One of the most misleading statements in Watchtower publications is that they accurately foretold 1914 to be the ‘start’ of the conclusion of the system of things. The Awake! 1973 January 22 p.8 claims “… Jehovah's witnesses pointed to the year 1914, decades in advance, as marking the start of "the conclusion of the system of things.”

1914 was consistently predicted to be the ‘end’ of the system of things. Zion’s Watch Tower 1894 July 15 p.227 had predicted “that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble."

The contradictory statements above raise two critical questions;  

• What did the Watchtower predict for 1914?
• Is the Watchtower honest in presentation of its history?

History of Watchtower Date Doctrine

Russell took his date doctrine from the Second Adventists. Almost the entire body of Russell’s date teachings have been discontinued. Russell believed that the Last Days started in 1799, that Jesus started ruling in 1874 and that Armageddon would arrive in 1914.

After the failure of all Watchtower expectations for 1914 the chronology that Russell presented became less and less relevant. Starting in 1930 Rutherford replaced virtually every end time date of Russell. Finally in 1943 a concise new set of end time date doctrine was presented.

God’s Kingdom on a Thousand Years Has Approached p 209 shows; “In the year 1943 the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society published the book “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” …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. …Page 324 of the above book positively says: “The King’s presence or parousia began in 1914.””

1799

Creation (1927) p.293 “Napoleon began this Egyptian campaign in 1798, finished it, and then returned to France on October 1, 1799. The campaign is briefly, yet graphically described in the prophecy, verses 40-44; and its being completed in 1799 marks, according to the prophet's own words, the beginning of "the time of the end….Twelve hundred and sixty years from 539 A.D. brings us to 1799, which is another proof that 1799 definitely marks the beginning of "the time of the end." This also shows that it is from the date 539 A.D. that the other prophetic days of Daniel must be counted.”

1874

Prophecy (1929) p.65“The scriptural proof is that the second presence of the Lord Jesus Christ began in 1874 A.D.”  

1878

Explanation of Chart Representing the Plan of the Ages “The Resurrection Of The Sleeping Saints—8
"In the year 1878, the dead in Christ were resurrected, as shown by number 8. It was time for them to be engaged in kingdom work. In that same year a call was issued for the saints on this side of the "veil" to come out of Babylon. The 1845 years of fleshly Israel's disfavor ended in 1878.”

1881

Explanation of Chart Representing the Plan of the Ages “The General Call To The High Calling Ceased—9
"Even though the general call ceased in 1881, the door to the high calling remains open, as shown by number 9. However, it is only when one who is spirit begotten has to be replaced, (on account of being overcharged with the cares of this world, or sinful living, or loss of faith), that one, desirous of doing the Father's will, is invited to enter the narrow way as a replacement. The door to the high calling will remain open until the bride has made herself ready.”

Watchtower quotes prior to 1914

1914 was to be the final of many dates for Russell, the conclusion of matters. Armageddon would begin, resulting in the wholesale destruction of all government and religion. Russell and his followers were to be raised to heaven and Jesus Kingdom would then be established as paradise on earth. Nothing that Russell said about 1914 has come to pass.  

Armageddon ended

Zion’s Watch Tower 1892 January 15 p.23 “… the battle of the great day of God Almighty… 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.”  

Jesus ruling earth, Government overthrown

Studies In the Scriptures Series II - The Time Is at Hand (1889) pp.77, 78 claimed seven things would happen in 1914. The following statements are extracted from that list. Not one of these things occurred;

1. “the disintegration of the rule of imperfect men. … at that date 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.”
2.  He whose right it is thus to take the dominion will then be 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;
3. the last member of the divinely recognized Church of Christ, the “royal priesthood,” “the body of Christ,” will beglorified with the Head;
4. Jerusalem shall no longer be trodden down
5. Israel’s blindness will begin to be turned away
6. 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
7. It will prove that before that date God’s Kingdom, organized in power, will be in the earth and then smite and crush the Gentile image (Dan. 2:34)—and fully consume the power of these kings.”

Not one of these seven events eventuated.  

Studies In the Scriptures Series II - The Time Is At Hand (1889) pp.99, 101  “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…. Be not surprised, then, when in subsequent chapters we present proofs that the setting up of the Kingdom of God is already begun, that it is pointed out in prophecy as due to begin the exercise of power in A.D. 1878, and that the "battle of the great day of God Almighty" (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 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.”  

Studies In the Scriptures Series IV – The Day of Vengeance (1897) -pp.546, 547 “…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 [very shortly].”  

Religion Utterly Destroyed

Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World (1877) p.143  “The seventh trumpet sounds from Aug. 1840, until "the time of trouble," or day of wrath is ended. Hence, it doubtless ends with the times of the Gentiles, and this forty years of conquest; and therefore, sounds until A. D. 1914; at the end of which, Babylon the great, will have fallen, and the "dragon" be bound: that is, the nations will be subdued, and "the prince of this world cast out."”  

Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come (1891) p.153 “A.D. 33, to A.D. 70 was 36 ½ years; and so from A.D. 1878 to the end of A.D. 1914 is 36 ½ years. And, with the end of A.D. 1914, what God calls Babylon, and what men call Christendom, will have passed away, as already shown in prophecy.”  

Watch Tower 1911 June 15 p.190 “October, 1914, will witness the full end of Babylon, “as a great millstone cast into the sea,” utterly destroyed as a system.”  

Harvest work complete

Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come p.135 “HARVEST” is a term which gives a general idea as to what work should be expected to transpire between the dates 1874 and 1914.”  

Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come pp.149-150 “These, already examined, show that the close of 1874 marked the beginning, as the close of 1914 will mark the end, of this 40 years of harvest; while all the minutiae of the order and work of this harvest were portrayed in that of the Jewish age, its type.”  

Resurrection due

Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World (1877) p.166 “And yet "Jerusalem must be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled;" hence, trodden down until A. D. 1914, when the day of wrath will be passed, and the resurrection and return of the "whole house of Israel" due.”  

1915

When the world did not end October 1914 Watchtower publications predicted that it would be 1915 instead. 1915 editions of the 1889 book The Time Is At Hand were amended by changing 1914 to 1915. For instance p.242 stated “The "Gentile Times" prove that the present governments must all be overturned about the close of 1915 A.D.”

How the Watchtower presents its history

The Watchtower uses the Bible Student’s foresight of 1914 as proof of Jehovah’s direction. Can this be true, knowing how wrong Watchtower predictions were? The Watchtower goes as far as to claim that all along they were correct about 1914.  

God's Eternal Purpose Now Triumphing For Man's Good (1974) pp.178-179 “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.”  

Yearbook 1975 p.37 “Even earlier, however, C. T. Russell wrote an article entitled "Gentile Times: When Do They End?" It was published in the Bible Examiner of October 1876, and therein Russell said: "The seven times will end in A.D. 1914." He had correctly linked the Gentile Times with the "seven times" mentioned in the book of Daniel. (Dan. 4:16, 23, 25, 32) True to such calculations, 1914 did mark the end of those times and the birth of God's kingdom in heaven with Christ Jesus as king. Just think of it! Jehovah granted his people that knowledge nearly four decades before those times expired.”   

Watchtower 1952 November 1 p.658 “As for the time of Christ’s second presence, Daniel’s prophecy is again the one that gives the chronology for it. (Dan. 4:16) It was figured out as pointing to A.D. 1914, and The Watchtower called notice to the significance of 1914 in the year 1879.”  

Watchtower 1954 June 15 p.370 “Why, then, do the nations not realize and accept the approach of this climax of judgment? It is because they have not heeded the world wide advertising of Christ’s return and his second Presence. Since long before World War I Jehovah’s witnesses pointed to 1914 as the time for this great event to occur.”   

Watchtower 1966 February 15 p.103 “For over thirty years before that date and for half a century since, Jehovah’s witnesses have pointed to the year 1914 as the time for the end of “the appointed times of the nations” and the time in which Christ would begin his Kingdom rule. (Luke 21:24)”   

Watchtower 1993 January 15 pp.5,9 “The Watchtower has consistently presented evidence…that Jesus’ presence in heavenly Kingdom power began in 1914. Events since that year testify to Jesus’ presence. … Jehovah’s Witnesses have consistently shown from the Scriptures that the year 1914 marked the beginning of this world’s time of the end and that “the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men” has drawn near.”  

Watchtower 1998 September 15 p.15 “…a prophecy providentially caused sincere 19th-century Bible students to be in expectation. By linking the “seven times” of Daniel 4:25 with “the times of the Gentiles”, they anticipated that Christ would receive Kingdom power in 1914. “   

Can the Watchtower be trusted knowing that it consistently made false predications about 1914 for over 30 years? Can they be trusted knowing that it now blatantly lies about what it said was to happen in 1914?

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