Posted by Cygnus [Cygnus] on March 29, 1999 at 07:33:48 {L4bdfUTIaIcd5mr/8v7YMWI3MfqfVB0wU}:
In Reply to: *Known to be Untrue posted by Moderator 14 on March 28, 1999 at 20:53:25:
M14 is a little confused,
: [Russell] also believed and published, starting in 1877, that the Gentile times would end in 1914 and that would be coupled with Christ's accepting kingly power to rule.
Russell actually taught that Christ's Kingdom would come in phases. Its initial, spiritul phase commenced upon his arrival in 1874. It would exercise its authority over the earthly dominion in or around 1914/5. Prior to 1914 Christ had already 'accepted kingly power to rule.' Jehovah's Witnesses today believe something quite different from what the early Bible Students did, and expected, regarding the phases of the Kingdom and the Times of the Gentiles. That is the issue -- the WT makes it sound as if they believed the same, you even use the term "consistent" (after all, today's beliefs are "the truth"), and they did not; they are not consistent.
"...we must expect God�s Kingdom to be inaugurated before the fall of the kingdoms of this world, and that its power and smiting will bring their overthrow." (Divine Plan, pg. 262)
Thus, the Kingdom had already been established or inaugurated in the heavenly realm, long before the expected events of 1914/5.
: After 1914, indeed starting in the period 1912 - 1914, there was a realization that things hadn't turned out like they thought they were going to.
Not really. There was some hesitation (not unusual), but they still certainly believed that the Gentile Times would culminate with the Time of Trouble and the Kingdom's authority over the earth, along with the Church's rapture.
: In 1925 with a Watchtower article, the timing on the beginning of the presence was moved to 1914.
This is where you are most confused. The 1925 Watch Tower did no such thing. It taught that Christ sat on the heavenly throne in 1914 with the birth of the Kingdom, but it did not move the parousia. Even your quotes from Proclaimers and God's Kingdom contain such evidence, that the parousia wasn't officially moved until 1943. Did you bother to read what you posted?
You are right that there is a subtle difference between "presence" and "receiving kingly power," however there is (in current WT eschatology) no difference between the parousia and Christ's receiving kingly power. Perhaps that's the issue that must be resolved and clarified. The 1925 Watch Tower did not equate the parousia with Christ's "receiving kingly power."
COMF's main message is accurate.