What Its “Right Condition” Means for Us Today

 1. What conflict began in 1914, and why was this no surprise to dedicated, baptized Bible students.

IN THE year 1914 C.E. the sacred lunar year began at Jerusalem on Nisan 1, which corresponded with March 27/28, from sunset to sunset. In the summer of that year the first world war broke upon mankind. This was not altogether unexpected by Bible students who had dissociated themselves from Christendom, in which World War I began. Why not? Because these dedicated, baptized Bible students had for decades pointed out that the “times of the Gentiles,” as foretold by Jesus Christ in his prophecy on the “end of the world,” would end in early autumn of that year 1914. (Luke 21:24; Matt. 24:3, King James Version) The Gentile Times had begun about the middle of the lunar month Tishri in 607 B.C.E., and so their 2,520 years of duration would end in 1914 about Tishri 15, which corresponds with October 4/5. By then the British Empire and other empires of Christendom were embroiled in the war. The other member of the Anglo-American Dual World Power entered the war in the spring of 1917.

 2. (a) What international arrangement went into force by ratification of the Peace Treaty in 1919? (b) What happened to the open public worship of Jehovah at his “sanctuary” during World War I, and what was done about it in 1919?

² In the fall of 1918 the Anglo-American Dual World Power and its allies emerged victorious from the world conflict. In 1919 the Peace Treaty of Paris was signed and ratified, and with it that part of the Treaty known as the Covenant of the League of Nations went into force. At that time there was a remnant of the dedicated, baptized, spirit-begotten Christians who were worshiping Jehovah in his “sanctuary” or “holy place.” During the world war they had been badly persecuted and hindered in their worship in Christendom, including the domains of the Anglo-American Dual World Power, the Seventh World Power of Bible prophecy. In the spring of 1919 Jehovah God revived them from their prostrate spiritual condition and regathered them for courageous, open worship at his sanctuary. Once again publicly they took up preaching the good news of God’s kingdom as foretold in Matthew 24:14.

 3. This remnant did not join Christendom in adopting what attitude toward the League of Nations, and in 1921 what did they identify the League as being prophetically?

³ They recognized that they were ambassadors of Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom that had been established in the heavens at the close of the Gentile Times in 1914. Consequently this remnant of worshipers at His sanctuary did not join with Christendom in hailing the League of Nations as if it were the “political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth.” In the summer of 1919, before ever the Paris Peace Treaty and its Covenant of the League of Nations were ratified by the minimum number of essential countries, the remnant declared that this political substitute for God’s kingdom did not have Jehovah’s backing and would certainly fail. In further Scriptural support of this, the magazine The Watch Tower boldly spoke out. In its issue of January 1, 1921, on page 12 and under the subheading “Spoken of by Daniel,” it gave reasons for believing that the world organization for peace and security, the League of Nations, was the “abomination of desolation” foretold by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:15, King James Version.

 4. (a) Where and in what year was that man-made organization for world peace and security identified as being a world power? (b) What experience did it have because of World War II, but how has it kept functioning?

⁴ During May 25-31, 1926, the anointed remnant held an international assembly in London, England. There, in the public address the man-made organization for world peace and security was exposed as being the symbolic scarlet-colored wild beast, with seven heads and ten horns, that was portrayed in Revelation 17:3-11. As such, it was the Eighth World Power of Bible prophecy.a Just as that prophecy had foretold, that international organization under the form of the League of Nations went out of operation by the outbreak of World War II in 1939; but it was revived in 1945 under the form of the United Nations organization. Thus the Eighth World Power has kept functioning till now.

 5. In 1926 what challenging question was put to the anointed remnant, and why were they not presumptuous in embracing a new designation in 1931?

⁵ Some months before the history-making London convention of 1926 the greatest name in the universe, that of the great Theocrat, Jehovah, began to come to the front. This was accentuated when The Watch Tower, in its issue of January 1, 1926, confronted its readers with the leading article entitled “Who Will Honor Jehovah?” That challenging question the anointed remnant answered both in word and in deed. During the years that immediately followed they proceeded to prove who it was whom they honored by publishing world wide the name and the Messianic kingdom of Jehovah. This publicity work stamped them indeed as being true witnesses of Jehovah. Who, then, can accuse them of being presumptuous because, on July 26, 1931, at an international convention in Columbus, Ohio, this anointed remnant embraced the designation “Jehovah’s Witnesses”? No one! Being worshipers on earth at His sanctuary, they were the “established place of his sanctuary.”

 6. Next in order, what type of rulership came to the fore, and who ought to pattern their lives and congregational organization according to that rule?

⁶ Next in order, with excellent timing under divine guidance, the matter of Theocracy, that is, God’s Rule, came to the fore! Certainly this rule should apply to the visible organization of those who worshiped Jehovah at his sanctuary. There, indeed, he should be Ruler as God. All worshipers at his sanctuary ought to pattern their lives and congregational organization in harmony with the Theocracy of the Most High God, the Sovereign of the universe.

 7. Why did a favorable decision toward theocracy become more vital as respects the anointed remnant and their companions, and when did instructions to guide them come?

⁷ A decision by the remnant in favor of this became more vital as political totalitarianism and dictatorships spread from country to country, and the political state nationalistically set itself up as God for worship by its citizen body. World conditions were more and more calling upon the anointed remnant and their dedicated companions to declare to those officials and judges who opposed and oppressed them: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts of the Apostles 5:29) Finally, fifteen months before World War II began and subjected much of the world to martial law and blasted the League of Nations out of operation, there came official instructions on theocratic organization.

 8. In 1938 what was published in the June 1 and 15 issue of The Watchtower, and what did the resolution proposed call for?

⁸ In the June 1, 1938, issue of The Watchtower appeared the first part of the article entitled “Organization.” It was thrilling for worshipers at Jehovah’s sanctuary to read these sentences of the opening paragraph: “Jehovah’s organization is in no wise democratic. Jehovah is supreme, and his government or organization is strictly theocratic. This conclusion is not open to successful contradiction.” The June 15, 1938, issue of The Watchtower published the second part of “Organization,” and it set out a resolution for adoption by the congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses, the opening paragraph of which said: “We, the company of God’s people taken out for his name, and now at ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐, recognize that God’s government is a pure theocracy and that Christ Jesus is at the temple and in full charge and control of the visible organization of Jehovah, as well as the invisible.” (Page 182) This called for appointment theocratically, from the top down, for all officiating servants in all congregations.

 9. (a) What question did the outbreak of World War II in 1939 pose for Jehovah’s theocratically organized people, and why? (b) When and how did the answer come, and to what effect?

⁹ World War II, breaking forth on September 1, 1939, despite the League of Nations found Jehovah’s people theocratically organized. What was to be their theocratic attitude toward this second world war that, like the first one, erupted in Christendom? There was no room for compromise for them such as had been committed during the first world war. It was now no case of uncertainty and indecision. The League of Nations had been dealt a deathblow, but Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom of the heavens still lived and reigned. Having continued to declare that kingdom without letup till now, Jehovah’s witnesses could not side with any of the kingdoms of this untheocratic world in this new conflict. Just two months after Hitler’s Nazi armies invaded Poland, precipitating World War II, the anointed remnant of Jehovah served due notice upon the warring world. How? By the publication of the leading article entitled “Neutrality” in the November 1, 1939, issue of The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. Plainly pointing out what theocratic warfare in the days of ancient Israel was, this article declared “‘Christendom’ Not Theocratic.” We are neutral toward her wars.

10. As indicating what the Anglo-American Dual World Power would do, what did Daniel 8:10-12 say that the ‘small horn’ would do?

¹⁰ How, now, was the tremendously grown ‘small horn,’ the Anglo-American Dual World Power, going to react toward such a theocratic stand taken by Jehovah’s anointed remnant and their loyal dedicated companions? Unerringly the prophecy of Daniel 8:10-12 forevisioned it, saying: “And it kept getting greater all the way to the army of the heavens, so that it caused some of the army and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it went trampling them down. And all the way to the Prince of the army it put on great airs, and from him the constant feature was taken away, and the established place of his sanctuary was thrown down. And an army itself was gradually given over, together with the constant feature, because of transgression; and it kept throwing truth to the earth, and it acted and had success.”

“PLACE OF HIS SANCTUARY” THROWN DOWN!

11, 12. (a) What did such conduct of the ‘small horn’ mean regarding Jehovah? (b) What brief comment did the angel Gabriel make on this in explanation?

¹¹ It is easy to see that the action thus described meant invading the rightful domain or interests of the Most High God, the Creator of the “army of the heavens” and the “stars,” and even taking away sacrifices regularly offered to Him as a “constant feature” of his worship. The brief comment on this by the angel Gabriel helps us to understand the prophecy correctly, for it says:

¹² “And he [the king fierce in countenance] will actually bring mighty ones to ruin, also the people made up of the holy ones. And according to his insight he will also certainly cause deception to succeed in his hand. And in his heart he will put on great airs, and during a freedom from care he will bring many to ruin. And against the Prince of princes he will stand up, but it will be without hand that he will be broken.”​—Dan. 8:24, 25.

13. During World War II, how did the Seventh World Power act toward Jehovah, even casting down the “army of the heavens,” yes, “stars”?

¹³ During World War II the Seventh World Power of Bible history brought many to ruin, yes, even mighty ones. It paid no respect to true Theocracy. In the British Commonwealth of Nations and in America it put its martial law and its total mobilization for the success of its war aims and for world domination above God’s Messianic kingdom. Thus it put on great airs even as far up as against the Prince of princes, Jehovah the Sovereign “Prince” of all the universe. His “army of the heavens,” that is, Jehovah’s anointed remnant who were serving as underpriests in His spiritual “sanctuary,” these the Anglo-American World Power cast down, downgrading their being ambassadors for God’s Messianic kingdom. Even those who were like “stars” in the congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses were considered as inferior, as not being spiritual light bearers to their congregations, not as being spiritual “overseers” entitled to exemption from military conscription, but as being just earthly laymen without theocratic appointments. (Rev. 1:20; 2:1) Because of war propaganda and high war fever and delirious nationalism the “people made up of the holy ones” were cruelly persecuted.

14. How was the “established place of his sanctuary” thrown down?

¹⁴ As these represented the “established place of [Jehovah’s] sanctuary,” this place was thrown down with their being thrown down. This affected their spiritual sacrifices to Jehovah God.

15. How was the “constant feature” taken away by the Seventh World Power?

¹⁵ Recall that in Jehovah’s temple sanctuary in ancient Israel there was a “constant feature” offered in the inner courtyard in the form of the sacrifice of a lamb to God each evening and morning. (Ex. 29:38-42) Likewise, by the spiritual remnant that worshiped at Jehovah’s “sanctuary” there were sacrifices of a spiritual kind that were offered to Him evening and morning, daily, constantly. Prominently among those constant “sacrifices” was the fruitage of their lips in publicly declaring Jehovah’s name and his Messianic kingdom, his theocratic government. This spiritual “constant feature” was taken away by the Seventh World Power through its war measures and restrictions and even putting bans upon Jehovah’s witnesses themselves or their house-to-house preaching. They were driven underground. Men and women were put in prison for holding to Christian neutrality.

16. How did the Seventh World Power strike hard throughout the British Commonwealth of Nations and hinder the offering of the “constant feature”?

¹⁶ The record plainly shows the extent of the wrath of the “king fierce in countenance.” He struck hard against Jehovah’s witnesses world wide during the dark days of World War II, especially so in countries associated with the British Commonwealth of Nations. On July 4, 1940, the Dominion of Canada, a part of the Commonwealth, banned the work of Jehovah’s witnesses. In that same year New Zealand banned the public declaration of Jehovah’s name. About that same time the work in Gold Coast (Ghana) was banned. From then on the sacrificial “constant feature,” the fruitage of the lips, was indeed interfered with. The work was banned in Australia and Fiji in January of 1941. South Africa, the southernmost country of Africa, took official action against the work in 1941. Bans spread throughout practically all of the British possessions in Africa, including Nigeria on June 17, 1941. The British possessions of Asia also took similar actions. The work was banned in Burma, Ceylon and India in 1941. In 1942 in Great Britain the question of neutrality came to the forefront. When conscription came into force young Christian witnesses of Jehovah refused to engage in war. The British Tribunals hearing the cases convicted 1,593 men and women, sending most of them to prison. Of these, 334 women served prison sentences. This had the effect of taking many active proclaimers from the service of offering the sacrifice of praise to God publicly.

17. Years before this how had the Nazi-Fascist-Catholic forces striven to throw down the “established place of his sanctuary”?

¹⁷ Just a few years before this the Nazi-Fascist-Catholic war drive stampeded throughout Europe. Legal restrictions and imprisonment came upon Jehovah’s witnesses, crushing branch office after branch office of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. The pressure was on to throw down “the established place of his sanctuary.”b

18. What hardships did Jehovah’s witnesses in the United States of America undergo during the years 1940 to 1943?

¹⁸ In the United States, while the work of Jehovah’s witnesses was not officially banned, there were many attempts made to silence the witnesses. Throughout the then 48 states mob action was employed in many places. To fan the fires of violence and hatred, on June 3, 1940, the Supreme Court of the United States by a decision of 8-1 determined that the flag-salute ceremony was compulsory for citizens of the country. Any schoolchild refusing to perform the act was subject to being expelled from school. Persecution of Jehovah’s witnesses after that ran rampant. On June 16, 1940, the Solicitor General, in a broadcast over a coast-to-coast network of the National Broadcasting Company, said: “Jehovah’s witnesses have been repeatedly set upon and beaten. They had committed no crime; but the mob adjudged they had, and meted out mob punishment. The Attorney General has ordered a immediate investigation of these outrages.” It was not until June 14, 1943, when the Supreme Court of the United States reversed itself in the flag-salute matter that the intense persecution began to subside in the United States.c

19. As judged by the number of branch offices of the Society and the rate of increase of Kingdom publishers, how was it evident that the ‘offering of the constant feature’ was restricted?

¹⁹ It is also very interesting to note that in 1938, the year before the outbreak of World War II, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society had 39 branches established throughout the earth to give oversight to the work of Jehovah’s witnesses. By 1942 there were some 106,000 witnesses of Jehovah preaching the Kingdom good news around the earth, but the number of branches had dropped to 25. By then the pressures were great and the ban was on in most parts of the earth. The next three years of the most violent war in history saw the persecution against Jehovah’s witnesses further intensified. Because of the banning of the work more branch offices were closed, until by 1943 there were only 21 branch offices operating throughout the world. Jehovah’s witnesses were tenaciously holding fast to their God-given assignment of preaching the good news, but from 1942 when they had 106,000 publishers they only increased by about 4,000 by the end of 1944. Truly the ‘offering of the constant feature’ was restricted.

“HOW LONG?”

20. When the “army” of Jehovah’s worshipers and the “constant feature” were given over on account of transgression, what was the “transgression causing desolation” committed by the Seventh World Power?

²⁰ Daniel 8:12 said that thus the spiritual “army” of worshipers at Jehovah’s sanctuary, together with the sacrificial “constant feature,” would be given over “because of transgression.” Whatever may have been the measure of “transgression” on the part of Jehovah’s witnesses against him, there was unmistakable “transgression” on the part of the symbolic ‘small horn,’ the Seventh World Power. This was evidently referred to in the question that the angel raised in Daniel’s hearing, when he asked: “How long will the vision be of the constant feature and of the transgression causing desolation, to make both the holy place and the army things to trample on?” (Dan. 8:13) Certainly, by causing the sacrificial “constant feature” to be taken away and then trampling on Jehovah’s theocratic “holy place” as represented by his anointed remnant of underpriests, the Seventh World Power was committing a “transgression causing desolation.” It was desolating the earthly interests of Jehovah’s theocracy and temple worship. It was sacrilegiously ‘transgressing’ on things holy to Jehovah God.

21. What else does the expression “transgression causing desolation” connect up with it as something of which the Seventh World Power was guilty?

²¹ Moreover, that expression “transgression causing desolation” appears to connect up something else with it of which the Seventh World Power was guilty. What was that? The setting up of something as a replacement for the removed “constant feature,” namely, the “abomination of desolation,” or, “the disgusting thing that causes desolation.” (Matt. 24:15; Dan. 11:31, King James Version; New World Translation) As aforesaid, that “abomination of desolation” was publicly identified in 1921 as being the international organization for world peace, which, from 1919 to 1939, was the League of Nations. This was set up for international worship, like an “image” of the political “wild beast,” in opposition to the offering of the sacrificial “constant feature” at Jehovah’s “sanctuary.”​—Rev. 13:1-15.

22. When and why did the beastly Eighth World Power go into the “abyss”?

²² As foretold in Revelation 17:7, 8, that beastly Eighth World Power went into the “abyss” of deathlike inability at the outbreak of World War II. Its chief backer and promoter, the British Empire, was unable to keep it alive in the face of military aggression by Nazism and Fascism backed by Catholic Action.

23. After America was forced into World War II, what happened in January of 1942 to show that the idolatrous “image” for international worship was not left out of calculation?

²³ However, that idolatrous “image” for international worship was not left out of calculation by those who were putting on great airs against the Prince of princes, Jehovah the great Theocrat. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, the American member of the Seventh World Power was forced into World War II alongside the British member of the Anglo-American World Power. Then note what happened with regard to these idolatrous worshipers of a man-made organization for world peace and security. The so-called “Axis Powers” of Nazism, Fascism and Oriental Imperialism were still moving forward aggressively, when a significant event took place on Friday, January 2, 1942. What? According to the Chronology of events of 1942, as published in The Americana Annual “all twenty-six nations at war with the Axis powers pledge themselves not to make a separate armistice or peace and to employ full military or economic resources against the enemy in a ‘Declaration by United Nations’ signed in Washington.”​—Americana Annual for 1943, page 737.d

24. Seemingly, what was the beastly Eighth World Power then scheming to do, and how did Jehovah alert his people to this on September 20, 1942?

²⁴ Seemingly, the beastly Eighth World Power was stirring down there in the “abyss” and scheming to come up for international worship. Jehovah God, by his holy spirit and through his prophetic Word, alerted his people to this fact. Consequently, on Sunday, September 20, 1942, on the concluding day of the “New World Theocratic Assembly” at the key city of Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A., the president of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society delivered the public address, “Peace​—Can It Last?” This speech, which was carried by telephone and radio facilities to fifty-one cities in the United States and was presented to simultaneous assemblies in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Hawaii, referred to Revelation 17:7, 8 and declared that World War II would end and be succeeded by a peace in which the scarlet-colored wild beast, the international organization for world peace and security, would come up out of the “abyss.” Thereafter this “abomination of desolation” would operate until Jehovah God destroyed it by his reigning King Jesus Christ.​—Rev. 17:12-14.e

25. This was a “transgression” on the part of what world power, and it was a standing up against whom?

²⁵ Beyond all denial, then, there was “transgression” on the part of the symbolic ‘small horn,’ the Anglo-American Dual World Power, in working for the restoring of the idolatrous “image” of the political “wild beast” to be worshiped by all peoples after World War II. In this way it was using insight and causing deception to succeed “in his hand.” This was occurring at the same time that it was hindering the sacrificial “constant feature” and trampling on Jehovah’s “holy place.” Here was “transgression” indeed. It was nothing less than a standing up against the Prince of princes, Jehovah, whose worshipers at his “sanctuary” were being opposed, oppressed and persecuted. The foretold “king fierce in countenance” took advantage of all those who were giving way to a false sense of “freedom from care,” and it kept “throwing truth to the earth,” especially truth as regards the Theocratic Government of Jehovah God by means of Jesus Christ.​—Dan. 8:17, 25.

“TWO THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED EVENINGS AND MORNINGS”

26. What was the question raised concerning the “constant feature” and the “transgression,” and what answer did the angel give?

²⁶ Remember, now, the question that the angel raised in Daniel’s hearing: “How long will the vision be of the constant feature and of the transgression causing desolation, to make both the holy place and the army [of temple servants] things to trample on?” To this the angelic answer is given: “Until two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; and the holy place will certainly be brought into its right condition.”​—Dan. 8:13, 14.

27. From when, at the earliest, would those 2,300 evenings and mornings begin to count, and why, and when was that according to the Jewish lunar calendar?

²⁷ When did those 2,300 evenings and mornings begin? By knowing this we can find out when they end and thus when Jehovah’s “holy place” is “brought into its right condition,” or, “shall be restored to its rightful state” (Revised Standard Version).f If Jehovah’s “holy place” is “brought” or “restored” to what it should be, then we should count the days from the time when previously it was in the “right condition” from Jehovah’s viewpoint. At the earliest this was on June 1, 1938, when the official magazine of Jehovah’s anointed remnant of underpriests at His sanctuary, namely, The Watchtower, published Part One of the article entitled “Organization,” so as to state more fully the theocratic requirements for it. When we calculate according to the Jewish lunar calendar that was used at the time of Daniel’s vision centuries before the Julian calendar and Gregorian calendar were introduced, June 1, 1938, falls on the 2nd day of the lunar month Sivan, 1938. Fourteen days later, or June 15, 1938, when The Watchtower published Part Two of the article “Organization” with its Resolution, would fall on Sivan 16, 1938. So now to our question:

28, 29. (a) As counted from the critical period, when did those 2,300 days end? (b) What important events were then taking place with reference to the Eighth World Power?

²⁸ If we thus count from the critical period when theocratic organization was being more fully installed in the congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses, when did the 2,300 days end?

²⁹ Remember, this is a prophetic period. So a prophetic year of 360 days is involved. (Rev. 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14) So 2,300 days would amount to six lunar years, four lunar months and twenty days. That amount of time counted from Sivan 2 (June 1), 1938, would end on Tishri 21 (October 8), 1944, or, counted from Sivan 16 (June 15), 1938, it would end on Heshvan 5 (October 22), 1944.g At that particular time world events were moving closer to the bringing of the beastlike Eighth World Power out of the abyss shortly after World War II, this time in the form of the United Nations organization, for world peace and security. In its chronology for 1944 The Americana Annual reports notable events on the following dates:

October 9​—United States, Great Britain, Soviet Russia, and China announce decision of Dumbarton Oaks Conference to recommend creation of an international security organization, to be called “The United Nations,” and to be empowered “to take such action by air, naval or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security.”

October 23​—Acting Secretary of State Edward R. Stettinius, Jr., announces official American recognition of the French Provisional Government, raising France to a high place among the United Nations and preparing the way for rapid reconstruction; governments of the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada issue similar announcements.​—The Americana Annual for 1945, page 730.

30. About that time events in the theocratic realm were moving in what direction, as, for instance, at Buffalo, N.Y., in August?

³⁰ By now the tide of World War II had definitely turned in favor of the Allies, Hitlerite Germany having already been invaded by Allied armies. But what was happening in the theocratic realm of Jehovah’s worshipers at his “sanctuary” in that year of 1944? There events were moving forward to a noteworthy state of affairs by the end of the 2,300 days. This was the thirtieth year from the birth of God’s Messianic kingdom in the heavens at the end of the Gentile Times in 1914. On August 9-13 the United Announcers Theocratic Assembly was held with Buffalo, N.Y., as the key city, with sixteen other American cities being linked with it by telephone wire. On August 12 the president of the Watch Tower Society addressed the assembly on the subject “This Gospel Shall Be Preached,” and after his address the 384-page book entitled “The Kingdom Is at Hand” was released to the visible audience. Two days earlier there had been another release to the Assembly. It was the American Standard Version of the Bible, which features the divine name, Jehovah, and it had been printed on the Society’s own presses.

31, 32. (a) What events marked the first two days of the three-day assembly at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1944? (b) Why was the final day of that assembly, October 2, noteworthy as regards theocratic organization?

³¹ On September 30 through October 2, 1944, a special Service and business Assembly was held at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., where the registered offices of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society are located. On the opening day the Society’s president addressed the gathering of 5,000 on the subject “The Theocratic Alignment Today.” The following day the public address was on the subject “One World, One Government.” The Society’s annual business meeting was postponed from this day to the next day, Monday, October 2. This business meeting, which began at 10 a.m. was noteworthy. How so?

³² After the Society’s directors and its officers were elected by the shareholders there represented, consideration was directed to six amendments that were proposed for the Charter of the Society, which was a Pennsylvania corporation incorporated sixty years earlier, in the year 1884. These would amend Articles 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10. The first amendment resolution that was adopted proposed the enlarging of the purposes of the Society so as to assume properly the great worldwide work that lay ahead. Also, this amendment put God’s name, Jehovah, into the Charter. Amendment Three did away with the original charter’s provision that fixed one’s membership in the Society on the basis of one’s money contributions to the Society; henceforth the membership was to be limited to not more than 500, all of whom were to be chosen on the basis of their active service to Jehovah. As the Watchtower issue of November 1, 1944, said in its report: “This amendment will have the effect of bringing the charter as near to Theocratic arrangement as the law of the land permits.” All six amendment resolutions were adopted.

33. When did those amendments become part of the Society’s Charter, and as whose instrument has the Society served ever since?

³³ It was necessary to get the approval of the State court so as to make all these amendments legal. The following year (1945) the Amendments were duly recorded and thus became part of the Charter. With such an amended Charter the Watch Tower Society has served as a legal instrument of the anointed remnant worshiping Jehovah at his “sanctuary” or “holy place,” ever since.

34. (a) With nice timing, what information was thereafter published in The Watchtower? (b) What was said about “president” and the “governing body”?

³⁴ Nicely timed, though the anointed remnant was then not aware of it, came the publication of the leading article entitled “Organized for Final Work” in the October 15, 1944, issue of The Watchtower. Right on its heels, in the November 1 issue came the leading article announcing “Theocratic Organization in Action.” Under appropriate subheadings this article discussed “President,” “Diakonos, Servant,” “Qualifications,” “Governing Body,” and “Theocratic Conduct.” The term “president” here did not refer to the president of the Watch Tower Society, but paragraph 12 said: “The elders in the congregations, who were also spiritual overseers thereof, presided at meetings of the disciples. Any elder thus acting as chairman of a meeting would be the president of the gathering on that occasion.” Under the subheading “Governing Body” paragraphs 33, 34 said: “In the first century it was the group of the apostles in particular, together with the body of elders that they associated with them at Jerusalem, that made up the visible ruling body of Jehovah’s Theocratic organization on earth. . . . That governing body was not made up of perfect men.”

35. What did the following article, “The Theocratic Alignment Today,” have to say about the “governing body”?

³⁵ In the article that followed the above, in the same issue of The Watchtower, namely, “The Theocratic Alignment Today,” paragraph 3 said: “The visible governing body of the Theocratic organization is and must be appointed only by Jehovah God the Supreme Ruler, and Christ Jesus the Head of His church. Its purpose is to issue directions and spiritual provisions to all God’s people. Acting in harmony with the governing body, all the Theocratic organization and its associates act in unity throughout the earth.”

“TRUE”

36. As illustrated in the Table on the opposite page, what does all that combination of significant events at the critical time indicate?

³⁶ What, then, does all that combination of significant events at the critical time indicate? Apparently this: that Jehovah’s “sanctuary” or “holy place” was “brought into its right condition” on time, at the end of the 2,300 evenings and mornings, in early autumn (October 8-22) of the year 1944. It is as the angel said to Daniel: “And the thing seen concerning the evening and the morning, which has been said, it is true.” (Dan. 8:26) Theocracy as belonging universally to Jehovah God had been magnified. Ahead of all other places, Jehovah’s “sanctuary” or “holy place” is where His theocracy ought to prevail. There it has indeed prevailed, outstandingly so since the autumn of 1944.

37. During World War II the anointed remnant of spiritual underpriests at Jehovah’s sanctuary were put to the test in what respects, but what did they suceed in doing?

³⁷ During World War II the “established place of his sanctuary,” as represented by the remnant of Jehovah’s “holy ones,” was thrown down. This anointed remnant of spiritual underpriests certainly had their theocratic attitude and organization put to a severe test from June of 1938 forward. Whatever success the Anglo-American Dual World Power and its allies had in taking away the sacrificial “constant feature” of Jehovah’s public worship and service made it very difficult for the theocratic “holy ones” to keep on obeying God as Ruler rather than men. Yet, despite this, they succeeded in maintaining Theocracy within his sanctuary.

38. (a) Were the remnant of “holy ones” deceived by the political steps taken by the Seventh World Power during World War II? (b) How did they show whether it mattered that about ten months of world war testing remained after October of 1944?

³⁸ The “transgression causing desolation,” particularly the steps that the Anglo-American Dual World Power took even during World War II to lift the “abomination of desolation” out of the “abyss,” did not deceive the remnant of “holy ones” or turn them aside from their theocratic worship of Jehovah at his sanctuary. At the close of the 2,300 days of great testing, they showed themselves stronger for Jehovah’s Theocratic Government by Christ than ever before. True, after October of 1944, about ten months remained before World War II and its pressures ended. But, at the climax of those 2,300 days they had taken an organized stand for God’s rule at his sanctuary, and such theocratic rule they have unswervingly upheld down to this day. History shows that!h

39. During those 2,300 days, were the anointed remnant alone in striving to bring the “holy place” into its right condition, and what vision did the apostle John see in this regard?

³⁹ During those 2,300 days of trial the anointed remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses have not been alone in striving to bring his “holy place” into its right condition under divine guidance. At Jehovah’s spiritual “sanctuary” they have had loyal companions and supporters. Who? The apostle John got a prevision of these and said: “Look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: ‘Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.’ . . . ‘These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. That is why they are before the throne of God; and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple.’” (Rev. 7:9-15) These dedicated, baptized followers of the Lamb Jesus Christ are just as theocratic as are the anointed remnant of Jehovah’s “holy ones.”

40. At the close of the “appointed time of the end,” what will happen to the Seventh World Power and its friends and foes, and what will be the case of Jehovah’s Theocracy and of his theocratic organization on earth?

⁴⁰ Shortly now, at the close of this “appointed time of the end,” the prophetic “king fierce in countenance,” the Seventh World Power, “will be broken” in the “war of the great day of God the Almighty,” and all his political friends and foes with him. This destruction will be accomplished “without hand,” not a hand of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses being raised to bring this about. (Rev. 16:14, 16; Dan. 8:19) But Jehovah’s Theocracy, that the faithful worshipers at his “sanctuary” have persistently adhered to, will remain, triumphant. His visible theocratic organization on earth will continue to prevail all over the earth and will forever unite all obedient mankind in the worship and service of the one and only Theocrat, Jehovah.

[Footnotes]

[Box on page 726]

EVENTS MARKING BEGINNING AND END OF THE 2,300 DAYS

DATE MUNDANE THEOCRATIC