Russell and the Seventh-Day Adventists

From time to time, some authors have made statements to the effect that Charles Taze Russell had been associated with the Seventh-Day Adventists, or that he got his teachings from the Seventh-Day Adventists, or similar statements. One claims: "C T Russell who was raised a Presbyterian, became a Seventh Day Adventist was still not satisfied that the SDA were teaching bible truth." Another relates, "Russell tells his own story, the young man, 'seemingly by accident, . . . dropped into a dusty, dingy hall' in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to hear Seventh-day Adventist evangelist Jonas Wendell expound some strange, if 'not entirely clear,' religious ideas." In reality, Russell did not say that Jonas Wendell was a Seventh-Day Adventist evangelist. Indeed, there is no historical record that either Russell or Wendell were ever associated with the Seventh-Day Adventist organization, nor is there any evidence that Russell obtained any of his teachings from the writings of any author associated with the Seventh-Day Adventists.

The confusion appears to be that many fail to distinguish "Adventists" in general from the Seventh-Day Adventist organization. Many Seventh-Day Adventists authors have actually encouraged this confusion, even claiming that Jonas Wendell was a Seventh-Day Adventist. Nevertheless, Russell obtained a lot of his basic beliefs from George Storrs, who was associated with Adventists, but George Storrs was never a member of, nor did he believe in, the Seventh-Day Adventist organization. Likewise, Russell received much of his understanding of time prophecies from N. H. Barbour. Barbour was associated with the "Second Adventist" movement, but not the Seventh-Day Adventist organization.

To many this may seem to be not important, but it is because the false idea that Russell received his beliefs from the Seventh-Day Adventist organization that can lead to many wrong conclusions about what Russell taught and believed. Many have entertained the false ideas that Charles Taze Russell claimed to have restored the one true church (similar to the SDA belief and the Jehovah's Witnesses belief), that he claimed to be a prophet receiving visions (similar to Ellen G. White's claims and the authoritarian claims of the JW leadership), that he started the JW organization as the only true religion, and many other things.

Some have claimed that Brother Russell obtained the idea that Jesus is Michael the Archangel from the Seventh-Day Adventists. This is highly unlikely, since most of the Protestant reformers believed that Jesus is Michael the Archangel.

What did Russell believe about the Seventh-Day Adventists? We are providing some links below that related to this. Please note that "Adventist" is not actually a synonym for "Seventh-Day Adventist," although many may use it as though it is. Nevertheless, Russell himself stated:

I never was an Adventist — excepting that I believe in the advent of our Lord — I am very glad to believe our Lord is to come again to receive the church to himself. But I never believed that about the world being burned up, nor any other things of that kind that constitute special features of the Adventist belief. (What Pastor Russell Said, p. 607).

Russell, however, in using the word "Adventist", was not just speaking of the 7th Day Adventists, but more specifically of that which was often referred as to "Adventist", especially those often referred to as "Second Adventists".

Russell's own historical accounts never mention any association with the Seventh-Day Adventists.

Related Links

The Sabbath

Biblical Covenants