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Predictions and dates · Claim record

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'.

Claim ID claim-predictions-1917-finished-mystery-1918-1920Concerns 1917Explicit statement
Explicit statement · 1917 Verified

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'. The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), 1917The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), 1917The Finished Mystery (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 7), 1917

The organisation’s position or later explanation: 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'.

Show the evidence (3 sources)
Primary JW publication Verified

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.

Scan of original

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. 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).

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

Corroborated by. src-fm-1917-00-p485-churches-1918

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-fm-1917-00-p62-spasm-1918

Primary JW publication Verified

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.

Scan of original

Provenance and verification note

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

Scan provenance. Internet Archive (daveignatius) scan of the 1918 printing; text also in Project Gutenberg #46016.

Corroborated by. src-fm-1917-00-p62-spasm-1918

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-fm-1917-00-p485-churches-1918

Primary JW publication Verified

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.'

Scan of original

Provenance and verification note

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

Scan provenance. Project Gutenberg #46016; also archive.org TheFinishedMysteryTextVersion (daveignatius).

Corroborated by. src-fm-1917-00-p62-spasm-1918

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-fm-1917-00-p258-republics-1920

Claim page

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