Our Seventeenth Annual Report (1935)

PT 1935, P. 174--"Turning our eyes to the Lord's people we see the indications of Epiphany conditions as to them fulfilling also. Broadly speaking there are two stages in the Epiphany for the Lord's people: (1) that of the priesthood's dealing with the Great Company as Azazel's Goat and as uncleansed Levites; and (2) that of the priesthood's leading the work of the cleansed Levites, the Youthful Worthies sharing with the priesthood or with the Great Company in these two things, dependent on their characters. Incidentally the Lord is calling the Youthful Worthies as a class. These works as due have been fulfilling."

Here, in this 1935 PT Annual Report, Epiphany conditions are briefly mentioned. The word "incidentally" means that the calling of the Youthful Worthies AS A CLASS is a point of fact of a subordinate nature to Epiphany events 1 and 2. Had they become a class in the Gospel Age Harvest (1881), they would not be secondary to these other events in the Epiphany.

Our Fifteenth Annual Report (1933)

PT 1933, P. 182--"Thus he was used by the Lord to supervise the foundation of the Epiphany work; and having completed this he was called to his glorious reward, since among other reasons, his continuance in the flesh would have prevented the complete untying of Azazel's Goat and the separation of the Little Flock and the Great Company, because during his stay here the involved revolution could not have taken place, nor would the Great Company in the Truth, all convinced that he was that Servant, have separated themselves from those who rallied to him. Hence it was expedient that he go beyond the vail in order to the further unfolding of the Lord's plan, since with the completion of the Little Flock the next thing in the unfolding of the plan would, of course, be the work toward the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies as classes."

More clear and accurate truth from Bro. Johnson in this early PT Annual Report. Here, in reference to events post Pastor Russell's time, he mentions both the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies in similar fashion. If one became a class in the Epiphany , then the other must as well.

One plus one plus one equals what?

"Question (1935)—How can we harmonize the fact that the fulness of the Gentiles came in probationarily passover 1878 and the fact that the general call ceased Oct., 1881?

Answer—By the fulness of the Gentiles coming in probationarily passover 1878 we understand that at that time those who had made their calling and election sure before that time, plus those under the call who had not yet made their calling and election sure, plus those who at that time came under the call totaled the entire 144,000. The small sifting involving disgruntled Adventists in 1875 and the large noransomism sifting beginning passover 1878 imply that a considerable number lost their crowns between 1874 and 1878, whose crowns were not only assigned to others, but enough of still other Gentiles came under that call during that period, Oct., 1874-April, 1878, as to fill up the predestinated number probationarily. We further understand that no crowns were lost after Passover 1878 until immediately before Oct., 1881, when special calls went out to fill up the lapsed crowns to bring them up again to the full 144,000. These considerations prove that all called up to those called from Oct., 1881, onward, were called under the general call, since before Oct., 1881, no special calls were issued. Hence, while the fulness of the Gentiles came in probationarily at the passover of 1878, the general call ceased in Oct., 1881. How do we know this? Because first in Oct., 1881, special calls were made to bring up again, for the first time after passover 1878, the called to 144,000. The harvest parallels prove that the general call ceased in 1881; for as the general call to Israel ceased in Oct., 36, proven by the fact that then the call went out to Gentiles to fill up the elect number which Israel failed to furnish, and thereafter Israel furnished only special ones for the call; so the Nominal Church, failing in 1881 to furnish the full number of the faithful called, the call went forth “to certain ones in the field,” the Nominal Church from then on furnishing only specially called ones. ’35-183".

Note that this Q&A was given only two years after the Ruth article. The only groups mentioned were those running for the Little Flock. No Youthful Worthies. No fourth group. No other call. No later correction to this Q&A.

Spirit Discernment—Does Bible Teach All Consecrated Have.

"Question (1957)—Do the Scriptures teach that all of God’s consecrated people have spiritual discernment?"

In the answer to the question, we have:
"During the Gospel Age, prior to 1881, while the General Call to Little Flockship was still open, all of the consecrated were Spirit-begotten; hence during that time only the Spirit-begotten could discern the deep things of the Truth as due."

In the next paragraph, it is explained:
"However, since the General Call ceased in 1881 (B 235; C 205-225), those consecrated ones for whom no crowns have been available, and who consequently have not been Spirit-begotten, may, nevertheless, like the Ancient Worthies did in their times, discern clearly, through the aid of the measure of the Holy Spirit they have, the deep things of the Truth as due (comp., e.g., E. Vol. 4, pp. 413, 414, 462, 463, 467-469; E. Vol. 15, pp. 652, 653)."

If all of the consecrated were Spirit-begotten up to 1881 and only they could discern the deep things of the Truth, how can there be these new Youthful Worthies from 1878-1881? And why could they not discern the deep things?

Youthful Worthies—How Can We Know Who They Are.

"Question (1921)—How can we know who is a Youthful Worthy?— Answer: First we will answer with reference to those brethren who have consecrated since the Fall of 1914. Knowing from many reasons that spiritbegetting ceased by the Fall of 1914, we readily can know of all who have consecrated since that time that they could not be spirit-begotten; and that, therefore, their hopes lie in the direction of Youthful Worthiship. With respect to those of them who consecrated since the general Call ceased in 1881 (F 156, 157), we cannot now be sure, though each individual by the various witnesses of the Spirit may be able to learn his position. It would not, however, at all surprise us, if there should arise a Youthful Worthies’ Movement, separating them from others. If this should prove true, it would doubtless then become clear as to the Youthful Worthiship of all the unbegotten consecrated. ’21-78"

Note that Bro. Johnson does not say anything about individuals from 1878...only from 1881. If you believe the "present view," then this quote does not make sense. For those who believe he had two views, please post an article where he explains why he changes his mind and when.

Order in the Court?

The following quotes come from Bro. Jolly’s answer to a question in 1963 about the unfolding of the Epiphany Court after 1914 and the Camp after 1954 beyond the expectations of Bro. Russell and Bro. Johnson. If you believe the “present view” of the Youthful Worthies as a separate and distinct class in 1881, then not only do these parallel statements not work, but it also means that none of these spirit-Begotten brethren had any idea that this class existed in the Court during the Parousia. In effect, the "present view" alters cleansed Parousia and Epiphany Truth.

“After 1914 arrived, and later the due time came, the Lord made clear (through Bro. Johnson) that there was not only one class—the Great Company—but three classes in the post-1914 Court, during the Epiphany in its narrow, 40-year sense, as follows: (1) the unconsecrated tentatively justified (including many of them who came in from 1914 onward), who would not be remanded from the Court until 1954 (instead of 1914, as Bro. Russell had expected), (2) the Great Company, remanded from the Holy, and (3) the non-Spirit-begotten consecrated—the Youthful Worthies—who never had been in the Holy.”

“As Bro. Russell allowed for only one class—the Great Company—in the Court after 1914, and that one a class remanded from the Holy to the Court, so Bro. Johnson similarly allowed for only one class—the quasi-elect—in the Epiphany Camp after 1954, and that a class consisting largely of those remanded from the Court to the Camp.”

“After 1954 arrived and the due time had come, the Lord made clear that there was not only one class—the loyal, unconsecrated quasi-elect—but three classes in the post-1954 Epiphany Camp, as follows: (1) the Gospel-Age nominal people of God; (2) the loyal unconsecrated quasi-elect, including the tentatively justified who were remanded from the Court, and also other tentatively justified as the Covenant-believing Jews who have come into the Epiphany Camp since then, and additionally including those among the tentatively justified who have become (3) the consecrated Epiphany Campers.”