PT 1976, Page 21

In all siftings Satan is the real, behind-the-scenes sifter—the one who originates, initiates and carries on persistently the sifting activity (Luke 22: 31; 1 Pet. 5: 8). He uses as his visible agents those who are the most suitable to his purposes and who succumb to his temptations, who are pliable in his hand and do not sufficiently resist him to hinder his use of them in pertinent respects (James 4: 7; Eph. 4: 27).

Ever since Bro. Russell passed beyond the veil, in 1916, Satan has used a variety of methods in his efforts to ensnare God's Parousia-enlightened people. For example, he appealed convincingly to some of these brethren to reject the post-1916 Truth, by claiming that after 1916 there was to be little or no advancing Truth—that the door of entrance into the High Calling was not closed in the Fall of 1914 but remained open, that the Epiphany, or Apocalypse, as a period did not then begin, that no Youthful Worthy class was being developed (including post-1914 consecrators), etc...