Where did they understood the anointed ones would be before the "great crowd" "revelation"?

I thought their doctrine was more simple when they did not have the "other sheep" class. Apparently not. I wonder how they managed to attract so many people to a doctrine like that, with classes of people being saved.

I asked because I found a book in the online congress library, a book published in 1880's, that talkes about an earthly kingdom of God. And I thought, since this was an idea preached during those times, maybe they preaches something similar, too.

Here is a link to that old book. It is very readable.

https://archive.org/details/gospelofkingdom00jone

Jehovah`s witnesses speak out of both sides of their mouths whether it is pre- Rutherford times or post Rutherford times

Can any Jehovah`s Witness honestly state today , that what they believe today , is what they believed yesterday ,and is what they will continue to believe tomorrow .?

No honest Hearted Jehovah`s Witness could answer that in the affirmative

smiddy

The Watchtower's history is complex, as I show in my Study:

http://www.jwstudies.com/The_Watch_Tower_Society_Reveals_Itself.pdf

The Study is searchable, so look for terms such as "Jonadabs", "Great Crowd", and so on.

Terms experience several transitions, at times experiencing 180 degree change. For example, in 1931, Rutherford applied the term "Jehovah's Witnesses" exclusively to the Anointed. It took a further 15 years or so until the name was gradually extended to the "Great Crowd" (previously known as the "Jonadabs"). Also, in the WTS's earlier manifestations, the term Great Crowd was used to describe the "great unwashed".

People here are very familiar with this phenomenon, when the Governing Body stood its "Faithful and Discreet Slave Class" on its head by changing its meaning from the "Anointed 144,000 on earth" to mean the "Governing Body".

Doug

From the practically incoherent book The Finished Mystery, a commentary on the Book of Revelation and a compilation of Charles Russell's teachings after he died*:

[Revelation] 7:9. After this, I beheld, and lo, a great multitude.—When the

Apostle tells us in 2 John 8, “Look to yourselves that ye lose not

reward,” he is teaching that a Heavenly reward may be gained

From the practically incoherent book The Finished Mystery, a commentary on the Book of Revelation and a compilation of Charles Russell's teachings after he died, page 134*:

[Revelation] 7:9. After this, I beheld, and lo, a great multitude.—When the

Apostle tells us in 2 John 8, “Look to yourselves that ye lose not

reward,” he is teaching that a Heavenly reward may be gained

From the practically incoherent book The Finished Mystery, a commentary on the Book of Revelation and a compilation of Charles Russell's teachings after he died, page 134*:

7:9. After this, I beheld, and lo, a great multitude.—

When the Apostle tells us In 2 John 8, "Look to yourselves

that ye lose not those things which we have wrought, but

that ye receive a full reward," he Is teaching that a

Heavenly reward may be gained that is not as full as If a

course more pleasing to the Heavenly Father Is pursued.

Instead of teaching that the saved of our race will all be

saved to the same thing, the. Scriptures show two degrees

or kinds of Heavenly salvation, and two degrees or kinds

of earthly salvation. In the second chapter of Genesis the

stream which went forth from the Garden of Eden was

divided Into four parts. This is a Scriptural recognition

of the fact that from Adam, the original fountain of life,

will flow four streams: The Little Flock, who are to sit

down with Christ In His Throne; the Great Company, who

are to stand before the Throne, having the palms of

martyrdom but without the crowns of glory; the Ancient

Worthies, the Jewish fathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,

Daniel, etc., who are to be made princes in all the earth;

and the world of mankind, who will constitute the subjects

of the Kingdom over which the Ancient Worthies will

rule. The same lesson Is taught in the division of the

Levltes into four camps, each located on a different side

of the Tabernacle. (Num. 3:15; F128, 129.) It Is also

taught In the Apostle's statement In 2 Tim. 2:20, that In

God's great House there will ultimately be found four

classes of vessels to His praise.

*Note: If you find a PDF of The Finished Mystery use the scripture cited in Revelation as a guide instead of page numbers as the numbers differ in different versions of the book.