What are the Jehovah's Witnesses' beliefs about Jesus' return in 1914?

Judge Rutherford says: “In 1914 Jehovah set his anointed One upon his throne; therefore at that time Christ Jesus took his authority as King. Three and one-half years thereafter, to wit, in 1918, the Lord came to his temple, which is the temple of God.” (Prophecy, pp. 73-74) “This new ruling power, the Messiah, is invisible, and will be invisible to human eyes, but will establish in the earth visible agencies and representatives of his government of righteousness. We should not, therefore, expect the Lord’s second coming to be in a body visible to human eyes, but should expect that he would be present, exercising his power in his own sovereign way.” (The Harp of God, p. 225)

“In 1914 Jehovah set his anointed One upon his throne; therefore at that time Christ Jesus took his authority as King. Three and one-half years thereafter, to wit, in 1918, the Lord came to his temple, which is the temple of God.” (Prophecy, pp. 73-74)

The year 1914, was vastly important to Russell, for he prophesied that the Seven Times of the Gentiles would expire about October 1st, 1914. This statement was adhered to by Russell for years, but as the time drew near he began to be less dogmatic, and to cast about to find some way out of the difficulty.

“In view of the evidences presented in this, and the preceding and following chapters, we have no hesitation in announcing the heart-cheering intelligence … that the Master is again present … though his presence is graciously veiled from human sight” (Vol. i., p. 156). “The harvest of this age began with the presence of the Lord at the beginning of earth’s great Jubilee in 1874 … and ends with the overthrow of Gentile Power in A.D. 1914—a period of forty years” (Vol. ii., p. 234).

Nor is he consistent. He tells us that the Lord came to earth invisibly in 1914, tells us what are the visible signs of His presence in such things as motion pictures, which are, as a matter of fact, largely used in corrupting the morals of the youth of the nation, and many other things equally untrue. He then contradicts himself when he says:, “Prior to the World War the moral conditions of the earth were bad enough, but all will agree that since the World War the moral degeneracy is far worse.” (Prophecy, p. 169)

Nor is he consistent. He tells us that the Lord came to earth invisibly in 1914, tells us what are the visible signs of His presence in such things as motion pictures, which are, as a matter of fact, largely used in corrupting the morals of the youth of the nation, and many other things equally untrue. He then contradicts himself when he says:—,

What must “Pastor” Russell’s feelings have been when he found, instead of 1914 ushering in the Millennium as he foretold, the first horrible, devastating World War broke out, falsifying all his prophecies.

What must “Pastor” Russell's feelings have been when he found, instead of 1914 ushering in the Millennium as he foretold, the first horrible, devastating World War broke out, falsifying all his prophecies.

Then Russell says later on, “The fact is that, notwithstanding the strength of our position and our hope that it may be true, it is nevertheless of faith and not of knowledge.” The fact is it was neither faith nor knowledge. Evidently the “Pastor’s” thoughts had not been very comfortable. He says, “The thought has been borne in upon the Editor [that is himself] very forcefully during the past two weeks, that to expect the world’s great trouble to begin on or before October 1st, 1914, would be to expect astounding things during the intervening months.”

Indeed the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, His physical resurrection is unassailable. How wicked then to deny it or any part of it! Yet this is of common occurrence in these last days. (That evil system known by the name of "Millennial Dawnism," or "Russellism,, [also known as Jehovah's Witnesses]" belongs to those movements which introduce damnable heresies in the last days (2 Peter 2). "Millennial Dawnism," among other things, denies the literal, physical resurrection of our Lord.)