The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-03-29


great credulty of the people in that age of
darkness and ignorance. They supposed
that St.John had foretold that after thou
sand ears from the birth of Christ, Satan
would be let loose. Anti. Christ would APP
pear, and the end of the world would come.
Hence vast numbers giving their property
to the Churches and monasteries, lett all,
and proceeded to Palestine, where theysup-
posed Christ would descend to judge the
world. Others, by solemn vows, consecra-
ted themselves and all their possessions to
the churches. monasteries, and priests, ser
wing them as slaves, hoping that the Judge
of all would favor them ifthey were servants.
Hence also, whenever an eclipse took place,
most people fled to rocks and caves. Very
many gave up their estates to the priest and
most of the deeds of that day begun thus
"The end of the world approaching, &c"
In many places, buildings of all kinds were
suffered to decay, and in some cases were
pulled down, from the expectation that they
would be no longer needed. 1t was fully
believed that when the Annunciation of
Mary IA Catholic festivaD should come on
Saturday, then the end of the world would
come. Thus it would seem that. as in the
case of the Millerites,the very day on which
the world was to end was foretold, and moth.
ing but the entire failure of the predictions
put an end TO the almost universal delusion.
Millerism. in an age of deep ignorance,
might have been as great curse to the
world as was this wide spread error. And
here, in view of such wide spread calamity,
such en- upheaving and CONFUSION of the
very elements Of Society, merely rrom d
wrong Interpretation of single passage Of
Scripture, we may see how short sighted
and erroneous is the remark so often made,
that it is no matter what man believes in,
ifhe is only sincere in it. A wrong belief is
the parent Of wrong doings, and as child
or an IDIOT may kindle FIRE which no hui
man effort can extinguish, so an ignorant
and reckless fanatic may kindle a moral
confagration which shall cause wide spread
desolation ana woe.
In the sixteenth century there arose in
Germany and the adjoining countries,a laI &c
body Of fanatics who held that the Chuch
of Chris; ought to be free from all sin, that
a community of goods should be introduced,
and universal equality, that all Christians
had right to act as public teachers, nei-
Their was there any need Of magistrates un-
der the reigning Christ, and that Christ
would reign from that tine forward. At
first they confined themselves to public har-
argues, but finally took up arms in great |
numbers, Selling upon Munster, city of
WestPhalia, where they held that their heav-
emily Jerusalem was to commence, and from |
thence extend to other places. They de-
posed magistrates, and committed all kinds |
of crimes and excuses. Extensive and de-
structive wars resulted from this error, until |
finally the fanatics were subdued, and their |
leaders put to death.
In the seventeenth century there arose
in England a sect called Fifth Monarchy
men, from their maintaining that there will
be fifth universal monarchy under the
personal reign Of Christ upon earth. Being
unwilling to wait until he came to assume |
the government. they attempted to take
possession Of it in his name. Their first |
plan was to blow up Cromwell at Whitehall; |
afterwards they plotted against his son
Richard. and soon after the restoration Of
Charles ii, they raised an open rebellion a,
gainst him. Their leader and preacher was |
Thomas Venner, a cooper. On Sunday,
January 8. 1861, having by his peaching
highly excited his hearers, they sailed forth
to the number of Fifty or sixty, with militia
ry standards, crying out, "No king but
Christ" Some of them thought that Christ
would come down to head them in their
warfare. They were attacked by the mill
tary, when they fought desperately, until
after two or three days diminishing, Venner,
and about twenty others, were taken, tried,
and most Of them executed for high trsa-
son.
Near the close OF the seventeenth centu-
ry arose the French prophets, who made
pretension to the gift of tongues, the power
of working miracles, and of foreteIIiDg fu-
ture events. They were exceedingly wild |
and fanatical in their public worship. freely
denounced the judgements of God upon the
wicked, as soon to be destroyed. and taught
that the saints alone being thus left on earth,
Christ would come in the space of three
years to reign with his saints. Many thou
sands embraced this error in France, and It
afterwards spread extensively in England. |
Like all other similar errors, however, it |
contained the elements Of its own desruc-
ton, and thus in due time it passed away.