Seola

infobox Book |
name = Seola
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = "Seola" first edition spine cover. (There is no front cover artwork with the first edition novel.)
author = Ann Eliza Smith
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Christian novel
publisher = Lee and Shepard & Charles T. Dillingham
release_date = 1878
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages = 251 pp "(first edition)"
isbn = NA
preceded_by =
followed_by =

Seola is an antediluvian novel published in 1878, written by Ann Eliza Smith. The publishers of the novel are Boston: Lee and Shepard, New York: Charles T. Dillingham.

The majority of the novel purports to be a translation of an ancient scroll diary written by a woman named Seola, who is identified as the wife of Japheth. The Bible book of Genesis indicates that Noah had three sons named Ham, Shem and Japheth. In the appendix section of the novel, Ann Smith describes how she was inspired to write the fantasy. She writes:

"Seola is a fantasy, revealed to the writer while listening to the performance of an extraordinary musical composition. It was sudden and unforeseen as the landscape which sometimes appears to a benighted traveller, for one instant only, illumined by the lightning's flash." "It does not therefore pretend to be either history or theology, but yet 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."

Some of her research into the ancient traditions of these nations can be found in her first published work, "From Dawn to Sunrise". The appendix and notes section at the end of the novel "Seola" explain certain passages within the story and how they are supported by real ancient texts. Portions of the story can be perceived as extrapolations from the Haggada, the Mahabharata, The Book of Enoch and the creation myths of Greek mythology. See the external links section to view the texts.

Plot introduction

The greatest discovery of the nineteenth century is found by accident. A team of archaeologists uncover one of the most ancient burial tombs of all time. Inside the tomb they find something far greater than gold or gems, they find a diary of a person who lived more than four thousand years ago. The team pool all their knowledge together in order to translate the scroll diary before it disintegrates in the foreign air. The beginning entry of the journal gave no doubt as to the era the individual claims to come from. The entry reads, “West Bank of the Euphrates, first moon-evening, after Adam, four cycles”. The author of the journal identifies herself as Seola, daughter of Aleemon and Lebuda. Her father was the son of Lamech and his father was Methuselah. Aleemon had a passion for study and the preservation of historical records. This desire kept him near a grand city which contained a wealth of knowledge on the history of the world written down on scrolls. The city’s name was Sippara and it was also known as the city of the Sun. This desire also endangered the lives of his family. It so happened that the city was the royal seat of the one who ruled the planet. This ruler was known as Lucifer the Light Bearer, King of the Sun. He and his kind were ruling the earth for over 1100 years, since the days of Jared. These beings were known as the Devas. The Devas were angelic spirit beings that materialized into human form. Their superior powers enabled them to dominate and instill fear into the human race. They sought after the most beautiful women of mankind and took them as wives. Through the union of the mortal female and the angelic being came male children of large stature. These offspring were known as the Darvands. The Darvands were ruthless bullies with strength that none could match.

Seola begins her journal at the request of her father. Her first entries are common and uneventful because the family has been relocated to an isolated section of the forest away from Sippara and their life is peaceful with the isolation. The tranquility eventually comes to an end because the Devas discover their private sanctuary. The threat to the family is neither by wealth or possession but by way of beauty.

Plot summary

The diary of Seola is about a girl's struggle to resist a wicked world. Her resolve to remain loyal to God is so strong she influences a fallen angel to repentance. The diary is unique because it gives a detailed account on how the Great Deluge started. One of the planets in the solar system becomes unstable and its destruction causes the waters above the expanse to fall.

Miscellanea

A book review called, "Good Company: Sunday Afternoon" published in 1878, under the Literature section, suggested the music that may have inspired Ann Smith to write "Seola". The author proposed that one of Strauss's Waltzes, called "Creation", was that music.

A revision of Seola was published in 1924 by an anonymous author and was retitled "Angels and Women." The content within the revised edition was supported by the teachings of the Bible Students (now known as Jehovah’s Witnesses as of 1931) because the Appendix section quotes passages from their published works: Scenario of the The Photo-Drama of Creation, The Harp of God, Studies in the Scriptures Volumes I, II, IV-VII and A Desirable Government. A majority of names and places were changed in the revised edition along with some doctrinal differences. The main characters Seola and Lucifer are named Aloma and Satanas in the revised novel. Also, the city of Sippara is called Balonia in the new edition. In the section called Review of Book, the Golden Age Journal of July 30, 1924 (now known as the Awake magazine) recommended that its readers purchase a copy of Angels and Women. Page 702 of that issue says this comment.

"“ANGELS AND WOMEN” is the title of a book just off the press. It is a reproduction and revision of 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…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.”"

There is a unique mystery to be found with the Journal of Seola. Rene Noorbergen published a work on ancient civilizations in 1977 and titled it "Secrets of the Lost Races". He made mention of a rumor that spread around 1950 about the existence of an ancient scroll diary. Months prior to the Oriental Archaeological Research Expedition, to the supposed location of Noah's Ark on top of Mount Ararat, two individuals expressed their interest in finding the supposed scroll diary in the possession of a masonic order, as it was said. Dr. Philip Gooch told the expedition leader, Aaron J. Smith, that the ancient diary gave details of the events leading up to the deluge. Dr. Gooch said these details about the scroll: "The diary was written by Noah's daughter-in-law. The author of the Journal called herself Amoela and she claims to have been a student of Methuselah. He taught her about the history that transpired from the creation of Adam to the deluge. Her youngest son Javan placed the completed scroll diary in his mother's tomb after she died in the 547th year of her life. The diary was placed in a crystal quartz case, with tempered gold hinges and clasps. The crystal case was then found by a high ranking Mason in the latter part of the nineteenth century. The original and the translation of the diary were stored in an unknown Masonic Lodge." Rene Noorbergen continues to say in his publication that after the death of Dr. Gooch the mystery of it ever being factual was lost forever. The most probable solution to this mystery is that passages of the novel "Seola" (1878) and of the novel "Angels and Women" (1924) spread between individuals, and portions of the novels became embellished and began to be thought of as fact around 1950.

1. Seola (Original Ms. Translated by Miss Ann Eliza [Brainerd] (later Mrs. J. G. Smith) and then published in 1878) Javan mentions her death at 800 years of age.

2. Aloma (re-published in 1924 as Angels and Women) Javan mentions her death at 500 years of age. [This was revised and published as ‘Angels and Women’ by the husband of Edith Brenisen at the request of the late C. T. Russell who realized that in addition to its internal content, it would enlighten those reading it with regard to the origin of spirit forces today.

3. Amoela (mentioned by Dr. Gooch, 1950) Javan mentions her death at 547 years of age.4. Angels and Women [SEOLA] revised and re-published 1997 by Jim Risoli.5. Angels and Women [SEOLA] re-revised 2000 by Jim Risoli.6. The Diary of Aloma [SEOLA] Revised and corrected 2001 by Alexander Winslow, now confirmed with original recently found on microfilm.

A first edition copy of "Seola" has been known to sell for over $3000 US Dollars. The 1924 revision of "Seola", entitled "Angels and Women" has been known to sell for over $400 US Dollars.

External links

* [http://books.google.com/books?id=VXhMAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA574&dq=Seola Good Company: Sunday Afternoon -a book review (on page 574) published in 1878]
* [http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/flood-myths.html#Chaldean Berosus Chaldean legend]
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/loj/index.htm Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg from the Haggada]
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01002.htm Hindu Legends of the Devas from the Mahabharata]
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/boe/ The Book of Enoch]
* [http://www.desy.de/gna/interpedia/greek_myth/creation.html Creation story of Greek mythology]
*Original Serpent (Lucifer) legend of Greek mythology
* [http://www.biblefacts.org/myth/amolea.html Amolea's diary mystery]
* [http://www.amazon.com/dp/1572581980 Secrets of the Lost Races by Rene Noorbergen]
* [http://catalog.loc.gov Library of Congress Catalog]