Deliverance of 1926 and later editions

Deliveranceof 1926 and later editions

Na wstępie informujemy, że artykuł ten powstał tylko w języku angielskim, gdyż po polsku powstała jedna wersja książki pt. Wyzwolenie (1928, 1929). Natomiast po angielsku ukazało się kilka edycji tej publikacji, w której stale nanoszono zmiany nauk. W artykule naszym ukazujemy te ‘korekty’.

BookThe Harp of God had two different versions (1921, 1928), although there were many more editions, because it was published in the years 1921-1940.

By contrast, Deliverance (1926) was published in at least three versions.In this case, however, they do not differ in release dates, but in the number of editions.

BookDeliverance, written by Watchtower Society president J. F. Rutherford (1869-1942), was intended to replace Studies in the Scriptures, written by his predecessor C. T. Russell (1852-1916).Theoretically, this work should be carefully prepared and should not be subject to doctrinal corrections.However, this did not happen, because many corrections were made to it over time.

At the convention in May 1926, the book Deliverance was released. (...) This was one of a series of new books designed to replace Studies in the Scriptures. No longer were the holy ones looking to the past. They were looking confidently to the future and the work ahead. (Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy! 1999 p. 304).

BookDeliverance, over the course of several years of publishing it, has been changed, that is, some of its teachings.Just as its predecessors, Rutherford's The Harp of God (1921, 1928, 1940-last reprint) and Russell's Studies in the Scriptures (1886, 1927-last reprint), were revised.

Below we describe the changes noticed in the content in various editions of the book.The following editions are available to us, which all have a published year of 1926, or only Copyrighted 1926:

100,000 Edition (344 pages of content) Copyrighted 1926;

750,000 Edition (344 pages of content) Copyrighted 1926;

1,250,000 Edition (344 pages of content) Copyrighted 1926;

2,447,500 Edition (344 pages of content) Copyrighted 1926;

2,765,500 Edition (344 pages of content) 1926;

3,023,000 Edition (359 pages of content) Copyrighted 1926;

3,380,500 Edition (359 pages of content) Copyrighted 1926.

A cross and a tree and a stake

In the book in question, in the early editions, the word cross appeared consistently everywhere.However, in later editions, it was replaced with the word tree in several fragments.In other places, the term cross has been retained.

Please note that the term torture stake had not yet been coined at that time.It did not enter the language of Jehovah's Witnesses until 1950, when they published the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures.

         Cross

All versions contain the word cross many times in their content.However, this is not always the case as we will see below:

         When Christ Jesus died upon the cross he was the great antitypical passover lamb... (Deliverance 1926 p. 81, 2,765,500 Edition).

         When Christ Jesus died upon the cross he was the great antitypical passover lamb... (DeliveranceCopyrighted 1926 p. 82, 3,023,000 Edition; 3,380,500 Edition).

The term cross appears 13 times in the older edition and 8 times in the newer edition. In addition, the term crucif* occurs 18 times in both versions.The word has not been changed.

Stake and tree - in the illustration and in the text

In the 3,023,000 edition of Deliverance, Jesus on a stake (torture stake) appears on page 169 in an illustration.

This edition was probably published around 1936, when the Watchtower Society rejected the doctrine of the cross in favor of the stake.

But it is not everything.It can be seen that in this edition and in the next, in several fragments, the cross was replaced with a tree.

We compare the two versions of the text below:

         Excerpt 1

Then he was cruelly nailed to the cross(...) While he was hanging upon the cross (Deliverance 1926 p. 148, 2,765,500 Edition).

Then he was cruelly nailed to the tree(...) While he was hanging upon the tree (DeliveranceCopyrighted 1926 p. 155, 3,023,000 Edition).

         Excerpt 2

The value of the perfect human life laid down at the cross(...) Jesus died upon the cross(...) Jesus actually died upon the cross (Deliverance 1926 p. 173, 174, 2,765,500 Edition).

The value of the perfect human life, laid down at the tree(...) Jesus died upon the tree(...) Jesus actually died upon the tree (DeliveranceCopyrighted 1926 p. 183, 3,023,000 Edition).

Pleiades

We do not know when the Watchtower Society first rejected the Pleiades as the seat of God's throne.This is not explicitly stated in the publications.It was finally rejected in 1953 (see The Watchtower Nov. 15, 1953 p. 703).

However, as can be seen from the following texts, already in the 1930s there was a process of removing the Pleiades from fragments in which they were previously mentioned.The word Pleiades was replaced by heaven.

Below is a text comparison:

Probably some few days would be required to make the journey from the Pleiades to the earth; and while the heavenly messengers proceeded on their way the stage on earth was being set. (Deliverance 1926 p. 120, 2,765,500 Edition).

Probably some few days would be required to make the journey from heaven to the earth; and while the heavenly messengers proceeded on their way the stage on earth was being set. (DeliveranceCopyrighted 1926 p. 121, 3,023,000 Edition).

The term saint to denote disciples of Jesus

Until the end of 1927, the Watchtower Society named Jesus' disciples as saints: St.Paul, St.Peter etc.

The WatchTower, March 15, 1927, pp. 93-94;

The WatchTower, April 1, 1927, p. 105;

The WatchTower, April 15, 1927, p. 116;

The WatchTower, June 1, 1927, p. 165;

The Golden Age, November 2, 1927, p. 90;

The Golden Age, December 14, 1927, p. 166.

Thus, the original and subsequent early editions of the book in 1926 refer to "saints" (e.g., St. Peter pp. 193, 199; St. Paul p. 202, 100,000 Edition; 1,250,000 Edition).

There are 49 such places in total, for the following persons:

Paul, Peter, John, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Jacob.

However, in later editions (2,447,500 Edition; 2,765,500 Edition; 3,023,000 Edition) only the names Paul, Peter and others appear in the text.

The term religion

In 1927, the Watchtower Society rejected the term religion (see The Watch Tower November 1, 1927 p. 324).

Although the newer versions of the book still include a passage on true religion, the new editions have removed the reference to this text, which was included in the original thematic index:

With them the Lord God established the true religion, and that for their own good. (Deliverance 1926 p. 83, 2,765,500 Edition; Copyrighted 1926 p. 85, 3,023,000 Edition).

         Entry in the index:

         True religion established, 83, III (Deliverance 1926 p. 372, 2,765,500 Edition).

         This entry is not in the index (patrz DeliveranceCopyrighted 1926 p. 378, 3,023,000 Edition).

Three astrologers

Already in 1920 inThe Watch Tower (see The Watch Tower February 15, 1920 p. 56), and in 1921 in the book The Harp of God, the positive role of the wise men from the East was negated.It was then said that devil had brought them to the birth of Jesus.But then it was still emphasized that there were three of them and they were not called astrologers, but wise men:

         The Bible proof shows, however, that these three wise men were not sent by the Lord God, but that they were directed by the great adversary, the devil, in his attempt to destroy the babe (The Harp of God 1921 p. 91).

The number three was repeated five times (p. 91 [3 times], p. 95, p. 108 [Question to Para. 146] – The Harp of God 1921).

In 1928, in the new edition of the quoted book, the word three was removed:

         The Bible proof shows, however, that these wise men were not sent by the Lord God, but that they were directed by the great adversary, the devil, in his attempt to destroy the babe (The Harp of God 1928 p. 92).

However, in one place, less significant, the word three was left:

         Much has been said and written concerning three wise men who journeyed from the east to pay their homage to the babe Jesus, born in Bethlehem(The Harp of God 1928 p. 92).

The Watchtower Society acted very similarly in the case of the book Deliverance.It took place a few years later, after 1926. Already in older editions the word astrologers appeared, which was not yet in the book The Harp of God (1921, 1928).In more recent editions, the word three has been removed:

The three astrologers arrived at Bethlehem (Deliverance 1926 p. 127, 2,765,500 Edition).

The several astrologers arrived at Bethlehem(DeliveranceCopyrighted 1926 p. 130, 3,023,000 Edition).

The same words were quoted in The Watchtower in 1931 with an additional explanatory note:

         The several astrologers (the Bible does not say how many they were) arrived at Bethlehem.(The Watch Tower July 1, 1931 p. 205).

Year 1918 or 1919?

In Rutherford, he couldn't decide which year was more important.Or the year 1918, when the Lord allegedly came to his spiritual temple.Or the year 1919, when he and his associates left prison and organized the work of the Watchtower Society anew.Therefore, in earlier editions, the year 1918 is shown, which was changed to 1919:

Beginning in 1918 and up to this time (1926) this little company of Christians have proclaimed the good news of the presence of the Lord, of the end of the world, and of the beginning of Messiah’s kingdom, in all the nations where the name of Christ is named(Deliverance Copyrighted 1926 p. 241 100,000 Edition; 1,250,000 Edition).

Beginning in 1918 and up to this time this little company of Christians have proclaimed the good news of the presence of the Lord, of the end of the world, and of the beginning of Messiah’ s kingdom in all the nations where the name of Christ is named (Deliverance p. 241, 2,447,500 EditionCopyrighted 1926;2,765,500 Edition 1926).

Beginning in 1919, and up to the present time, this little company of Christians have proelaimed the good news of the presence of the Lord, of the end of the world, and of the beginning of Messiah ’s kingdom, in all the nations where the name of Christ is named (DeliveranceCopyrighted 1926 p. 253, 3,023,000 Edition; 3,380,500 Edition).

Never die

Perhaps under the influence of the reflection that some people can sin and die in paradise, the words never die have been removed in the newer versions of the book, although the right to live has been left:

The faithful shall live for ever and never die, receiving from the Lord the right to live. (Deliverance 1926 p. 339, 2,765,500 Edition).

The faithful shall live forever, receiving from the Lord the right to live. (DeliveranceCopyrighted 1926 p. 352, 3,023,000 Edition).

Note that in the newer editions (3,023,000 Edition) Rutherford's advertised book Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1920) has disappeared from the title page.This may be the result of a departure from the doctrine of the resurrection of the patriarchs and the rest of people, originally associated with 1925.

Participation of the patriarchs in the first resurrection

In his early years, Rutherford was taught that the resurrection of the patriarchs was part of the “first resurrection,” and so was written in the early editions of this book.Subsequent editions contradicted this teaching:

Probably those saints who had died prior to the birth of the nation had already participated in the chief resurrection (1 Thessałonians 4:16) and were then a part of the kingdom; but surely the faithful followers of Christ then on the earth in the flesh could not be classed as a part of the man child or kingdom, until the Lord came to his tempie and examined them and approved them. (Deliverance p. 245,1,250,000 Edition, Copyrighted 1926).

Those saints who had died prior to the birth of the nation had not participated in the chief resurrection and were not then a part of the kingdom; and surely the faithful followers of Christ then on the earth in the flesh could not be classed as a part of the man child or kingdom until the Lord came to his temple and examined them and approved them. (Deliverance p. 245, 2,447,500 Edition,Copyrighted 1926).

Phases and parts of the kingdom

In his early years, Rutherford was taught about the phases and parts of the kingdom, earthly and heavenly.Later, the doctrine was changed, claiming that there is one kingdom, although also teaching that it includes heaven and earth.

Changes and deletions in different editions are not carried out consistently.In several places it was overlooked that the text should also be corrected, but this was not done.Sometimes adjustments were made in stages, e.g. in some places in the earlier edition (2,447,500 Edition) and in other places in the later edition (3,023,000 Edition).

         Part

         Excerpt 1

He approved them; he waits until he has selected the royal family of heaven, the invisible part of the kingdom, and then the promise is that these men shall be made the visible representatives of the Christ on earth during his reign. (Deliverance Copyrighted p. 305,1,250,000 Edition, Copyrighted 1926).

He approved them; he waits until he has selected the royal family of heaven, and then the promise is that these men shall be made the visible representatives of the Christ on earth during his reign. (DeliveranceDeliverance p. 305, 2,447,500 Edition,Copyrighted 1926).

         Excerpt 2

The authority that these earthly princes will execute will proceed from the invisible part of the kingdom. (...)

Their faithfulness to the Lord is even held forth to the church as a proper example and guide for those to follow who hope to be of the heavenly or invisible part of the kingdom (Deliverance 1926 p. 311, 2,765,500 Edition).

The authority that these earthly princes will exeeute will proceed from the invisible kingdom. (...)

Their faithfulness to the Lord is even held forth to the church as a proper example and guide for those to follow who hope to be of the kingdom. (Deliverance pp. 323-324, 3,023,000 Edition, Copyrighted 1926).

         Phase

         Excerpt 1

A city being a symbol of a government, this text is positive proof that God has prepared for these very men in the earthly phase of his government of righteousness. (Deliverance p. 303,1,250,000 Edition, Copyrighted 1926).

A city being a symbol of a government, this text is positive proof that God has prepared for these very men a place in his g of righteousness on earth. (Deliverance 1926 p. 303, 2,765,500 Edition [in PDF 2,447,500 Edition no pp.302-303]).

         Excerpt 2

Moses was one of the prophets of God, and one whom the Apostle Paul says will be rewarded with a place in the earthly phase of the kingdom (Deliverance p. 308,1,250,000 Edition, Copyrighted 1926).

Moses was one of the prophets of God, and one whom the Apostle Paul says will be rewarded with a place in the kingdom on earth (DeliveranceDeliverance p. 308, 2,447,500 Edition,Copyrighted 1926).

         Excerpt 3

When the people begin to learn of the highway and the way of holiness that leads to life they will say to each other: “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain [symbolic of Messiah's kingdom] of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob [the visible phase of God's kingdom]; and he [the Lord] will teach us of his ways [the way of holiness, the right way], and we will walk in his paths:” and learn his law. (Isa. 2:3) (Deliverance p. 334,1,250,000 Edition, Copyrighted 1926).

When the people begin to leam of the highway and  the way of holiness that leads to life they will say to each other: “Come ye, and let ns go np to the mountain [symbolic of Messiah’s kingdom] of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he [the Lord] will teach ns of his ways [the way of holiness, the right way], and we will walk in his paths:” and learn his law. (Isaiah 2:3) (DeliveranceDeliverance p. 334, 2,447,500 Edition,Copyrighted 1926).

Illustrations and different number of pages

Newer editions contain seven illustrations on pages: 28, 44, 124, 169, 188, 300, 357 (also seven blank pages).

They weren't there in the older releases.Therefore, these editions differ in the number of pages:

2,765,500 Edition (344 pages of content) 1926;

3,023,000 Edition (359 pages of content) Copyrighted 1926.

Older editions have biblical and subject indexes, while newer editions only have a subject index (e.g., 3,023,000 Edition). All issues contain advertisements for other publications, which we also write about below.

Advertisement for Studies in the Scriptures by C. T. Russell

The first editions of Deliverance advertised a series of Studies in the Scriptures by C. T. Russell (see Deliverance100,000 Edition, Copyrighted 1926; 750,000 Edition, Copyrighted 1926).

In the later edition, however, only Rutherford's publications are advertised (see Deliverance2,447,500 Edition Copyrighted 1926).

From the foregoing, we see that theDeliverance, although intended to replace Russell's Studies in the Scriptures, which had been revised many times, was also revised and corrected.However, despite the changes introduced, after a few years this publication was not suitable for teaching.It was replaced by subsequent books from 1928-1941, and after Rutherford's death, reprints ceased.