A Personal Handwritten Letter by Pastor Charles Taze Russell

[Queen Esther]

A  letter  personal  of  JW  C. T.  Russel !  Its  hand-writed,  now  safe  in  a  Bethel  house....

We  can  see  it  in  Bethel  *London* ;-))

 

   March 21, 0 [1900]
Dear Brother,
       Just a word of greetings to accompany lists I am now sending - not knowing what use you might have for them before reaching London. I have written you more at length by type-writer not yet ready.
       Glad to know of your safe arrival and glad to hope that you are still well & that the Lord's blessing attends your efforts to know his name & to bless his flock.
       My love to you & to all the dear ones with whom you are now associating - Bro. F. et al.
                          Yours in our dear Redeemer
                          C. T. Russell

 

( A help from our JW Insider,  for  better  reading  the  old  letter... Thank  you ! )

[The Librarian]

 

[Queen Esther]

@The Librarian  Thank  you  again  for  the  wonderful  link !

[ARchiv@L]

here is something similar, from our internet friend, Dave. 
http://da-ip.getmyip.com:8080/PDF/Old Publications/1912 - Russell Letter + text.jpg
[thanks Dave. ;-)]

[Guest Nicole]

Thanks @ARchiv@L I don't understand that handwriting, looks like a physician's prescription to me 

[Queen Esther]

Thanks for your link, dear @ARchiv@L   Now I can better understand these handwritings of the past. Not so easy for the most of us, bec. looking like Doc. - handwritings...  

[JW Insider]

9 hours ago, Nicole said:

I don't understand that handwriting, looks like a physician's prescription to me

Thanks @Queen Esther for posting this.

Here's what it looks like it says to me:

                                                                                       March 21, 0 [1900]
Dear Brother,
       Just a word of greetings to accompany lists I am now sending - not knowing what use you might have for them before reaching London. I have written you more at length by type-writer not yet ready.
       Glad to know of your safe arrival and glad to hope that you are still well & that the Lord's blessing attends your efforts to know his name & to bless his flock.
       My love to you & to all the dear ones with whom you are now associating - Bro. F. et al.
                          Yours in our dear Redeemer
                          C. T. Russell

 

It would appear, therefore, to be a letter to Brother Henninges, who Russell had just sent to London and who had just arrived at Liverpool (for London) in March 1900. He was probably making use of lists of potential properties to use as a warehouse for publications. It would be the beginning of the first branch in London, also opened in 1900. Brother Henninges found a suitable warehouse on April 23, 1900.

http://ibsaproperty.com/

For some modern history of IBSA. Some very nice London properties for sale.

[Queen Esther]

Thank  you  very  much  @JW Insider ....  good job,  as  always.    A  very  good  heilp !

[Anna]

4 hours ago, JW Insider said:

....who had just arrived at Liverpool (London)

Not sure what you mean by that because to my knowledge there isn't a Liverpool in London. It seems to me he must have docked at Liverpool and then took the train to London, about a 3 hour ride. Thanks for the interesting info!

It brings to mind the story of PSL Johnson and the fiasco that ensued when Rutherford sent him to London to take care of some business at the London Bethel. This is what "Harvest Siftings" was based on, and was the beginnings of the dispute and apostasy shortly after Russell died. I remember reading the original story in the WT (1917 I think) and reading about how Johnson jumped out of the Bethel window in his underwear to escape the brothers knocking at his door. Apparently a passerby described the scene to a policeman, it sounded quite comical.

[JW Insider]

20 minutes ago, Anna said:

Not sure what you mean by that because to my knowledge there isn't a Liverpool in London.

Bad use of (parentheses). "Liverpool (for London)" is what I meant.

The PSL Johnson story is quite interesting. He had worked with Russell, too. In fact PSL Johnson was the one who tried to keep Russell from starting the "New Covenant" apostasy, so it wasn't the first time he had been involved in controversial problems. Henninges was loyal, but his wife had been involved in controversial problems, and his wife's brother had died "under Russell's roof" years earlier.

[Queen Esther]

Very  interesting  your  link,  @JW Insider !!!!      I  saved  it  ;-)

[Anna]

26 minutes ago, AllenSmith said:

So, whatever demons Johnson acquired, he did it out of his own volition, and NOT the stance the Watchtower took under Rutherford and is accused off.

Yes, I know. Johnson was an odd fellow for sure...