DoOUIJA BOARDS : THE TRUTH BEHIND A MOST DANGEROUS GAME.An Article by John Boyd .
D Ouija Boards . Is it really just a game or does it carry a dark secret . Are your friends just pushing the planchette or have you subconsciously tapped in to spirits bringing messages ? Ouija boards have been in use for many centuries and has even been the focus to spawn one of the most successful horror movies of all time The Exorcist .
One of the chief tools used in divination is the Ouija Board . Though Parker Brothers would suggest that this is merely a game used for entertainment purposes , this occultic tool leads to spiritual darkness . It is described as a board and pointer used for divination and by some as a means to contact spirits or entities . The name comes from the French and German words for "yes , " oui and ja . Critics of the Ouija , who include authorities in most denominations of Christianity, say it is dangerous and a tool of the Devil . Advocates say that it , like other forms of divination , is a legitimate means to discover insight , wisdom , and self - truths and to communicate with discarnate beings.
The board includes letters of the alphabet , numerals 0 through 9 , and the words "yes" "no," and goodbye . The planchette , a heart- shaped pointer on three felt - tipped legs , may contain a crystal in the middle to harness the spirit energy . One or two people place their fingertips on the pointer , which moves to answer questions . In most cases answers probably rise up from the subconsciousness of the users , even when " spirits " identify themselves and give messages . However , Ouija pointers have been known to fly off the board and spin out of control, as though being directed by unseen forces , and some users claim to be harassed by external agents contacted through the board .
Precursors to the Ouija date back to ancient times . In China before the birth of Confucius( 551 B.C.) , similar instruments were used to communicate with the dead . In Greece during the time of Pythagoras ( 540 B.C. ) divination was done with a table that moved on wheels to point to signs , which were interpreted as revelations from the " unseen world . " The rolling table was used through the nineteenth century . Other such devices were used by the ancient Romans as early as the third century A.D. , and in the thirteenth century by the Mongols . Some Native Americans used "squdilatc boards" to find missing objects and persons , and obtain spiritual information . In 1853 the planchette came into use in Europe . It consisted of a triangular or heart- shaped platform on three legs , one of which was a pencil . The medium or user moved the device over paper to draw pictures and spell out messages .
The Ouija enjoyed enormous popularity during and after World War I, when many people were desperate to communicate with loved ones killed in the war and Spiritualism was in a revival . In 1966 Fuld sold his patent to Parker Brothers game company of Beverly, Massachusetts . Interest in the Ouija picked up again in the 1960s and 1970s , along with renewed interest in the occult and supernatural .
It is a proven fact that over 65% of the worlds population has used a Ouija board once . Most use it as a party game after having a few alcoholic drinks trying to contact the Devil . By doing so they open themselves up to many spiritual dangers that normally would never occur . Some demonologists say the Ouija opens the door to possession by evil spirits .
While the Ouija board remains popular and is sold commercially as a " game , " it has been attacked both by critics of the occult and those within the occult community who consider it unsafe . Some mediums claim to have started with the board and " discovered " their psychic abilities as a result of using it .
The entity Seth , popularized by the writings of Jane Roberts in the 1960s and 1970s , initiated his communication with Roberts through a Ouija board . The communication then rapidly progressed to direct automatic writing with a pen and then into a trance mediumship in which Seth allegedly used Roberts' vocal cords to speak .
The Ouija also served as the initial means of communication with alleged spirits of the dead in 1913 for Pearl Curran and in 1919 for Stewart Edward White and his wife , Betty . The Whites spent 17 years studying Betty's mediumship with a group of discarnate beings who called themselves " the Invisibles . " After initial contact was made through the Ouija , Betty began using automatic writing and then trance mediumship , in which the spirits allegedly used her own vocal cords .
Ouija board , in occultism , is the device used for obtaining messages from the spirit world . It has been linked to a seance , a sitting organized for the purpose of receiving spirit communication or paranormal manifestations via the services of a medium . A seance is immediate and powerful , playing upon the sitters' sensibilities with a drama that no other occult reading can match . But to the initiated, the seance can open the doorway to a mysterious other world .
What is the church’s stand on the use of Ouija boards ? Have NOTHING to do with the occult or Spiritualism in any form . Do NOT dabble with what God has expressly forbidden . If you already own an Ouija board , remove it from your house and burn it publicly . Please WARN as many as you can about the Ouija board . This dangerous device not only can lead to demonic possession , but even eternal damnation in the lake of fire . The Ouija board , like other forms of divination , has been used in an attempt to contact the dead ( necromancy ) , which is clearly condemned by the Bible : This is how some first-century sorcerers treated their scrolls and thereby proved their repentance toward God :
A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls , the total came to fifty thousand drachmas . ( Acts 19 : 19 )
All other forms of sorcery are clearly denounced in Scripture as well. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars ; their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur . This is the second death . ( Rev. 21 : 8 )
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire , who practices divination or sorcery , interprets omens , engages in witchcraft , or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead . Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD , and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you . ( Deut. 18 : 10 - 14 )
Be assured, that for the many that are misinformed , the Ouija board will continue to be accepted as a mere game for entertainment purposes.
Do you know that a Ouija board lead to a real case of demonic possession ? It was such a compelling story that it actually spawned a movie that still conjures images in people minds in our present time?
To this day The Exorcist stands as one of the most horrifying movies ever made , a legendary cinematic venture that graphically portrays an epic struggle between human lives and demonic forces . Adapted from William Peter Blatty’s best-selling 1971 novel of the same name , the film was released by Warner Brothers on December 26, 1973 and immediately played to packed movie theaters across the country . The ensuing media blitz focused its attention on both the movie’s hard - to -stomach scenes that depicted a child possessed by the Devil , and the fact that author Blatty had based the story on a supposedly real event that took place in the Washington , D.C. area back in 1949 . The film was nominated in 1974 for ten Academy Awards ( including Best Picture ) and was the recipient of two : “Best Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium - William Peter Blatty , and “Best Sound - Robert Knudson and Chris Newman . The Exorcist has retained a faithful following since its debut and to date has grossed over $165 million ( making it the thirteenth top grossing film of all time ) , with video sales and rentals still bringing home healthy sums .
The movie tells the harrowing tale of diabolically possessed 12 year old Regan MacNeil and the ensuing battle waged by her mother Chris MacNeil , Father Karras and the exorcist Father Merrin to free her soul from the Devil’s grasp . The movie , set in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C ., deservedly achieved its widespread notoriety for its gut- wrenching scenes of Regan’s colorful exhibitions . She vomits , curses , spins her head around and commits various grotesque acts of blasphemy . Mixed in with her ill- mannered behavior are healthy doses of sensational levitation and additional special effects designed to send the weak- at- heart heading for the exits . While critics acknowledged the film’s box- office power , reviews seemed equally divided between those who loved the movie and those who hated it . The Exorcist is a disturbing film that leaves its audience pained , drained , and entertained .
The most interesting aspect of this work is that Blatty tells of a letter he composed to the priest who conducted the actual 1949 exorcism . Blatty prints a censored version of the exorcist’s response , revealing for the first time the existence of a diary kept by an attending priest that recorded the daily events of the ongoing exorcism . Blatty writes that he requested to see the diary but the exorcist declined . Blatty decided to ease the exorcist’s anxiety and change the lead character from a 14 year old boy to that of a 12 year old girl . In this book Blatty goes on to mention that five copies of the diary were known to exist at that time : two were in the possession of people who watched over the boy ; copies were in the archives of two separate archdioceses ; and one was in the files of an unnamed public city hospital where the boy had stayed . It has since been determined that there are several other copies floating around out there among private collectors . Blatty maintains that he did indeed eventually read the diary and based much of his book and movie on that material , though he does not reveal how he came upon his copy .
The Exorcist is truly a modern- day cultural phenomenon . A best selling novel , one of the highest grossing movies of all time , and today a household word that instantly generates dark images of uncontrollable horror . The Exorcist has fostered an underground cult following that continues to embrace and attempts to trace the story’s macabre origins .
William Peter Blatty was a student of Gallagher’s at the time and repeatedly asked his teacher for a copy of the diary . In the spring of 1950 Father Gallagher loaned the diary to then Georgetown University dean Father Brian McGrath . When Father Gallagher attempted to retrieve the diary , he was told by Father McGrath’s secretary that only nine carbon pages remained .
Titled " Case Study by Jesuit Priests , " the diary begins by supplying background information on “Roland Doe (born 6-1-35 ) , son of “Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Doe ( obvious pseudonyms ) . It states that the family lives in a middle- class Washington suburban development .
January 15, 1949 - A dripping noise was heard in his grandmother’s bedroom by the boy and his grandmother . A picture of Christ on the wall shook and scratching noises were heard under the floor boards . From that night on scratching was heard every night from 7 PM until midnight . This continued for ten consecutive days . After three days of silence , the boy heard night time squeaking shoes on his bed that continued for six consecutive nights .
January 26, 1949 - " Aunt Tillie " , who had a deep interest in spiritualism and had introduced Roland to the Ouija Board , died of multiple sclerosis at the age of 54 . Mrs. Doe suspected there may have been some connection between her death and the seemingly strange events that continued to take place . At one point during the manifestations Mrs. Doe asked , " If you are Tillie , knock three times . ” Waves of air began striking the grandmother , Mrs. Doe , and Roland and three knocks were heard on the floor . Mrs. Doe again queried , " If you are Tillie , tell me positively by knocking four times . ” Four knocks were heard , followed by claw scratchings on Roland’s mattress . (At various points throughout this ordeal Mrs. Doe would attempt to verbally communicate with Aunt Tillie , apparently alternating her beliefs that the problems with her son were either the work of the Devil or their departed relative . )
February 17, 1949 - On this night a local Lutheran minister named Reverend Shultz arranged to have the boy spend the night at his parsonage . Roland arrived at 9:20 PM and stayed until 9:20 AM the next morning . The Reverend reportedly heard scratching noises , and witnessed the following : bed vibrations ; a chair in which Roland sat tipping over ; and the movement of a pallet of blankets upon which Roland sat .
February 26, 1949 - Beginning on this night scratches or markings appeared on the boy’s body for four consecutive nights . After the fourth night words began to appear and seemed to be scratched on by claws . (The diary indicates that at this point only Mrs. Doe was present when the markings occurred . ) Father Albert Hughes of St. James Catholic Church in Mount Rainier was consulted . Hughes suggested the family use blessed candles , holy water , and special prayers . Mrs. Doe claims that she was using the blessed candles when a comb flew across the room and extinguished them . At different times fruit flew across the room , a kitchen table turned over , milk and food moved off a table , a coat and its hanger flew across the room , a Bible landed at Roland’s feet, and a rocker in which Roland sat spun around . Roland was removed from school because his desk moved around on the schoolroom floor .
The diary is quoted as saying that at one point Mrs. Doe took a bottle of holy water and sprinkled it throughout the house . When she placed the bottle on a shelf it flew across the room on its own but did not break . One night she held a lighted candle alongside Roland and the whole bed , Mrs. Doe , and Roland all began moving back and forth in unison . Attempts were made to baptize Roland Doe . It is said he responded with rage and a three and a half day stay at Georgetown University Hospital is mentioned . The events continued when the boy was taken to Normandy , Missouri , during the first week of March 1949 . Various relatives in Missouri were said to have witnessed the skin brandings .
March 9, 1949 - Father Raymond J. Bishop , of St. Louis University was called in ( for the first time ) and witnessed the scratching of the boy’s body and the motion of the mattress .
March 11, 1949 - Father Bowdern (described as being pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church) arrived on the scene. After Roland retired at 11 PM , Father Bowdern read the Novena prayer of St. Francis Xavier , blessed the boy with a relic ( a piece of bone from the forearm of St. Francis Xavier ) , and fixed a relic- encrusted crucifix under the boy’s pillow . The relatives left and Father Bowdern and Father Bishop departed . Soon afterward , a loud noise was heard in Roland’s room and five relatives rushed to the scene . They reportedly found that a large book case had moved about , a bench had been turned over , and the crucifix had been moved to the edge of the bed . The shaking of Roland’s mattress came to a halt only after the relatives yelled " Aunt Tillie ,stop! "
March 16, 1949 - Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter gave Father Bowdern permission to begin the formal rite of exorcism . That night , accompanied by Father Bishop and a Jesuit scholastic ( later revealed to be Walter Halloran ) , Father Bowdern began reciting the ritual prayers of exorcism .
Throughout March and into April , Roland was confusingly moved back and forth between the home of his aunt in Normandy, Missouri , a nearby rectory , and Alexian Brothers Hospital in South St. Louis . The rite was an ongoing process . Instructions in the ritual command the exorcist to “pronounce the exorcism in a commanding and authoritative voice . The Roman Ritual of Christian Exorcism reads : " I cast thee out , thou unclean spirit , along with the least encroachment of the wicked enemy and every phantom and diabolical legion . In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ , depart and vanish from this creature of God . "
Markings appeared on Roland’s body as these proceedings continued and of the boy’s usual bad habits : outbursts featuring excessive cursing , vomiting , urinating and the use of Latin phrases. On one occasion Roland got his hand on a bedspring , broke it , and jabbed it into a priest’s arm . Another time during a round of prayers after Roland had been instructed into the Catholic faith and had received his first holy communion , a six inch portrait of the Devil with its hands held above its head , webs stretching from its hands , and horns protruding from its head appeared in deep red on the boy’s calf . Later , Roland was transported back to Maryland for a short- lived visit and on one of the train rides he became maniacal , striking Father Bowdern in the testicles and yelling, " That’s a nutcracker for you, isn’t it? "
April 18, 1949 - As the night time ritual continued , Father Bowdern forced Roland to wear a chain of medals and hold a crucifix in his hands . Roland’s demeanor changed and he calmly asked questions about the meanings of certain Latin prayers . Bowdern continued the ritual , demanding to know who the demon was and when he would depart . Roland responded with a tantrum and screamed that he was one of the fallen angels . Bowdern kept reciting until 11:00 PM when Roland interrupted . In a new masculine voice Roland said, " Satan ! Satan ! I am St. Michael ! I command you, Satan , and the other evil spirits to leave this body , in the name of Dominus, immediately ! Now ! Now ! Now ! " Roland had one last spasm before falling quiet . “" He is gone, " Roland pronounced , later telling Bowdern he had had a vision of St. Michael holding a flaming sword . Twelve days later he left Missouri and returned to Maryland .
Where do I stand on the subject of Ouija Boards ? I have used one before but that was a long time ago when I was young an foolish . I tell anybody I know don’t mess with something you don’t know about . If people actually took the time to do the research on Ouija boards they wouldn’t want to touch the thing . I know that people will say Johnathon your just trying to scare us ? My response to that is I don’t need to . The Ouija board will do it all on it’s own . A dangerous game played by unsuspecting victims .
What fascinates us about the Ouija board ? Is it being able to contact spirits for proof of life after death ? Is it a need to know if the thing really works or not ? Or , is it a something much more dark and sinister ? I leave it to you to make up your own mind .
One of the chief tools used in divination is the Ouija Board . Though Parker Brothers would suggest that this is merely a game used for entertainment purposes , this occultic tool leads to spiritual darkness . It is described as a board and pointer used for divination and by some as a means to contact spirits or entities . The name comes from the French and German words for "yes , " oui and ja . Critics of the Ouija , who include authorities in most denominations of Christianity, say it is dangerous and a tool of the Devil . Advocates say that it , like other forms of divination , is a legitimate means to discover insight , wisdom , and self - truths and to communicate with discarnate beings.
The board includes letters of the alphabet , numerals 0 through 9 , and the words "yes" "no," and goodbye . The planchette , a heart- shaped pointer on three felt - tipped legs , may contain a crystal in the middle to harness the spirit energy . One or two people place their fingertips on the pointer , which moves to answer questions . In most cases answers probably rise up from the subconsciousness of the users , even when " spirits " identify themselves and give messages . However , Ouija pointers have been known to fly off the board and spin out of control, as though being directed by unseen forces , and some users claim to be harassed by external agents contacted through the board .
Precursors to the Ouija date back to ancient times . In China before the birth of Confucius( 551 B.C.) , similar instruments were used to communicate with the dead . In Greece during the time of Pythagoras ( 540 B.C. ) divination was done with a table that moved on wheels to point to signs , which were interpreted as revelations from the " unseen world . " The rolling table was used through the nineteenth century . Other such devices were used by the ancient Romans as early as the third century A.D. , and in the thirteenth century by the Mongols . Some Native Americans used "squdilatc boards" to find missing objects and persons , and obtain spiritual information . In 1853 the planchette came into use in Europe . It consisted of a triangular or heart- shaped platform on three legs , one of which was a pencil . The medium or user moved the device over paper to draw pictures and spell out messages .
The Ouija enjoyed enormous popularity during and after World War I, when many people were desperate to communicate with loved ones killed in the war and Spiritualism was in a revival . In 1966 Fuld sold his patent to Parker Brothers game company of Beverly, Massachusetts . Interest in the Ouija picked up again in the 1960s and 1970s , along with renewed interest in the occult and supernatural .
It is a proven fact that over 65% of the worlds population has used a Ouija board once . Most use it as a party game after having a few alcoholic drinks trying to contact the Devil . By doing so they open themselves up to many spiritual dangers that normally would never occur . Some demonologists say the Ouija opens the door to possession by evil spirits .
While the Ouija board remains popular and is sold commercially as a " game , " it has been attacked both by critics of the occult and those within the occult community who consider it unsafe . Some mediums claim to have started with the board and " discovered " their psychic abilities as a result of using it .
The entity Seth , popularized by the writings of Jane Roberts in the 1960s and 1970s , initiated his communication with Roberts through a Ouija board . The communication then rapidly progressed to direct automatic writing with a pen and then into a trance mediumship in which Seth allegedly used Roberts' vocal cords to speak .
The Ouija also served as the initial means of communication with alleged spirits of the dead in 1913 for Pearl Curran and in 1919 for Stewart Edward White and his wife , Betty . The Whites spent 17 years studying Betty's mediumship with a group of discarnate beings who called themselves " the Invisibles . " After initial contact was made through the Ouija , Betty began using automatic writing and then trance mediumship , in which the spirits allegedly used her own vocal cords .
Ouija board , in occultism , is the device used for obtaining messages from the spirit world . It has been linked to a seance , a sitting organized for the purpose of receiving spirit communication or paranormal manifestations via the services of a medium . A seance is immediate and powerful , playing upon the sitters' sensibilities with a drama that no other occult reading can match . But to the initiated, the seance can open the doorway to a mysterious other world .
What is the church’s stand on the use of Ouija boards ? Have NOTHING to do with the occult or Spiritualism in any form . Do NOT dabble with what God has expressly forbidden . If you already own an Ouija board , remove it from your house and burn it publicly . Please WARN as many as you can about the Ouija board . This dangerous device not only can lead to demonic possession , but even eternal damnation in the lake of fire . The Ouija board , like other forms of divination , has been used in an attempt to contact the dead ( necromancy ) , which is clearly condemned by the Bible : This is how some first-century sorcerers treated their scrolls and thereby proved their repentance toward God :
A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls , the total came to fifty thousand drachmas . ( Acts 19 : 19 )
All other forms of sorcery are clearly denounced in Scripture as well. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars ; their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur . This is the second death . ( Rev. 21 : 8 )
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire , who practices divination or sorcery , interprets omens , engages in witchcraft , or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead . Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD , and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you . ( Deut. 18 : 10 - 14 )
Be assured, that for the many that are misinformed , the Ouija board will continue to be accepted as a mere game for entertainment purposes.
Do you know that a Ouija board lead to a real case of demonic possession ? It was such a compelling story that it actually spawned a movie that still conjures images in people minds in our present time?
To this day The Exorcist stands as one of the most horrifying movies ever made , a legendary cinematic venture that graphically portrays an epic struggle between human lives and demonic forces . Adapted from William Peter Blatty’s best-selling 1971 novel of the same name , the film was released by Warner Brothers on December 26, 1973 and immediately played to packed movie theaters across the country . The ensuing media blitz focused its attention on both the movie’s hard - to -stomach scenes that depicted a child possessed by the Devil , and the fact that author Blatty had based the story on a supposedly real event that took place in the Washington , D.C. area back in 1949 . The film was nominated in 1974 for ten Academy Awards ( including Best Picture ) and was the recipient of two : “Best Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium - William Peter Blatty , and “Best Sound - Robert Knudson and Chris Newman . The Exorcist has retained a faithful following since its debut and to date has grossed over $165 million ( making it the thirteenth top grossing film of all time ) , with video sales and rentals still bringing home healthy sums .
The movie tells the harrowing tale of diabolically possessed 12 year old Regan MacNeil and the ensuing battle waged by her mother Chris MacNeil , Father Karras and the exorcist Father Merrin to free her soul from the Devil’s grasp . The movie , set in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C ., deservedly achieved its widespread notoriety for its gut- wrenching scenes of Regan’s colorful exhibitions . She vomits , curses , spins her head around and commits various grotesque acts of blasphemy . Mixed in with her ill- mannered behavior are healthy doses of sensational levitation and additional special effects designed to send the weak- at- heart heading for the exits . While critics acknowledged the film’s box- office power , reviews seemed equally divided between those who loved the movie and those who hated it . The Exorcist is a disturbing film that leaves its audience pained , drained , and entertained .
The most interesting aspect of this work is that Blatty tells of a letter he composed to the priest who conducted the actual 1949 exorcism . Blatty prints a censored version of the exorcist’s response , revealing for the first time the existence of a diary kept by an attending priest that recorded the daily events of the ongoing exorcism . Blatty writes that he requested to see the diary but the exorcist declined . Blatty decided to ease the exorcist’s anxiety and change the lead character from a 14 year old boy to that of a 12 year old girl . In this book Blatty goes on to mention that five copies of the diary were known to exist at that time : two were in the possession of people who watched over the boy ; copies were in the archives of two separate archdioceses ; and one was in the files of an unnamed public city hospital where the boy had stayed . It has since been determined that there are several other copies floating around out there among private collectors . Blatty maintains that he did indeed eventually read the diary and based much of his book and movie on that material , though he does not reveal how he came upon his copy .
The Exorcist is truly a modern- day cultural phenomenon . A best selling novel , one of the highest grossing movies of all time , and today a household word that instantly generates dark images of uncontrollable horror . The Exorcist has fostered an underground cult following that continues to embrace and attempts to trace the story’s macabre origins .
William Peter Blatty was a student of Gallagher’s at the time and repeatedly asked his teacher for a copy of the diary . In the spring of 1950 Father Gallagher loaned the diary to then Georgetown University dean Father Brian McGrath . When Father Gallagher attempted to retrieve the diary , he was told by Father McGrath’s secretary that only nine carbon pages remained .
Titled " Case Study by Jesuit Priests , " the diary begins by supplying background information on “Roland Doe (born 6-1-35 ) , son of “Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Doe ( obvious pseudonyms ) . It states that the family lives in a middle- class Washington suburban development .
January 15, 1949 - A dripping noise was heard in his grandmother’s bedroom by the boy and his grandmother . A picture of Christ on the wall shook and scratching noises were heard under the floor boards . From that night on scratching was heard every night from 7 PM until midnight . This continued for ten consecutive days . After three days of silence , the boy heard night time squeaking shoes on his bed that continued for six consecutive nights .
January 26, 1949 - " Aunt Tillie " , who had a deep interest in spiritualism and had introduced Roland to the Ouija Board , died of multiple sclerosis at the age of 54 . Mrs. Doe suspected there may have been some connection between her death and the seemingly strange events that continued to take place . At one point during the manifestations Mrs. Doe asked , " If you are Tillie , knock three times . ” Waves of air began striking the grandmother , Mrs. Doe , and Roland and three knocks were heard on the floor . Mrs. Doe again queried , " If you are Tillie , tell me positively by knocking four times . ” Four knocks were heard , followed by claw scratchings on Roland’s mattress . (At various points throughout this ordeal Mrs. Doe would attempt to verbally communicate with Aunt Tillie , apparently alternating her beliefs that the problems with her son were either the work of the Devil or their departed relative . )
February 17, 1949 - On this night a local Lutheran minister named Reverend Shultz arranged to have the boy spend the night at his parsonage . Roland arrived at 9:20 PM and stayed until 9:20 AM the next morning . The Reverend reportedly heard scratching noises , and witnessed the following : bed vibrations ; a chair in which Roland sat tipping over ; and the movement of a pallet of blankets upon which Roland sat .
February 26, 1949 - Beginning on this night scratches or markings appeared on the boy’s body for four consecutive nights . After the fourth night words began to appear and seemed to be scratched on by claws . (The diary indicates that at this point only Mrs. Doe was present when the markings occurred . ) Father Albert Hughes of St. James Catholic Church in Mount Rainier was consulted . Hughes suggested the family use blessed candles , holy water , and special prayers . Mrs. Doe claims that she was using the blessed candles when a comb flew across the room and extinguished them . At different times fruit flew across the room , a kitchen table turned over , milk and food moved off a table , a coat and its hanger flew across the room , a Bible landed at Roland’s feet, and a rocker in which Roland sat spun around . Roland was removed from school because his desk moved around on the schoolroom floor .
The diary is quoted as saying that at one point Mrs. Doe took a bottle of holy water and sprinkled it throughout the house . When she placed the bottle on a shelf it flew across the room on its own but did not break . One night she held a lighted candle alongside Roland and the whole bed , Mrs. Doe , and Roland all began moving back and forth in unison . Attempts were made to baptize Roland Doe . It is said he responded with rage and a three and a half day stay at Georgetown University Hospital is mentioned . The events continued when the boy was taken to Normandy , Missouri , during the first week of March 1949 . Various relatives in Missouri were said to have witnessed the skin brandings .
March 9, 1949 - Father Raymond J. Bishop , of St. Louis University was called in ( for the first time ) and witnessed the scratching of the boy’s body and the motion of the mattress .
March 11, 1949 - Father Bowdern (described as being pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church) arrived on the scene. After Roland retired at 11 PM , Father Bowdern read the Novena prayer of St. Francis Xavier , blessed the boy with a relic ( a piece of bone from the forearm of St. Francis Xavier ) , and fixed a relic- encrusted crucifix under the boy’s pillow . The relatives left and Father Bowdern and Father Bishop departed . Soon afterward , a loud noise was heard in Roland’s room and five relatives rushed to the scene . They reportedly found that a large book case had moved about , a bench had been turned over , and the crucifix had been moved to the edge of the bed . The shaking of Roland’s mattress came to a halt only after the relatives yelled " Aunt Tillie ,stop! "
March 16, 1949 - Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter gave Father Bowdern permission to begin the formal rite of exorcism . That night , accompanied by Father Bishop and a Jesuit scholastic ( later revealed to be Walter Halloran ) , Father Bowdern began reciting the ritual prayers of exorcism .
Throughout March and into April , Roland was confusingly moved back and forth between the home of his aunt in Normandy, Missouri , a nearby rectory , and Alexian Brothers Hospital in South St. Louis . The rite was an ongoing process . Instructions in the ritual command the exorcist to “pronounce the exorcism in a commanding and authoritative voice . The Roman Ritual of Christian Exorcism reads : " I cast thee out , thou unclean spirit , along with the least encroachment of the wicked enemy and every phantom and diabolical legion . In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ , depart and vanish from this creature of God . "
Markings appeared on Roland’s body as these proceedings continued and of the boy’s usual bad habits : outbursts featuring excessive cursing , vomiting , urinating and the use of Latin phrases. On one occasion Roland got his hand on a bedspring , broke it , and jabbed it into a priest’s arm . Another time during a round of prayers after Roland had been instructed into the Catholic faith and had received his first holy communion , a six inch portrait of the Devil with its hands held above its head , webs stretching from its hands , and horns protruding from its head appeared in deep red on the boy’s calf . Later , Roland was transported back to Maryland for a short- lived visit and on one of the train rides he became maniacal , striking Father Bowdern in the testicles and yelling, " That’s a nutcracker for you, isn’t it? "
April 18, 1949 - As the night time ritual continued , Father Bowdern forced Roland to wear a chain of medals and hold a crucifix in his hands . Roland’s demeanor changed and he calmly asked questions about the meanings of certain Latin prayers . Bowdern continued the ritual , demanding to know who the demon was and when he would depart . Roland responded with a tantrum and screamed that he was one of the fallen angels . Bowdern kept reciting until 11:00 PM when Roland interrupted . In a new masculine voice Roland said, " Satan ! Satan ! I am St. Michael ! I command you, Satan , and the other evil spirits to leave this body , in the name of Dominus, immediately ! Now ! Now ! Now ! " Roland had one last spasm before falling quiet . “" He is gone, " Roland pronounced , later telling Bowdern he had had a vision of St. Michael holding a flaming sword . Twelve days later he left Missouri and returned to Maryland .
Where do I stand on the subject of Ouija Boards ? I have used one before but that was a long time ago when I was young an foolish . I tell anybody I know don’t mess with something you don’t know about . If people actually took the time to do the research on Ouija boards they wouldn’t want to touch the thing . I know that people will say Johnathon your just trying to scare us ? My response to that is I don’t need to . The Ouija board will do it all on it’s own . A dangerous game played by unsuspecting victims .
What fascinates us about the Ouija board ? Is it being able to contact spirits for proof of life after death ? Is it a need to know if the thing really works or not ? Or , is it a something much more dark and sinister ? I leave it to you to make up your own mind .
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