Wow, just a few months after that article, Rutherford did a complete about-face on the subject:
*** w40 7/1 pp. 203-204 Escape From "Christendom's" Conflagration ***"Christendom" particularly is modern Sodom. We know that Sodom prophetically pictured Satan's organization on earth, and particularly that part called "Christendom", because it is written that, after the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, the witnesses of God on earth were killed by the beastly organization and their dead bodies lay in the street of "the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom ... where also our Lord was crucified". (Rev. 11:3-8) The inhabitants of Sodom were practitioners of the Devil religion and were exceedingly wicked...Until quite recently, God's faithful people on the earth understood that most of the peoples of the earth would pass through the great tribulation of the battle of Armageddon. This understanding corresponds with Abraham's expressed hope that the city, picturing "Christendom" down to the end of the world, would be saved because of some righteous ones there. But now it is seen that it is only those who seek Jehovah God and righteousness and meekness that have the promise of being "hid", spared and taken through Armageddon....Sodom is set forth as an example of those whom God will destroy at Armageddon....It is certain that the destruction of Sodom pictured Armageddon, and that Sodom particuarly foreshadowed that part of Satan's organization called "Christendom". Unfaithful Jerusalem also pictured "Christendom"....The conditions that obtained in and about Sodom exactly fit the conditions that now exist in "Christendom". Jesus, speaking of the conditions that would prevail upon earth at the time of his second coming, in glory as a divine spirit, likens such conditions unto those in ancient Sodom, thus further proving that the destruction of Sodom was a type or prophetic pattern and that it foreshadowed what shall come to pass upon "Christendom" at Armageddon....
Lot and his family received the warning to flee, and they fled before destruction fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah. Likewise those who form the "great multitude" of persons of good will that will be "hid" during the battle of Armageddon receive the warning to flee, and they must flee to the Lord's Theocratic Government before Armageddon begins. Further, they must abide under the Lord's protection, seeking meekness and righteousness, until the fire of Armageddon has completely burned out; otherwise they will be destroyed together with "Christendom" and all the rest of Satan's organization. These things are recorded in the Bible as a pattern or guide for those who today undertake to serve the Lord now and for ever.
I think this is the turning point, the "new light" article on the subject...notice the requisite "Until quite recently, God's faithful people on the earth understood that blah blah blah" statement. Now there is no distinction between Christendom and the "heathen", and thus Sodom can represent Christendom and both share the same kind of destruction.