheat will be more than
double that of the common.

The grains are in appearance similar to ordinary red wheat. I can with
difficulty distinguish a difference. The color of the miracle wheat is a
trifle richer. I will send you a photograph of a dozen heads and the largest
stool I can find of both the miracle and the common wheat. Brother
Kuesthardt advertised the wheat in his paper, and the money sent you is the
result of the sales at $1 per pound.

Your brother in Christ,

J. A. BOHNET.



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This article appeared in:
The Watch Tower, June 15, 1911, page 178



A DONATION OF MIRACLE WHEAT

Brother Bohnet writes us that he has gradually accumulated a crop of miracle
wheat from the few grains he obtained as a start. He prefers that the first
opportunity for obtaining this wheat shall go to THE WATCH TOWER readers. He
will sell it for $1 per pound, including postage, and give the entire
proceeds to our Society. All orders for this wheat should be addressed,
Miracle Wheat Bohnet, 17 Hicks street, Brooklyn, N. Y. This will keep mail
on this subject separate from his personal mail and from ours.

Brother Bohnet promises to be ready to ship this wheat by August 1. He says
miracle wheat should be sowed one-fourth as thick as common wheat.
Ordinarily it should produce from ten to fifteen times as much
proportionately to the amount sown. To save keeping account, money should
accompany the order. WATCH TOWER readers will have the preference up to
August 15, after which orders will be attended to indiscriminately, so long
as the supply holds out. This wheat should be sown in the fall.



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Here is the next article from:
The Watch Tower, August 1, 1911, page 226



MIRACLE WHEAT IN DEMAND

The notice in THE WATCH TOWER of June 15 that Brother Bohnet has "miracle
wheat" in abundance now, and that he will sell it at $1 per pound and donate
the entire proceeds to our Tract Fund, has brought in many orders. These
will be filled between August 15 and September 1. No limit as to supply has
been noted. Sent by Express, prepaid, the price will be twenty-two pounds
for $20; fifty-five pounds for $50; larger quantities at the latter rate.
The merits of this wheat over the common variety have been mentioned in
previous issues of THE WATCH TOWER.



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The following article appeared in:
The Watch Tower, July 1, 1912, pages 214, 215



EARTH'S IMPERFECTION IS FALLEN MAN'S BLESSING

God could have made the entire earth perfect as easily as He "planted" the
little garden in Eden. But He foresaw that if the earth were perfected the
death-struggle would be longer, and the degradation of man greater. The
poverty of the world has assisted in keeping mankind back from greater
depths of iniquity. The sentence, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread," was evidently intended as a blessing, that man might learn lessons
of experience by battling with the earth for his living. As the Creator said
to the man regarding the curse of the earth, it was "for thy [man's] sake."
So man has learned that "The wages of sin is death." The Heavenly Father has
not, however, changed His Plan. When the Kingdom is set up, the earth shall
yield her increase; and God assures us, "I will make the place of My feet
glorious." -- Isaiah 60:13.

Edison has been the instrument of Providence in giving us wonderful
electrical devices. Burbank and others have, under Divine guidance, worked
miracles in horticulture. What beautiful fruits and flowers have followed as
results! It is difficult to imagine anything nearer perfection either in
Eden of old or the world-wide Eden to be established! In referring to the
"Times of Restitution" the Prophet declares that "the earth shall yield her
increase." (Psalm 67:6) We behold preparations for the fulfilment of this
promise.

A few years ago a Virginia farmer found an abnormal stool of wheat -- one
hundred and forty-two stalks, each bearing a well-developed head -- the
offspring of a single grain of wheat! Under the name of "Miracle Wheat" it
is now being developed slowly in various parts of the country. The average
yield appears to be about twelve hundred grains from one kernel. This very
year the same peculiarity in oats has been found, a stool growing wild by
the roadside. The same Divine Providence is, additionally, guiding our
chemists in economical methods of extracting nitrogen from the atmosphere
for feeding the soil, and thus to increase earth's blessings, in fulfillment
of God's promise that He will make His footstool glorious.

Why has not the earth been already made glorious? The answer is that God is
allowing the race to propagate first. Had mankind been perfect, they might
have learned the lesson of the sinfulness of sin in the same way that the
angels have learned. But hastening to commit sin, they have learned evil
first and have been subject to all the vicissitudes of sin and death. The
angels have learned the other lesson -- what righteousness is, what good
is -- not merely in the abstract, but in an appreciative sense.





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Below is the article from:
The Watch Tower, February, 15, 1913, page 62



"AS DECEIVERS AND YET TRUE"

MY SUIT against The Eagle for slanderous defamation of reputation has been
decided in its favor. A Jury of twelve men have decided that The Eagle was
justified in making its vicious onslaughts upon me, notwithstanding the
Judge's Charge that, according to the law, the cartoon, at least, was a
slanderous, vicious libel in fact. I am urged by my attorneys and petitioned
by friends to take the case to the Court of Appeals.

I quite agree with Justice Kelby, who said, "The case was presented fairly
and squarely to the Jury." The rulings of His Honor seem to me equitable. I
very highly appreciate the ability and energy of my attorneys, Mr. Sparks
and Mr. Rutherford. I have no complaint, nor murmuring against the Divine
providences which permitted what I consider to be a very unjust verdict. In
appealing our Case to the Court we have followed the example of the Master,
who inquired why He was smitten contrary to Law. (John 18:23) Likewise St.
Paul appealed for such justice as the Law provided. (Acts 25:10) So I have
done; and I, like them, have been refused the Law's protection. I murmur
not. I am in good company.

I remember, on the other hand, that it has been a part of the Divine will
throughout this Gospel Age to allow His faithful servants to suffer
reproaches and losses. This was so in the Master's case: "Being reviled, He
reviled not again." When it pleased the Father to bruise Him and put Him to
shame, He declared, "The cup which My Father hath poured for Me, shall I not
drink it?" -- "Not My will, but Thine be done." -- I Peter 2:23; John 18:11;
Luke 22:42

It was so with the Apostles, who wrote, "As He was, so are we in this
world" -- "As deceivers and yet true; as poor, yet making many rich"; "I
bear about in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus" -- evidences that I am
His servant and His follower. As St. Paul said, so we see fulfilled all
through the Age, "Whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution." The Master said, "Marvel not if the world hate you. Ye know
that it hated Me before it hated you; if ye were of the world, the world
would love its own." -- I John 4:17; 2 Corinthians 6:8-10; Galatians 6:17; 2
Timothy 3:12; John 15:18,19.

THE CASE BRIEFLY REVIEWED

I am interested in everything progressive and tending to prove that we are
entering the great Thousand Years of earth's blessings under Messiah. In the
columns of THE WATCH TOWER I have noted the coming of Divine blessings in
fulfilment of the prediction that "The wilderness shall blossom as the
rose," "The earth shall yield her increase," etc. Five years ago we quoted
in THE WATCHTOWER columns reports respecting "Miracle Wheat." We gave the
name and address (Mr. Stoner) of the farmer who discovered this new wheat
and his reports of its remarkable qualities. We published also the report of
Mr. Miller, the Government expert, who thoroughly investigated it and
pronounced upon its superior qualities.

Some of our readers purchased seed from Mr. Stoner at $1.25 per pound and
approved it. In 1910 one of the friends of our Society, who had raised some
of this wheat, sold it for seed at $1.00 per pound, and donated the proceeds
to our Society. In 1911 the same friend, having raised more seed, asked that
THE WATCH TOWER give the benefit of this to its readers at $1.00 a pound
post-paid, and appropriate the net results to the furtherance of its work.
Another friend, who had some of the same seed, also donated similarly, the
total amount being twenty bushels.

For the accommodation of our readers, we allowed this seed-wheat to be put
up in pound packages and mailed from THE WATCH TOWER Office, just as the
U.S. Government handles such seeds at Washington. We did the business at the
request of others and in their interest, and credited them on our books with
the results, setting aside to them proportionately voting shares in our
Society. We made no claim for the wheat on our own knowledge. We merely gave
the report of the Government expert, of the originator, and of our friends
who had tried the wheat. We merely acted as intermediary.

Nevertheless, everything that was said respecting the wheat was fully proven
at this trial by expert witnesses, interested and disinterested, and their
testimony was not shaken. It was also shown that farmer Stoner and his
business partner, Mr. Knight, made no sales of this wheat under $1.25 per
pound until September, 1911; and that they had a written contract between
them that none of the wheat was to be sold at any price until the following
year -- 1912. Suddenly in September, 1911, they changed their plans,
considering that they had wheat enough accumulated, put the price down to
$5.00 per bushel, about the time that THE WATCH TOWER wheat was all sold at
a dollar a pound. This The Eagle's attorney claimed was proof of fraud on
the part of THE WATCH TOWER -- sufficient excuse for the slanderous assaults
of The Eagle upon me.

It was in vain that my attorney sought to show the Jury The Eagle's
malice -- that it really was attacking me along religious grounds; that it
had set itself as the champion of certain clerical enemies of mine, and was
seeking to destroy my influence and, if possible, to drive me from Brooklyn.
In the court-room sat about twenty-five of my friends, who had come long
distances at their own expense to have an opportunity to speak a word in my
behalf. Through some intricacies of the Law respecting evidence, these were
unable to be heard in my behalf.

Instead, the Law gave The Eagle's attorney the privilege of saying all
manner of evil against me falsely -- for the sake of the Doctrines of
Christ, which I hold and teach. He was allowed to picture me, as The Eagle
had done in its cartoon -- as a thief and robber, masquerading in the garb
of a minister of Christ. He was allowed to ridicule the "Miracle Wheat,"
although I had nothing whatever to do with it, nor with the naming of it;
and notwithstanding the fact that its superiority was proven.

He was allowed to inveigh against the fact as criminal, that I hold the
office of President of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, and to claim
that I hold the office in some corrupt or unlawful manner, and that I misuse
the Society's income in some unexplained way to my own advantage. Meantime,
scores present in the courtroom and thousands all over the land, would have
been glad to testify that their donations have come to the Society because
they have the utmost confidence in my integrity and management of its
affairs as its Executive Officer, and that had anybody else been President
their donations would have been smaller or none at all.

Presumably because there were seven Catholics on the Jury, The Eagle's
attorney was prompted to refer to the Sisters of Charity and their noble
work as nurses in the hospitals, without referring to the fact that those
nurses are well paid, and that the hospitals in large measure are supported
by State taxation.

The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society was held up to scorn because it did
not have any hospital work nor draw any revenue from taxation, and because
the female members of the Society do not visit the workshops of the land
weekly or monthly on pay-day, and exact donations to its work. Our society
was held up to scorn also because we do not send a wagon around the city
collecting groceries and provisions for the up-keep of our work; because we
do not take up collections even on Sunday; because we have never solicited a
penny or a dollar from anybody; and because we never have fairs, grab-bags,
"chances" or "raffles." Our Society was held up to scorn and ridicule
because it offers its literature free to the poor, while other similar
Societies charge both rich and poor for their tracts and other publications.
The Eagle was pictured by its attorney as a dove, a bird of Paradise. For
defending it the Protestants on the Jury were led to hope for escape from
eternal torment through "the pearly gates" of heaven, welcomed with the
words, "Well done!" for giving The Eagle the verdict. Neither I nor my
attorneys could offer such inducements conscientiously.

Our home, "Bethel," where some of our Society's workers reside, was held up
to scorn--likened to a harem, etc. This surely did cut me deeply to the
heart. I am quite willing to suffer, if need be, for my faithfulness to the
Lord and His Word; but it gave me great pain that the arrows intended for me
did not all center upon myself -- that the more than a hundred saintly,
earnest men, women and children, co-laborers with me in the Lord's work,
should thus be made to unjustly suffer. I can only urge them to apply to
themselves the words of the Apostle, "Cast not away, therefore, your
confidence, which hath great recompense of reward"; "For ye have need of
patience that, after ye have done the will of God, ye shall receive the
promise"; "Ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly, whilst ye were
made a gazingstock, and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were
so used." -- Hebrews 10:35,36,32,33

NO COMPLAINT AGAINST THE LAW

I have no complaint to make against the Laws of our land, nor against the
Jury System, not against the particular twelve men who, in my judgment, gave
an unjust verdict. I esteem our Laws to be most wonderfully just. I have
often marveled that imperfect, fallen men have succeeded in the erection of
such excellent barriers against sin and injustice. I cannot see that a more
fair method than our Jury System of trying a case could be arranged by
imperfect men. Neither do I believe that the average jury desires to pervert
justice. The miscarriage of justice I attribute rather to the imperfection
of human knowledge. Suspicion and evil-surmising are weeds which seem to
grow prolifically in every mind. They spring spontaneously in the degraded
heart. There is such a disposition to judge others by one's self, and such a
realization of sinful impulses that the average man naturally enough imputes
evil, on every occasion when it is suggested to him.

St. Paul enunciated this principle, saying, "The natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God;... neither can he know [understand] them;
for they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) Our Society and
its work, our Lord's work and the work of the Apostles and the regenerate
since, are so far beyond the concept of the unregenerate as to be
"Foolishness unto them" -- hypocrisies, frauds, impositions. If Jesus and
the Apostles and the faithful saints of eighteen centuries have all belonged
to this class, I will be of good courage and not be ashamed to belong to the
same.

I am the more encouraged because I realize that the great Day of Blessing,
the great Thousand-Year Day of Messiah's Kingdom, is near at hand--is
dawning now. Soon Satan, the "Prince of Darkness," will be bound for a
thousand years, to deceive the nations no more. (Revelation 20:2,3,6) No
longer will Darkness be permitted to masquerade as Light, and the Light be
slandered as Darkness. All the blind eyes will be opened; all the deaf ears
will be unstopped. That glorious period, as the Prophet has declared, shall
be "the desire of all nations." (Haggai 2:7) Then not only the Church will
see eye to eye, and understand God's providences at the present time, but
the whole world will see in the light of that happy time for which we pray,
"Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as in Heaven."

Sincerely, and undismayed, I remain a servant of God.

CHARLES T. RUSSELL.

Brooklyn, January 29, 1913.





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The next article is a letter which appeared in:
The Watch Tower, March 3, 1915, page 79



INTERESTING LETTERS
MIRACLE WHEAT TAKES PRIZE

GREATEST WHEAT STATE SENDS MIRACLE WHEAT AS ITS BEST
PRIZE WHEAT TO THE WORLD'S FAIR.

DEAR FRIENDS AND BRETHREN:--

A copy of the Chicago Daily Tribune recently came to my notice containing
articles, the object of which was an attack upon the Association and
especially upon Pastor Russell. Among other points of attack was Miracle
Wheat, and thinking that some information on the subject might be of value
to you in meeting this attack, I enclose herewith picture and data relative
to a field of Miracle Wheat I grew last year. This picture, among thousands
of others of the best fields raised in the State, was sent to the Secretary
of the State Board of Agriculture, J. C. Mohler. From this collection was to
be chosen the one which would represent the State at the World's Fair, which
convenes February 20th.

Now the judges in this matter did not know that this was Miracle Wheat,
hence they had nothing to bias their decision. So Miracle Wheat received the
award.

I grew 70 acres of this wheat and planted and cared for it in the regular,
ordinary way, and had no trouble in disposing of it to my neighbor
wheat-growers last fall for seed, at $2 per bushel.

In this section of the country we have to sow more to the acre than in some
localities, hence we could not follow the 20 lb. to the acre rate of
seeding, but some we seeded at the rate of 1/2 bu. and some at the rate of
3/4 bu. per acre, and we found the three pecks to be the better. If we were
going to sow again we would sow rather more than this.

My field yielded 49 bu. to the acre--more than twice the average yield of
wheat in this vicinity and in many instances more than three times as much.
If this information is of any value to you or any of the friends who may
have charge of the matter of setting these things straight before the
public, I am thankful for the opportunity to furnish the same.

With Christian love and best regards, I am

Your brother and fellow-servant,

W. A. JARRETT.



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This final article appeared in:
The Watch Tower, July 15, 1915, page 218



PROPER AND IMPROPER ADVERTISING

Question.--Is it showing the spirit of Babylon to solicit advertising
contracts from merchants for space on Photo-Drama announcements?

<Answer.>--It would not be proper to say to a merchant, "Advertise with us
and thus contribute something to a good cause." That would not do. It would
be begging for the Lord's cause, a thing we are not authorized to do. But if
I were a merchant and had an opportunity to put an advertisement into a
Photo-Drama announcement, I would think it would be one of the best chances
of advertising I ever had. I would think I was receiving a benefit. If for
$1 or $2 I could have my business card circulated all over the neighborhood,
I would say, "These little leaflets showing about the Drama will interest
the people; and while reading the notes about the pictures, they will also
read about my business." I would think I had good value for my money. If any
man thought that he was not getting good value he ought not to put his
advertisement in. It is a purely business transaction.

In soliciting the advertisement, one should not mention the religious
feature. We do not do this at all. It is purely business, so far as the
merchants are concerned; and I would let them advertise all that they
choose. The fact that we do not permit advertisements in THE WATCH TOWER
does not signify that to do so would be wrong. I see nothing wrong in a
merchant's advertising his wares. If I were publishing a daily newspaper, I
would expect to sell advertising space.

A brother who owns a newspaper consulted me a little about his advertising.
He said that the merchants in his vicinity were accustomed to advertise, and
that some of the best advertisers were dealers in liquor and tobacco. I told
him that I would not put any liquor advertisements in. I would put in
advertisements of shoes or clothing or groceries or hardware, and would
solicit such advertising, if I were running a newspaper. I see nothing wrong
in advertisements or in newspapers. I would see nothing wrong in putting six
or eight pages of advertisements into THE WATCHTOWER, if the articles
advertised were staples that every one wanted to buy. But since THE WATCH
TOWER goes into the home and represents me in a special way, I like to have
all the space used for religious matter -- not, however, because the
advertisements would be wrong.

Once we put into THE WATCH TOWER a notice about Miracle Wheat. Many of you
saw it. We believe we did right in putting that notice in. We also put in a
notice about some kind of beans and one about some special cotton. Some of
the friends were benefited by each of these notices. We also put in a notice
recently about a cure for cancer. We have had hundreds of letters come in
from Truth friends, and hundreds from others; and a great many have reported
good results. To some extent this has helped forward the Truth. People saw
that we were not trying to get their money, saw that we were trying to do
them good, and became interested.




Many claims are being made against Charles Taze Russell regarding "Miracle
Wheat".
Often Mr. Russell is misquoted and/or misrepresented in these attacks on his
reputation and character.
Read for yourself the following articles and see what Mr. Russell actually
wrote.

The following articles were obtained from the Harvest Truth Database,
which is copyrighted by A. G. S. Consulting,
in cooperation with Chicago Bible Students,
P. O. Box 6016, Chicago, IL 60680




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The following is from
The Watch Tower, March 15, 1908, page 86:



"MIRACLE WHEAT"

The public press is telling of the origin of "Miracle Wheat" in answer to
prayer. The description has the earmarks of truth to it, in that it gives
the address of the man whose prayers are said to have been answered-- "K. B.
Stoner, a farmer of Fincastle, Botetourt county, Virginia." It would appear
from the account that the original stalk of wheat appeared in the midst of a
crop of the ordinary kind, but with "142 heads of grain."

We quote:--

"Mr. Stoner was amazed. It seemed incredible. When a Frenchman, in 1842,
announced that he had discovered a species of wheat in the Mediterranean
country which produced four heads to the plant, people said he was crazy.

"But here was a plant with 142 heads!

"Naturally Mr. Stoner carefully preserved the heads, and the next year sowed
the seed, continuing to do this each year, for he realized he had discovered
a phenomenal brand of grain. And each year his amazement increased.

"That first year after discovering the plant he got 2000 grains. In 1906 he
got sixteen bushels, and has now raised the crop of wheat, all carefully
preserved for seed, to 800 bushels.

"What is most remarkable about the wheat is this: Whereas there is produced
in the wheat sections of that country an average at the best of seventeen
bushels to an acre, the average yield of the "miracle wheat" during the last
three years has been fifty-six bushels to the acre; and whereas from eight
to ten pecks of seed are required to plant an acre in Virginia, Mr. Stoner
uses only two pecks, and, in comparison to the yield of ordinary wheat in
the neighborhood, which is eight bushels for each bushel of seed, Mr. Stoner
gets about seventy-five bushels for one. An ordinary stalk of wheat covers
about four inches of space. The miracle wheat covers twelve.

THE GOVERNMENT REPORT

"Last year United States government officials became interested in the
remarkable wheat and sent Assistant Agriculturalist H. A. Miller to examine
it. In his report he declares:

"'The wheat, which came from an unknown source, has been grown in the
nursery every year since that time, and also has been grown under field
conditions the last two years, giving excellent results. The yield has been
from two to three times the yield of other varieties grown on the farm under
the same condition of culture, except the rate of seeding, which was two
pecks to the acre, while other varieties were sown at the rate of eight to
ten pecks per acre, which is the common practice of farmers in the vicinity.

"'Milling tests have been made of this wheat, and its quality seems to be as
good as, if not superior to, other varieties of winter wheat.'

"The average height of the wheat, according to the report, is four feet four
inches.

"It is said that the Russian government has secured an option on the wheat,
and will buy a consignment of 80,000,000 bushels when that quantity shall
have been raised. During the next year the seed will be distributed among
farmers in Virginia and North Carolina, who will raise it and preserve the
seed, keeping the seed only for planting until the required amount will have
been produced. By next fall, it is believed, 30,000 bushels will have been
produced."

IS IT RESTITUTION WHEAT?

If this account be but one-half true it testifies afresh to God's ability to
provide things needful for the "times of restitution of all things which God
hath spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world
began."--Acts 3:19-21.





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The following article is from:
The Watch Tower, July 15, 1908, page 214



MIRACLE WHEAT

NEW VARIETY PRODUCED YIELDING 277 BUSHELS OF GRAIN TO ACRE

Wheat with stalks like sugar cane and yielding 277 bushels of highly
nutritious kernels to the acre has been produced as a result of experiments
made in Idaho by Allen Adams of Minneapolis.

The new wheat has been named "Alaska" because of its hardiness. It is either
spring or winter wheat, just as the farmer desires to sow. It is so sturdy
that storms that ruin other stock affect its giant stems but little, and the
heads remain upright through ordinary hailstorms.

The yield shows that Adams has been able to obtain an increase of 222 fold.
One head of the giant wheat was planted in the fall of 1904. The seeds from
that head were planted the next year and seven pounds of seed obtained. This
was sown in the spring of 1906, and from the seven pounds were harvested
1,554 pounds that fall. In the fall of the same year he sowed it as winter
wheat, but conditions were adverse. Almost all the "blue stem" and "club"
were destroyed, and only a third of the crop of experimental wheat came to
maturity, yet there was a yield of 50,000 pounds. A heavy hailstorm in July
was the cause of the ruined wheat crop, which left scarcely any of the
ordinary wheat standing.

Further experiments brought forth a yield of 277 bushels to an acre. The
Idaho College of Agriculture has made a laboratory test of the wheat and
reports the grain plump and sound and that it should make better bread than
the ordinary wheat. -- Beloit Free Press.





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The following article is from:
The Watch Tower, October 1, 1908, page 291



MORE MIRACLE WHEAT

OUR notice of the "Miracle Wheat" grown in Virginia, the grower reports, has
caused him lots of trouble answering letters and returning money sent for
small samples. He has shown us representative stalks of the wheat and photos
of its growing in the field, fully corroborating all that we have published
respecting the same. But he refuses to sell any of it until he has secured a
fair stock, which will be in a few years hence.

Meantime the matter has brought out the fact that others are also
propagating "Miracle Wheat," as witnessed by the subjoined reports. We
advise farmers to begin at once to inspect their wheat before cutting and
cull out for seed the choicest, fullest heads or most "stooled." Our thought
is that in this natural way God is preparing for the Millennium, when "the
earth shall yield her increase."

SEVEN-HEADED WHEAT DISCOVERED

W. W. Ward, of Dayton, Washington, has discovered a new variety of wheat
that has seven distinct heads united to a common base. And each head is
larger than the ordinary wheat. Ward figures that the new variety will yield
as high as 280 bushels to the acre, with an average of 200 bushels.

Hundreds of farmers have visited the Ward ranch and are intensely interested
in the new wheat. All have asked for a few pounds of the seed, but Ward is
figuring upon further experiments and plans to plant all of this year's crop
next season, enlarging his present area to about three acres.

Ward has been experimenting for five years to get a wheat that will yield
bigger crops, but never expected anything like the seven-headed variety. --
Sioux City Tribune.

* * *

Neither of the above notes relate to what is termed "Alaska" wheat grown in
Idaho, which we understand had been repudiated by Government experts.





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The next article appeared in:
The Watch Tower, July 15, 1909, pages 212, 213



MIRACLE WHEAT--MIRACLE CULTIVATION

A year ago we called attention to the miracle wheat, which was developed in
Virginia, seemingly by accident. We know not to what extent it has been sown
elsewhere, nor whether any wonderful results have been obtained. However, it
gives to the eye of faith a suggestive lesson as to how God could "Call for
the wheat-corn and increase it" many fold. Now we learn of some wonderful
experiments which have recently been made by the Russian Government, which
serve to show that in soil that is at least twenty inches deep a new method
of cultivating wheat, gives promise of almost miraculous results. Even if
only one-tenth of the results claimed can be obtained the advantage
seemingly would be considerable. Even if the method be at present found
impracticable for any reason, the suggestion to the eye of faith would be
valuable everyway as showing God's people something of the hidden powers
Divine, which are held in reservation for man's time of need.

PLANTING WHEAT INSTEAD OF SOWING IT

The new method of cultivating wheat, based upon these experiments, is the
making of pits or trenches, twelve to twenty inches deeper than the surface
level and forty-two inches wide. One grain of wheat planted at the bottom of
each pit or forty-two inches apart in the trenches is covered lightly with
two inches of soil. Every three weeks the covering process is repeated about
two inches more each time, until ten coverings have been put on. The grain
gives forth three shoots with the first covering. With the second covering
each of these shoots "bushknots" and gives forth three more shoots, so that
with the final covering the total amounts to 59,049 stalks or heads of
grain.

The ten coverings will require about thirty weeks or less, according to the
climate. It is said that this method of cultivation requires no watering,
that the air, having free access to the roots, provides the moisture and
gases necessary for the growth of the plant. It is difficult to believe all
this--that a single seed could thus produce seventy pounds of grain, and
that at the same ratio an acre of land be made to produce forty-five tons of
grain.

Assuredly, as our text suggests, when the Lord's time shall come he will be
well able to call for the increase of the grain for the benefit of the world
of mankind, whom he so loved as to redeem and for whom the blessings of
restitution are shortly to be made available. -- Acts 3:19-21.



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We now present the next article from:
The Watch Tower, June 15, 1910, page 203



"THAT YE BEAR MUCH FRUIT"

"Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit," said our Master. In
this parable the good ground varies in its productiveness -- thirty, sixty
and an hundred fold. The larger the returns, the greater will be the
Father's pleasure and the Savior's glory. Nor is the statement an extreme
one, as some might suppose. The new "miracle wheat" sometimes produces more
than two hundred grains from one. This parable seems to imply that the
responsibility for the fruitfulness of the heart and life and character
depends very greatly upon the individual and how he receives the message of
the Kingdom.

Those in whom the fruits will be the most abundant will be such as grasp the
invitation most intelligently and earnestly. "He that heareth the word and
understandeth it" and whose heart is in a condition of loyalty to God and
who frees himself from hindrances and worldly ambitions and aspirations and,
like the Apostle Paul, can say, "This one thing I do," will surely gain the
Kingdom.

It is not sufficient that we hear the message of the Kingdom; it is not
sufficient that we have good hearts or good intentions in respect to it; it
is additionally necessary, as the Master says, that we should understand the
Kingdom message; hence the need of Bible study. Intelligent people consider
it very wise and proper that several years of study be devoted to
preparation for the few years of earthly life. How much study, then, should
be considered proper for our preparation for the eternal life and Kingdom
blessings? The time and effort thus consumed in character development for
the Kingdom are wisely spent, and the harvest of thirty, sixty or a
hundred-fold illustrates the degree and intensity of our earnestness. The
rewards in the Kingdom will also be proportionate.

"As star differeth from star in glory, so shall it be in the resurrection of
the dead." Varying degrees of glory in the Kingdom will be manifested, yet
none will be acceptable to the Father who shall not have brought forth
fruitage in good measure; the "well done" will never be pronounced if not
merited.





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This next article is from:
The Watch Tower, September 1, 1910, page 279



RESTITUTION WORK BEGUN

"The Divine purpose will not be thwarted by the permission of sin to mar the
original. The sacrificial death of Jesus is the complete offset to the
penalty pronounced on Adam and his race. Restitution to perfection and
Divine favor will result in God's 'due time.' And we believe that time near
at hand.

"Do we not see the promised blessing coming? What are our vast irrigation
schemes by artesian wells and by aqueducts but fulfillments of the
prophecies pertaining to the reign of Messiah and the blessing of the earth?
Hark to the message: Streams shall break forth in the desert; and the
wilderness shall bloom as the rose. -- Isaiah 35.

"Burbank and others are under Divine guidance working miracles in
horticulture, just as Edison and others have been the instruments of
Providence to give us electrical devices. What beautiful fruits and flowers
are the result! It is difficult to imagine greater perfection either in Eden
of old or in the world-wide Eden to be restored!

"Referring to the 'times of restitution' of Messiah's reign the Prophet
declares, 'The earth shall yield her increase.' (Ezekiel 34:27.) Behold
preparations for the fulfillment of this promise: About three years ago a
Virginia farmer found one abnormal bunch of 120 stalks of wheat from one
root--the offspring of one grain of wheat. Under the name of 'miracle wheat'
it is now being developed slowly in various parts--the average yield appears
to be about 1,200 grains from one kernel. And this very year the same
peculiarity in oats has been found--a bunch growing wild by the roadside.

"Additionally the same Divine providence is guiding our chemists to
economical methods of extracting nitrogen from the atmosphere for the
feeding of the soil and thus to the 'increase' of earth's blessings and in
fulfillment of God's promise that he will make the earth (his footstool)
glorious.



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The next article we present is from:
The Watch Tower, October 1, 1910, page 307



MIRACLE WHEAT AND MIRACLE RYE

Some years ago we made mention of the miracle wheat discovered in Virginia,
which originated with the fruitage of one grain found growing by itself. Two
grains of this wheat were given to the Editor, who, in turn, handed them to
a brother in the Truth, who reported that the two grains produced 1,312,
which, planted, produced five pounds -- one grain having fifty stools of
well-developed stalks or straws. The brother planted the miracle wheat
alongside of some ordinary wheat, and reports that the miracle wheat heads
are from three to five inches long and from three to five grains to the
mesh, whereas with the common wheat the heads are from two to three inches
in length.

Another brother obtained some of the miracle wheat and, out of the first
crop, presented the Editor a peck of the same. This was entrusted to another
brother, a farmer, who has just handed the Editor $100 proceeds therefrom,
with the following report: --

As you remember, I secured also a peck of the miracle wheat from a brother
in the Truth as a donation to yourself (because he first heard of the
miracle wheat through THE WATCH TOWER). This was sowed on half an acre of
run-out land. On the adjoining half-acre was sowed a bushel of common wheat
for comparison. The sowing was done in the midst of a seven weeks' drouth.
During the late fall and the early spring the miracle wheat looked very thin
compared with the common wheat. However, in the month of May both plots
appeared to be about the same, except that the miracle wheat laid flatter on
the ground. Late in June the miracle wheat was much the heavier, and stood
nearly a foot higher than the common wheat, and about a week later in point
of ripening. Not having threshed, I cannot at this writing report the
respective yield, but am satisfied that the miracle wheat will be more than
double that of the common.

The grains are in appearance similar to ordinary red wheat. I can with
difficulty distinguish a difference. The color of the miracle wheat is a
trifle richer. I will send you a photograph of a dozen heads and the largest
stool I can find of both the miracle and the common wheat. Brother
Kuesthardt advertised the wheat in his paper, and the money sent you is the
result of the sales at $1 per pound.

Your brother in Christ,

J. A. BOHNET.



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This article appeared in:
The Watch Tower, June 15, 1911, page 178



A DONATION OF MIRACLE WHEAT

Brother Bohnet writes us that he has gradually accumulated a crop of miracle
wheat from the few grains he obtained as a start. He prefers that the first
opportunity for obtaining this wheat shall go to THE WATCH TOWER readers. He
will sell it for $1 per pound, including postage, and give the entire
proceeds to our Society. All orders for this wheat should be addressed,
Miracle Wheat Bohnet, 17 Hicks street, Brooklyn, N. Y. This will keep mail
on this subject separate from his personal mail and from ours.

Brother Bohnet promises to be ready to ship this wheat by August 1. He says
miracle wheat should be sowed one-fourth as thick as common wheat.
Ordinarily it should produce from ten to fifteen times as much
proportionately to the amount sown. To save keeping account, money should
accompany the order. WATCH TOWER readers will have the preference up to
August 15, after which orders will be attended to indiscriminately, so long
as the supply holds out. This wheat should be sown in the fall.



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Here is the next article from:
The Watch Tower, August 1, 1911, page 226



MIRACLE WHEAT IN DEMAND

The notice in THE WATCH TOWER of June 15 that Brother Bohnet has "miracle
wheat" in abundance now, and that he will sell it at $1 per pound and donate
the entire proceeds to our Tract Fund, has brought in many orders. These
will be filled between August 15 and September 1. No limit as to supply has
been noted. Sent by Express, prepaid, the price will be twenty-two pounds
for $20; fifty-five pounds for $50; larger quantities at the latter rate.
The merits of this wheat over the common variety have been mentioned in
previous issues of THE WATCH TOWER.



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The following article appeared in:
The Watch Tower, July 1, 1912, pages 214, 215



EARTH'S IMPERFECTION IS FALLEN MAN'S BLESSING

God could have made the entire earth perfect as easily as He "planted" the
little garden in Eden. But He foresaw that if the earth were perfected the
death-struggle would be longer, and the degradation of man greater. The
poverty of the world has assisted in keeping mankind back from greater
depths of iniquity. The sentence, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread," was evidently intended as a blessing, that man might learn lessons
of experience by battling with the earth for his living. As the Creator said
to the man regarding the curse of the earth, it was "for thy [man's] sake."
So man has learned that "The wages of sin is death." The Heavenly Father has
not, however, changed His Plan. When the Kingdom is set up, the earth shall
yield her increase; and God assures us, "I will make the place of My feet
glorious." -- Isaiah 60:13.

Edison has been the instrument of Providence in giving us wonderful
electrical devices. Burbank and others have, under Divine guidance, worked
miracles in horticulture. What beautiful fruits and flowers have followed as
results! It is difficult to imagine anything nearer perfection either in
Eden of old or the world-wide Eden to be established! In referring to the
"Times of Restitution" the Prophet declares that "the earth shall yield her
increase." (Psalm 67:6) We behold preparations for the fulfilment of this
promise.

A few years ago a Virginia farmer found an abnormal stool of wheat -- one
hundred and forty-two stalks, each bearing a well-developed head -- the
offspring of a single grain of wheat! Under the name of "Miracle Wheat" it
is now being developed slowly in various parts of the country. The average
yield appears to be about twelve hundred grains from one kernel. This very
year the same peculiarity in oats has been found, a stool growing wild by
the roadside. The same Divine Providence is, additionally, guiding our
chemists in economical methods of extracting nitrogen from the atmosphere
for feeding the soil, and thus to increase earth's blessings, in fulfillment
of God's promise that He will make His footstool glorious.

Why has not the earth been already made glorious? The answer is that God is
allowing the race to propagate first. Had mankind been perfect, they might
have learned the lesson of the sinfulness of sin in the same way that the
angels have learned. But hastening to commit sin, they have learned evil
first and have been subject to all the vicissitudes of sin and death. The
angels have learned the other lesson -- what righteousness is, what good
is -- not merely in the abstract, but in an appreciative sense.





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Below is the article from:
The Watch Tower, February, 15, 1913, page 62



"AS DECEIVERS AND YET TRUE"

MY SUIT against The Eagle for slanderous defamation of reputation has been
decided in its favor. A Jury of twelve men have decided that The Eagle was
justified in making its vicious onslaughts upon me, notwithstanding the
Judge's Charge that, according to the law, the cartoon, at least, was a
slanderous, vicious libel in fact. I am urged by my attorneys and petitioned
by friends to take the case to the Court of Appeals.

I quite agree with Justice Kelby, who said, "The case was presented fairly
and squarely to the Jury." The rulings of His Honor seem to me equitable. I
very highly appreciate the ability and energy of my attorneys, Mr. Sparks
and Mr. Rutherford. I have no complaint, nor murmuring against the Divine
providences which permitted what I consider to be a very unjust verdict. In
appealing our Case to the Court we have followed the example of the Master,
who inquired why He was smitten contrary to Law. (John 18:23) Likewise St.
Paul appealed for such justice as the Law provided. (Acts 25:10) So I have
done; and I, like them, have been refused the Law's protection. I murmur
not. I am in good company.

I remember, on the other hand, that it has been a part of the Divine will
throughout this Gospel Age to allow His faithful servants to suffer
reproaches and losses. This was so in the Master's case: "Being reviled, He
reviled not again." When it pleased the Father to bruise Him and put Him to
shame, He declared, "The cup which My Father hath poured for Me, shall I not
drink it?" -- "Not My will, but Thine be done." -- I Peter 2:23; John 18:11;
Luke 22:42

It was so with the Apostles, who wrote, "As He was, so are we in this
world" -- "As deceivers and yet true; as poor, yet making many rich"; "I
bear about in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus" -- evidences that I am
His servant and His follower. As St. Paul said, so we see fulfilled all
through the Age, "Whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution." The Master said, "Marvel not if the world hate you. Ye know
that it hated Me before it hated you; if ye were of the world, the world
would love its own." -- I John 4:17; 2 Corinthians 6:8-10; Galatians 6:17; 2
Timothy 3:12; John 15:18,19.

THE CASE BRIEFLY REVIEWED

I am interested in everything progressive and tending to prove that we are
entering the great Thousand Years of earth's blessings under Messiah. In the
columns of THE WATCH TOWER I have noted the coming of Divine blessings in
fulfilment of the prediction that "The wilderness shall blossom as the
rose," "The earth shall yield her increase," etc. Five years ago we quoted
in THE WATCHTOWER columns reports respecting "Miracle Wheat." We gave the
name and address (Mr. Stoner) of the farmer who discovered this new wheat
and his reports of its remarkable qualities. We published also the report of
Mr. Miller, the Government expert, who thoroughly investigated it and
pronounced upon its superior qualities.

Some of our readers purchased seed from Mr. Stoner at $1.25 per pound and
approved it. In 1910 one of the friends of our Society, who had raised some
of this wheat, sold it for seed at $1.00 per pound, and donated the proceeds
to our Society. In 1911 the same friend, having raised more seed, asked that
THE WATCH TOWER give the benefit of this to its readers at $1.00 a pound
post-paid, and appropriate the net results to the furtherance of its work.
Another friend, who had some of the same seed, also donated similarly, the
total amount being twenty bushels.

For the accommodation of our readers, we allowed this seed-wheat to be put
up in pound packages and mailed from THE WATCH TOWER Office, just as the
U.S. Government handles such seeds at Washington. We did the business at the
request of others and in their interest, and credited them on our books with
the results, setting aside to them proportionately voting shares in our
Society. We made no claim for the wheat on our own knowledge. We merely gave
the report of the Government expert, of the originator, and of our friends
who had tried the wheat. We merely acted as intermediary.

Nevertheless, everything that was said respecting the wheat was fully proven
at this trial by expert witnesses, interested and disinterested, and their
testimony was not shaken. It was also shown that farmer Stoner and his
business partner, Mr. Knight, made no sales of this wheat under $1.25 per
pound until September, 1911; and that they had a written contract between
them that none of the wheat was to be sold at any price until the following
year -- 1912. Suddenly in September, 1911, they changed their plans,
considering that they had wheat enough accumulated, put the price down to
$5.00 per bushel, about the time that THE WATCH TOWER wheat was all sold at
a dollar a pound. This The Eagle's attorney claimed was proof of fraud on
the part of THE WATCH TOWER -- sufficient excuse for the slanderous assaults
of The Eagle upon me.

It was in vain that my attorney sought to show the Jury The Eagle's
malice -- that it really was attacking me along religious grounds; that it
had set itself as the champion of certain clerical enemies of mine, and was
seeking to destroy my influence and, if possible, to drive me from Brooklyn.
In the court-room sat about twenty-five of my friends, who had come long
distances at their own expense to have an opportunity to speak a word in my
behalf. Through some intricacies of the Law respecting evidence, these were
unable to be heard in my behalf.

Instead, the Law gave The Eagle's attorney the privilege of saying all
manner of evil against me falsely -- for the sake of the Doctrines of
Christ, which I hold and teach. He was allowed to picture me, as The Eagle
had done in its cartoon -- as a thief and robber, masquerading in the garb
of a minister of Christ. He was allowed to ridicule the "Miracle Wheat,"
although I had nothing whatever to do with it, nor with the naming of it;
and notwithstanding the fact that its superiority was proven.

He was allowed to inveigh against the fact as criminal, that I hold the
office of President of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, and to claim
that I hold the office in some corrupt or unlawful manner, and that I misuse
the Society's income in some unexplained way to my own advantage. Meantime,
scores present in the courtroom and thousands all over the land, would have
been glad to testify that their donations have come to the Society because
they have the utmost confidence in my integrity and management of its
affairs as its Executive Officer, and that had anybody else been President
their donations would have been smaller or none at all.

Presumably because there were seven Catholics on the Jury, The Eagle's
attorney was prompted to refer to the Sisters of Charity and their noble
work as nurses in the hospitals, without referring to the fact that those
nurses are well paid, and that the hospitals in large measure are supported
by State taxation.

The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society was held up to scorn because it did
not have any hospital work nor draw any revenue from taxation, and because
the female members of the Society do not visit the workshops of the land
weekly or monthly on pay-day, and exact donations to its work. Our society
was held up to scorn also because we do not send a wagon around the city
collecting groceries and provisions for the up-keep of our work; because we
do not take up collections even on Sunday; because we have never solicited a
penny or a dollar from anybody; and because we never have fairs, grab-bags,
"chances" or "raffles." Our Society was held up to scorn and ridicule
because it offers its literature free to the poor, while other similar
Societies charge both rich and poor for their tracts and other publications.
The Eagle was pictured by its attorney as a dove, a bird of Paradise. For
defending it the Protestants on the Jury were led to hope for escape from
eternal torment through "the pearly gates" of heaven, welcomed with the
words, "Well done!" for giving The Eagle the verdict. Neither I nor my
attorneys could offer such inducements conscientiously.

Our home, "Bethel," where some of our Society's workers reside, was held up
to scorn--likened to a harem, etc. This surely did cut me deeply to the
heart. I am quite willing to suffer, if need be, for my faithfulness to the
Lord and His Word; but it gave me great pain that the arrows intended for me
did not all center upon myself -- that the more than a hundred saintly,
earnest men, women and children, co-laborers with me in the Lord's work,
should thus be made to unjustly suffer. I can only urge them to apply to
themselves the words of the Apostle, "Cast not away, therefore, your
confidence, which hath great recompense of reward"; "For ye have need of
patience that, after ye have done the will of God, ye shall receive the
promise"; "Ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly, whilst ye were
made a gazingstock, and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were
so used." -- Hebrews 10:35,36,32,33

NO COMPLAINT AGAINST THE LAW

I have no complaint to make against the Laws of our land, nor against the
Jury System, not against the particular twelve men who, in my judgment, gave
an unjust verdict. I esteem our Laws to be most wonderfully just. I have
often marveled that imperfect, fallen men have succeeded in the erection of
such excellent barriers against sin and injustice. I cannot see that a more
fair method than our Jury System of trying a case could be arranged by
imperfect men. Neither do I believe that the average jury desires to pervert
justice. The miscarriage of justice I attribute rather to the imperfection
of human knowledge. Suspicion and evil-surmising are weeds which seem to
grow prolifically in every mind. They spring spontaneously in the degraded
heart. There is such a disposition to judge others by one's self, and such a
realization of sinful impulses that the average man naturally enough imputes
evil, on every occasion when it is suggested to him.

St. Paul enunciated this principle, saying, "The natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God;... neither can he know [understand] them;
for they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) Our Society and
its work, our Lord's work and the work of the Apostles and the regenerate
since, are so far beyond the concept of the unregenerate as to be
"Foolishness unto them" -- hypocrisies, frauds, impositions. If Jesus and
the Apostles and the faithful saints of eighteen centuries have all belonged
to this class, I will be of good courage and not be ashamed to belong to the
same.

I am the more encouraged because I realize that the great Day of Blessing,
the great Thousand-Year Day of Messiah's Kingdom, is near at hand--is
dawning now. Soon Satan, the "Prince of Darkness," will be bound for a
thousand years, to deceive the nations no more. (Revelation 20:2,3,6) No
longer will Darkness be permitted to masquerade as Light, and the Light be
slandered as Darkness. All the blind eyes will be opened; all the deaf ears
will be unstopped. That glorious period, as the Prophet has declared, shall
be "the desire of all nations." (Haggai 2:7) Then not only the Church will
see eye to eye, and understand God's providences at the present time, but
the whole world will see in the light of that happy time for which we pray,
"Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as in Heaven."

Sincerely, and undismayed, I remain a servant of God.

CHARLES T. RUSSELL.

Brooklyn, January 29, 1913.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next article is a letter which appeared in:
The Watch Tower, March 3, 1915, page 79



INTERESTING LETTERS
MIRACLE WHEAT TAKES PRIZE

GREATEST WHEAT STATE SENDS MIRACLE WHEAT AS ITS BEST
PRIZE WHEAT TO THE WORLD'S FAIR.

DEAR FRIENDS AND BRETHREN:--

A copy of the Chicago Daily Tribune recently came to my notice containing
articles, the object of which was an attack upon the Association and
especially upon Pastor Russell. Among other points of attack was Miracle
Wheat, and thinking that some information on the subject might be of value
to you in meeting this attack, I enclose herewith picture and data relative
to a field of Miracle Wheat I grew last year. This picture, among thousands
of others of the best fields raised in the State, was sent to the Secretary
of the State Board of Agriculture, J. C. Mohler. From this collection was to
be chosen the one which would represent the State at the World's Fair, which
convenes February 20th.

Now the judges in this matter did not know that this was Miracle Wheat,
hence they had nothing to bias their decision. So Miracle Wheat received the
award.

I grew 70 acres of this wheat and planted and cared for it in the regular,
ordinary way, and had no trouble in disposing of it to my neighbor
wheat-growers last fall for seed, at $2 per bushel.

In this section of the country we have to sow more to the acre than in some
localities, hence we could not follow the 20 lb. to the acre rate of
seeding, but some we seeded at the rate of 1/2 bu. and some at the rate of
3/4 bu. per acre, and we found the three pecks to be the better. If we were
going to sow again we would sow rather more than this.

My field yielded 49 bu. to the acre--more than twice the average yield of
wheat in this vicinity and in many instances more than three times as much.
If this information is of any value to you or any of the friends who may
have charge of the matter of setting these things straight before the
public, I am thankful for the opportunity to furnish the same.

With Christian love and best regards, I am

Your brother and fellow-servant,

W. A. JARRETT.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This final article appeared in:
The Watch Tower, July 15, 1915, page 218



PROPER AND IMPROPER ADVERTISING

Question.--Is it showing the spirit of Babylon to solicit advertising
contracts from merchants for space on Photo-Drama announcements?

<Answer.>--It would not be proper to say to a merchant, "Advertise with us
and thus contribute something to a good cause." That would not do. It would
be begging for the Lord's cause, a thing we are not authorized to do. But if
I were a merchant and had an opportunity to put an advertisement into a
Photo-Drama announcement, I would think it would be one of the best chances
of advertising I ever had. I would think I was receiving a benefit. If for
$1 or $2 I could have my business card circulated all over the neighborhood,
I would say, "These little leaflets showing about the Drama will interest
the people; and while reading the notes about the pictures, they will also
read about my business." I would think I had good value for my money. If any
man thought that he was not getting good value he ought not to put his
advertisement in. It is a purely business transaction.

In soliciting the advertisement, one should not mention the religious
feature. We do not do this at all. It is purely business, so far as the
merchants are concerned; and I would let them advertise all that they
choose. The fact that we do not permit advertisements in THE WATCH TOWER
does not signify that to do so would be wrong. I see nothing wrong in a
merchant's advertising his wares. If I were publishing a daily newspaper, I
would expect to sell advertising space.

A brother who owns a newspaper consulted me a little about his advertising.
He said that the merchants in his vicinity were accustomed to advertise, and
that some of the best advertisers were dealers in liquor and tobacco. I told
him that I would not put any liquor advertisements in. I would put in
advertisements of shoes or clothing or groceries or hardware, and would
solicit such advertising, if I were running a newspaper. I see nothing wrong
in advertisements or in newspapers. I would see nothing wrong in putting six
or eight pages of advertisements into THE WATCHTOWER, if the articles
advertised were staples that every one wanted to buy. But since THE WATCH
TOWER goes into the home and represents me in a special way, I like to have
all the space used for religious matter -- not, however, because the
advertisements would be wrong.

Once we put into THE WATCH TOWER a notice about Miracle Wheat. Many of you
saw it. We believe we did right in putting that notice in. We also put in a
notice about some kind of beans and one about some special cotton. Some of
the friends were benefited by each of these notices. We also put in a notice
recently about a cure for cancer. We have had hundreds of letters come in
from Truth friends, and hundreds from others; and a great many have reported
good results. To some extent this has helped forward the Truth. People saw
that we were not trying to get their money, saw that we were trying to do
them good, and became interested.
ResLight
2008-04-30 20:30:59 UTC
Permalink
The following extract is from a booklet entitled:
A Great Battle in the Ecclesiastical Heavens
by J. F. Rutherford, 1915

Beginning on page 20

MIRACLE WHEAT NOT NAMED BY PASTOR RUSSELL, NOR DID HE EVER REALIZE ANY MONEY
FROM IT

Pastor Russell's enemies charge that he sold a great quantity of ordinary
seed wheat under the name of "Miracle Wheat," at one dollar per pound, or
sixty dollars per bushel, and realized therefrom an enormous sum of money
which he appropriated to his own use. This is not only an exaggeration, but
a glaring falsehood.

In the year 1911 J.A. Bohnet, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Samuel J.
Fleming, of Wabash, Indiana, each having a quantity of Miracle Wheat,
together presented to the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY the aggregate
of about 30 bushels with the proposition on their part that the wheat should
be sold at $1.00 per pound and all the proceeds arising from the sale
thereof should be received by the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY as a
donation from them, to be used by said Society in its religious work. The
wheat was received and sent out by the Society, and the gross receipts
therefrom were about $l,800.

Pastor Russell did not get a penny of this. His connection therewith was
this, that he published a statement in his journal, The Watch Tower, giving
notice that this wheat had been contributed and could be had for a dollar a
pound.

Pastor Russell did not discover the wheat, nor did he name it, nor did he
receive any personal benefit therefrom. Nor was the Society of which he is
president guilty of the slightest misconduct. Had this same transaction
occurred with some Catholic or Protestant church no one would ever have
thought of making any fuss about it. But the Preachers' Union seized upon it
as another means of persecuting Pastor Russell.


PREACHERS' ALLIANCE EMPLOYS BROOKLYN EAGLE FOR SYSTEMATIC ATTACK UPON PASTOR
RUSSELL

It is a well-known fact that the Brooklyn Daily Eagle is given to making
unwarranted attacks upon others. Its persecution of the late lamented Dr. T.
DeWitt Talmage is an instance. It may seem the part of wisdom to divert
attention by charging another with wrongdoing. The Eagle has not such a
reputation as a good man would desire.

Pastor Russell's teaching was not interfering with The Eagle, but was
enlightening the people and thus interfering with the Preachers' Unholy
Alliance, and some of its members deemed it necessary to do something. The
Eagle was employed as an instrument to do the job. The Eagle was willing and
ready to begin the attack. Hence, on March 22, 1911, The Eagle published an
article ridiculing the religious work in which Pastor Russell was engaged
(fol. 936). On the same day it published another article ridiculing "Miracle
Wheat" and various persons engaged in growing it. On September 23, 1911, it
published an article announcing that the United States Government was about
to take up the matter of Miracle Wheat, intimating that the Government
Inspector would ask to be furnished with a sample of Miracle Wheat sold at
Pastor Russell's Tabernacle, to be tested, "that the faithful and a waiting
world may learn more fully of the astonishing merits of this precious grain"
(fol. 981).

As a matter of fact, the Government had been experimenting with Miracle
Wheat for more than three years at that time, which shows that The Eagle was
trying to mislead its readers and prejudice them against Pastor Russell by
inferentially charging that he was selling a fraudulent wheat.

On the same date The Eagle published a libelous cartoon, and words in
connection therewith, directed against Pastor Russell and his alleged
relationship to Miracle Wheat. Pastor Russell sued The Eagle for damages.
The facts given here are taken from the record of the trial of that case in
the Supreme Court of Kings County, New York. Figures appearing in
parentheses, thus (fol. 774, etc.), refer to folios of the printed record of
the case now on file in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New
York.

The chief issue raised by the pleadings in this case was whether or not the
wheat in question was superior to ordinary wheat. Eleven witnesses testified
to its superior quality over other wheat. Following are the names and
addresses of the witnesses: Kent B. Stoner, Fincastle, Virginia; Joseph I.
Knight, Sr., 1067 38th Street, BrookIyn, New York; Isaac L. Frey, Lower Mt.
Bethel, Pennsylvania; Frederick Widener, Belvidere, N.J.; Henry D. Ayre,
Cleveland, Tennessee; William Pray, Mansfield, N.J.; William I. Tomlinson,
Kirkwood, N.J.; Edward W. Hunt, Stratford, N.J.; Dr. Joseph A. Carlton,
Palmetto, Georgia; J.A. Bohnet, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Samuel J. Fleming,
Wabash, Indiana.

The eight first named never heard of Pastor Russell or his religious
teachings prior to the trial of this case, but had been experimenting with
Miracle Wheat and found it far superior to any other wheat.


ORIGINAL PLANT OF MIRACLE WHEAT HAD 142 STALKS

The testimony showed that in the year 1904 Mr. K. B. Stoner noticed growing
in his garden in Fincastle, Virginia, an unusual plant, which at first he
mistook for a kind of grass known as parlor grass, but which, upon further
observation, proved to be wheat. The plant had one hundred and forty-two
stalks, each stalk bearing a head of fully matured wheat.

Mr. Stoner had never prior to that time seen a wheat plant bearing more than
five heads.

The unusual yield from this single plant prompted him to save the grain,
which he planted the following Fall (fols. 7375). For several seasons he
continued producing this grain, and in 1906, about two years after
discovering it, because of its remarkable producing qualities, he named it
Miracle Wheat (fol. 81).

In 1908 or 1909 Mr. Stoner called the attention of the witness, J.I. Knight,
to the unusual qualities of the wheat.

The above is a photograph of One Stool of Miracle Wheat grown in 1912 in the
garden of Mr. K.B. Stoner, Fincastle, Va., within two feet of the identical
spot where the original stalk of Miracle Wheat was discovered. It is grown
from one grain and was six feet tall at the time this photograph was taken
and was not then fully grown

Price of Miracle Wheat

and it was arranged that they should grow the wheat on shares and market it
after accumulating a sufficient supply (fols. 86, 127, 129). Mr. Knight
received a forty-five per cent (45%) interest in the wheat. They agreed to
withhold the wheat from the market until 1912 (fol. 128), but subsequently
decided to sell in August, 1911 (fols. 128, 125).


MIRACLE WHEAT SOLD BY OTHERS AT $1.25 PER POUND

After making his arrangement with Mr. Stoner Mr. Knight went to Europe and
exhibited the wheat in the agricultural departments of various countries
(fols. 129-131). Neither Mr. Knight nor Mr. Stoner had ever corresponded
with Pastor Russell, nor had any acquaintance with him or with any of his
associates prior to the time of the trial (fols. 82, 154). Prior to his
meeting Mr. Knight, Mr. Stoner had sold some of the wheat, always at $1.25 a
pound (fols. 80, 83). In 1908 he sold four pounds at $1.25 a pound to Joseph
A. Carlton, a dentist of Palmetto, Georgia, the owner of a 256-acre farm
(fol. 162). In 1909 he sold two pounds to Frederick S. Widener, of
Belvidere, N.J., for from somewhere between two and five dollars (fol. 396).
Mr. Widener gave some of this to Isaac L. Frey, a farmer of Lower Mt.
Bethel. Neither he nor Mr. Frey had any connection with Pastor Russell's
work (fols. 395, 387, 383).

William I. Tomlinson and Edward Hunt, farmers of New Jersey, also
experimented with this wheat.

All of these persons who thus bought their wheat directly or indirectly from
Stoner, the discoverer of the wheat, or from Knight, his partner, found it
to have remarkable reproducing qualities (fols. 385-392, 396, 470, 1,
478-480).

OVER 80 BUSHELS OF MIRACLE WHEAT TO THE ACRE

The first plant found by Stoner had over 4,000 grains to the stool. In the
Fall of 1904 he planted 1,800 grains, and each gram yielded an average of
250 grains. The average return from ordinary wheat in this section was about
ten grains for each grain of seed (fols. 75- 78). Mr. Stoner found that a
peck to the acre, that is 15 pounds of.Miracle Wheat, produced over forty
bushels (fol. 88). He has raised as high as 80 bushels of Miracle Wheat to
the acre (fol. 92). Thus it is seen that Miracle Wheat produced twenty-five
times as much as ordinary wheat in proportion to the amount sown. Mr. Stoner
had experimented with Red Wonder, Fuldz and Old Mediterranean wheats. The
productiveness of Miracle Wheat was found to be due to its large stooling
qualities (fol. 95). For these stooling qualities it needs more

Merit of Miracle Wheat

room than the average wheat, requiring 16 inches between the rows, and about
four times the space of ordinary wheat. If sown like ordinary wheat Miracle
was a failure, for room was essential (fols. 97-99, 104). A four by
four-inch space, such as the Government allows, is too small to allow for
the normal stooling of Miracle Wheat (fol. 104). When he has observed common
wheat planted in competition with Miracle, the spaces between Miracle
planting have been about four times the space between the other wheat
plantings. This was as he recommended (fol. 155). Widener, when he sowed
Miracle, counted 22 to 98 stalks to the grain (fols. 396, 397). Mr. Frey
raised a bushel and a half of wheat from a quart of grain (fol. 383), and
the following year, 1911, raised 108 bushels from 16 to 22 quarts of seed.
He seeded about 15 pounds to the acre (fols. 383-392).

MIRACLE WHEAT TAKES FIRST PRIZE AT SEVERAL STATE FAIRS

Mr. Henry A. Ayre, a farmer of Cleveland, Tennessee, with thirty-five years'
experience, bought some Stoner (Miracle) Wheat in the fall of 1909 or 1910.
He sowed one-half bushel to a scant seven-eighths of an acre and reaped a
little over twenty-six bushels per acre. His is a poor wheat section, where
the yield of ordinary wheat is about 8 bushels per acre.

Mr. Ayre found Miracle Wheat hardier than ordinary wheat, standing the
winters better and stooling much more than any other wheat he ever saw. It
stood a freezing winter where rye had frozen out (fols. 299-402). He had the
surrounding farmers raise this wheat for him under contract (fol. 407). He
raised as large as 64 stools from one plant of this wheat.

Miracle Wheat took first prize for him in the Fall of 1910 at the
Appalachian Exposition, for Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina, and also
took first prize at the State Fair in Tennessee, and at his county fair
(fol. 406). He grew Exhibit 6, a stool of Miracle Wheat containing 49 stalks
(fols. 408, 943)..

MIRACLE WHEAT STOOLS BETTER
THAN OTHER WHEAT

William Pray, a farmer of Mansfield Township, N.J., who was unacquainted
with plaintiff in any way, raised Stoner or Miracle Wheat for three years.
He grew Exhibit 30, containing over 80 stalks grown from a single grain. He
had been a farmer for twenty-five years. An acre of ordinary wheat which he
sowed with two bushels yielded 17 bushels, whereas an adjoining acre which
he sowed with a half bushel of Miracle Wheat yielded 25 bushels. He never
saw any wheat stool as Miracle

Merit of Miracle Wheat

Wheat did. To this is due its superior producing qualities (fols. 464-466).
The usual practice of farmers in his section is to sow two bushels of
ordinary wheat to the acre, and he knows of no way of getting better results
(fols. 467, 468).

William I. Tomlinson, who had been a farmer for nine years, in Kirkwood,
N.J., in 1909 planted Miracle Wheat in competition with ordinary wheat--16
acres with Miracle Wheat at a half bushel to the acre, which yielded 32
bushels to the acre, and 20 acres of ordinary wheat at one and a half
bushels to the acre, which yielded 21 bushels to the acre. He is not a
follower of Pastor Russell, nor a believer in any of his doctrines (fols.
470, 471).

Edward W. Hunt, a farmer of Stratford, N.J., for many years, who does not
know Pastor Russell and was not connected with him in any way, experimented
with Miracle Wheat. He first sowed a bushel of seed to an acre and a half,
which produced 56 bushels, part of the crop having been destroyed. In 1911
and 1912 he planted Miracle in competition with Amber Wheat. He planted 10
acres with Miracle, three pecks to the acre, and the yield averaged 34 1/2
bushels per acre, or 345 bushels in all. He planted 18 acres with Amber
Wheat, a bushel and a half to the acre, and the yield was 325 bushels in
all, or a little more than 18 bushels to the acre. Both fields were alike,
stood side by side, and the conditions were the same.

EDWARD McCLEERY

Miracle Wheat produced by Edward McCleery, 2493 Wabash Ave., Los Angeles,
Cal. Offered as exhibit in Eagle Libel Case (fol. 158).

The original plant of Miracle Wheat, discovered and named by Mr. Stoner,
contained 142 heads of well-matured seed, grown from one grain (fol. 74). A
bunch of wheat grown near Los Angeles, California, of the same Miracle Wheat
was exhibited before the jury and put in evidence (fol. 158). It contained
118 stalks and as many heads of well-developed wheat standing more than six
feet tall, all grown from one grain. (See illustration.)

PASTOR RUSSELL'S FIRST KNOWLEDGE OF MIRACLE WHEAT

On November 23, 1907, H.A. Miller, Assistant Agriculturist of the United
States Government, filed in the Department of Agriculture at Washington,
D.C., a report upon the wheat being grown upon Mr. Stoner's farm, highly
commending said wheat (fols. 1185- 1188). The public press throughout the
country at the time took notice of this report. Pastor Russell's attention
was called to it, and on March 15, 1908, he published in his journal, The
Watch Tower, some press comments and extracts from the aforementioned
Government report. This was Pastor Russell's first knowledge of Miracle
Wheat, which wheat Mr. Stoner and others had been experimenting with for
three years or more.

Dr. Joseph A. Carlton, of Palmetto, Georgia, reading in Pastor Russell's
Watch Tower the aforementioned notice, purchased from Mr. Stoner four pounds
of this wheat for which he paid Stoner $1.25 per pound, or $75 per bushel
(fol. 169). He planted a pound and three-quarters to one-fifth of an acre,
took accurate account of the yield, and found that it was eight bushels and
24 pounds, or 504 pounds. Georgia is not a wheat State (fols. 16@, 163).
Yield of ordinary wheat in that State is from 5 to 20 bushels to the acre
(fol. 164). In 1910 Dr. Carlton reaped 62 1/2 bushels of Miracle Wheat from
a little over two acres (fol. 165). From one single grain in his field 71
stalks were grown (fol. 168). Mr. Bohnet got a peck of this wheat from Dr.
Carlton. He sowed 14 pounds to one-half an acre and reaped 8 bushels.
One-half of this he sent to Mr. Kuesthardt, of Port Clinton, Ohio, editor of
the Ottawa Zeitung, a German county newspaper. Samuel J. Fleming, of Wabash,
Indiana, got five pounds of seed from Bohnet and 20 pounds from Kuesthardt,
and sowed 25 pounds to about one acre of land, and although it was late in
the season his yield was 34 bushels. Average yield of ordinary wheat in that
section (sowed a bushel and a half to the acre) is about 20 bushels (fol.
234).


MIRACLE WHEAT YIELDS 12 TO 20 TIMES MORE THAN ORDINARY WHEAT

Thus the testimony showed that ordinary wheat sown at the rate of six pecks
to the acre produces on an average 20 bushels, whereas Miracle Wheat sown at
the rate of one peck to the acre produces from 40 to 80.

FIFTEEN PLANTS FIFTEEN PLANTS OF MIRACLE WHEAT EACH GROWN FROM ONE GRAIN
NONE YIELDED LESS THAN 1,000 GRAINS

Eagle's Lone Witness

bushels to the acre, showing that Miracle Wheat yields from 12 to 20 times
more than ordinary wheat.

Pastor Russell having no personal knowledge of the wheat, counsel did not
call him as a witness. He was in court, ready and willing to testify, but
counsel did not call him for the reason above stated. The Brooklyn Eagle, to
offset all this testimony of practical farmers and wheat raisers, produced
but a single witness, namely, Mr. Ball, of the Agricultural Department of
the United States Government, who was neither a farmer nor wheat raiser. Mr.
Ball testified that he was "connected with the U.S. Government with the
Department of Agriculture as an Agronomist and Acting Cerealist in charge of
cereal investigations" (fol. 732). His imposing title was about his only
recommendation. He produced a memoranda of experiments with Miracle Wheat,
supposed to have been made at the Government station, by persons whom he was
unable to name.


DONATION PROCEEDS KEPT A YEAR TO REFUND, BUT NO ONE WISHED MONEY BACK

There was absolutely no testimony in the case showing that Pastor Russell
had induced a single person to purchase Miracle Wheat. Not a word tending to
show that anyone was defrauded, On the contrary, shortly after the
publication of the libel by the Brooklyn Eagle, the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND
TRACT SOCIETY published broadcast over the country and sent to each
purchaser a notice that if anyone was dissatisfied with his purchase he
might have his money returned, and the identical money arising from the sale
of said wheat was held for a year for the purpose of refunding. Not a single
person asked to have his money refunded.

Upon the trial of this case, counsel for the Brooklyn Eagle severely
ridiculed the religious teachings of Pastor Russell. The jury, being largely
composed of men of strong religious prejudices, and at least one of them an
atheist, disregarded the testimony of the 11 practical farmers and wheat
raisers, and the several exhibits of Miracle Wheat actually produced and
shown to them, and decided the case in favor of the Brooklyn Eagle, upon the
unsupported testimony of one Government official who never raised a grain of
wheat in his.life. The case was at once appealed and is now pending in the
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. Much ado has been made about the
WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY, of which Pastor Russell is president,
disposing of a small quantity of seed Miracle Wheat at one dollar per pound,
which had been donated and the price fixed by the donors, whereas the
evidence conclusively shows

Miracle Wheat at World's Fair

that Messrs. Stoner, Knight, Carlton and others had been selling the same
wheat at $1.25 per pound, which was not only considered legitimate, but a
very reasonable price in view of the extraordinary quality of the wheat and
the small quantity in existence.

It cannot be conceived how anyone can honestly hold up Pastor Russell to
ridicule for the connection that he had with Miracle Wheat. Neither he nor
the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY did anything in the slightest manner
reprehensible, but, on the contrary, their conduct was open and aboveboard
and proper in every way.

THE HARVEST

Miracle Wheat Grown by W.A. Jarrett, Columbus, Kansas, Represents the State
of Kansas at World's Fair, San Francisco, 1915.

I. B. S. ASS'N.

Dear Friends -- A copy of the Chicago Daily Tribune recently came to my
notice containing articles, the object of which was an attack upon the
Association, and especially upon Pastor Russell. Among other points of
attack was Miracle Wheat, and thinking that some information on the subject
might be of value to you in meeting this attack, I enclose herewith picture
and data relative to field of Miracle Wheat I grew last year. This picture,
among thousands of others, of the best fields raised in the State, was sent
to the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, J.C. Mohler. From this
collection was to be chosen the one which would represent the State at the
World's Fair, which convenes the 20th of this month. Now, the judges in this
matter did not know that this was Miracle Wheat; hence they had nothing to
bias their decision. So Miracle Wheat received the award.

I grew seventy acres of this wheat and planted and cared for it in the
regular, ordinary way and had no trouble in disposing of it to my neighbor
wheat-growers last fall for seed, at $2 per bushel. In this section of the
country we have to sow more to the acre than in some localities; hence we
could not follow the twenty pounds to the acre rate of seeding, but some we
seeded at the rate of one-half.bushel and some at the rate of three-quarters
of a bushel per acre, and we found the three pecks to be the better.

My field yielded forty-nine bushels to the acre, more than twice the average
yield of wheat in this vicinity and in many instances more than three times
as much. If this information is of any value to you or any of the friends
who may have charge of the matter of setting these things straight before
the public. I am thankful for the opportunity to furnish the same.

I am your servant,
W.A. JARRETT.

[[*** Break to page 46 ]]


VIRGINIA'S GOVERNOR SPEAKS
Mr. K.B. Stoner, of Fincastle, Botetourt County, Va., a witness on behalf of
Pastor Russell in his libel case vs. the Brooklyn Eagle, testified that in
1904 he discovered the original stalk of wheat which he afterwards named
"Miracle Wheat," growing in his garden; that it matured 142 heads all grown
from one grain, He further said, "A good many names were suggested and I
finally adopted the name 'Miracle' Wheat (fol. 73-81)." In answer to a
question as to who suggested the name, Mr. Stoner replied, "I never saw
Pastor Russell in my life until this morning, and never had any
correspondence with him in any way. I had no suggestion from him at all;
whoever named it (the wheat) was some person connected with me who was
interested in the wheat" (fol. 82--Court Record). Mr. Stoner sold this wheat
at $1.25 per lb., or $75 per bushel (fol. 162).

As to the character and integrity of Mr. Stoner, we publish following
photographic copy of a letter signed by the Governor of Virginia:

Commonwealth of Virginia Governor's Office Richmond
October 20, 1907.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
K.B. Stoner, of Tincastle, Botetourt county, Virginia, the originator of the
new variety of wheat, is personally known to me, and I unhesitatingly
testify to his character and integrity as a man. Any and all statements of
fact made by him are entitled to full faith and credit.

Very respectfully,
Governor of Virginia.
======================================
ResLight
2008-04-30 22:03:12 UTC
Permalink
Pastor Russell in Reply to Critics

The following is taken from
Pastor Russell's Convention Discourses
Regarding Brother Russell in Tacoma, Washington (1913)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(From the *Tacoma Tribune*, June 19, 1913.)

Opposition by Preachers

We give herewith the newspaper report of the attack by the preachers and
Pastor Russell's reply:


(From Tacoma Tribune)
ATTACKS RUSSELL for
SELLING PRACTICES
Rev. E. L. Benedict of Mason M. E. Church in Statement Scores Evangelist

Attacking Pastor Russell "for sailing under false pretenses," Rev. E. L.
Benedict of the Mason M. E. Church today declared the evangelist had made a
fortune by selling books and wheat, using his religion as a means to raise
money.

In his statement Rev. Benedict said: "Pastor Russell sails under false
colors regarding the running of his church. He claims to charge nothing for
his services, takes no collections and pays his own bills. This immediately
places every other church which does take collections in a false light.

The facts are: Pastor Russell, by preaching the end of the world in 1914,
makes people believe that their money is of no use after that date, and
easily gets hold of it. "Another game that is worked by Pastor Russell's
followers is the selling of "miracle wheat" at $1 a pound. We are informed
that his man, Mr. Bohnet, sold $100,000 worth of miracle wheat at $1 a
pound, and while Pastor Russell claims not to have sold the wheat, yet Mr.
Bohnet has his office in Pastor Russell's church and Pastor Russell got the
money for the publication of his tracts.

"Pastor Russell's connection with the Union Bank of Brooklyn is not in
harmony with the thought of the modern ministry. If we pursued such methods
for raising money we would not have to take a collection in church, either.

"We object to Pastor Russell because of the way his agents have of fooling
the public about his literature. They change the name of their literature
from time to time, so that the unsuspecting church member does not know the
name of the denomination. They call it the "People's Pulpit," the
"Interdenominational Religious Newspaper," "The Bible Students' Monthly,"
etc. By this method they pull a number out of the churches under false
statements or else get them dissatisfied.

In their method of disposing of his four volume library on millennial
dawnism, their agents invariably deny being connected with any church. Many
people get this library, thinking it is not sectarian and
interdenominational.

"Pastor Russell takes passages of scripture, mainly from the allegorical
chapters of Daniel, and old testament prophesy, twisting them all out of
their setting, and applies them to this age in which we live. Pastor Russell
sets up a bogy man called "a literal fire in hell" and accuses us ministers
of preaching a literal fire. I have been preaching for 18 years, and I have
never preached a literal fire nor have I heard any other minister preach a
literal fire. Anybody with common sense knows that we do not need a literal
fire to burn up a soul.

Pastor Russell teaches a future probation. He says it is the business of the
church (meaning his church) to brush up the saints and that the mass of the
world are all going to the devil. But in this new earth, during this
millennial reign, these polished saints will give another opportunity for
these terrible sinners to repent. It is for this reason and to satisfy his
religious calamity theory that the committee that made the tour of the world
reported that foreign missions in different foreign lands was virtually a
failure.

"When such men as William H. Taft, Theodore Roosevelt and William J. Bryan
speak in great praise of the work of foreign missions, we prefer to believe
them, instead of Pastor Russell's calamity hunters.

We take issue with Pastor Russell on his exploded theory of "soul sleeping."
Pastor Russell would try to make us believe that when we go through the
little gate called death, the soul goes into the ground, there to smoulder
with the decomposing body until the resurrection.

The Bible in unmistakable terms says, 'Dust thou art and unto dust shall
thou return, but the spirit shall return to God who gave it.'

Another reason why we cannot accept Pastor Russell doctrinally is his 'end
of the world fallacy.' He has it all figured out by Scripture that the world
is coming to an end in 1914. "The Advents, of which Pastor Russell is first
cousin, made themselves the laughing stock of the world by several times
setting a date when the world should come to an end, and 'the world still do
move.'"

Dr. Hugo P. J. Sellinger, professor of religious education and sociology at
University of Puget Sound, in a statement said: "Outside of the late
Alexander Dowie, founder of Zionism, in my opinion, Pastor Russell is the
most monumental religious faker of the age. He is one of the few men who
have been able to take a segment of religious truth and by ingenious
perversion make it appeal to the popular imagination.

"Pastor Russell stands for the immoral doctrine of conditional immortality,
which is merely to say that you can follow every lascivious and pervert bend
of your imagination or inclination without, in the end, having to be held
accountable for it. "Pastor Russell is a man of strong animal magnetism,
gives one the very strong impression that he is in the pursuit of his
movement for revenue and for revenue alone. It must be utterly denied that
he is rendering service to humanity or to humanity's God in the spirit of
the Gallilean, who said: 'If any one would be greatest among you let him be
servant of all.'"

Rev. Thomas W. Lane of the First Methodist church said: "I have no use for
him. I came from the same section of the country where he made records I do
not care to discuss, for I fear they would get me into trouble. I have no
confidence in him. I have no use for him."

Rev. H. T. Mitchelmoore, acting for Rev. Murdoch McLeod, says of Russell:
"Let Professor Moorehead speak for me; the millennial dawnism of C. T.
Russell is a mixture of universalism, second probation and restorationism
and the Swedenborgen method of exegesis. Let the reader remember that
imposition is not exposition, nor is eisegesis, exegesis. Mr. Russell
constantly employs both. He imposes on scripture his views and reads into it
that which never entered the mind of the inspired writer.

"Men and women of force do not follow Russell. Equally manifest is the
sincere piety and Godly character of many of his followers, when God in His
infinite mercy preserved His people from being deceived and betrayed by His
counterfeit of Christianity."
[endquote from Tribune]


====================
[Russell's Reply Below]
Pastor Russell in Reply to Critics

Editor of The Tribune: I am requested to reply briefly to the charges of my
critics reported in your yesterday's issue. On some points my opponents are
misinformed, on others they are evidently prejudiced and spiteful. The basis
of their opposition is stated by Rev. Benedict. They are opposed to me
because, without taking up collections or making any solicitation for money,
I am preaching to thousands almost daily, while they have but few hearers
even on Sundays.

They are specially vexed that a newspaper syndicate representing nearly
2,000 editors are weekly placing my sermons in the hands of more than
12,000,000 of readers. A further grievance is that the public are buying and
reading my books "Bible Keys" in 19 languages, to the extent of 8,000,000 of
copies. The proposition with these ministers seems to be "What can we do to
prejudice the people against this man and his writings?" When, therefore,
they attempt to state my views, etc., it is not to inform the public, but to
deceive them--to prejudice them so that they will not hear me, nor read my
writings.

FEAR PEOPLE ARE IMBECILES

They fear that all the thinking people of all denominations will be
convinced by my message. Therefore, they declare that only imbecile
crossheads would be deluded by it! Do they fear that all or nearly all of
their people are imbecile? or why do they think worth while opposing what
they describe as insane? The public is getting wise respecting their objects
and methods. Yet, those who hear me know that I never speak an unkind word
respecting any minister. I do, however, smite the creeds of the Dark Ages
hip and thigh!

FOREIGN MISSIONS REPORT

I challenge a single unkind remark or exaggeration in the report made by a
committee of seven of which I was chairman. Indeed, the report was too
moderate. That committee of the International Bible Students' Association
are all deeply interested in the heathen, and laboring for their true
enlightenment. Within the past year they have printed 4,000,000 of tracts in
the 10 most prominent languages of the East, and have put them into the
hands of the benighted ones. This is more than all other missionary and
Bible students' societies together accomplished. And no one was asked to
give a dollar. It all came freely from loyal Christian purses.

MIRACLE WHEAT AND UNION BANK

What perverseness moves a minister of Christ, a minister of truth, to
slander a brother minister or anybody else? Why tell what he does not know
to be the truth? I have no knowledge of the Union Bank of Brooklyn. I heard
that it failed through the dishonesty of its officials. I never was inside
its doors; never was financially nor otherwise connected with it; nor do I
know who were its directors.

"Miracle Wheat" is a new variety of wheat discovered and so named by a
farmer at Fincastle, Va. I copied an item about it from a newspaper in my
religious journal, which carries no advertisements. Three years later one of
the readers wrote me that he had bought some of the miracle wheat at $1.25
per pound and found it very prolific--up to 3,000 grains from one seed. He
sold some of it and donated to the society of which I am the president.

The following year he and another donated 18 bushels, fixed the price at $1
per pound and asked that it be mentioned in my journal and that we bear the
trouble of mailing it. I merely gave their reports and a copy of a report by
United States government expert. The wheat was sold and in all $1,800 was
thus donated by these two friends to the work done last year amongst the
heathen. No one ever complained of the wheat, and all were offered "money
back" if not satisfied.

If anybody has a microscope that will show anything wrong with this, we
would like to have a look through it. We presume the wrong was that it was
not "raffled at 10 cents per grain," or grab-bagged for at a church fair!

NO FIERY HELL IN TACOMA

Rev. Benedict knows of no preaching of a fiery hell in Tacoma. Good. But
what kind of a hell do they preach here since the people will no longer come
to hear them describe the fiery one? I wonder if the people who have heard
these ministers preach for years know what kind of a hell the local
reverends have made for them -- or rather for the masses of Tacoma people
who do not go to church?

By the way, who gave these ministers authority to change hell from what
their forefathers and their creeds fixed it to be! Ah! perhaps Rev. Benedict
is the preacher we heard of who declared that--"There is no literal fiery
hell, but there is a hell of gnawings of conscience which is still worse."
Poor humanity! How they need the very message that is now stirring up
classes of Bible students all over the world! How they need to know exactly
what the Bible hell is and just what salvation from it is to be!

I now offer to your readers, free, a pamphlet which gives every text of the
Bible containing the word hell, and shows the original Greek and Hebrew
words and makes the whole subject plain and clear as a crystal. It also
explains the parable of the "Sheep and Goats" and of the "Rich Man and
Lazarus." It contains just what the bible students need and want to know,
and just what my critics do not want them to know about. Their motto would
seem to be, "Keep the people in ignorance." A postcard addressed Pastor
Russell, Brooklyn, N. Y., will bring your readers free copies of that
pamphlet with my best wishes for their present and future.

THE END OF THE WORLD

One critic says I work upon the fears of the foolish by telling them the
world will soon end. I assure your readers that this is untrue. I do believe
and teach that the present age is about to end, but that "the earth abideth
for ever." I tell that the coming age is to be one of great blessing to the
race as a whole, and that present-day blessings are but foregleams of that
blessed time. But note how dishonest the accusation. Every creed represented
by my critics teaches that the world is to be burned up! And these preachers
say, "Yes, but no one knows when. It may occur tonight!" Rev. Morehead,
quoted by one of the critics, declares that he goes to bed every night
expecting that Christ's second coming may be before morning! All my critics
are angry about is that I get the money and the hearers and they do not; and
I don't tell them how it is done.

Very truly yours,
C. T. RUSSELL.

http://ctr.reslight.net
ResLight
2008-04-30 22:37:25 UTC
Permalink
While the original "Miracle Wheat" strain became weaker over the years as it
became blended with other varieties, a new high-yielding strain has been
produced since then, which is also called "Miracle Wheat":

End world hunger in Sacramento
http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/2/2003/702

Norman Borlaug: A Billion Lives Saved
http://www.aworldconnected.com/article.php/311.html

Billions Served - agronomist Norman Borlaug - Interview
http://articles.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1568/is_11_31/ai_60597914

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/bline/2002/03/22/stories/2002032200061000.htm

http://tinyurl.com/542c9g
ResLight
2008-04-30 22:41:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Carl
Post by ResLight
There was no deception nor fraud on the part of Charles Taze Russell.
Actually ResLight, there was this has been proven conclusively via court
documents, eyewitness testimony and recorded accounts.
Then give the actual testimony of these alleged court documents, eyewitness
testimony and recorded accounts.

It's well know that
Post by Carl
you are a Jehovah's Witness apologist.
It is well known in the alt.bible group and the alt.religion.jehovah-witn
group that I am not with the Jehovah's Witnesses, and am certainly not a
Jehovah's Witnesses apologist.

Nor was Charles Taze Russell ever associated with the Jehovah's Witnesses
organization.
http://rlctr.blogspot.com/2008/03/was-russell-founder-of-jehovahs.html
http://clearblogs.com/ctr/74729/Was+Russell+Responsible+for+the+JW+Organization%3F.html
Post by Carl
Post by ResLight
The
Real deceivers are those who spread falsehoods, distortions, and
misrepresentations about Charles Taze Russell.
The points presented in the article I presented are documented and proven
facts.
Where is the proof and documentation?
Post by Carl
Russell's scam with the "Miracle Wheat" was exposed by the Eagle and
upheld in court.
What scam? I can see nothing at all about a scam in any thing that Russell
did. Please show from Russell's writings how he scammed someone, and exactly
what he did to promote a scam.
http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/bsllinks/Russell.htm
Post by Carl
The fact that you're rehashing worn-out Watchtower spin which has been
long refuted (incidentally you've posted most of this before in other
forums) merely shows that the WTBTS is still attempting to cover up
historical facts that put them in a bad light.
I am not associated with the present-day WTBTS. I do not believe in the
present-day WTBTS. I only wish to present the truth concerning a Christian
man whose character is being assasinated by lies, distortions, evil
surmissings, misrepresentations, etc. It is those who are continously
rehasing worn-out false accusations, evil surmissings, distortions, twisting
of the truth, etc, which have long ago been refuted, that are continuing to
distort the facts to promote the slander of Russell, which distortions and
false accusations were refuted a long time ago.

\>> Walter Martin is hardly a good source for truth.
Post by Carl
Actually Walter Martin is a very good source for documented facts on this
topic. The links to those articles you cited rely heavily on Mormon
apologists Robert and Rosemary Brown who were paid and supported by the
LDS in their books which were basically hatchet jobs on anyone critical of
Mormonism. In short, they were the LDS's chosen character assassins.
Unfortunately for them, they played fast and loose with their
"investigative research" to the point of fabrications, distortions and
outright lies all in attempts to besmirch the character of anyone critical
of Mormons and Mormonism. For example, they claimed Walter Martin's
degrees were not legitimate but those accusations have been shown to be
untrue and Martin's degrees are legit and recognized. Same with Martin's
ordinations (of which Martin's daughter has produced images of the
ordination information the Browns claimed did not exist. Furthermore,
Robert Brown tried to attack Martin on the air but when Martin challenged
Brown to make his accusations in a LEGAL setting Brown refused. The reason
was that the Brown's information would not stand up to legal challenges.
I cannot say too much about the Mormons' statements. I could go through
Martin's books and present his misrepresentations; maybe some day I will.

James Penton is not a Mormon, and although he is not actually associated
with the Bible Students movement, I believe he has been invited to speak at
some Bible Students' coventions.

Here are some comments by some other Bible Students (not Jehovah's
Witnesses):
http://forums.jewsforjesus.org/showthread.php?tid=618&pid=5402#pid5402
http://www.pastor-russell.com/life/rich2.html
http://futuretruth.wordpress.com/2008/02/24/charles-russell-from-a-bible-students-perspective/
Post by Carl
The bottom line is that Russell's "Miracle Wheat" scam was uncovered and
when Russell sued, he was quite discredited and it became apparent in
civil court that he was indeed ripping people off. And the WTBTS has
desperately been trying to cover this up and spin it deceitfully to cover
themselves.
Nothing at all was proven in court that Russell was indeed 'ripping people
off.' Russell was not on trial. Not one shread of evidence was given to
prove that Russell was 'ripping people off.' The Eagle won the case because
Russell was not allowed to present the evidence needed that the Eagle was
indeed guilty of slander, not because the Eagle had proven that Russell was
"ripping people off". Everything that was said in the Watch Tower respecting
the wheat was fully proven at this trial by expert witnesses, interested and
disinterested, and their testimony was not shaken.
Post by Carl
Fact remains, this incident is merely one in a long, long line of
Watchtower deceptions.
Like Judas, it appears an evil spirit consumed Rutherford as soon as Russell
died. Within a few months he orchestrated a great deception upon the Bible
Students, had the By-Laws changed to give himself almost full control of the
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, slandered and expelled from the WTS
headquarters all who tried resist this change, and began a what some called
a "reign of terror'.

http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/bsllinks/History.htm
See "Presidential Papers". Rutherford's accusations are Harvest Siftings and
Harvest Siftings II; replies are in "An Open Letter to Bible Students";
"Harvest Siftings Reviewed"; "Another Harvest Siftings Reviewed"; "Facts for
Shareholders" and "Light After Darkness". (I do not necessarily agree with
all conclusions given by the authors.)
Post by Carl
"Pastor" Russell's Miracle Wheat: Fraud And Deception In Watchtower Roots
by James Walker
Many examples of fraud and deception can be found by looking through the
history and claims of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society headquartered
in Brooklyn, New York, but perhaps none more strange that the case of the
"Miracle Wheat."
Almost from its inception, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, known
originally as Zion's Watch Tower, has been guilty of misleading the public
and their followers with claims that are wildly inaccurate and, in some
cases, border on scams.
Watchtower "Miracle" Wheat
An example of the latter can be found in the infamous case of Pastor
Russell's "Miracle Wheat" cited in Dr. Walter Martin's, Kingdom of the
Cults, (pp. 40-42, 1985 ed.).
November 1, 1916, a local newspaper, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, published
an interesting piece of investigative journalism exposing some alleged
abuses by one of their most renowned citizens, Charles Taze Russell,
"After the `work' had been well started here, `Pastor' Russell's Watch
Tower publication advertized wheat seed for sale at $1.00 a pound (quite
expensive in that day).
And yet others before had been selling the wheat for $1.25 a pound!!!!!!!!!

Of course, those who had been selling the wheat for $1.25 had not been
presenting Bible truths that caused opposition, so the devil was not
interested in slandering them.
Post by Carl
"It was styled `Miracle Wheat,' and it was asserted that it would grow
five times as much as any other brand of wheat.
Who styled this as "Miracle Wheat"? Not Russell. Who had asserted that it
would grow five times as much as any other "brand" [sic] of wheat? Not
Russell.
Post by Carl
"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.
I have presented what was actually stated in the Watch Tower.
Post by Carl
"The Eagle first made public the facts about these new ventures of the
Russellites [an early term used to describe Russell's followers] 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.
Again, the record shows that only one person actually gave testimony on
behalf of others.
Post by Carl
"The `Miracle Wheat' was low in the Government tests, they said. The Eagle
won the suit."
Dr. Martin reproduced from microfilm on file in New York the following
dates and titles from relevant articles of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle all
Miracle Wheat Scandal (1/1/ 1913, p. 1-2); Testimony of Russellite Beliefs
(1/22/13, p. 2); Testimony on Wheat (1/23-24/1913, p. 3).
Financial statements proving Russell's absolute control, were made by
(Watch Tower) Secre¬tary-Treasurer Van Amberg who was quoted as saying,
"...We are
not responsible to anyone for our expenditures. We are responsible only to
God," (1/25/13, p. 16).
Van Amberg did not say "Russell is not responsible to anyone," he said "We".
Post by Carl
Government experts testify on "Miracle Wheat" and ascertain beyond doubt
that it is not miraculous or overly excellent (1/27/13, p. 3); Prosecution
and Defense sum-up. Russell assailed but not present to hear it (1/28/13,
p. 2); Russell loses libel suit (1/29/13, p. 16).
Some modern Jehovah's Witnesses may wish to minimize the significance of
the "Miracle Wheat" claiming that the profits from its sales went to the
Watchtower Society and not Russell himself.
However as Martin points out, 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.
Exodus 20:16 - Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. --
King James Version.
Post by Carl
"The Eagle goes even further and declares that at the trial it will show
that `Pastor' Russell's religious cult is nothing more than a money-making
scheme," (Ibid).
Proverbs 12:19 - Truth's lips will be established forever, But a lying
tongue is only momentary. -- World English Bible translation.
Post by Carl
While the motives of Russell can only be judged by God Himself, few would
argue that such "Miracle Wheat" claims today would be more at home in the
National Enquirer than in the Watchtower - a magazine claiming to be
produced by God's only true organization on the earth.
If today's US Postal regulations against false advertizing and mail fraud
had been in effect at the time, perhaps Russell would have lost more than
a libel case.
The above is proven false because of the new "Miracle Wheat" produced by
Norman Borlaug. This wheat has been written about in many Scientific and
Agricultural journals. (See links in my earlier posts.)

The last part is irrelevant to the Watch Tower in Russell's day, as there
was no claim at all by Mr. Russell that the Watch Tower was "a magazine
claiming to be produced by God's only true organization on the earth."

Exodus 23:1 - You shall not spread a false report. Don't join your hand with
the wicked to be a malicious witness. -- World English Bible translation.

Christian love,
Ronald
http://ctr.reslight.net
ResLight
2008-04-30 23:32:47 UTC
Permalink
Excerpts regarding "Miracle Wheat" from:
Bible Students Monthly
Volume 3, Number 11 (Circa 1913)

From the article:

PASTOR RUSSELL INTERVIEWED

***

"Pastor Russell, the Brooklyn Eagle has attacked you in connection with
'Miracle Wheat.' It has given the inference that you are a wheat speculator
and gulfing the farmers by selling ordinary wheat for $1.00 a pound. Your
neighbors and the
public would be interested in hearing your explanation of the matter."

"I have nothing to do with 'Miracle Wheat.' I am not in the wheat business
in any sense or degree. The Eagle is merely following out its nagging and
slandering policy which it has toward me since my coming to Brooklyn.
Slander, misrepresentation, and vilification seem to be the policy of The
Eagle for some years-a very different policy, I understand, from the one
which gave it its reputation originally. My friends tell me that its course
toward me is much the same that it pursued toward Dr. Talmage. Indeed, one
Baptist minister remarked, 'The filthy Eagle killed Dr. Talmage-literally.
He died of a broken heart.' I know nothing about that, but I do know that
The Eagle has not killed me and I do not propose to let it."

"But, Pastor Russell, was there not some wheat sold at the Tabernacle and
was it not called 'Miracle Wheat ?'

"Contrary to our wishes, a reporter of The Eagle purchased one pound of
'Miracle Wheat' at the Tabernacle. He bought it from Mr. Bohnet's
representative, who obtained the privilege of using a basement room at the
Tabernacle for preparing the wheat to be sent out by mail in pound packages.
Mr. Bohnet had promised that the proceeds of his wheat would be donated to
our Free Tract Fund for sending out the Bible Message in all languages. Mr.
Bohnet has an interest in a farm in Pennsylvania on which he grew this
'Miracle Wheat.'

"Where Mr. Bohnet got his seed will interest you. Three years ago the
newspapers contained extensive accounts of this 'Miracle Wheat' which was
found in Virginia by a man named Stoner, who gave it its name. He claimed
that he found it in answer to prayer. The newspapers quoted the U. S.
Agricultural Department's Report made by Assistant Secretary Miller. The
report declared that the 'Miracle Wheat' yielded between two and three times
as much crop to the acre as other wheat and that it requires only about
one-fourth as much of it for seed. I copied the newspaper accounts in my
Journal, The Watch Tower. Subsequently Mr. Stoner's agent called at my study
and showed me samples of the 'Miracle Wheat,' one with as many as one
hundred and twenty stalks from one seed, and told me that most of his orders
for the wheat had come from my free notices.

"I gave the item as news and as evidence of the fact that we are entering
the New Dispensation in which God has promised to bless the fields and to
increase their productiveness. I recognized at once what a value such wheat
would have to all mankind. If it would merely double the crop it would mean
an increase of five hundred million dollars in the value of the wheat crop
of our country and give us cheaper bread. If it would increase the crop
still more, returns would be still larger.
.
"About then my friend, Mr. Bohnet, came to my study and collected a few
grains of the wheat which was shown to me by Mr. Stoner's agent. Mr. Bohnet
planted those grains and this year wrote me that he had a sufficiency to
sell; that he would dispose of it at $1.00 per pound and give the proceeds
to our Free Tract Fund. Does it seem strange to you that The Eagle holds up
my friend as a criminal because of his desire to benefit the farmers of the
world and his further desire to turn the proceeds of his wheat into free
tracts? Yes, that would seem strange. But that is not what The Eagle
attempted to do. It merely wished to slander me-to kill me, by inferring,
insinuating, hinting, caricaturing, etc."

"But is not a dollar a pound a new price for wheat?" "I had nothing whatever
to do with the price of the wheat. That was the concern of Mr. Bohnet and
those who sent him their mail orders. I know nothing about wheat nor about
farming. I have heard of forty or fifty cents per pound being paid for seed
wheat of specially productive strains, but I never before heard of wheat
which would produce two hundred kernels from one, as many testify of the
'Miracle Wheat.' If I were a farmer I would pay, if necessary, not only one
dollar per pound, but even ten dollars per ounce, in order to get a start in
wheat of this character."

WHY MINISTERS OPPOSE HIM

"Pastor Russell, you are aware that Protestant ministers of nearly all
denominations are opposed to you, some of them, apparently, to the extent of
hatred. You yourself have intimated that The Eagle is fighting you and
slandering you, especially to please the Protestant ministers here. Would
you now care to say what is the basis of this ministerial hatred toward you?
Before you answer, let me tell you that, while some ministers are
noncommittal, and a few speak well of you, others are very bitter and
indulge in insinuation and slander, jut to the extent that they think their
hearers unprincipled enough to enjoy hearing them. Some speak boldly against
you. For instance, two ministers were coming away from one of your crowded
meetings. One said, 'If that man had lived two centuries ago he would have
been burned at the stake.' The other answered, 'That is what they ought to
do to him now.' On another occasion a gentleman asked a minister whether or
not he had been to hear you. The reply was, 'I had rather have joined in
stoning him out of town.' I suppose you know, too, that many ministers
endeavor to keep their congregations from going to hear you and advise them
to burn your books without reading them? Now, Pastor Russell, I believe the
public would be interested in knowing just what is the true explanation of
this condition of things. It seems the more remarkable because we are living
in the day when all denominations are shouting for Church Union, Federation,
Christian Brotherhood, etc."

PASTOR RUSSELL'S EXPLANATION

"The question is a large one and no one answer would, probably, fit every
case. Apparently there are noble-minded, true Christian men in the ministry
of all denominations-men who love righteousness and hate iniquity. But,
alas, there are others who, apparently, are possessed of the same spirit
which controlled the Chief Priests and Pharisees of the Jewish nation and
made them bitter against our Redeemer, to the extent of plotting His death.
The fact that Saul of Tarsus had the same spirit and became the murderer of
St. Stephen and a persecutor of the Church, and nevertheless in all good
conscience verily thought that he was doing God service, proves to us that
opponents of God and His Message and servants today may number amongst them
noble characters similarly deceived in respect to what is the Truth and its
spirit. I cannot attempt to judge the hearts. Some of my bitterest opposers
may be sincere and honest. I can judge only of the fruits, as the Master
told us we should do -'By their fruits ye shall know them.' Some of those
who oppose me are probably actuated by jealousy. The fact that I have the
largest congregations everywhere I go, and in addition have the largest
congregations through the newspapers, seems to excite a feeling of
opposition. The smallness of their own congregations they may be inclined to
charge to me, forgetting that they were jut as small before I came here.

"A Baptist minister, talking to a friend of mine, charged me with one after
another of The Eagle's slanderous insinuations, but each charge was
disproven. Finally he said, 'Well, anyway, it is just terrible for him to
advertise his meetings all over the city, Seats Free and No Collectionsl The
time was when we raised considerable money from the seatings of our
Churches, but public sentiment grew against it until pews were made free.
Now, with Pastor Russell advertising No Collections, the people will
presently feel that we are committing a crime if we pass the collection box.
And then what will we do? We have hard enough time now by employing every
hook and crook to meet our expenses, and could not do so except for the
wealthy.'

"This was a surprise to me. I had no thought of offending others. I was
merely following the course which I had pursued for thirty-six years-of
preaching the Gospel without money and without price. Freely have I received
and freely would I give. I have no thought that people are injured by giving
money for God's work. I believe, on the contrary, that it becomes a source
of blessing to them, if given from the heart. My work is supported entirely
by voluntary gifts. The only difference seems to be that I get the money
without asking for it, while others have great difficulty in obtaining it.

"But really the chief opposition of my brother ministers to me is became of
my doctrines. While I am most courteous and have spoken kindly in every
address to all Christians, I show no mercy to the creeds of the Dark ages.'
I smite the creeds hip and thigh upon every proper occasion. I am
endeavoring to awaken Christendom to the fact that with good intentions in
our hearts we have all been worshipping most horrible creed-idols which
utterly misrepresent our gracious Heavenly Father, our Redeemer and the
Bible. I am doing all in my power to smash those creed-idols and to
overthrow the creed fences. Why? Became I believe the creed-idols to be
hindrances to the true love of God and the true study and understanding of
His Word. As for the creed-fences, I believe that they are largely
responsible for the separating of God's people into sects and parties and
that if they were destroyed, the people of God would come together as one
for the study of His Word.

"One of the pecularities of the case is that not one in ten of my
ministerial brethren bow down to the creedidols themselves-they have
repudiated them long ago and have said so publicly and privately. Yet custom
and reputation and the love of money and ease and honor of men hinder them
from taking a stand in full harmony with the conscientious convictions which
they privately express. These feel grieved that I should call attention to
their inconsistencies and ask, 'Do you, then, charge us with hypocrisy?' I
reply that I will not use so cruel a term, but will say that I believe many
ministers are seriously lacking in honesty.

"Another class of ministers feel bitterly toward me because I make plain to
the 'common people' that 'Higher Criticism' and 'Evolution' theology is
thoroughly unchristian, yea, anti-christian. For twenty years past the
colleges and seminaries have been turning out refined, polished, gentlemanly
infidels ten times as well equipped to overthrow the faith of Christian
people as Thomas Paine or Robert Ingersoll ever were. They do it in an
artful manner, putting light for darkness and darkness for light. They tell
people that they are as much inspired as was St. Paul. This means, either
that the people should appreciate the words of their preachers more than
ever, or that they should appreciate the words of the Apostles less than
ever. The latter is the effect. They tell the people that their forefathers
were monkeys and that 'By Evolution ye are saved, and that not by faith, it
is a law of nature.' The names and words of Jesw and the Apostles they still
use to conjure the 'common people,' but they have no faith in the teachings
of Jesus and the Apostles and they do not teach the Gospel which they
taught, but another, an unscriptural one. If man never fell from Divine
favor and under sentence of death, but, on the contrary, has been rising for
six thousand years, then surely he would need no Saviour, no redemption, no
resurrection. They do make void the Law of God through their traditions and
philosophies and science falsely so-called.

"Christian people are, to a large degree asleep as respects spiritual
things, and their ministers, are angry with anything likely to awaken them.
This is the reason why they are so anxious to keep the people from reading
my books and my sermons in the newspapers. They fear that they will awaken
and ask them questions which they cannot answer. This, young man, is the
secret of the opposition of the ministers which you have noted. Alas, I fear
that many of them will have much to answer for in due timer I do rejoice,
however, that nothing in my Bible tells me that they will be tormented to
all eternity, however unjust or hypocritical they may be in their course.

"By the way, you may have noticed that our Baptist friends are especially
bitter. In my presentation of the 'whole counsel of God' I have touched
their doctrine, of course, and they are mad because, when exposed to the
light, it is ridiculous to every sensible mind, their own included. I show
the people that, according to the Baptist doctrine, only those immersed
clear over the head in water belong to the Church of Christ at all or have
any right to the Communion Table. I emphasize the fact that Baptists teach
that only the Church can be saved, that all others will be lost, and that
lost means eternal torture. I put the two and two together for them and show
that, according to their teaching, all Roman Catholics, Lutherans,
Presbyterians, Methodists, Congregationalists, etc., are bound straight for
eternal torture.

"Of course, intelligent Baptist ministers no longer belive this. I am glad
that they do not. But why do they not have the courage of their convictions
and come out and overthrow this misrepresentation of Bible baptism and
ascertain the truth upon the subject and uphold it? Ah, that is the
question-Whyl It seems easier to berate and slander me than to courageously
stand for the Truth. Well, I believe that we are in the hour of judgment
mentioned in Revelation 14:7. It is mine to sound forth the truth as loudly
as possible. And the Truth itself is the Lord's test, proving which of us
are merely sectarian worshippers and which worship the Lord in the beauty of
holiness, in spirit and in truth. To my understanding, the election of this
Age will soon be completed-'the Bride Class.' Then following the great time
of trouble mentioned in the Scriptures and symbolized as a fire will come
the glorious rule of righteousness, the Kingdom of God's dear Son for the
blessing of the world, for its enlightenment and uplifting out of sin and
death, out of ignorance and superstition, that all the willing and the
obedient may attain everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

[end of excerpts]

ResLight
2008-04-30 23:11:47 UTC
Permalink
Bible Students Monthly (Undated, circa 1913)
Volume 3, Number 11

BROOKLYN EAGLE SUED FOR $100,000.00

Pastor Russell appeals to the Courts

Seeks redress for alleged continuous libel by "The Eagle "

Seeks to defend his honorable name

The Brooklyn Academy of Music insufficient to accommodate the vast throng
desirous of hearing the Tabernacle Pastor just prior to to his sailing for
England. Shortly after Pastor Russell removed to Brooklyn, The Brooklyn
Daily Eagle," for some unknown reason and without excuse manifested
antipathy toward him.

From time to time it has published scurrilous articles against him, the
virility of which has increased to such an extent that further forbearance
with this paper "has ceased to be a virtue."

At the request of "The Eagle's" representatives Pastor Russell, and those
connected with him in his work, have on several occasions furnished "The
Eagle" with information concerning the nature and character of said work,
but the same has been either ignored or so garbled by "The Eagle" as to make
him and his work appear ridiculous, tending to hold him up to public
contempt. The articles published by it relative to "miracle" wheat and
Pastor Russell's alleged connection therewith, have been so false and
libelous that Pastor Russell, on the advice of his attorneys, has sued "The
Eagle" for libel claiming $100,000 damages.

THE COMPLAINT
The complaint made by the plaintiff through his attorneys, after setting
forth that the defendant is a domestic corporation and has a large general
circulation in New York and elsewhere, further says:

"SECOND: That at the time of the publication hereinafter mentioned plaintiff
was and still is, a resident of said Borough of Brooklyn, City of New York,
and for more than thirty years last past, and at all the times hereinafter
mentioned, plaintiff has been and still is, engaged in preaching the Gospel
to the people of the United States of America and Europe and elsewhere; that
he is now and for some time past has been, the regularly elected Pastor of a
large congregation of Christians at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, of the Borough
of Brooklyn, City of New York, to whom he preaches at regular intervals and
whom he serves as Pastor, having assistants who represent him in his
absence; that he is also, and for some time has been, the regularly elected
Pastor of a large congregation of Christian people at the London Tabernacle,
of London, England, whom he serves as Pastor, and to whom he preaches at
stated intervals, having assistants there to represent him during his
absence from said congregation, and that he is and for several years past
has been, popularly and favorably known throughout the United States of
America and Europe and other countries as 'Pastor Russell,' and is
recognized and addressed by such title, he being the leader, teacher and
Pastor of thousands of Christian people who reside throughout said
countries; that for many years past plaintiff has been and now is, the
Editor of a Religious Journal, known as 'The Watch Tower,' which is
published twice each month and circulated throughout the United States,
Canada and European countries and is read by thousands of Christian people
in said countries; that his sermons are published each week in a large
number of newspapers throughout the United States, Canada, Great Britain and
Australia, and have been so published for a long space of time, and as such
minister of the Gospel, at the times hereinafter mentioned, and long
prior thereto, plaintiff has borne a high reputation for honesty, integrity,
fairdealing and truthfulness, and of being an honest and fearless preacher
of the Gospel of truth as set forth in the Holy Scriptures, and has always
enjoyed the respect and confidence of the people in his own community and in
the community at large, wherever his sermons have been heard or read; that
he is and for many years past has been, the President of the Watch Tower
Bible and Tract Society, a religious corporation, and President of the
Peoples Pulpit Association, also a religious corporation, both of which said
corporations are engaged in spreading the Gospel and generally in religious
and philanthropic work for the betterment of mankind, and which said
religious corporations receive their support, both moral and financial, from
Christian people living throughout the United States and Canada; that for
some years past plaintiff has regularly written for periodicals and
Magazines, religious articles dealing with Biblical questions which have
been published throughout the United States; that plaintiff is the author of
a certain series of religious works or books, published in six volumes, and
which are known as "Studies in the Scriptures," a large quantity, to wit:six
million volumes of which have been sold and placed in the hands of the
people throughout the United States and foreign countries, which books are
sold and distributed by the aforesaid religious corporations of which
plaintiff is the President; that the good name, reputation and moral
standing of plaintiff are absolutely essential to the proper and successful
promulgation of the Gospel in the manner adopted and used by him as
aforesaid; that all of his publications, compositions and writings aforesaid
have been devoted exclusively to religious questions and doctrines; that
during the period of time herein mentioned he has given, and is now giving,
all of his time, energy, influence and strength to the preaching of the
Gospel, both orally and by the printed page, etc.

"THIRD: That on, prior and subsequent to the 23rd day of September, 1911,
the defendant at divers times, published in its said newspaper, 'The
Brooklyn Daily Eagle,' certain articles concerning the sale of a certain
seed wheat, and that the plaintiff was directly interested in the sale of
'Miracle Wheat' and derived a personal advantage therefrom.

"FOURTH: That prior and subsequent to the 23rd day of September, 1911, the
defendant at divers times published in its said newspaper, 'The Brooklyn
Daily Eagle,' certain articles and cartoons or pictures concerning the
conduct, management and existing conditions of a certain Bank in said City
of New York known as the Union Bank, in which said articles it was charged
or intimated that the directors, officers, managers or persons in some way
connected with said Union Bank had violated their obligations to the
depositors and patrons of said Bank and that said directors, officers,
managers or persons in some way connected therewith, were guilty of a
violation of the laws of the State of New York (in that they had defrauded
the depositors and patrons of said Union Bank) and were criminally liable to
prosecution for such misconduct, and that an investigation into the affairs
of said Bank was being conducted, and that the District Attorney of the
County of Kings would present and had presented the facts concerning said
Union Bank to the Grand Jury of Kings County, and that it was rumored that
said Grand Jury had returned five indictments in connection with the affairs
of said Bank for some criminal offense connected with the management of said
Bank, and its affairs had become so malodorous that the defendant, in its
said newspaper, named and designated said Union Bank as the 'Onion Bank.'

"FIFTH: That on the 23rd day of September, 1911, and in the same issue of
its said newspaper which contained an article concerning the official
investigation into the affairs of said Union Bank, aforesaid, the defendant,
contriving and fraudulently intending to injure the plaintiff in his good
name, fame and reputation, maliciously composed, printed, published and
circulated of and concerning the plaintiff, a certain picture, drawing,
photograph or cartoon, with inscription thereon, together with a certain
article and words in connection therewith, in its said newspaper, 'The
Brooklyn Daily Eagle,' so published and circulated throughout the Borough of
Brooklyn, City and State of New York, and other places throughout the
world."

Then follows a copy of the Cartoon and publication.

"SIXTH: That the building shown in the picture, photograph, drawing or
cartoon, aforesaid, is intended to represent and does represent the said
Union Bank Building, and the words across the top of the door, to wit-'Onion
Bank,' represent and were intended by defendant to represent said Union
Bank; that the figure of the man standing in the door of said building, as
represented and shown upon said picture, photograph, drawing or cartoon,
represents and was intended by
defendant to represent, some director or officer or person connected with
said Union Bank calling out to an old man who appears in the street, as
shown by said cartoon or picture; that the figure of said old man, as shown
on said picture, photograph, drawing or cartoon, and which appears therefrom
to be in the street in close proximity to said Union Bank, represents and
was intended by defendant to represent the plaintiff herein, who, in said
picture, photograph, drawing, cartoon or caricature, is represented as going
through the streets carrying in his hand a package of 'Miracle Wheat,' and
as a 'street hawker' crying out his wares or goods for sale; and the words,
'You're wasting your time, come on in here,' appearing on said picture,
photograph, drawing or cartoon, represented and were intended by defendant
to represent some officer of said Union Bank, or some person connected with
said Bank (who was engaged in defrauding its depositors and patrons),
calling to and inviting plaintiff to cease selling wheat and come on in the
Bank and join others in defrauding its depositors and patrons, that his,
plaintiff's time could be much better employed in said Bank and greater
returns could be realized by plaintiff in engaging with those in the Bank in
'fleecing,' cheating and defrauding its patrons and depositiors; that the
words, 'Easy Money Puzzle,' appearing on said picture, photograph, drawing
or cartoon, were intended by defendant to represent and do represent that
both plaintiff and said Union Bank directors and officers were engaged in an
unrighteous and unlawful scheme or business, and that plaintiff by
misrepresentations, fraud and deception was obtaining'easy money' or
dishonest money or tainted money from the people; that in connection with
said picture, photograph, drawing or cartoon appear the following printed
article or words: 'If Pastor Russell (meaning plaintiff) can get a dollar a
pound for 'Miracle Wheat,' what could he (meaning plaintiff) have got for
Miracle stocks and bonds as a director of the old Union Bank'; that by said
entire drawing, caricature, cartoon, picture and print, and the words
printed in connection therewith and as a part thereof, defendant meant and
intended to show and charge, and did represent and charge, and it was so
understood by those who saw it, that plaintiff as a Minister of the Gospel,
as a Pastor of Religious congregations of Christian people, was selling said
'Miracle Wheat' and as a 'street hawker' was going about the streets selling
the same at a large price, and was thereby defrauding the people and by the
use of a fraudulent scheme, trick or misrepresentation plaintiff was
wrongfully obtaining from the people, in an easy, slick, deceptive and
fraudulent manner, large sums of money for his own personal gain, and that
plaintiff, because of his cunning and ability to manipulate a dishonest
scheme enabling him to sell wheat at one dollar a pound, was wasting his
time in so selling wheat when he might associate himself with dishonest men
and engage in the fraudulent sale of stocks and bonds and thereby reap a far
greater amount of dishonest money, and that if he, plaintiff, as the Pastor
of a congregation of Christian people could fraudulently induce people to
pay one dollar per pound for Miracle Wheat, he would succeed much better in
engaging himself with a number of criminals in inducing the people to buy
fraudulent stocks and bonds.

"SEVENTH: That the statements and representations made, and attempted to be
made and conveyed by said picture, drawing, caricature, cartoon or print and
by various inscriptions that appear thereon, and by said words, article or
reading matter published in connection therewith and as a part thereof, as
aforesaid, were and are wholly false and were printed, edited, composed and
published by the defendant maliciously and with a wrongful intent of
injuring the plaintiff in his good name, fame and reputation and in his
professional career as a Minister of the Gospel.

"EIGHTH: That by reason of the foregoing, the plaintiff has been brought
into scandal and reproach and has been held up to odium, scandal, disgrace
and contempt among his neighbors, friends and the readers of his Journal,
books and other writings and among his parishoners and members of his
congregations, as well as his business and professional reputation as
President of the Religious Societies aforesaid, and has received through the
mails, insulting and insinuating letters and writings by reason thereof and
has been seriously injured in his peace of mind and has been grievously
disturbed and his feelings injured and has been held up to public ridicule
and scorn, as a result of all of which plaintiff has suffered injury to his
reputation, good name, fame and standing, all to his damage in the sum of
one hundred thousand dollars."

--end of article

The above has been reprinted in "Harvest Gleanings Volume I":
http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/russell/HG1.pdf

Christian love,
Ronald
http://ctr.reslight.net
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