Even seen or read this booklet, anything about Christs return in 1914, 1874

run dont walk

Here is an original RARE LARGE booklet entitled Our Lords Return published in 1929. This is one of the large 64 page booklets that Watchtower published and is VERY hard to find.

Here is what has been printed about this booklet:

*** w86 3/1 p. 22 Conforming to Jehovah’s Ways ***

Reaching up at random, I pulled out the booklet Our Lord’s Return. Waiting until everybody had retired, I read the booklet and looked up every scripture in our family Bible. Amazed and delighted with the explanations, I began “witnessing” to my family the next morning at breakfast. They weren’t at all impressed, but that didn’t dampen my enthusiasm.

run dont walk

Do anyone know if this booklet (1929) says Christ's return was 1914 or 1874 ???????

Leolaia

It affirmed 1874 as the date of the Second Advent. It was one of the last publications to do so, since Rutherford changed the date to 1914 in a 1930 Golden Age article.

"From 1874 onward is the time of the Lord’s second presence, as above stated… his circumstantial evidence fulfilling prophecy is what constitutes the physical facts, and is proof corroborative of the Lord’s presence since 1874…His presence beginning in 1874, he has carried on his harvest work from 1874 forward..."
Our Lord’s Return 1929 pp. 27, 33, 37

http://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/lies.html

Leolaia

BTW, I love that cover. It reflects the old focus on modernity that was big in the Russell and early Rutherford eras. The Society later took a more post-modern (for want of a better term) view of the future by viewing technology negatively and presumably one of the blights that will be removed in the "New System" (hence, no technology visible in illustrations of the New System).

The urban cityscape in the cover illustration however may reflect this attitude as well. Anyone got a copy that might shed light on the cover? Does the booklet express the same wide-eyed wonder toward modern inventions that Russell did? Or approach them in muckraking terms?

Atlantis

"The Scriptural proof is that the second presence of the Lord Jesus Christ began in 1874 A.D. This proof is specifically set out in the booklet entitled ‘Our Lord's Return’." (Prophecy, 1929 p 65,66) http://members.aol.com/beyondjw/itow.htm Cheers!

run dont walk

Rutherford changed the date to 1914 in a 1930 Golden Age article.

please specify ??????? and does anyone have a copy of this article,

Most publications point to 1943 and "the truth shall set you free" book as the first mention of Christ's presence beginning in 1914.

thanks run !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

blondie

JESUS’ “RETURN” SWITCHED FROM 1874 TO 1914 In 1930 Christ’s return and “presence” was switched from 1874 to 1914.

In The Golden Age magazine (1930 p.503) Joseph Rutherford, the second president of the WTS, wrote “Jesus has been present since 1914” but he gave no supporting explanation. In 1932:

The prophecy of the Bible, fully supported by the physical facts in fulfilment thereof, shows that the second coming of Christ dates from the fall of the year 1914.
What is Truth? 1932

Until 1943 there was little further mention of this doctrinal change. Then in 1943 the WTS published The Truth Shall Make You Free which revised the WTS’s Bible chronology by bringing the date of Adam’s creation 100 years forward. This removed any remaining prophetic significance of 1874. Christ’s return in 1914 thus became the official truth for Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs).

After switching Jesus’ “return” from 1874 to 1914 the WTS writers began to claim or imply that their early Bible Students had anticipated 1914 as the date of Christ’s “presence” from their beginnings!

Consider some examples:

DECEIFUL CLAIM REGULARLY REPEATED

As for the time of Christ’s second presence, Daniel’s prophecy is again the one that gives the chronology for it. (Dan. 4:16) It was figured out as pointing to A.D. 1914, and The Watchtower called notice to the significance of 1914 in the year 1879.
WT 1952 November 1, p. 658

Why, then, do the nations not realize and accept the approach of this climax of judgment? It is because they have not heeded the world wide advertising of Christ’s return and his second Presence. Since long before World War I Jehovah’s witnesses pointed to 1914 as the time for this great event to occur.
WT 1954 June 15 p. 370

Bible chronology also fixes the time for Christ’s second presence and the assuming of his right to rule as at 1914; this date was published in the Watchtower as early as 1879, 35 years before 1914.
Tract: Sign of Christ’s Presence 1955 p. 3

…history confirms that Jehovah’s witnesses were the only Christian group found awake as to 1914…
WT 1960 July 15 p. 433

As we look back over the years, we can clearly see how God’s organization in modern times has progressed in understanding. For example, it learned that Christ’s second presence was to be in the spirit, and not in the flesh as many professed Christians believe. His rule would be from the heavens. This was a new revelation of great importance to God’s people who had been anxiously awaiting his second presence toward the end of the nineteenth century. WT 1965 July 15 p. 428

For over thirty years before that date and for half a century since, Jehovah’s witnesses have pointed to the year 1914 as the time for the end of “the appointed times of the nations” and the time in which Christ would begin his Kingdom rule. (Luke 21:24)
WT 1966 February 15 p. 103

“Do you believe in the second advent of the Lord?” I asked the young man [a WTS colporteur in 1928] who came to the door. “Christ’s second advent was realized in 1914” he answered. In astonishment, I told him that was impossible. “You should read this book,” he said, handing me The Harp of God. I was baptized the following year, March 23, 1929...
WT 1988 May 1 p. 22
[Note: Nowhere in The Harp of God (1921) is the “second advent” of Christ put in 1914. On the contrary, 1874 as the date of the “presence” of Jesus is mentioned in The Harp of God on pages 230, 231, 234, 235, 236, 237 241, 244, 271). Also “the young man” could not have known in 1928 that “Christ’s second advent” was realized in 1914” because that teaching had not been published at that time! Even the later editions of The Harp of God (1937 & 1940) retained 1874 as the date of Christ’s “presence”.]

He [a WTS colporteur of 1921] explained to me that Jesus had been present since 1914, invisible to man. This was the most thrilling news I had ever heard... In late 1921 I was transferred back to England, and in the spring of 1922, I was discharged from the army.
WT l990 September 1 p. 11
[Note: When this purported conversation occurred in 1921 no WTS publication had mentioned 1914 as the date for the “return of Christ’’—nor for nine years afterwards!]

The Watchtower has consistently presented evidence…that Jesus’ presence in heavenly Kingdom power began in 1914. Events since that year testify to Jesus’ presence.
WT 1993 January 15, p. 5

…a prophecy providentially caused sincere 19th-century Bible students to be in expectation. By linking the “seven times” of Daniel 4:25 with “the times of the Gentiles”, they anticipated that Christ would receive Kingdom power in 1914. WT 1998 September 15 p. 15

http://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/lies.html

TD

please specify ??????? and does anyone have a copy of this article,
Most publications point to 1943 and "the truth shall set you free" book as the first mention of Christ's presence beginning in 1914.

The date was changed in the early 1930's Tentative statements first appeared in The Golden Age and a stronger statement appeared in one other 1930's booklet. (I don't have it here at work but I can find it when I get home.)

The Watch Tower did not follow suit until 1933. I documented that transition here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/98503/1.ashx

The Proclaimers book for some enigmatic reason claims the transition took place in 1943, but this is the only Witness publication I know of that makes that claim.

What actually happened in 1943-1944 was that 1874 was discarded as the start of the 7th millennium and the date for this event was moved forward in two stages (rather dishonestly) to 1975. However at this point, 1914 had been the official date for the Parousia for a decade

blondie

Look at page 530 of the 1930 Golden Age. They didn't change over page numbers in each issue. I'm not sure which issue that would be. The Golden Ages are hard to find. Maybe someone on JWD can scan the page.

Even seen or read this booklet, anything about Christs return in 1914, 1874

Share this