I have read some pretty alarming stuff about the WT organization's failed prophecies. So is the WTS a false prophet by it's own definitions?
W T May 15, 1930, pages 154-155,
“a true prophet is one who is faithfully proclaiming what is written in the Bible ... But it may be asked, How are we to know whether one is a true or a false prophet? There are at least three ways by which we can positively decide:
(1) If he is a true prophet, his message will come to pass EXACTLY as prophesied. If he is a false prophet, his prophecy will fail to come to pass....
The difference between a true and a false prophet is that the one is speaking the word of the Lord and the other is speaking his own dreams and guesses.
The true prophet of God today will be telling forth what the Bible teaches, and those things that the Bible tells us are soon to come to pass. He will not be sounding forth man-made theories or guesses, either his own or those of others
Who was God's prophet during the time this article went to print? God's organization whom is supposed to be the one to give "food at a proper time" or an outsider?
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"Jehovah's Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus' second coming, have suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Because of this, some have called them false prophets. Never in these instances, however, did they presume to originate predictions 'in the name of Jehovah.' Never did they say, 'These are the words of Jehovah.'" (g93 3/22 p 3, footnote)
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But:
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We see no reason for changing the figures - nor could we change them if we would. They 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." (Zion's Watchtower, Can It Be Delayed until 1914? C. T. Russell July 15, 1894, Also in Watchtower Reprints, l894 p. 1677)[/FONT]
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"As Jehovah revealed his truths by means of the first century Christian congregation so he does today by means of the present-day Christian congregation. Through this agency he is having carried out prophesying on an intensified and unparalleled scale. All this activity is not an accident. Jehovah is the one behind all of it. The abundance of spiritual food and the amazing details of Jehovah's purposes that have been revealed to Jehovah's anointed witnesses are clear evidence that they are the ones mentioned by Jesus when he foretold a "faithful and discreet slave" class that would be used to dispense God's progressive revelations in these last days." (w64 6/15 p 365)
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"’EXACTLY what would occur in 1914 we did not then know, but of one thing we were certain: The year 1914 would see the beginning of the worst time of trouble the earth had yet known; for so many Bible prophecies foretold that. Our faith was strong and our hopes were based on much more than mere human speculation.’ With these words, A. H. Macmillan, author of the 1957 best-seller Faith on the March, described his early conviction that 1914 would be a focal point of Bible prophecy." (w84 4/15 p 3)
"From the mid-1870's, Jehovah's people had been anticipating that catastrophic events would start in 1914 and would mark the end of the Gentile Times." (Revelation Climax, 1988, p 105)
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But:
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We see no reason for changing the figures -- nor could we change them if we would. They 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." (C. T. Russell in w1894 7/15, p 266; p 1677 reprints)
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ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF 1914? [/SIZE][/FONT]
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"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." (Watchtower, November 1, 1914, p. 325)
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But:
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"In view of this strong Bible evidence concerning the Times of the Gentiles, we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the Kingdom of God, will be accomplished at the end of A. D. 1914." (The Time Is At Hand; 1889; 1908 ed.; p. 99)
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"But how did they feel when that did not occur in 1914? The Watch Tower of April 15, 1916, said, "We believe that the dates have proven to be quite right. We believe that Gentile Times have ended." However, it candidly added: "The Lord did not say that the Church would all be glorified by 1914. We merely inferred it and, evidently, erred." (Proclaimers, p 635)
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But:
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"Like Elijah of old, they became quite disconsolate, uncertain of life, thinking the end of existence and work was at hand. This was especially the case since the remnant was part of the virgin class espoused to Christ as his Bride and she failed to realize her hopes of being glorified to heavenly life with him both in 1914 and now in 1918. " (Let Your Name Be Sanctified; 1961; p. 313)
"In this chapter we present the Bible evidence proving that 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 the date will be the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men. And be it observed, that if this is shown to be a fact firmly established by the Scriptures, it will prove; Firstly, that at that date the Kingdom of God, for which our Lord taught us to pray, saying, Thy Kingdom come, will obtain full, universal control, and that it will then be set up, or firmly established, in the earth, on the ruins of present institutions." (The Time Is At Hand, 1888, p. 76, 77)
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"There is no doubt that many throughout this period were overzealous in their statements as to what could be expected. Some read into the Watch Tower statements that were never intended, and while it was necessary for Russell to call attention to the certainty that a great change was due at the end of the Gentile times, he still encouraged his readers to keep an open mind, especially as regards the time element." (Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, 1959, p52)
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But:
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"But I am not willing to admit that this calculation is even one year out" (Barbour and Russell in Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World, 1877, p 84)
"They 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." (Zion's Watchtower, Can It Be Delayed until 1914? C. T. Russell July 15, 1894, Also in Watchtower Reprints, l894 p. 1677)
"...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." (The Sign of Christ’s Presence [tract], p 3)
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But:[/FONT]
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"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)
"Surely there is not the slightest room for doubt...that the Lord Jesus is present and has been since 1874." (WT Jan 1, 1924 p 5)
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"The fact is that Jehovah's witnesses from the very beginning understood that Christ's second presence was to be invisible." (g56 4/8, p 17, 18, quoted in w66, 9/15, p 567)
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"Forty years, or now, about thirty eight years before the times of the Gentiles end, is none too much time, for the accomplishments of the many wonderful events that must transpire during their continuance... Then, the Lord shall appearwith all his saints, and his feet shall stand upon the mount of Olives..." (Three Worlds, 1877, p 84)[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]"October 1914 passed, and C. T. Russell and his associates were still on earth. Then October 1915 passed. Was Russell disappointed? In The Watch Tower of February 1, 1916, he wrote: "`But, Brother Russell, what is your thought as to the time of our change? Were you not disappointed that it did not come when we hoped that it would?' you will ask. No, we reply, we were not disappointed...." ...No, the Bible Students were not 'taken home' to heaven in October 1914. Nevertheless, the Gentile Times did end in that year." (Proclaimers, 1993, p 62)[/FONT]
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But:
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica]".... Suppose that A.D. 1915 should pass with the world's affairs all serene and with evidence that the "very elect" had not all been "changed" and without the restoration of natural Israel to favor under the New Covenant (Rom. 11:12,15). What then? Would not that prove our chronology wrong? Yes, surely! Would not that prove a keen disappointment? Indeed it would! It would work irreparable wreck to the parallel dispensations and Israel's double, and to the Jubilee calculations, and to the prophecy of the 2300 days of Daniel, and to the epoch called "Gentile Times," and to the 1,260, 1,290, and 1,335 days.... none of these would be available longer." (w1907, 10/1, p 295)
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