The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-09-09 00:00:00

A PRETENDED MESSIAH AT
NUNAWADING.

The Melbourne papers report the disclosure of a remark•
able ease of emigious imposture, occurring ill the agricul-
tural district of Nunawading, about thirtien miles from
Meamurne, which culminated in the impostor prutentled
Messiali—being prosecuted for obtaining 1110111 y 11,111 one Of
lds dupes, himself the catspaw of a rival Messiah. The
A r gum says :
" We live long had among its a small religious com-
munity knewn as 'Christian Israelites,' foundesl by
one John Wroe, who pretended to be isrophetic anal poo.
sessed of pseudo-divine powers, which latter were some-
what less credited when in 1863 he paid thedebt of all
flesh, arid disappointed those who believed in his immor-
talky. The doctrines he taught were in effect that the
second advent, when (lod's promises to Israel would
be fuliilled, was at hand. To this end it was neces-
sary that there should be a great 'ingathering of
Israel,' viz.' of the lost ten tribes who had miscege-
meted with the Gentiles. These conk", only be got
together by the operation of the Divine Spirit 'Wow
the hearts of His chosen instruments in the work of
collection. Consearently, the Christian Israelites
claim to Inc those whom spiritual revelations have
shown to be of the seed of Abraham, and their
leaders indulge in spiritual visitations, trances,
visions, and the interpretation of dreams. Laughable
8.4 it may seem, some of these impostors actually
profess that they can perform miracles anal heal
diseases, which pretensions they support by the film.
siest testimony. As to healimf diseases, they have,
it merman, Willa out how ea.sy it is to say `Be thou
healed,' and if the event does not come off, to have an
oppiortune vision which satisfactorily explains the
failure. Scandal has !minted to darker practices by
this sect —to obscene rights anal systematic conculii-
nage ; but these things have not been made quite clear.
About the time John Wroe was dying,. one Fisher, a
fanner and charcoal burner at Nunawasling, hid elaim
to be regarded as his succesaor, arid offered proof
of his having been divinely chosen and spiritually
influenced. He went on far as to bring witnesses
ready to testify that by his command a hot wind
hadchanged into a cool one, hut the moribund prophet
declines' to receive them, and Fisher was refused
even an audience. He then returned to Nunawadiug,
where he was surrounded by is few believers in him as
divinely inspired. Having failed in getting himself ac-
knowledged by tine larger sect of Wroeites, he devoted
Wilma( with the more ardour to his little Hoek, which
was dubbed Hie Church of the Firstbona,' and whose
doctrlia a were similar to those if the Christian Israel-
ites. Shortly after Wroe's death one of his followers,
muned Bignell, who had also set up to Inc Wroe's suc-
cessor, but whom that confraternity failed to recognise,
went over to Fisher, and became a preacher under
him. Another such fareacher was one Andrew 'Wilson,
whose intellectual power and capacity for imposture
were by TM means equal to those of the other two.
Almost all the members if both these sects( belong
to the ignorant classes ; Fisher is utterly illiterate,
aud liignell and MINIM not much better. Squabbles
Bignell laid claim to powers incompatible with
Fisher's supremacy, and upon the latter failing t • cure
one of Wilison's children, which persisted in dying,
the father began to doubt whether his patron was
really (*lariat, for it seems plain, in spite of subsequent
denials, that Fisher used to tell the more foolish of
his believers that he was possessed of the spirit of
Jesus Christ in a literal sense. Wilson addressed
Fisher in letters as most revd. and holey lord,' while
Fisher claimed to have struck down his mother-in-law
(who dirt of a paralytic stroke) for want of faith in him.
At last llignnchl made up his plans to try awl depuee
.Fisher, and eventually induced Wilson to aid him to a
certain extent. Then scandals began to go abroad.
Fisher was declared to be living in concubmage with
his wife's sisters, with having childretrby each interns,
and with justifying such conduct by declariog himself
' David, King of Israel,' and entitied to similar ()del.
loges in respect to concubines. Whether these semi-
sations are supported by evidence has not yet been
shown, nor that Figher is truthful in recriminating
that Biaxial and Wilson hall both been disgraced
and exconuurnicatr,l by tic, 'Church of Ow
ha. tuu,lwriug with ladies,' and illeiltl-
sisteany' (which is the church jargon fir Mem.
tinimcy•). The Ii iii isieji came wlnol, C vowelle to
expose Fisher, Wilson summoned him to the OA:high
Police-court. Then the old at. if imposture and
credulity came out in all its sickening, detail:4, but of
course the court could only deal with the homey part
of the trunactions, et, the scandals about the women
were not put into a much more defined state than before.
011 e statement made on oath by Wilson was to the effect

.... .
that after his child died,. 1;t1 he and his wife were in
great trreible, and expressed their dissatisfaction wi th the
many reasons Fisher gave f friars failure. To console Mrs.
Fisher told her thip.t she should have another
child in which should dwell the spirit of the chill de-
parted. To quote his wools, PiTher promised that ` a
temple of human would be raised for that chilrs
But this conflitiouwas attached to the promise, viz., that
Wilson's want of faith rendered hinx unfit to be the
father of the new child, and thus the 'temple of
human' must be raised up by himself (Fisher) and Mrs.
Wilson. However, the specific charge against Fisher
broke down utterly. He had received 'offerings'
from Wilson, it was true, but there were cross
accounts between the tv.m, for Wilson had had
money from Fisher for which he never accormted.
Besides, as the magistrate said, the law could not
protect such fords as Wilson, who gave the money
voluntarily, believing that Fishier WAS the Wrist, al-
though he could adduce no clear proof that Fisher even
clearly represented himself as ( *heist. In fact, Fisher
denies now having ever set up any Divine pretensions.
At all events, the case was dismissed, and the exposure
was complete, notwithstanding which the ' I hurch of
the Firstborn' and the community of 'Christian
Israelites' continue to prosper, while the Protestant
Chriatians imong us are continually besought to sand
more missamaries to the heathen in foreign lands."