I have some quick tidbits today regarding the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society’s real estate holdings. I generally do not promote a direct link for the organization but today I feel it’s completely appropriate:
https://www.watchtowerbrooklynrealestate.com/
If you have any knowledge of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, you know the Society has been headquartered in Brooklyn NY, since the early 1900s. I have a quote here for you to look at:
At the time of transfer Brooklyn was known as “The City of Churches”, and within a radius of a few miles of it there lived a population of seven and a half million of many nationalities. So Brooklyn was chosen as “our most suitable center for the harvest work during the few remaining years”. (The Watch Tower, Dec. 15, 1908) That Jehovah guided in this transfer to a bigger field for larger service is manifest, for it has been out from Brooklyn that the greatest work of the Society has been projected.
The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. July 15, 1950 p. 215
(Entire chosen and accessible at following place: http://avoidjw.org/magazines/ and the 1908 portion is here: http://www.ctrussell.us/ctrussell.nsf/22284ee7f683acc9862566bd000b278c/9087903793099f7d8625646100817c05?OpenDocument)
So I’d like to give a few thoughts in pertaining to the current website and the foundation that this organization has.
The first one is the organization which brands itself as “Christian” even though it doesn’t hold to the major fundamental doctrines moved to an area known as “The City of Churches.” One reasonable question is why did this printing operation have to get centered in a city? If all they did was simply distribute bibles, they could have worked more to take the gospel to a foreign land and have stayed in Pittsburgh where the original location was.
The second major point is that it was suppose to be just a “few remaining years.” This quote here helps explain the original “understanding” of the harvest:
A “generation” might be reckoned as equivalent to a century (practically the present limit) or one hundred and twenty years, Moses’ lifetime and the Scripture limit. (Gen. 6:3) Reckoning a hundred years from 1780, the date of the first sign, the limit would reach to 1880; and, to our understanding, every item predicted had begun to be fulfilled at that date; the “harvest” or gathering time beginning October 1874; the organization of the Kingdom and the taking by our Lord of his great power as the King in April 1878, and the time of trouble or “day of wrath” which began October 1874, and will cease about 1915; and the sprouting of the fig tree. Those who choose might without inconsistency say that the century or generation might as properly reckon from the last sign, the falling of the stars, as from the first, the darkening of the sun and moon: and a century beginning 1833 would be still far from run out. Many are living who witnessed the star-falling sign. Those who are walking with us in the light of present truth are not looking for things to come which are already here, but are waiting for the consummation of matters already in progress. Or, since the Master said, “When ye shall see all these things,” and since “the sign of the Son of Man in heaven,” and the budding fig tree, and the gathering of “the elect” are counted among the signs, it would not be inconsistent to reckon the “generation” from 1878 to 1914—36 1/2 years—about the average of human life today.
Studies in the Scriptures Series IV-The Day of Vengeance. 1897 p.604, 605
This idea is further augmented with:
It is with sincere joy that we are privileged to report that amongst the activities of the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY for 1917 the Seventh Volume of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES has been published and is now going forth. 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."
Watch Tower Dec 15 1917 p.373-374
However we get a new twist with 1914 basically no longer is to be regarded as no longer being the end or close to the end but the beginning:
A picture is worth a thousand words and here’s one for you from the July 15, 2013 Watchtower:
There is more information to reinforce this present “understanding”:
As we learned in the preceding article, the harvest season began in 1914. In that year, a number of important developments began to unfold. Jesus was enthroned as King, and the last days began. (Rev. 11:15)
The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom-Study Edition. July 15, 2013 p. 19
So when Jesus went to inspect the spiritual temple in 1914, Watchtower Jesus would have plainly seen the 1914 as being the end and not the beginning as the present day Watchtower Bible and Tract Society would have you believe.
That begs the following questions:
Why did Jesus approve of the harvest work ending in 1914?
Let’s just say he had to “clean” out this false teaching (even though the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society taught the right thing) only in 2013 when the article says he should have been done by early 1919 at the LATEST?
Since this organization is not inspired but “spirit directed” which spirit gave the Society the wrong date?
Moving along now, it’s interesting how the Society answers and says that “Jehovah guided” Pastor Russell and other Watchtower adherents to Brooklyn, NY. Why did Jehovah guide them to a city since YHWH of the bible can take the “common” or “outcasts” and multiply their effect? Some examples include:
Rahab-a prostitute
Young boy with five loaves and two fish
Moses-Slow of speech and murdered an Egyptian
Disciples-men who had “common” jobs or in Matthew’s case-looked down on as a tax collector
Naaman’s servant girl (not even mentioned by name)
Of course this begs the question, why go to a population center when there were a number of churches already there?
“That Jehovah guided in this transfer to a bigger field for larger service is manifest, for it has been out from Brooklyn that the greatest work of the Society has been projected.”
Based upon the quote above, since the organization is moving to Wallkill, NY, this is not to be considered the “greatest work” of the Society.
Looking specifically at the Watchtower’s real estate website you can see in the “History” section it’s a “new history in the making” which means once this sale is completed, we will have a total failed prophecy which is presently undergoing fulfillment. Within the “About Us” section since the organization it talks about “Confidentiality.” I know I’m not a qualified buyer but an organization such as this but what does this organization have to “hide” since all it reportedly does is print material?
As I bring this article to a close, I will simply ask you since the Society has rewritten this doctrine, where do you think that the rewrites will stop at?