Post by evilslave on May 13, 2014 21:36:49 GMT -4
Where did CT Russell get the the date 1914 as significant?
ORIGINATION OF RUSSELL'S TEACHING
Although Russell was influenced by his colleagues regarding his original teaching regarding the year 1914, many don't realize that this teaching actually based on the pseudo-science of pyramidology, a belief system that gained popularity in the 19th century.
The popularity of pyramidology rose with John Taylor, who authored a book in 1859 titled "The Great Pyramid; Why Was it Built, and Who Built it?" Taylor believed measurements of the passages in the Great Pyramid held great significance; a theory which Russell embraced and correlated with the Scripture at
Isaiah 19:19-20:
"(19) In that day there will prove to be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt and a pillar to Jehovah beside its boundary. (20) And it must prove to be for a sign and for a witness to Jehovah of armies in the land of Egypt; for they will cry out to Jehovah because of the oppressors, and he will send them a Saviour, even a grand one, who will actually deliver them."
Russell's belief in the Great Pyramid was so staunch that at one point, the first volume in his book series Studies in the Scriptures (titled The Divine Plan of the Ages) was subtitled As Shown In the Great Pyramid (1913 edition). Being that he believed the Great Pyramid was Jehovah's “Stone Witness,” he used measurements from the inner passages of the structure to come to the conclusion that 1874 was the beginning of the time of trouble (which ultimately led to the teaching that 1914 was to be the end of the time of trouble). He published these findings:
Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come (1898 edition) p.342
...we find it to be 3416 inches, symbolizing 3416 years from the above date, B.C. 1542. This calculation shows A.D. 1874 as marking the beginning of the period of trouble; for 1542 years B.C. plus 1874 years A.D. equals 3416 years. Thus the Pyramid witnesses that the close of 1874 was the chronological beginning of the time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation – no, nor ever shall be afterward.
However, he later seemed to have changed his mind on the matter and decided that his measurements were insufficient. As a result, in latter editions of the same book he updated the information and produced different measurements from those very same pyramid tunnels in order to teach that 1914 was the beginning of trouble instead of the end of trouble:
Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come (1911 edition) p.342
...we find it to be 3457 inches, symbolizing 3457 years from the above date, B.C. 1542. This calculation shows A.D. 1915 as marking the beginning of the period of trouble; for 1542 years B.C. plus 1915 years A.D. equals 3457 years. Thus the Pyramid witnesses that the close of 1914 will be the beginning of the time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation – no, nor ever shall be afterward.
ORIGINATION OF RUSSELL'S TEACHING
Although Russell was influenced by his colleagues regarding his original teaching regarding the year 1914, many don't realize that this teaching actually based on the pseudo-science of pyramidology, a belief system that gained popularity in the 19th century.
The popularity of pyramidology rose with John Taylor, who authored a book in 1859 titled "The Great Pyramid; Why Was it Built, and Who Built it?" Taylor believed measurements of the passages in the Great Pyramid held great significance; a theory which Russell embraced and correlated with the Scripture at
Isaiah 19:19-20:
"(19) In that day there will prove to be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt and a pillar to Jehovah beside its boundary. (20) And it must prove to be for a sign and for a witness to Jehovah of armies in the land of Egypt; for they will cry out to Jehovah because of the oppressors, and he will send them a Saviour, even a grand one, who will actually deliver them."
Russell's belief in the Great Pyramid was so staunch that at one point, the first volume in his book series Studies in the Scriptures (titled The Divine Plan of the Ages) was subtitled As Shown In the Great Pyramid (1913 edition). Being that he believed the Great Pyramid was Jehovah's “Stone Witness,” he used measurements from the inner passages of the structure to come to the conclusion that 1874 was the beginning of the time of trouble (which ultimately led to the teaching that 1914 was to be the end of the time of trouble). He published these findings:
Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come (1898 edition) p.342
...we find it to be 3416 inches, symbolizing 3416 years from the above date, B.C. 1542. This calculation shows A.D. 1874 as marking the beginning of the period of trouble; for 1542 years B.C. plus 1874 years A.D. equals 3416 years. Thus the Pyramid witnesses that the close of 1874 was the chronological beginning of the time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation – no, nor ever shall be afterward.
However, he later seemed to have changed his mind on the matter and decided that his measurements were insufficient. As a result, in latter editions of the same book he updated the information and produced different measurements from those very same pyramid tunnels in order to teach that 1914 was the beginning of trouble instead of the end of trouble:
Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come (1911 edition) p.342
...we find it to be 3457 inches, symbolizing 3457 years from the above date, B.C. 1542. This calculation shows A.D. 1915 as marking the beginning of the period of trouble; for 1542 years B.C. plus 1915 years A.D. equals 3457 years. Thus the Pyramid witnesses that the close of 1914 will be the beginning of the time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation – no, nor ever shall be afterward.