“More than 30 years before October 1914, anointed Christians began preaching that God’s Kingdom would begin to rule on that important date. Their understanding was based on Daniel’s prophecy about a large tree that was cut down and would grow again after a period of time. (Daniel 4:16) Jesus described a sign that would help his disciples know that he had become King and that the last days had begun. World events since 1914 clearly prove that Jesus is King. (Matthew 24:3, 7, 14; Luke 21:24) Today, “the magnificent things of God” that we preach about include the fact that Jehovah made Jesus King of the Kingdom in 1914. (The Watchtower July 15, 2014 study edition pgs. 24-25)
“At the start of the last days in 1914, there were only a few thousand servants of God. Motivated by love for neighbor and with the help of God’s holy spirit, that small group of anointed brothers and sisters preached the good news of the Kingdom despite difficulties.” (The Watchtower November 15, 2015 pg. 25 par. 14)
A Witness reading these statements might assume that the good news preached by the Bible students prior to 1914 was that God’s kingdom would be established in heaven at that date since that is the good news Jehovah’s Witnesses preach today. But is that the case? Just what was the good news that the Bible students preached at that time?
The book Insight on the Scriptures makes this statement:
“… the March 1880 edition of the Watch Tower magazine identified the year 1914 as the time for the close of “the appointed times of the nations” (and the end of the lease of power granted the Gentile rulers). This was some 34 years before the arrival of that year and the momentous events it initiated. In the August 30, 1914, edition of The World, a leading New York newspaper at that time, a feature article in the paper’s Sunday magazine section commented on this as follows: “The terrific war outbreak in Europe has fulfilled an extraordinary prophecy. For a quarter of a century past, through preachers and through press, the ‘International Bible Students’ . . . have been proclaiming to the world that the Day of Wrath prophesied in the Bible would dawn in 1914.” (Insight on the Scriptures vol. 1 pg. 135)
From the statement: “the Day of Wrath prophesied in the Bible would dawn in 1914, what would you say was the extraordinary prophecy the International Bible Students were proclaiming? Before answering that question, consider the full quote from The World magazine along with some very interesting context:
“According to the Calculations of Rev. Russell’s ‘International Bible Students,’ This Is the ‘Time of Trouble’ Spoken of by the Prophet Daniel, the Year 1914 Predicted in the Book ‘The Time Is at Hand,’ of which Four Million Copies Have Been Sold, as the Date of the Downfall of the Kingdoms of Earth.
“The terrific war outbreak in Europe has fulfilled an extraordinary prophecy. For a quarter of a century past, through preachers and through press, the ‘International Bible Students’, best known as ‘Millennial Dawners,’ have been proclaiming to the world that the Day of Wrath prophesied in the Bible would dawn in 1914. ‘Look out for 1914!’ has been the cry of the hundreds of travelling evangelists who, representing this strange creed, have gone up and down the country enunciating the doctrine that ‘the Kingdom of God is at hand.’
The Bible speaks of a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. This prophecy of Daniel the millenialists identify as the Day of Wrath, the Battle of Armageddon, the Time of the Lord and the End of the World, references to which are plentiful in the scriptures.” (The World Magazine. August 30, 1914 pg. 4)
It is clear from this that, according to the magazine, the Bible Students were proclaiming Armageddon, the end of the world to come in 1914. In fact, the title of the article is “END OF ALL KINGDOMS IN 1914 Millenial Dawners 25 Year Prophecy”
Among the sources of information the magazine cites is the book “The Time Is at Hand” (Volume 2 of Studies in the Scriptures) and the book “The Day of Vengeance” then circulated under the title “The Battle of Armageddon” (Volume 4 of Studies in the Scriptures). The magazine never cited the 1880 Watchtower article. Why does the Insight book mention this Watchtower but not these two books? Here are some quotes from The Time Is at Hand:
“Our King will thus reveal himself gradually: some will discern the new Ruler sooner than others, but ultimately ʺevery eye shall see [horao–discern] him.ʺ (`Rev. 1:7`) But ʺhe cometh with cloudsʺ; and while the clouds of trouble are heavy and dark, when the mountains (kingdoms of this world) are trembling and falling, and the earth (organized society) is being shaken, disintegrated, melted, some will begin to realize what we now proclaim as already at hand– that the great day of Jehovah has come; that the foretold day of trouble and wrath upon the nations is beginning;…” (The Time Is at Hand pg. 138)
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 at that time they will all be overturned and Christ’s Kingdom fully established… [ftn. How long it will require to accomplish this overturning we are not informed, but have reason to believe the period will be ʺshort.ʺ]
“The next chapter will present Bible evidence that 1874 A.D. was the exact date of the beginning of the ʺTimes of Restitution,ʺ and hence of our Lordʹs return. Since that date he has been verifying his promise to those in proper attitude of watchfulness–ʺBlessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: Verily, I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.ʺ (`Luke 12:37`) Even so, he has opened unto us the Scriptures, showing us truth concerning his present glorious nature, the object, manner, and time of his coming, and the character of his manifestations to the household of faith and to the world. He has drawn our attention to the prophecies which definitely locate us on the stream of time, and has shown us the order of his plan of operations in this harvest time. He has shown us, first of all, that it is a harvest of the saints, a time for their full ripening, and for their separation from the tares; and secondly, that it is a time for the world to reap its whirlwind harvest–for the reaping of the vine of the earth, and the treading of its fruitage in the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God. He has shown us that both of these ripenings (`Rev. 14:1-4,18-20`) will be completed in a period of forty years, ending with the year A.D. 1914. (The Time Is at Hand pgs. 170-171 [1910 edition])
“The Jubilee cycles prove that our Lord Jesus was due to be present and begin the restitution work in the fall of 1874 A.D. and the parallelism above referred to shows that date (1874) to correspond exactly with the anointing of Jesus as the Messiah, at the beginning of the Jewish ʺharvest,ʺ at the first advent. The ʺGentile Timesʺ prove that the present governments must all be overturned about the close of A.D. 1914; (The Time Is at Hand pg. 242 [1910 edition])
“4th The final extinction of this counterfeit hierarchy, near the close of the ʺDay of wrathʺ and judgment already begun—which will close, as shown by the ʺTimes of the Gentiles,ʺ with the year A.D. 1914. (The Time Is at Hand pg. 356)
The following is taken from volume 4 “The Day of Vengeance”:
“A “generation” might be reckoned as equivalent to a century (practically the present limit) or one hundred and twenty years, Moses’ lifetime and the Scripture limit. (Gen 6:3) Reckoning a hundred years from 1780, the date of the first sign, the limit would reach to 1880; and, to our understanding, every item predicted had begun to be fulfilled at that date; the “harvest” or gathering time beginning October 1874; the organization of the Kingdom and the taking by our Lord of his great power as the King in April 1878, and the time of trouble or “day of wrath” which began October 1874, and will cease about 1915; . . . Those who are walking with us in the light of present truth are not looking for things to come which are already here, but are waiting for the consummation of matters already in progress. Or, . . . it would not be inconsistent to reckon the “generation” from 1878 to 1914–36 1/2 years– about the average of human life today. (1897 Studies in the Scriptures, [Millennial Dawn], Volume IV, [“The Day of Vengeance” later changed to “The Battle of Armageddon”], pgs. 604-605.)
So, although The World Magazine speaks of the day of wrath dawning in 1914 what it really is referring to is the final battle, the climactic culmination of the day of wrath which Russell taught was a period of 40 years beginning in 1874.
Quoting Russell in “The Time Is at Hand” the magazine states:
“‘In view of this strong Bible evidence,’ Rev. Russell wrote in 1889, ‘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.’ But it will not be accomplished, he pointed out, until after a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.” (August 30, 1914 The World Magazine pg. 4)
Hence, no Bible Students were ever proclaiming that God’s kingdom would begin to rule in 1914! Nor did they preach that the last days would begin in that year. The message was that the last days, which began in 1799, would conclude with an unprecedented time of trouble in 1914 at which time God’s kingdom would be fully established and crush all opposing kingdoms of the earth.
In fact, in Volume 2 of Studies in the Scriptures “The Time is At Hand” Russell summed up his expectations:
“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. And be it observed, that if this is shown to be a fact firmly established by the Scriptures, it will prove:-
Firstly, That at that date the Kingdom of God, for which our Lord taught us to pray, saying, “Thy Kingdom come,” will have obtained full, universal control, and that it will then be “set up,” or firmly established, in the earth.
Secondly, It will prove that he whose right it is thus to take the dominion will then be present as earth’s new Ruler; and not only so, but it will also prove that he will be present for a considerable period before that date ; because the overthrow of these Gentile governments is directly caused by his dashing them to pieces as a potter’s vessel (Psa.2:9; Rev. 2:27), and establishing in their stead his own righteous government.
Thirdly, It will prove that some time before the end of A.D. 1914 the last member of the divinely recognized Church of Christ, the “royal priesthood,” “the body of Christ,” will be glorified with the Head; because every member is to reign with Christ, being a joint-heir with him of the Kingdom, and it cannot be fully “set up” without every member.
Fourthly, It will prove that from that time forward Jerusalem shall no longer be trodden down of the Gentiles, but shall arise from the dust of divine disfavor, to honor ; because the “Times of the Gentiles” will be fulfilled oi completed.
Fifthly, It will prove that by that date, or sooner, Israel’s blindness will begin to be turned away; because their “blindness in part ” was to continue only ” until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. 11:25), or, in other words, until the full number from among the Gentiles, who are to be members of the body or bride of Christ, would be fully selected.
Sixthly, It will prove that the great ” time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation,” will reach its culmination and will end at that date; and then men will have learned to be still, and to know that Jehovah is God and that he will be exalted in the earth. (Psa.46:10.) The condition of things spoken of in symbolic language as raging waves of the sea, melting earth, falling mountains, and burning heavens will then have passed away, and the “new heavens and new earth” with their peaceful blessings will begin to be recognized by trouble-tossed humanity; and the Lord’s Anointed and his rightful and righteous authority will begin to be recognized, first by a company of God’s children who will have come through great tribulation the class represented by m and t on the Chart of the Ages (See also pages 232 and 236, Vol. I.) ; afterward by Israel after the flesh ; and then by mankind in general.
Seventhly, It will prove that before that date God’s Kingdom, organized in power, will be in the earth, and will have smitten and crushed the Gentile image (Dan. 2:34)- it will have consumed the power of these kings. Its own power and dominion will be established as fast as by its varied influences and agencies it crushes and scatters the powers that be-civil and ecclesiastical-iron and clay.” (The Time is At Hand pages 76-78)
Can anyone honestly say that a single one of these seven things were proved in 1914? Yet a search in the Watchtower CD Library reveals how much was made of that quote in the World Magazine in the society’s publications over the years:
“DURING the first few months of 1914 the clergy and others poured considerable ridicule upon C. T. Russell and the Watch Tower Society for failing to see anything happening to the Gentile nations. But all this ridicule stopped when nation after nation and kingdom after kingdom began cascading into what now is called the first world war. From July 27 onward into August of that year was a time of world-shaking surprises. A typical public-press reaction to the situation was published August 30, 1914, by a leading New York city newspaper, The World. “End of All Kingdoms in 1914” was the arresting headline of a long feature article in that journal’s Sunday magazine section (pages 4 and 17), from which we quote:
“According to the Calculations of Rev. Russell’s ‘International Bible Students,’ This Is the ‘Time of Trouble’ Spoken of by the Prophet Daniel, the Year 1914 Predicted in the Book ‘The Time Is at Hand,’ of which Four Million Copies Have Been Sold, as the Date of the Downfall of the Kingdoms of Earth.
“The terrific war outbreak in Europe has fulfilled an extraordinary prophecy. For a quarter of a century past, through preachers and through press, the ‘International Bible Students’, best known as ‘Millennial Dawners,’ have been proclaiming to the world that the Day of Wrath prophesied in the Bible would dawn in 1914. ‘Look out for 1914!’(The Watchtower March 15, 1955 pg. 173)
“Yes, as far back as the year 1877, two years before their significantly named magazine, the Watch Tower, appeared, these modern witnesses of Jehovah heralded the truth that the Gentile times would end in 1914. During the thirty-seven years that followed, these witnesses energetically pressed forward with a world campaign to notify the nations that their lease of power without divine interruption would run out A.D. 1914.—See “The Climactic Approach to 1914” in Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, pp. 47 to 58.
6 A leading New York newspaper, The World, in its Sunday magazine section, August 30, 1914, in a feature article, historically adds to the much documentation available for world history as to the record of these Bible witnesses of Jehovah. At that time they were also known by their British corporation name, the International Bible Students Association. In part the article reports:
7 “The terrific war outbreak in Europe has fulfilled an extraordinary prophecy. For a quarter of a century past, through preachers and through press, the ‘International Bible Students,’ best known as ‘Millennial Dawners,’ have been proclaiming to the world that the Day of Wrath prophesied in the Bible would dawn in 1914. ‘Look out for 1914!’ has been the cry of the hundreds of traveling evangelists who, representing this strange creed, have gone up and down the country enunciating the doctrine that “the Kingdom of God is at hand.’”—Ibidem, p. 54. (The Watchtower July 15, 1960 pg. 433 pars. 5-7; See also The Watchtower October 15, 1961 pg. 631; The Watchtower February 15, 1967 pg. 110 pars. 21-22; Awake April 8, 1972 pgs. 19-20; The Watchtower August 1, 1971 pg. 468 pars. 5-7; The Watchtower September15, 1971 pg. 560 par. 7; Awake October 8, 1973 pg. 17; Awake April 8, 1975 pg. 15; 1975 Yearbook pgs. 74-75; Awake May 8, 1981 pgs. 6-7; The Watchtower April 1, 1984 pg. 5)
“1914—The Turning Point in History
From the human standpoint, the world troubles and global wars foretold in the Bible were far from the thinking of the pre-1914 world. German statesman Konrad Adenauer said: “Thoughts and pictures come to my mind, . . . thoughts from the years before 1914 when there was real peace, quiet and security on this earth—a time when we didn’t know fear. . . . Security and quiet have disappeared from the lives of men since 1914.”[1] People living before 1914 thought that the future “would get better and better,” reported British statesman Harold Macmillan.[2] The book 1913: America Between Two Worlds notes: “Secretary of State Bryan said [in 1913] that ‘conditions promising world peace were never more favorable than now.’”[3]
31 So, right up to the very brink of World War I, world leaders were forecasting an age of social progress and enlightenment. But the Bible had foretold the opposite—that the unprecedented war of 1914 to 1918 would highlight the beginning of “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) The Bible also provided chronological evidence that 1914 would mark the birth of God’s heavenly Kingdom, to be followed by unprecedented world trouble.[4] But was anyone living back then aware that 1914 would be such a turning point in history?
32 Decades before that date, there was an organization of people who were making known the significance of 1914. The New York World of August 30, 1914, explains: “The terrific war outbreak in Europe has fulfilled an extraordinary prophecy. For a quarter of a century past, through preachers and through press, the ‘International Bible Students’ [Jehovah’s Witnesses] . . . have been proclaiming to the world that the Day of Wrath prophesied in the Bible would dawn in 1914. ‘Look out for 1914!’ has been the cry of the . . . evangelists.”[5] (1985 Creation book pgs. 227-229)
- The West Parker, Cleveland, Ohio, January 20, 1966, p. 1.
- The New York Times, “Macmillan, at Yale, Reflects on Change,” November 23, 1980, p. 51.
- 1913: America Between Two Worlds, by Alan Valentine, 1962, p. xiii.
- You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., 1982, pp. 136-141.
- The World Magazine, August 30, 1914.
“It is a historical fact worth noting that, on the basis of the points and evidence above presented, the March 1880 edition of the Watch Tower magazine identified the year 1914 as the time for the close of “the appointed times of the nations” (and the end of the lease of power granted the Gentile rulers). This was some 34 years before the arrival of that year and the momentous events it initiated. In the August 30, 1914, edition of The World, a leading New York newspaper at that time, a feature article in the paper’s Sunday magazine section commented on this as follows: “The terrific war outbreak in Europe has fulfilled an extraordinary prophecy. For a quarter of a century past, through preachers and through press, the ‘International Bible Students’ . . . have been proclaiming to the world that the Day of Wrath prophesied in the Bible would dawn in 1914.” (1988 Insight on the Scriptures vol. 1 pg. 135)
“Charles Taze Russell and his fellow Bible students realized decades earlier that 1914 would mark the end of the Gentile Times, or the appointed times of the nations. (Luke 21:24) While they did not in those early days fully understand what this would mean, they were convinced that 1914 was going to be a pivotal date in world history, and they were right. Notice the following newspaper quotation:
“The terrific war outbreak in Europe has fulfilled an extraordinary prophecy. For a quarter of a century past, through preachers and through press, the ‘International Bible Students,’ best known as ‘Millennial Dawners,’ have been proclaiming to the world that the Day of Wrath prophesied in the Bible would dawn in 1914. ‘Look out for 1914!’ has been the cry of the hundreds of traveling evangelists.”—The World, a New York newspaper, August 30, 1914. (1988 Revelation Climax pg. 105 )
So between the years 1955 to 1988 multiple uses have been made of this quote from “The World”. Though it is described as typical of what was in the news at that time, one wonders why no other newspaper has ever been quoted by the society.
Why no mention of this newspaper article?
Clearly Russell had to change his story because, by October 1914, what they had confidently expected and had been preaching decades in advance did not occur.
In volume one of the book “Light”, written in 1930, Rutherford reports on the state of affairs of the Bible students decades in advance and shortly after 1914:
“During that period of forty years God’s people on earth were carrying on a witness work, which work was foreshadowed by Elijah and John the Baptist. All of the Lord’s people looked forward to 1914 with joyful expectation. When that time came and passed there was much disappointment, chagrin and mourning, and the Lord’s people were greatly in reproach. They were ridiculed by the clergy and their allies in particular, and pointed to with scorn, because they had said so much about 1914, and what would come to pass, and their ‘prophecies’ had not been fulfilled.” (Light vol. 1 pg. 194)
Obviously at the time, Rutherford did not see those events as the fulfillment of an extraordinary prophecy.
The final quotes of the World Magazine came in 1993 but a change in the way it was quoted also came in that same year. First this appeared in the brochure “Why Worship God”:
“Decades before World War I began in 1914, Jehovah’s worshipers were making known the significance of that year. The New York World of August 30, 1914, explains: “The terrific war outbreak in Europe has fulfilled an extraordinary prophecy. For a quarter of a century past, through preachers and through press, the ‘International Bible Students’ [as Jehovah’s Witnesses were then known] . . . have been proclaiming to the world that the Day of Wrath prophesied in the Bible would dawn in 1914.”8 (1993 Why Worship God brochure pg. 23 par. 15)
The last time The World magazine was quoted was in the Proclaimers book. But the Proclaimers book tried to give a much more accurate picture of the beliefs about the Dawn of the Millennium. The writers knew it was taught at the time that the “Day of Wrath” ran parallel with the “Harvest” from 1874 to 1914. This information was increasingly becoming available to the public on internet websites. They didn’t want statements in this book that opposers could pounce upon to prove that it was not accurate.
So the Proclaimers book researchers, in 1993, did not use the entire quote, but reduced it to only the portion of that newspaper that could be claimed was an accurate assessment of what the Bible Students had actually been saying:
“Look Out for 1914!”
When World War I broke out in 1914, “The World,” then a leading newspaper in New York City, stated in its magazine section: “The terrific war outbreak in Europe has fulfilled an extraordinary prophecy. . . . ‘Look out for 1914!’ has been the cry of the hundreds of travelling evangelists, who, representing this strange creed [associated with Russell], have gone up and down the country enunciating the doctrine that ‘the Kingdom of God is at hand.’”—“The World Magazine,” August 30, 1914.” (Proclaimers book pg. 60)
Note that they specifically left out the portion of the quote that the Day of Wrath prophesied in the Bible would dawn in 1914. And ever since then, this 1914 newspaper has never been used again in a Watch Tower publication.
This period in the Bible Students history is referenced in the 2014 revised history book entitled: “God’s Kingdom Rules”. But in the same place where we would usually expect this newspaper to be referenced it is not mentioned. Here is what it reported on the time period:
As early as the 1870’s, they pointed to 1914 as the year when those seven times would end. (Dan. 4:25; Luke 21:24) Although our brothers of that era did not yet grasp the full significance of that marked year, they proclaimed what they knew far and wide, with long-lasting effects. (God’s Kingdom Rules pg. 15 par. 10)
Long before 1914, the Bible Students said that a time of trouble would begin in that marked year. But even they could not have imagined how accurate that prediction would turn out to be.” (God’s Kingdom Rules pg. 22 par. 29)
The only thing still considered by the society to be correct is that the “seven times” also called “the Gentile Times” would end in 1914. But even this can be disproven by a careful examination of the scriptures they use to support their chronological framework to arrive at that date. Of course, at the time, what the Bible Students understood and zealously preached was that all the Gentile Kingdoms would see their final end in 1914. No one taught that Jesus would be enthroned in that year. They believed that had already taken place in 1878. The Bible students proclaimed this as the date for Jesus enthronement until 1925, although in that year they still held to the view that his invisible presence had begun in 1874:
Later it was taught that his invisible presence began in 1878
(See also The Watchtower June 1, 1933 pg. 174)
The first time it was proclaimed in the Watchtower that Jesus kingdom presence began in 1914 was in 1933:
This was finally admitted in the God’s Kingdom Rules book:
“5 As we saw in Chapter 2 of this book, the Bible Students spent decades pointing out that the year 1914 would be significant in fulfilling Bible prophecy. However, at that time they believed that Christ’s presence had begun in 1874, that he had begun to rule in heaven in 1878, and that the Kingdom would not be fully set up until October 1914. The harvest would extend from 1874 to 1914 and would culminate in the gathering of the anointed to heaven. (2014 God’s Kingdom Rules pg. 50 par. 5)
What does this mean, then, about the statements of what the Bible students were proclaiming and the quotations from “The World Magazine” in the decades prior to this? Immediately, however, the book attempts to portray this as not being false prophecy:
“Do mistaken ideas such as these cast doubt on whether Jesus was guiding those faithful ones by means of holy spirit?
6 Not at all! Think again of our opening illustration. Would the premature ideas and eager questions of the tourists cast doubt on the reliability of their guide? Hardly! Similarly, although God’s people sometimes try to work out details of Jehovah’s purpose before it is time for the holy spirit to guide them to such truths, it is clear that Jesus is leading them. Thus, faithful ones prove willing to be corrected and humbly adjust their views.—Jas. 4:6. . (2014 God’s Kingdom Rules pg. 50 par. 6)
Yet, how is it possible for a mistaken view that humbly needs to be adjusted to be evidence of divine guidance? In fact, the book effectively admits that the Bible students tried to work out details of Jehovah’s purpose before it was time for the holy spirit to guide them. You would think after this that never again would the society refer to and use this very embarrassing quote.
However, amazingly, it was featured by governing body member Anthony Morris in a talk at the 2018 annual meeting entitled: “This Is It!” in which he held up a photocopy of The World magazine:
Great expectations realized in connection with that year? If Anthony Morris is so proud of this cherished magazine that he has held on to for so many years, if it is such a verification that the Bible students accurately prophesied the significance of 1914 years in advance, if this has been so faith strengthening to him, why does he not arrange for all of Jehovah’s Witnesses to have a printed copy? Is it possible that he is unaware of all of the information that has here been presented? I guess Witnesses are all supposed to just trust what he says and pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.