Niille jotka ihmettelevät miksi juuri vuosi 1799 aloitti viimeiset päivät, Russell kirjoittaa kirjassaan
Studies in Sciptures - Thy Kingdom Come, sivulla 44 seuraavasti:
Having thus furnished grounds for establishing the identity of this character (Napoleon), whose deeds mark the beginning of the 'Time of the End,' the prophecy proceeds to show which particular event of that time is to be understood as definitely marking the exact date of the beginning of the 'Time of the End.' This event is shown to be Napoleon's invasion of Egypt, which covered a period of a year and nearly five months. He sailed May, 1798 and, returning, landed in France Oct. 9, 1799. This campaign is graphically described in a few words in verses 40-44. Verse 40: 'And at the (fixed) Time of the End shall the king of the South (Egypt) fight against him, and the king of the North (England) shall come against him like a tempest, with chariots and with horsemen (the Egyptian Mamelukes, etc.) and with a great navy. (The English forces consisted of a navy under Admiral Nelson.) And he (Napoleon) shall enter into the countries, and shall destroy and pass through (victoriously).
Eli vuonna 1799 Napoleon palasi sotaretkeltään Egyptistä Ranskaan. Totta kai tuo tapahtuma merkitsi lopunajan alkua!

Tuohon aikaan Etelän kuningaskin oli Egypti ja Pohjan kuningas Englanti. No, ainakin ilmansuunnat olivat enemmän kohdillaan kuin nykyisin.
Paavitkin sotkettiin laskelmiin.
Studies in the Scriptures IV - Battle of Armageddon kirjoittaa sivulla 584:
The fact is that the entire Gospel age has been a period of tribulation referred to in Matt. 24:9-12, and now in verse 29. (1) The early Church was persecuted by civil Rome, while later, when Papal Rome got control, all who refused to approve her abominations were persecuted by her (Jezebel) directly, or indirectly by the civil powers to which she was wedded (Ahab). And they were given into her power, and she wore out the saints of the Most High for a time, times and a half time - 1260 years - until A.D. 1799. And this long persecution, in which 'many were purified and made white and tried,' and in which the Mother of Harlots was 'drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus' (Rev. 17:6) ended as we have already shown, practically in 1776 and actually in 1799 when the Pope and his authority were humiliated before the World.
Vuonna 1796 Napoleon oli vallannut Vatikaanin ja 1798 paavi Pius VI tuotiin Ranskaan vangiksi. Pius VI kuoli vuonna 1799. Russellin käsityksen mukaan tuolloin päättyi paavin valta. Tosin nykyäänkin paavi asustelee Vatikaanissa ja on 1.3 miljardin ihmisen hengellinen johtaja. Jotakin valtaa näytti paaville jääneen.
Laskelmassa esiintyvä maaginen 1260 päivää on esiintynyt Seuralla milloin missäkin yhteydessä. Russell aloitti vuosiksi muutettujen päivien laskemisen vuodesta 538 ja päätyi vuoteen 1798 ja tulkitsi niiden koskevan paavin valtaa. Russellin mukaan paavin valta perustettiin vuonna 538. Tälle taitaa olla yhtä vähän perusteita kuin Jerusalemin hävitykselle vuonna 607 eaa. Ajanjaksoa siirrettiin myöhemmin vuodella ja lopulta sille keksittiin aivan uusia merkityksiä. Rutherford tulkitsi aikavälin tarkoittaneen hänen vankilassa viettämiään päiviä.
Alla 1260 päivän tulkinnan muutoshistoriaa (
lähde):
In 1881. Counted as 1260 years from 538 to 1798, which Charles T Russell believed was the "long reign of the Papacy". (Watch Tower Reprints 1881 December p. 307)
In 1889. Brought forward one year and counted as 1260 years from 539 to 1799. (Watch Tower Reprints 1889 January-February p. 1093; Studies in the Scriptures Vollume III, pp 58, 63-64)
In 1930. Counted as 1260 literal days starting November 7, 1914, to the arrest warrant of Joseph Rutherford and other WTS Directors on May 7, 1918. (Light I 1930, p. 199; Your Will Be Done On Earth 1958, pp 181, 331)
In 1969. Changed to run from October 4/5 1914 to the Memorial on March 26/27 1918. (Then Is Finished The Mystery of God 1969, pp 261-263)
In 1977. Changed again to run from December 28 1914 to June 21 1918 – i.e. from when the Watchtower Cult expected persecution to when Rutherford and other WTS directors were imprisoned. (Our Incoming World Government – God's Kingdom 1977, pp 127-133)
In 1988. Changed back to the 1969 interpretation or similar to it – the reference says "starting from the outbreak of the first world war in the latter part of 1914 and continuing to the early part of 1918." (Revelation – Its Grand Climax Near At Hand! 1988 p. 164)
In 1993. Changed back to the 1977 interpretation i.e. the 1260 days runs from December 1914 to June 21 1918. (The Watchtower 1993 November 1 pp 9-10; Pay Attention To Daniel's Prophecy 1999, pp 142-143)