Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-07-29
yOUDOOIsM TEXAS.

The Fairfield (Texas) Register of
recent date tells this story, which, If true,
is one of the most remarkable instances
of religious fanaticism of the time:
On Sunday, at the farm of Mr.. j.
Wright. two miles east of Springfield, in
Limestone county, an old negro woman
named Jane, who, with her husband,
lived on the farm, announced to the rest
of the negroes on the farm, some eight or
ten adults in number, that she had justre-
ceived a revelation from God that the mil
lennium was to come on Thursday, the Goth
of this month and that the mighty ''Shipof
ZiOnn would cOme-water or no water
and take all those to glory who would
follow implicitly the directions she would
give them, she being, as she avowed, the
chosen instrument of God for their saliva
ton. She first preached a whole day to
a large congregation, and after having
made many converts, she commanded
them to burn One-half of all the house
hold and kitchen furniture, clothing, etc,
they possessed baggage being allowed
which they did in a mighty bonfire.
She next commanded them to cut up
with hoes one-half of all their growing
crops, which they did, digging every
thing up by the roots; much of the
corn was nearly waist high, and both
corn and cotton were good generally.
She then commanded that they give away
half of their children, their wagons,
horses, plows, and other farming utensils,
which they did, to several persons living
near. Then came a command for both
sexes to entirely disrobe themselves and
pray and dance the "Holy Dance, (which
WIS implicitly obeyed. Many of the
| small children, upon refusing TO obey or
ders. were severely beaten, and one man
| who refused, was nearly beaten to death
! by the women. They were theE made
| to partake of what she denOmlnated the
Cords Supper" the bread consisting OF
water and salads, and the wine
of water and molasses. She said a hui
man sacrifice was demanded, and accord
inclv stripped her own infant of its
clothing, wrapped it in a cloth, and pre-
pared to give it as burnt offering, and
would assuredly have done so but for the
interference of some present who were
not SO insane. They were then COM
mauded to kill all their dogs, which they
| did. 10 the number of fifteen, and after
some two days-these things all the time
going on-they were ordered by their
leaders to eat of the putrid carcases, al
4 which command they, for the first time,
evinced a disposition to ego slow.
While they were hating, their leader
endeayored to show them how to ''go
through a dorg," but her stomach being
of a different notion from her head, es-
chewed the repast, and speedily delivered
itself of such wonderful morsels.
At this stage of the proceedings, Mr.
Isaac burst, gentleman living near, ant
who had desired to stop the insane pro,
ceeding before, but knew not exactly how
to proceed, told her husband she wa
crazy. and TO get q chain and fasten her
where she could nc longer do mischie
She at once fled and was pursued, caugh
and secured, and at once the rest of he
followers gathered round, and seemed 10
the first time to become aware OF thu
mischief they had wrought. They thank
ed Mr.. burst greatly for breaking Tn
spell Jane had thrown over them-Wen
TO their now almost ruined fields and com
menced work again in good earnest-th'
parties having kept and returned to then
their stock, farming utensils, etc. They
are now, however, without the necessary
annarel and food to enable them to worl
, successfully. Theexcitement lasted SOM
ten DAYS, and all that time no work wa
done by these deluded creatures.
Until the confinement of the oldwomal
every one of her commands were obeyed
and from what we have narrated, nom
can doubt that if she had commanded he
followers to commit murder among tn
whites they would have done it, In tn
: case of the negro man beaten, she com
manded them to beat him to death unles
he io,ned their band. But for MIR. Ours
2 hc would have been killed outright.