Background
He was born in Titusville, Pennsylvania on October 4, 1873, to Jewish parents who had recently immigrated from Poland. His father was a prominent Hebrew scholar, and eventually became president of the Titusville synagogue.
He was born in Titusville, Pennsylvania on October 4, 1873, to Jewish parents who had recently immigrated from Poland. His father was a prominent Hebrew scholar, and eventually became president of the Titusville synagogue.
He authored 17 volumes of religious writings entitled Epiphany Studies in the Scriptures, and published two magazines from about 1918 until his death in 1950. The movement he created continues his work and publishes his writings, operating from Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. His mother died when he was 12, and his father remarried, both of which caused him distress.
He ran away from home several times.
In 1890, he entered the Capital University of Columbus, Ohio, and graduated in 1895 with high honors. Records in that University"s Library show him enrolled as Paul Levitsky.
He then went to the Theological Seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and graduated in 1898. He soon built a new church building and was noted (by the Capitol University Synod) to have baptized more people and collected less money than any other pastor in the synod.
He eventually served as Russell"s personal secretary.
In time, he became Russell"s most trusted friend and advisor. Johnson suffered a nervous breakdown in 1910 as a result of withstanding dissidents from within who were challenging Russell"s teachings of Russell on questions around his understanding of the new covenant and the ransom for all. Johnson left the Watch Tower Society whenJoseph F. Rutherford took over its direction after Russell"s death.
He founded the Laymen"s Home Missionary Movement in 1919, and served on its board of directors from 1920 until his death on October 22, 1950.