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As chronicled in detail above, pre-1914 prophecies predicted that 1914 marked the end of Armageddon, the conclusion of the time of troubles, and that Christ's Second Coming and presence began in 1874; nothing could be clearer. However, in subsequent years the Watchtower Society has gone to great lengths covering up those false prophecies, in effect denying they ever taught them in the first place, writing: “The Watchtower has consistently presented evidence that Jesus' presence in heavenly kingdom power began in 1914. Events since that year testify to Jesus' presence. Jehovah's witnesses have consistently shown from the Scriptures that the year 1914 marked the beginning of this world's time of the end and that 'the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men' has drawn near.” Watchtower, January 15, 1993, 5, 9.
But that is simply not true. As established above, the Watchtower Society on many occasions taught the opposite; that 1874, not 1914, was the beginning of Armageddon; and that 1874 marked the beginning of Christ's presence and His Second Coming, not 1914. The extent of the Watchtower's cover-up is astounding, as seen by the following excerpts:
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. Yearbook, 1975, 37.
Of all men used by God to prophesy, Jesus is outstanding. Based on what he said, along with the words of Daniel and John, Jehovah's witnesses pointed to the year 1914, decades in advance, as marking the start of the “conclusion of the system of things.” Awake! January 22, 1973, 8.
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. Watchtower, November 1, 1952, 658.
[I]n 1914 C.E. … the Most High God Jehovah installed the Messiah Jesus on the heavenly throne in order to reign and go subduing among his enemies. (Psalm 110:1-6; Acts 2:34-36; Hebrews 10:12, 13)
[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. Watchtower, September 15, 1998, 15.
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). Watchtower, February 15, 1966, 103.
Why, then, do the nations not realize and accept the approach of this climax of judgment? It is because they have not heeded the worldwide advertising of Christ's return and his second Presence. Since long before World War I Jehovah's witnesses pointed to 1914 as the time for this great event to occur. Watchtower, Jun 15, 1954, 370.
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. Watchtower, July 15, 1965, 428.
But none of this is true when one compares these latter assertions with earlier pre-1914 prophecy. Their “understanding” of 1874 did not change until 1943 when that date, as being the year of the “Return of the Lord Jesus Christ” was done away with. God's Kingdom of a Thousand Years has Approached, 209. The Watchtower continued to falsely teach that Jesus' presence began in 1874 well into the 1920s, writing: “Bible prophecy shows that the Lord was due to appear for the second time in the year 1874. Fulfilled prophecy is otherwise designated the physical facts; and the facts are indisputable.” Watch Tower, November 1, 1922, 333. They also wrote: “The Scriptural proof is that the second presence of the Lord Jesus Christ began in 1874 A.D.” Prophecy, 1929, 65, 66.