What years did the WTBTS society prophesy Armaggedon would come?

From Randy Watters Watchers of the Watchtower World (awesome JWD poster Focus also has a list of failed watchtower dates):

Spiritual Food at the Proper Time
"For over a century, delightful, correct words of truth covering every aspect of life have been presented in the Watch Tower Society's publications .." the Watchtower, December 15 1990, p. 26

List of prophecies, predictions and claims made by THE WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY (WTBTS), the official organisation of JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, which actively preaches that it is God's sole chosen representative on earth. All quotations are fair and direct, and taken from Watchtower publications only.

buy this in book form here

Key & list of abbreviations used

part I : 1776 - 1913

part II : 1914 - 1924

part III: 1925 - 1974

part IV : 1975 - 2000 and beyond

part I : 1776 - 1913

1776

1776 "And this long persecution, in which 'many were purified and made white and tried,' and in which the Mother of Harlots was 'drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus' (Rev. 17:6) ended as we have already shown, practically in 1776.." {BATT 584} [Also see 1799]

1780

1780 "signs in sun, moon and stars [of] Matthew 24:29" {WR Jan 1885 711}

1780 "Are these signs to be regarded as literal or as symbolic? and have they yet been fulfilled? We answer that they have had a literal fulfilment, and are now having a symbolic fulfilment much more momentous. On May 19, 1780 (still 'in those days,' the 1260 years of Papal power, but after that power had begun to wane and the brunt of the tribulation had passed) a phenomenal darkening of the sun occurred, for which scientists of that time and since have never been able to account.. This unaccountable day, except as a sign from the Lord, is reckoned to have extended over 320,000 square miles - an area about twenty-five times the size of Palestine, to which the signs of the first advent were limited. Indeed, the fact that these signs were chiefly confined to the New England and Middle States need not surprise us, when we remember that the first movement amongst the 'Virgins'* (Matt. 25:1-5) was chiefly in the same locality. And that God should use the 'land of liberty' for sending the message of these signs to the world, is no more wonderful than that he has been pleased to send from the same quarter many of the modern blessings and inventions and lessons, recognized by the whole world, and aptly emblemized by the gift of the great French artist, Bartholdi, to New York harbor - the statue of 'Liberty Enlightening the World.'" {BATT 585-8}

1798

1798 "Start of 'the last days'" [i.e. after the end of 1260 days of Rev 12.] {HOTW 1147

1798 - 1799

1798-99 "Having thus furnished grounds for establishing the identity of this character (Napoleon), whose deeds mark the beginning of the 'Time of the End,' the prophecy proceeds to show which particular event of that time is to be understood as definitely marking the exact date of the beginning of the 'Time of the End.' This event is shown to be Napoleon's invasion of Egypt, which covered a period of a year and nearly five months. He sailed May, 1798 and, returning, landed in France Oct. 9, 1799. This campaign is graphically described in a few words in verses 40-44. Verse 40: 'And at the (fixed) Time of the End shall the king of the South (Egypt) fight against him, and the king of the North (England) shall come against him like a tempest, with chariots and with horsemen (the Egyptian Mamelukes, etc.) and with a great navy. (The English forces consisted of a navy under Admiral Nelson.) And he (Napoleon) shall enter into the countries, and shall destroy and pass through (victoriously).'" {TKIC 44-5}

1798-99 "Napoleon began this Egyptian campaign in 1798, finished it and returned to France on October 1, 1799. The campaign is briefly, yet graphically, described in the prophecy, verses 40 to 44 (Daniel 11:40-44); and being completed in 1799 marks, according to the Prophet's own words, the beginning of the 'time of the end'" {THOG 228-9, CREA 293}

1799

1799 "After the three and a half years, 1260 days, when Elijah returned from the wilderness, the errors of Jezebel's priests were manifested, the true God was honored, and copious rains followed. 1 Kings 18:41-45. At the end of 1260 years the power of the truth and its witnesses was manifested (A.D. 1799)" {TIAH 256}

1799 ".. this great apostasy or falling away mentioned by Paul has come, and that this Man of Sin has been developed, has sat 'in the temple of God' (the real, not the typical), has fulfilled all the predictions of the apostles and prophets concerning his character, work, etc., has been revealed, and now, since A.D. 1799, is being consumed by the spirit of the Lord's mouth (the truth), and will be utterly destroyed during this day of the Lord's wrath and revelation with flaming fire of retribution, already beginning." {TIAH 272-3}

1799 "Henceforth we deal with the Antichrist, whose gradual development and organization from secretly working ambition are a fitting prelude to the terrible character displayed after the coveted power had been grasped - from 539 A.D. to 1799 A.D., 1260 years." {TIAH 296}

1799 "1799 .. start of 'the last days'" {WR Jan/Feb 1889 1093}

1799 "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.. Though our information pointing out the date of this period is furnished in Daniel's prophecy, we know that he understood nothing at all concerning it, as he said: 'I heard, but I understood not.' (Dan. 12:8). In answer to his anxious inquiries he was told that the words were closed up and sealed until the Time of the End. It follows, therefore, that no one could understand the prophecy before 1799 .. But 1799 was only the beginning of the period known as 'the Time of the End,' within the limits of which every vestige of that system shall pass away.. We have thus shown that 1799 began the period called the Time of the End; that in this time Papacy is to be consumed piece-meal" {TKIC 23-4/48/59} [Did every vestige even of the Papacy pass away in 1914?]

1799 "The length of time this persecution was to continue is not stated here, except that it will be concluded as appointed, at the Time of the End. From other scriptures we learn that it was a period of 1260 years, which ended with A.D. 1799, a date prominently noted by Daniel and the Revelator as well as in history." {TKIC 38}

1799 ".. the Lord's little flock of consecrated followers, now living, enjoy greater enlightenment than was ever the privilege of any of their forerunners; for in this period all the rays of prophetic testimony reach a grand focus, illuminating to the eye of faith the plan of God, including its developments, past, present and future. Since the beginning (1799) of the Time of the End, God has been preparing his consecrated 'holy people,' his 'Sanctuary,' for the great blessings he intended to pour upon them during these forty years of harvest: which blessings are also intended as special preparation for their entering with Christ into full joy and joint-heirship with him, as his bride. At the exact 'time appointed,' 1799, the end of the 1260 days, the power of the Man of Sin, the great oppressor of the Church, was broken, and his dominion taken away. With one stroke of his mighty hand, God there struck off Zion's fetters, and bade the oppressed go free. And forth came, and are coming, the 'Sanctuary' class, the 'holy people,' weak, and halt, and lame, and almost naked, and blind, from the dungeon darkness and filth and misery of papal bondage. Poor souls! they had been trying to serve God faithfully in the very midst of the lurid flames of persecution, clinging to the cross of Christ when almost every other truth had been swept away, and courageously endeavoring to emancipate God's 'Two Witnesses' (the Old and New Testaments), which had so long been bound, and which had prophesied only under the sackcloth of dead languages. 'Rev. 11:3'. In his wisdom, God did not overpower them with the great flood of light now granted to the saints..." {TKIC 122-3} [The last sentence means, it was all hidden - predicting events which cannot be verified is relatively safe! TIAH 256 and WR Apr 1880 87 have the same theme]

1799 "The predicted Man of Sin, the Antichrist, has also made his appearance, and accomplished his long and terrible reign; and at the exact 'time appointed' (1799) his dominion was taken away. The cleansing of the sanctuary was also accomplished as predicted." {TKIC 129}

1799 "At the end of 1260 years the power of the truth and its witnesses was manifested (A.D. 1799) .. The saints will be changed from earthly to heavenly conditions.. The present little season, before the storm-cloud bursts upon the world, is a most favorable time for the work of the Elijah class, and corresponds to the successful days of both Elijah and John." {TIAH 256-7}

1799 "We have noted the fulfilment of the 1,260 days, or the time, times and half a time, of Papacy's power to persecute, and the beginning there, in 1799, of the Time of the End." {TKIC 306}

1799 "The Papal dominion (and much of the abject reverence of the people for ecclesiasticism in general), as already shown, was broken down at the beginning of the Time of the End - 1799; and, though the subsequent process of consumption has been slow, and there have been occasional signs of apparent recovery, which never seemed more flattering than at present .." {BATT 37}

1799 "The fact is that the entire Gospel age has been a period of tribulation referred to in Matt. 24:9-12, and now in verse 29. (1) The early Church was persecuted by civil Rome, while later, when Papal Rome got control, all who refused to approve her abominations were persecuted by her (Jezebel) directly, or indirectly by the civil powers to which she was wedded (Ahab). And they were given into her power, and she wore out the saints of the Most High for a time, times and a half time - 1260 years - until A.D. 1799. And this long persecution, in which 'many were purified and made white and tried,' and in which the Mother of Harlots was 'drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus' (Rev. 17:6) ended as we have already shown, practically in 1776 and actually in 1799 when the Pope and his authority were humiliated before the World." {BATT 584}

1799 "'The time of the end' embraces a period from 1799 A.D. to the time of the complete overthrow of Satan's empire and the establishment of the kingdom of Messiah." {CREA 319}

1799 "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." {CREA 294}

1799 "'The time of the end' embraces a period from 1799 A.D." {THOG 236}

1799 "The time of the end is from 1799.." {WT Nov 1 1922 333/346}

1799 "The indisputable facts, therefore, show that the "time of the end" began in 1799 .." {WT Mar 1 1922}

1799 "In Biblical symbology a time means a year of twelve months of thirty days each, or 360 days. Each day is considered for a year .. Here are mentioned, then, three and a half times of 360 prophetic days each, or a total of 1260 prophetic days, equal to 1260 years. The Prophet then was shown that 1260 years would mark the beginning of the time of the end of this beastly order. Twelve-hundred sixty years from A.D. 539 brings us to 1799 - another proof that 1799 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." {THOG 229-30}

1799 "Some Roman Catholics have claimed that Jesus Christ's thousand Year Reign ended in 1799 when French armies captured Rome and deposed the pope as its ruler, so that he was deported as a prisoner to France, where he died." {WT Sep 1 1989 12}

1800

1800 "As, prior to the year 800, Papacy was rising, supported by the Roman 'beast' (people) and by its 'horns' (powers), so since 1800 it has been cast off from temporal authority over kings and peoples, and has been torn and pillaged by those who formerly gave it support. (Rev. 17:16,17)" {TIAH 354-5}

1829

1829 [End of the 1290 years (from 539 A.D.) of Daniel 12:11, when W.Miller's movement started.] {TFIM 40/60/163, OLOR 27}

1829 "Though our information pointing out the date of this period is furnished in Daniel's prophecy, we know that he understood nothing at all concerning it, as he said: 'I heard, but I understood not.' ('Dan. 12:8') In answer to his anxious inquiries he was told that the words were closed up and sealed until the Time of the End. It follows, therefore, that no one could understand the prophecy before 1799; and before leaving the subject we shall show that the prophecy indicates that it would not begin to be understood before 1829 .. We have seen how the 1,290 days marked the beginning of an understanding of the mysteries of prophecy in the year 1829." {TKIC 24/306}

1829 "And note, further, that both of these measures are given in answer to Daniel's question as to what would occur to God's holy ones after their power (the truth) would be released from Papal crushing, (that is, after 1799), and before the setting up of the kingdom of Messiah - Michael. The reply in substance is that Daniel need not hope to understand further, but that in thirty years after the beginning of the Time of the End (1260 + 30 = 1290), a purifying, cleansing, refining work would begin among the holy people, in connection with which an understanding of the prophecy would be granted to the wise among this tried, cleansed, separated class; yet the knowledge would be so communicated that the ungodly and unpurified would not receive or believe it. It was shown, further, that the right understanding of the vision would be far from complete or full; in fact it would be deficient in some of its chief elements until 45 years later (1290 + 45 = 1335), or 75 years after the beginning of the Time of the End, A.D. 1799 (1260 + 75 = 1335). This is clearly indicated by the Hebrew text, which represents the matter as though the watchers, who already have seen something, and are waiting patiently, would suddenly (when '1335 days' had passed) get a full, clear view, far beyond their expectations. 'Oh! the blessedness of him!'. Reckoning from A.D. 539, the 1290 symbolic days ended in 1829 .. A religious movement .. generally known as 'Second Adventists' and 'Millerites,' .. began about 1829.. Thus it will be seen that the separating work of the 'Miller movement' had its beginning at the time foretold - at the end of the 1290 days, 1829." {TKIC 83-4/88}

1829 " Those who choose might without inconsistency say that the century or generation might as properly reckon from the last sign, the falling of the stars, as from the first, the darkening of the sun and moon: and a century beginning 1833 would be still far from run out. Many are living who witnessed the star-falling sign. Those who are walking with us in the light of present truth are not looking for things to come which are already here, but are waiting for the consummation of matters already in progress. Or, since the Master said, 'When ye shall see all these things,' and since 'the sign of the Son of Man in heaven,' and the budding fig tree, and the gathering of 'the elect' are counted among the signs, it would not be inconsistent to reckon the 'generation' from 1878 to 1914 - 36 1/2 years - about the average of human life today." {BATT 604-5} ["the genea of 1833"]

1829 "This message concerning Michael's Kingdom, gradually opening from 1829 onward, is symbolically represented in the book of 'Revelation (chap. 10:2,8-10)' as a 'little book,' which the 'wise' of the 'holy people,' represented by John, are instructed to eat" {TKIC 89}

1833

1833 "signs in sun, moon and stars [of] Matthew 24:29" [had their fulfillment in a mysterious event in 1833] {WR Jan 1885 711}

1833 "Half a century passed before the next sign appeared, the falling of the stars from heaven, as when a fig tree casteth her unripe fruit when shaken of a mighty wind. Our Lord's words found a fulfilment (though not their complete and only fulfilment, as we shall see later) in the wonderful meteoric showers of the early morning of Nov. 13, 1833. Those inclined to quibble by urging that 'the fixed stars did not fall' are reminded that our Lord said nothing about fixed stars falling, and that fixed stars could not fall: their falling would prove that they were not fixed. the event of 1833 seems to have accomplished the purpose of the sign; and indeed, in connection with the preceding sign, it evidently had considerable to do with the first arousing of the Virgins to meet the Bridegroom, prophesied in the next chapter. Matt. 25:1-5.. these literal signs served their designed purpose in drawing general attention to the Time of the End" {BATT 589-91}

1840

1840 "We need not here repeat the evidences that the 'seventh trump' began its sounding A.D. 1840, and will continue until the end of the time of trouble" {ZWT Nov 1880 1}

1844

1844 "But in each case only a few are able to recognize the Deliverer and enlist under his banner in the service of the truth. In the Jewish harvest, there was a going forth of many to meet the Lord when all men 'were in expectation' of him (Luke 3:15), at the time of his birth, thirty years before his anointing as Messiah at the beginning of his ministry; and so there was a corresponding expectation and movement on the part of many (afterward called Adventists) led mainly by a Baptist brother named William Miller, in this country, and by Mr. Wolff and others in Europe and Asia. This culminated in the year A.D. 1844, just thirty years before A.D. 1874, when Christ the Bridegroom and Reaper actually came, as shown by the Jubilee's teaching. In this we find another striking time-parallel between these ages; for those thirty years corresponded exactly to the thirty years from the birth of the babe Jesus unto Messiah the Anointed - baptized, and introduced as Bridegroom and Reaper, at the age of thirty. Matt. 3:11; John 3:29. In both cases there was a disappointment and a tarrying-time of thirty years, during which all slumbered, and only a few in each case awakened at the proper time to a realization of Messiah's presence. The great nominal mass in both houses fail to recognize the visitation, because overcharged and lukewarm, neglecting the command to take heed and watch. Thus will be fulfilled the prediction by the Prophet --'He shall be for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel.' ('Isa. 8:14') The fleshly house stumbled because they had made void the law of God through giving attention to traditions ('Mark 7:9,13'), and so had not a proper conception of the manner and object of the first advent. For that reason they were unprepared to receive him in the way he did come, and so stumbled over him and his work of sacrifice." {TIAH 240-1, also references in WR Oct 1879 3941, TKIC 84}

1846

1846 "Then, 1810 years (prophetic, symbolic days) must be the measure from the close of the seventy weeks to the time when the Sanctuary class will be cleansed from the various defilements of Papacy--the desolating abomination which has for so many centuries defiled the temple of God. The death of Messiah, as shown, was in the spring of A.D. 33; and this was the midst or middle of the last week of the seventy, the full end of which was therefore a half week, or three and a half years later--in the autumn of A.D. 36. Therefore, 1810 years from the autumn of A.D. 36, viz., the autumn of 1846, marks the end of the vision of the 2300 days, and the date when the Sanctuary was due to be cleansed. This prophecy being fulfilled, we should expect, in this as in other cases of fulfilled prophecy, to find the facts proving its fulfilment clearly set forth on the pages of history; for, though historians are often unbelievers in the Bible and the God of the Bible, yet, unknown to them, God has overruled their work, so that wherever a prophecy has been fulfilled, the facts have unmistakably passed into history, and always on good and reliable authority. And so it has been in this case of the cleansing of the Sanctuary." {TKIC 107-8}

1846 "We have marked, too, the fixed dates to which the Prophet Daniel calls attention. The 2,300 days point to 1846 as the time when God's sanctuary would be cleansed of the defiling errors and principles of Papacy; and we have noted the cleansing there accomplished." {TKIC 305-6}

1846 [Start of] "spiritistic" "evangelical alliance" [between protestant churches.] {TFIM 163}

1846 "Although the Evangelical Alliance was organized in 1846, it has not been able to accomplish its purpose, because it did not know how to operate." {BATT 9}

1872

1872 "In this chapter we present the Bible evidence which indicates that six thousand years from the creation of Adam were complete with A.D. 1874; and hence that, since A.D. 1872, we are chronologically entered upon the seventh thousand or the Millennium - the forepart of which, the 'Day of the Lord,' the 'day of trouble,' is to witness the breaking into pieces of the kingdoms of this world and the establishment of the Kingdom of God under the whole heavens." {TIAH 1913 ed 33}

1872 "THERE ARE EVIDENCES THAT - Six thousand Years from Adam ended in A.D. 1872." {DPOA A17}

1872 "No, they are not accidental: undoubtedly the same all-wise One who taught us through the Chronology that six thousand years from Adam's creation ended with A.D. 1872, and that the seventh thousand, the Millennial age, began there; who through the Jubilee cycles taught us that the Lord would be present and the Times of Restitution begin in the fall of 1874; and who through the Times of the Gentiles showed us that we must not expect these things to be done in haste, but by seemingly natural means covering a period of forty years, has in these Parallel Dispensations marked by Israel's 'double' given us evidence which not only itself teaches clearly the Lord's presence, the harvest and the restitution (beginning with favor to fleshly Israel), but at the same time furnishes a proof of the correctness of the other prophetic evidences and of the Chronology. For be it distinctly noticed that if the Chronology, or any of these time-periods, be changed but one year, the beauty and force of this parallelism are destroyed. For instance, if the Chronology be altered but one year, more or less - if we add one year, say to the period of the Kings or the Judges, or if we make it one year less - it would spoil the parallelism. If we should add one year it would make the first of Israel's periods 1846 years long, and the double or other half of it would thus be thrown one year later, while, on the contrary, by such a change of the Chronology the Jubilee cycles would be thrown one year earlier, i.e., A.D. 1873; and it would make the 6000 years end in A.D. 1871, while the Gentile Times would not be affected by it at all. All can see that the harmony or parallelism would thus be utterly destroyed. Or, if one year should be deducted from the chronological reckoning the confusion would be just as great, the changes to the several periods being in an opposite direction. Thus these various time prophecies corroborate each other, while the parallelism of the two dispensations clinches their testimony." {TIAH 241-2} [So exactly A.D. 1872 is.. it]

1872 ".. the exact Bible Chronology points to October 1872 as the beginning of the seventh thousand years, or Millennium .." {TKIC 1905 ed 127}

1872 ".. six thousand years from the creation of Adam .. ended with the Jewish year which began in the autumn of A.D. 1872, and we are, therefore, already in 'the great day of the Lord'; or seventh thousand." {HOTW 67}

1872 "We are already living in the seventh millennium - since October 1872." {TIAH 1915 ed 363}

1872 "Six thousand Years from Adam ended in A.D. 1872." {DHMB 6 from end}

1872- 1873

1872-3 ".. showing the year 1872 A.D. to be the year of the world 6000, and 1873 A.D. the commencement of the seventh thousand-year period, the seventh millennium .." {TIAH 1913 ed 53-4}

1872-3 "Here we furnish the evidence that from the creation of Adam to (but not including) A.D. 1873 was six thousand years. And though the Bible contains no direct statement that the seventh thousand will be the epoch of Christ's reign, the great Sabbath Day of restitution to the world, yet the venerable tradition is not without a reasonable foundation." {TIAH 39} [the venerable tradition referred to is of a a Lutheran minister from Philadelphia named Joseph A. Seiss, editor of The Prophetic Times, in whose Jan 1870 issue Vol VIII No 1 p 12-3 appears "1870 brings us to the commencement of the Seventh Thousand of the years since the present world began .. We lay no great stress upon the arithmetic of prophecy; because the starting-points, as well as many of the integers of the calculations, lack in certainty.. It has been a very old, and a very widely accredited theory, that the world, of which Adam was the beginning, is to continue 6000 years in its secular, ailing and toiling condition; and that the seventh thousand is to be one of glorious sabbatic rest, ushered in by the winding up of this present age or dispensation."]

1873 [Six thousand Years of man's existence ends in A.D. 1873] {WR Apr 1880 88}

1873 "Here we furnish the evidence that from the creation of Adam to A.D. 1873 was six thousand years. And though the Bible contains no direct statement that the seventh thousand will be the epoch of Christ's reign, the great Sabbath Day of restitution to the world, yet the venerable tradition is not without reasonable foundation.. If, then, the seventh thousand-year period of earth's history be an epoch specially noted as the period of Christ's reign, we shall, by showing that it began in A.D. 1873, be proving that we are already in it." {TIAH 1915 ed 39-40}

1873 "Thus the Word of God corrects the few slight errors which have crept into it by any means.. God has so guarded his Word that the few trivial errors of copyists are made very manifest, and the full harmony of his Word gives ample foundation for faith .. So, then, whereas Usher dates A.D. 1 as the year 4005 from the creation of Adam, it really was, as we have shown, the year 4129, according to the Bible record, thus showing the year 1872 A.D. to be the year of the world 6000, and 1873 A.D. the commencement of the seventh thousand-year period, the seventh millennium, or thousand-year day of earth's history. {TIAH 53-4}

1873 "The Bible chronology herein presented shows that the six great 1000 year days beginning with Adam are ended, and that the great 7th Day, the 1000 years of Christ's Reign, began in 1873." {TIAH 1916 ed Foreword 2}

1873 "If, then, the seventh thousand-year period of earth's history be an epoch specially noted as the period of Christ's reign, we shall, by showing that it began in A.D. 1873, be proving that we are already in it." {TIAH 1915 ed 40}

1873 - 1874

1873-4 "For instance, as we look back and note that the Scriptures marked 1873 as the end of six thousand years from Adam to the beginning of the seventh thousand, and the fall of 1874 as the beginning of the forty-year harvest of the Gospel age and day of wrath for the overthrow of all the institutions of 'this present evil world (or order of affairs),' we can see that facts have well borne out those predictions of Scripture." {WR Jul 15 1894 1675}

1874

1874 "The Scriptures show that the second presence [of the Lord] was due in 1874 .. This proof shows that the Lord has been present since 1874" {WT Mar 1 1923 67}

1874 The next chapter will present Bible evidence that 1874 A.D. was the exact date of the beginning of the 'Times of Restitution,' and hence of our Lord's return." {TIAH 170-1}

1874 "Hence the 2500th year, which would be the great 50th Jubilee, must be the antitype, the real Jubilee or Restitution. But instead of being a year, as in the type, it will be larger; it will be the beginning of the great thousand-year Jubilee - the Millennium. Just so it has been in the fulfilment of every type in which time was a feature. Thus the Pentecostal outpouring of the holy Spirit came upon the typical day of Pentecost - or fiftieth day. Christ, our Passover sacrifice, died in the same night in which the typical lamb was appointed to be killed - a day before or a day after would not answer. So here, not the year after nor the year before the 2500th, or closing of the typical cycle, would do; but that very year, beginning October, 1874, must have begun the antitype of Restitution times." {TIAH 181}

1874 "We have marked with special delight the 1,335 days, pointing, as they do, to 1874 as the exact date of our Lord's return; and we have since that time experienced the very blessedness promised--through the clearer unfoldings of the wonderful mysteries of the divine plan." {TKIC 306}

1874 "Christ came in the character of a Bridegroom in 1874 .. at the beginning of the Gospel harvest." {WT Oct 1879 4}

1874 "[Entering] age of .. Laodicean church.. C.T.Russell is .. messenger or 'angel' of [that] church." {WR 1918 6212}

1874 "The fact of our Lord's second coming is definitely settled by the Scriptures.. The Scriptures show that his second presence was due in 1874.. This proof shows that the Lord has been present since 1874 .. The indisputable facts, therefore, show that .. the Lord's second presence began in 1874." {WT Mar 1 1922 67-}

1874 "The Lord did not come in 1844, and the world was not burned up with fire .. this was a great disappointment to those 'holy people' who had so confidently looked for Christ ('Michael') then to appear and to exalt them with him in power and glory. But, notwithstanding the disappointment, [Miller's] movement had its designed effects - of awakening an interest in the subject of the Lord's coming, and of casting reproach upon the subject by reason of mistaken expectations. We say designed effects because without a doubt the hand of the Lord was in it. It not only did a work corresponding to that of the first advent movement, when our Lord was born, when the wise men came from the East and when 'all men were in expectation of him' ('Matt. 2:1,2'; 'Luke 3:15'), but it corresponded with it in time also, being just thirty years before the anointing of our Lord, at thirty years of age, at the beginning of his work as Messiah.. we recognize that movement as being in God's order, and as doing a very important work in the separating, purifying, refining, and thus making ready, of a waiting people prepared for the Lord. And not only did it do a purifying and testing work in its own day, but, by casting reproach upon the study of prophecy and upon the doctrine of the Lord's second advent, it has ever since served to test and prove the consecrated .. it was the beginning of the right understanding of Daniel's visions, and at the right time to fit the prophecy. Mr. Miller's application of the three and a half times (1260 years) was practically the same as that we have just given, but he made the mistake of not starting the 1290 and 1335 periods at the same point. Had he done so he would have been right. On the contrary, he started them thirty years sooner - about 509 instead of 539, which ended the 1335 days in 1844, instead of 1874." .. The disappointment of 1844 is briefly recorded in the parable, by the statement that 'the Bridegroom tarried' - i.e., he seemed to the expectant ones to tarry. And the confusion and darkness experienced by all, and the many false and visionary views entered into by some who were there disappointed, are shown in the parable by the statement: 'While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.' Yea, and in their darkness and slumber many of them dreamed strange, unreasonable things. But the parable shows a second movement, similar, and yet different, among the same virgins. The same general class is referred to but not necessarily the same individuals. As the first movement was the result of light upon the prophecy, regarding the time for Messiah's second advent as the Bridegroom of the Church, so was the second movement. But there are several differences. In the first, the lamps of all the virgins burned alike, and the company expecting the Bridegroom was mixed; whereas in the second movement, while all will be aroused, only those will be led out who have the spirit of the truth in their hearts, as well as a knowledge of the Bible - a trimmed lamp. Disappointment was predicted for the first movement, and waiting for the 1335 days was necessary; but the second was not a disappointment, and a waiting was no longer necessary; for fulfilment came exactly at the close of the 1335 prophetic days - in October 1874. " {TKIC 85-93}

1874 [Division between the "wise and foolish virgins" was over the 1874 date of the return of the bridegroom] {WR Apr 1880 88} [This matter was not raised when C.T.Russell was divorced by his wife for sexual misconduct with a maidservant/secretary]

1874 "Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874, A.D., according to the testimony of the prophets .." {BATT 1913 ed 621}

1874 "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 .. began in October, 1874" {BATT 546}

1874 [end of the] tarrying time [of Christ, corresponding to 30 years from Jesus' birth to his baptism]" {TIAH 240, WR Oct 1879 3941} [also Adventist's end of the world per W.Miller]

1874 "Prophecy can not be understood until it has been fulfilled or is in the course of fulfillment. From 1874 to 1914 the prophecy concerning the Lord's coming was being fulfilled and could be understood, and was understood, by those who were faithful to the Lord and who were watching the development of events, but not by others." {CREA 290}

1874 "Thus we find that the twenty-five hundredth year began with the beginning of the year A.D. 1875, which in Jewish civil time, by which this is reckoned (Lev. 25:9), began about October, 1874. So, then, if the great Jubilee were to be only a year, like its type, it would have commenced October, A.D. 1874, at end of 2499 years, and would have ended October, A.D. 1875. But this is not the type, but the reality; it was not a Jubilee Year, but the antitypical Thousand years of Restitution of all things, which commenced October, A.D. 1874." {TIAH 187}

1874 "Bible prophecy shows that the Lord was due to appear for the second time in the year 1874. Fulfilled prophecy shows beyond a doubt that he did appear in 1874. Fulfilled prophecy is otherwise designated the physical facts; and these facts are indisputable." {WT Nov 1 1922 333}

1874 "Applying the same rule then, of a day for a year, 1335 days after 539 A.D. brings us to 1874 A.D. at which time, according to Biblical chronology, the Lord's second presence was due." {CREA 298} [the day for a year basis is a technique used in Astrology known as Progressions]

1874 "We have no doubt whatever in regard to the chronology relating to the dates of 1874 .." {WT May 15 1922 150}

1874 "The most important thing to which all the prophecies point and for which the apostles looked forward has been the second coming of the Lord. It is described by the Prophet as a blessed time. Daniel then says: 'Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.' (Daniel 12:12). The watchers here, without question are those who were instructed by the Lord to watch for his return. This date, therefore, when understood, would certainly fix the time when the Lord is due at his second appearing. Applying the same rule, then, of a day for a year, 1335 days after 539 A.D. brings us to A.D. 1874, at which time, according to Biblical chronology, the Lord's second presence is due. If this calculation is correct, from that time forward we ought to be able to find some evidences marking the Lord's presence." {THOG 229-30}

1874 "No one can properly understand the work of God at this present time who does not realize that since 1874, the time of the Lord's return in power, there has been a complete change in God's operations." {WRT Sep 15 1922 278}

1874 "The Scriptural proof is that the second presence of the Lord Jesus Christ began in 1874 A.D." {PROP 65}

1874 "The Scriptural proof is that the period of his presence and the day of God's preparation is a period from A.D. 1874 forward. The second coming of the Lord therefore began in 1874 .." {CREA 310}

1874 "[C.T.Russell taught that 1874 marked] "the start of the Battle of Armageddon" {TIAH 101}

1874 "(Revelation) 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door. Some of the Scriptures, which, when understood in their connections and significance, prove that the Lord's Second Advent occurred in the fall of 1874 are as follows: [a jumble of Biblical verses follow as 'proof'] and these are but 88 of the proofs hastily collected." {TFIM 68-71}

1874 "Surely there is not the slightest room for doubt in the mind of a truly consecrated child of God that the Lord Jesus is present and has been since 1874." {WT Jan 1 1924 5}

1874 ".. this measurement [of a length of an interior passageway discovered inside the Pyramids - it has no reference in Scripture] is 3416 inches, symbolizing 3416 years .. This calculation shows A.D. 1874 as marking the beginning of the period of trouble" {TKIC 1897 ed 342} [In ZWT Nov 1 1904 326, he further justified the "3416 inches" by writing "We cannot therefore see how any longer measure for the passage could be possible." It is strange then that TKIC 1916 ed was changed to read: "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 .." It should be noted that C.T.Russell, the founder of the Watchtower Bible and tract Society, was a pyramidologist, a spiritist, a Knights Templar (Free)Mason (of York Rite, Allegheny Pa.), and believed in healing-handkerchiefs, phrenology, the Winged-Sun-Disk, Enochian Magical planes and many other strange things, a few of which are illustrated by quotations later in this text. There is space for less than 1% of what could have been included! The symbolisation of years as inches is a complete nonsense, as the ancient Egyptians never used the inch as a measuring unit!]

1874 "From year A.D. 1 to A.D. 1875 (Jewish time, beginning Oct. 1874) .. Thus, the year which began October 1874 was the 2500th [calculated as 50 x 50 Jubilee cycles] year, but since the antitype is larger than the type - 1000 years instead of one year - 1875 (beginning Oct. 1874), instead of being a Jubilee year was the first of the 1000 years of Jubilee." {TIAH 186}

1874 "And since the entire number of typical Jubilees, designed to precede the antitype, is thus proved to be seventy, we are thus furnished another means of calculating when the antitype is due to begin. The calculating of this prophetic statement of the entire number of Jubilees is simple and easy; and, as we should expect, its results agree exactly with those already obtained by the method of counting furnished by the Law. The entire number being seventy, and nineteen of these having been observed in a half-hearted way by Israel before the desolation, it follows that the remaining fifty-one (70-19=51) mark the period from the last Jubilee which Israel imperfectly observed, down to the great antitype. But here note a difference in the manner of counting. Under the Law reckoning, we counted the future as well as the past cycles of forty-nine years with the fiftieth or Jubilee Year added; for the Law shows things as they would have been, had Israel carried them out properly. But prophecy records things just as they will actually occur. We are now examining the prophetic statement, remember, and hence should now reckon these cycles as they have occurred - cycles of forty-nine years, without Jubilees; for Israel did not observe a Jubilee since their nineteenth one. The first nineteen cycles had Jubilee Years, but the fifty-one since have had none; hence we must reckon fifty-one cycles of forty-nine years each, or 2499 years (49 x 51 = 2499), from the last typical Jubilee observed by Israel to the antitype. This calculation, though entirely distinct from the other, ends exactly as shown by the Law method of reckoning previously examined - October, A.D. 1874." {TIAH 193) [actually, all that he is saying is that 50x50=2500 and (50+1)x(50-1)=2499, which differ by 1. He seems unaware this would happen no matter what number was used in place of "50"!]

1874 [Significance of this date was proven by measurements of the Tabernacle] {WT May 15 1919 159}

1874 "'The time of the end' embraces a period .. to the time of the complete overthrow of Satan's empire and the establishment of the kingdom of the Messiah. The time of the Lord's second presence dates from 1874, as above stated. The latter period is within the first named, of course, and in the latter part of the period known as 'the time of the end.'" {THOG 236}

1874 "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 1874 .. 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}

1874 "The Scriptural proof is that the period of his presence and the day of God's preparation is a period from 1874 A.D. forward. The second coming of the Lord, therefore, began in 1874 .." {CREA 289/310}

1874 ".. 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.. beginning dating from October, 1874." {ZWT Jan 15 1892 repr 1355}

1874 ".. the beginning of the Times of Restitution in 1874" {TFIM 64}

1874 "Actual Presence of the Lord as Bridegroom and Reaper - October, A.D. 1874." {TIAH 1923 ed 247}

1874 "Nor will we here, again present the conclusive Bible proof that our Lord came for his Bride in 1874, and has an unseen work as Reaper of the first-fruits of this Gospel Age." {ZWT Nov 1880 1}

1874 ".. the Lord became present in October, 1874 .." {TKIC 1923 ed 235} [many other references in HOTW, TIAH 170, OLOR 27, HIS2 133]

1874- 1878

1874-8 "Our Lord's presence as Bridegroom and Reaper was recognized during the first three and a half years, from A.D. 1874 to A.D. 1878." {TIAH 1913 ed 239}

1874-8 "Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874, A.D .. and the formal inauguration of his kingly office dates from April 1878, A.D." {BATT 621}

1874-8 "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 from 1878 to 1918, and thereafter for a time a gleaning work to be done, which we will indicate. The question now is, Do we find a period of harvest in the gospel age after 1874 which serves as a fulfillment of the prophecy of the Lord?" {TFIM 236}

1874-8 "The Scriptures disclose a complete parallel concerning the Jewish and gospel ages. The parallel exists with reference to time as well as events. The Jewish age ended with a harvest, which harvest began with the ascension of our Lord in the year A.D. 33. By the term 'harvest' here used is meant the gathering of the remnant of the Jews to Christ. Jesus' statement plainly is that the gospel age will end with a harvest, during which time he would be present, directing the work of that harvest. In the earth three and a half years from the time of his consecration and baptism, Jesus was preparing the Jews for the harvest of that age. We should expect to find a parallel of this reference to the harvest of the gospel age, and we do find it. Counting three and a half years from 1874, the time of his presence, brings us to 1878. During the presence of the Lord from 1874 to 1878 he was making preparation for the harvest of the gospel age." {THOG 235-6}

1875

1875 "Besides, when we shall shortly show that, reckoned from the beginning of the seventy years desolation under Babylon, the great cycle ends with the year A.D. 1875, it will be manifest to all that it could not have commenced at an earlier date, prior to that Babylonian captivity; for if we place it even one Jubilee earlier, it would locate the termination of the cycle fifty years earlier than A.D. 1875, namely A.D. 1825; and surely no Jubilee age of restitution began with that year." {TIAH 183-4}

1875 "[End of] Great Jubilee Cycle .. End of 1335 days in Dan 12:12 .. The invisible resurrection of the saints started" [C.T.Russell held that the "Biblical year" 1875 started in Oct 1874, later both replaced by 1878] {HOTW}

1876

1876 "For forty years the Lord has been present, feeding those who have been hungering and thirsting for righteousness. For forty years Pastor Russell - that faithful servant of the Lord - has set forth clear and unmistakable evidence of the presence of the Master. He nailed the banner of Christ's presence on the title page of The Watch Tower; and it shall never come down until the kingdom is known in the earth." {WR Dec 15 1916 6015} [the banner came down in 1939, and now the WT banner only claims 'Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom']

1876 "Furthermore, the remnant of spiritual Israel had for decades, yes, since 1876, been looking forward to the ending of the Times of the Gentiles .." {MSWD 136}

1876 "CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.. The number of years since A.D. 1, necessary to complete the cycle of 2500 years - 1875 years" {TIAH 185}

1877

1877 "The End Of This World; that is the end of the gospel and the beginning of the millennial age is nearer than most men suppose; indeed we have already entered the transition period, which is to be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation Dan. 12:3." {HOTW 17}

1878

1878 "So it was in this harvest also up to A.D. 1878 the time prophecies and the fact of the Lord's presence, substantially as here presented, though less clearly, was our message. Since then the work has widened, and the view of other truths has become brighter and clearer; but the same fact and scriptures, teaching the same time and presence, stand unchallenged and incontrovertible." {TIAH 1915 ed 236}

1878 "[In this year] Christ Jesus is present [and has] assumed office of King .. choosing a 'servant' [identified in the same article as clearly being C.T.Russell] on earth to represent him." {WR 1906 3811} [Article written by Mrs. C.T.Russell]

1878 "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 .. with the complete overthrow of the earth's present rulership, is already commenced." {TIAH 1915 ed 101}

1878 "Until 1878 the nominal church had been in a sense God's sanctuary or temple" {TFIM 484}

1878 "End of gospel age .. the rapture of the saints .. to heaven" {HOTW 68, HIS2 632, HIS1 19} [in 1881, C.T.Russell explained rapture was invisible and occurred at death of individual saints]

1878 "in the spring of 1878 all the holy apostles and other 'overcomers' of the Gospel age who slept in Jesus were raised spirit beings .. we, therefore, conclude that their resurrection is now an accomplished fact .. the God of heaven will set up a Kingdom, and that the setting up of that Kingdom has actually been in progress since the year 1878; that there the resurrection of all the dead in Christ was due; and that therefore, since that date, not only is our Lord and Head invisibly present in the world, but all these holy messengers are also with him." {TKIC 1923 ed 234/305} [By contrast, Matt 24:23-27 says the Lord would come like "lightning" and Rev 1:7 says even his enemies would see him]

1878 "the awakening of the sleeping saints in the Spring of 1878.. The awakening of the sleeping saints, A.D. 1878, was just half way (three and one-half years each way) between the beginning of the Times of Restitution in 1874 and the close of the High Calling in 1881." {TFIM 64}

1878 "And it was in 1878, then, that the process of setting up the kingdom began. There our Lord raised the sleeping saints from the tomb and joined them to himself .." {WT Jun 1 1922 174}

1878 "And though, in a sense, the grandeur and blessing of the new dispensation began at the birth of Jesus ('Luke 2:10-14,25-38'), yet the Great Pyramid should, in some way, indicate the full length of Israel's favor. This we finally found to be most ingeniously shown. The granite 'Plug' proved to be the exact length to fill out this period to the very limit. Then we knew why that 'Plug' was so securely fixed that none had succeeded in displacing it. The great Master-Builder had placed it there to stay, that we might hear its testimony today corroborating the Bible, as to both its plan and its chronology. In measuring this passage with its 'Plug,' we should consider it as though it were a telescope, with the 'Plug' drawn out until the upper end reaches the place originally marked by the lower end of it. The distance downward from the north entrance of the 'Grand Gallery' to the lower end of the granite 'Plug' is 1470 inches, to which if we add the length of the 'Plug,' 179 inches, we have a total of 1649 inches, representing 1649 years; and the one inch-year of difference between this and the 1650 years shown by the Bible chronology of that period is easily accounted for when we remember that one end of this granite 'Plug' had been considerably chipped by those who endeavored to force it from its fixed position in the passageway. Thus, exactly, does the stone 'Witness' corroborate the testimony of the Bible, and show that the period from the exodus of Israel from Egypt until the full end of their national favor, A.D. 36, was 1650 years. But let none confound this period with the period shown in the Parallels of the Jewish and Christian dispensations - showing the two ages to be each 1845 years in length, the one from the death of Jacob to A.D. 33, and the other from A.D. 33 to A.D. 1878." {TKIC 346-7}

1878 [Many other references to Heavenly resurrection of dead saints, 3 1/2 years of Christ's ministry on earth, a "sifting out" is occurring among those who don't accept 1878 as the coming of the Bridegroom, and God's favor returning to the Jews, with the Kingdom of God starting to exercise power] {WT Oct 1879 repr 39-41, TNCR 1904 ed 663, MLND 27-8, THOG 236/44} [references are omitted in THOG 1928 ed]

1878 - 1881

1878-81 "The same year, 1881, is prophetically marked as the time for the final withdrawal of favor from the churches, a favor which had begun to be withdrawn in 1878 - the year in which the clergy were cast off as representatives of the Divine Word, and when Pastor Russell began his work by the publication of 50,000 copies of Object and Manner of the Lord's Return. In 1878 the stewardship of the things of God, the teaching of Bible truths, was taken from the clergy, unfaithful to their age long stewardship, and given to Pastor Russell. In the interim, until 1881, the new steward was setting the things in order, getting the truths of the Bible in logical and Scriptural form for presentation, until the last great item of the Hebrew tabernacle types, was ready. Then, in 1881, he became God's watchman for all Christendom, and began his gigantic work of Witness." {TFIM 1921 ed 386-387}

1879

1879 "[God's] position is contrasted with men and angels, as he is Lord of both, having 'all power in heaven and earth'. Hence it is said, 'Let all of the angels of God worship him' (that must include Michael, the chief angel, hence Michael is not the Son of God) and the reason is, because he has 'by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.'" {WT Nov 1879, bracketed comment in the original} [So Jesus is the chief angel, Michael. But Heb 1 says that Jesus is definitely not an angel. The Watchtower and the Bible cannot both be correct. Also, the apostle John says Jesus possesses the very substance and nature of God, though not the Father]

1880

1880 "But understanding genea here, as elsewhere, to mean generation, and recognizing that our Lord's words were a prophecy covering the entire Gospel age, we have no difficulty in understanding the statement to mean - 'This generation (which will witness the signs inquired for by the apostles and just enumerated by our Lord - namely, the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars) - this generation shall not pass away until all these things be fulfilled.' In other words, the signs mentioned will occur within a generation-epoch in the close of the age. The sprouting of the fig tree may have been but a casual remark, but we incline to think that it was not. The peculiar circumstance narrated of our Lord's curse upon a fig tree which bore no fruit, and which withered away directly (Matt. 21:19,20) inclines us to believe that the fig tree in this prophecy may be understood to signify the Jewish nation. If so, it is being signally fulfilled .. A 'generation' might be reckoned as equivalent to a century (practically the present limit) or one hundred and twenty years, Moses' lifetime and the Scripture limit. (Gen. 6:3) Reckoning a hundred years from 1780, the date of the first sign, the limit would reach to 1880; and, to our understanding, every item predicted had begun to be fulfilled at that date .." {BATT 603-4}

1880""A truth presented by Satan himself is just as true as a truth stated by God .. Accept truth wherever you find it, no matter what it contradicts, and rely for ability to afterwards harmonize it with others upon "the spirit of truth, which shall guide you into all truth," {WR Jan 1880 8-9}

1880 "[Restoration of Jews to Palestine and the conversion of 144,000 literal Jews due before 1914.] {WT Jun 1880 108}

1881

1881 [Rapture of the Saints, including C.T.Russell and other Bible Students] {WT Jan 1881 repr 180, WT Dec 1880 repr 172} [denied from WT May 1881 224]

1881 "the close of the High Calling in 1881." {TFIM 64}

1881 "[C.T.Russell supports the] Faith Cottage Pink Cure" {WR 1881 226}

1881 [Close of "high calling" to be among the 144,000 .. Fall of Babylon] {HIS2 632} [In 1922 "1881" replaced by "1918", later to "1935", see WT Jun 15 1992 23, HIS2 166]

1881 "The Christian congregation is not an organization who subscribe to man made creeds." {WT Nov/Dec 1881 8-9}

1881 "Further, where the special favor of the general Gospel call ceased (October, 1881), the blessing upon the world would seem to be due to have a beginning. The 'Well,' which marks at its upper end the ransom which secures the coming blessing, should, it would seem, at its lower end (where it connects with the downward passage) mark the date when restitution blessings would begin to reach the world. It seems to say, Here the benefits of the ransom will begin to bless all the families of the earth, when the elections or selections of the Jewish and Gospel ages are completed. Now if we adopt the clearly marked close of the special call and favor of the Gospel age, 1881, as the date at which the call to restitution blessings was due to have a beginning, and if we regard the lower terminus of the 'Well' as marking that date (1881), we find something of interest by measuring back along that 'Entrance Passage' to the original entrance of the Pyramid. This distance we find to be 3826 pyramid inches, thus representing 3826 years. And if our supposition be well founded, 3826 years before A.D. 1881 some notable event must have occurred. And as we search the historic records of God's Word to see if any notable event occurred at that time, we find a remarkable confirmation of our supposition; for, just 3826 years before A.D. 1881, which would be B.C. 1945, Isaac, the typical seed of promise, became the heir of all his father Abraham's wealth, and was thus in position to bless all his brethren - Ishmael, the son of Hagar (type of fleshly Israel), and the many sons and daughters of Keturah, Abraham's second wife (typical of the world in general). Thus the 'Entrance Passage,' from the outside edge down to the nearest edge of the passage connecting with the 'Well,' marks in year-inches the period of time from the day the typical Isaac (in whom typically centered the promise of blessing to the world) became heir of all, B.C. 1945, to A.D. 1881, when the blessing was actually due to the world through the antitypical Isaac - the Christ, the heir of all things. Gal. 3:16,29. We measure the time from the date of Isaac's inheritance, and consequent privilege of blessing his brethren, to the year A.D. 1881, thus: Isaac came into possession of his inheritance at the death of his father Abraham, which occurred 100 years after the Abrahamic Covenant was made (for Abraham was 75 years old when the Covenant was made, and he died at the age of 175 years). Then from the Covenant to the death of Jacob, Isaac's son, was 232 years; and from the time that Isaac came into his inheritance - 100 years after the Covenant was made - to the death of Jacob would be 132 years (232 years less 100 years). To this we add the 1813 years from the death of Jacob to our Anno Domini, and we have the date 1945 B.C., the date when the typical Isaac came into possession of all that Abraham had. ('Gen. 25:5') And this 1945 years B.C. added to the 1881 years A.D. makes the 3826 years indicated in the Pyramid inches as the length of time that must elapse between the typical blessing of his brethren by the typical seed, Isaac, and the blessing of the whole world through the antitypical Isaac, the Christ. Does the question arise with any, what beginning of restitution work was marked by October, 1881? We answer: Nothing occurred which the world could discern. We still walk by faith and not by sight. All the preparatory steps toward the great restitution work since the date 1881 are to be reckoned as droppings of the great shower of blessing which shall ere long refresh the whole earth. That which occurred in 1881, like that which occurred in 1874, can be discerned only by the eye of faith in the light of God's Word. It was the date of the close of the high calling, and hence the date for the beginning of restitution announcement - the Jubilee trumpet. About that date the author, and, so far as he knows, no one else, had noticed the distinction between the call to the divine nature, open during the Gospel age, and the opportunity for restitution of human perfection and all that was lost in Adam, due at the close of the Gospel high calling." {TKIC 365-7}

1881 "To our understanding the general call to this joint heirship with our Redeemer as members of the New Creation of God, ceased in 1881." {TNCR 1915 ed 95} [Route to heaven closed in 1881 - but there are many changes in mind in the future on this one!]

1881 "As in the type that date - three and a half years after the death of Christ - marked the end of all special favor to the Jew and the beginning of favor to the Gentiles, so we recognize A.D. 1881 as marking the close of the 'high calling, ' or invitation to the blessing peculiar to this age - to become joint-heirs with Christ and partakers of the divine nature." {TIAH 1915 ed 235}

1883

1883 "Christian is the only name we need to be called." {WT Mar-Apr 1883 458}

1883 "God [had] placed the Great Pyramid [of Gizeh in Egypt]" {WR Sep 1883 525} [compare with claim that Great Pyramid of Gizeh in Egypt was built under direction of Satan, made in {WT 1928 339-45/355-62}]

1886

1886 "The outlook at the opening of the New Year has some very encouraging features. The outward evidences are that the marshaling of the hosts for the battle of the great day of God Almighty, is in progress while the skirmishing is commencing.. The time is come for Messiah to take the dominion of earth and to overthrow the oppressors and corrupters of the earth, (Rev. 19:15 and 11:17, 18) preparatory to the establishment of everlasting peace upon the only firm foundation of righteousness and truth.. In the battle already beginning, we are clearly told that there will be a general division of the world into two contending parties. The kings, chief men, and mighty or influential men, the wealthy and the worldly great, are all on one side the battle, and with them the symbolic beast (Papacy) and Protestantism." {ZWT Jan 1886 repr 817}

1888

1888 "we present proofs that the setting up of the kingdom of God is already begun .. that the 'battle of the great day of God Almighty' (Rev. 16: 14) which shall end .. with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership, is already commenced." {TIAH 101}

1892

1892 ".. 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.. It is already in progress .." {ZWT Jan 15 1892 repr 1355}

1893

1893 "There is no organization today clothed with authority." {WT Sep 1 1893 1573}

1894

1894 "A few more years will wind up the present order of things, and then the chastened world will stand face to face with the actual conditions of the established Kingdom of God. And yet the course of the Church is to be finished within the space of time that intervenes." {WT 1894 56}

1895

1895 "Beware of organization .. it is wholly unnecessary." {WT Sep 15 1895 1866}

1897

1897 "The distillery, the brewery, the saloon, the brothel, the pool-room, all time-killing and character-depraving business will be stopped; and their servants will be given something to do that will be beneficial to themselves and others .. Similarly, the building of war-vessels, the manufacture of munitions of war and defense will cease, and armies will be disbanded. The new Kingdom will have no need of these, but will have abundant power to execute summary justice in the punishment of evil doers .. The banking and brokerage business, and other like employment's, very useful under present conditions, will no longer have a place; for under the new conditions the human race will be required to treat each others as members of one family, and private capital and money to loan and to be needed will be things of the past. Landlords and renting agencies will find new employment also, because the new King will not recognize as valid patents and deeds now on record.. namely, that with present conveniences, if the whole people were put to work systematically and wisely, not more than three hours labor for each individual would be necessary." {BATT 633-635}

1898

1898 "Notice that there is no command in the Scriptures against military service" {WT Aug 1 1898 231} [And re-supported in 1903 in "There could be nothing against our conscience in going into the army. Wherever we would go we could take the Lord with us, the Captain of our salvation, and wherever we would go we could find opportunities to serve him and his cause" {WT Apr 15 1903 120}. So what is the gigantic objection now?]

1898 "God .. evidently has been a respecter of races, and has specially blessed and favored certain branches of the Aryan race in Europe and America.. the white race has been more abundantly blessed with the light of the Gospel than others .. the elect Church will probably be composed chiefly of the highly favored white race.." {EVOL 30-1}

1900

1900 "There are probably as many as a hundred colored brethren on the Watch Tower lists, some of them very clear in the truth, and very earnest in its service, financially and other-wise .. [but they are not allowed to participate in the "pioneer work" as] although we have received letters from several of these, who had intended engaging in the volunteer work, expressing surprise that in the call for volunteers in the March 1, 1900 issue we restricted the inquiry to white Protestant churches. .. The reason is that so far as we are able to judge, colored people have less education than whites - many of them quite insufficient to permit them to profit by such reading as we have to give forth. Our conclusion therefore is based upon the supposition that reading matter distributed to a colored congregation would more than half of it be utterly wasted, and a very small percentage indeed likely to yield good results. We advise, therefore, that where the Watch Tower literature is introduced to colored people it be not by promiscuous circulation, but only to those who give evidence of some ear for the truth. We avoid, so far as possible, putting the pearls of present truth into the hands of the vicious and depraved .." {ZWT Apr 15 1900 122}

1900 "From Black to White He Slowly Turned.. Rev. William H. Draper .. gave a living affirmative answer to the famous Biblical question, 'Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots?' Though once as black as charcoal, the Rev. Mr. Draper is now white. His people say that his color was changed in answer to prayer. Many years ago Draper was employed by a fair-skinned man, and he was often heard to remark that if he could only be white like his employer, he would be happy. While in the white man's service Draper 'experienced' religion. From that day forward he prayed constantly and fervently that he might become white.. He first experienced a prickling sensation on his face, and upon close investigation found a number of small white spots scarcely larger than

the point of a pin. He became alarmed, thinking he had some peculiar disease but he did not suffer and aside from the prickling sensation felt nothing unusual. Gradually the white spots became larger and extended themselves, until now, after the change has been in progress for over 30 years, Draper has not a single dark spot on his body." {ZWT Oct 1 1900 296-7} [It is alleged that Michael Jackson was previously associated with the Jehovah's Witnesses but disassociated himself circa 1987]

1901

1901 "'It too often happens that, while the negro rapidly masters the rules and regulations of the Christian religion, he still continues to be gross, immoral, and deceitful. They (missionaries) may have succeeded in turning their disciples into professing Catholics, Anglicans, or Baptists; but the impartial observer is surprised to find that adultery, drunkenness, and lying are more apparent among the converts than among their heathen brethren.' And again: 'I regret to say that, with a few - very rare - exceptions, those native African pastors, teachers, and catechists whom I have met have been all, more or less, bad men. They attempted to veil an unbridled immorality with an unblushing hypocrisy and a profane display of mouth-religion which, to an honest mind, seemed even more disgusting than the immorality itself. While it was apparent that not one particle of true religion had made its way into their gross minds, it was also evident that the spirit of sturdy manliness which was present in their savage forefathers found no place in their false, cowardly natures.." [Given as a quotation by Russell without adverse comment] {ZWT Aug 15 1901 266}

1902

1902 "The Book of Ruth [is] not prophetical" {WR Nov 15 1902 3110} [But in {PRES 169/175-6} it was "not prophetic"!]

1902 "The Negro Not a Beast .. that Ham's characteristics which had led him to unseemly conduct disrespectful to his father, would be found cropping out later, inherited by his son, and prophetically he foretold that this degeneracy would mark the posterity of Canaan, degrading him, making him servile. We are not able to determine to a certainty that the sons of Ham and Canaan are negroes; but we consider that general view as probable as any other.. We are not to forget, either, that Africa is inhabited by various tribes or nations of negroes - some more and some less degraded than the average.. While it is true that the white race exhibits some qualities of superiority over any other, we are to remember that there are wide differences in the same Caucasian (Semitic and Aryan) family.. The secret of the greater intelligence and aptitude of the Caucasian undoubtedly in great measure is to be attributed to the commingling of blood amongst its various branches; and this was evidently forced in large measure by circumstances under divine control. It remains to be proven that the similar commingling of the various tribes of Chinese for several centuries would not equally brighten their intellects; and the same with the peoples of India and Africa." {ZWT Jul 15 1902 216}

1903

1903 "The second runner, Cushi, or literally a Cushite - that is, a negro - was probably one of the king's household servants .." {ZWT Nov 1 1903 410-1}

1904

1904 "Can The Ethiopian Change His skin color? No. But.. what the Ethiopian cannot do for himself God could readily do for him. The difference between the races of men .. have long been arguments against the solidarity of the human family. The doctrine of restitution has also raised the question. How could all men be brought to perfection and which color of skin was the original? The answer is now provided. God can change the Ethiopian's skin in his own due time.. Julius Jackson, of New Frankfort, Montana, a negro boy of nine years, began to grow white in September, 1901, and is now fully nine-tenths white. He assures us that this is no whitish skin disease; but that the new white skin is as healthy as that of any white boy, and that the changed boy has never been sick and never has taken medicines.." [and so God can and will change blacks to whites in the New World]" {ZWT Feb 15 1904 52-3}

1904 "Even though Christmas is not the real anniversary of our Lord's birth, but more properly the annunciation day or the date of his human begetting (Luke 1:28), nevertheless, since the celebration of our Lord's birth is not a matter of divine appointment or injunction, but merely a tribute of respect to him, it is not necessary for us to quibble particularly about the date. We may as well join with the civilized world in celebrating the grand event on the day which the majority celebrate - 'Christmas day.'" {WT Dec 1 1904 364} [What changed?]

1904 "..hence, the several races of humanity will probably find their spiritual interests as New Creatures best conserved by a measure of separateness." {TNCR 490}

1907

1907 "Phrenology [occult belief that one can read a person's character from the peaks and valleys of their skull] so far as understood fully corroborates the picture given us in the arrangement of the Tabernacle of Israel surrounded by the camp. Thus:- If we imagine the human skull as spread out flat, we find that the central part would correspond to the Tabernacle and its court; for in the very center of the head on top lies spirituality, and directly in front of it lies veneration. The latter organ would correspond well to the court, the former to the holy. As to enter the holies it was necessary to pass through the court, so to enter into a proper heart-appreciation of the spiritual things it is necessary that we enter in through veneration .. Surrounding these two central organs are others which correspond well to the different divisions of the tribe of Levi .. Thus may be illustrated the philosophy of what is known as conversion. Thank God it has not been necessary to understand the philosophy of conversion in order to

have and to enjoy that blessing, otherwise very few would have been thus blessed.. So with the converted heart and head. Previously

sometimes selfishness would be in the center and in control, sometimes conscience, sometimes acquisitiveness, sometimes hope and sometimes fear would occupy the center, around which the various organs would group themselves." {WR Jul 15 1907 4028} [More in 1913 and 1915!]

1908

1908 The negro and Latin races will probably always be inclined to superstition." {ZWT Apr 1 1908 99}

1909

1909 "Mrs. Russell's request that the monthly allowance [alimony] be increased from $40 to $100, which was allowed by the Court, but which we were unable to comply with, because all of our property, except that which brought the income of $40 per month (which Mrs. Russell had been receiving), had been donated to the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY." {WR Jul 1 1909 4424} [Donate your funds to WTBTS to escape paying alimony]

1910

1910"If the six volumes of 'Scripture Studies' are practically the Bible topically arranged, with Bible proof-texts given, we might not improperly name the volumes - the Bible in an arranged form. That is to say, they are not merely comments on the Bible, but they are practically the Bible itself since there is no desire to build any doctrine or thought on any individual preference or on any individual wisdom, but to present the entire matter on the lines of the Word of God. We therefore think it safe to follow this kind of reading, this kind of instruction, this kind of Bible study. Furthermore, not only do we find that people cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the 'Scripture Studies' aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years - if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the 'Scripture Studies' with their references, and had not read a page of the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of the two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures." {ZWT Sep 15 1910 298}

1910 [Expected "Rapture of the Saints", based on measurements in corridor in the Great Pyramid of Gizeh] {TKIC 364} [Omitted in TKIC post-1910 editions]

1911

1911 "According to our expectations the stress of the great time of trouble will be on us soon, somewhere between 1910 and 1912" {TNCR 1904 ed 579}

1911 "Rather we should seek for dependent Bible study, rather than for independent Bible study." {WT Sep 15 1911 4885}

1912

1912 "Sister Smith of Nebraska recently discovered one stalk of beans which she declares yielded so prolifically that she calls it the Millennial Bean.. Sister Smith writes that they should be planted one bean to the hill, and the hills six feet apart. They should be planted in April. They keep bearing right along for weeks, and five should supply a small family." {ZWT Jan 15 1912 26}

1912 "It is known that only about three out of every one hundred operated upon for appendicitis really have a diseased appendix needing removal. We give below a simple cure for appendicitis symptoms. The pain in the appendix region is caused by the biting of worms near the junction of the transverse colon with the small intestines, low down on the right side of the abdomen. This remedy is recommended also for typhoid fever, which is also a worm disease. The medicine is Santonine dose, 3 grains, an hour before breakfast; repeated for four mornings, or until all the symptoms disappear. Then one dose per month for three months to eradicate all germs. This recipe is of INCALCULABLE VALUE. Not only will it save the surgeon's and hospital fees of perhaps $200, but it saves weeks of ill health, inconvenience, convalescence and loss of salary." {ZWT Jan 15 1912 26}

1913

1913"Some have a strong desire to worship God, others have a weak desire, and others have no desire at all. This difference is due to the shape of the brain. Mankind are born with differences in this respect. -'Psa. 51:5'" {WR Mar 15 1913 5201} [Returning to phrenology, belief that shape of the skull and hence the brain determine character - see 1907 and 1915]

1913 "just use the Bible [and reject all developed theology in the history of Christianity]" {WR 1913 5156}

You are kindly invited to look up the references at your local Kingdom Hall.

part II : 1914-1924 >> Link: http://www.freeminds.org/history/part1.htm

::::

Honestly - it would be easier to list the years that Armageddon was not due to come, cheers, unclebruce

What years did the WTBTS society prophesy Armaggedon would come?

misspeaches

misspeaches

blondie

garybuss

blondie

misspeaches

blondie

penny2

jwfacts

unclebruce

Share this