The first Stetsons from England arrived in 1634, fourteen years after the Mayflower and the Pilgrims landing in America. For over forty years George Stetson followed in the footsteps of Christ and associated with Henry Grew and George Storrs in his early ministry, and even later with Jonas Wendell and Charles Russell (Reprints, p. 3821). He was not only a minister, but also a school teacher, and physician. As a member of the Advent Christian Church he and Wendell worked together in several churches throughout Pennsylvania and Ohio in the early 1870s. They also wrote for George Storrs’ magazine The Herald of Life and the Coming Kingdom, and for other magazines such as The World’s Crisis.
“He had been a faithful undershepherd, ever holding before his hearers, as the great incentive to holiness and purity of life, that which filled his own soul with joy and peace and helped him to live ‘above the world’—viz: The appearing of the Heavenly Bridegroom—The King of Glory, and our gathering together unto him. Our brother was a man of marked ability, and surrendered bright prospects of worldly and political honors to be permitted to preach Christ, when the glories and beauties of the word of God dawned upon his heart. The truth cost him much, yet he bought it gladly.” (Reprints, p. 46)
For ten months during 1872 Stetson pastored the church in Pittsburgh where he met a young Charles Taze Russell. Then he led the Edinboro, Pennsylvania, congregation for six years until his death. His dying request was that Pastor Russell give his funeral sermon (Reprints, p. 46) where over twelve hundred attended and heard the good news of the kingdom of God.
- The Herald of Christ's Kingdom, 2004 (PBI)
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ZION’S WATCH TOWER VOL. XI. ALLEGHENY, PA., MAY, 1890. NO. 6. R1214
...However, we were then merely getting the general outlines of God’s plan, and unlearning many long-cherished errors, the time for a clear discernment of the minutiae having not yet fully come. And here we should and do gratefully mention assistance rendered by Brothers George Stetson and George Storrs, both now deceased, the latter the editor of The Bible Examiner. The study of the Word of God with these dear brethren led, step by step, into greener pastures and brighter hopes for the world, though it was not until 1872, when I gained a clear view of our Lord’s work as our ransom price, that I found the strength and foundation of all hope of restitution to lie in that doctrine. Up to that time, when I read the testimony that all in their graves shall come forth, etc., I yet doubted the full provision-whether it should be understood to include idiots or infants who had died without reaching any degree of understanding, beings to whom the present life and its experiences would seem to be of little or no advantage. But when, in 1873, I came to examine the subject of restitution from the standpoint of the ransom price given by our Lord Jesus for Adam, and consequently for all lost in Adam, it settled the matter of restitution completely, and gave fullest assurance that ALL must come forth from Adamic death and be brought to a clear knowledge of the truth and to fullest opportunity of everlasting life in Christ.
Thus passed the years 1869-1872, and the years following, to 1876, were years of continued growth in grace and knowledge on the part of the handful of Bible students with whom I met regularly in Allegheny. We progressed from our first crude and indefinite ideas of restitution to clearer understanding of the details, God’s due time for clearer light not having come until 1874...
C.T.R.
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Influence of Others
Russell referred quite openly to the assistance in Bible study he had received from others. Not only did he acknowledge his indebtedness to Second Adventist Jonas Wendell but he also spoke with affection about two other individuals who had aided him in Bible study. Russell said of these two men: “The study of the Word of God with these dear brethren led, step by step, into greener pastures.” One, George W. Stetson, was an earnest student of the Bible and pastor of the Advent Christian Church in Edinboro, Pennsylvania.
The other, George Storrs, was publisher of the magazine Bible Examiner, in Brooklyn, New York. Storrs, who was born on December 13, 1796, was initially stimulated to examine what the Bible says about the condition of the dead as a result of reading something published (though at the time anonymously) by a careful student of the Bible, Henry Grew, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Storrs became a zealous advocate of what was called conditional immortality—the teaching that the soul is mortal and that immortality is a gift to be attained by faithful Christians. He also reasoned that since the wicked do not have immortality, there is no eternal torment. Storrs traveled extensively, lecturing on the subject of no immortality for the wicked. Among his published works was the Six Sermons, which eventually attained a distribution of 200,000 copies. Without a doubt, Storrs’ strong Bible-based views on the mortality of the soul as well as the atonement and restitution (restoration of what was lost due to Adamic sin; Acts 3:21) had a strong, positive influence on young Charles T. Russell.
Yet, another man who had a profound effect on Russell’s life also caused his loyalty to Scriptural truth to be put to the test.
- Jehovah’s Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, 1993, WTB&TS
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BRO. G.W. STETSON
ZION’S WATCH TOWER VOL. 1 PITTSBURGH, PA., NOVEMBER, 1879 No. 5 [ R46:page 2]
Death has laid our brother low. He died at his home, Edinboro, Pa., Oct. 9th, 1879. Though an event not entirely unexpected, since he has been seriously ill for some time, yet his death is a heavy blow to his many friends abroad as well as at home. He was beloved and esteemed by his fellow townsmen of all denominations as well as by the congregation of which he was pastor. He had been a faithful under-shepherd, ever holding before his hearers, as the great incentive to holiness and purity of life, that which filled his own soul with joy and peace and helped him to live ‘above the world’ -viz: The appearing of the Heavenly Bridegroom-The King of Glory, and our gathering together unto him. Our brother was a man of marked ability, and surrendered bright prospects of worldly and political honors to be permitted to preach Christ, when the glories and beauties of the word of God dawned upon his heart. The truth cost him much yet he bought it gladly.
The funeral services (Sunday following) were held at ‘Normal Hall,’ it being more commodious than any of the churches of the place, which through respect were closed, the pastors taking part in the services of the occasion.
The brother’s dying request, that the editor of this paper should preach his funeral sermon, was complied with. About twelve hundred persons attended the funeral services, thus giving evidence of the high esteem in which our brother was held.
His family and congregation will feel keenly their loss, yet sorrow not as those who have no hope.
"If thou art a vessel of gold, and thy brother but of wood, be not high-minded. It is God that maketh thee to differ. The more bounty God shows the more humility he requires. Those mines that are the richest are deepest."
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THE WORLD’S CRISIS—October 11, 1879
Our dearly beloved Pastor has only lain down to rest for a while, having ‘fought the good fight of faith.’ In hope he awaits the crown of life so soon to be given to all who love the appearing of the Life-Giver. The church has lost a true friend of God; nevertheless, faith claims him alive from the dead, when ‘thy dead men shall live.’ To him religion was no mystery. It was a beaten way for forty years. He came to Edinboro six years ago, and was recognized as Pastor of the Church of God (commonly called Adventists), and has been a faithful servant of God and the church until up to May last, when he was stricken down with spinal fever, from which he did not wholly recover. During the time he has been with us, the Lord through his instrumentality has added 58 members to this church who have heard and believed. May the dear ones who survive follow him as he followed Christ, remembering his prayers and exhortations which were offered in demonstration of the Spirit and power. Words of comfort were spoken by Bro. C.T. Russell, of Pittsburgh, Pa.
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ADVENT CHRISTIAN WITNESS - Aug. 27, 1872
It is now ten months since I was called and came to Pittsburgh, Pa. To labor, and though we have worked quietly and made no flourish of trumpets, we are able to say "the Lord is with us," and the Truth is spreading and taking a deep hold in this city and Allegheny. We now propose to "carry the war into Africa," i.e., invade the strongholds of "orthodoxy" by scattering among them "the incorruptible seed," by free distribution of our standard works. The schism in the body is nearly healed, the fragments gathered up, the marks obliterated, and the brethren are meeting together in harmony and holding public service regularly in Quincy Hall, 127 Leacock [Lacock] St., Allegheny, every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Through the week all are busy in disseminating and presenting the truth among and to others, as they may have opportunity. We might give the names of some ten or a dozen brethren who are especially assiduous workers, but as distinctions are invidious and comparisons odious, and all merit commendations, I forbear.
I had the pleasure, some weeks since, of seeing Bro. Cherry, now of Chicago, among us, who gave a good report of the Church there. He will be pleased to learn that several of his old acquaintances have since he was with us, "put on Christ in baptism," and now are "booked" and will soon be "planted in the likeness of Christ's death," that they may be with him in the likeness of his resurrection. The last three Sabbaths have been seasons of unusual interest and blessedness in our meetings. That the Lord may prosper, build and establish us in all our work and in his ways, preserve us from sin and from evil unto his glorious appearing, is our most earnest supplication to him who is able to keep us from falling, and present us faultless before his glory. Amen.
G.W. Stetson.