Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-01-13
remarkable Superstition in Philadelphia
y" oman iniming the Honors Of bivin-
hy->ingular Cruelty of Her Followers

n Woman Ginning the Honors of bivin-
4 hy->insular Cruelty of Her Followers
That the day of religious imposture is not
over IL proved by the frequent revelations Of
-Ipers,itiOus belief in false prophets and re-
lisious fanatics Females well males are
often the leaders Of these singular deusiOns
and among the most recent of that class is one
Anna Meister, resident of Philadelphia, who
srrOgates to herself the title - Daughter of
God The facts were publicly brought be
fore one OF the Philadelphia courts last Satur
day. during hSbeas corpus case in which one
Mr. Rudman claimed the custody of boy FIVE
years Old then in the care of his mother Mrs
Rudman. who had separated from her hus
band. One of the witnesses Mrs Andres,
testified to the good character Of the mother
and the examination resulted in the following
remarkable dialogue, as reported in the Phila-
deiphia Ledger:
District Attorney-When the child is i'll does
the mother attend to it properly?
Nitness-We belong to a society. and when
there Il anything the matter with US or our
children We ask Anna Meister, and she tells us
what TO do, she gives US herbs, and we alwavs
get well after using them; Anna Meister knows
what Is proper for us
Judge Allison-What does she know about
medicine
Witness-She never practised medicine. but
che knows what is good for US
Judge Alllson-EOw does she know
WItness-We do believe she is the last
witness sent from the Almighty. and that we
shall obey her commands and live n pure and
!u7t lie God gave his commands through
Moses first, and afterwards tbrough Jesn.
Christ; and he tells u. 4" to love tbv ne;ghbor
Snf b" pure and just, ard then God shalt call
us for the first fruits Of his flock" The wit
uesS continued In this strain at considerable
i.n-th and with great volubility. Her earnest
manner and evident sincere belief in the doc
trineS as taught by Anna Meister were nainfnl
aft - IL
allowed to run on in this way for sometime.
whs interrupted By the Judge asking. ..You
believe Anna Meister as though God were
speaking."
Witness-'She speaks the pure doctrine to
love our neighbors and to act lust The ex
animation continued as follows: The child j.
taught to pray; did belong to a Presbyterian
church. The child is treated now rs when Mr.
kudlnan lived with his wife; L meet her with
the child every Sunday at our meeting; have
seen her ten times at her house during the wear:
L have belonged to this society four wears: Mrs
Kudman joined first; my husband belongs We
take spring water because it is pure we boil
the hydrant water to take the impurities off: I
believe in eating salad
Mr. Remak-What is the object of that
WltneSS-Anna Meister told me [ should
give IT to my husband and child every night at
from their stonachS
Mr. Mann (aside)-We take it in the form of
celery,
WltneSs-1 give it 70 my child at 10 o'clock
ut night; II he IL asleep wake him up and
make him take his salad; we take three forks
tull mt time; we put on it little salt. little
vinegar. and little sweet oil
Mr.. Remak-How about onions,
witness is said it Injuries us-it is un-
wholesome.
Mr. Remak-Whnt else is there in regard to
your regulations about eating and drinking,
Gus drinks we take wine, beer is not whole
s'me, but the wine ia pure. because there is
nothing mixed IN With it; ~ no quantity is
fxed for us to take; teach my child that what
Anna Meister says must be believed: my child
i ten years Old; thore are % or % who belong
10 the society; we give ftp, levy, or a quar-
ter week, and sometimes n dollar is broryht
and this Is given for Anna Meisters board: we
meet Mt Mr.. Munser's house; he took her in
when she commenced preaching; we have
preaching on Sunday afternoon and PRAYER
meetings on Wednesday evenings; some of ms
nave commenced to preach, because it is our
duty To be servants of the Almighty. and must
give the testimony. preach sometimes.
VT, Baker, the next witness. testified that
the child was used well. This witness acknowl-
edged his belief in the doctrines preached by
Anna Meister; his wife had been a member,
but she left and became a ''backsider''
Mr.. Andrews, butcher in West PbiladeI-
phia, another witness as to the care taken ~
the child, also acknowledged his faith in the
doctrines Of Mrs. Meister He believed shr
was divine.
Tho case was decided by the judge allowing
MIS-. Rudman to retain her child 10 whom she
was legally entitled. The court endeavored to
persuade the woman to live again with her
husband, but she refused to do 90 The entire
case is a remarkable one, divulging a singular
phase of fanatcism.
We believe that this Anna Meister has been
carrying on her system of imposition for sew
eral years in Philadelphia, and has before this
been in the papers. Some of her disciples be-
lieve that they will not die as long as they re-
main faithful to the tenes of the so-called so
eiety If the Daughter of God"
1SArsueArIoN or The NEW JAIL At BALr1-
MORE Il he Baltimore American Of Wednesday
says "This spacious edifce occupied YES
erday for the first time by the prisoners 70. whose
accumulation il was specially erected nurinr