Anna

Yes I know about this. Initial Bible studies still point to the Ephesian incident at Acts 19:17-20 to encourage "cleaning house".
I have to say I would be wary of dismissing this outright as "mass hysteria", although obviously these things have a way of taking hold on a certain mentality. Anecdotal I know, but I do have a couple of experiences in this area. Here's one:
When I first had a Bible study, I was staying in a premises in Central London. I was subject to a repetitive nightmare of disturbing images and a feeling of someone in the room. This took place a number of times in such a way that I could not ignore it's repetitive nature. Not being one for disturbed sleep, I was concerned about this, so on the strength of a paragraph in the old Truth book (p145, para 14), I searched the room. Under the couch I was sleeping on I found....a Ouija board! I dispensed of it and ..you guessed it...no more sleepless nights!

Amazing! First I ever heard of this. I just skimmed a 1,551 page pdf file, where someone went to the trouble to digitize this thing into searchable text and links. What an amazing waste of time!
Just saw this on a Google search for one of the links:
Oahspe is a book written in 1880 by an American dentist named John Ballou Newbrough [1828-1891]. He claimed that it was the result of automatic writing, Interesting that Seola was not claimed by its own author to have been anything like "automatic writing," and yet even as early as Russell himself it may have been seen as a kind of "inspired" or "automatic writing." I don't see the original author claiming that she even used a strangely mixed musical performance as a way to get at the information, as is implied in an early review of the book. Only that, like a lot of secular authors, she claims that listening to beautiful music helped her muse as an author. "Angels and Women" was edited so heavily after Seola that I have wondered if the claim that it was "dictated" by a "fallen angel" wasn't just a ruse to make some money through one of the Society's publications (The Golden Age). Both Woodworth and Russell had (at other times) used their publications for the purpose of raising money. (Solon Society, for example.)
 

Possibly. There doesn't seem to be any information whether she did or didn't consult the account in Genesis, although perhaps that was a a given. But yes, she definitely seems to have consulted non canonical Hebrew writings and even the sanskrit literature of India. She would have got similar information about a flood since as we know, the flood "legend" appears in most ancient writings. What is definite is her novel is a hundred times more accurate Biblically than that awful movie Noah, which I only watched because of Russel Crowe and because everyone said how terrible it was.

I thought I’d also mention that funnily enough this kind of “mass hysteria” regarding spiritism prevailed into the 1990’s among the Witnesses, and was marked by supposed demon possession of items brought in bazaars, including mattresses which would throw the person on to the floor. Friends were known to do almost public burnings reminiscent of those who practiced magic in Paul’s day, of any items thought to be demon possessed. I too was guilty of this "hysteria" which confirms what @Gone Fishinghad probably in mind when he said had we lived in Russell's day, we too would have made the kind of "errors" in judgement that they did. One morning I was lying in bed, when I could have sworn my mattress shook. I thought to myself, this is it, it's possessed. In my mind I was already going through the steps of how I would tell my mother, and then the practical procedure of where and how we would burn it. No doubt we would have to pour  gallons of petrol on it because these demons are very resistant and stubborn, as I learned in one account in one of our magazines. I was worried about how to broach the subject though. The thought did occur to me that maybe I had done something wrong, and this is why I had been chosen by these supernatural beings as their next victim. I didn't have to worry too long because as soon as my mother got out of the shower, she had a phone call from one of her friends asking her if she had felt the tremor too. There had been a small earthquake. Whew!

The topic bellow is not accepting any further comments so I have no choice but to start another topic, although this thread will probably be really short...
I  wanted to comment on this remark made by @Alessandro Corona : "Russell was also involved in the distribution of a book written by a demon through automatic/angel writing called seola, later renamed to of angels and women. Samuel Herd has even come out and said it was a fantastic novel. So you can see the type of judgment the leadership of bethel really has".
That the book was written through automatic angel writing is mere speculation and not based on any know facts.  The publishers Leopold Classic Library commented on its re- print: ....."our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades...... We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic book”  I have the book, and agree with both Leopold publishing and Br. Herd (if he really said anything like what was quoted). It is a romantic novel of the caliber of well known classics and if you can get a hold of it (Amazon has it) then I recommend it for your library.
I think the rumour originally got started because it was said that  Ms. Ann Eliza Smith, the author, had never read the Bible and despite that, her observations regarding that time (antediluvian) were remarkably accurate so much so that is was deemed she must have had this information communicated to her via an angel. I find it unlikely that she didn’t know anything about the Bible since most people at that time did, and one of her other novels (From dawn to sunrise) apparently deals with “the historical and philosophical religious ideas of mankind”. She herself says that : “the theory upon which the story is founded is in strict accordance with the sacred writings of the Hebrews and traditions of other ancient nations”.
Anyway, for those who want to know more about the novel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seola
Note what the footnote says about the music that she said had inspired her: “A book review publisher called, "Good Company-Sunday Afternoon: A magazine for the household" released an article on the novel Seola in 1878. The magazine believed the compositions that motivated Smith to write the novel was the prelude to the “Creation”, one of Strauss’s waltzes, a scrap of a symphony of Saint Saens, and Wagner’s Centennial March, all played simultaneously in a small room”. 
Also note the reason Br. Russell recommended the book was because: "we believe it will be of interest to Bible Students, who are familiar with the machinations of the devil and the demons and the influence exercised by them prior to the flood and also now in this evil day. The book throws light on the subject and is believed, will aid those who carefully consider it to avoid the baneful effects of spiritism, now so prevalent in the world".
Of course this kind of reasoning was very popular at the time because as was said "spiritism was now so prevalent in the world"*. However now, we would just consider the novel an interesting read as any other, well written story, (that was made up but based on facts), would be.
*It seems the popularity of spiritism (called spiritualism by wikipedia) got it's modern start in Europe and the USA in the late 1800's with the "help" of the Fox sisters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_sisters
 
 
 
 

The topic bellow is not accepting any further comments so I have no choice but to start another topic, although this thread will probably be really short...
I  wanted to comment on this remark made by @Alessandro Corona : "Russell was also involved in the distribution of a book written by a demon through automatic/angel writing called seola, later renamed to of angels and women. Samuel Herd has even come out and said it was a fantastic novel. So you can see the type of judgment the leadership of bethel really has".
That the book was written through automatic angel writing is mere speculation and not based on any know facts.  The publishers Leopold Classic Library commented on its re- print: ....."our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades...... We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic book”  I have the book, and agree with both Leopold publishing and Br. Herd (if he really said anything like what was quoted). It is a romantic novel of the caliber of well known classics and if you can get a hold of it (Amazon has it) then I recommend it for your library.
I think the rumour originally got started because it was said that  Ms. Ann Eliza Smith, the author, had never read the Bible and despite that, her observations regarding that time (antediluvian) were remarkably accurate so much so that is was deemed she must have had this information communicated to her via an angel. I find it unlikely that she didn’t know anything about the Bible since most people at that time did, and one of her other novels (From dawn to sunrise) apparently deals with “the historical and philosophical religious ideas of mankind”. She herself says that : “the theory upon which the story is founded is in strict accordance with the sacred writings of the Hebrews and traditions of other ancient nations”.
Anyway, for those who want to know more about the novel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seola
Note what the footnote says about the music that she said had inspired her: “A book review publisher called, "Good Company-Sunday Afternoon: A magazine for the household" released an article on the novel Seola in 1878. The magazine believed the compositions that motivated Smith to write the novel was the prelude to the “Creation”, one of Strauss’s waltzes, a scrap of a symphony of Saint Saens, and Wagner’s Centennial March, all played simultaneously in a small room”. 
Also note the reason Br. Russell recommended the book was because: "we believe it will be of interest to Bible Students, who are familiar with the machinations of the devil and the demons and the influence exercised by them prior to the flood and also now in this evil day. The book throws light on the subject and is believed, will aid those who carefully consider it to avoid the baneful effects of spiritism, now so prevalent in the world".
Of course this kind of reasoning was very popular at the time because as was said "spiritism was now so prevalent in the world"*. However now, we would just consider the novel an interesting read as any other, well written story, (that was made up but based on facts), would be.
*It seems the popularity of spiritism (called spiritualism by wikipedia) got it's modern start in Europe and the USA in the late 1800's with the "help" of the Fox sisters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_sisters
 
 
 
 

The topic bellow is not accepting any further comments so I have no choice but to start another topic, although this thread will probably be really short...
I  wanted to comment on this remark made by @Alessandro Corona : "Russell was also involved in the distribution of a book written by a demon through automatic/angel writing called seola, later renamed to of angels and women. Samuel Herd has even come out and said it was a fantastic novel. So you can see the type of judgment the leadership of bethel really has".
That the book was written through automatic angel writing is mere speculation and not based on any know facts.  The publishers Leopold Classic Library commented on its re- print: ....."our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades...... We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic book”  I have the book, and agree with both Leopold publishing and Br. Herd (if he really said anything like what was quoted). It is a romantic novel of the caliber of well known classics and if you can get a hold of it (Amazon has it) then I recommend it for your library.
I think the rumour originally got started because it was said that  Ms. Ann Eliza Smith, the author, had never read the Bible and despite that, her observations regarding that time (antediluvian) were remarkably accurate so much so that is was deemed she must have had this information communicated to her via an angel. I find it unlikely that she didn’t know anything about the Bible since most people at that time did, and one of her other novels (From dawn to sunrise) apparently deals with “the historical and philosophical religious ideas of mankind”. She herself says that : “the theory upon which the story is founded is in strict accordance with the sacred writings of the Hebrews and traditions of other ancient nations”.
Anyway, for those who want to know more about the novel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seola
Note what the footnote says about the music that she said had inspired her: “A book review publisher called, "Good Company-Sunday Afternoon: A magazine for the household" released an article on the novel Seola in 1878. The magazine believed the compositions that motivated Smith to write the novel was the prelude to the “Creation”, one of Strauss’s waltzes, a scrap of a symphony of Saint Saens, and Wagner’s Centennial March, all played simultaneously in a small room”. 
Also note the reason Br. Russell recommended the book was because: "we believe it will be of interest to Bible Students, who are familiar with the machinations of the devil and the demons and the influence exercised by them prior to the flood and also now in this evil day. The book throws light on the subject and is believed, will aid those who carefully consider it to avoid the baneful effects of spiritism, now so prevalent in the world".
Of course this kind of reasoning was very popular at the time because as was said "spiritism was now so prevalent in the world"*. However now, we would just consider the novel an interesting read as any other, well written story, (that was made up but based on facts), would be.
*It seems the popularity of spiritism (called spiritualism by wikipedia) got it's modern start in Europe and the USA in the late 1800's with the "help" of the Fox sisters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_sisters
 
 
 
 

QUITE OFTEN .... I quote Adolph Hitler, Josef Stalin, and other assorted monsters.
And I have not committed genocide in ..oh, say ... AT LEAST three weeks!

I rest my case ....

You seem to be unclear completely clueless on what constitutes proof, reason, and logic.
You have supplied NOTHING for consideration that even PRETENDS to be proof, or reason, or logic.
I suggest you get an outdoor hobby.

The Watchtower has maintained a steady relationship with demonism, one just needs to consider how often they cite occult sources to support their doctrines and teachings!

Every once in awhile ... even a blind pig finds an acorn.

In order NOT to be labeled a liar and a slanderer, Alessandro Corona ... and justifiably so ... you are going to have to PROVE EVERY ASPECT of those statements you just made. 
YOU PERSONALLY ... not just waving your hand at a PDF file link.
I assume you did not just pull them out of your imagination.
Please supply enough detailed overview and references that your seemingly OUTRAGEOUS claims may be INDEPENDENTLY checked by the average, reasonable person.
If you do not ... and it WILL take some work .... your credibility is ZERO.
...by the way, I did read about 55 pages of that PDF, and concluded that it is the rantings of a man quite mad.

I am not trying to convey a "message". I hope I am merely presenting facts.

@AllenSmith
I'm afraid we might be misunderstanding one another.  I for my part find it difficult to see what you are trying to say sometimes because I know English is not your first language.  And you might find it difficult understanding what I am saying for the same reason. It’s not your fault. And I am partly to blame for this confusion as  I have clearly veered off topic. None of this has anything to do with demonism and the WT.  I joined the thread when it was already very well along and to be honest I never even read the initial post for this topic......I will go back and take a look at it.  In any case, I don’t think the WT, as in the organization now, nor during Russel or Rutherford's day, has ever had anything to do with demonism, at least not intentionally. As for past mistakes, I don't have any problem with those.
I know, I have been there, his grave is a couple of steps to one side, and apparently the "Bible Students" keep stealing his photograph that's there on his grave stone.
I still don't know what you mean by "the Watchtower".

Whatever.....I think you just want to argue....I wasn't even worried about who sanctioned what, and who bought what, the fact is Russell's theory about the great pyramid didn't die with him but much later, and the belief about the ancient worthies coming to earth before Armageddon didn't die with Rutherford, but quite a number of years later.
Just some funny trivia; when Br. Rutherford was interviewed by the Time magazine when it became known he deeded the house to the ancient worthies, he said "I have purposely landscaped the place with palm and olive trees so these princes of the universe will feel at home when they come to offer man a chance to become perfect.” Here is the whole article:

and here is the deed:
 

I don't know what exactly you mean by "the Watchtower". Surely it was sanctioned by whoever was in charge of the society at the time.
Again, not sure what you mean by "the Watchtower". And no, that is not the only reason, Proclaimers book:
Box/Picture on page 76]
“House of the Princes”
 Brother Rutherford had a severe case of pneumonia after his release from unjust imprisonment in 1919. Thereafter, he had only one good lung. In the 1920’s, under a doctor’s treatment, he went to San Diego, California, and the doctor urged him to spend as much time as possible there. From 1929 on, Brother Rutherford spent the winters working at a San Diego residence he had named Beth-Sarim. Beth-Sarim was built with funds that were a direct contribution for that purpose. The deed, which was published in full in “The Golden Age” of March 19, 1930, conveyed this property to J. F. Rutherford and thereafter to the Watch Tower Society.
  Concerning Beth-Sarim, the book “Salvation,” published in 1939, explains: “The Hebrew words ‘Beth Sarim’ mean ‘House of the Princes’; and the purpose of acquiring that property and building the house was that there might be some tangible proof that there are those on earth today who fully believe God and Christ Jesus and in His kingdom, and who believe that the faithful men of old will soon be resurrected by the Lord, be back on earth, and take charge of the visible affairs of earth.”
  A few years after Brother Rutherford’s death, the board of directors of the Watch Tower Society decided to sell Beth-Sarim. Why? “The Watchtower” of December 15, 1947, explained: “It had fully served its purpose and was now only serving as a monument quite expensive to keep; our faith in the return of the men of old time whom the King Christ Jesus will make princes in ALL the earth (not merely in California) is based, not upon that house Beth-Sarim, but upon God’s Word of promise.”
[Footnote]
At the time, it was believed that faithful men of old times, such as Abraham, Joseph, and David, would be resurrected before the end of this system of things and would serve as “princes in all the earth,” in fulfillment of Psalm 45:16. This view was adjusted in 1950, when further study of the Scriptures indicated that those earthly forefathers of Jesus Christ would be resurrected after Armageddon.—See “The Watchtower,” November 1, 1950, pages 414-17.
 

Hahaha, that is hilarious! There must be an  elder like that in every hall, we have one! (And don’t tell me you don’t @Gone Fishing)  The curious thing is, off the platform this brother can be quite crass and has made some rather dirty and inapropriate (as in sexually) remarks about some women to my husband. Maybe when he’s up there he feels the need to make atonement and that’s his way of doing it. A few weeks ago we had a speaker from another hall and in his talk he asked if we thank Jehovah regularly for the Bible and the publications he has authored. To be fair to him, maybe he was nervous and didn’t mean to say it quite this way. In any case, my husband and I looked at each other and he whispered in my ear “I thought Jehovah only authored the Bible”. Sometimes I think some of us say things, as you say, as if it was a “formula”. How many times do you hear friends saying, when there is a disaster, Jehovah protected them etc. when you know that if that was the case, then Jehovah is partial, because he helped brother Albert, but sister Mildred unfortunately got struck by flying debris and died.

I don't know what exactly you mean by "the Watchtower". Surely it was sanctioned by whoever was in charge of the society at the time.
Again, not sure what you mean by "the Watchtower". And no, that is not the only reason, Proclaimers book:
Box/Picture on page 76]
“House of the Princes”
 Brother Rutherford had a severe case of pneumonia after his release from unjust imprisonment in 1919. Thereafter, he had only one good lung. In the 1920’s, under a doctor’s treatment, he went to San Diego, California, and the doctor urged him to spend as much time as possible there. From 1929 on, Brother Rutherford spent the winters working at a San Diego residence he had named Beth-Sarim. Beth-Sarim was built with funds that were a direct contribution for that purpose. The deed, which was published in full in “The Golden Age” of March 19, 1930, conveyed this property to J. F. Rutherford and thereafter to the Watch Tower Society.
  Concerning Beth-Sarim, the book “Salvation,” published in 1939, explains: “The Hebrew words ‘Beth Sarim’ mean ‘House of the Princes’; and the purpose of acquiring that property and building the house was that there might be some tangible proof that there are those on earth today who fully believe God and Christ Jesus and in His kingdom, and who believe that the faithful men of old will soon be resurrected by the Lord, be back on earth, and take charge of the visible affairs of earth.”
  A few years after Brother Rutherford’s death, the board of directors of the Watch Tower Society decided to sell Beth-Sarim. Why? “The Watchtower” of December 15, 1947, explained: “It had fully served its purpose and was now only serving as a monument quite expensive to keep; our faith in the return of the men of old time whom the King Christ Jesus will make princes in ALL the earth (not merely in California) is based, not upon that house Beth-Sarim, but upon God’s Word of promise.”
[Footnote]
At the time, it was believed that faithful men of old times, such as Abraham, Joseph, and David, would be resurrected before the end of this system of things and would serve as “princes in all the earth,” in fulfillment of Psalm 45:16. This view was adjusted in 1950, when further study of the Scriptures indicated that those earthly forefathers of Jesus Christ would be resurrected after Armageddon.—See “The Watchtower,” November 1, 1950, pages 414-17.
 

Hahaha, that is hilarious! There must be an  elder like that in every hall, we have one! (And don’t tell me you don’t @Gone Fishing)  The curious thing is, off the platform this brother can be quite crass and has made some rather dirty and inapropriate (as in sexually) remarks about some women to my husband. Maybe when he’s up there he feels the need to make atonement and that’s his way of doing it. A few weeks ago we had a speaker from another hall and in his talk he asked if we thank Jehovah regularly for the Bible and the publications he has authored. To be fair to him, maybe he was nervous and didn’t mean to say it quite this way. In any case, my husband and I looked at each other and he whispered in my ear “I thought Jehovah only authored the Bible”. Sometimes I think some of us say things, as you say, as if it was a “formula”. How many times do you hear friends saying, when there is a disaster, Jehovah protected them etc. when you know that if that was the case, then Jehovah is partial, because he helped brother Albert, but sister Mildred unfortunately got struck by flying debris and died.

I know who you're talking about as I saw their remark too. I would like to believe though it was made because the person lacked maturity and said it in more of a "cut my nose off to spite my face" manner. But I could be wrong. As Fishing says, some people have all the fun But not me, I have not met anyone in real life who says that, but who knows, they might be thinking it!

Maybe. But I would expect things like this to be mentioned in a "history" book, such as the Proclaimers book, even if no one had a notion about it in the first place...

A few years ago we were visiting my husband's relatives in Pittsburgh and also went to their congregation in Allegheny. In conversation with one of the elders there about Russell, I mentioned how funny it was that he believed the great pyramid was God's witness in stone. He frowned and said "yeah....but we don't talk about that" (as in DON'T talk about it). Later on that afternoon we went to see Russell's grave site there up on the hill, and as you probably know, there is a big tombstone in the shape of a pyramid, (including the engraved names of the anointed at the time, and the "all seeing eye") even visible from the road below..... thinking about it now....well, there's a witness "in stone" right there And what's even funnier is that the elder who "chastised" me, regularly takes visitors up there....
To be fair though, the Proclaimers book and probably other newer publications do mention this unusual belief that Russell had. But usually you have to be aware of  it in the first place to go digging for it. I remember reading about Beth-Sarim, the house of the Princes that Rutherford built to receive the resurrected ancient worthies in the Proclaimers book too. But I first found out about it from, yes you've guessed it, the internet.

Unlike "Albert"  she would get my attention.....if only to check the empty compartments of her dossette......

I think a JW artist at Bethel pulled a fast one.
In this month's WT, in the article "Why Worship God", the opening picture shows  a Jew, or "somebody"  looking at the Pleiades Star  Constellation ... if my memory of the sky, and of the WT are correct.  
My suit coat is out in the car, and it's too much trouble to check.