Charles Taze Russell and the Cross and Crown
Channel: ResLight
Date: 2021-09-19

The Cross and Crown illustrations that Brother Russell used are often declared to be a "Knights Templar symbol."

The only evidence provided is that the Knights Templar made use of a similar Biblical illustration. 

Despite the claims being made, the Biblical illustration of a cross and crown is NOT of the Knights Templar, but of the Bible itself. The Knights Templar have made use of similar Biblical illustrations of a cross and crown. That does not mean that we need to imagine and assume that any similar usage of a Biblical cross and crown symbol has to be a Knights Templar symbol.

The Knights Templar have claimed that they obtained the Biblical cross and crown symbol from traditional church usage. Christians were using the cross and crown long before the Knights Templar adopted its use.

Brother Russell himself stated why he used this illustration, and it has nothing at all to do with the Freemasons or the Knights Templar. 

Presumably the Knight Templar, who profess to be Christian, have similar Biblical reasons for using the cross and crown symbolism. 

Many offer this is an alleged proof that Russell was a member of the Knights Templar. Many do not realize that for one to be accepted as a Knights Templar, one has to accept the traditional trinitarian creeds. Russell, who spent nearly his entire life preaching a message that rejects the idea of a triune God, would certainly not have been accepted into the Knights Templar.

However, there is definitely nothing in Russell's works that even hints that his usage of the Biblical cross and crown has anything to do with the Knights Templar. There is definitely nothing in such symbolism that designates it as being something that innately is only of the the Knights Templar. Such is purely out of someone's imagination!

We should also note that the cross and crown illustrations that Brother Russell used are not exactly the same as that used by the Knights Templar. The Knights Templar cross and crown is similar, but not the same. 

For links to more related research:
https://rlctr.blogspot.com/p/cross-and-crown.html
https://rlctr.blogspot.com/p/russell-and-freemasons.html