Pastor Russell was convinced that the second advent took place in October of 1874.
Then he added 3 and half years and came up with 1878 as the time that Jesus began ruling as king.
Since that time it has been emphatically manifest that the time had come in A.D. 1878 when kingly judgment should begin at the house of God. It is here that Rev. 14:14-20 applies, and our Lord is brought to view as the Reaper crowned. The year A.D. 1878, being the parallel of his assuming power and authority in the type, clearly marks the time for the actual assuming of power as King of kings, by our present, spiritual, invisible Lord – the time of his taking to himself his great power to reign, which in the prophecy is closely associated with the resurrection of his faithful, and the beginning of the trouble and wrath upon the nations. – The Time Is At Hand , 1902, page 239. view
Believe it or not, his date is accurate.
According to Revelation, 3 and a half times = 1260 days
Then 1 time = 360 days, the length of a prophetic year
2,520 360 day prophetic years = 2,484 solar years
Count 2,484 solar years from 607 BCE and you arrive at 1878 - the very year Russel determined that Jesus was enthroned.
The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses needs to take a look at this and repent. The overlapping generation works with this date as well.
This proves that Pastor Russell was right all along and that he alone is the Faithful Slave and is still guiding the Dawn from beyond the veil.
Three cheers for The Dawn Bible Students; the only ones who did not apostatize from the truth!