We are presenting here some claims being made regarding Russell and the Freemasons, and some brief comments and links to where one may find documentation.
It is claimed that Russell was a FREEMASON; of course, Russell's works overwhelmingly testify that Russell was not a Freemason.
For links to some of our research related to Russell and the Freemasons:
It is claimed that Russell is buried in a cemetery that is owned by the Masons, and that there is a road in the cemetery called "Masonic Way". In reality, the road called "Masonic Way" is in between the cemetery and the Greater Pittsburgh Masonic Center. This road is not "in" the cemetery.
Furthermore, the Rosemont United Cemetery is not "owned by the Masons," nor is it a "Masonic cemetery" as many claim. We called the Rosemont Cemetery and were told that it is not owned by the Freemasons. The present owner is listed as Nigel Bentley; we don't know if he is a member of the Masons are not, but even if he is, the cemetery itself is not a Masonic cemetery. Like most other cemeteries, there may be Masons buried there, but it is not exclusive to Masons.
The "Masonic Way" was constructed as a result of the construction of the Masonic Center in the mid 1990s. In other words, the name "Masonic Way" is named after the Masonic Center that was constructed in the mid-1990s. Regarding the land where this Masonic Center now stands, we find on one site:
Catholic Cemeteries Association of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Inc.) sold off this waste ground to the Masons. The documents from October 1994 show they sold 42.40 acres of land to the Masonic Fund Society for the County of Allegheny for $610,000. The Masons then built their shiny new Greater Pittsburgh Masonic Center there.Thus, there was no Masonic Way nor any Masonic Center at that location when Russell was buried in the Rosemont Cemetery back in 1916, nor did Russell have anything to do with the construction or naming of either.
It is claimed that the Masons didn't believe in a literal hell either.
The literal hell of the Bible is described in Ecclesiastes 9:10. Russell himself did believe in this hell, but he did not believe in the hell often described in man's traditions.
Links to many of our studies related to hell, the condition of the dead and the resurrection may be found at:
Links to many of our studies related to hell, the condition of the dead and the resurrection may be found at:
The Masons, as such, do not have a set belief about hell. There may be Masons who have differing thoughts about what Hell is, but whatever their thoughts may be, it does not make it official Masonic teaching.
While one does not need to profess to be Christian in order to join the Masons, one does have to claim to be a Christian to join the Knights Templar, and one must believe in the trinitarian creeds of man. Russell did not believe in that doctrine. Nevertheless, since the Knights Templar do believe in the trinity, it would have made it very difficult, if not impossible, for Russell to have been a member of the Knights Templar.
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