Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-09-02
MISCELLAN N Y.

MISCELL A N Y.
From the Philadelphia Bulletin.
The Anna Meister DelusiOn--A Female Re
iigious impOstor.- Curious Rites Of Worship
The iury in the case Of Anna Meister, Caro-
line Mueller and Caroline Warner, tried for con
spiracy to defraud various persons, came int,
court at Philadelphia, on Tuesday, after having
been out two days, and rendered a verdict 0
mot guilty" but the defendants to pay the costs
This is virtual conviction of criminal practi
ces, though the particular offence of conspiracy
was not proven. At the time of the first arres
of Anna Meister, we gave an account of her OK
traordinary practices, and the proceeding, o
the trial have been reported from day to day il
our columns. But the case is such an sxtraor
dinary one, that now as she is again discharged
and at liberty to resume her former course, il
deserves to be again presented to the public.
Anna Meisteris young German woman, who
has lived in Philadelphia for several years. A
year or two ago she represented herself to be
inspired, gathered followers of both sexes a
round her, and began to preach to them. She
declared herself. at several times, to be the
daughter of God, the sister Of Jesus Christ, and
the Holy Ghost. She succeeded in getting quite
a number OF persons to believe in her, and she
preached to them that the end of the world was
at hand. They believed that it was the AL
mighty that spoke through her, and when she
told them that they must give her money, jew.
elry, plate, finery, and other valuablee, they did
not hesitate to comply with her demands. She
wanted blue satin dress to ascend in, when the
end of the world should arrive, and the money
to get it was contributed.
In the course of the trial it was ascertained
that one woman bad given her about three hun.
dred dollars in money and presents and another
over one hundred one, ring worth $500, an
other q gold watch, another silver pitcher, an.
other dresses, and indeed every whim of this
remarkable impostor WAS instantly and cheerful
ly gratfed by her deluded followers. She
wanted a silver crown set with jewels, and
promised that those who contributed to it should
be the first to go the heaven; the money was
given and the crown procured. She wanted a
gold watch and chain, and those who contribu-
ted should be carried up by the chain to heaven
the watch and chain were purchased. She did
not, in her quasi divine character, soorn such
little gifts as ribbons, collars, undersleeyes, silk
stockings baskets aud other trifes, all of which
were generously supplied to her. She always
disavowed accepting or using these things for
her own pleasure, but said it was in compliance
with the command of God. The woman, clever
as she was in obtaining proselytes, and in get
ting money and valuabes from them, does not
appear to have presented any particular doctrine
or wel-defned creed. Beyond declaring that
she was the sister Of the Saviour, and that she
was sent to warn and prepare the people for the
end of the world, there is no appearance Of any
pretensions to distinctive theology. The vari-
Gus witnesses do not all agree on minor points
and it is quite possible that, having no very
clear notions of the doctrine herself she contra.
dicted herself at times. Occasionally she pre-
tended to have miraculous power, and attempted
to cure diseases at other times she did not pos
sess it. but would have it shortly. At one time
she would say that she was tho sister of the Sa-
viour, and another the Holy Ghost, and she fre.
ouently declared that it was the Holy Ghost
that spoke through her.
At one time she declared that 1t was Adam
and not Eve that brought sin into this world
To one person she gave string of command
ments, and, mingled grotesqusly among those OF
a religious character, was one forbidding the
use of coffee, tobacco and onions. On one oc-
casion she baptised child after death, saying ii
was necessary for it's salvation. On another she
made four young girls kneel down and swear
before her to serve God forever, and then she
gave each Of them three swallows of lemonade
which they drank in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost. She generally
said that the destruction Of the world would be-
gin in Philadelphia, and that only those would
be saved who attached themselves to her.
These are few illustrations of this marvel
lous imposture, which, strange to say, created O
great excitement in portion of our German
population, for the victims of the delusion were,
we believe, all Germans, and Anna Meistel
preached in her own language. The effects oi
it in the families of her followers were often dis
tressing. The women who were deceived by
her had to deceive their husbands in order to
get money to satisfy her importunate demands
Some families were reduced to poverty, and in
cll there was certain amount of the credulity
of o wife or daughter. 1t is said that separa.
tious of man and wife, and parent and child
were caused by the delusion, while some of the
victims have been brought to condition little
short of insanity. There are some who still
persist in believing all that she says, and now
that she has been delivered from the hands O.
justice, they will probably ascribe it to mira
culous agency, and rally round her more devot
edly than ever.
When an ignorant and unlettered woman, like
Anna Meister, in IN enlightened aud wealthy
city, of 100000 inhabitants, like Philadelphia
where schools aud churches abound, can gather
around her congregation of disciples, it is no
surprising that an imposture like Mormonisn
should succeed.