"With the appearance of the book 'Eternal Life in the Freedom of the Sons of God' and its commentaries ... Considerable hopes were awakened for 1975. These statements... were only probable. Unfortunately... other warning information, implying that such an understanding of the hopes of that year was more likely, than possible, was not perceived" (quoted by 14:48).

From April 1980, Franz carried out a purge of the Society's management staff. First of all, those who actively participated in the deployment were reduced prophecy campaign for the year 1975 and did not want to forget that it was initiated by the new president. Employees of many departments of the Society, including almost the entire staff of the Press Department of the headed by Raimund Franz, a member of the Governing Corporation and nephew of the President (14, 49). The new president managed to stop the downward trend Society (in 1977 the number of Jehovah's Witnesses decreased by 1%, in 1978 — by 1.4%; In 1979, the increase was 0.5%, and in 1980 - 3.7% (14, 47). The word "Armageddon" began to be used much less often and was supplanted more neutral expressions, such as "the day of Jehovah," "the great tribulation," "The Judgment of God," etc. (10:71).

In 1976, there were some organizational changes in the management of the apparatus of the Watch Tower Society.

"Over the years, the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses has been identified with the Board of Directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Pennsylvania, And the affairs were mainly managed by its president...

... In 1976, the Governing Corporation began its work with six committees, each of which is entrusted with the care of certain areas of activity all over the world" (SB, 15.05.1995. – p. 23).

The Watchtower of 15.04.1992 reported that in order to assist the committees Brothers were appointed to the Governing Corporation mainly from among the "others" sheep" (Sat, 15.05.1995. – P. 23).

At present, "the Governing Body is made up of anointed Christians (in 1993 - 11 people). Seven of them serve as members of the Society's board Watchtower. The Governing Body directs worldwide operations Jehovah's Witnesses. Its members are not inspired by God and therefore are not infallible, but they rely on the inerrant Words of God as the ultimate authority on the and have many years of experience in obedience to the will of God" (7:26).

Although the prophecy about the end of the world in 1975 ended in failure, Franz continued to support the rank and file of Jehovah's Witnesses in constant expectation Armageddon. Propaganda campaigns related to specific dates, were not carried out, but cautious statements appeared in some publications of the type placed in the 7th volume of "Studies of the Russell:

"It is possible that 1980 CE will be marked by the liberation of Israel [16] from the captivity of death" (Quoted by 13:73). But a more effective means of maintaining tension among the rank-and-file Jehovah's Witnesses is an idea that which the end of the world will come in the lifetime of a generation connected in some way since 1914.

Currently, each issue of the magazine "Awake!" is on page 4 reports that a "peaceful and secure new world" will be established "in the lifetime of a generation, who experienced the events of 1914" (Pr. 8.02.1995.—P.4).

By "incident" here, apparently, they mean the First World War. But Who should be considered to have experienced it? Everyone who participated in it with weapons in their hands, or even those who were just born and lived in Europe during the war?

This question was also asked by ordinary Jehovah's Witnesses. Therefore, in the journal "Awake!" from 8.10.1968 there was an article with the calculation of the age of people who could relate to the generation that experienced the 1st World War.

“... If we assume that 15-year-old boys could sufficiently to imagine the meaning of what happened in 1914, then this makes it possible to believe that the youngest of "this generation" are now about 70 years old" (Op. cit. to 14, 167).

In the issue of the magazine "Awake!" of 8.04.1969, it was also stated, A what