Most of these are from MacHislop's great research.
What follows appears to give the impression that it was always
believed and taught that Christ would/did return in 1914. As examples:
1952, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1975, 1977, 1984, 1985, 1986,
1991, 1993, 1998, 2004, 2005
***
w195211/1p.658ABetterBasisforBelief***16 As for the time of
Christ’s second presence, Daniel’s prophecy is againthe one that gives the chronology for it. (Dan. 4:16)
It was figured out aspointing to A.D. 1914, and
The Watchtower called notice to the significance of 1914 in the year 1879.
….
Predicted were world war, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, sectarian divisions, persecution of his followers,
world-wide preaching of the good news of the established Kingdom, widespread delinquency and general
breakdown of morals, and many other developments that we have seen since 1914.
The generation experiencing
the beginning of these things will survive to see their end at Armageddon
. (Matt. 24:1-34; 2 Tim. 3:1-5, 13)
Thereafter eternal life in endless blessings will begin for obedient persons in a new world.—2 Pet. 3:13’.
The April 1,
1953 issue of
The Watchtower on page 215 said:
"It was therefore not a mere occurrence when devoted men and women
began to be gathered out of faithless Christendom from and after the year
1870. God purposed to use them as an organization to do a twofold work.
First, they
must proclaim that the Gentile times that began in 607 B. C.
were due to come to an end A. D. 1914, at which time Jehovah would take
to himself his official power and begin to reign in the heavens by his anointed
King. So for some thirty-seven years prior to 1914 this proclamation was sounded
."
Quote from the year
1954: *** w546/15p.370TheRevelationofJesusChrist*** 4
"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 .
And since 1914 physical evidences establishing this trut
h have been pointed to repeatedly in the columns of TheWatchtower. " The
1958 publication
From Paradise Lost To Paradise Regained said on page 170:
"In the "Watchtower" magazine of March 1880, they said: "The Times of the
Gentiles extend to 1914, and the heavenly kingdom will not have full sway
till then."
Of all people, only the witnesses pointed to 1914 as the year for God's kingdom to be fully set up in heaven
." The
1963 publication
Babylon The Great Has Fallen! God's Kingdom Rules! said on page 515:
"The historical facts show that
1919 was the year when the remnant on earth
of the 144,000 Kingdom heirs began to be freed from Great Babylon.
In that year the message of God's established kingdom began to be preached from house to house and publicly by Jehovah's Christian witnesses in a fearless way
. This preaching of the Kingdom as established
in 1914 was in fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24:14: "This good n
ews of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations
."
* Quote from the year
1965: -
-The Watchtower ' , July 15th, 1965 page 428
"Jehovah's Advancing Organization"
As we look back over the years, we can clearly see how God's organization in modern times has progressed
in understanding. For example, it learned that Christ's second presence was to be in the spirit, and not in the
flesh as many professed Christians believe. His rule would be from the heavens. This was a new revelation of
great importance to God's people who had been
anxiously awaiting his second presence
toward the end of the nineteenth century.
·
Quote from the year 1966:
*** w66 2/15 p. 103 Christ’s Return—Do You Know What to Look For? ***
Compare this with what has taken place since the year 1914.
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)The 1975Yearbook page 37 said:
"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 AD 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."
The 1977Yearbook on page 203 said:
"Some whose expectations for 1914 were too great were disappointed and left the truth.
But, for the most part, the brothers remained faithful. Today we know that they were
right in believing that the Gentile Times of 2,520 years would run out
about October 1, 1914. The Messianic kingdom then started to rule in heaven.
One of the greatest events in human history had occurred, and the brothers
had been privileged to share in announcing it!"
***
w 198412/1 pp. 13-14 Happy Are Those Found Watching! ***19 Among the so-called heretical groups who were watching for the sign of Christ’s
return in the latter third of the 19th century was a Bible-study class presided over by
Charles Russell in Pittsburgh, United States. Russell wrote: "From 1870 to 1875
was a time of constant growth in grace and knowledge and love of God and his
Word. . . . However, we were then merely getting the general outline of God’s plan,
and unlearning many long-cherished errors. . . . We felt greatly grieved at the error
of Second Adventists, who were expecting Christ in the flesh."
20 Russell and his associates quickly understood that Christ’s presence would be
invisible. They disassociated themselves from other groups and, in 1879, began publishing
spiritual food in Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence. From its first
year of publication, this magazine pointed forward, by sound Scriptural reckoning,
to the date 1914 as an epoch-making date in Bible chronology.
So when Christ’s invisible presence began in 1914, happy were these Christians to have been found watching!
The
1985 publication
Life -- How did it get here? By Evolution or by Creation? on pages 227-229 said:
"The Bible also provided chronological evidence that
1914 would mark the birth of God's heavenly Kingdom
, to be followed by unprecedented
world trouble. But was anyone living back then aware that 1914 would be
such a turning point in history?
Decades before that date, there was an organization of people who were making known the significance of 1914
." The
1986 publication Jehovah's Witnesses Unitedly Doing God's Will Worldwide
said on page 8:
"Russell and his associates also
saw that Christ's presence was to be invisible,
in spirit. The Gentile Times, during which period God's sovereignty was not being
expressed through any government on the earth, were to end in 1914.
Then God's
Kingdom would be established in heaven. These teachings are identified
with Jehovah's Witnesses today. Russell and his companions announced
these truths far and wide by talks and printed page."
The greatest Man who ever lived
. 1991 ***
gtchap.132AtGod’sRightHand***A careful study of Bible prophecies, including Jesus’ own prophecy regarding the
last days, reveals that "the Lord’s day" began in the history-making year 1914, yes,
within this generation! So it was in 1914 that Jesus returned invisibly, without
public fanfare and with
only his faithful servants being aware of his return. In that year Jehovah gave Jesus the command to go subduing in the midst of his enemies.
The March 22,
1993 issue of
Awake! said on page 10:
"If you are inclined to dismiss all of this as pie in the sky, too good to be true,
pause again and reflect.
In addition to the features of the composite sign of Christ Jesus' presence, there is Bible chronology that pointed to 1914 as the
beginning of his presence. Jehovah's Witnesses published the date 1914 as a
significant year in the development of Jehovah's Kingdom rule of the earth,
doing so in the Watch Tower magazine of July 1879
. Many historians and
observers of world affairs have noted that the year 1914 ushered in an entirely
different and significant period in human history, as the accompanying box indicates
."
Quote from the year
1998: ***
w989/15p.15Waitingin"EagerExpectation""The eager expectation of the creation is waiting for the revealing of the
sons of God."—ROMANS 8:19.
THE situation of true Christians today resembles that of the first-century
Christians. A prophecy helped Jehovah’s servants of those days to identify
when the Messiah was due to appear. (Daniel 9:24-26)
The same prophecy foretold Jerusalem’s destruction but contained no
elements enabling Christians to know in advance when that city would be
destroyed. (Daniel 9:26b, 27)
Similarly, 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.Then i n the Watchtower March 1 2004 page 14 paragraph 6
"After speaking of "that evil slave," Jesus gave two parables to show why
some anointed Christians would prove to be faithful and discreet while others
would not. To illustrate discretion, he said: The kingdom of the heavens will
become like ten virgins that took their lamps and went out to meet the
bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were discreet. For the
foolish took their lamps but took no oil with them, whereas the discreet took
oil in their receptacles with their lamps." (Matthew 25:1-4).
The ten virginsremind us of anointed Christians before 1914. They had calculated
that the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, was about to make an appearance
.
Hence, they "went out" to meet him, boldly preaching that "the appointed times
of the nations" would end in 1914. Luke 21:24."
"What does the Bible Really Teach"
2005 Starting on page 84:
22 When Jesus told his followers to pray, "Let your Kingdom come" it was
clear that the Kingdom had not come at that time…….There was a waiting
period………….23 For how long
? During the 19th century, sincere Bible students calculated that the waiting period would end in 1914
…… .
World events that began in 1914 confirm that the calculation of these sincere
Bible students was correct.
The fulfillment of Bible prophecy shows that in 1914, Christ became King and God’s heavenly Kingdom began to rule.
Could this have been examples of brothers in the writing department
who knew no better? Yes it could, but in the article below the governing
body takes full responsibility for everything the Society prints.
*** w87 3/1 14-15 'Upon the Watchtower I Am Standing' ***
16 How would TheWatchtower maintain the purity of its printed message? The magazine’s first editor, C. T. Russell, instituted safeguards to make certain that what was printed in
The
Watchtower was the truth as then understood. One of those safeguards is identified in hiswill made on June 27, 1907. (Russell died on October 31, 1916.) His will states:
"I direct that the entire editorial charge of ZION’SWATCHTOWER shall be in the hands of a
committee of five brethren, whom I exhort to great carefulness and fidelity to the truth. All articles
appearing in the columns of ZION’SWATCHTOWER shall have the unqualified approval of
at least three of the committee of five, and I urge that if any matter approved by the three be
known or supposed to be contrary to the views of one or both of the other members of the
committee, such articles shall be held over for thought, prayer and discussion for three months
before being published—that so far as possible the unity of the faith and the bonds of peace
may be maintained in the editorial management of the journal."
17
Each member of the Editorial Committee, according to Russell’s will, had to be "thoroughly loyal to the doctrines of the Scriptures" and had to exhibit, as prominent characteristics,
"purity of life, clearness in the truth, zeal for God, love for the brethren and faithfulness to
the Redeemer." Also, Russell stipulated that "it shall not in any manner be indicated by
whom the various articles appearing in the journal are written . . . that the truth may be
recognized and appreciated for its own worth, and that the Lord may more particularly be
recognized as the Head of the church and the Fountain of truth."
18 To this day the Governing Body
follows similar guidelines.Each article in both The Watchtower and Awake! and every page, including
the artwork, is scrutinized by selected members of the Governing Body
before it is printed. Furthermore, those who assist in writing articles for
The Watchtower are Christian elders who appreciate the seriousness
of their assignment. (Compare 2 Chronicles 19:7.)
They spend many hours in researching the Bible and other
reference material
to make sure that what is written is the truth and
that it faithfully follows the Scriptures.(Ecclesiastes 12:9, 10; 2 Timothy 1:13)
It is not unusual for one magazine article—that you may read in
15 minutes—to take from two weeks to over a month to prepare.
9 Therefore, you can read The Watchtower and Awake! with confidence.
and
*** w95 5/15 22-3 Flashes of Light-Great and Small (Part 2) ***
For many years the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses was synonymous with the
board of directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, and
matters were largely in the hands of its president. As shown in the 1977YearbookofJehovah’sWitnesses (pages 258-9),
in 1976 the Governing Body
began to function with six committees,each assigned to care for certain aspects of the worldwide work.
The Personnel Committee deals with personnel matters, including the interests
of all who serve in the worldwide Bethel family. The Publishing Committee handles
all secular and legal matters, such as property and printing. The Service Committee
concerns itself with the witness work and supervises traveling overseers, pioneers,
and the activities of congregation publishers.
The Teaching Committee is responsible for congregation meetings, special assembly days, circuit assemblies, and district and
international conventions as well as the various schools for the spiritual education of God’s people.
The Writing Committee supervises
the preparation and translation of publications in all forms,
making sure that everything is in line
with the Scriptures. 
