The 1914 Date
Of all the dates that the Watchtower Society has set for events to take place, The End/Armageddon, the Kingdom to be set up, or Abraham, Isaac and Jacob etc. to be resurrected, all these dates have been rejected and discarded by the Society with one notable exception – 1914. Should this date also have been discarded with the rest?
WHAT DID THE WATCHTOWER FORETELL IN 1914?
As one studies the old publications of the Watchtower Society, they soon find out that what the Society claims they foretold would happen in 1914, and what they did actually say would happen, are two different accounts:
Millennial Dawn, Volume 2, pages 76-78:
In this chapter we present the Bible evidence proving that the full end of the times of the Gentiles, i.e., the full end of their lease of dominion, will be reached in AD 1914; and that that date will be the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men. And be it observed, that if this is shown to be a fact firmly established by the Scriptures, it will prove:
First, That at that date the Kingdom of God, for which our Lord taught us to pray, saying, “Thy Kingdom come," will have obtained full, universal control, and that it will then be “set up," or firmly established, in the earth.
Secondly, It will prove that he whose right it is thus to take the dominion will then he present as earth's new Ruler; and not only so, but it will also prove that he will be present for a considerable period before that date; because the overthrow of these Gentile governments is directly caused by his smashing them to pieces as a potter's vessel (Psalm 2:9; Revelation 2:27), and establishing in their stead his own righteous government.
Thirdly, It will prove that some time before the end of AD 1914 the last member of the divinely recognized Church of Christ, the “royal priesthood," “the body of Christ," will be glorified with the Head; because every member is to reign with Christ, being a joint-heir with him of the Kingdom, and it cannot be fully "set up" without every member.
Fourthly, It will prove that from that time forward Jerusalem shall no longer be trodden down of the Gentiles, but shall arise from the dust of divine disfavor, to honor; because the “Times of the Gentiles" will be fulfilled or completed.
Fifthly, It will prove that by that-date or sooner, Israel's blindness will begin to be turned away; because their “blindness in part” was to continue only “until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in " (Romans 11:25), or, in other words, until the full number from among the Gentiles, who are to be members of the body or bride of Christ, would be fully selected.
Sixthly, It will Drove that the great “time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation”, will reach its culmination in a world-wide reign of anarchy.
From the above we learn that:
1. The Watchtower Society foretold that in 1914:
2. The "Times of the Gentiles" was understood to be:
The time that the Gentile nations would rule the earth, before God would destroy them and set up His kingdom on the earth. Nothing of the above is believed or taught today!
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN NOTHING TOOK PLACE?
The Society's own publications will help to answer this question: Light, (Volume 1, 1930) page 194:
SACKCLOTH
"Sackcloth" is a symbol of reproach and mourning when applied to God's people: "For the zeal of your house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them." (Psalm 69:9-11) Isaiah represented God's anointed people on earth and he prophesied in sackcloth. (Isaiah 20:2) The Watch Tower, and its companion publications of the Society, for forty years emphasized the fact that 1914 would witness the establishment of God's kingdom and the complete glorification of the church. During that period of forty years God's people on Earth were carrying on a witness work, which work was foreshadowed by Elijah and John the Baptist. All of the Lord's people looked forward to 1914 with joyful expectation. When that time came and passed there was much disappointment, chagrin and mourning, and the Lord's people were greatly in reproach. They were ridiculed by the clergy and their allies in particular, and pointed to with scorn, because they had said so much about 1914, and what would come to pass, and their 'prophecies' had not been fulfilled.
One wearing sackcloth usually puts it on himself. God's people on earth, after the reproach that came upon them, following 1914 put sackcloth upon themselves as an evidence of mourning. (Lamentations 2:10) This is proven by what appeared in The Watch Tower.
During the period of its publication The Watch Tower has been the mouthpiece of God's children on earth. Immediately following the end of the Gentile
This admission came in 1930 with the publication of the above book Light. Yet having admitted that they had said so much about 1914, and what would come to pass, and their 'prophecies' had not been fulfilled they still proceed to claim that they are the mouthpiece of God's children on earth!
THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES
This expression was completely re-interpreted after 1914 and given a different meaning entirely. What they had foretold concerning the times of the Gentiles did not come to pass!
WHY WAS THE 1914 DATE RETAINED?
The answer is simply because the World War broke out in that year. If by chance that traumatic event had not taken place, 1914 would have joined, 1874, 1878, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1925, and more recently 1975! Without exception, they were all false prophecies! (See the chapters on 1925, and 1975.)
WATCHTOWER QUOTATIONS CONCERNING 1914
1914 "In this chapter we present the Bible evidence proving that the full end of the times of the gentiles, i.e., the full end of their lease of dominion, will be reached in A.D. 1914; and that the date will be the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men. And be it observed, that if this is shown to be a fact firmly established by the Scriptures, it will prove; Firstly, that at that date the Kingdom of God, for which our Lord taught us to pray, saying, Thy Kingdom come, will obtain full, universal control, and that it will then be set up, or firmly established, in the earth, on the ruins of present institutions.. It will prove that he whose right it is to thus take the dominion, will then be present as earth's new Ruler; and not only so, but it will prove that he will be present for a considerable period before that date.. It will prove that some time before the end of A.D. 1914 the last member of the divinely recognized church of Christ, the 'royal priesthood' 'the body of Christ,' will be glorified with the Head.. It will prove that from that time forward Jerusalem shall no longer be trodden down of the Gentiles, but shall arise from the dust of divine disfavor, to honor.. It will prove that by that date, or sooner, .. the full number from among the Gentiles, who are to be members of the body or bride of Christ, would be fully selected.. It will prove that the great 'time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation,' will reach its final culmination, and end, at that date.. The condition of things spoken of in symbolic language as raging waves of the sea, melting earth, falling mountains, and burning heavens, will then have passed away.. It will prove that before that date, God's kingdom, organized in power, will be in the earth, and will have smitten and crushed the Gentile image .." {TIAH 76-8}
1914 "And, with the end of A.D. 1914, what God calls Babylon, and what men call Christendom, will have passed away, as is already shown from prophecy." {TKIC 153}
1914 "Let us remember that this date limit - A.D. 1914 - must not only witness the completion of the selection and trial and glorification of the entire body of Christ, but it may also witness the purifying of some of that larger company of consecrated believers." {TKIC 364} ["must not" changed to "may not" in {TKIC 1915 ed 364}, the expected events having not happened]
1914 "The time of the end is .. to 1914." {WT Nov 1 1922 333/346}
1914 "The Watchtower, and its companion publications of the society, for forty years emphasized that fact that 1914 would witness the establishment of God's kingdom and the complete glorification of the church. During that period of forty years God's people on earth were carrying on a witness work, which work was foreshadowed by Elijah and John the Baptist. all of the lords people looked forward to 1914 with joyful expectation. when that time came and passed there was much disappointment, chagrin and mourning, and the lords people were greatly in reproach. they were ridiculed by the clergy and their allies in particular, and pointed to with scorn, because they had said so much about 1914, and what would come to pass, and their prophecies had not been fulfilled." {LIT1 194}
1914 "The 'Time of the End', a period of one hundred and fifteen (115) years, from A.D. 1799 to A.D. 1914, is particularly marked in the Scriptures." {TKIC 1923 ed 23}
1914 "In this chapter we present the Bible evidence proving that the full end of the times of Gentiles, i.e., the full end or their lease of dominion, will be reached in A.D. 1914; and that that date will be the farest limit of the rule of imperfect men.. That at that date the Kingdom of God, for which our Lord taught us to pray, saying, 'The Kingdom come,' will have obtained full, universal control, and that it will then be 'set up,' or firmly established, in the earth.. Church taken home in a rapture.. It will prove that some time before the end of A.D. 1914 the last member of the divinely recognized Church of Christ, the 'royal priesthood,' 'the body of Christ,' will be glorified with the Head; because every member is to reign with Christ, being a joint-heir with him of the Kingdom, and it cannot be fully 'set up' without every member." {TIAH 76-7}
1914 "It is on the basis of such and so many correspondencies - in accordance with the soundest laws known to science- that we affirm that, Scripturally, scientifically, and historically, present-truth chronology is correct beyond a doubt. Its reliability has been abundantly confirmed by the dates and events of .. 1914 .. Present-truth chronology is a secure basis on which the consecrated child of God may endeavor to search out things to come." {WT Jun 15 1922 187}
1914 "we present proofs that the setting up of the kingdom of God is already begun.. and that the 'battle of the great day of God Almighty' (Rev. 16: 14) which shall end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership .. The gathering of the armies is plainly visible from the standpoint of God's word." {TIAH 101} [TIAH 1915 ed contains '1915' instead of '1914']
1914 ".. the overthrow of the professedly Christian kingdoms, really 'kingdoms of this world', and the full establishment of the Kingdom of God in the earth at A.D. 1914 .." {TKIC 1905 ed 126}
1914 "Can It Be Delayed until 1914? .. Seventeen years ago people said, concerning the time features presented in Millennial Dawn, They seem reasonable in many respects, but surely no such radical changes could occur between now and the close of 1914: if you had proved that they would come about in a century or two, it would seem much more probable. What changes have since occurred, and what velocity is gained daily? 'The old is quickly passing and the new is coming in.' Now, in view of recent labor troubles and threatened anarchy, our readers are writing to know if there may not be a mistake in the 1914 date. They say that they do not see how present conditions can hold out so long under the strain. We see no reason for changing the figures-nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God's dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble. We see no reason for changing from our opinion expressed in the view presented in the Watch Tower of January 15, '92. We advise that it be read again." {ZWT Jul 15 1894 repr 1677}
1914 "The 'Gentil Times' prove that the present governments must all be overturned about the close of A.D. 1914" {TIAH 242} ["1914" changed to 1915 in {TIAH 1915 ed 242}]
1914 "As far back as 1876, Jehovah's Witnesses realized that Bible prophecy marked the year 1914 C.E. as a time when major events would take place that would have far-reaching effects on human affairs. They gave the reason for this fact wide publicity." {TPAS 70}
1914 "Remember that the forty years' Jewish Harvest ended October A.D. 69, and was followed by the complete overthrow of that nation; and that likewise the forty years of the Gospel age harvest will end October, 1914, and that likewise the overthrow of 'Christendom,' so-called, must be expected to immediately follow." {TIAH 245}
1914 "THE COLOR LINE FOUND NECESSARY. WE might have anticipated that many colored people would be deeply interested in THE PHOTO-DRAMA OF CREATION. But it did not impress itself upon us until gradually their number increased to about twenty-five per cent of the whole audience. Of course, we were glad to see them, glad that they were interested in the DRAMA. We had the same feeling respecting them as others; but it was quickly discerned that it was not a case of feeling, but that, whereas the colored people of New York City are about five per cent of the population, in our audiences they are about twenty-five per cent and the number increasing. What shall we do? As the attendance of the colored people would increase, proportionately the number of the whites would decrease; for explain it how we will, a majority of whites prefer not to intermingle closely with other races. Recognizing that it meant either the success or the failure of the enterprise of the DRAMA as respects the whites, we have been compelled to assign the colored friends to the gallery, which, however, is just as good for seeing and hearing as any other part of The Temple. Some were offended at this arrangement. We have received numerous letters from the colored friends, some claiming that it is not right to make a difference, others indignantly and bitterly denouncing us as enemies of the colored people. Some, confident that Brother Russell had never sanctioned such a discrimination, told that they believe it would be duty to stand up for equal rights and always to help the oppressed, etc. We were obliged to explain the facts, assuring all of our loving interest in the colored people, and of our desire to do them good, and not injury. We again suggested that if a suitable place could be found in which the DRAMA could be presented for the benefit of the colored people alone, we would be glad to make such arrangements, or to co-operate with any others in doing so. Our explanations were apparently entirely satisfactory to all of the fully consecrated. To these we explained that it is a question of putting either the interests of God's Cause first, or else the interests of the race first. We believed it our duty to put God first and the Truth first - at any cost to others or to ourself! We explained that we thought that all the colored brethren should know our attitude toward them - they should know that we love to serve them in any way possible and to give them the very best we have to give of the Gospel Message; and that it is only a question of whether our giving to them in one way would deprive us of giving the Truth to others. Some who were still tenacious and quarrelsome we merely reminded of our Lord's declaration that in inviting visitors into the house it is the place of the host to say where they shall sit, and then we showed them the parable of the man who chose the chief seat of honor and was given a lower one. In answer to the query as to how our course of conduct squared with the Golden Rule, we replied that it squares exactly. We would wish others to put God first. If our personal interests are or ever have been in conflict with the real and apparently best interests of the Lord's Cause, it is a part of our consecration vow to ignore our interests in favor of the interests of the Lord's Cause. This is what we mean by the declaration that we are dead to self and alive to our God as New Creatures. We reminded one dear sister that the Lord enjoins humility, and assures us that unless we humble ourselves we shall not be exalted. If nature favors the colored brethren and sisters in the exercise of humility it is that much to their advantage, if they are rightly exercised by it. A little while, and our humility will work out for our good. A little while, and those who shall have been faithful to their Covenant of Sacrifice will be granted new bodies, spiritual, beyond the veil, where color and sex distinctions will be no more. A little while, and the Millennial Kingdom will be inaugurated, which will bring Restitution to all mankind - restitution to the perfection of mind and body, feature and color, to the grand original standard, which God declared "very good," and which was lost for a time through sin, but which is soon to be restored by the powerful Kingdom of Messiah. {WT Apr 1 1914 110-1} [Restitution to the perfection of color, if humble now!]
1914 "Ever since the 1870's, Bible Students had been serving with a date in mind - first 1914, then 1925. Now they realized that they must serve for as long as Jehovah wishes." {WT Nov 1 1993 12}
1914 "We find it to be 3457 inches, symbolizing 3457 years .. Thus the Pyramid witnesses that the close of 1914 will be the beginning of the time of trouble .." {TKIC 1916 ed} [TKIC 1897 ed 342 stated ".. this measurement is 3416 inches, symbolizing 3416 years .. This calculation shows A.D. 1874 as marking the beginning of the period of trouble .." - but 1874 had passed.]
1914 "We have seen that God has a set time for every feature of his plan, and that we are even now in this "Day of Vengeance," which is a period of forty years; that it began in October, 1874, and will end in October, 1914.. The great events predicted in the Scriptures .. are already overshadowing the world, and are as sure to come as they are foretold: and seventeen years would seem to be abundant space for their full accomplishment." {BATT 546-7} [When 1914 came and went without these things happening, {BATT 1915 ed 546-7} was unobtrusively amended so "in October, 1914" became "very shortly" and ": and seventeen" became ". A very few" !]
1914 "the time of trouble or 'day of wrath' which.. will end October 1914.. (Zionist) Conventions .. meet year by year to put in practical shape the proposal for the reorganization of a Jewish state in Palestine. The buds will thrive, but will bear no perfect fruit before October 1914 - the full end of 'Gentile Times'.. Complete destruction of the 'powers that be' of 'this present evil worlds - political, financial, ecclesiastical - about the close of the Time of the Gentiles; October A.D. 1914." {BATT 604/622} [When nothing happened in 1914, the text was quietly amended in {BATT 1915 ed 604} so "end October 1914" became "cease about 1915". They forgot to make the other changes!]
1914 "1914 Final overthrow of Nominal Christendom.. 1521 - PERIOD of 393 YEARS FROM THE DIVISION OF CHRISTENDOM TILL ITS FINAL OVERTHROW - 1914" {ZWT Jun 15 1905 repr 3575}
1914 "Studying God's Word, we have measured the 2520 years, the seven symbolic times, from that year 606 B.C. and have found that it reached down to October, 1914, as nearly as we were able to reckon. We did not say positively that this would be the year." {WT Nov 1 1914 325} [However, Jerusalem, according to Bible chronology, fell in 587-6 B.C. and not 607-6 B.C. Compton's Encyclopedia of History: "David, king of the Israelites, captured Jerusalem from the Jebusites in about 1000 BC. King Solomon, his son, extended the city and built the great temple that stood until 586 BC when it was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. In the 50 years of their Babylonian captivity .." Columbia Concise Encyclopedia: "Babylonian captivity in the history of Israel, the period from the fall of Jerusalem (586 B.C.) to the reconstruction in Palestine of a new Jewish state (after 538 B.C.). Following the capture of the city by the Babylonians, thousands of JEWS were deported to Mesopotamia. In 538 B.C. the Persian King CYRUS THE GREAT decreed the restoration of worship at Jerusalem."]
1914 "Pastor Russell's mission, in large part, was to advise Christendom of its impending end, in the time of world-wide trouble. It is the Divine judgment upon the nations.. There will be no chance of escaping from destruction, through the nations.. The trouble is due to the dawning of the Day of Christ, the Millennium. It is the Day of Vengeance, which began in the world war of 1914 .." {TFIM 404}
1914 "We see no reason for changing the figures - nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God's dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble." {WT Jul 15 1894 266 repr 1677}
1914 "Firstly, that at that date [1914] the Kingdom of God, for which our Lord taught us to pray, saying, 'Thy Kingdom come,' will begin to assume control, and that it will then shortly be 'set up,' or firmly established, in the earth, on the ruins of present institutions." {TIAH 1915 ed 77}
1914 "1914 ended the Gentile Times." {WT Sep 1 1922 262}
1914 "'The Times of the Gentiles' extend to 1914, and the heavenly kingdom will not have full sway till then, but as a 'Stone' the kingdom of God is set up 'in the days of these (ten gentile) kings' and by consuming them it becomes a universal kingdom - a 'great mountain and fills the whole Earth.'" {ZWT Mar 1880 repr 82}
1914 "Under the guidance of God's spirit of freedom the magazine today known as the Watchtower but known back there as Zion's Watch Tower, began to be published in July, 1879. In the first year of its publication it pointed to the date 1914 as marked in the Bible." {WRDM 308}
1914 ".. ending with the times of the Gentiles in 1914, when the kingdom of God (soon to be set up or exalted to power) will have broken in pieces and consumed all earthly kingdoms." {ZWT Aug 1880 repr 124}
1914 "When Uranus and Jupiter meet in the humane sign of Aquarius in 1914, the long-promised era will have made a fair start in the work of setting man free to work out his own salvation, and will insure the ultimate realization of dreams and ideals of all poets and sages in history." {WT May 1 1903/6 130-1 repr 3184}
1914 ".. the end of 'The times of the Gentiles,' A.D., 1914, and that it is the trouble of this 'Great day,'.. which is here symbolically called the voice of the Archangel when he begins the deliverance of fleshly Israel.. At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince (Archangel) which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. Dan. xii. 1" {ZWT Nov 1880 1}
1914 "This remnant of anointed ones have identified themselves on the pages of history since 1914 C.E. Before this year members of this anointed remnant had been earnestly studying God's Word apart from Christendom. They put the Holy Bible ahead of man-made religious traditions. As early as 1876 they were publishing that the Gentile Times of 2, 520 years would terminate in the year 1914. Events that have taken place from that year onward prove they were not wrong." {GEPT 178-9}
1914 "Jesus Christ began to rule as king of God's heavenly government [in 1914]" {YCLF 141}
1914 "Furthermore, the remnant of spiritual Israel had for decades .. been looking forward to the ending of the Times of the Gentiles in the autumn of 1914. They were expecting God's Messianic Kingdom to be fully established in the heavens by then and also for the remnant of spiritual Israel to be glorified with Jesus Christ in the heavenly kingdom at that time. All understanding of the Holy Scriptures was slanted in that direction or adjusted to that idea." {MSWD 136}
1914 "That the Lord must be present, and set up his Kingdom, and exercise his great power so as to dash the nations to pieces as a potter's vessel, before A.D. 1914, is then clearly fixed; for it is 'in the days of these kings' - before their overthrow - i.e. before A.D. 1914 - that the God of heaven shall set up his Kingdom.. The 'Times of the Gentiles'.. will run fully out with the year A.D. 1914, and at that time they will all be overturned and Christ's Kingdom fully established.. Both of these ripenings (Rev. 14:1-4, 18-20) will be completed in a period of forty years, ending with the year A.D. 1914." {TIAH 170} [In {TIAH 1916 ed 76-81}, 1914-5 having passed without the predicted events occurring, the following substitutions were unobtrusively made: the word "all" was omitted from before the "be overturned", and a footnote added "How long it will require to accomplish this overturning we are not informed, but have reasons to believe the period will be 'short.'"; also the last reference to 1914 was changed to 1915!]
1914 "According to our expectations the stress of the great time of trouble will be on us soon.. culminating with the end of the 'Times of the Gentiles', October, 1914." {TNCR 1904 ed 579}
1914 "1914 [is] a marked year. Years in advance Bible Scholars realized that 1914 was to be a year of great significance. They expected great changes to take place, and the facts confirm that 1914 was, indeed, a marked year." {TLEL 91}
1914 "Such activity in publishing God's kingdom and clearing his name of the Devil's reproaches by religion was mistakenly given a place secondary to the making of the bride of Christ class ready for the marriage with him in heaven, in 1914 as some thought." {TNWD 273-4}
1914 "Prior to the latter part of the year 1914, many Christians expected Christ to return at that time and to take them away to heaven. Thus, in a discourse given on September 30, 1914, A.H. Macmillan, a Bible Student, stated: 'This is probably the last public address I shall ever deliver because we shall be going home (to heaven) soon.' Clearly, Macmillan was mistaken, but that was not the only unfulfilled expectation he or his fellow Bible Students had.. Consequently, A.H. Macmillan explained later: 'I learned that we should admit our mistakes and continue searching God's Word for more enlightenment. No matter what adjustments we would have to make from time to time in our views, that would not change the gracious provision of the ransom and God's promise of eternal life .. Indeed, God's promises can be trusted! It is humans who are prone to error. Therefore, true Christians will maintain a waiting attitude in obedience to Jesus' command. They will keep awake and ready for Christ's inevitable coming as God's Executioner. They will not allow false predictions to dull their senses and cause them to ignore the true warning of the world's end." {AWAK Jun 22 1995 6-9} [why no mention of Russell's belief in exactly the same thing?]
1914 "There is absolutely no ground for Bible students to question that the consummation of this Gospel age is now even at the door, and that it will end as the Scriptures foretell in a great time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. We see the participants in this great crisis banding themselves together .. The great crisis, the great clash, symbolically represented as a fire, that will consume the ecclesiastical heavens and the social earth, is very near." {WR VI May 1 1914 5450}
1914 "We have no doubt whatever in regard to the chronology relating to the dates of .. 1914, .. It was on this line of reckoning that the dates.. 1914 .. were located; and the Lord has placed the stamp of his seal upon 1914 .. beyond any possibility of erasure. What further evidence do we need?" {WT May 15 1922 150}
1914 "We see no reason for doubting, therefore, that the Times of the Gentiles ended in October, 1914; and that a few more years will witness their utter collapse and the full establishment of God's kingdom in the hands of Messiah." {WR VI Sept 1 1916 5950}
1914 "That the deliverance of the saints must take place some time before 1914 is manifest, since the deliverance of fleshly Israel, as we shall see, is appointed to take place at that time, and the angry nations will then be authoritatively commanded to be still, and will be made to recognize the power of Jehovah's Anointed.. Just how long before 1914 the last living members of the body of Christ will be glorified, we are not directly informed .." {TKIC 228} [In {TKIC 1915 ed 228}, 1914-5 having passed without the predicted events occurring, the following substitutions were unobtrusively made: "some time before" became "very soon after", and "long before 1914" became "long after 1914"!]
1914 "Many of such had been looking for the Lord to come and take them to heaven, and had particularly fixed the year 1914 as when this should be done. The year 1914 was a marked date; but these had merely contemplated something to happen which did not come to pass." {PROP 1,589,000 ed 89}
1914 ".. the battle of the great day of God Almighty.. so great is our confidence in the Word of God and in the light of present truth shining upon it, that we could not have doubted its testimony whatever had been the appearances. The date of the close of that 'battle' is definitely marked in Scripture as October, 1914. It is already in progress, its beginning dating from October, 1874." {ZWT Jan 15 1892 repr 1355}
1914 "As far back as 1880 The Watchtower pointed to A.D. 1914 as the date marking the end of the world, at which time great trouble would come upon the nations; but at that time it was not seen by God's people on earth that the trouble would be the battle of Jehovah against Satan's organization. For many years it was believed by them, and so stated in The Watchtower, that "the time of trouble" would be a terrific clash between the various elements of the earth, such as capital and labor." {WT Feb 1 1938 35}
1914 "The prophecy of the Bible, fully supported by the physical facts in fulfilment thereof, shows that the second coming of Christ dates from the fall of the year 1914." {WHAT} [written in 1932: see next quotation]
1914 "In the year 1943 the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society published the book 'The Truth Shall Make You Free.' In its chapter 11, entitled 'The Count of the Time,' it did away with the insertion of 100 years into the period of the Judges and went according to the oldest and most authentic reading of Acts 13:20, and accepted the spell-out numbers of the Hebrew Scriptures. This moved forward the end of six thousand years of man's existence into the decade of the 1970's. Naturally this did away with the year 1874 C.E. as the date of return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the beginning of his invisible presence or parousia." {GKTY 209} [Claim that 'parousia' change from 1874 to 1914 came only in 1943, not in 1932 in WHAT, when the WTBTS completed a new chronological system, which included moving Jerusalem's destruction from 606 B.C. to 607 B.C.E. to keep the 1914 date while finally accounting for the non-existing zero year. Also see HIS2 133]
1914 "True, it is expecting great things to claim, as we do, that within the coming twenty-six years all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved.. In view of this strong bible evidence concerning the Times of the Gentiles, we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the Kingdom of God, will be accomplished at the end of A.D. 1914 .." {TIAH 1908 ed 98-9}
1914 "We did not say positively that this would be the year." {WT Nov 1 1914 repr 5565} [Failed Prophecy..]
1914 "Even if the time of our change should not come within ten years, what more should we ask? Are we not a blessed, happy people? Is not our God faithful? If anyone knows anything better, let him take it. If any of you ever find anything better, we hope you will tell us." {WT Dec 15 1914 376} [The words of a False Prophet]
1914 – 1918
1914-1918 ".. the years 1914 and 1918 are specially marked dates with reference to his coming." {CREA 289/310}
1914-1918 "Like Elijah of old, they became quite disconsolate, uncertain of life, thinking the end of existence and work was at hand. This was especially the case since the remnant was part of the virgin class espoused to Christ as his Bride and she failed to realize her hopes of being glorified to heavenly life with him both in 1914 and now in 1918." {LYNS 313}
1914-1918 "Ezek. 5:2, 12, 16, 17, relate to features of the destruction of literal Jerusalem in 606 B.C. and 70-73 A.D. and of Christendom in 1914 to 1918 A.D." {TFIM 398}
1915
1915 "The 'battle of the great day of God Almighty' (Rev. 16:14) which will end in A.D. 1915 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership, is already commenced. The gathering of the armies is plainly visible from the standpoint of God's word." {TIAH 1915 ed 101} [original TIAH used "1914" instead of "1915"]
1915 "[C.T.Russell promotes] Dr Park's cure for pneumonia [which] seems to effect a cure every time." {WR 1915 5691}
1915 "In view of this strong Bible evidence concerning the Times of the Gentiles, we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the kingdom of God, will be accomplished near the end of A.D. 1915. {TIAH 1915 ed 99}
1915 "While it's possible that Armageddon may begin next Spring, yet this purely speculation to attempt to say just when. We see, however, that there are parallels between the close of the Jewish age and this Gospel age. These parallels seem to point to the year just before us part particularly the early months." {WR VI Sep 1 1914 5527}
1915 "we consider it an established truth, that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the kingdom of God will be accomplished by A.D. 1915. At that time the prayer of the church, ever since her Lord took his departure, - 'Thy kingdom come' - will be answered; and under its wise and just administration, the whole earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord" {TIAH 1915 ed 99} [Original contains '1914' instead of '1915']
1915 "The Gentile Times prove that the present governments must all be overturned about the close of A.D. 1915; and Parallelism above shows that this period corresponds exactly with the year A.D. 70, which witnessed the completion of the downfall of the Jewish polity." {TIAH 1915 ed 242}
1915 "Furthermore, Science declares that there is a far mightier Center, around which these countless millions of suns revolve, accompanied by their planets and satellites. This great Center seems to be associated with the Pleiades, particularly with Alcyone, the central star of this renowned group. For this reason the suggestion has been made that the Pleiades may represent the Residence of Jehovah, the place from which He governs the Universe. This thought gives new force to the question which the Almighty asked the patriarch Job: "Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth the constellations of the Zodiac in their season?"-- 'Job 38:31,32'. There seem to be fewer stars in the North than in any other part of the heavens. Thus the North seems to have been given a very prominent position, the other points of the compass giving it homage, as it were. This fact was observed by the ancients, as the Prophet Job declares--"He stretcheth out the North over the empty space, and hangeth the earth upon nothing." ('Job 26:7'.) Throughout the Scriptures the North seems to be closely associated with Jehovah's government of the earth. {ZWT Jun 15 1915 185} [This nonsense was a frequent theme - also see TKIC 327, ZWT May 15 1895 repr 1814, ZWT Dec 1 1896 repr 2075, GA Sep 10 1924 793-4. The belief persisted in the Society at the highest levels, long after C.T.Russell's death - see 1927-8 entries. Further, the associated pre-eminence of the North was in line with C.T.Russell's belief that northern (i.e. white) races were likely to be the chief component of the elect Church of the future - see EVOL 30-1 for 1898]
1915 "While the glorified members of the Kingdom beyond the veil are doing a work in shaping the current of present events and preparing for the glorious reign, those on this side of the veil have also an important work." {TKIC 1915 ed 303} [And also "Additionally, such should remember that they themselves, on the other side of the veil, will have still as good an opportunity of watching over the interests of their loved ones as they now have, and a much better opportunity than now to exercise a protecting care over them - a providential guidance in their affairs under divine wisdom, with which they will concur absolutely."
{TNCR 1915 ed 555-6}. So claims from the Society that there is conscious life after death. But "Now Satan knows that his time is very short until the great fight at Armageddon takes place, and he hastens to drive all men into spiritism or devilism and therefore against God; and for that reason at the present time there is a great turning to spiritism and spirit mediums throughout the land." {RICH 101}. So the Society is driven by Satan. And the belief in spirit mediums continues into 1988 - see REVE 125]
1915 "The Battle of Armageddon, to which this war is leading, will be a great contest between right and wrong, and will signify the complete and everlasting overthrow of the wrong, and the permanent establishment of Messiah's righteous kingdom for the blessing of the world.. Our sympathies are broad enough to cover all engaged in the dreadful strife, as our hope is broad enough and deep enough to include all in the great blessings which our Master and his Millennial kingdom are about to bring to the world. {WR VI Apr 1 1915 5659}
1915 "Man's head is shaped differently; therefore he can think of subjects about which the lower animals cannot think.. A man with a head of a given shape cannot think with the same breadth of mind as a man with a better shaped head - a man who is less fallen. Some have lost more, others less, of the original perfection, of the original intelligence, given man in his creation." {WR Jan 15 1915 5611} [Returning to phrenology, belief that shape of the skull and hence the brain determine character - see 1907 and 1913]
1916
1916 "Charles Taze Russell, thou hast, by the Lord, been crowned a king; and through the everlasting ages thy name shall be known amongst the people, and thy enemies shall come and worship at thy feet." {WR Dec 1 1916 6015} [Only God is to be worshipped]
1916 "Thousands of the readers of Pastor Russell's writings believe that he filled the office of 'that faithful and wise servant', and that his great work was giving to the Household of Faith meat in due season. His modesty and humility precluded him from openly proclaiming this title, but he admitted as much in private conversation." {WT Dec 1 1916 357}
1916 "We must make the distinction between Brother Russell as a creature and his official capacity as 'that
servant' of the Master to
give out the 'meat in due season.' To disregard the Message would mean to disregard the Lord." {WR Dec 15 1916 6024}
1917
1917 "... the Lord's faithful and wise steward, Pastor Russell." {TFIM 418}
1917 "The present great war in Europe is the beginning of the Armageddon of the Scriptures (Rev 19:1620). It will eventuate in the complete overthrow of all the systems of error which have so long oppressed the people of God and deluded the world. We believe the present war cannot last much longer until revolutions shall break out." {PRSS 676}
1917 "Following the election Brother Rutherford, addressing the meeting, said in part: 'The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is the greatest corporation in the world, because from the time of its organization until now the lord has used it as his channel through which to make known the glad tidings..'" {WT Jan 15 1917 22}
1917 "The Scriptures indicate that Russell was chosen of the Lord from his birth. The two most prominent messengers were Paul and Pastor Russell. Russell is the servant of Matthew 24:45-47." {WR Nov 1 1917 6159}
1917 "No doubt Satan believed the Millennial Kingdom was due to be set-up in 1915" {TFIM 128} [So did the Society]
1917 "[In Revelation] Abaddon-Apollyon [refers to] Satan" {TFIM} [But according to TFMG 232, it refers to Jesus Christ!]
1917 "Thou wilt lengthen out leviathan (the locomotive) with a hook (automatic coupler) and a snare (coupling-pin) which will cause his tongue (coupling-link) to drop down." {TFIM 84-6} [Biblical reference to Leviathan is fulfilled by the arrival of the Locomotive Engine]
1918
1918 "The parallel, therefore, would establish definitely that the harvest would close forty years thereafter; to wit, in the spring of A.D. 1918. If this is true, and the evidence is very conclusive that it is true, then we have only a few months in which to labor before the great night settles down when no man can work." {WR Oct 1 1917 6149}
1918 "The data presented.. in the light of the foregoing Scriptures, prove that the Spring of 1918 will bring upon Christendom a spasm of anguish greater even than that experienced in the Fall of 1914 .. The travail that is coming is to be upon nominal Zion - 'Christendom' .. 'Babylon'; and it will be a great and sore affliction- 'A Time of Trouble such as was not since there was a nation.'" {TFIM 62}
1918 "Comments on Revelation 11:13 .. We anticipate that the 'earthquake' will occur early in 1918" {TFIM 178}
1918 "Pastor Russell's mission, in large part, was to advise Christendom of its impending end, in the time of world-wide trouble. It is the Divine judgment upon the nations.. There will be no chance of escaping from destruction, through the nations.. The trouble is due to the dawning of the Day of Christ, the Millennium. It is the Day of Vengeance .. which will break like a furious morning storm in 1918." {TFIM 404}
1918 "[Since] "the death of the apostles .. the gospel of the kingdom of God and of his Christ was not preached until after 1918 A.D." {WT Dec 1 1928 364} [thereby cutting off all of C.T.Russell's work!]
1918 ".. He was from then [1878] on, culminating in 1918, to remove it with a stroke or plague of erroneous doctrines and deeds Divinely permitted. The Church was the strength of Christendom, that about which its life centered, and around which its institutions were built. It was the desire of the eyes of the people, that which all Christians loved. Nevertheless, God was to make manifest the profanation which ecclesiasticism had made of the Christian Church, and to cause the church organizations to become to Him as one dead, an unclean thing, not to be touched, or mourned. And the 'children of the church' shall perish by the sword of war, revolution and anarchy, and by the Sword of the Spirit be made to see that they have lost their hope of life on the spirit plane - that 'the door is shut.'" {TFIM 484}
1918 "The Holy Spirit was taken away in 1918 when Jesus came to the Temple" {SALV 216-7}
1918 "The Book of Ruth [is] prophetic" {PRES 169/175-6} [But was "not prophetical" according to WR Nov 15 1902 3110]
1918 "By his spirit, the holy spirit, Jehovah God guides or leads his people up to a certain point of time, and thus he did until the time when 'the comforter' was taken away, which would necessarily occur when Jesus, the Head of his organization, came to the temple and gathered unto himself those whom he found faithful when he, as the great Judge, began his judgment, in 1918." {PRES 193-4}
1918 "[False religion, especially Christendom, to be destroyed. Demons would enter the minds of clergy, the] swine class [causing them to do stupid things that provokes] the masses [to destroy them] .. It seems conclusive that the hour of Nominal Zion's travail is fixed for the Passover of 1918. (See Rev. 3:14.) That will be 7 years prior to 1925. At that time there is every reason to believe the fallen angels will invade the minds of many of the Nominal Church people, driving them to exceedingly unwise conduct and leading to their destruction at the hands of the enraged masses, who will later be dragged to the same fate.. [Question]
'in the parallel year 1918, I infer we should look for the complete overthrow of nominal Spiritual Israel; i.e., the fall of Babylon. (Rev. 18.) [Answer] Brother Russell replied: 'Exactly. That is exactly the inference to draw.'" {TFIM 128-9}
1918 "Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the downfall of 'Christianity'." {TFIM 485}
1918 "The natural harvest was used by the Lord to illustrate his harvest of Christians. In the Jewish natural harvest it was customary to glean the field after the regular harvest was over. We should therefore expect to find a harvest period .. to 1918, and thereafter for a time a gleaning work to be done, which we will indicate." {TFIM 236} [Written in 1917 to extend the period claimed to end in 1918]
1918 "The Jewish harvest covered a period of forty years, ending in A.D. 73. We should expect, then, the general harvest of the gospel age to end in 1918." {THOG 236}
1918 "It is on the basis of such and so many correspondencies - in accordance with the soundest laws known to science - that we affirm that, Scripturally, scientifically, and historically, present-truth chronology is correct beyond a doubt. Its reliability has been abundantly confirmed by the dates and events of .. 1918. Present-truth chronology is a secure basis on which the consecrated child of God may endeavor to search out things to come." {WT Jun 15 1922 187}
1918 "And when the year 1914 ended amid the flames of World War I and the remnant of spiritual Israel found themselves still here on the earth, then they were inclined to think that they would be glorified in the year 1918, three and a half years after the end of the Gentile Times." {MSWD 136}
1918 "We have no doubt whatever in regard to the chronology relating to the dates of .. 1918, .. It was on this line of reckoning that the dates.. 1918 were located; and the Lord has placed the stamp of his seal upon .. 1918 beyond any possibility of erasure. What further evidence do we need?" {WT May 15 1922 150}
1918 "As the fleshly-minded apostates from Christianity, siding with the radicals and revolutionaries, will rejoice at the inheritance of desolation that will be Christendom's after 1918, so will God do to the successful revolutionary movement; it shall be utterly desolated, 'even all of it.'" {TFIM 542}
1918 "In accordance with the resolution of Congress of April 2nd, and with the proclamation of the President of the United States of May 11, it is suggested that the Lord's people everywhere make May 30th a day of prayer and supplication. God was graciously pleased to cause this nation to be formed and to grow under the most favorable conditions in the world for the preservation of liberty, civil and religious. This is the land divinely 'shadowed with wings' - overshadowed by the providential watchcare of God's Word - where God has lifted up an ensign on the mountain (kingdom), and where he has blown the trumpet message of the truth.." {WT Jan 6 1918 174} [Worse still, an "ensign" is a "flag"]
1918 - 1919
1918-1919 "The preservation of the remnant of spiritual new creation to the end of World War I in 1918 and their being kept alive in the flesh in the postwar year of 1919 came as a wondrous surprise." {WT Sep 1 1989 13}