So a few months ago, a friend sent me an actual copy of “Finished Mystery” which was published in 1917 (not a pdf download… the actual book). I must say, this was the most disturbing book I have ever had the displeasure of reading. But I only read it because this was the main publication that was being distributed worldwide when Jesus supposedly chose the Watchtower in 1918 and I basically wanted to see for myself what Jesus saw in the WT that would compel him to choose this religious corporation over all other religious denominations.
Anyway, if anyone is interested in knowing the actual contents of this book, here are some bullet points I put together from some of the notes I took as I read the book:
1. Charles Taze Russell is the faithful and wise servant (p.4)
2. Jesus gave Russell the key to understanding God’s mysteries in the last days (p.6)
3. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega in Revelation 1:8; 21:6 and 22:13 (p.15, p.318, p.336)
4. The Adventist Nelson Barbour showed Russell Biblical proof that Jesus was present since 1874 and Russell found this evidence satisfactory (p. 54)
5. As per Russell, there’s no need to learn the Hebrew or Greek languages to gain a correct understanding of the Bible since the Presbyterians and Methodists have good versions of the Bible at reasonable prices (p. 55)
6. The remnant will be taken to heaven in 1918 (p. 64)
7. The 7 messengers in Revelation are Paul, John, Ario, Waldo, Wycliffe, Luther and Russell (illustration after page 64)
8. The 7 trumpets in Revelation 8:2 are the trumpets of the Lutherans, the Anglicans, the Presbyterians, the Baptists, the Methodists, the Evangelical Alliance and The Bible Students (chart after page 64)
9. Jesus began his reign officially in 1878 (p. 66)
10. 3-page list of Biblical texts which prove that Jesus’ second advent occurred in 1874 (p.68 – 71)
11. The behemoth mentioned in Job 40: 15-24 is the stationary steam engine (p. 84)
12. The leviathan mentioned in Job 41:2-19 is the locomotive (p.85)
13. The valiant men in Nahum 2:3 are the locomotive conductor and the fireman (p.93)
14. According to Exodus 28:1 and Numbers 4:46-48, the number of the great crowd will be approximately 411,840,000 (p.103)
15. The horseman on the white horse in Revelation 6:2 is the personal representative of Satan: the bishop of Rome (p. 106)
16. The stars that fell from the heavens in Revelation 6:13 refers to the meteor shower on November 13, 1833 which covered 11 million square miles. The symbolic fulfillment occurred when the bishops and priests lost their influence over the minds and conscience of the people (p.120)
17. There is evidence that proves that the Palestine will be re-established in 1925 (p.128)
18. The demons will invade the minds of the members of Christianity and will bring them to their destruction in 1918 (p.128)
19. The earth was created 48,000 years ago (p.139)
20. The “angel” mentioned in Revelation 8:5 is the Watchtower Society and the “incense vessel” is the book “Finished Mystery” divinely provided to humanity (p.145)
21. According to Revelation 9:15, all of the 177,300,000 protestants on earth, who represent 1/3 of all Christians, will be destroyed in 1918 (p.164)
22. The “Time of the End” started in 1799 (p.171)
23. The “Great Tribulation” started in 1914 (p.178)
24. Michael the Archangel is the Pope of Rome (p.188)
25. The 2 wings of the woman in Revelation 12:14 are the Old Testament and the New Testament (p.191)
26. England is a satanic country because it forcefully exports 5 million pounds of Opium to China each year (p.202)
27. The Great Pyramid of Egypt confirms the fact that the time of Harvest has come (p.226)
28. Revelation 14:20 provides us with the precise distance between Scranton, Pennsylvania (where this book was written) and Bethel in Brooklyn (where this book was printed) … 137.9 miles (p.230)
29. The clergy are like dumb dogs because they prefer to remain silent rather than accept one single “Truth” from Russell’s precious writings (p.238)
30. The republics will disappear in the Fall of 1920. Every nation will cease to exist as they get swallowed up by anarchy (p. 258)
31. The “glory” of the angel mentioned in Revelation 18:1 enlightened to earth resulting in such great discoveries and inventions such as the electrical motors, airplanes, the Panama Canal, vacuum cleaners, the books from the Watchtower, etc. (p.273)
32. The “voice out of heaven” mentioned in Revelation 18:4 is the voice of the Watchtower (p.276)
33. According to Revelation 18:14, during the millennium, the clergy will have to work for a living. This means that each preacher in Christianity will have to spend 65 cents for an alarm clock (p.285)
34. The God sitting on the throne in Revelation 19:4 is Jesus (p.290)
35. God assumes full responsibility for the entire volume of Studies in the Scriptures (p.295)
36. The Kingdom of a thousand years started in 1874 with the second coming of Jesus (p.301, p.386)
37. According to Revelation 21:17, the number of sheep at the end of the thousand-year reign will be approximately 20.7 Billion (p.323)
38. When Russell understood the full import of God’s Word, he took a firm stand. The spirit, power and influence of God entered him, never to leave (p.377)
39. Ezekiel 5:2, 12, 16, 17 refers to the way in which Jerusalem was destroyed in 606BCE and 70-73EC and it also refers to the way Christianity is being destroyed between 1914 and 1918 (p.398)
40. God’s Day of Vengeance started in 1914 and will culminate in 1918 (p.404)
41. The literal fulfillment of Ezekiel occurred in 1898 when a miller, who publicly thanked the Virgin for dear bread, literally threw gold and silver at a crowd in the streets in a vain attempt to pacify them. But they demanded his life and took it (p.407)
42. According to Ezekiel 11:9, Christianity will literally fall in the hands of labor unions, socialists and anarchists (p. 425)
43. The preachers of Christianity say things that originate in their own imagination (p.432)
44. According to Ezekiel 17:22 and 20:42, Zionism and Judaism will proper on Earth as their leaders will be Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others upon their resurrection (p.450, p.462)
45. The congregation mentioned in Ezekiel 23:46 are union workers, socialists, democrats and anarchists (p.480)
46. In fulfillment of Ezekiel 24:15-19, God took away Russell’s desire for his wife by putting a spiritual plague over her which made her “dead” in the eyes of Russell (p.483, p.484)
47. God will destroy all of the churches on earth including all of its millions of members in 1918. It is expected that this will occur on or around April 27, 1918 (p.485, p.513, p.530)
48. All Jews will return to their native land according to God’s promise. Russell has been preaching the message Zionism since October 1910 (p.536, p.554, p.555)
49. In 1878, during the First Resurrection, God raised up the members of the Body of Christ, the “stem of David” (p.539)
50. According to Ezekiel 40:1, the establishment of the Kingdom on earth will occur 13 years after 1918 (p.569)
Well, I think that’s quite enough note-taking for a book filled with lies and false predictions… Just thought some of you newbies might be interested in knowing what the Watchtower was teaching in 1918 when Jesus came down for his inspection and chose the Watchtower.