scans of "The Golden Age or Consolation" mags

by inbyathread 1 Replies latest jw friends

  • inbyathread
    inbyathread

    Does anyone know where these can be found? Are they still under copyright?

    Any referrals would be appreciated.

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    Here are a few plus some extras!

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    http://www.infotdgeova.it/vaccinazioni.htm#_ftnref14 Angels and Women 1924 http://www.geocities.com/paulblizard/july30.gif

    The Golden Age del 4/2/1931, p. 292

    The Golden Age del 4/2/1931, p. 293

    The Golden Age del 30/1/1935

    The Golden Age del 24/4/1935

    Consolation del 31/5/1939, p. 4

    Consolation del 31/5/1939, p. 5

    Informant: 1940

    http://www.jwfiles.com/scans/Informant5-1940.htm

    Research Outline on the Society

    How the Watchtower Society feels about examination of beliefs. Click on blue buttons for scan. www.jwfiles.com/

    1. The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life 1968, pg 13 We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious organization...
    2. Wt, 3/15/1969, pg 166, We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious organization......
    3. Is This Life All There Is?, 1974, pg 46, ...really, would you want to be associated with a religion that has not been honest with you?
    4. Aw, 10/22/1973, pg 6, Reasonable persons agree that the only fair method is to examine the evidence on both sides, both for and against a disputed theory. That is how one arrives at the truth.
    5. Wt, 8/1/1978, pg 12, ...different churches have published books and brochures for the purpose of “exposing” Jehovah’s Witnesses as heretics....calling another a “heretic” or “false prophet”...Naturally, we are not afraid of this kind of publicity, because we know that it serves to awaken the curiosity of many honest persons.
    6. Wt, 6/15/1985, pg 12, ...for the purpose of getting the full depth of the thoughts explained...It requires digging deeper, putting forth effort to locate that older publication and then studying the pages...

    I. The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society made these claims & predictions.

    A. They claim to be a Prophet.

    1. Wt, 1/15/1959, pg 40, 41 Whom has God actually used as his prophet?...Jehovah’s Witnesses are deeply grateful today that the plain facts show that God has been pleased to use them.
    2. Wt, 4/1/1972, pg 197 Who is this prophet?..Today they are known as Jehovah’s Witnesses.
    3. Wt, 10/1/1982, pg 27 .....“prophet” class yet on earth. The “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Har-Magedon could not start before this composite “prophet” ends his work.
    4. Aw, 6/8/1986, pg 9, ....all of whom are prophets, or witnesses for God. In fact, they are known throughout the world as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

    B. They claim to speak in Jehovah’s name.

    1. The Nations shall know 1971, pg 58-62 ,....as a mouthpiece and active agent...... commission to speak as a prophet in the name of Jehovah...
    2. Wt,3/15/1972, pg 189 ....commission to speak as a “prophet” in His name....
    3. Wt,9/1/1979, pg 29 ,...those of the Jeremiah class have been sent by Jehovah to speak in his name......back up their message by quoting the words, “This is what Jehovah has said.”

    C. They claim to be the official mouthpiece and channel of Jehovah.

    1. Zion’s Wt, 9/15/1895, pg 1867, reprint,.....as God’s mouthpiece in.....
    2. Zion’s Wt, 7/15/1906, pg 382, reprint, .....the truths I present, as God’s mouthpiece.....
    3. Wt, 7/1/1943, pg 203 He merely uses his "servant" class to publish the interpretation after the Supreme Court by Christ Jesus reveals it.
    4. Wt, 7/1/1943, pg 205 Jehovah speaks to us through his Son....He has appointed his "faithful and wise servant", who is his visible mouthpiece...These directions from the Lord come to us as individuals...
    5. Informant(KM), 1/1956, pg 1, ...And how does he speak? Through his appointed channel of communication- his collective congregation of anointed ones...the Watchtower...to dispense Jehovah's communications.
    6. Wt, 6/15/1957, pg 370 identify Jehovah’s channel of communication for our day......respond to the directions of the “slave” as we would to the voice of God, because it is his provision.
    7. Wt, 1/15/1959, pg 40, 41 ....Jehovah thrust out his hand of power and touched their lips and put his word in their mouths.
    8. Wt, 7/15/1960, pg 439, ...collectively served as the channel of communication from heaven to earth.....
    9. Wt, 9/1/1991, pg 19, .....faithful and discreet slave has also been called God’s channel of communication,...
    10. Wt, 2/1/1957, pg 79, 80, God interprets and teaches, through Christ the Chief Servant, who in turn uses the discreet slave as the visible channel, the viable theocratic organization...

    D. They claim to have a chosen and secret organization with special knowledge and angelic transmission.

    1. Vindication 1, 1931, pg 76, ...God’s organization is his chosen nation.
    2. Preperation, 1933 ,pg 36, 37, 64 .... ...transmission of information to God’s anointed people...the angels transmit this information, we know that they do it; the scriptures and the facts show that it is done...convey the thoughts to their minds...To all on the outside of the organization of Jehovah his is a secret organization.
    3. Holy Spirit 1976, pg 175, 176 He put his word in the mouth of his chosen people ....He has put his word, his message of the hour, into the mouth of the spiritual remnant.
    4. Wt, 10/15/1980, pg 17 God gives his humble servants special knowledge that others do not have... having advance knowledge from Jehovah, his servants are equipped .....

    E. They claim Jehovah instructed or used them on certain events.

    1. Creation 1927, pg 121 Because it was the Lord’s due time to restore these truths he used Charles T. Russell to write and publish books known as Studies in the Scriptures by which the great fundamental truths of the divine plan are clarified.

    F. They claim they are the beloved wife of Jehovah and are our Mother.

    1. Wt, 2/1/1952, pg 79, 80, ...forsake the enlightening guidance of the organization that mothered us? “Forsake not the law of thy mother.”(Prov.6:20-23)....
    2. Wt, 5/1/1957, pg 283, 284, 285 ....show respect for Jehovah’s organization, for she is our mother and the beloved wife of our heavenly Father, Jehovah God.
    3. Wt, 7/1/1976, pg 400, ....taught through his wifelike organization, their “mother”.....

    G. They predicted the following dates as the battle of Armageddon.

    1. Zion’s Wt, 1/15/1892, pg 1355, reprint .. “battle” is definitely marked in Scripture as October, 1914.
    2. The Time is at Hand, 1908, pg 101 ....the “battle of the great day of God Almighty” (Rev.16:14) which will end in A.D. 1914, with the complete overthrow of earth’s present rulership, is already commenced.
    3. The Finished Mystery, 1917, pg 398, 399, 485 .... ........the people who are the strength of Christendom shall be cut off in the brief but terribly eventful period beginning in 1918 A.D. A third part are “burned with fire in the mist of the city.” .....After 1918 the people supporting churchianity will cease to be its, supporters, be destroyed as adherents,...Also in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by the millions....
    4. Vindication 1, 1931, pg 146, 338, 339 ..... ....years 1914,1918 and 1925 ..... they also learned to quit fixing dates for the future and predicting what would come to pass on certain dates....
    5. Informant, May 1940 The year 1940 is certain to be the most important year yet because Armageddon is very near.
    6. Wt, 9/15/1941, pg 288 ...in the remaining months before Armageddon.
    7. Wt, 5/1/1968, pg 273 Chart of dates 1975 end of 6th 1000-year day...2975 end of 7th 1000-year day....
    8. Aw, 1/22/1969, pg 16 Other Bible prophecies clearly foretell God’s purpose to bring this wicked system to an end in a few years.
    9. Aw, 5/22/1969, pg 15 If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. .....all evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. ....as a young person you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!
    10. Wt, 10/15/1969, pg 622, 623 ....seventh millennium from man’s creation by Jehovah God would begin in less than ten years.
    11. The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah, 1971, pg 216 Shortly, within our twentieth century, the "battle in the day if Jehovah" will begin against modern antitype of Jerusalem, Christendom.
    12. Wt, 1/1/1989, pg 12 The apostle Paul was spearheading the Christian missionary activity. He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our 20th century. (This quote was later changed in the WT bound volume to: He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our day.)
    13. In 1995 the generation of 1914 that would not pass away has changed to a contemporary generation. See Item I K

    H. They blamed other religions for setting dates and called them false prophets.

    1. Light 1930, pg 47, They have been prophesying particularly since 1918, and everyone knows that their prophecies to date have not come to pass; and that alone is strong evidence that they are false prophets.
    2. Wt, 10/15/1958, pg 613, “Sometime between April 15 and 23, 1957, Armageddon will sweep the World!...” So prophesied a certain California pastor Mihran Ask, in January 1957.....Such false prophets tend to......
    3. Aw, 10/8/1968, pg23 ...those in times past who predicted an “end of the world”, even announcing a specific date...they were guilty of false prophesying.
    4. Paradise Restored 1972, pg 353,354, Jehovah, the God of the true prophets, will put all false prophets to shame either by not fulfilling the false prediction of such self-assuming prophets or by having his own prophecies fulfilled in a way opposite to that predicted by the false prophets. False prophets will try to hide who they really are.
    5. Wt, 6/15/1974, pg 381 Similarly the “false prophet” is not a person, but is a system or an organization. A “prophet” claims to have inspired information for the direction of others.
    6. Aw, 12/8/1981, pg 14, Since the Bible speaks about only “one faith,” All of today’s religious groups outside the one true faith must, according to this standard, be counterfeits, composite, “false prophets”

    I. They predicted other events.

    1. The Truth Shall Make You Free, 1943 ,pg 285, ....Man on earth can no more get rid of these demonic “heavens” than man can by airplane or rockets or other means get up above the air envelope...
    2. Wt,7/15/1960, pg 444 In 1942 the “faithful and discreet slave” guided by Jehovah’s unerring spirit made known that the democracies would win World War II .... “faithful and discreet slave” has been tipped off ahead of time.....

    J. They say they are not a False Prophet.

    1. Aw, 3/22/1993, pg 3, 4, They do not claim that their predictions are direct revelations from Jehovah and that in this sense they are prophesying in Jehovah’s name. ......when their words do not come true, they should not be viewed as false prophets....

    K.The generation of 1914 that would not pass away has changed to a contemporary generation. (Another failed prediction)

    1. All the literature before 1995 spoke of the generation that was 10-15 years old or born during 1914 would not pass away before Armageddon.
    2. Wt, 11/1/1995, pg 14, ... Jesus was not departing from his established use of the term “this generation” which he consistently applied to the contemporary masses.....
    3. Wt, 11/1/1995, pg 17 Rather than provide a rule for measuring time, the term “generation” as used by Jesus refers to a contemporary people of a certain historical period.....
    4. Wt, 11/1/1995, pg 19, Therefore, in the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy today, “this generation” apparently refers to the peoples of the earth who see the sign of Christ’s presence but fail to mend their ways.

    II Charles Taze Russell delt in pyramidology , astrology , sungod emblems and Masonic imagery.

    A. Russell measured pyramid tunnels to verify his dates 1874, 1878, 1881, 1914 , 1915 and 1918, Rutherford continued this pyramidology until 1928 then said it was under the direction of Satan the Devil.

    1. Jehovah’s Witnesses Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom 1993, pg 162, Has picture of a chart of the pyramids. See actual pull out chart from " Studies in the Scriptures, The Devine Plan Of The Ages Volume 1, 1910
    2. Thy Kingdom Come 3, 1897, (Studies in Scriptures), pg 342, Then measuring down the “Entrance Passage”....3416 inches symbolizing 3416 years ....This calculation shows A.D. 1874 as marking the beginning of trouble.....the Pyramid witnesses that the close of 1874 was the chronological beginning of the times if trouble....
    3. Thy Kingdom Come 3,1916, (Studies in Scriptures), pg 342, Then measuring down the “Entrance Passage”....3457 inches symbolizing 3457 years ....This calculation shows A.D. 1915 as marking the beginning of trouble....the Pyramid witnesses that the close of 1914 was the chronological beginning of the times if trouble....
    4. Zion’s Wt, 5/1881, pg 225, reprint, .....“grand gallery” measures 1874 inches long at the top.....Now notice how aptly these three distinct dates (1874,1878,1881,) are marked by the pyramid, in ending the grand gallery.....
    5. Zion’s Wt, 9/1881, pg 272, reprint, Diagram of measurements of pyramids.
    6. The Divine Plan of the Ages, 1910, (Studies in Scriptures), pg front of book , Diagram of measurements of pyramids.
    7. Wt, 10/1/1917, pg 6149, ...refers to the Great Pyramid, the measurements of which confirm the Bible teaching that 1878 marked the beginning of the harvest of the....
    8. Wt, 6/15/1922, pg 187, ....passages of the Great Pyramid of Gizeh.... and at the same time proves the correctness of the chronology.
    9. Wt, 5/15/1925, pg 148, ....Pyramid of Egypt, standing as a silent and inanimate witness of the Lord, is a messenger....
    10. Wt, 11/15/1928, pg 344, ....the great pyramid of Gizeh, as well as other pyramids thereabout, also the sphinx, were built by rulers of Egypt and under the direction of Satan the Devil.
    11. Qualified to be Ministers, 1955, pg 304, ...The Divine Plan of the Ages.” It was very well received by the public, as is attested by the fact that more than six million copies were distributed over a forty-year period.
    12. A Pyramid was erected on the Bethal Family plot in Rosemont United Cemeteries, in Pittsburgh, Pa. The size of pyramid is nine feet across the base, and is seven feet in height, weighing several tons. (See the Pyramid at Charles Taze Russell's grave site)

    B. Russell used Masonic imagery from the Knights Templar logo of the Masons as an emblem on the cover of the Watchtower.

    1. Jehovah’s Witnesses Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom 1993, pg 88, Has a picture of emblem on Watchtower in upper left hand corner, it’s a cross & crown and a armored knight with two swords. See article Emblems used by the Watchtower Society

    C. Russell used the symbol of the sungod Ra on the covers of his books.

    1. Jehovah’s Witnesses Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, 1993, pg 88, Has a picture the books “The Finished Mystery” and “ Pastor Russell’s Sermons” with the symbol on it. (See scanned copy of "The Divine Plan of The Ages" and "The Finished Mystery" with the sungod Ra symbol)
    2. Jehovah’s Witnesses Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, 1993, pg 651, Has a picture the book “The Finished Mystery” with the symbol on it.

    D. Russell wrote about Astrology.

    1. Zion’s Wt, 5/01/1903, pg 127-131, reprint, We seriously question all the claims of Astrology; yet the following-from whatever source the suggestions come, even though of the Adversary himself-seem remarkably true to our expectations based upon the Word of the Lord, For this reason alone we present them here as follows:-“Saturn is the representative of the great motive power that has dominated the mind of man up to the present time......Saturn-God to save his Throne......Jupiter, representing law, religion and morality........Jupiter must also transfer his allegiance from grasping Saturn to the newly discovered factor that stands for universal brotherhood; namely, Uranus. When Uranus and Jupiter meet in the humane sign of Aquarius in 1914......Uranus is preparing the way for Neptune, who symbolizes Love in it’s very highest form - the fulfilling of the law.” In 1903 Jupiter will be in the Sign of Pisces-sign of the feet, or understanding.....
    2. Zion’s Wt, 5/15/1895, pg 1814, reprint, ....system of planets....common center,-the group Pleides, And the reasonable suggestion has been made that the center may be the heavens of the heavens, the highest heaven, the throne of God.
    3. Wt, 6/15/1915, pg 5710, For this reason the suggestion has been made that the Pleides may represent the residence of Jehovah, the place from which he governs the universe.
    4. Creation, 1927, pg 94, The face of the deep , of course, would be toward Pleiades, which are claimed to be the habitation of Jehovah.
    5. Reconciliation, 1928, pg 14 ....It has been suggested, and with much weight, that one of the stars of the group is the dwelling place of Jehovah.

    III The 1914 date is based on the fall of Jerusalem in 607 B.C. during King Nebuchadnezzar’s time.

    A. It was taught for years that Jerusalem fell in 606 B.C. then quietly changed to 607 B.C. so the numbers would add up.

    1. Riches 1936, pg 60, Jerusalem fell in 606 B.C.
    2. Enemies 1937, pg 216, Jerusalem fell in 606 B.C.
    3. The Truth Shall Make You Free 1943, pg 236, Jerusalem fell in 606 B.C.
    4. This Means Everlasting Life 1950 ,pg 204, Jerusalem fell in 607 B.C.

    B. All Encyclopedias disagree with the 607 B.C. date. All historians point to a date twenty years later.

    1. Britannica No 23 Knowledge in Depth, pg 885, The city fell in 587/586 and was completely destroyed.
    2. The book of Knowledge 1991, book 10, pg 104, In 586 B.C., Jerusalem fell to the conquering Babylonians.
    3. The World book on Encyclopedia, 1990, book II, pg 99,In 587 or 586 B.C., the Babylonians conquered Judah and destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem.
    4. Encyclopedia Americana, 1995, book21, pg 304, ...survived until 587 B.C, when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia destroyed Jerusalem and annexed Palestine.
    5. Merit Students Encyclopedia, 1987, No 10, pg 159, In 597 B.C., King Nebuchadnezzar II, of Babylonia captured Jerusalem, and in 586 B.C., after a Jewish rebellion, he destroyed the city and took many of its inhabitants....

    C. Ten of thousand of clay cuneiform tablets were found in Mesopotamian area to back up the 587/586 B.C. as the all of Jerusalem.

    1. Let Your Kingdom Come, 1981 pg 186, 187, Vat 4956: This is a cuneiform tablet that provides astronomical information datable to 586 B.C.E. It says that the observations were from Nebucahadnezzar’s 37th year. This would correspond to the chronology that places the 18th regional year in 587/ 6 B.C.E. However, this tablet is admittedly a copy made in the third century B.C.E so it is possible that its historical information is simply that which was accepted in the Seleucid period. Business tablets: Thousands of contemporary Neo-Babylonian cuneiform tablets have been found that record simple business transaction, stating the year of the Babylonian king when the transaction occurred. Tablets of this sort have been found for all the years of reign for known Neo-Babylonian kings in the accepted chronology of the period.

    D. Society ignores validity of tablets.

    1. Let Your Kingdom Come, 1981, pg 186, 187, From a secular viewpoint, such lines of evidence might seem to establish the Neo-Babylonia chronology with Nebuchadnezzar’s 18th year ( and the destruction of Jerusalem) in 587/ 6 B.C.E. However, no historian can deny the possibility that the present picture of Babylonian history might be misleading or in error. .....the inspired Word of God it can be used as a measuring rod in evaluating secular history and views.

    E. Russell got the date 1914 originally from the pyramid measurements.

    1. See Item II A

    F. The 1914 date was to be Armageddon as Russell preached, not Christ’s presence as taught today.

    1. See Item I G

    IV What would Jesus have examined, when he made his decision to choose a pure organization in 1919?

    A. Jesus would have examined their leaders. B. Jesus would have examined their teachings.
    C. Jesus would have examined their latest literature.

    V Did Jesus choose the “Faithful & Discreet Slave” of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society in 1919 as a pure and true organization? Lets examine their teachings in around that time period to see just what Jesus would have seen.

    A. Predicted Armageddon in 1914 & 1918
    1. Zion’s Wt, 1/15/1892, pg 1355, reprint ...“battle” is definitely marked in Scripture as October,1914.
    2. The Time is at Hand, 1908, pg 101, ....the “battle of the great day of God Almighty” (Rev.16:14)which will end in A.D. 1914, with the complete overthrow of earth’s present rulership, is already commenced.
    3. The Finished Mystery, 1917, pg 398, 399, 485, .... ........the people who are the strength Of Christendom shall be cut off in the brief but terribly eventful period beginning in1918 A.D. A third part are “burned with fire in the mist of the city.” .....After 1918 the people supporting churchianity will cease to be its, supporters, be destroyed as adherents,... Also in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by the millions....

    B. Taught pyramidology and astrology.
    1. See section II A & D

    C. Used the sungod emblems and the masonic imagery.
    1. See section II B & C

    D. Did not used the name Jehovah on a regular basis for the first forty years.

    E. Celebrated Christmas, New Years and Birthdays.
    1. Jehovah’s Witnesses Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, 1993, pg 200, Christmas
    2. Zion’s Wt, Jan.1886, pg 817, reprint, “A Happy New Year”....
    3. Jehovah’s Witnesses Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, 1993, pg 201, Birthday

    F. Saluted the Flag.
    1. Wt, 5/15/1917, pg 6086, reprint, ....everyone in America should take pleasure in displaying the American flag...Since the Bethal Home was established in one end of the Drawing Room there has been kept a small bust of Abraham Lincoln with two American flags displayed about the bust, This is deemed entirely proper.

    G. Taught the White race was superior, and Blacks could change to White in the “New System”.
    1. Zion’s Wt, 10/1/1900, pg 2706, reprint, Though once as black as charcoal, the Rev. Mr. Draper is now white. His people say that his color was changed in answer to prayer.
    2. Zion’s Wt, 7/15/1902, pg 3043, reprint, While it is true that the white race exhibits some qualities of superiority over any other, we are to remember that there are wide differences in the same Caucasian (Semitic and Arvan) family...
    3. Zion’s Wt, 2/15/1904, pg 3320, reprint, How can all men be brought to perfection and which color of skin was the original? The answer is now provided. God can change the Ethiopian’s skin in his own due time.
    4. The Golden Age,7/24/1929, pg 702, ...when Noah said, "Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren," he pictured the future of the Colored race.

    VI The above described teachings around the 1919 date are 180 degrees opposite to what is taught now.

    A. If the teachings were correct in 1919, when Jesus chose the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, Jesus would have to abandon the WTBTS now because their belief system is totally reversed.

    B. If the teachings are correct now, they were therefore wrong then, so on what basis would the WTBTS have been chosen?

    VII Jehovah’s Witnesses didn’t recognize the 1914 date for Jesus’ second presence, they thought the presence was 1874 up until the year 1943.
    1. God’s Kingdom of a Thousand Years has Approached, 1973, pg 206, 209
    2. Prophecy, 1929, pg 65, 66

    VIII Why are you baptized in the Father, the Son and the Spirit of the Organization?

    A. Baptized only in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
    1. Wt, 7/1/1955, pg 411 A Christian, therefore, cannot be baptized in the name of the one actually doing the immersing or in the name of any man, nor in the name of any organization, but in the name of the Father, the Son and the holy spirit. This shows, among other things, that Christianity is not a denominational affair, that sects have nothing to do with it.

    B. Dedicated to God and his "spirit-directed organization" (the Watchtower Society).
    1. Wt, 6/1/1985, pg 30 Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association with God’s spirit-directed organization?
    OTHER SCANS YOU MIGHT WANT!
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  • The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah, p. 70
  • The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah, p. 58
  • Holy Spirit—The Force Behind the Coming New Order!, p.148
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  • The Time is at Hand, 1908 ed, p.101
  • Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. IV, p.621
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  • Millions Now Living Will Never Die, p.89
  • Watchtower, Sept 1, 1922, p.262
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  • Life Everlasting—In Freedom of the Sons of God, p.28
  • The Arizona Republic (newspaper), Aug. 24, 1969
  • Kingdom Ministry, May 1974, p.3
  • Watchtower, June 15, 1974, p.381
  • Paradise Restored to Mankind, pp. 353-354
  • Paradise Restored to Mankind, p. 354
  • Light, (A Society publication), Book I, p.194
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  • Watchtower, May 15, 1976, p.297
  • Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1975, p.519
  • Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1975, p.579
  • Awake, Oct. 8, 1968, p.14
  • Watchtower, May 1, 1968, p.271
  • Aid to Bible Understanding (1969), p.533
  • Aid to Bible Understanding (1969), p.333
  • 1975 Yearbook, p.194
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  • Deed to Beth-Sarim, Dec. 24, 1929
  • Kingdom Interlinear, p. 1158
  • Mantey Letter, p.3
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  • Watchtower, Jan. 15, 1975, p.63
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  • The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, p. 22
  • New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. XIV, p. 306
  • The Trinity
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  • Letter, Michael Esses
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  • Grant and Rowley, Dictionary of the Bible, p. 334
  • Grant and Rowley, Dictionary of the Bible, p. 334
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  • Walsh vs. Clyde, Scotland, Nov., 1954
  • Kingdom Interlinear, pp. 1,155, 1,156
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  • Resignation Letter
    • http://www.towerwatch.com/Witnesses/SotheWatchtowerSays/so_the_watchtower_says.htm

    So the Watchtower Says

    by Andy Sjostrom

    This document contains only quotes from the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society. You can find each page in the image file mentioned in the right-most column of the table below.

    This document is not about saying that men can’t make mistakes or that the light can’t grow brighter and brighter. It is about the simple question: Did God approve?

    About the SocietyIssue, publicationImage
    "Who then is the faithful and wise steward whom his Lord shall set over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? The implication seems to be that when the right time should come for understanding the parable, it would be clearly set forth: that at the time of the parable's fulfillment the Lord would appoint a servant in the household to bring these matters to the attention of all the servants, and that certain responsibilities would rest upon such a one respecting the dispatch of his duties"1904, 15 April, p 3355-3356w1904 4-15_3355.TIF
    "If the six volumes of SCRIPTURE STUDIES are practically the Bible topically arranged, with Bible proof-texts given, we might not improperly name the volumes--the Bible in an arranged form. That is to say, they are not merely comments on the Bible, but they are practically the Bible itself, since there is no desire to build any doctrine or thought on any individual preference or on any individual wisdom, but to present the entire matter on the lines of the Word of God. We therefore think it safe to follow this kind of reading, this kind of instruction, this kind of Bible study. Furthermore, not only do we find that people cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the SCRIPTURE STUDIES aside, even after he has used them, after lie has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years--if tie then lays them aside and ignores thenl and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the SCRIPTURE STUDIES with their references, and had not read a page of the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of the two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures."1910, 15 sep, p 298-299w1910 9-15_298.tif

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    Faithful and Wise Servant: "Thousands of the readers of Pastor Russell's writings believe that he filled the office of 'that faithful and wise servant,' and that his great work was giving to the household of faith meat in due season. His modesty and humility precluded him from openly claiming this title, but he admitted as much in private conversation"1916, 1 dec, p 5998w1916 12-1_5998.tif
    "To be faithful means to be loyal. To be loyal to the Lord means to be obedient to the Lord. To abandon or repudiate the Lord’s chosen instrument means to abandon or repudiate the Lord himself, upon the principle that he who rejects the servant sent by the Master thereby rejects the Master. There is no one in present truth today who can honestly say that he received a knowledge of the divine plan from any source other than by the ministry of Brother Russell, either directly or indirectly. Through his prophet Ezekiel Jehovah foreshadowed the office of a servant, designating him as one clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side, who was delegated to go throughout the city (Christendom) and comfort thoise that sighed by enlightening their minds relative to God’s great plan. Be it noted that this was a favor bestowed not by man, but by the Lord himself. But in keeping with the Lord’s arrangement he used a man. The man who filled that office, by the Lord’s grace, was Brother Russell. Jesus clearly indicated that during his second presence he would have amongst the church a faithful and wise servant, through whom he would give to the household of faith meat in due season. The evidence is overwhelming concerning the Lord’s second presence, the time of the harvest, and that the office of "that servant" has been filled by Brother Russel."1922, 1 maj, p 132w1922 5-1_132.tif
    "One of the chief tempations to the church has been in respect to loyalty to God’s arrangements for it. Since the days when in the providences of God our late beloved leader came into prominence as the chief representative of the Lord’s people and stood before them as "that servant" who had charge of his Master’s goods, every indiciation of the Lord’s providence has shown that God gave Brother Russel to the church to be as a mouthpiece for him: and those who claim to have learned the truth apart from Brother Russel and his writings have been manifested by the Lord as deceivers, ready to lead the flock of God in their way."1922, 15 sept, p 279w1922 9-15_279.TIF
    "There are some who loudly dispute a fulfillment in any man; but those who have seen, held and taught present truth, most assuredly have believed that our late beloved leader, Brother Russell, held that position of steward. And this we most certainly hold, both as a fact and as a necessity of faith."1922, 15 dec, p 396w1922 12-15_396.TIF
    "When asked who the faithful and wise servant was, Russell would reply, 'Some say I am while others say the Society is'; both are true, since Russell was in fact the Society."1923, 1 mar, p 68w1923 3-1_68.tif
    How then the assertion that "'That Faithful and Wise Servant' does not apply to one individual and not to brother Russell. Russell never made that claim himself."1927, 15 feb, 56w1927 2-15_56.TIF
    "The Lord used The Watchtower to announce these truths. Doubtless he used his invisible deputies to have much to do with it."1930, Light1, p 64 1930_Light1_64.tif
    "Visible human creatures had to do with that message, yet. in fact, it was a message of the Lord sent through his invisible angels, because without a doubt these are clothed with authority to direct the course of earthly members of God's organization."1930, Light1, p 1061930_Light1_106.tif
    "Again the Lord sent his angel to carry out matters of great importance as pertaining to his people on earth. He caused his representatives or deputies, who are invisible to men, to direct what should be done by his visible servants on the earth. This is further proof of the completeness with which Jehovah keeps his hand in all his work."1930, Light1, p 2181930_Light1_218.tif
    "...the servant class on earth are directed by the Lord through his duly constituted deputies or angels."1930, Light2, s. 201930_Light2_20.tif
    There cannot be a question or doubt that Jesus Christ can and does direct every division of his organization and that he can and does use his holy angels to carry into operation his orders and direct the course of the remnant on earth, regardless of the fact that the remnant cannot see these agents or ambassadors of the Lord and can have no direct or audible communication with them.1932, 1 sept, p 263w1932 9-1_263.tif
    "It was in the spring of 1918 that the Lord Jesus, as the representative of Jehovah, appeared at the temple, and from that time forward the glory of Jehovah has been there. "And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house ; and the man stood by me." (43 : 6) When Ezekiel heard the Lord speaking to him the man stood by him. "The man" was the heavenly messenger, and this pictures the heavenly messengers or angels of the Lord now used by the Lord in behalf of the remnant. These angels are invisible to human eyes and are there to carry out the orders of the Lord. No doubt they first hear the instruction which the Lord issues to his remnant and then these invisible messengers pass such instruction on to the remnant."1932, "Vindication 3", JF Rutherford, p 2501932_Vindication3_250.tif
    "Certain duties and Kingdom interests have been committed by the Lord to his angels, which include the transmission of information to God's anointed people on the earth for their aid and comfort."Preparation 1933 p.361933_Preparation_36.tif
    "The official organ of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society is the magazine The Watchtower. It is published every two weeka It is announced with confidence that the Lord uses the columns of The Watchtower to transmit to his consecrated people things that he reveals to them and provides for them to know. It is the privilege of The Watchtower to publish explanation of the prophecies, which explanation is based upon the physical facts that exactly fit the prophecy and show that the explanation is correct. There is no attempt on the part of The Watchtower to interpret prophecy, for the reason that no human creature can interpret prophecy. Prophecy is of divine origin, and it can be understood only when in course of fulfilment or after having been fulfilled. Long centuries ago God caused holy men to write the prophecies, and now it pleases him to unfold them that his faithful witnesses on earth at the present time may be assured that they are in the right way, and that their hope may be strong."1935, Årsbok, p 521935_Yearbook_52.tif
    "Jehovah has made the necessary arrangements within his organization to instruct his people, and all recognize that for some years The Watchtower has been the means of communicating information to God’s people. That does not mean that those who prepare the manuscript for The Watchtower are inspired, but rather it means that the Lord through his angels sees to it that the information is given to his people in due time, and he brings to pass the events in fulfillment of his prophecy and then invites those devoted to him to see the same."1936, "Riches", JF Rutherford, p 3161936_Riches_316.tif
    "It should be expected that the Lord would have a means of communication to his people on the earth, and he has clearly shown that the magazine called The Watchtower is used for that purpose."1939, Årsbok, p 851939_Yearbook_85.tif
    "The Watchtower Society is acting orderly under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ, and such is the visible part of God’s organization. The commands or orders to that organization come from the Lord, and not from any man, although men are used to have part in transmitting these to others of the organization. The Lord directs the minutest details, even selection of the yeartext as used by his people."1941, Årsbok, 19 Sep1941_Yearbook_sept19.tif
    "The Lord does not say to speak the words of wisdom of man, nor to be influenced or guided by the word of man. Those who are convinced that The Watclztower is publishing the opinion or expression of a man should not waste time in looking at it at all, because a man’s opinion proves nothing except when that opinion is based wholly upon the Word of God. Those who believe that God uses The Watchtower as a means of communicating to his people, or of calling their attention to his prophecies, should study The Watchtower with thankfulness of heart and give Jehovah God and Christ Jesus all the honor and credit and give neither honor nor credit to any man."1942, 1 jan, p 5w1942 1-1_5.tif
    "To such remnant of faithful servants of Jehovah God Christ Jesus has entrusted all "his goods", or earthly interests of the Kingdom. This does not signify that the faithful remnant or society of Jehovah’s annointed witnesses are an earthly tribunal of interpretation, delegated to interpret the Scriptures and its prophecies. No; Christ Jesus the King has not entrusted that office to them. THE SUPREME COURT STILL INTERPRETS, thank God; and Christ Jesus, the Court’s official mouthpiece of interpretation, reserves to himself that office as Head of Jehovah’s "faithful and wise servant" class. He merely uses the "servant" class to publish the interpretation after the Suprenie Court by Christ Jesus reveals it."1943, 1 juli, p 203w1943 7-1_203.tif
    These expressions of God’s will by his King and through his established agency constitute his law or rule of action for the "faithful and wise servant" and for their goodwill companions today who will dwell upon the earth for ever in the New World. The Lord breaks down our organization instructions further and makes them more practicable by further instructing us through his "faithful and wise servant". He says, ’Let us assign the field, the world, to special pioneers, regular pioneers and companies of Jehovah’s witnesses in an orderly way, sufficient for everyone to thoroughly witness therein, and let us place upon each one the responsibility of caring for the New World interests in these respective asmgnments.’ He says the requirements for special pioneers shall be 175 hours and 50 back-calls per month, which should develop into a reasonable number of studies; and for regular prancers 150 hours and as many back-calls and studies as can be properly developed during that time. And for company publishers he says, ’Let us make a quota of 60 hours and 12 back-calls and at least one study a week for each publisher.’ These directions come to us from the Lord through his established agency directing what is required of us; and, for those who really love the Lord and are guided by his counsel, that is a reasonable service requirement …. The Lord through his "faithful and wise servant" now states to us, "Let us cover our termtory four times in six months." That becomes our organization instructions and has the same binding force on us that his statement to the Logos had when he said, ’Let us make man in our image." It is our duty to accept this additional instruction and obey it."1943, 1 juli, p 205w1943 7-1_205.tif
    "It is not a blind or dumb watchman, but tries to keep in tune with God by searching his Word and being receptive to his guidance, with eyes always open to prophecy so that it knows what to look for in world events, so that it understands the significance of what it sees. It does not privately interpret prophecy, but calls attention to physical facts, sets them alongside prophecy, and you see for yourself how well the two match, how accurately Jehovah interprets his own prophecy.—2 Pet. 1:20, 21. Hence the purpose of this magazine is to keep sharp and faithful focus on Bible truth, on world happenings that may fulfill prophecies, and on religious news generally. Sometimes it will tear down religious falsehoods, that Bible truth may be built up in their stead. Such two-way work is Scripturally commanded, and is beneficial for all persons of right heart condition. (Jer. 1:10; Heb. 12:5-13) However, The Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in its utterances, nor is it dogmatic. It invites careful and critical examination of its contents in the light of the Scriptures. Its purpose is to aid others to know Jehovah and his purposes toward mankind, and to announce Christ’s established kingdom as our only hope."1950, 15 April, p 263W1950 8-15_263.tif
    "We must show our understanding in these matters, appreciating our relationship to the visible theocratic organization, remembering the fate of those like Korah and Achan and Saul and Uzziah and others who forgot the theocratic order. Are we assigned as individuals to bring forth the food for the spiritual table? No? Then let us not try to take over the slave’s duties. We should eat and digest and assimilate what is set before us, without shying away from parts of the food because it may not suit the fancy of our mental taste. The truths we are to publish are the ones provided through the discreet-slave organization, not some personal opinions contrary to what the slave has provided as timely food. Jehovah and Christ direct and correct the slave as needed, not we as individuals. If we do not see a point at first we should keep trying to grasp it, rather than opposing and rejecting it and presumptuously taking the position that we are more likely to be right than the discreet slave."1952, 1 feb, p 79W1952 2-1_79.tif
    "5 The first essential for study is the right condition of mind and heart, appreciating that Jehovah grants understanding only to the meek, and not to the stiff-necked. If we have love for Jehovah and for the organization of his people we shall not be suspicious, but shall, as the Bible says, 'believe all things,' all the things that The Watchtower brings out, inasmuch as it has been faithful in giving us a knowledge of God's purposes and guiding us in the way of peace, safety and truth from its inception to this present day."1955, "Qualified to be ministers", p 1561956_Qualified_156.tif
    "Newcomers must learn to fall in line with the principals and polices of the new world society and to act in harmony with them so that all may function smoothly for the welfare and blessing of all within the organization."1956, 1 juni, p 345W1956 6-1_345.tif
    "Who controls the organization, who directs it? Who is head? A Man? A group of men? A Clergy class? A pope? A hierarchy? Council? No, none of these. How is this possible? In any organization is it not necessary that there be a directing head or policy-making part that controls or guides the organization? Yes!.. Is the living God, Jehovah, the theocratic Christian organization? Yes!.. because of the fact the heaven-enthroned Christ Jesus is Jehovah's Executive Officer carrying on his work in the earth and because of the further fact that the spirit of God by Christ Jesus."1956, 1 nov, 666w1956 11-1_666.tif
    Mother Organization: The Society is identified as "our mother" and Jehovah God as "Father." "If we are to walk in the light of truth we must recognize not only Jehovah God as our Father but his organization as our mother.... Today, also, God requires and exacts from his children obedience honor and respect. These must be rendered not only to the living God himself, but to his wifely organization as well"1957, 1 maj, p 274W1957 5-1_274.tif
    "We will realize that Jehovah knows what is going on in his organization, and if he is willing to permit it, who are we to insist it should be different? If we really have faith, we will know that if it is wrong he will straighten it out eventually, and we are far safer inside his organization even with these minor difficulties than we would be on the outside where only chaos and destruction await us."1957, 1 maj, p 284w1957 5-1_284.tif
    "It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the slave as we would to the voice of God because it is His provision."1957, 15 juni, p 370w1957 6-15_370.tif
    "The fact that decides the answer to the question is, not, Do all the clergy of Roman Catholicism and of Protestantism agree that Jehovah’s witnesses have been and are God’s prophet to the nations? but, Who discerned the divine will for Christians in this time of the world’s end and offered themselves to do it? Who have undertaken God’s foreordained work for this day of judgment of the nations? Who have answered the call to the work and have done it down till this year 1958? Whom has God actually used as his prophet?"1959, 15 jan, p 40-41w1959 1-15_40.tif
    "From a study of God's Word one appreciates that Jehovah does not dispense his dynamic energy through just any organization that chooses to label itself religious. Neither does God deal with individuals independently of his own wifely organization, the "mother" of all those dedicated to God. (Gal. 4:26)"1961, 15 juli, p 431w1961 7-15_431.tif
    "It is through the columns of The Watchtower that Jehovah provides direction and constant Scriptural counsel to his people"1964, 1 maj, p 277w1964 5-1_277.tif
    "12 How will we put these four things into effect? First, study: We may think of study as hard work, as involving heavy research. But in Jehovah's organization it is not necessary to spend a lot of time and energy in research, for there are brothers in the organization who are assigned to do that very thing, to help you who do not have so much time for this, these preparing the good material in The Watchtower and other publications of the Society. But you do not study enough? Take this suggestion: Often the very best and most beneficial studying you do is that done when you read a new Watchtower or Awake! or a new book with the joy of getting the new truths and a fresh view."1967, 1 juni, p 338w1967 6-1_338.tif
    "Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible."1967, 1 okt, p 587w1967 10-1_587.tif
    "After cleansing those belonging to this house who were alive on earth, Jehovah poured out his spirit upon them and assigned them the responsibility of serving as his sole visible channel, through whom alone spiritual instruction was to come. Those who recognize Jehovah’s visible theocratic organization, therefore, must recognize and accept this appointment of the "faithful and discreet slave" and be submissive to it. " ,,, "Make haste to identify the visible theocratic organization of God that represents his king, Jesus Christ. It is essential for life. Doing so, be complete in accepting its every aspect. We cannot claim to love God, yet deny his Word and channel of communication.1967, 1 okt, p 587-591w1967 10-1_590.tif

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    "Likewise it was a trying mission upon which the modern Ezekiel class was sent, to religious people of the same type as those in Ezekiel’s day. But regardless of how Christendom views or regards this group of anointed witnesses of Jehovah, the time must come, and that shortly, when those making up Christendom will know that really a "prophet" of Jehovah was among them. Would we today like to tell Jehovah’s message among things that prick us and among scorpions? It would take great courage and trust in the One who sent us to do so. Into such a situation Ezekiel was sent, according to the words that Jehovah further said to him: "And you, O son of man, do not be afraid of them; and of their words do not be afraid, because there are obstinate ones and things pricking you and it is among scorpions that you are dwelling. Of their words do not you be afraid, and at their faces do not you be struck with terror, for they are a rebellious house. And you must speak my words to them, regardless of whether they hear or they refrain, for they are a case of rebellion." (Ezekiel 2:6, 7) Since the year 1919 C.E. the anointed remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses have found it to be just like that as they have spoken fearlessly the word of Jehovah in the midst of Christendom." "Who is Ezekiel’s present-day counterpart, whose message and conduct correspond with that of that ancient prophet of Jehovah? Of whom today was he a "sign" or "portent"? Not of some individual man, but of a group of people. Being made up of a unified company of persons, the modern Ezekiel is a composite personage, made up of many members, just the same as the human body is. This reminds us of what the onetime persecutor, the Christian apostle Paul, wrote to fellow Christians in Rome, Italy, saying: "Just as we have in one body many members, but the members do not all have the same function, so we, although many, are one body in union with Christ, but members belonging individually to one another." (Romans 12:4, 5) Using the same illustration, Paul said in his letter to the congregation in Corinth, Greece: "Just as the body is one but has many members, and all the members of that body, although being many, are one body, so also is the Christ. For truly by one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink one spirit."—1 Corinthians 12:12, 13. 10 So it is with the modern-day counterpart of Ezekiel: it is, not one person’s body, but a composite body, made up of many members. All these members were together to do the will of Jehovah, who is the Creator of this modern "Ezekiel." Who, then, are the group of persons who, toward the beginning of this "time of the end," were commissioned to serve as the mouthpiece and active agent of Jehovah? In order to determine this, check the history of 1919, the first postwar year after the first world war."1971, "The Nations shall know that I am Jehova", p 56, 59, 62-691971_kj chap. 4_56.tif

    1971_kj chap. 4_60.tif

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    "Therefore, when it came time for the name of Jehovah and his purposes to be declared to the people, along with God’s warning that Christendom is in her "time of the end," who qualified to be commissioned? Who was willing to undertake this monumental task as Jehovah’s "servant"? Was there anyone to whom Jehovah’s heavenly "chariot" could roll up and whom it could confront? More accurately, was there any group on whom Jehovah would be willing to bestow the commission to speak as a "prophet" in His name, as was done toward Ezekiel back there in 613 B.C.E.?"1972, 15 mar, p 189w1972 3-15_189.tif
    "It is of importance to every individual on earth to identify the group that Jehovah has commissioned as his "servant" or messenger. We must recognize and understand the warning that he brings. We need to take action on the warning to safeguard our lives, for they are in a danger as grave as that of the lives of Jerusalem’s citizens as that city neared destruction. For this reason forthcoming issues of The Watchtower will further discuss the identity and work of Jehovah’s commissioned messenger as revealed in His vision to Ezekiel."1972, 15 mar, p 190w1972 3-15_190.tif
    "They Shall Know that a Prophet Was Among Them’

    JEHOVAH GOD is interested in having people know him. Though he is invisible to human eyes, he provides various ways by which they can know his personality. They can know what to expect from him and what he expects of them. One can come to understand that Jehovah is a God of surpassing wisdom by observing creation. This also reveals the loving care with which he designed things for man’s welfare and enjoyment. A second way to know God is through his Word of truth, the Bible. Herein one finds the full expression of Jehovah’s purpose toward mankind—why man is on the earth and the blessings that God has in store. A third way of coming to know Jehovah God is through his representatives. In ancient times he sent prophets as his special messengers. While these men foretold things to come, they also served the people by telling them of God’s will for them at that time, often also warning them of dangers and calamities. People today can view the creative works. They have at hand the Bible, but it is little read or understood. So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come? IDENTIFYING THE "PROPHET" These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet? The clergy of the so-called "Christian" nations hold themselves before the people as being the ones commissioned to speak for God. But, as pointed out in the previous issue of this magazine, they have failed God and failed as proclaimers of his kingdom by approving a man-made political organization, the League of Nations (now the United Nations), as "the political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth." However, Jehovah did not let the people of Christendom, as led by the clergy, go without being warned that the League was a counterfeit substitute for the real kingdom of God. He had a "prophet" to warn them. This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. They are still proclaiming a warning, and have been joined and assisted in their commissioned work by hundreds of thousands of persons who have listened to their message with belief. Of course, it is easy to say that this group acts as a "prophet" of God. It is another thing to prove it. The only way that this can be done is to review the record. What does it show?"    		1972, 1 April, p 197w1972 4-1_197.tif
    "The scroll was doubtless delivered to Ezekiel by the hand of one of the cherubs in the vision. This would indicate that Jehovah’s witnesses today make their declaration of the good news of the Kingdom under angelic direction and support. (Rev. 14:6, 7; Matt. 25:31, 32) And since no word or work of Jehovah can fail, for he is God Almighty, the nations will see the fulfillment of what these witnesses say as directed from heaven. Yes, the time must come shortly that the nations will have to know that really a "prophet" of Jehovah was among them."1972, 1 April, p 200w1972 4-1_199.tif

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    "Consider, too, the fact that Jehovah’s organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God’s holy spirit or active force. (Zech. 4:6) Only this organization functions for Jehovah’s purpose and to his praise. To it alone God’s Sacred Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book."1973, 1 juli, p 402w1973 7-1_402.tif
    "14 Yes, we should be deeply appreciative of all the fine spiritual food that "the faithful and discreet slave" class has been providing through The Watchtower, now for ninety-four years."1973, 1 aug, p 460w1973 8-1_460.tif
    "No obstacle put in His way by the enemies will prove to be insurmountable for Jehovah. Just as at Mount Sinai He put his word in the mouth of his chosen people through the mediator Moses and thereafter he led them under the protective shadow of his hand into the Promised Land, so he has done for the remnant of spiritual Israel. He has put his word, his message of the hour, into the mouth of the spiritual remnant for them to confess openly before all the world, for their own salvation and for that of responsive hearers."1976, "Holy Spirit", p 1751976_Holy Spirit_175.tif
    "Jehovah is not pleased if we receive that food as though it might contain something harmful. We should have confidence in the channel God is using."1981, 15 feb, p 19w1981 2-15_19.tif
    "From time to time, there have arisen from among the ranks of Jehovah's people those, who, like the original Satan, have adopted an independent, faultfinding attitude...They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such ‘Bible reading,' they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom's clergy were teaching 100 years ago..."1981, 15 aug, p 28w1981 8-15_28.tif
    "What is your attitude towards directives from the faithful and discreet slave? Loyalty should move you to be ready to obey."1981, 1 dec, p 14w1981 1-12_14.tif
    "Jehovah God has also provided his visible organization, his 'faithful and discreet slave,' made up of spirit-anointed ones, to help Christians in all nations to understand and apply properly the Bible in their lives. Unless we are in touch with this channel of communication that God is using, we will not progress along the road to life, no matter how much Bible reading we do." 1981, 1 dec, p 27w1981 12-1_27.tif
    "How all of this should prompt us to avoid rebellious talk … organizational arrangements. Strong warnings … critical … attitude … reject views of false teachers."1982, 1 Sept, p 13-14w1982 9-1_13.tif

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    "Since the summer of 1919, the annointed remnant of Jehovah’s Witnesses have seen the modern day equivalent of the angel of Revelation 14:6-12 flying in mid-heaving directing their work."1982, 15 dec, p 25w1982 12-15_25.tif
    "Avoid Independent Thinking

    From the very outset of his rebellion Satan called into question God's way of doing things. He promoted independent thinking. 'You can decide for yourself what is good and bad,' Satan told Eve. 'You don't have to listen to God. He is not really telling you the truth.' (Genesis 3:1-5) To this day, it has been Satan's subtle design to infect God's people with this type of thinking.-2 Timothy 3:1, 13.

    21 How is such independent thinking manifested? A common way is by questioning the counsel that is provided by God's visible organization."    		1983, 15 jan, p 22w1983 1-15_22.tif
    "Fight Against Independent Thinking

    19 As we study the Bible we learn that Jehovah has always guided his servants in an organized way. And just as in the first century there was only one true Christian organization, so today Jehovah is using only one organization. (Ephesians 4:4, 5; Matthew 24:45-47) Yet there are some who point out that the organization has had to make adjustments before, and so they argue: "This shows that we have to make up our own mind on what to believe." This is independent thinking. Why is it so dangerous?"    		1983, 15 jan, p 27w1983 1-15_27.tif
    "Consider some of the other 'twisted things' used to mislead God's people today. On occasion opposers will question the various teachings that Jehovah's people hold in common. Often this becomes a debate about words, just as it was in the first century. (1 Timothy 6:3,4) They may also question the need for an organization to direct the minds of God's people. Their view is, God's spirit can direct individuals without some central, organized body of men giving direction. They will declare that all one needs to do is to read the Bible."1983, 1 mar, 25w1983 3-1_25.tif
    "Let us face the fact that no matter how much Bible reading we have done, we would never have learned the truth on our own"1990, 1 dec, p 19w1990 12-1_19.tif
    "For over a century, delightful, correct words of truth covering every aspect of life have been presented in the Watch Tower Society's publications .."1990, 15 dec, 26w1990 12-15_26.tif
    "First, since "oneness" is to be observed, a mature Christian must be in unity and full harmony with fellow believers as far as faith and knowledge are concerned. He does not advocate or insist on personal opinions or harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding. Rather, he has complete confidence in the truth as it is revealed by Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and "the faithful and discreet slave."2001, 1 aug, p 13-14w2001 8-1_13.tif

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    "God's Appointed Channel: Bear in mind that our heavenly Father has an appointed channel of communication, "the faithful and discreet slave." That "slave" has the responsibility to determine what information is made available to the household of faith, as well as "the proper time" for it to be dispensed. This spiritual food is available only through the theocratic organization. We should always look to God's appointed channel for reliable information, not to a network of Internet users."2002, "Our Kingdom Ministry", Sept, p 82002_km 9-02_8.tif
    "Jehovah gives us sound counsel through his Word and through his organization, using the publications provided by "the faithful and discreet slave." (Matthew 24:45; 2 Timothy 3:16) How foolish to reject good advice and insist on our own way! We "must be swift about hearing" when Jehovah, "the One teaching men knowledge," counsels us through his channel of communication.—James 1:19; Psalm 94:10."2003, 15 mars, p 26W2003 3-15_26.tif
    Recognize a false prophet
    "During the last six or seven years, the Lord has been leading us, his people, in a very remarkable manner. As we look backward we can see that our pathway has been as "a shining light . . . . shining more and more." It has been progressive, bringing us strength with "meat in due season." It has caused us to grow both in grace and knowledge and this growth, taken in connection with the fact that we are not obliged to look back and now call darkness what was then called bv some of the brethren, "a great flood of light," is the very strongest grounds for confidence that the same Lord who then supplied us light from the word, is still providing of the same kind. We say then, "Cast not away your confidence" in our Leader, "the great Shepherd of the sheep." if we were following a man undoubtedly it would be different with us; undoubtedly one human idea would contradict another and that which was light one or two or six years ago would he regarded as darkness now: But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. and so it is with truth; any knowledge or light coming from God must be like its author. A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth. "new light" never extinguishes older "light," but adds to it. If you were lighting up a building containing seven gas jets you would not extinguish one every time vou lighted another, but would add one light to another and they would be in harmony and thus give increase of light: So is it with the light of truth: the true increase is bv adding to, not by substituting one for another. Therefore, in mentioning grounds of our confidence that we are in the shining path under the leading of the Spirit, we mention first that the tendency of present truth is-to produce the nroner fruit of the snirit. of which love is the chief. The tendency of our growth in knowledge is to growth in grace. "He that hath this hope in him putifieth himself even as he (Jesus) is pure." Our pathway has been one af increase of light in harmony with former light. Thus we have been led to increased confidence in our leader."1881, 18 feb, p 3w1881 2-18_3.tif
    "They have been thus prophesying particularly since 1918, and everyone knows that their prophecies to date have not come to pass; and that alone is strong evidence that they are false prophets.... It is therefore seen that they fail to meet a single one of the requirements to prove that they are true prophets — Deut. 18:21-22"1930, Light 2, p 471930_Light2_47.tif
    "A PROPHET is a person who professes to proclaim a message from Jehovah God. The Bible reveals the fact that there are both true and false prophets. The true prophet is one who always speaks as God’s mouthpiece. His message is the truth and is designed to be a blessing to his hearers. He is never boastful, and always gives God the credit for the message which he proclaims, and therefore always has the divine approval. A false prophet is a person who claims to be a representative of Jehovah and to speak in his name and to proclaim his message but is in fact the mouthpiece of Satan. A false prophet never has Jehovah’s approval, and his message is always intended to deceive the people and to draw them away from God and a study of his Word. A false prophet speaks that which is contrary to God’s will; he sneers at, contradicts and denies the message of God’s true prophets. It matters not whether he proclaims his message with deliberate, wilful, and malicious intent to deceive, or whether he is the blinded and deluded dupe of Satan and hence unwittingly used of him. In cithcr cast hc is a false prophet, and hence the agent of Satan. False prophets are usually afflicted with a large bump of self-esteem. This is manifested in both their written and tllcir spoken words, which always esalt themsclvcs, their theories, their methods, and ridicule and contradict the methods and Word of Jehovah God."1930, 15 maj, p 153-154w1930 5-15_153.tif
    "The best method of proof is to put a prophecy to the test of time and circumstances. The Bible invites such a test. (1 John 4:1; Isa. 45:11) To conduct such an examination, we must have a standard, a set of requirements. The Bible itself establishes the rules for testing a prophecy, at Deuteronomy 18:20-22 and 13:1-3: (1) It must be spoken in Jehovah’s name and at his command; (2) it must come to pass; (3) it must be in harmony with God’s commandments and thus promote right worship."1965, 1 mars, p 151w1965 3-1_151.tif
    "Jehovah, the God of the true prophets, will put all false prophets to shame either by not fulfilling the false prediction of such self-assuming prophets or by having His own prophecies fulfilled in a way opposite to that predicted by the false prophets. False prophets will try to hide their reason for feeling shame by denying who they really are. They will try to avoid being killed or being pronounced spiritually dead by Jehovah’s loyal worshipers."1972, Paradise restored to mankind by theocracy, 3531972_pm chap. 20_353.tif
    "Does this admission of making mistakes stamp them [Watchtower] as false prophets? Not at all, for false prophets do not admit to making mistakes."1972, 1 nov, 644w1972 11-1_644.tif
    "Similarly the "false prophet" is not a person, but is a system or an organization. A "prophet" claims to have inspired information for the direction of others. A "false prophet" would mislead others, to turn them away from God and toward false worship."1974, 15 juni, p 381w1974 6-15_381.tif
    "Each fruit-bearing tree or plant brings forth its own particular type of fruit. Not all plants bear fruit that can be eaten by humans. It would be a waste of time to seek from thorns and thistles edible fruits like grapes and figs. Fruits fit for human consumption must come from a tree that is both healthy and of the right kind. If a tree consistently bore "worthless fruit," it would be a sure indication that the tree itself had become "rotten." Such a rotten tree would be "cut down" and used along with brambles, thorns and weeds as fuel for fires.—Compare Psalm 58:9; Ecclesiastes 7:6; Isaiah 44:14-16; Matthew 6:30; 13:30.

    While his hearers had fresh in mind this illustration from agricultural life, Jesus repeated the basic principle: "Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men." (Matt. 7:20) In a figurative sense those "fruits" would include what the false prophets would say in the way of teaching. In this regard, Jesus added: "A good man brings forth good out of the good treasure of his heart, but a wicked man brings forth what is wicked out of his wicked treasure; for out of the heart’s abundance his mouth speaks."—Luke 6:45.

    Fruits revealing the true nature of false prophets would involve also their general course of conduct. (Compare Mark 7:21-23.) A person cannot hide his true heart condition indefinitely. Eventually his words and deeds will reveal him for what he is."    		1978, 15 nov, p 31w1978 11-15_31.tif
    "What will guide us in choosing the right religion? The Encyclopædia Universalis is correct when it highlights the importance of truth. A religion that teaches lies cannot be true"1991, 1 dec, p 7w1991 12-1_7.tif
    False prophecies
    "Christ came in the character of a Bridegroom in 1874 .. at the beginning of the Gospel harvest."1879, oct, 4w1879 10_4.tif
    "[Restoration of Jews to Palestine and the conversion of 144,000 literal Jews due before 1914.]1880, jun, 108w1880 7_108.tif
    "The Bible chronology herein presented shows that the six great thousand-year Days beginning with Adam are ended, and that the great Seventh Day, the thousand years of Christ’s Reign, began in 1873. The events of these 43 years, which this Volume claims as the beginning of the Millennium, we still find fully corroborating Bible prophecies, as herein set forth. During these 43 years, nearly all the inventions of our day have been accomplished. The sewing machine, one of the first, began to reach its perfection 43 years ago. Since then, we have all kinds of farming machinery and tools, and workshop, store, factory and home conveniences, in abundance and cheap—through human invention. These are shortening the hours of labor, and doing away with the "sweat of face," which the Bible declares to be identified with the curse."1889, Studies in the Scriptures 2 (The Time is at hand s 4)1889_studies2_4.tif
    "...that six thousand years from the creation of Adam were complete with A.D. 1872" (p. 54) "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 date will be the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men" (pp. 76–77; emphasis added), He promised the Battle of Armageddon "...will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership"1889, Studies in the Scriptures 2 (The Time is at hand s 54, 76-77, 101)1889_studies2_4.tif

    1889_studies2_53.tif

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    1889_studies2_76.tif

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    "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 the exercise of power in A.D. 1878, and that the "battle of the great day of God Almighty" (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1915, with the complete overthrow of earth’s present rulership, is already commenced."1889 (1904 ed), "The time is at hand", p 99, 1011889_studies2_99.tif

    1889_studies2_101.tif
    Contents1889, "Thy Kingdom Come", contents1891_studies3_contents.tif
    The Pyramid1891, "Thy Kingdom Come", p 51891_studies3_5.tif
    Ö"THE "Time of the End," a period of one hundred and fifteen (115) years, from A.D. 1799 to A.D. 1914, is particularly marked in the Scriptures."1891, "Thy Kingdom Come", p 231891_studies3_23.tif
    Diverse pyramidologi som stöder falska profetior1891, "Thy Kingdom Come", p 314-366, contentsMany! See \Pyramidology
    "The fall, plagues, destruction, etc., foretold to come upon mystic Babylon, were foreshadowed in the great trouble and national destruction which came upon fleshly Israel, and which ended with the complete overthrow of that nation in A.D. 70. And the period of falling also corresponds; for from the time our Lord said, "Your house is left unto you desolate," A.D. 33, to A.D. 70 was 36 1/2 years; and so from A.D. 1878 to the end of A.D. 1914 is 36 1/2 years. 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."1891, "Thy Kingdom Come", p 1531891_studies3_153.tif
    Chart1891, "Thy Kingdom Come", p 1321891_studies3_132.tif
    "The date of the close of that "battle" is definitely marked in Scripture as October, 1914. It is already in progress, its beginning dating from October, 1874."1892, 15 jan, p 21-23w1892 1-15_2123.tif
    "Seventeen years ago people said, concerning the time features nresented in MILLENNIAL DAWN. Thev seem reasonable in many respects, but surely no such* rad&al changes could occur between now and the close of 1914: if you had proved that they would come about in a century or two, it would seem much more probable. What changes have since occurred, and what velocity is gained daily? "The old is quickly passing and the new is coming in." Now, in view of recent labor troubles and threatened anarchy, our 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. Thev are, we believe. God’s dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble. We see no reason for changing from our opinion expressed in the view presented in the WATCH TOWER of January 15, ‘92. We advise that it be read again."1894, 15 juli, p 226w1895 7-15_226.tif
    "But now we are in the end of this Gospel age, and the Kingdom is being established or set up. Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874, A.D., according to the testimony of the prophets, to those who have ears to hear it: and the formal inauguration of his kingly office dates from April 1878, A.D.: and the first work of the Kingdom, as shown by our Lord, in his parables and prophecy (the gathering of "his elect"), is now in progress."1897, Studies in the Scriptures 4, p 6211897_studies4_621.tif
    "While it is possible that Armageddon may begin next Spring, yet it is purely speculation to attempt to say just when. We see, however, that there are parallels between the close of the Jewish age and this Gospel age. These parallels seem to point to the year just before us--particularly the early months."1914, 1 Sep, p 261w1914 9-1_261.tif
    "Studying God’s Word, we have measured the 2520 years, the seven symbolic times, from that year 606 B. C. and have found that it reached down to October, 1914, as nearly as we were able to reckon. We did not say positively that this would be the year. We merely left every one to look at the facts of history and reckon for himself."1914, 1 nov, p 325w1914 11-1_325.tif
    "In the meantime, our eyes of understanding should discern clearly the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty now in progress; and our faith, guiding our eyes of understanding through the Word, should enable us to see the glorious outcome—Messiah’s kingdom."1916, 1 Sep, p 265,266w1916 9-1_265.tif
    "Immediately following the announcement in Rev. 14:13, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth," we read (Verse 14) "and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud I saw one sitting like unto the Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle." Thus is described the second presence of our Lord as the´great Chief Reaper, at the beginning of the harvest in 1878. The 15th verse of that same chapter refers to the Great Pyramid, the measurements of which confirm the Bible teaching that 1878 marked the beginning of the harvest of the Gospel age. The parallel, therefore, would establish definitely that the harvest would close forty years thereafter; to wit, in the spring of A. D. 1918. If this be true, and the evidence is very conclusive that it is true, then we have only a few months in which to labor before the great night settles down when no man can work."1917, 1 okt, 6149w1917 10-1_6149.tif
    "There will be no slip-up .. Abraham should enter upon the actual possession of his promised inheritance in the year 1925 A.D."1917, 15 oct, 6157w1917 10-15_6157.tif
    "What will the year 1918 bring forth? This question is upon the lips of every class of men. The world looks and hopes for those things which constitute its highest ideals-- peace, plenty, health and happiness. The Christian looks for the year to bring the full consummation of the church’s hopes."1918, 1 jan, p 6191w1918 1-1_6191.tif
    "During the past forty years the harvest of the age has been in progress. That the harvest began in 1878, there is ample and convincing proof. The end of the harvest is due in the spring of 1918."1918, 1 maj, p 6243w1918 5-1_6243.tif
    "The data presented in comments on Rev. 2:1 prove that the conquest of Judea was not completed until the day of the Passover, A. D. 73, and in the light of the foregoing Scriptures, prove that the Spring of 1918 will bring upon Christendom a spasm of anguish greater even than that experienced in the Fall of 1914."

    "The trouble is due to the dawning of the Day of Christ, the Millennium. It is the Day of Vengeance, which began in the world war of 1914 and which will break like a furious morning storm in 1918."

    "Until 1878 the nominal church had been in a sense God’s sanctuary or Temple; but He was from then on, culminating in 1918, to remove it with a stroke or plague of erroneous doctrines and deeds Divinely permitted."

    "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 downfall of "Christianity.""    		1918, Studies 7 (Finished Mystery) p 62, 404, 484, 4851918_studies7_62.tif

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    "Scriptures definitely fix the facts … Abraham Therefore we may confidently expect … Abraham, Isaak, Jacob…". Beth Sarim.…"1920 Millions now living will never die, p 88-90
    "Some one asked me the other day: Suppose you should be here in 1925 what would you do? I said, I believe I will be home in the Pleiades before then .."1920, 1 nov, 334w1920 11-1_334.TIF
    "We have no doubt whatever in regard to the chronology relating to the dates of 1874 .."1922, 15 maj, 150w1922 5-15_150.TIF
    "And it was in 1878, then, that the process of setting up the kingdom began. There our Lord raised the sleeping saints from the tomb and joined them to himself .."1922, 1 jun, 174w1922 6-1_174.TIF
    "facts…. Doubt 1914 ended the gentile times … old order is destroed .. 1925 even more indicated by the scriptures … fixed … God’s law"1922, 1 Sept, p 262w1922 9-1_262.TIF
    "Bible prophecy shows that the Lord was due to appear for the second time in the year 1874. Fulfilled prophecy shows beyond a doubt that he did appear in 1874. Fulfilled prophecy is otherwise designated the physical facts; and these facts are indisputable."1922, 1 nov, 333w1922 11-1_333.TIF
    "We understand that the jubilee type began to count in 1575 B.C.; and the 3,500 year period embracing the type must end in 1925.. It follows, then, that the year 1925 will mark the beginning of the restoration of all things lost by Adam's disobedience."1922, 1 nov, 346w1922 11-1_346.TIF
    "The Scriptures show that the second presence [of the Lord] was due in 1874 .. This proof shows that the Lord has been present since 1874" 1923, 1 mar, 67w1923 3-1_67.tif
    "Q: Have we more reason .1925. Kingdom be established … Noah in the flood?

    A: Our thought is that … settled by the Scripture … As to Noah … now more to base his faith ".    		1923, 1 April, p 106w1923 4-1_106.TIF
    "The year 1925 is a date definitely and clearly marked in the Scriptures, even more clearly than that of 1914."1924, 15 juli, p 211w1924 7-15_211.TIF
    "The year 1925 is here … expection … many have … expected … glory … may be accomplished … may be not…"1925, 1 jan 1, p 3w1925 1-1_3.TIF
    "It is to be expected that Satan will try to inject into the minds of the consecrated the thought that 1925 should see an end of the work.... Diligence now and to the end seems absolutely essential to victory." 1925, 15 Sept, p 262
    eller    		w1925 9-15_262.TIF
    "Some anticipated that the work would end in 1925, but the Lord did not so state."1926, 1 aug, p 232w1926 8-1_232.TIF
    "All of the Lord’s people looked forward to 1914 with … expectation … much disappointment … ridiculed"1930, Light 1, pg 1941930_Light1_194.tif
    "There was a measure of disappointment on the part of Jehovah's faithful ones on earth concerning the years 1914, 1918, and 1925, which disappointment lasted for a time....they also learned to quit fixing dates..."1931, Vindication 1, p 338-3391931_Vindication1_338.tif

    1931_Vindication1_339.tif
    Because the end is so near, Jehovah's Witnesses are told to wait until after Armageddon to "marry and rear children"1938, 1 nov, p 323w1938 11-1_323.tif
    Beth-Sarim: A house in San Diego, California called "Beth-Sarim" is built. "...[T]he purpose of acquiring that property and building the house was that there might be some tangible proof that there are those on earth today ... who believe that the faithful men of old [Abraham, etc.] will soon be resurrected by the Lord, be back on earth, and take charge of the visible affairs of earth"1939, Salvation, p 3111939_Salvation_311.tif
    "The year 1940 is certain to be the most important year yet because Armageddon is very near"1940, Informant, maj
    "The Kingdom is here. The King is enthroned. Armageddon is just ahead. … therefore the great climax has been reached."1940, Messenger, 1 Sept
    "Armageddon is surely near… clean off … offends … hopes … within a few years"1941, Children, p 3661941_Children_366.tif
    "Receiving the gift, the marching children clasped it to them, not a toy or plaything for idle pleasure, but the Lord's provided instrument for most effective work in the remaining months before Armageddon."1941, 15 Sept, p 288w1941 9-15_288
    "Now, with Armageddon immediately before us, it is a matter of life or destruction. Those who would be of the Lords other sheep that shall compose the great multitude of Armageddon survivors and live joyfully on earth forever must find the answer to a very personal question, and very important."1942, 1 apr, 139w1942 4-1_139.tif
    "This book set forth their belief that Christ's second presence began invisibly in the fall of 1874 and thereby commenced a forty-year harvest period. Then, remarkably accurately, they set forth the year 1914 as the end of the Gentile times"1955, (Qualified To Be Ministers, p. 300).1955_Qualified_300.tif
    "'Sometime between April 16 and 23, 1957, Armageddon will sweep the world! Millions of persons will perish in its flames and the land will be scorched.' So prophesied a certain California pastor, Mihran Ask, in January 1957. Such false prophets tend to put the subject of Armageddon in disrepute."1958, 15 oct, 613w1958 10-15_613.tif
    "'How Much Longer Will It Be?' 6,000 Years Completed in 1975 .. In what year, then, would the first 6,000 years of man's existence and also the first 6,000 years of God's rest day come to an end? The year 1975.. Hence, the fact that we are nearing the end of the first 6,000 years of man's existence is of great significance. Does God's rest day parallel the time man has been on earth since his creation? Apparently so. From the most reliable investigations of Bible chronology, harmonizing with many accepted dates of secular history, we find that Adam was created in the autumn of the year 4026 B.C.E. Sometime in that same year Eve could well have been created, directly after which God's rest day commenced .. There is another chronological indication that we are rapidly nearing the closing time for this wicked system of things. It is the fact that shortly, according to reliable Bible chronology, 6,000 years of human history will come to an end.. After six thousand years of toil and bondage to sin, sickness, death and Satan, mankind is due to enjoy a rest and is in dire need of a rest. (Heb. 4:1-11) Hence, the fact that we are nearing the end of the first 6,000 years of man's existence is of great significance.. In what year, then, would the first 6,000 years of man's existence and also the first 6,000 years of God's rest day come to an end? The year 1975. This is worthy of notice, particularly in view of the fact that the 'last days' began in 1914, and that the physical facts of our day in fulfillment of prophecy mark this as the last generation of this wicked world. So we can expect the immediate future to be filled with thrilling events for those who rest their faith in God and his promises. It means that within relatively few years we will witness the fulfillment of the remaining prophecies that have to do with the 'time of the end.'"1966, AWAKE, 8 okt, 19-20
    "' .. To give aid today in this critical time to prospective sons of God,' announced President Knorr, 'a new book in English, entitled 'Life Everlasting - in Freedom of the Sons of God,' has been published.' .. It did not take the brothers very long to find the chart beginning on page 31, showing that 6,000 years of man's existence end in 1975. Discussion of 1975 overshadowed about everything else. 'The new book compels us to realize that Armageddon is, in fact, very close indeed,' .. THE YEAR 1975 .. 6,000 years of human experience will end in 1975, about nine years from now. What does that mean? Does it mean that God's rest day began 4026 B.C.E.? It could have. The Life Everlasting book does not say it did not.. 'What about the year 1975? What is it going to mean, dear friends?' asked Brother Franz. 'Does it mean that Armageddon is going to be finished, with Satan bound, by 1975? It could! It could! All things are possible with God. Does it mean that Babylon the Great is going to go down by 1975? It could. Does it mean that the attack of Gog of Magog is going to be made on Jehovah's witnesses to wipe them out, then Gog himself will be put out of action? It could. But we are not saying. All things are possible with God. But we are not saying. And don't any of you be specific in saying anything that is going to happen between now and 1975. But the big point of it all is this, dear friends: Time is short. Time is running out, no question about that."1966, 15 okt, 628-631w1966 10-15_628.tif

    w1966 10-15_629.tif

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    "According to this … chronology … 1975 … seventh period … fall of 1975 … make of this coming seventh period"1966, "Life Everlasting", p 29,30
    "Interestingly, the autumn of the year 1975 marks the end of 6,000 years of human experience. This is ascertainable from reliable chronology preserved in the Bible itself. What will that year mean for humankind? Will it be the time when God executes the wicked and starts off the thousand-year reign of his Son Jesus Christ? It very well could, but we will have to wait to see.. A glorious new order is immediately before us."1967, 1 maj, 262w1967 5-1_262.tif
    "Making some special effort to do more than the usual help us to live up … dedication .. short time left … just think … only about ninety months left … do you remember what we learned … last year"1968, "Kingdom Ministry", mars, p 4
    "According to reliable Bible chronology Adam was created in the year 4026 B.C.E., likely in the autumn of the year, at the end of the sixth day of creation. Then God brought the animals to man to name. Yet, of Adam, Genesis states these words of Jehovah: "It is not good for the man to continue by himself." (Gen. 2:18) Adam would realize this lonely condition very quickly, perhaps in just a few days or a few weeks. He would realize he needed another earthling with whom he could communicate, share his experiences, and his life. Nor would his naming the animals take an unduly long time. The basic animal kinds could have been relatively quickly named, for when such basic kinds were taken into the ark in Noah’s day, it did not involve millions of beasts, but perhaps only a few hundred basic kinds. Thus, Adam’s naming of the animals and his realizing that he needed a counterpart would have occupied only a brief time after his creation. Since it was also Jehovah’s purpose for man to multiply and fill the earth, it is logical that he would create Eve soon after Adam, perhaps just a few weeks or months later in the same year, 4026 B.C.E. After her creation, God’s rest day, the seventh period, immediately followed. Therefore, God’s seventh day and the time man has been on earth apparently run parallel. To calculate where man is in the stream of time relative to God’s seventh day of 7,000 years, we need to determine how long a time has elapsed from the year of Adam and Eve’s creation in 4026 B.C.E. From the autumn of that year to the autumn of 1 B.C.E., there would be 4,025 years. From the autumn of 1 B.C.E. to the autumn of 1 C.E. is one year (there was no zero year). From the autumn of 1 C.E. to the autumn of 1967 is a total of 1,966 years. Adding 4,025 and 1 and 1,966, we get 5,992 years from the autumn of 4026 B.C.E. to the autumn of 1967. Thus, eight years remain to account for a full 6,000 years of the seventh day. Eight years from the autumn of 1967 would bring us to the autumn of 1975, fully 6,000 years into God’s seventh day, his rest day."1968, 1 maj, p 271w1968 5-1_270.tif

    w1968 5-1_271.tif
    "WHY ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO 1975? .. What about all this talk concerning the year 1975? Lively discussions, some based on speculation, have burst into flame during recent months among serious students of the Bible. Their interest has been kindled by the belief that 1975 will mark the end of 6,000 years of human history since Adam's creation. The nearness of such an important date indeed fires the imagination and presents unlimited possibilities for discussion.. of what benefit is this information to us today?.. why should we be any more interested in the date of Adam's creation than in the birth of King Tut?.. in the fall of the year 1975, a little over seven years from now .. it will be 6,000 years since the creation of Adam."1968, 15 aug, 494w1968 8-15_494.tif
    "Even if one cannot see beyond 1975, is this any reason to be less active? The apostles could not see even this far; they knew nothing about 1975....If they had delayed or dillydallied and had been complacent with the idea the end was some thousands of years off they would never have finished running the race set before them."1968, 15 aug, p 501w1968 8-15_501.tif
    "According to reliable Bible chronology Adam and Eve were created 4026 BCE. True there have been those in times past … end to the world even announcing … yet nothing happened. The end did not come. They were guilty of false prophe… missing … full evidence… God’s truth … What about today? Today we have the evidence required. All of it… Overwhelming."1968, Awake, okt 8, s14, 23
    "At the age of 130 another son was born to her. Eve called his name Seth...."1971 ed, Aid to Bible Understanding, p. 538
    "Christ’s Kingdom rule of a thousand years promises the finest conditions—conditions mankind has never known. Therefore, everyone should look for evidences of its approach with the greatest interest and anticipation. The Bible book of Revelation (chapters 20 and 21) reveals many of the good things that the thousand-year rule will bring. It also tells us that this millennium must be preceded immediately by the most destructive war in all human history. We can now see the political rulers or "kings of the entire inhabited earth" being gathered, under forces beyond human control, for that War of all wars, at the place called Har–Magedon."1974, 1 juli, p 397w1974 7-1_3.tif
    "The publications of Jehovah's witnesses have shown that, according to Bible chronology, it appears that 6,000 years of man's existence will be completed in the mid-1970's. But these publications have never said that the world's end would come then. Nevertheless, there has been considerable individual speculation on the matter."1974, 15 okt, 635w1974 10-15_635.tif
    "Today there is a great crowd of people who are confident that a destruction of even greater magnitude is now imminent. The evidence is that Jesus’ prophecy will shortly have a major fulfillment, upon this entire system of things. This has been a major factor in influencing many couples to decide not to have children at this time. They have chosen to remain childless so that they would be less encumbered to carry out the instructions of Jesus Christ to preach the good news of God’s kingdom earth wide before the end of this system comes"1974, Awake nov 8, p 11g1974 11-8_11.tif
    "Yes, the end of this system is so very near! Is that not reason to increase our activity? In this regard we can learn something from a runner who puts on a final burst of speed near the finish of a race. Look at Jesus, who apparently stepped up his activity during his final days on earth. In fact, over 27 percent of the material in the Gospels is devoted to just the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry!—Matt. 21:1–27:50; Mark 11:1–15:37; Luke 19:29–23:46; John 11:55–19:30. By carefully and prayerfully examining our own circumstances, we also may find that we can spend more time and energy in preaching during this final period before the present system ends. Many of our brothers and sisters are doing just that. This is evident from the rapidly increasing number of pioneers. Yes, since the summer of 1973 there have been new peaks in pioneers every month. Now there are 20,394 regular and special pioneers in the United States, an all-time peak. That is 5,190 more than there were in February 1973! A 34-percent increase! Does that not warm our hearts? Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world’s end."1974, "Kingdom Ministry", p 31974km 5-74_3.tif
    "Another speaker, F. W. Franz, the Society's vice-president, forcefully impressed on the audience the urgency of the Christian preaching work. He stressed that, according to dependable Bible chronology, 6,000 years of human history will end this coming September according to the lunar calendar. This coincides with a time when "the human species [is] about to starve itself to death," as well as its being faced with poisoning by pollution and destruction by nuclear weapons. Franz added: 'There's no basis for believing that mankind, faced with what it now faces, can exist for the seventh thousand-year period" under the present system of things.' .. Does this mean that we know exactly when God will destroy this old system and establish a new one? Franz showed that we do not, for we do not know how short was the time interval between Adam's creation and the creation of Eve, at which point God's rest day of seven thousand years began (Heb. 4:3,4). But, he pointed out, 'we should not think that this year of 1975 is of no significance to us,' for the Bible proves that Jehovah is 'the greatest chronologist' and 'we have the anchor date, 1914, marking the end of the Gentile Times.' So, he continued, 'we are filled with anticipation for the near future, for our generation.'1975, 1 maj, 285w1975 5-1_285.tif
    "No, it does not mean that. Why not? Well, the Bible record shows that God’s creations on the "day" just preceding that 7,000-year "rest day" did not end with Adam’s creation. It shows a time lapse between the creation of Adam and that of his wife, Eve. During that time, God had Adam name the animals. Whether that period amounted to weeks or months or years, we do not know. So we do not know exactly when Jehovah’s great "rest day" began, nor do we know exactly when it will end. The same applies to the beginning of Christ’s millennial reign. The Bible provides us no way to fix the date, and so it does us no good to speculate when that date may be.—Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 24:42, 44.

    However, the Bible’s time clock does indicate to us that 6,000 years of human history end in this year 1975. Early in God’s "rest day" Adam became a rebel against God-rule. Thus, for the most part, the first 6,000 years of man’s history have been marked by man-rule. What did man’s independent rulership accomplish during those six millenniums of time, or six spans of 1,000 years each? Let us take a panoramic view of those millenniums, each in its turn."    		1975, 1 okt, p 579w1975 10-1_579.tif
    "Although the time of Adam's creation can be determined, the beginning of God's 'rest day' cannot. This is so because there was a time lapse of unspecified length between Adam's creation and the creation of Eve. Not until after the creation of Eve did God's 'rest day' begin. The start of that day being unknown, its end is likewise unknown."1976, 1 jan, p 30w1976 1-1_30.tif
    "It may be that some who have been serving God have planned their lives according to a mistaken view of just what was to happen on a certain date or in a certain year. They may have, for this reason, put off or neglected things that they otherwise would have cared for. But they have missed the point of the Bible's warnings concerning the end of this system of things, thinking that Bible chronology reveals the specific date.. it is not advisable for us to set our sights on a certain date, neglecting everyday things we would ordinarily care for as Christians, such as things that we and our families really need. We may be forgetting that, when the 'day' comes, it will not change the principle that Christians must at all times take care of all their responsibilities. If anyone has been disappointed through not following this line of thought, he should now concentrate on adjusting his viewpoint, seeing that it was not the word of God that failed or deceived him and brought disappointment, but that his own understanding was based on wrong premises."1976, 15 jul, 440-1w1976 7-15_440.tif
    "J. A. Bengel states in his New Testament Word Studies: "The Hebrews . . . reckon seventy-five years as one generation, and the words, shall not pass away, intimate that the greater part of that generation [of Jesus’ day] indeed, but not the whole of it, should have passed away before all should be fulfilled." This became true by the year 70 C.E. when Jerusalem was destroyed. Likewise today, most of the generation of 1914 has passed away. However, there are still millions on earth who were born in that year or prior to it. And although their numbers are dwindling, Jesus’ words will come true, "this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." This is yet another reason for believing that Jehovah’s thieflike day is imminent. So, what events should alert Christians watch for?"1988, Awake, 8 April, p 14g1988 4-8_14.tif
    "Bible prophecies indicate that Satan's world has been in its last days for nearly 80 years now, since the pivotal year 1914. This world is nearing its end."1994, 15 mar, 20w1994 3-15_20.tif
    Spiritism – "Angels and Women"
    Angels and Women1924, Angels and Women, första sidan1924_AngelsWomen_cover.tif
    "A number of years ago Mrs. J. G. Smith published a novel entitled Seola. She claims to have been impelled to write it after listening to beautiful music. She made no pretense of a knowledge of the Bible. Yet many of her sayings are so thoroughly in accord with the correct understanding of certain scriptures that the novel is exceedingly interesting and sometimes thrilling. The greatest Bible scholar of modern times read this book shortly before his death. To a close personal friend he said: "This book, if revised according to the facts we now know concerning spiritism, would be instructive and helpful." Long prior thereto this noted Bible scholar had written and published the first clear exposition of the Bible teaching on spiritism. He advised his personal friend to revise the novel Seola and to publish it if opportunity was afforded at some future time. This book deals with the events transpiring between the date of the creation of man and the great deluge. The principal characters figuring in the novel are Satan, fallen angels and women. Angels are heavenly messengers. There was a time when all angels were good. The time came when many of them allied themselves with Satan and became evil, hence called "fallen angels."1924, Angels and Women, 31924_AngelsWomen_3.tif
    "The reviser of this book is of the opinion that the original manuscript was dictated to the woman who wrote it by one of the fallen angels who desired to return to divine favor."1924, Angels and Women, 51924_AngelsWomen_5.tif
    "Review of book … Pastor Russell read this book with keen interest, and requested some of his friends to read it because of its striking harmony with the Scriptural account…"1924, Golden Age, 30 juli, 7021924 GoldenAge July_30
    "Under his supervision it was revised and later published…. Pastor Russell remarked that at some opportune time the book, revised, should be published."1924, Golden Age, 3 dec, 1501924 GoldenAge Dec 3
    Spiritism – Johannes Greber
    "It comes as no surprise that one Johannes Greber, a former Catholic clergyman, has become a spiritualist and has published the book entitled "Communication with the Spirit World, Its laws and Its Purpose." (1932, Macoy Publishing Company, New York) In its Foreword he makes the typical misstatement: "The most significant spiritualistic book is the Bible; for its principal contents hinge upon the messages of the beyond to those existing in the present.1955, 1 okt, p 603w1955 10-1_603.tif
    "10 Says Johannes Greber in the introduction of his translation of The New Testament, copyrighted in 1937: "I myself was a Catholic priest, and until I was forty-eight years old had never as much as believed in the possibility of communicating with the world of God's spirits. The day came, however, when I involuntarily took my first step toward such communication, and experienced things that shook me to the depths of my soul. . . . My experiences are related in a book that has appeared in both German and English and bears the title, Communication with the Spirit-World: Its Laws and Its Purpose." (Page 15, 2, 3) In keeping with his Roman Catholic extraction Greber's translation is bound with a gold-leaf cross on its stiff front cover. In the Foreword of his aforementioned book ex-priest Greber says: "The most significant spiritualistic book is the Bible." Under this impression Greber endeavors to make his New Testament translation read very spiritualistic.

    11 Spiritualism claims that there are good spirits and bad spirits and that it does not want to have anything to do with the bad spirits but tries to communicate only with the good spirits. At 1 John 4:1-3 the Bible says: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." Greber's translation of these verses reads: "My dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to learn whether they come from God. For many false spirits have emerged from the abyss and gone out into the world, and are speaking through human mediums. This is how you can find out whether a spirit comes from God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ appeared on earth as a man, comes from God. While every spirit who seeks to destroy belief in Jesus as our Lord incarnated does not come from God, but is sent by the adversary of Christ. You have been told that such spirits would come, and they are already appearing in the world." Very plainly the spirits in which ex-priest Greber believes helped him in his translation".    		1956, 15 feb, p 110,111w1956 2-15_110.tif

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    "Nor is the New World Translation alone in rendering these verses thus. A modern German translation reads quite similarly: "Tombs were laid open, and many bodies of those buried were tossed upright. In this posture they projected from the graves and were seen by many who passed by the place on their way back to the city."-Matt. 27:52, 53."1961, 1 jan, p 30w1961 1-1_30.tif
    "5 But most controversial of all is the following reading of John 1:1, 2: "The Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. This Word was in the beginning with God." This reading is found in The New Testament in An Improved Version, published in London, England, in 1808. Similar is the reading by a former Roman Catholic priest: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. This was with God in the beginning. Everything came into being through the Word, and without it nothing created sprang into existence." (John 1:1-3)*

    * [Footnote to page 554]

    The New Testament-A New Translation and Explanation Based on the Oldest Manuscripts, by Johannes Greber (a translation from German into English), edition of 1937, the front cover of this bound translation being stamped with a golden cross."    		1962, 15 Sept, p 554w1962 9-1_554.tif

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    Questions from Readers

    • Does Matthew 27:52, 53 mean that at the time of Jesus' death some persons in the grave were resurrected?

    Without wresting the Greek grammar, a translator can render Matthew 27:52, 53 in a way that suggests that a similar exposing of corpses resulted from the earthquake occurring at Jesus' death. Thus the translation by Johannes Greber (1937) renders these verses: "Tombs were laid open, and many bodies of those buried there were tossed upright. In this posture they projected from the graves and were seen by many who passed by the place on their way back to the city."-Compare the New World Translation."    		1975, 15 oktober, p 640w1975 9-15_640.tif
    "The recent Guatemalan earthquake affected even some of those already dead. "Time" magazine reports that "several mourners who went to bury their dead in family plots found that the coffins of long-dead relatives had been uncovered by the quake." Something similar occurred during an earthquake in the Jerusalem area at Jesus' death. At that time, dead bodies were customarily placed in vaults or chambers cut from Palestine's soft limestone rock, often in hillsides. A report in the Bible, as translated by Johannes Greber, says that when Jesus died, "the earth quaked, and the rocks were shattered. Tombs were laid open, and many bodies of those buried there were tossed upright. In this posture they projected from the graves and were seen by many who passed by the place on their way back to the city." Hence, rather than a resurrection, as some Bible translations imply, there appears to have been merely an exposure of the dead to observers, as in Guatemala.-Matt. 27:51-53."1976, 15 April, p 231w1976 4-15_231.tif
    "Questions From Readers

    • Why, in recent years, has The Watchtower not made use of the translation by the former Catholic priest, Johannes Greber?

    This translation was used occasionally in support of renderings of Matthew 27:52, 53 and John 1:1, as given in the New World Translation and other authoritative Bible versions. But as indicated in a foreword to the 1980 edition of The New Testament by Johannes Greber, this translator relied on "God's Spirit World" to clarify for him how he should translate difficult passages. It is stated: "His wife, a medium of God's Spiritworld was often instrumental in conveying the correct answers from God's Messengers to Pastor Greber." The Watchtower has deemed it improper to make use of a translation that has such a close rapport with spiritism. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) The scholarship that forms the basis for the rendering of the above-cited texts in the New World Translation is sound and for this reason does not depend at all on Greber's translation for authority. Nothing is lost, therefore, by ceasing to use his New Testament."    		1983, 1 April, p 31w1983 4-1_31.tif
    Astrology
    An Astrologer’s Outlook1903, 1 maj, p 127-131w1903 5-1_127.tif
    Phrenology
    "shape of the brain"1913, 15 mar, p 84-85, 667w1913 3-15_8485.tif
    ""better shaped head"1915, 15 jan, 5611w1915 1-15_5611.tif
    Pyramidology
    Innehållsförteckning1889, "Thy Kingdom Come", contents1891_studies3_contents.tif
    Diverse pyramidologi som stöder falska profetior1891, "Thy Kingdom Come", p 314-366Många!
    "In the passages of the great pyramid of Gizeh the agreement of one or two measurements with present truth chronology might be accidental, but the correspondency of dozens of measurements proves the same God designed both pyramid and plan…"1922, 15 juni, p 187w1922 6-15_187.tif
    "The great pyramid of Egypt, standing as a silent and inanimate witness of the Lord, is a messenger; and its testimony speaks with great eloquence concerning the divine plan."1925, 15 maj, p 148w1925 5-15_148.tif
    [Great Pyramid at Gzeh in Egypt was built under direction of Satan]1928, 339-45/355-62w1928 5_15_339.TIF

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    Nazi
    "It is falsely charged by our enemies that we have received financial support for our work from the Jews. Nothing is farther from the truth. Up to this hour there never has been the slightest bit of money contributed to our work by Jews. We are the faithful followers of Christ Jesus and believe upon Him as the Savior of the world, whereas the Jews entirely reject Jesus Christ and emphatically deny that he is the Savior of the world sent of God for man's good. This of itself should be sufficient proof to show that we receive no support from Jews and that therefore the charges against us are maliciously false and could proceed only from Satan, our great enemy. The greatest and the most oppressive empire on earth is the Anglo-American empire. By that is meant the British Empire, of which the United States of America forms a part. It has been the commercial Jews of the British-American empire that have built up and carried on Big Business as a means of exploiting and oppressing the peoples of many nations. This fact particularly applies to the cities of London and New York, the stronghold of Big Business. This fact is so manifest in America that there is a proverb concerning the city of New York which says: The Jews own it, the Irish Catholics rule it, and the Americans pay the bills."1934, Yearbook, p 1341934_Yearbook_134.tif
    "The present government of Germany has declared emphatically against Big Business oppressors and in opposition to the wrongful religious influence in the political affairs of the nations. Such is exactly our position."1934, Yearbook, p 1351934_Yearbook_135.tif
    "Instead of being against the principles advocated by the government of Germany, we stand squarely for such principles, and point out that Jehovah God through Christ Jesus will bring about the full realization of these principles and will give to the people peace and prosperity and the greatest desire of every honest heart."1934, Yearbook, p 1361934_Yearbook_136.tif
    "A careful examination of our books and literature will disclose the fact that the very high ideals held and promulgated by the present national government are set forth in and endorsed and strongly emphasized in our publications and show that Jehovah God will see to it that these high ideals in due time will be attained by all persons who love righteousness…"1934, Yearbook, p 1371934_Yearbook_137.tif
    "Let us remind the government and the people of Germany, that it was the League of Nations compact that laid upon the shoulders of the German people the great unjust and unbearable burdens. That the League of Nations compact was not brought forth by the friends of Germany."1934, Yearbook, p 1381934_Yearbook_138.tif
    "Many in attendance were disappointed in the "declaration," since in many points it failed to be as strong as the brothers had hoped. Brother Mütze from Dresden, who had worked closely with Brother Balzereit up until that time, accused him later of having weakened the original text. It was not the first time that Brother Balzereit had watered down the clear and unmistakable language of the Society’s publications so as to avoid difficulties with governmental agencies."1974, Yearbook1974_Yearbook_111.tif
    "Some now hold that the 1933 Berlin convention and the "Declaration of Facts" were attempts on the part of prominent Witnesses to show support for the Nazi government and its hatred of the Jews. But their assertions are not true. They are based on misinformation and on misinterpretation of the facts."1998, Awake, 8 juli, s. 12, 13g1998 7-8_12.tif

    g1998 7-8_13.tif
    "According to the account in the 1974 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, some German Witnesses were disappointed that the language of the "Declaration" was not more explicit in tone. Had the branch office manager, Paul Balzereit, weakened the text of the document? No, for a comparison of the German and the English texts shows that this is not the case. Evidently, an impression to the contrary was based on the subjective observations of some who were not directly involved in the preparation of the "Declaration." Their conclusions may also have been influenced by the fact that Balzereit renounced his faith only two years later."

    [regarding the 1934 statement about no "money contributed to our work by Jews" and "commercial Jews of the British-American empire…exploiting and oppressing the peoples of many nations"]

    This statement clearly did not refer to the Jewish people in general, and it is regrettable if it had been misunderstood and has given cause for any offense"    		1998, Awake, 8 juli, p 14g1998 7-8_14.tif
    Organ transplant
    "Humans were allowed by God to eat animal flesh and to sustain their human lives by taking the lives of animals, though they were not permitted to eat blood. Did this include eating human flesh, sustaining one’s life by means of the body or part of the body of another human, alive or dead? No! That would be cannibalism, a practice abhorrent to all civilized people."1967, 15 november, p 702w1967 11-15_702.tif
    "Clearly, personal views and conscientious feelings vary on this issue of transplantation. It is well known that the use of human materials for human consumption varies all the way from minor items, such as hormones and corneas, to major organs, such as kidneys and hearts. While the Bible specifically forbids consuming blood, there is no Biblical command pointedly forbidding the taking in of other human tissue. For this reason, each individual faced with making a decision on this matter should carefully and prayerfully weigh matters and then decide conscientiously what he or she could or could not do before God. It is a matter for personal decision. (Gal. 6:5) The congregation judicial committee would not take disciplinary action if someone accepted an organ transplant."1980, 15 mars, p 31w1980 3-15_31.tif
    Voting
    "It is here that they are called upon to mark the ballot or write in what they stand for. The voters do what they will with their ballots. So here in the presence of God is where his witnesses must act in harmony with his commandments and in accordance with their faith. It is not our responsibility to instruct them what to do with the ballot. They must act in accord with their conscience as enlightened by the study of God's Word. Since they do not exercise the popular vote to put even consecrated servants into office even within the theocratic organization, they consider it improper to exercise the democratic vote by which unconsecrated persons are put into worldly political offices. They do not choose to share in the responsibility for the sins of such worldlings in governmental offices."1950, 15 nov, p 445w1950 11-15_445.tif
    "In no country do Jehovah's witnesses take part in politics. They are not of this world. (John 17:14) Therefore they do not take part in voting at elections. They do not compromise their neutral standing in matters of politics, however, if they go to the polls and make the ballot void in some manner, either by crossing it out or by putting down, for example, the words "For God's Kingdom.""1964, 15 maj, p 308w1964 5-15_308.tif
    "Jehovah's witnesses keep separate from all politics, not even voting,"1973, 15 okt, p 627w1973 10-15_627.tif
    "as well as being clean from all political involvement, not even voting"1977, 15 nov, p 686w1977 11-15_686.tif
    "As to whether they will personally vote for someone running in an election, each one of Jehovah's Witnesses makes a decision based on his Bible-trained conscience and an understanding of his responsibility to God and to the State.

    In view of the Scriptural principles outlined above, in many lands Jehovah's Witnesses make a personal decision not to vote in political elections, and their freedom to make that decision is supported by the law of the land. What, though, if the law requires citizens to vote? In such a case, each Witness is responsible to make a conscientious, Bible-based decision about how to handle the situation. If someone decides to go to the polling booth, that is his decision. What he does in the polling booth is between him and his Creator."    		1999, 1 nov, p 28w1999 11-1 nov_28.tif
    Military service
    "Notice that there is no command in the Scriptures against military service" 1898, 1 aug, 231w1898 8-1_231.tif
    "Obedience to the laws of the land might at some time oblige us to bear arms, and in such event it would be our duty to go into the army, if unable in any legal and proper manner to obtain exemption,... There could be nothing against our conscience in going into the army. Wherever we would go we could take the Lord with us, the Captain of our salvation, and wherever we would go we could find opportunities to serve him and his cause"1903, 15 April, p 120-121w1903 5-15_120.tif

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    "On March 26, 1971, three representatives of Jehovah’s witnesses met with a forum representing the ministries of Defense and Justice. The discussion lasted two and a half hours. One of the first points of discussion presented by the forum was this: "That you wish no part in performing military service is clear and needs no further explanation. But what really is your objection to civil, alternative service?" The Witnesses explained that it is not that they are opposed to civil service as such, but, rather, it is a matter of strict neutrality. Therefore, any work that is merely a substitute for military service would be unacceptable to Jehovah’s witnesses. Other questions narrowed the issue down still further. "When a person objects to military service," the government’s agents declared, "he passes from military jurisdiction on to civil jurisdiction and from that moment has nothing at all to do with the military. Why, then, is the accepting of such civil service still so objectionable?"1974, Awake, 8 dec, p 22-23g1974 12-8_22.tif

    g1974 12-8_23.tif
    "In some places a required civilian service, such as useful work in the community, is regarded as nonmilitary national service. Could a dedicated Christian undertake such service? Here again, a dedicated, baptized Christian would have to make his own decision on the basis of his Bible-trained conscience.... [C]itizens in some countries today are required by the State or by local authorities to participate in various forms of community service.... Where such civilian service is for the good of the community and is not connected with false religion or is not in some other way objectionable to the consciences of Jehovah's Witnesses, they have often complied.... This has usually resulted in an excellent witness... What if the Christian's honest answers to such questions lead him to conclude that the national civilian service is a 'good work' that he can perform in obedience to the authorities? That is his decision before Jehovah. Appointed elders and others should fully respect the conscience of the brother and continue to regard him as a Christian in good standing. If, however, a Christian feels that he cannot perform this civilian service, his position should also be respected. He too remains in good standing and should receive loving support"1996, 1 maj, p 19-20w96 5-1_19.tif

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