The Golden Age’s Review and Endorsement of Angels and Women
Ken Raines
Angels and Women is an automatic writing book recommended by the Watchtower Society in 1924. It is a revision of a novel written in 1878 titled Seola by J. G. Smith. Seola was revised and published as Angels and Women by a Bible Student who was identified as being “a personal friend of Pastor Russell and one who was close to him in his work.” (The Golden Age, July 30, 1924 p. 702) It is a work of “automatic writing” as the revisor said the woman who wrote it was “impelled to write it after listening to beautiful music.” (Angels and Women, pp. 3, 5.) He believed the spirit that “dictated” the novel to Mrs. Smith was not one of the “holy angels” (of the kind that supposedly transmitted information and Biblical interpretations into J. F. Rutherford’s mind), but was one of the fallen angels who desired to return to God’s organization. (Angels and Women, p. 5.)
The Society at the time believed that some demons and fallen angels were honest and could be saved and return to God’s organization. Angels and Women, they believed, was channeled or “dictated” to the author by one such fallen angel who was honest and told the truth about pre-flood conditions on earth. They said he shed some “light” on the subject. They therefore claimed to receive new “light” from a fallen angel according to their published statements. This is unusual as all the automatic or channeled writings I have researched claimed to be from good spirits whether angels, extraterrestrials, or highly evolved spirits. The Society appears to be unique in claiming to receive new light from what they thought was a fallen angel. Many, including the Watchtower Society, apparently, don’t see a difference between a fallen angel and a demon. The distinction the Society made at this time between fallen angels and demons is a little unclear to me.
The Golden Age Review
In the July 30, 1924 Golden Age the Watchtower Society reviewed the book Angels and Women.
The Society earlier claimed that they normally did not review books in the Golden Age except when they believed in the book enough or thought it was an important work. For example, In a 1920 Golden Age they said:
THE GOLDEN AGE does not make it a practice of reviewing books, but “The Brass Check, a Study of American Journalism,” by Upton Sinclair, Pasadena, California, contains facts that should be widely known.
– The Golden Age, Oct. 27, 1920 p. 35.
Similarly, The Golden Age four years later reviewed Angels and Women because they believed in it and believed that it shed some spiritual and historical light on pre-flood conditions on earth.
The review in full stated:
Review of Book
“ANGELS AND WOMEN” is the title of a book just off the press. It is a reproduction and revision off the novel, “Seola” which was written in 1878, and which deals with conditions prior to the flood.
Pastor Russell read this book with keen interest, and requested some of his friends to read it because of its striking harmony with the Scriptural account of the sons of God described in the sixth chapter of Genesis. Those sons of God became evil, and debauched the human family prior to, and up to, the time of the great deluge. We call attention to this book 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.
The book is revised and published by a personal friend of Pastor Russell, and one who was close to him in his work. It is published by the A. B. Abac Company, New York city.
The publishers advise that the regular price of the book is $2.00; but to all subscribers to The Golden Age, it will furnished at $1.00 per volume, when ordered in lots of ten or more. This is not an advertisement, but a voluntary comment. [8]
– The Golden Age, July 30, 1924 p. 702.
No mention is made here “of the fact that they believed it was “dictated to the women who wrote by one of the fallen angels who desired to return to divine favor.” (Angels and Women, p. 5.) This is a serious omission as they said reading the book would help one “avoid the baneful effects of spiritism.”
This favorable review of Angels and Women apparently lead to letters being sent to the Society by readers of the Golden Age on the propriety of their endorsing the book when they learned of its origin, despite the Society clearly saying at this time that some demons were honest.
The Golden Age‘s Second Endorsement
In the December 3, 1924 Golden Age they printed one such letter of concern as well as a more enthusiastic letter supporting the book. In their published response to these they brushed aside concerns about the spiritistic origin of the book and once again endorsed it. The article said in full:
WE PRESENT some letters regarding this book (a review of which recently appeared in our columns) which we feel sure will be of interest to our readers:
TO THE GOLDEN AGE:
Pardon me for taking this much of your time on what may be so simple a matter; but I was approached about going into a club to get a certain book called, “Angels and Women”. I made some inquiries, and was told that it was a book that a fallen angel dictated to a women, showing a desire to come back into harmony with God; and that Pastor Russell approved of the book. I had never heard of the book before; and as we are to shun anything akin to spiritism I should like to know positively whether the book has your approval before buying one; so if it is not asking to much would like a reply.
(Mrs.) W. S. Davis, Los Angeles, Cal.
TO THE GOLDEN AGE:
With much pleasure and profit has the book, “Angels and Women” been read by Truth friends. It contains much to encourage one to loyalty and faith in God.
Do you think that it would be a real service to purchase these books in quantities of ten or more copies at a time so as to get the special $1 per copy rate that you have so kindly secured for us, and thus to have them on hand as Christmas and birthday presents or for other gift occasions to give to our relatives and friends, whom we have been unable to otherwise interest in Present Truth or only slightly so?
Would not some be disposed to read a fascinating novel of this kind, who might not be able to get first interested in “The Harp” or STUDIES?
Would this not be considered one way of instructing the people about matters concerning which there is so much ignorance, and direct them to the real Bible keys, the WATCH TOWER publications?
Should we send such orders to THE GOLDEN AGE?
If not, will you kindly give us the complete address of the A. B. Abac Company? There are many who would like to get a little more information regarding these items.
An Appreciative Reader
Reply
TO BOTH above letters we reply as follows:
When Pastor Russell was here, he read a book dealing with conditions that obtained prior to the flood. He requested some other brethren to read it. It was so much in harmony with the Bible account of the fallen angels that he regarded the book as remarkable. Under his supervision it was revised, and later published by one who was formerly his confidential associate. The new book is published under the title “Angels and Women”. Scriptural citations are given. An appendix is added. Pastor Russell remarked that at some opportune time the book, revised, should be published.
As to its being a violation of the Vow to read this book, such an idea is not worthy of consideration. It would be no more wrong to read it than to read “What Say the Scriptures about Spiritism” or “Talking With the Dead”; for both these books quote much as to what the evil spirits do. Many have derived much benefit from reading “Angels and Women” because it aids in getting a clearer vision of how Satan overreached the angels and overreached the human race, and caused all the havoc amongst men and angels. It helps one to a better understanding of the devil’s organization.
The book is published by the A. B. Abac Company, Madison Square, P.O. Box 101, New York City, N. Y.
THE GOLDEN AGE does not handle this publication; but all who desire it should write directly to the publisher at the above address.
– The Golden Age, Dec. 3, 1924 pp. 150, 151.
The Society’s endorsement apparently received mixed reviews from Bible Students. Some viewed this book as spiritism, pure and simple; others apparently took the Society’s position that some demons were honest and could repent and come back to God’s organization to heart. They accepted this new light as from an “honest,” repentant fallen angel. It is interesting to me that the Society’s writer here brushed aside Mrs. Davis’ concern by simply saying it was not worthy of consideration to think it was a violation of the Bible Students’ “Vow” to have nothing to do with spiritism.
A PDF copy of the book is here:
Angels And Women (PDF)
Further info.:
Angels and Women/Seola Book Website The True Story of The Angels and Women/Seola Book By Jim Rizoli