We have the proof! It is Scriptural! so said the Judge...

If you are talking with any Jehovah's Witnesses today and get on the topic of Christ's return they will quickly tell you that he returned in 1914. If asked how come no one else knows this important fact they will tell you that you must have "eyes of understanding" because He came back invisibly. Where do you get these "eyes" no one knows, and also if He was invisible how would anyone know for sure.

In any case this is a major doctrine of the organization and any doubt on this important event undermines their credibility in every other area of their teachings. For such a major doctrine one would think there would be volumes of evidence from that time period. If any one should know and be absolutely sure it surely should have been the President of the Society. Lets see what he said on the topic and apply a common sense look at the issue to see if it could be true.

Questions to ask every JW:

• You believe and base many of your main doctrinal teachings on the fact that Christ returned in 1914, is that correct? Yes they will reply.

• You do have a scriptural basis for this event do you? Yes they will reply.

• Who was the President of the organization at that time? Judge J.F. Rutherford they will tell you if they know. They may have to look up their own history if they are new to the organization.

• Is 1929 after 1914? Yes of course they will reply.

• Have you ever read Rutherford's book "Prophecy" published by the Society? Most will not have read it.

Lets look at what the president (Rutherford) said in 1929.

• "The scriptural proof is that the second presence of the Lord Jesus Christ began in 1874 A.D."

See the scanned page copies below. Also interestingly, the Society sold these books as "Spiritual Food" and advertised them on their order forms as late as the early 50's. So much for their "eyes of understanding".

	Inside cover page (note Author)
Note date published then look at what he said on page 65.

If anyone thinks this was the only place they made this claim lets look at a few other places they made the same claims.

The Watchtower Reprints, October 1890, p.1243

• "The Millennium of peace and blessing would be introduced by forty years of trouble, beginning slightly in 1874 and increasing until social chaos should prevail in 1914…"

• "The date of the close of that 'battle' is definitely marked in Scripture as October, 1914. It is already in progress, its beginning dating from October, 1874."

• "For instance, as we look back and note that the Scriptures marked 1873 as the end of six thousand years from Adam to the beginning of the seventh thousand, and the fall of 1874 as the beginning of the forty-year harvest of the Gospel age and day of wrath from the overthrow of all the institutions of 'this present evil world (or order of affairs),' we can see that facts have well borne out those predictions of Scripture."

• Charts showing 1874 date. The Battle of Armageddon, (SS-4), 1912 ed., p. 621

• "Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874, A. D. according to the testimony of the prophets, to those who have ears to hear it..."

• "No one can properly understand the work of Godas this present time who does not realize that since 1874, the time of the Lord's return in power, there has been a complete change in God's operations."

• " The Scriptures show that his second presence was due in 1874. This proof shows that the Lord has been present since 1874."

The Watchtower, January 1, 1924, p. 5

• "Surely there is not the slightest room for doubt in the mind of a truly consecrated child of God that the Lord Jesus is present and has been since 1874..."