These references show what Br Russel was thinking before and after 1914. It shows that his expectations about 1914 did not happen as he had thought. We can see how he tries to understand what was wrong with his expectations and he tried to make sense of it. If he would have had more time he died two years after 1914, he might have understood more about their wrong calculations regarding what they thought would have happened 1914.
Their expectations was that Gods kingdom would come 1914 and this world as we know it would be destroyed and replaced by the kingdom and the paradise.
Here are the references!!!
A few references, in chronological order, regarding the Time of Trouble being a gradual process.
R621 – 1884
In their haste some supposed that all things concerning this day of the Lord, were to transpire immediately, but no, the apostle shows that its trouble will come like spasms, like great waves following each other, each bringing nearer the grand climax stated by the prophet: “I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations.” (Hag. 2:22.)
Vol. 1, page 334 – 1886
The trouble of this day will be in spasms. It will be a series of convulsions more frequent and severe as the day draws on, until the final one. The Apostle so indicates when he says—” as travail upon a woman.” (1 Thess. 5:2,3) The relief will come only with the birth of the NEW ORDER…
Vol. 2, page 20 – 1889
The Apostle Paul declares, “Of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you; for yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. [Quietly, stealthily it will come, and after it has come, many will not for some time know that they are in it.] When they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them [sudden or rapid, compared with the slow processes of the past six thousand years, as our day is called the fast day of steam and electricity—not sudden as lightning, but sudden] as travail upon a woman.
Vol. 4, page 284 – 1897
But, as the Scriptures point out, this trouble comes in waves or spasms—”as travail upon a woman” (1 Thess. 5:3)—and each succeeding spasm will probably be more severe—until the final one.
Vol. 4, page 548 – 1897
Meantime let us remember the Apostle’s inspired description of this trouble—that it will be as travail upon a woman with child, in spasms or throes of trouble, with shortening intervals between. It has been just so thus far; and each future spasm will be more severe, until the final ordeal in which the new order will be born in the death-agonies of present institutions.
R3405 – 1904
We find that some have concluded that because anarchy destroyed the Jewish nation in the one year following their “harvest,” therefore we should expect that the one year, from October 1914 to October 1915, following the Gospel age “harvest,” would measure the period of universal anarchy coming. We cannot agree to this conclusion…The anarchy period lies entirely outside of any dates or reckonings furnished us.
R4530 – 1909
While our faith and hopes would be equally clear and logical whether this age ends in October, 1914, or a century later, nevertheless our expectation that “Gentile Times” will conclude October, 1914, undoubtedly has a stimulating effect upon our hearts and influences all of life’s interests and helps to “wean” us from earthly joys and ambitions and to set our affections on things above!
R5449 – 1914
It may be that the Times of the Gentiles do expire with the present year, but that the Lord will not dispossess them nor take from them their earthly dominion so quickly as we had anticipated. Considering that they have been in power for 2,520 years, dispossession in one year might seem very sudden—indeed, to accomplish it in five, or ten, or twenty years, might seem not an unreasonable time.
R5567 – 1914
We think that the present distress amongst the nations is merely the beginning of this Time of Trouble…Our thought is that the war will so weaken the nations that following it there will be an attempt to bring in Socialistic ideas…Following that great “fire,” [anarchy] then, will be manifested the “new heavens and the new earth.”
R5601 – 1915
The experiences of Elijah in the closing of his ministry showed us how the Great Day of the Lord will be ushered in: first, the wind rending the rocks, representing the present war; secondly, the great earthquake, representing the Revolution that will follow the present war; thirdly, the fire, representing the Anarchy that will follow the Revolution; fourthly, “the still, small Voice” of God—which will follow the anarchy in the world.
R5628 – 1915
When Elijah got to Mt. Horeb the Lord gave him three witnesses. (1 Kings 19:1-18.) The wind rending the mountains represents the present war. The great earthquake symbolically represents a social revolution, the like of which was never before in the world, and which we believe is due to come very soon. This will not come as soon as the war begins, but the war might continue while the earthquake is on. This was not all. The third demonstration was a great fire, which consumed everything before it. This represents wide-spread anarchy, which will prevail in the world, following the social revolution. Then after the fire Elijah heard the “still, small voice,” representing the Divine Power, which will bring the blessings to the world.
Question Book, page 617:2 – 1915
You know the Bible gives us the symbols of the loosing of the “winds,” which is this great war. Then comes the “earthquake,” which is the great Revolution to follow. Then comes the “fire,” the Anarchy—Armageddon experiences. I think the Church, the Bride class, will be gone before that Armageddon experience, but cannot be sure.
R5950 – 1916
It is possible that the war [WW1] may continue for quite a while yet, before the nations shall have been weakened and humbled sufficiently to desire peace. Then will come other troubles. Revolutions will threaten; the governments will associate themselves still more firmly with the nominal church systems, both seeking protection and strength. Next we may expect the great collapse of Spiritual Babylon, leading on to the great revolution-earthquake of Revelation.
Vol. 2 Foreword, page iii – 1916
We could not, of course, know in 1889, whether the date 1914, so clearly marked in the Bible as the end of the Gentile lease of power or permission to rule the world, would mean that they would be fully out of power at that time, or whether, their lease expiring, their eviction would begin. The latter we perceive to be the Lord’s program; and promptly in August, 1914, the Gentile kingdoms referred to in the prophecy began the present great struggle, which, according to the Bible, will culminate in the complete overthrow of all human government, opening the way for the full establishment of the Kingdom of God’s dear Son.
