Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-10-09

"hose name 30 often appears IN the statement,
We have known from his boyhood--a most
amiable and excellent man. True he has
been under an awful delusion, but we never
theless believe him to be good man.
From the New,"k J"u u Of of,omm-rec.
MATTHEWS, alias MATTHIAS. THE Impos-
T"R. a few days ago there appeared in this
paper, an account OF the arrest Of this fellow
at Albany, under charge of theft or cmbez-
element. The following is detail Of the oc-
currences which caused il, and which exhibit
perhaps one Of the most extraordinary INSTALL
ces Of itnposture on the one side, and delu-
sion on the other, that has ever been made
public.
For a considerable period, prior to the
year lo;f2, MIR. Bcnlamin Folger, Of this city,
was on terms Of the most intimate friendship
with Mr.. Elijah Pierson, also Of this city,
whose piety and good sense he highly re-
spected and esteemed. A short time pre-
vious to the period adverted to, Matthews had
announced to Mr.. Pierson tina. he (Matthe ws)
"was the spirit oftruth, that the spirit of truth
had disappeared from the earth at the death
Of the Matthias mentioned in the New Tes-
lament, that the spirit of Jesus Christ had en-.
tered into that Matthias, and that he (the
fellow now in Albany Prson) was the same
Matthias, the apostle of the New Testament,
who had risen from the dead and possessed
the spirit Of Jesus of Nazareth. That he (Jc-
sus CHRISTI at this second appearance, was
God the Father, and that he (Matthews) was
himself God the Father, and had power to do
all thlngs-to forgive sins, and communicate
the Holy Ghost to such as believed in him?
The above tissue of blasphemy and absur-
dty was, strange to say, believed by Mr..
Pierson, and regarding Matthews as the char
acter he represented himself, he respected
him accordingly, and took him into his house
to reside with him.
In the month of September, 1892, Mr.Pier-
son introduced Mr.. Folger to Mr.. Matthews,
and at the same time informed him, who and
what Matthews announced himself to be, and
also of his (Pierson's) implicit belief in the
truth of Matthews divine attributes. Mat
thews having thus become acquainted with
Mr.. FOlgcr, lost no time in endeavoring to in
crease the number of his dupcs, and repeat
edly called at Mr. Folger's counting house to
announce his divine mission, and strOve to
convert Mr.. Folger To belief Of it. On one
occasion he said to Mr.. Folger, 81 know the
end of all things" and then made use of the
following mode of illustrating his asse rton:-
Taking up piece of paper, he placed it in q
drawer, so that one end Of the paper remain
ed outside of the drawer, and then said to
Mr.. Folger, "You can see but one end of the
paper, which is outside the drawer and SO the
world sees: but ] see the whole length of it:
see the end"
He succeeded in impressing Mr.. Folger
and few others, with firm belief that he
was the Prophet he pretended to be, and I,av-
ing gained this point he then began to exc
cute the true mission he came upon, and in
formed Mr.. Folgcr that he was very poor,
and in want of money that the world perse-
cuted him, and it was instigated to do so by
the devil, because there was no truth now in
the world, except in him (Matthews.
! Puerile and absurd as were these reprcscn-
tations, they nevertheless induced Mr.. Fol-
! ger to give Matthews, different sums of mon
ey-and the latter, encouraged by his success
thus far, determined to spare neither promi-
ses nor threats to make the best of the ad.
vantage he had gained. In addition to what
he had already told Mr.. Folgcr, he therefore
informed him that he (Matthews) had COM
mcnced the reign Of God on earth that Mills
aud Person had been called into the King
dom, and although the devil had succeeded
in suspending for time its permanent estab-
lishment, he (Matthews) would now 20 on to
overcome the devil and to establish the King
dom of God under these circumstances he
called on Mr.. Folger to contribute of his sub
stance, for his (Matthews) support, and the
promotion Of the Kingdom, and threatened
that in case he should refuse to provide him
whatever money he wanted. he would visit
upon him. (which he was empowered to do
the wrath of the Almighty, but that if he FOL
ger) would believe in him and obey him in all
things, he should be called into the Kingdom,
and he (Matthews) would forgive him all his
sins, and he would enjoy eternal happiness.
In this style Matthews continued preach
ing, until by dint Of downright impudence he
converted, or rather perverted, MIR. Folgcr to
the firm belief that he was the parsonage he
represented himself to be.
!, In the month of August, 1893, Matthews
went to Sing-Sing, in West Chester county,
where Mr.. Folger furnished house, and
where his family at that time resided. AS
Matthews brought his baggage along with
him, his intention Of paying long visit to
Sing Sing, was pretty obvious, and Mr. Fol-
ger invited him to take up his residence at
his house. Having remained there week,
he got tired Of such narrow accommodations,
and told Mr.. Folger that he and Pierson
ought to hire house for his own special use.
Mr.. Folger consulted Mr.. Pierson on the
subject. and they agreed to comply with the
very reasonable request of Matthews, and so
informed him. In the meantime the ambi-
ton of Matthews had so increased, that hir-
ed house would no longer content him, and
he intimated to his two friends that it would
be improper for person Of his character, to
reside in hired house, and that they ought
to purchase a house for him. This also Mes
scrs. Folger and Pierson agreed to; but be-
fore they could accomplish their purpose,
Matthews impaired another revelation to MIR.
Folger, and Informed him that the house
which Mr.. Folger purchased some time pre-
vlous at Sing Sing, and in which he then re-