THE YEAR 1914
A crucial time was drawing close. In 1876 the Bible student Charles Taze Russell contributed the article "Gentile Times: When Do They End?" to the Bible Examiner, published in Brooklyn, New York, which said on page 27 of its October issue, "The seven times will end in A.D. 1914." The Gentile Times is the period referred to in another Bible translation as "the appointed times of the nations." (Luke 21:24) Not all that was expected to happen in 1914 did happen, but it did mark the end of the Gentile Times and was a year of special significance. Many historians and commentators agree that 1914 was a turning point in human history. The following quotations illustrate this:
"The last completely ‘normal’ year in history was 1913, the year before World War I began."-Editorial in the Times-Herald, Washington, D.C., March 13, 1949.
"Increasingly, the 75-year period from 1914 to 1989, covering two world wars and the cold war, is being seen by historians as a single, discrete epoch, a time apart in which much of the world was fighting war, recovering from war or preparing for war."-The New York Times, May 7, 1995.
"The whole world really blew up about World War I and we still don’t know why. Before then, men thought that utopia was in sight. There was peace and prosperity. Then everything blew up. We’ve been in a state of suspended animation ever since . . . More people have been killed in this century than in all of history."-Dr. Walker Percy, American Medical News, November 21, 1977.
More than 50 years after 1914, German statesman Konrad Adenauer wrote: "Security and quiet have disappeared from the lives of men since 1914."-The West Parker, Cleveland, Ohio, January 20, 1966.
The Society’s first president, C. T. Russell, died in 1916 and was succeeded the following year by Joseph F. Rutherford. Many changes took place. A companion magazine to The Watchtower, called The Golden Age, was introduced. (Now called Awake!, with a circulation of more than 20,000,000 in over 80 languages.) Door-to-door witnessing received greater emphasis. To distinguish themselves from the denominations of Christendom, in 1931 these Christians embraced the name Jehovah’s Witnesses. This name is based on Isaiah 43:10-12.
The radio was used extensively in the 1920’s and 1930’s. By 1933 the Society was using 403 radio stations to broadcast Bible lectures. Later, the use of the radio was largely replaced by increased house-to-house visits by Witnesses with portable phonographs and recorded Bible talks. Home Bible studies were started with anyone who showed interest in Bible truth.
Showing posts with label Jehovah's Witnesses history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jehovah's Witnesses history. Show all posts
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Jehovah's Witnesses Growth
Their Modern Development and Growth
THE modern history of Jehovah’s Witnesses began more than a hundred years ago. In the early 1870’s, a rather inconspicuous Bible study group began in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., which is now a part of Pittsburgh. Charles Taze Russell was the prime mover of the group. In July 1879, the first issue of the magazine Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence appeared. By 1880 scores of congregations had spread from that one small Bible study into nearby states. In 1881 Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society was formed, and in 1884 it was incorporated, with Russell as president. The Society’s name was later changed to Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Many were witnessing from house to house offering Bible literature. Fifty persons were doing this full time in 1888-now the average number worldwide is about 700,000.
By 1909 the work had become international, and the Society’s headquarters was moved to its present location in Brooklyn, New York. Printed sermons were syndicated in newspapers, and by 1913 these were in four languages in 3,000 newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Books, booklets, and tracts had been distributed by the hundreds of millions.
In 1912 work began on the "Photo-Drama of Creation." By slides and motion pictures with sound, it covered from earth’s creation to the end of Christ’s Thousand Year Reign. Showings started in 1914, with 35,000 seeing it daily. It was a pioneer in motion pictures with sound.
THE modern history of Jehovah’s Witnesses began more than a hundred years ago. In the early 1870’s, a rather inconspicuous Bible study group began in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., which is now a part of Pittsburgh. Charles Taze Russell was the prime mover of the group. In July 1879, the first issue of the magazine Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence appeared. By 1880 scores of congregations had spread from that one small Bible study into nearby states. In 1881 Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society was formed, and in 1884 it was incorporated, with Russell as president. The Society’s name was later changed to Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Many were witnessing from house to house offering Bible literature. Fifty persons were doing this full time in 1888-now the average number worldwide is about 700,000.
By 1909 the work had become international, and the Society’s headquarters was moved to its present location in Brooklyn, New York. Printed sermons were syndicated in newspapers, and by 1913 these were in four languages in 3,000 newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Books, booklets, and tracts had been distributed by the hundreds of millions.
In 1912 work began on the "Photo-Drama of Creation." By slides and motion pictures with sound, it covered from earth’s creation to the end of Christ’s Thousand Year Reign. Showings started in 1914, with 35,000 seeing it daily. It was a pioneer in motion pictures with sound.
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