The first three ( 3 ) presidents of the WTB&TS got 1914 as the invisible presence of Jesus Christ wrong

by smiddy 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  smiddy

  I wonder how many jehovah`s witnesses today realise that 3 presidents of the then International Bible Students Association under W.H.Conley,1st president,then C.T.Russell 2nd president,followed by J.F.Rutherford,the 3rd president who changed the name from the I.B.S.A. to Jehovahs Witnesses,and especially the 2nd & 3rd presidents,lived ,taught and proclaimed to all who would listen,up until their death,that Jesus invisible presence began not in 1914,but had occured in 1874.

  None of these three early presidents beleived Jesus invisible presence began in 1914.

  The WTB&TS didn`t start teaching the invisible presence of Jesus Christ began in 1914 until the year 1943.

  That is almost seven decades, 70 years, after they were formed as a bible student group.

  W.H.Conley was only president for a short period of time

  C.T.Russell Started Zions WatchTower & Herald of Christs Presence in 1879 ,he died in 1916

  J.F Rutherford assumed control of the I.B.S.A. after Russells death,and died in 1942, a year later in 1943 , 1874 was dropped as the year of Christs invisible presence, and 1914 was adopted.

  I just wonder how many newbies on here are aware of these facts ( and if I`ve made a blue here please be free to correct me )

  smiddy
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  Black Sheep

  Knorr was baptised in 1923, before the switch to the 1914 return, so he would have started with that belief too.

  1943 for the change is dubious. I forget which book that was in, but it was an inaccurate rewrite of their history.

  **** Edit **** 1943, The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 324
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  smiddy

  Thanx Black Sheep,that is an interesting point you make about Knorr,I wasn`t aware of that.

  As you say" The Truth Shall Make You Free' was an inaccurate rewrite of their history ?

  And the facts show " Jehovahs Witnesses Proclaimers Of Gods Kingdom" is also a "spin" on their early history.

  The deception they stoop to is inexcusable.

  smiddy
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  Jeffro

  Not quite...

  Watch Tower, December 1, 1933, page 362: "In the year 1914 that due time of waiting came to an end. Christ Jesus received the authority of the kingdom and was sent forth by Jehovah to rule amidst his enemies. The year 1914, therefore, marks the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of glory."
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  smiddy

  Jeffro

  I was aware that sometime earier than the "Truth" book Rutherford made a reference to 1914,but I was of the beleif that the actual doctrinal change occured with the 1943 publication. Are their any other instances that you know of where they make this claim between 1933 and 1943 ?

  smiddy
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  pirata

  In 1925 "Birth of a Nation", it states that Jesus stood up to rule as King (but still mark's his presence as starting in 1878). At that time his "presence" to gather his followers, and his rising up as king were seen as seperate events.
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  Dogpatch

  Interestingly, I am pretty sure Conway was a Trinitarian. :-)

  That's the funniest part of being the first president of the Watchtower. :-)

  The Adventists were not Trinitarian, but the Seventh Day Adventists today are.

  Randy
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  Jeffro

  I was aware that sometime earier than the "Truth" book Rutherford made a reference to 1914,but I was of the beleif that the actual doctrinal change occured with the 1943 publication. Are their any other instances that you know of where they make this claim between 1933 and 1943 ?

  The fact that the doctrine was stated in 1933 means the change couldn't only have occurred in 1943. However, it may be that the 1943 publication emphasised it. It may even be that they flip-flopped in between, though that doesn't seem to be the case.

  I am not specifically aware of what intervening publications might also have mentioned it between '33 and '43; there may be many or none.
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  smiddy

  Jeffro

  In their book " Jehovah`s Witnesses Proclaimers Of God`s Kingdom " they acknowledge on pages 46 & 47 that Nelson Barbour convinced Charles Taze Russell that Christ`s invisible presence had begun in 1874.

  And in a footnote on page 133 referring to this fact they state that " a clearer understanding of Biblical chronology " was published in 1943 not mentioning any reference prior to that.............That is why I got the impression the beleif was changed in 1943

  Randy..That is very interesting about W.H.Conley,do you have anything in print to verify that ?

  pirata.......Thanks for that information, no wonder JW`s are so confused today,who could keep up with all their changes.

  smiddy
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  Jeffro

  smiddy:

  That is why I got the impression the beleif was changed in 1943

  Ah... well, trusting the JW version of their history is probably your first mistake. :)