There is no question that the first president of this corporation, C. T. Russell, was used mightily by Jehovah during the period when basic Bible truths were being restored among God’s true worshipers on earth. - w1/1/1977
we have great love for Brother Charles T. Russell, for his work’s sake, and that we gladly acknowledge that the Lord used him and greatly blessed his work - ka p239, jv p155, others (Rutherford's speech announcing the adoption of the name Jehovah's Witnesses)
At their regular gatherings during the years 1870 to 1875, the religious thinking of these men underwent profound changes. With the passing of time, Jehovah blessed them with increasing spiritual light and truth. - yearbook 1975 p36
the majority of Bible Students knew that their work was not dependent upon one man. It was Jehovah’s work, directed by his holy spirit. - w7/1/1973
Judging by the results, there can be no doubt that Jehovah’s holy spirit was directing the endeavors of Brother Russell and those associated with him. - w5/15/1995
I'm sure there are many, many more...
Why would God be blessing the efforts of a group that wouldn't be identified as "faithful and discreet" until years later? According to JW doctrine, Jesus identified the FDS in 1918, and set them (still trying to figure out through the various convoluted identities of the FDS who it is: The WTS president, all earthly remnant, the GB, the writing committee...) "over all his belongings" in 1919. Russell died in 1916, before this happened. Sure, an individual can pray for insight and "power beyond what is normal" to preach, but these excerpts are obviously claiming God's active participation in their organizational effort, even though a time had been set for that separation to take place and according to JW doctrine, that time hadn't come yet.
I've had discussions with my studies about faith healing, praying for world peace, God intervening on our individual behalf, etc. My understanding of the scriptures is that God has a time already set to cure the world's ills, so he's not going to run around putting out the fires in Satan's system. That would defeat the purpose of allowing Satan to run the world into the ground and undermine his own patience. Likewise, what would be the point in setting a time (1918) for Jesus to identify the FDS, if God's just going to jump in early to identify and assist them in the latter part of the 19th century?
When they dropped the 1874 date in favor of 1914, they lost 40 years of being the FDS. Did they not realize that, hoped nobody would notice, or just figured they needed the new date badly enough to sacrifice those years since they were already passed? "Okay, maybe Russell wasn't over all Jesus' belongings, but we are"? The moving dates keep robbing Peter to pay Paul, theologically, but they're robbing from the past to buy more time and power in the future. Perhaps they figure the only people who would be alienated are dead or so old and indoctrinate or just too tired to make a change that they won't go anywhere. Old "new light" that people used to have to believe changing to new "new light" works pretty much the same way. But, at least as late as 1995 they say Russell and his followers were God's pawns. How can they have it both ways? Am I being nitpicky and starting "debates about words" or is this a glaring incongruity that no amount of mental contortions could possibly explain?