There are many people who insist that Russell was buried under a pyramid monument; a few claim that he was buried in a pyramid tomb. This is often stated in the context of fostering other false claims that Russell was "into" some form of spiritism and/or pagan/heathen idolatry or occultism. Often this claim is associated with the false claim that Russell was a member of man's Masonic organization, and it is thought that in some way such a pyramid must be Masonic, or in some way evil, sinister, etc. They speak of Russell's pyramid tombstone, pyramid grave marker, and/or pyramid gravestone, as though Russell was either buried in or under a pyramid.
Below, we present two pictures of Russell's grave and its gravestone to see if it is in the shape of a pyramid.
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| Russell's Original Gravestone |
The above is a picture of Russell's original gravestone, as obtained from the Bible Students Convention Report of 1919. That certainly was not in the shape of a pyramid.
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| Russell's Gravestone |
The above is a picture of Russell's gravestone as it was later replaced, evidently by Rutherford. This also is certainly not in the shape of a pyramid. The most one could find wrong with this gravestone is that Russell himself never claimed to be "The Laodicean Messenger".
What many misrepresent as being Russell's gravestone, pyramid tomb or tombstone, grave marker, etc., is the pyramid monument that Joseph Rutherford had authorized to be constructed a few years after Russell died.
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| Rutherford's Pyramid Monument |
This pyramid monument in the United Rosemont Cemeteries was removed by the Watchtower Society in 2021. That monument was not Russell's gravestone, tombstone, or grave marker. When the Watchtower Society removed that monument, they were not uncovering Russell's grave, because Russell was not buried in or under that monument.
We refer to this monument as Rutherford's pyramid monument because it was Rutherford who authorized that this monument be constructed in the middle of the plots then owned by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in the Rosemont Cemetery. This monument was not just to honor Russell, but to honor many others who died while working at the Watch Tower headquarters. There were numbered spaces for many names that were to be inscribed on that monument, not just Russell's. Rutherford, however, abandoned the witness of the Great Pyramid in 1928 before very many of the names could be inscribed, so the pyramid shows a lot of numbered blank spaces.
We refer to this monument as Rutherford's pyramid monument because it was Rutherford who authorized that this monument be constructed in the middle of the plots then owned by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in the Rosemont Cemetery. This monument was not just to honor Russell, but to honor many others who died while working at the Watch Tower headquarters. There were numbered spaces for many names that were to be inscribed on that monument, not just Russell's. Rutherford, however, abandoned the witness of the Great Pyramid in 1928 before very many of the names could be inscribed, so the pyramid shows a lot of numbered blank spaces.
Nevertheless, there was no one buried in or under that monument.
The person who actually came up with the idea for such a monument was not Russell or Rutherford but rather it was John A. Bohnet, one of Russell's associates. Bohnet claimed that before Russell had died, he had received authorization from Charles Taze Russell for the building of such a monument. This is possible, however, Russell's written instructions regarding his death and the Watch Tower Society after his death never mentions the building of such a monument. Indeed, we have found nothing written by Russell that ever mentions the construction of such a monument. So it may be that Russell never actually authorized such a monument. Such an extravagant use of funds would seem to be out of harmony with the character of Russell; on the other hand, Rutherford came to be known for his flamboyant methods.
Whether Russell was buried in or under a pyramid, however, is not as important as realizing why many wish to have Russell buried under such a monument, that is, to further the false claims that Russell was an occultist, or that Russell was into some kind of spiritism, Satanism, demonism, etc. In reality, the Biblical study of the Great Pyramid has nothing to do with such.
Other than the extravagance, however, we find nothing concerning Rutherford's monument to be objectionable, although many, by use of imaginative fanaticism, seem to see "occultism", "Masonic symbolisms", "astrology", "spiritism", and many other evil things regarding Rutherford's monument, usually designated as being "Russell's pyramid" or "Russell's tombstone", etc. These usually also imagine and assume similar concerning many of the Biblical illustrations that appeared on and in Russell's books and other publications of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in the days of Russell. For instance, it is often claimed and presented as being a fact that the Biblical cross and crown illustrations that Russell used are actually "Masonic symbols" or a "Knights Templar symbols". The Knights Templar, who profess to be Christian, do make use of similar Biblical cross and crown illustrations, but that does not mean that one should imagine and assume that the Biblical illustration of a cross and crown is itself a Masonic symbol or logo It is often claimed that Brother Russell was a member of the Knights Templar, which really doesn't make sense, since to become a member of the Knights Templar one has to accept man's traditional trinitarian creeds. Russell, however, openly rejected the trinitarian creeds as being contrary to the Bible. The arguments are, however, often very persuasive, although many assumptions are presented as being facts. The way the assumptions are presented, however, makes it appear the assumptions are actually facts, and the arguments are presented in such a way that one could easily accept the assumptions as being facts. For those who know little about Russell, such arguments could seem to be accurate. One has to, however, distinguish the actual facts from what is being imagined and assumed to be facts.
These ideas are often promoted by conspiracy theorists who believe the Masons are in some kind of conspiracy to overthrow the U. S. government and evidently all governments of the world and then to create a world government under their control in order to promote some evil purposes. Russell actually taught against such an idea, and yet some of the things Russell stated have been taken out of context to make it appear that he was actually in support of such an idea. And then, all this is usually connected with demonism, spiritism, the "New Age" movement, and many other things, none of which Russell was in support of.
One states that it does not matter that Russell was a member of a Masonic Lodge, or that he was buried under a pyramid in a Masonic cemetery. We agree that it would not really matter, but the fact is, however, that Russell was never a member of any Masonic Lodge. Much of what he taught is in contradiction to what the Masons promote and definitely in contradiction to the Knights Templar. Russell was definitely never buried under a pyramid. And the fact is that he is not buried in a Masonic cemetery. The Masonic Center across the street from the Rosemont Cemetery was built many decades after Russell died and has nothing at all to do with Russell.
One asked:
You showed two pictures of grave markers. If you acknowledge that it has changed, have you looked to see if any other grave markers were used prior to the one presently there? How often do people update tombstones?
We have found no evidence of any change in Russell's gravestone except for one time. It would mean nothing to us, however, if the WTS leaders had decided to change the tombstone again sometime before.
It was asked:
Also, you provided a picture produced by the Bible Students Convention Report of 1919. Was he the only one buried in the gravesite?
If by "gravesite", you mean the plots owned by the Watch Tower Society in the Rosemont Cemetery, there are other Bible Students who were buried in the WTS plots that surround the pyramid monument. Aside from the plots owned by the Watch Tower Society, there are many other people who are buried in the Rosemont Cemetery. Russell, however, of course, is the only one buried under the tombstones as shown in the pictures.
We were further asked:
Plus, you don’t agree with the new tombstone. Why would the WTBTS (if they are the ones who authorized it) put that on his tombstone if that’s not a) who he claimed to be, or b) who they believed him to be?
Rutherford certainly claimed Russel to be the Laodicean Messenger and he applied many other scriptures in the Bible to Russell. Rutherford evidently was using his claims for Russell to bolster support for his own claims to power and his new organization. (By 1928, the greater majority -- more than 75% -- of the Bible Student movement had rejected Rutherford's new organization and his gospel connected to that organization.) Rutherford made many false claims concerning Russell. Rutherford claimed authority being given to Russell, and then he made the claim that Russell was still directing the work of the Watch Tower Society from beyond the veil, which, in effect, gave Rutherford and his associates the authority being claimed for Russell. Anyone who has actually studied Russell's works should know that he never claimed to be the Laodicean Messenger, even if Rutherford promoted him as being the Laodicean Messenger. Thus, yes, Rutherford claimed Russell was the Laodicean Messenger even though Russell never made such a claim for himself; and yes, Rutherford did indeed promote the idea that Russell was the Laodicean Messenger, at least until about 1928.
Another Question:
Now, you also point out the pyramid that Rutherford built. Isn’t it true that this wasn’t just to honor those who died, but to honor the Great Pyramid that Russell used to calculate the end of the gentile times?
Yes, the pyramid monument was indeed meant to be a miniature replica of God's Stone Witness in Egypt. (Isaiah 19:19) However, to say that Russell used the Great Pyramid to calculate the end of the Gentile Times is misleading. N. H. Barbour calculated the end of the Gentile Times based on Bible prophecy. Nevertheless, long before Barbour, E. B. Elliott in the year 1844 had already come up with the date 1914 as being the possible end of the times of the Gentiles -- based on the Bible; Elliott made no mention of the measurements of the Great Pyramid. ("Horae Apocalypticae", 1844, pages 1429-1431) The measurements of God's Stone Witness simply confirm, or corroborate, the date 1914; the measurements are NOT the source of the date 1914.
See Russell's studies:
The Times of the Gentiles
Chastened Seven Times
Times of the Gentiles (sermon)
Zionism in Prophecy (sermon)
Please note that we do not necessarily agree with all of Russell's conclusions.
See Russell's studies:
The Times of the Gentiles
Chastened Seven Times
Times of the Gentiles (sermon)
Zionism in Prophecy (sermon)
Please note that we do not necessarily agree with all of Russell's conclusions.
The following was asked:
You said that it is erroneously presumed that the cross and crown were masonic or occult symbols. If they are not, then why do JW’s believe that those who use them are involved with pagan worship?
Rutherford, in effect, claimed the cross itself to be a pagan symbol, based on claims made by others, such as Henry Dana Ward. We are not associated with the JWs and we cannot answer the question for certainty regarding the JWs, but we can give our own thoughts that we have had after reading some of Rutherford's writings that he wrote back in the 1930s. Rutherford wanted the focus of his new organization to be -- not on being joint-heirs with Christ -- but rather on an earthly class, which he called "Jonadabs". He possibly saw the cross and crown symbol to be detractive to his purpose, since the cross and crown signifies bearing one's cross to receive the crown in order to be joint-heirs with Christ. A second point is concerning Rutherford's sectarian attitude, which was almost the opposite of Russell's beliefs concerning sectarianism and organization. His attitude appears to have been to find as many ways as possible to distinguish his organization from the churches and to distinguish his organization from even the Bible Students movement that had rejected his new organization. It appears to us that by identifying the cross typology to be, of itself, pagan, he thought to further put into effect his controlling spirit, which is actually sectarianism.
We have been asked:
Why the double standard? He wasn’t involved in satanic worship even by having a cross, but the churches are because they have a cross….
Again, we are not associated with the JWs, and what we presented does not result in any double standard as far as we are concerned. We do not believe that the churches are necessarily involved in Satanic worship simply by using the cross, nor did Charles Taze Russell ever present such an idea. We do not present any double standard regarding the usage of the cross and crown. If anyone, however, makes an idol of the cross, their worship of the cross would, in effect, go to the demons, not to God. This would be true whether one is associated with "the churches" or whether one is associated with the Bible Students.
The statement was made:
Either the cross is used by those involved in pagan or occult worship or not.
Pagans have used the sun, the moon, stars, mountains, trees, and even the Bible, in occult worship; what they do does not automatically make what they are using, of itself, to be occult or idolatrous.
The links provided below provide some good information, but we do not necessarily agree with all conclusions or statements given.
If any man serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. -- 1 Peter 4:11, World English.
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