Ding, I guess it's true that some were pulled in by the numbers.. I can remember that was a "hook" for one really zealous old pioneer sister. I came in for the way the witnesses stood for peace and for me the dates made me uneasy.
The down side of the dates/chronologies in thinking what you said: it appealed to superior knowledge not loving God and Men.
Poor old sister, she is sick and old. I wrote her a few months ago to tell her how I remembered her kindness to me and the kids. Poor thing, she couldn't answer.