I do not believe CTR expected the end of the “Gentile Times” would usher in an era of war and strife.
His prophetic framework (see below) focused on events leading up to October 1914 (although he was quite prepared to move the end to October 1915). His framework started with the end of the Millennium, Christ’s Presence, closing of the High Calling, Time of Trouble, probable translation to heaven in 1910, with the end of the “Gentile Times” ushering in universal peace under the Jews.
His “Time of Trouble” ran from 1874 to 1914, at which time he expected that under the Zionist Jews, man would learn to be still.
The outbreak of War in August 1914, some two to three months before the end of the Time of Trouble in October, could be seen as the “last fling”.
CTR did not use “war” as any sign. Rather, he invoked contemporary events such as the invention of the sewing machine and troubles in the financial world. Commenting on Jesus’ statement about wars, Russell wrote:
”Thus briefly did our lord summarize secular history, and teach the disciples not to expect very soon his second coming and glorious Kingdom. And how aptly: surely the world’s history is just this on an account of wars, intrigues, famines and pestilences on little else. (Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 4 page 566).
CTR’S FRAMEWORK (typical examples given)
* The Millennium, the seventh thousand years, began in October 1872 (Millennial Dawn, vol 3, page 127)
* Christ’s secret parousia commenced in October 1874 (Millennial Dawn, vol 3, page 127)
* The 40 years of judgment and trouble began in October 1874 (Millennial Dawn, vol 3, page 342)
* The time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation, began in the end of 1874 (Millennial Dawn, vol 3, page 342; Millennial Dawn, vol 2, pages 77, 78)
* Mystic Babylon – Christendom – fell in 1878 (Millennial Dawn, vol 2, page 152)
* The heavenly phase of the Kingdom of God was set up in October 1878 (Millennial Dawn, vol 3, page 234)
* The end of the “high calling” occurred in 1881 (Millennial Dawn, vol 3, page 219)
* The last member of the “body” or “bride” of Christ would “pass beyond the vail” (translated and in heaven) before the close of 1910 (Millennial Dawn, vol 3, page 364)
* All troubles would come to a climax and end by 1914, by which time man will have learned to be still (Millennial Dawn, vol 2, page 77, 78)
* Mystic Babylon, financial powers and all human governments would come to their end by October 1914 (Millennial Dawn, vol 4, page 622)
* The earthly phase of the Kingdom of God would be set up in 1914 (Millennial Dawn, vol 3, page 126)
* Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets would be visibly resurrected upon earth in 1914 (Millennial Dawn, vol 4, page 625)
* 1914 would usher in an unprecedented era of peace (Millennial Dawn, vol 2, pages 77, 78)
* Natural, physical Israel would be regathered after 1914 to set up the earthly phase of the Kingdom of God (Millennial Dawn, vol 4, pages 624, 625)
Russell's prophetic framework
by Doug Mason 5 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Doug Mason
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Pahpa
Doug,
A very interesting list. It illustrates just how far off his predictions were. ( It should be noted that Rutherford continued the errors but revised the dates.) It's curious how in spite of the obvious errors of Russell many of the old Bible Student groups still look to him as the "Laodicean messenger" and the "faithful and discreet servant."
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stev
Doug
On a previous thread of yours, I posted on Russell's view that the Time of Trouble would occur in 3 stages - war, revolution, anarchy. If you go to the website www.ctrussell.us, do a search of 1 kings 19:11,12. That is the scripture of Elijah on the mount. where he encounters the wind, earthquake, and fire. Russell saw this as a type of the Time of Trouble. He had written about this in the Watch Tower, and when the World War occurred in 1914, he saw this a sign that the Time of Trouble did in fact begin, and would soon culminate in the next stages of revolution and anarchy.
It seems that you are getting his prophetic framework from Russell's Studies in the Scriptures. Russell modified his views over the years, giving up and adding to them, and would print his revisions in the Watch Tower.
Russell would probably not have said that the war was a sign of Christ's return, but rather a sign that the Gentiles Times had ended.
If you search the Watch Tower in the years 1914-1916, you will get a better understanding of what the expectations were. Russell had much to say about the World War and the Time of Trouble at that time. Looking at it now, they seem quite confused though. Russell would admit events had not turned out as he expected, and yet since the World War had started, he was confident that he was fundamentally right.
There is a book by Edmund Gruss, I forget the title, about JWs prophetic speculation, and Gruss quotes many, many references of Russell's prophetic views under various topics. You might be able to find it on Google Books or Amazon, and do a search of the book. Gruss might have a chapter just on Russell's view of the War.
However, Russell was not the only one to have these expectations around 1914. There were others that calculated the end of the Gentile Times around 1914-1917, these were fundamentalists or dispensationalists. Others expected the World War to end in Armageddon. There is a book called, I think, When Time is No More that has a chapter on this.
Even Russell's enemies admitted that he was an astute businessman, and since he had a personal fortune he was knowledgable about investing and financial matters, and could speak intelligently about financial crises. He was a world traveler, having toured the world and the country many times. He was also a celebrity, and because he was an author of a best seller and had his sermons printed in thousands of newspapers, his face was instantly recognized on the street. He was personally charismatic, and seemed to be genuinely loved by his followers.
So Russell could have spoken wisely about world affairs, and even have accurately predicted some trends. Perhaps a more contemporary parallel to Russell would be Herbert Armstrong or Harold Camping.
Russell's prophetic views are complicated in the extreme, and I wouldn't advise anybody to try to figure it out, and study it. Despite all that Russell had going for him, he was still wrong. He was a colorful and attractive figure, but this is now obscured because of his date-setting and the founding of the Society which developed into the JWs. Had he founded the Methodists history would view him better. Like Hamlet, who some regard as being in the wrong play, Russell should have asked for another script and given another religion to found. No doubt if Russell came back, he would be horrified and disavow the Society with weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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Doug Mason
Stev,
Thank you for your comments. I treasured your previous response and have saved it on my computer. There are no doubt many other things I have yet to learn.
In this most recent post, I was more concerned with the overall shape (outline) of CTR’s expectations rather than the details. I tried to show that the shape of CTR’s expectations relative to 1914 were nothing like that which is ascribed to him by the WTBTS. They can only say that these early people saw 1914 as a “marked” year, without explaining that CTR’s expectation was one that could never be proven.
As you said, I created that list from Millennial Dawns. I found these and the corresponding Studies books in the library in the early-1970s, and constructed that outline at that time. (BTW, the library also holds the books written by Henninges, whom WT historians would be familiar with.) I thought the list served the purpose I had in mind, conscious of the fluidity of CTR’s expectations.
I shall store your most recent help, for which I am most grateful, and hope I will never stop learning.
Doug -
slimboyfat
I think you would find this book very interesting:
Slim
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greendawn
A very informative post it shows that Russell's predictions were a lot of mumble jumble all his interpretations were wrong as were those of his adventist teachers (1874, 1878, 1914 were from Barbour) and the dubs continue along the same lines presenting their incompetent interpretations as divine truths to be believed without objections. "1914 would usher in an unprecedented era of peace (Millennial Dawn, vol 2, pages 77, 78)" How embarassing that must have been.