As 1974 was passing, and 1975 was right around the corner, the Watchtower gave an explanation at District Conventions that went something like this:
We have believed that the end of 6,000 years of human existence was to occur in 1975, and this the 7th millenium would commence the beginning the Jesus 1,000 year rule, thus completing Jehovah's rest day with righteousness being restored. We based that on the declaration of the end of the 6th creative day at the creation of Adam. However, we failed to account for the fact that Eve was yet to be created, and also the amount of time from her creation that they had together as a perfect married couple before Jehovah declared an end to the 6h creative day. It could have been 2, 3, 4 or 5 years after the creation of Adam. Thus the end of 6,000 years during Jehovah's day of rest may not end until perhaps 1980 or so. Therefore, the Kingdom may not begin until then. However, do not presume that Adam and Eve had 8, 9 or 10 years or more together, as this would clearly not be the case. We could be lulled into losing our sense of the urgency of the times. Do not suppose that the end of 6,000 years, and the beginning of the kingdom will be as late as 1985 or 1990. But, we must not lose heart if 1975 does not prove to be the day of Jehovah's anger, and the beginning of the New System.
The above is the gist I heard given at the Disctrict Convention in 1974 at Puyallup (pronounced 'pew-owl-lip'), Washington, near Seattle-Tacoma. I believe that the Seattle Times ( or possibly the Tacoma newspaper) published headlines stating something to the effect that the Society was soft-peddling the 1975 date, as it was becoming clear that it would not be the time for Armageddon. The same talk was given at District Conventions all over the United States and eventually the world. Of course, if the Society had been correct, then the end should have happened by 1980 or as late as 1985. It is now 2006, so it seems that Adam and Eve have already had a nice 31 year marriage, and the end of 6,000 years of human existence has yet to occur - if it ever does - in Jw mentality. IN truth, the Society has conveniently forgotton all about this teaching, and quietly dropped it.
When we study science, however, we find that the end of 6,000 years of human 9hono-sapiens) existence happened over 170,000 years ago.
Jim Whitney