Riding on the heels of the United States’ Second Great Awakening, the Bible Student Movement (the precursor to modern-day Jehovah’s Witnesses) seemingly appeared overnight, and grew at an alarming rate. In fact, the Jehovah’s Witnesses had their earliest beginnings in the Bible Student Movement. Its charismatic founder, Charles Taze Russell, instantly drew the attention of pastors and church leaders around him, as thousands left traditional churches to attend Russell’s. As potent as it was controversial, Russell’s teaching both attracted many and disturbed many, sparking debates and prompting publications of books and tracts in response. This collection comprises works of strong opposition to Russell’s teachings by prominent American and Australian ministers in the early twentieth century. Concern over Russell’s movement—then known variably as the Bible Student Movement, Russellism, Millennial Dawnism, and later, Rutherfordism—and its rapid growth are evident throughout these 10 ...

Over the course of six nights—from February 23 to February 28, 1908—Charles Taze Russell and Lloyd Smith White engaged in a public debate at Cincinnati’s Music Hall on six propositions on scriptural teaching. During an eight-month correspondence with publisher F. L. Rowe, Russell requested that Rowe seek out a “fair, honorable, straight-forward servant of truth” who would be willing to undertake the debate. Rowe presented White as a candidate, and the two opponents divided the format into six pr...