Taking responsibility for the year 1925
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After many years, the responsibility for the failure of “the year 1925” was claimed both on J.F. Rutherford and on some rank-and- file publishers. Let us recall, however, that everyone was mobilized to teach about “the millions who will not die,” and everyone was responsible for proclaiming what the leadership of the Watchtower Society had told them:
All the Bible Students were encouraged to advertise such lectures as “Satan’s Empire Falling—Millions Now Living Will Never Die.” (1975 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses p. 133).
When nothing happened in 1925, the Watchtower Society thus assessed its publishers:
Some of them were stumbled; their hopes were dashed. They had hoped to see some of the ‘ancient worthies’ [men of old like Abraham] resurrected. Instead of its being considered a ‘probability,’ they read into it that it was a ‘certainty,’ and some prepared for their own loved ones with expectancy of their resurrection. (1975 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses p. 146).
But were the publishers the main culprits of the belief that “millions will not die?”
Let us look at the following quoted words concerning 1925: “Instead of its being considered a ‘probability,’ they read into it that it was a ‘certainty,” how similar they are to those quoted by the Watchtower Society after the failure of 1975:
(...) considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975. There were statements made then, and thereafter, stressing that this was only a possibility. Unfortunately, however, along with such cautionary information, there were other statements published that implied that such realization of hopes by that year was more of a probability than a mere possibility. It is to be regretted that these latter statements apparently overshadowed the cautionary ones and contributed to a buildup of the expectation already initiated. (The Watchtower March 15, 1980 p. 17).
As for the President J.F. Rutherford, he was partially made responsible for the year 1925, but only after many years after his death!
It was only in the 1980s and 1990s that his statements of confession were quoted:
[Rutherford] Regarding his misguided statements as to what we could expect in 1925, he once confessed to us at Bethel, “I made an ass of myself.” (The Watchtower October 1, 1984 p. 24).
For example, he once made some dogmatic statements as to what Christians could expect in 1925. When events failed to support his expectations, he humbly told the Brooklyn Bethel family that he had made a fool of himself. (The Watchtower December 1, 1993 p. 18).
The Watchtower Society does not tell the whole truth in the above passages. Apart from those “dogmatic statements,” Rutherford, as we have seen, delivered many lectures on “millions who will not die” (between 1918 and 1925) and personally wrote several pamphlets and two books: Millions Now Living Will Never Die! (1920) and The Harp of God (1921).
In another publication, one of the famous publishers ironically states the expectations of the “princes” concerned Rutherford himself. He only refers to his belief “that the princes would be back the following year.” Was the President of the Watchtower Society alone in his faith in the return of the Prophets? Here is what was mentioned about those days:
In May, 1924, during one of Brother Rutherford’s visits to Glasgow, he announced at the assembly then in progress that he was sending a brother from the British branch office to South Africa to serve as branch servant. The following morning, as we sat in an anteroom waiting to go onto the platform, Brother Rutherford said to me: “You heard me make that announcement last night about sending a brother to South Africa. Would you like to go with him?” “Here am I; send me,” was the response. “Think it over carefully and let me know in the afternoon,” was his reply. When I confirmed my decision that afternoon, among other things he said: “George, it may be for a year, or it may be for a little longer.” He had still great faith that the princes would be back the following year, and that big changes would quickly take place. (The Watchtower December 1, 1956 p. 716).
In the same article, this publisher claims the responsibility for “the year 1925” on “organization of the Lord,” not on Rutherford:
I had learned to love the assignment given me by the Lord’s organization in 1924, which was to be “for a year or a little longer.” It turned out to be for “a little longer,” but after nearly twenty-three years on the job I was not only willing but very desirous of going back for just as much longer as Jehovah willed. (The Watchtower December 1, 1956 p. 718).
As seen from the above, the chief responsible person for the “Millions Campaign” and “the year 1925” was the President of the Watchtower Society. At the same time, however, everyone who delivered lectures on “millions who did not die” and distributed books, brochures and magazines on the subject became an accomplice of spreading of prophecies that did not come true.
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