Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-08-11
OHIO MORMONISM OUTDONE.
E.o,p the Rurlin gton Sentinel.


Mou,ox,su VERMoNr.--Mr. John Stewart,
rs Raker6.ld. nut an end to his existence, May
10, BY hanging himself On tree. lhe cause Vi
this dreadful deed was the following:
About two years ago. man by the name OF
Davidson came into this vicinity, pretending to
be endowed with the Holy Spirit, and to be IN
spired of God to prophesy of things to come
He is disciple, be tells US, of Diks, who has
toured in the State of Ohio for three or four years
mast. Davidson pretends that Dilks has Almgh-
~ mower and is God himself. He has gained
quite number of proselytes in the town OF Ba-
kers6eld, Fairfax and Fairfield. He wears his
hair long. and pretends to great deal of piety:
He breaches that Jesus Christ is woman and
quite inferior to Dilks-that The Millennium is to
take place in 1882 Philadelphia is the place
designated where Diiks is to assemble his follow
ers. and then the rest Of mankind are to be swept
from the face of the earth, and Dilks and his fol-
lowers are to inherit their possessions
This Davidson has got about thirty disciples
in the east part of Fairfield and in the west part
of Bakersfield. They meet together every Sab.
bath, and carry on in manner most shocking TO
human feelings. They roll naked on the fioor,
both men and women, and commit other sins too
revolving to be mentioned. But this is but fcint
picture of their shameful conduct. Modesty
forbids tina, Ishouid utter the whole. Afew days
since they pretended to cruelty woman, and
put her in a box and began to pray over her in
order to raise her from the dead, but being wear-
led with lying shut up in close box, she finally
came forth with her own accord before they IN
tended.
They have a woman among them ~ the name
OF Thompson, who preends now that she is Je-
sus Christ, and baptises Davidson's followers. -
She sprinkes them in the first place, with flour.
The rest of the ceremony will omit for modesty's
sake. She performs her baptism, however, in the
name of the holy trinity. A man, who once re-
presented the town of Fairfax in our general as
sembly, understand, was baptised by this woman
at the house of man by the name of Gardner, IN
Fairfield. -Gardner's house is the place Of theiI
resort.
The man who hanged himse was threatened
by Mrs. Thompson that unless he immedately
ubeyed Rer commands should be sent forthwith
to hel-fre! She had made him swear by the liv.
ing God, on his knees, that he would be true to the
prophet Davidson and his people, and do what
ever he was required to do BY him or herself She
then required of him things too horrd and
indecent to be named. The poor simple man
went to his home and put period to his life.
1t is thought by many judicious persons that
Randall of franklin, who murdered his family a
short time since, was deudcd into that atrocious
act by believing Davidson's doctrine. He was
one of his disciples, in part, at least.
There is another man among them that is be.
ginning to be crazy. believe the whole of it
is the work of the evil one, and that Davidson goes
about and teaches only for the sake Of doing all
the harEl he can to religion.
Immediately after Stewart hanged himself, Sc
veral men agreed to tar and feather Davidson. -
One of the men NTH several lads went to Gard
ner's with their apparatus for tarring, and found
Davidson delivering lecture. waited a
while for others to help them. But no one came,
the man entered the room and dragged out Da-
wilson, and the boys applied the tar. The 9TH
ers undertook to rescue Davidson, but shared the
same fate. The tar was faithfully applied to all
their pates in turn. A man from Colchester, fed
to the chamber, but was pursued to his retreat
and was spared by beins very penitent, and pro-
missing that he would not be seen in Fairfield
again.
have just been conversng with gentleman
of undOubted veracIty, who informs me that he
has been present and saw with his own. eyes a
man get down and kiss the floor at the command
of Mrs. Thompson-and says that this is but a
faint picture. that have given above of the base
conduct of Davidson and bis followers
Fairfield, June :, 1851.
The Nary-There are now the remnants of
three COmmodores streaming to the breeze in our
waters, viz: the blaze Of Commodore Chauncy,