Predictions and dates1910s1920sEvidence collection

Сборник с доказателства · изрично предсказание

1915, 1918 and 1920

След като 1914 г. отминава без очакваните събития, изданията свързват нови очаквания с 1915, 1918 и 1920 г. Какво се е очаквало, е изложено в „Завършената тайна“ (1917 г.) и в „Стражева кула“ от 1917 г.

Последна проверка 19 септември 2026

1915

Преместването от 1914 към 1915 г. е документирано в самия текст на The Time Is at Hand: тиражите с дата 1914 г. гласят „близо до края на 1915 г. от н.е.“ там, където изданието от 1889 г. гласеше „до края на 1914 г. от н.е.“. Вижте страницата за 1914 г.

1918

In September 1916 Russell mentioned, cautiously, that A.D. 73 ‘would correspond to April 1918’ while adding ‘we know of no time-limit here’. Source: The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, 1 септември 1916 After his death, the seventh volume of Studies in the Scriptures, The Finished Mystery (1917), was far less cautious.

prove that the Spring of 1918 will bring upon Christendom a spasm of anguish greater even than that experienced in the Fall of 1914. Reexamine the table of the Parallel Dispensations in STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, Vol. 2, pages 246 and 247; change the 37 to 40, 70 to 73 and 1914 to 1918

The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), “Commentary on Revelation 1:9-10 region (Parallel Dispensations)”, 1917, p. 62 Проверено Open scan (отваря се в нов раздел)

Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the downfall of 'Christianity.'

The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), “Commentary on Ezekiel 24:25-26”, 1917, p. 485 Проверено Open scan (отваря се в нов раздел)

The Watch Tower of October 1917 said the parallel with the Jewish harvest ‘would establish definitely that the harvest would close … in the spring of A.D. 1918’ and that ‘we have only a few months in which to labor’; the December 1917 annual report expected spring 1918 to ‘mark the beginning of the closing up of all activities of the kingdom class on this side the veil’. Source: The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, октомври 1917 Source: The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, 15 декември 1917

Изрично изявление · 1917 Проверено

The Finished Mystery (1917) stated that 'the Spring of 1918 will bring upon Christendom a spasm of anguish greater even than that experienced in the Fall of 1914', that 'in the year 1918... God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions', and that 'even the republics will disappear in the fall of 1920'. Source: The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), 1917Source: The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), 1917Source: The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), 1917

Позицията на организацията или по-късното ѝ обяснение: Proclaimers p.632 groups these with 'hopes and expectations that have been ridiculed by critics' but 'rooted in a keen desire to see the fulfillment of... the unfailing promises of God'.

Покажи доказателствата (3 източника)
Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), “Commentary on Revelation 1:9-10 region (Parallel Dispensations)”

1917 · p.62 · C. J. Woodworth and G. H. Fisher (eds.), issued as posthumous work of C. T. Russell · International Bible Students Association / Peoples Pulpit Association

“prove that the Spring of 1918 will bring upon Christendom a spasm of anguish greater even than that experienced in the Fall of 1914. Reexamine the table of the Parallel Dispensations in STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, Vol. 2, pages 246 and 247; change the 37 to 40, 70 to 73 and 1914 to 1918”

Reworks Russell's 1914 parallels forward to 1918.

Бележка за произхода и проверката for The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), Commentary on Revelation 1:9-10 region (Parallel Dispensations)

Бележка за достоверността. Wording confirmed in the Gutenberg text and in the 1918-edition scan OCR; page 62 is the standard citation and was not read from a page header (supported).

Произход на сканираното копие. Project Gutenberg eBook #46016 (public domain transcription); 1918-edition scan also at https://archive.org/details/TheFinishedMystery (daveignatius).

Потвърдено от. src-fm-1917-00-p485-churches-1918

Отворено на. 19 септември 2026 · Идентификатор на източника. src-fm-1917-00-p62-spasm-1918

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), “Commentary on Ezekiel 24:25-26”

1917 · p.485 · C. J. Woodworth and G. H. Fisher (eds.) · International Bible Students Association

“Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the downfall of 'Christianity.'”

Ezekiel commentary section of the book.

Бележка за произхода и проверката for The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), Commentary on Ezekiel 24:25-26

Бележка за достоверността. Wording confirmed in the 1918-edition scan OCR; running header '484 The Finished Mystery' appears shortly before the passage, consistent with p. 485.

Произход на сканираното копие. Internet Archive (daveignatius) scan of the 1918 printing; text also in Project Gutenberg #46016.

Потвърдено от. src-fm-1917-00-p62-spasm-1918

Отворено на. 19 септември 2026 · Идентификатор на източника. src-fm-1917-00-p485-churches-1918

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), “Commentary on Revelation 16:20”

1917 · p.258 · C. J. Woodworth and G. H. Fisher (eds.) · International Bible Students Association

“And every island fled away.—Even the republics will disappear in the fall of 1920. And the mountains were not found.—Every kingdom of earth will pass away, be swallowed up in anarchy.”

Verse-by-verse commentary; elsewhere (Rev. 11:13 comment) the book says 'We anticipate that the "earthquake" will occur early in 1918, and that the "fire" will come in the fall of 1920.'

Бележка за произхода и проверката for The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), Commentary on Revelation 16:20

Бележка за достоверността. Wording confirmed in the Project Gutenberg transcription; the 1918-edition OCR is illegible at this passage; page 258 is the standard citation.

Произход на сканираното копие. Project Gutenberg #46016; also archive.org TheFinishedMysteryTextVersion (daveignatius).

Потвърдено от. src-fm-1917-00-p62-spasm-1918

Отворено на. 19 септември 2026 · Идентификатор на източника. src-fm-1917-00-p258-republics-1920

Страница на твърдението Поправка или актуализация
Силен намек · октомври 1917 Проверено

In October 1917 The Watch Tower said the parallel with the Jewish harvest 'would establish definitely that the harvest would close... in the spring of A.D. 1918', so that 'we have only a few months in which to labor'; the year-end report added that 'in all probability the Spring of 1918 will mark the beginning of the closing up of all activities of the kingdom class on this side the veil'. Source: The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, октомври 1917Source: The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, 15 декември 1917

Позицията на организацията или по-късното ѝ обяснение: Not specifically addressed; Proclaimers treats 1918 within the general 'expectations' discussion.

Покажи доказателствата (2 източника)
Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, “(article on the parallel between the Jewish and Gospel harvests)”

октомври 1917 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“The parallel, therefore, would establish definitely that the harvest would close forty years thereafter; to wit, in the spring of A.D. 1918. If this be true, and the evidence is very conclusive that it is true, then we have only a few months in which to labor before the great night settles down when no man can work.”

Builds on 1878 as the start of the harvest and the Great Pyramid measurements.

Бележка за произхода и проверката for The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, (article on the parallel between the Jewish and Gospel harvests)

Бележка за достоверността. Wording confirmed; nearest legible page header is 'October 1, 1917'. Commonly cited as 15 October 1917 (Reprints 6149); exact issue supported, not verified.

Произход на сканираното копие. Internet Archive upload by Veillez.org of the 1917 volume. Public domain.

Отворено на. 19 септември 2026 · Идентификатор на източника. src-wt-1917-1000-harvest-closes-1918

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, “Annual report of the Society's activities for 1917”

15 декември 1917 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“We count this as another one of the strong proofs that the harvest is nearing the end, and that in all probability the Spring of 1918 will mark the beginning of the closing up of all activities of the kingdom class on this side the veil.”

Said of the publication of Volume Seven (The Finished Mystery) in the year-end report.

Бележка за произхода и проверката for The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, Annual report of the Society's activities for 1917

Бележка за достоверността. Wording confirmed in the 1917 bound-volume OCR; the DECEMBER 15, 1917 issue header precedes the passage and Reprints marker 6183 follows it (the passage is on R6182).

Произход на сканираното копие. Internet Archive upload by Veillez.org of the 1917 volume. Public domain.

Потвърдено от. src-wt-1917-1000-harvest-closes-1918

Notes. The same volume prints a reader letter: 'it is thought that 1918 may be the year that the church will be taken from the world' (member expectation).

Отворено на. 19 септември 2026 · Идентификатор на източника. src-wt-1917-1215-annual-report-1918

Страница на твърдението Поправка или актуализация
Контекст · 1 септември 1916 Проверено

In September 1916 Russell mentioned that A.D. 73 'would correspond to April 1918' but added 'we know of no time-limit here' — a cautious remark later hardened by The Finished Mystery. Source: The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, 1 септември 1916

Покажи доказателствата (1 източник)
Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, “(article on the harvest continuing after 1914)”

1 септември 1916 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“Incidentally we remark that some historians put the end of the Jewish Time of Trouble as April A.D. 73, which would correspond to April 1918. Are we regretful that the harvest work continues? Nay, verily”

Russell hedges on 1918 by parallel with A.D. 73, while saying 'we know of no time-limit here'.

Бележка за произхода и проверката for The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, (article on the harvest continuing after 1914)

Бележка за достоверността. Page header 'SEPTEMBER 1, 1916' appears immediately before and after the passage in the scan OCR.

Произход на сканираното копие. Internet Archive upload by Veillez.org of the 1916 volume. Public domain.

Notes. This is a cautious mention, not an explicit prediction; treat as strong implication at most.

Отворено на. 19 септември 2026 · Идентификатор на източника. src-wt-1916-0901-april-1918

Страница на твърдението Поправка или актуализация

1920

And every island fled away.—Even the republics will disappear in the fall of 1920. And the mountains were not found.—Every kingdom of earth will pass away, be swallowed up in anarchy.

The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), “Commentary on Revelation 16:20”, 1917, p. 258 Проверено Open scan (отваря се в нов раздел)

Какво се случи

Christendom’s churches were not destroyed in 1918 and republics did not disappear in 1920. The ‘harvest’ did not close. The organisation’s 1993 history does not discuss the 1918 and 1920 dates individually; it describes the Bible Students’ early expectations generally as hopes ‘rooted in a keen desire to see the fulfillment of God’s promises’, and as ‘hopes and expectations that have been ridiculed by critics’. Source: Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), 1993

Обяснение на организацията · 1993 Проверено

The organisation's official history (Proclaimers, 1993) concedes that expectations for 1914, 1925 and 1975 were not all fulfilled, that 'some of their time calculations... gave rise to serious disappointments', and that the 1975 idea was 'sometimes stated as a possibility, sometimes more firmly', while maintaining that the Bible Students 'certainly did not err in believing that God would without fail do what he had promised'. Source: Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), 1993Source: Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), 1993Source: Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), 1993Source: Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), 1993

Позицията на организацията или по-късното ѝ обяснение: This is the official explanation.

Покажи доказателствата (4 източника)
Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), “Chapter 28, Testing and Sifting From Within — 'Were Their Expectations Correct?'”

1993 · pp.631-633 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York

“This later led to the idea—sometimes stated as a possibility, sometimes more firmly—that since the seventh millennium of human history would begin in 1975, events associated with the beginning of Christ's Millennial Reign might start to take place then. ... some of their time calculations and the expectations that they associated with these gave rise to serious disappointments. Following 1925, meeting attendance dropped dramatically in some congregations in France and Switzerland. Again, in 1975, there was disappointment”

Adds that after 1975 'some withdrew from the organization. Others ... were disfellowshipped', and that 'the number who defected was relatively small'.

Бележка за произхода и проверката for Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), Chapter 28, Testing and Sifting From Within — 'Were Their Expectations Correct?'

Бележка за достоверността. Opened on wol; page marker 633 precedes the quoted sentences.

Потвърдено от. src-w-1980-0315-p17-18

Отворено на. 19 септември 2026 · Идентификатор на източника. src-jv-1993-00-p632-633-expectations

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), “Chapter 7, Advertise the King and the Kingdom! (1919-1941)”

1993 · p.78 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York

“'We may confidently expect,' stated the booklet Millions Now Living Will Never Die, back in 1920, 'that 1925 will mark the return [from the dead] of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old' ... The year 1925 came and went. Some abandoned their hope.”

Sub-heading 'Unrealized Hopes Are Not Unique to Our Day'; compares with the apostles' 'misplaced expectations'.

Бележка за произхода и проверката for Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), Chapter 7, Advertise the King and the Kingdom! (1919-1941)

Бележка за достоверността. Opened on wol; page marker 78.

Потвърдено от. src-mnl-1920-00-p88-90-1925

Отворено на. 19 септември 2026 · Идентификатор на източника. src-jv-1993-00-p78-1925

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), “Chapter 8, Declaring the Good News Without Letup (1942-1975)”

1993 · p.104 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York

“The book Life Everlasting—In Freedom of the Sons of God, released ... in 1966, pointed to 1975. ... Brother Franz ... stated, in essence: 'It could. But we are not saying. All things are possible with God. But we are not saying. ... But the big point of it all is this, dear friends: Time is short.'”

Sub-heading 'Say, What Does This 1975 Mean?'; footnote h lists cautionary articles (w68 5/1, w74 6/15, w75 5/1).

Бележка за произхода и проверката for Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), Chapter 8, Declaring the Good News Without Letup (1942-1975)

Бележка за достоверността. Opened on wol; page marker 104.

Потвърдено от. src-w-1980-0315-p17-18

Отворено на. 19 септември 2026 · Идентификатор на източника. src-jv-1993-00-p104-1975

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), “Chapter 10, Growing in Accurate Knowledge of the Truth”

1993 · pp.133 (and footnote i) · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York

“From Mr. Barbour ... Russell also came to be persuaded that Christ's invisible presence had begun in 1874. ... [fn. i] A clearer understanding of Biblical chronology was published in 1943, in the book 'The Truth Shall Make You Free,' and it was then refined the following year”

Official account that the 1874 presence date rested on flawed chronology corrected in 1943-44. The chapter also records early expectations that 1914 would bring the Church's glorification and that 'months and then years passed, and the Bible Students did not receive their heavenly reward as they had anticipated.'

Бележка за произхода и проверката for Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), Chapter 10, Growing in Accurate Knowledge of the Truth

Бележка за достоверността. Opened on wol; page marker 133; footnote i read in full.

Потвърдено от. src-wt-1922-0301-presence-1874, src-tf-1943-00-p239-241-p300-302

Отворено на. 19 септември 2026 · Идентификатор на източника. src-jv-1993-00-p133-1874

Страница на твърдението Поправка или актуализация

Често срещани отговори

Достоверност. Текстът от 1917 г. беше прочетен в Project Gutenberg и в сканирано копие на изданието от 1918 г.; откъсите от Watch Tower от 1916 и 1917 г. — в подвързаните годишни томове (формулировката е проверена; откъсите от 1916 г. и от декември 1917 г. са датирани по заглавките на своите броеве; откъсът от октомври 1917 г. е цитиран само по месец, защото най-близката до него заглавка не е четлива). Оценка: изрично предсказание.

Източници, цитирани на тази страница

Show all 7 sources, in date order

Each opens a full record with links, provenance and a confidence note.

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, “(article on the harvest continuing after 1914)”

1 септември 1916 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“Incidentally we remark that some historians put the end of the Jewish Time of Trouble as April A.D. 73, which would correspond to April 1918. Are we regretful that the harvest work continues? Nay, verily”

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), “Commentary on Revelation 1:9-10 region (Parallel Dispensations)”

1917 · p.62 · C. J. Woodworth and G. H. Fisher (eds.), issued as posthumous work of C. T. Russell · International Bible Students Association / Peoples Pulpit Association

“prove that the Spring of 1918 will bring upon Christendom a spasm of anguish greater even than that experienced in the Fall of 1914. Reexamine the table of the Parallel Dispensations in STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, Vol. 2, pages 246 and 247; change the 37 to 40, 70 to 73 and 1914 to 1918”

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), “Commentary on Ezekiel 24:25-26”

1917 · p.485 · C. J. Woodworth and G. H. Fisher (eds.) · International Bible Students Association

“Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the downfall of 'Christianity.'”

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), “Commentary on Revelation 16:20”

1917 · p.258 · C. J. Woodworth and G. H. Fisher (eds.) · International Bible Students Association

“And every island fled away.—Even the republics will disappear in the fall of 1920. And the mountains were not found.—Every kingdom of earth will pass away, be swallowed up in anarchy.”

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, “(article on the parallel between the Jewish and Gospel harvests)”

октомври 1917 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“The parallel, therefore, would establish definitely that the harvest would close forty years thereafter; to wit, in the spring of A.D. 1918. If this be true, and the evidence is very conclusive that it is true, then we have only a few months in which to labor before the great night settles down when no man can work.”

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, “Annual report of the Society's activities for 1917”

15 декември 1917 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“We count this as another one of the strong proofs that the harvest is nearing the end, and that in all probability the Spring of 1918 will mark the beginning of the closing up of all activities of the kingdom class on this side the veil.”

Първоизточник – издание на Свидетелите Проверено

Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), “Chapter 28, Testing and Sifting From Within — 'Were Their Expectations Correct?'”

1993 · pp.631-633 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York

“This later led to the idea—sometimes stated as a possibility, sometimes more firmly—that since the seventh millennium of human history would begin in 1975, events associated with the beginning of Christ's Millennial Reign might start to take place then. ... some of their time calculations and the expectations that they associated with these gave rise to serious disappointments. Following 1925, meeting attendance dropped dramatically in some congregations in France and Switzerland. Again, in 1975, there was disappointment”

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