Howard Hyde Russell was the founder of the Anti-Saloon League

Anti-Saloon League

The Anti-Saloon League was the leading organization lobbying for prohibition in the United States in the early 20th century. It was a key component of the Progressive Era, and was strongest in the South and rural North, drawing heavy support from pietistic Protestant ministers and their...

.
Following a religious conversion, he gave up the practice of law to become a minister.
In 1893 he organized the Ohio Anti-Saloon League. In 1895, when the Anti-Saloon League was established at the national level, Russell was elected superintendent. He mentored future leaders of the league, including Wayne Wheeler

Wayne Wheeler

Wayne Bidwell Wheeler was an American attorney and prohibitionist. Using deft political pressure and what might today be called a litmus test, he was able to influence many governments, and eventually the U.S. government, to prohibit alcohol.Wheeler was born in Brookfield, Ohio, to Mary Ursula...

 and Ernest Cherrington

Ernest Cherrington

Ernest Cherrington was a leading temperance journalist . He became active in the Anti-Saloon League and was appointed editor of the organization's publishing house, the American Issue Publishing Company. He edited and contributed to the writing of The Standard Encyclopedia of the Alcohol Problem,...

.

Russell also established the Lincoln-Lee Legion

Lincoln-Lee Legion

The Lincoln–Lee Legion was established by Anti-Saloon League-founder Howard Hyde Russell in 1903 to promote the signing of abstinence pledges by children. The organization was originally called the Lincoln League, named after Abraham Lincoln. However, in 1912 it was renamed the Lincoln–Lee Legion,...

 to promote the signing of temperance pledges by children and other young people. He is reported to have raised five million dollars to promote the temperance movement

Temperance movement

A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...

.

Russell was also the author of A Lawyer's Examination of the Bible, which is a work of Christian apologetics

Christian apologetics

Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections, and expose the perceived flaws of other world views...

 that argues the evidences for the Bible's authenticity concerning the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Russell believed that the testimony of the writers of the gospels could be tested by technical legal criteria and argued that such testimony was trustworthy. In this respect he followed the arguments presented by the Nineteenth century Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...

 professor Simon Greenleaf

Simon Greenleaf

Simon Greenleaf , American lawyer and jurist, was born at Newburyport, Massachusetts.-Early life and legal career:...

 in his book The Testimony of the Evangelist. Russell's book was first published in 1893 and then re-released in 1935.

Ernie Pyle

Ernie Pyle

Ernest Taylor Pyle was an American journalist who wrote as a roving correspondent for the Scripps Howard newspaper chain from 1935 until his death in combat during World War II. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944...

devotes an entire chapter to Mr. Russell in his book, Home Country.

External links

• Howard Hyde Russell (Westerville Public Library)