“Year 1925” and “year 1975”

Author: Włodzimierz Bednarski

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“Year 1925” and “year 1975”

Although the expected events of 1925 in many details differed from those of 1975, the end was to be the same: the “Millennium”! We will not compare the individual elements of the two teachings here, as it would fulfill the entire book. However, somehow the Watchtower Society is compiling in its publications the expectations for 1925 with hopes for 1975. It is enough to quote two publications here to have some idea of that fact:

Following 1925, meeting attendance dropped dramatically in some congregations in France and Switzerland. Again, in 1975, there was disappointment when expectations regarding the start of the Millennium failed to materialize. (Jehovah’s Witnesses— Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom 1993 p. 633).

Bible Students, known since 1931 as Jehovah’s Witnesses, also expected that the year 1925 would see the fulfillment of marvelous Bible prophecies. They surmised that at that time the earthly resurrection would begin, bringing back faithful men of old, such as Abraham, David, and Daniel. More recently, many Witnesses conjectured that events associated with the beginning of Christ’s Millennial Reign might start to take place in 1975. Their anticipation was based on the understanding that the seventh millennium of human history would begin then. (Awake! June 22, 1995 p. 9).

We also present a short comparison of the expected finals of 1925 and 1975, i.e. the Millennium.

The year 1925 also held expectations for Jehovah’s servants. It was thought that a cycle of 70 typical Jubilees (70 × 50 years) from the time Israel entered the Promised Land would end in 1925 and mark the beginning of the great antitypical Jubilee, the Millennial Reign of Christ Jesus. It did not turn out that way. (The Watchtower February 15, 1984 pp. 23-24).

More recently, many Witnesses conjectured that events associated with the beginning of Christ’s Millennial Reign might start to take place in 1975. Their anticipation was based on the understanding that the seventh millennium of human history would begin then. (Awake! June 22, 1995 p. 9).

It is worth mentioning that just like 1925 had its ‘spare’ dates, i.e. the years 1924 and 1926, so 1975 had them too. The 1974 and 1976 were meant to back up the prophecy of 1975, as we described in the book ARMAGEDDON IN 1975 – ‘Probability’ or ‘Possibility’? (2011), in the chapter Other Chronologies and 1975.

These dates can be looked up and compared differently too. The Watchtower Society states that 1925 and the “Millions Campaign” were fought by the clergy, but the prediction of 1975 was reportedly supported by priests (!):

(...) many clergymen will attempt to prevent the people from reading what is here written (Millions Now Living Will Never Die! 1920 p. 7).

Some priests forbade their parishioners to persecute Jehovah’s witnesses, to meow after them, etc. ‘If they come’ – said one of them – ‘listen and kindly excuse yourself, because it is yet unknown which religion is the true one’. In several places priests preached from pulpits that the end of the world will take place in the year 1975, and one even said: ‘Surely God send Jehovah’s witnesses as our comfort’. Obviously, it does not mean that all the priests changed their attitude. (Polish Kingdom Ministry No. 8, 1970 p. 6).

It is also worth noting that the length of campaigns for both years was similar. The first one started in 1917 and ended in 1925, and the second one took 10 years (1966-1975).

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