James Caputo had some serious questions that put the WTS in a bad light. He'd gathered damning evidence from the pages of the Watchtower. A judicial committee was convened. Here's an excerpt from
http://www.towerwatch.com/Testimonies/judicial_committee_meeting.htm:
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In 1889 [the Watchtower said]: "Be not surprised then when in subsequent chapters we present proofs that the setting up of the kingdom of God has already begun that it's pointed out In prophecy as do to begin the exercise of power in AD 1878. And that the battle of the great day of God almighty which will end in AD 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership has already commenced."
In 1889: " In the coming 26 years all present Governments will be overthrown and dissolved."
1894: " the old is quickly passing and the new is coming in. Now in view of recent labor troubles and threatened anarchy are readers are writing to know if there may not be a mistake in the 1914 date. They say that they do not see how present conditions can hold out so long under the strain. We see no reason for changing the figures nor could we change them if we would, they are we believe God's dates not ours. But bare in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of time of trouble."
1902: "In view of the strong Bible evidence concerning the times of the gentiles we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world and the full establishment of the Kingdom of God will be accomplished by the end of AD 1914."
1915: "in view of this strong Bible evidence concerning the times of the gentiles we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world and the full establishment of the Kingdom of God will be accomplished near the end of AD 1915."
1915: "The gentile times prove that the present governments must all be overturned by AD 1915."
1917: "there shall be no slip up, Abraham should enter on the actual possession of his promised inheritance in the year 1925."
1917: "And the mountains were not found. Even the republics will fall in the fall of 1920. Every kingdom of earth will pass away, be swallowed up in anarchy."
1917: "Pastor Russell's mission …was to advise Christendom of its impending end … The trouble is due to the dawning of the day of Christ, the millennium. It is the day of vengeance, which began the world war of 1914, which will break out like a furious morning storm in 1918."
1917: " Also in the year 1918 when God destroys the Churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the down fall of Christianity."
1918: "Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old. Particularly those named by the apostle in Hebrews 11 to the condition of human perfection."
1920: "Since other scriptures definitely fix the fact that there will be a resurrection of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We may expect 1925 to witness the return of these faithful men of Israel from the condition of the dead being resurrected and fully restored to perfect humanity and made the visible legal representatives of the new order on the earth. We must reach the positive and indisputable conclusion that millions now living will never die."
1925: "The scriptures clearly indicate the climax of the fall of Satan's empire and the full establishment of the messianic kingdom. This climax being reached by 1925, that marking the beginning of the fulfillment of the long promised blessings of life to the people millions now living on earth will be living then those who obey the righteous laws of the new arrangement will lie for ever. Therefore we can confidently say at this time that, millions now living will never die."
1922: "This chronology is not of man, but of God. Being of divine origin and divinely corroborated, present truth chronology stands in a class by itself. Absolutely and unqualifiedly correct."
1923: "1925 is definitely settled by the scriptures. The Christian has much more upon which to base his faith than Noah had (so far as the scriptures reveal) upon which to base his faith in the coming deluge."
1924: " No doubt many boys and girls who read this book will live to see Abraham Isaac, Jacob, Joseph Daniel and those other men of old come forth from the glory of their better resurrection. Perfect in mind and body. It will not take long for Christ to appoint them to their post of honor and authority as his earthly Representatives."
1924: "Surely there is not the slightest room for doubt in the mind of the truly consecrated child of God, that the Lord Jesus is present and has been since 1874."
1925: " But all the enemies of the cause of present truth in the earth are fervently hoping that the Bible Students will not be so successful in 1925 in looking for the right thing at the right time, as they were in 1914. If they are however it is the other fellow who will have to do the explaining and not we."
We arrive on the date of 1925 and true to form: " It is expected that Satan will try to inject into the minds of the consecrated the thought that 1925 should see an end to the work. The difficulty was that the friends inflated their imaginations beyond reason and that when their imaginations burst asunder they were inclined to throw away everything."
Later that year: "The year 1925 is here with great expectations Christians have looked forward to this year. Many have confidently expected that all members of the body of Christ will be changed to heavenly glory during this year. This may be accomplished, it may not be. In his own due time God will accomplish his purposes concerning his people. Christians should not be so deeply concerned with what may transpire this year."
[Fast forward to] Watchtower April 1 1972: "So does Jehovah have a prophet to help them to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come? These questions can be answered in the affirmative… Of course it's easy to say that this group acts as a prophet of God, it's another thing to prove it. The only way that this can be done is to review the record, what does it show?"
Brother "D" : Ok. So you are saying that the society or the Watchtower society is a false prophet?
James: Well, I'm not saying it. The Bible says that someone, who says that something will come to pass and it doesn't, especially someone who purports to speak for God- is a false prophet. So what James Caputo says really means nothing because the record is right there, and you all saw it in print.
Brother "D" : Well there are a lot of prophecies that did come true as well.
James: Can I here some of those?
Brother "D" : That's not what we're debating tonight. Answer the question. Is it your view that the Watchtower Society is a false prophet?
James: What is your view? Are they a true prophet?
Brother "D" : No
James: You say they're not a false prophet? They never said that things would come to pass and they didn't?
Brother "D" : I answered your question.
James: Well I will answer differently from you.
Brother "D" : Yes, and what is your answer?
James: My answer is that based on God's word, based on the fact that the scriptures teach that his standards are more righteous than any organization or any claims that men could make...uninspired men...that we have to be true to God's word. God's word tells me that "if a prophet speaks something in the name of Jehovah and it doesn't come to pass that is a prophet who has spoken presumptuously."
Brother "D" : Ok so the question was do you feel the Watchtower Society is a false prophet?
James: I feel the Watchtower Society will go down in history as the false prophet of our century.