When my parents became Jehovah's Witnesses I think they accepted that we were living in the last days the sign of Christ's presence had been seen. They accepted that the Kingdom was established in 1914. I remember as a child we studied the 'Paradise book' and there is, I believe, an illustration of a baby taken up to heaven. I think I was asked about the picture and I got it wrong. It was the birth of the kingdom.
In accepting the 'good news' my parents I believe also accepted that the only ones preaching the end of the 'gentile times' were Jehovah's Witnesses particularly the remnant of the anointed ones. These I believe they, and later myself, accepted as the faithful and discreet slave class.
The book published in 1959 'Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose' tells you on page 37 that Russell believed that Jesus became invisibly present in 1874 among other things. I think they were at least somewhat aware of past things that the witnesses had said and or taught.
In the early days of them being Witnesses and my upbringing the Watchtower had this to say (I also quoted it on another thread)
'That organization for which we must look is the one that gives the proof of having God's spirit poured out upon it in these "last days" by doing the foretold prophesying, the 'preaching of this good news of God's kingdom in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations....The record points to the anointed remnant of Jehovah's Christian Witnesses.'
When they were baptised I believe that they accepted this. The same article also said this
'The spirit of the God of truth can be expected to cause a purification of the things that are preached by God's approved loyal organization. His spirit would not allow for anyone to prophesy falsehood, the preaching of lies and errors under the cloak of religion.'
I think they also accepted this. That God's approved loyal organization can expect to be purified by the spirit of truth. Changes could be made.
I don't think changes would have made them not believe that Jehovah's Witnesses were not the anointed or that they had been commissioned to do the preaching.
I think in accepting that we were in the last days, and also when my parents became witnesses the belief was that the great tribulation had started in 1914, I think we were in a different time period.
Every Governing Body Decision is from Jehovah
Maybe if it is accepted that the Governing Body is appointed as part of the anointed then in a way it is true as we don't fully understand God or his ways like why he permits wickedness or how he has always been we may not understand why he permits a decision or not.
