Please thank MacHislop for the following:
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
*** w 195211/1 p.658ABetterBasisforBelief***
16 As for the time of Christ’s second presence, Daniel’s prophecy is again
the one that gives the chronology for it. (Dan. 4:16) It was figured out as
pointing 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 IJehovah'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 news 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 1977 Yearbook 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 that1914 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 virgins remind 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 19 th 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.
