One of the original Jehovah's Witnesses by the name of Charles Taze Russell wrote extensively about the end times and included specific dates of events to come.
He proclaimed Christ's return as occurring in 1874. He used measurements of pyramids to calculate dates and predict events.(Source: as quoted by jwfiles.com: Jehovah’s Witnesses Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom 1993, pg 162; Studies in the Scriptures, The Devine Plan Of The Ages Volume 1, 1910; Thy Kingdom Come 3, 1897; Studies in Scriptures pg 342; Thy Kingdom Come 3,1916; Zion’s Wt, 5/1881, pg 225; Zion’s Wt, 9/1881, pg 272; The Divine Plan of the Ages, 1910; Wt, 10/1/1917, pg 6149; Wt, 6/15/1922, pg 187; Wt, 5/15/1925, pg 148; Wt, 11/15/1928, pg 344; Qualified to be Ministers, 1955, pg 304.)
This flies in the face of numerous prohibitions and criticisms by Jehovah's Witnesses of other religions, including ancient Egyptian beliefs.
Now a book set in that time mentions this prophecy. "The Dowry of Miss Lydia Clark" by Lawana Blackwell, apparently says, "... but the discussion drifted over to a book circulating throughout England, written by an American named Charles Russell and stating positively that Christ would return in 1874..."
"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 be 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…" Zion's Watch Tower 1881 February pp.3,188 (as quoted by jwfacts.com)
He proclaimed Christ's return as occurring in 1874. He used measurements of pyramids to calculate dates and predict events.(Source: as quoted by jwfiles.com: Jehovah’s Witnesses Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom 1993, pg 162; Studies in the Scriptures, The Devine Plan Of The Ages Volume 1, 1910; Thy Kingdom Come 3, 1897; Studies in Scriptures pg 342; Thy Kingdom Come 3,1916; Zion’s Wt, 5/1881, pg 225; Zion’s Wt, 9/1881, pg 272; The Divine Plan of the Ages, 1910; Wt, 10/1/1917, pg 6149; Wt, 6/15/1922, pg 187; Wt, 5/15/1925, pg 148; Wt, 11/15/1928, pg 344; Qualified to be Ministers, 1955, pg 304.)
This flies in the face of numerous prohibitions and criticisms by Jehovah's Witnesses of other religions, including ancient Egyptian beliefs.
Now a book set in that time mentions this prophecy. "The Dowry of Miss Lydia Clark" by Lawana Blackwell, apparently says, "... but the discussion drifted over to a book circulating throughout England, written by an American named Charles Russell and stating positively that Christ would return in 1874..."
"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 be 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…" Zion's Watch Tower 1881 February pp.3,188 (as quoted by jwfacts.com)
Charles Taze Russell was actually never a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization. He preached against such an authoritarian organization, and he preached against the kind of Armageddon message that the Jehovah's Witnesses preach.
ReplyDeleteCharles Taze Russell did not use the measurements of the Great Pyramid to base his expectations, but he did believe that measurements of the Great Pyramid confirmed, corroborated Bible chronology, as wells time prophecies of the Bible.
Russell did not accept or believe in ancient Egyptian beliefs. His belief that the Great Pyramid is God's witness in Egypt does not mean that he accepted ancient Egyptian religious practices or beliefs.
Russell never once, before 1874, stated that Christ would return in 1874. Before 1874 he held no expectations whatsoever concerning 1874. After 1874, in 1876, he accepted that Christ had returned in 1874, and he continued to believe this until he died in 1916. Nevertheless, since he accepted this after 1874, he never said that Christ would return in 1874.
Thousands of Bible Students to this day -- myself included -- believe that Jesus did indeed return in 1874.
Please note that I am not with the Jehovah's Witnesses.
http://ctr.reslight.net
Pastor Russell was never a J-dub they came in to existence after his death. I doubt they would have him in their cult!
ReplyDeleteHave a look here to clarify;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Taze_Russell