The Watchtower has long favored channeling its alleged truths from the dead.
Though Pastor Russell has passed beyond the veil, he is still managing every feature of the Harvest work. `THE WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY is the greatest corporation in the word, because from the time of its organization until now the Lord has used it as His channel though which to make known the Glad Tidings'" (Finished Mystery, p. 144).
Hence our dear Pastor, now in glory, is without doubt, manifesting a keen interest in the harvest work, and is permitted by the Lord to exercise some strong influence thereupon. (Watch Tower 1917, November 1 p. 6161, WTS reprints)
For many years they claimed that angels would flit down from the Pleiades and give them the word, though not in an audible fashion, but something like automatic writing.
But it seems certain that when Jesus came to his temple and began his work of judgment he would direct his holy angels to take the necessary action to cause the separation of the disapproved from approved ones, and would use his angels to bear messages to them to direct the approved ones as to what to do. (Watchtower, Sept. 1, 1930 p. 203)
The Watchtower is not the instrument of any man or set of any of men, nor is it published according to the whims of men. No man's opinion is expressed in the Watchtower. (Watchtower, Nov. 1 1931 p. 327)
"It was in the spring of 1918 that the Lord Jesus, as the representative of Jehovah, appeared at the temple, and from that time forward the glory of Jehovah has been here. 'And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.' (Ezek. 43:6) When Ezekiel heard the Lord speaking to him the man stood by him. 'The man' was the heavenly messengers or angels of the Lord now used by the Lord in behalf of the remnant. These angels are invisible to human eyes and are there to carry out the orders of the Lord. no doubt they first hear the instructions which the Lord issues to his remnant and then these invisible messengers pass such instructions on the remnant. The facts show that the angels of the Lord with Him at His temple have been thus rendering service unto the remnant since 1919." (Vindication, Vol. III, p. 250, 1931)
These angels are invisible to human eyes and are there to carry out the orders of the Lord. No doubt they first hear the instruction which the Lord issues to his remnant and then these invisible messengers pass such instruction on to the remnant. The facts show that the angels of the Lord with him at his temple have been thus rendering service unto the remnant since 1919. Vindication, Rutherford, 1932, Vol. 3, p. 250.
"This is proof that the interpretation of prophecy does not proceed from man, but that the Lord Jesus, the chief one in Jehovah's organization, sends the necessary information to his people by and through his holy angels." (Preparation; 1933; p. 28)
Certain duties and kingdom interests have been committed by the Lord to his angels, which include the transmission of information to God's anointed people on the earth for their aid and comfort. Even though we cannot understand how the angels transmit this information, we know that they do it; and the Scriptures and the facts show that it is done. (Preparation; 1933; p. 36-37)
Enlightenment proceeds from Jehovah by and through Christ Jesus and is given to the faithful anointed on earth at the temple, and brings great peace and consolation to them. Again Zechariah talked with the angel of the Lord, which shows that the remnant are instructed by the angels of the Lord. the remnant do not hear audible sounds, because such is not necessary. Jehovah has provided his own good way to convey thoughts to the minds of his anointed ones. (Preparation; 1933; p. 64)
Those of the remnant, being honest and true, must say, We do not know; and the Lord enlightens them, sending his angels for that very purpose. (Preparation; 1933; p. 67)
"God uses angels to teach His people now on earth." The Golden Age 1933 Nov. 8 p.69
"No man can properly interpret prophecy, and the Lord sends his angels to transmit correct information to his people." Watchtower 1936 Feb. 15 p.52
Jehovah has made the necessary arrangements within his organization to instruct his people, and all recognize that for some years The Watchtower has been the means of communicating information to God's people. That does not mean that those who prepare the manuscript for The Watchtower are inspired, but rather it means that the Lord through his angels sees to it that the information is given to his people in due time, and he brings to pass the events in fulfillment of his prophecy and then invites those devoted to him to see the same. Riches, Rutherford, 1936, p. 316.
For many years the Watchtower has made boastful claims such as this.
"The Watchtower is a magazine without equal in the earth, and is conceded this rank by all that have been faithful readers thereof during its more than sixty years of publications.... This is not giving any credit to the magazines publishers, but is due to the great author of the Bible with its truths and prophecies, and who now interprets its prophecies. He it is that makes possible the material that is published in the columns of this magazine and who give promise that it shall continue to publish the advancing truths as long as it continues to exist for the service of the interests of his Theocratic Government. (Watchtower, April 15, 1943, p. 127)
Current light is back to channeling messages from the dead.
It is fitting, then, that one of the 24 elders representing anointed ones already in heaven, should stir John's thinking...(Revelation 7:13, 14a) Yes, that elder could locate the answer and give it to John. This suggests that resurrected ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine truths today.
(Revelation - Its Grand climax At Hand! 1989 p. 125)
Channeling is a spiritistic practice, so the Watchtower lacks any moral authority to condemn spiritism.
