Pastor Charles Taze Russell taught his followers in the late 19th century that the world would come to an end in 1914. He told them that his calculations were not of human origin but, rather, were based in Scripture and written into the measurements of the Great Pyramid of Giza which he called "Jehovah's Witness".
We'll get into Russell's pyramidology in the next post but, first, let us continue to examine the 'Biblical Chronology' part of his PLAN - the plan that Jesus Christ himself examined in 1918 and found it to be worthy and acceptable.
“… undoubtedly the same all-wise One who taught us through the Chronology that six thousand years from Adam’s creation ended with A.D. 1872, and that the seventh thousand, the Millennial Age, began there….” – Vol.2, p.242.
“We are already living in the seventh Millennium – since Oct. 1872.” – Vol.2, p.363.
“…the exact Bible Chronology points to October 1872 as the beginning of the seventh thousand years, or Millennium….” – Vol.3, p.127.
“The next chapter will present Bible evidence that 1874 A.D. was the exact date of the beginning of the “Times of Restitution,” and hence of our Lord’s return.” – Vol.2, p.170.
“…we have clear evidence of the fact that our Lord’s second coming was due when the Times of Restitution were due to begin, viz., in October, A.D. 1874….” – Vol.2, p.188.
“And the Harvest [Judgment Day] of this age began with the presence of our Lord at the beginning of Earth’s Great Jubilee, in 1874….” – Vol.2, p.234.
“The great antitypical Jubilee, the Times of Restitution of all things, had its beginning in the year 1874, when the presence of the Great Restorer was also due.” – Vol.2, p.363.
“The typical Jubilee cycles pointed out 1874 as the date of our Lord’s return; and yet the date was therein so ingeniously hidden, as to make its discovery impossible until the “Time of the End.” – Vol.3, p.125.
Yes, that is why nobody had ever heard of Russell’s "PLAN" before; he himself 'discovered' it in the Bible and in the measurements of the Great Pyramid. As promised, we’ll get to Russell’s pyramidological calculations and other nonsense soon.
“The Second Advent of our Lord in the end or harvest of the Gospel Age, occurring in the fall of 1874, proves to be at a point of time exactly parallel to the time of his first advent….” – Vol.3, p.125
“Thus we found the time of our Lord’s second advent clearly proven to be 1874 – in October of that year, as shown in Vol.2, chap.6.” – Vol.3, p.127.
“Be not surprised, then, when in subsequent chapters we present proofs that the setting up of the Kingdom of God is already begun, that it is pointed out in prophecy as due to begin in exercise of power in A.D. 1878….” – Vol.2, p.101.
This would shock most Jehovah’s Witnesses today, for they are taught now that the “Kingdom of God” began its “exercise of power” not “in A.D. 1878”, as Russell had so confidently asserted, but in A.D. 1914.
“Our belief that the Kingdom began to be set up, or brought into power, in April, 1878, be it observed, rests exactly upon the same foundation as our belief that the Lord became present in October, 1874, and that the Harvest began at that time.” – Vol.3, p.235.
Elsewhere, Russell proclaimed that "foundation" to be absolutely solid.
“…we recognize A.D. 1881 as marking the close of the special favor to Gentiles – the close of the “High Calling,” or invitation to the blessings particular to this age – to become joint-heirs with Christ and partakers of the Divine Nature.” – Vol.2, p.235.
“That the re-establishment of Israel [in 1910] in the land of Palestine is one of the events to be expected in this Day of the Lord, we are fully assured by the above expression of the Prophet. Notice, particularly, that the prophecy cannot be interpreted in any symbolic sense.” – Vol.3, p.244.
“In this chapter we present the Bible evidence proving that the full end of the times of the Gentiles, i.e., the full end of their lease of dominion, will be reached in A.D. 1914; and that that date will be the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men.” – Vol.2, p.77.
Notice Russell's confidence in teaching that A.D. 1914 was to be the end - not the beginning of the end, like what the Governing Body now teaches.
“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 by the end of A.D. 1914.” – Vol.2, p.99.
Obviously, Russell’s prophecy of the end happening in 1914 failed; therefore, it was a false prophecy and Russell was a false prophet. My book ought to end right here but it can’t, for reasons you will soon understand if you continue to read it.
“…the “Battle of the Great Day of God the Almighty,” (Rev.16:14) which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth’s present ruler-ship, is already commenced. The gathering of the armies is plainly visible from the standpoint of God’s Word.” - Vol.2, p.101.
“But not until the great day of trouble is about closing – not until the Gentile kingdoms are ground to powder and utterly removed, no place being found for them (A.D. 1914, as shown in the preceding chapter) – not until great Babylon is overthrown and her influence over the world broken – will the great mass of mankind come to realize the true state of the case. Then they will see that the great trouble through which they will have passed was that symbolically termed “the Battle of the Great Day of God the Almighty….” (Rev.16:14) – Vol.2, p.140,141.
“The Harvest work will occupy forty years for its full accomplishment, ending with A.D. 1914.” – Vol.2, p.150.
“In the preceding chapter we presented evidence showing that the “Times of the Gentiles,” or their lease of dominion, will run fully out with the year A.D. 1914, and that by that time they will all be overturned and Christ’s Kingdom fully established. That the Lord must be present, and set up his Kingdom, and exercise his great power so as to dash the nations to pieces as a potter’s vessel, before A.D. 1914, is then clearly fixed; for it is “in the days of these kings” – before their overthrow – i.e., before A.D. 1914 – that the God of heaven shall set up His Kingdom.” - Vol.2, p.170.
“He [God] has shown us that both of these ripenings [events relating to the “last days” of this world] (Rev.14:1-4; 18-20) will be completed in a period of forty years, ending with the year A.D. 1914.” - Vol.2, p.171.
“…[T]he overthrow of Gentile power, in A.D. 1914….” – Vol.2, p.234.
“The “Gentile Times” prove that the present governments must all be overturned before the close of A.D. 1914.” – Vol.2, p.242.
“The lease of power to the Gentile kingdoms must terminate with the year 1914.” – Vol.2, p.363.
“And the parallelism continues to the full end of the harvest of this dispensation – until the overthrow of the professedly Christian kingdoms, really “kingdoms of this world,” and the full establishment of the Kingdom of God in the Earth at A.D. 1914, the terminus of the Times of the Gentiles.” – Vol.3, p.126.
“And, with the end of A.D. 1914, what God calls Babylon, and what men call Christendom, will have passed away, as already shown from prophecy.” – Vol.3, p.153.
The above quotations, taken from Russell’s own writings, leaving no doubt as to what he and his followers believed and accepted was the “Light of Truth” back in the early days of the Society; what Jesus himself would have read for himself in 1918, stamping it all with his royal seal of approval.
It clearly shows, however, that Russell was a false prophet. (Did Jesus endorse a false prophet?)
His failed prophecies and deceitfulness are merely swept under the rug today as being inconsequential and irrelevant to the Society’s “new light” of understanding.
Followers of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society today are excommunicated for apostasy if caught reading any of Russell’s writings or talking openly about them! They are not allowed to read them or to talk about them, for obvious reasons.
