Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-01-18

/ y MODERN SUPERSTITION.
| only a few months ago reports
.ere in the papers that the Wallach-
I ians had commenced again their nev-
yr-ceasing prosecutions of the Jews
IA stranger, accompanied by a. boy,
had landed at Bucharest, baving come
by the Danube steamer. No sooner
was the man perceived than crowd
gathered about him and naltreated
him, saying that he was Jew and
that he had stolen a Christian THAT
IL, Wallacian) child, for the purpose
Of forcing him to Judaism The
Goverpment had to interfere in
orde, to prevent further disturbanc
es.< Again, it was many years ag
the belief among European thieye.
that candles made from human fat
rendered the bearers invisible. We
have records that from 1909 to 1913
a robber band did really exist in
Germany which made use Of this re-
markable means to prevent discoy-
cry.
A later case of crime, at the bot
torn Of which superstition played .
prominent part, took place in
August, 1869. A>peasant-xoman Of
Waladiimrolka, in the Russian Gov
ernment of Volyhama, told her lover
in confidence that she wss able to
get . secret treasure in case she
could procure the skin taken from
live human being. The lover, an
ignorant peasant, then enticed q boy
OF fourteen to accompany him into
the forest, when he knocked him
senseless, and then completed the op-
eration with . penknite. The belief
in witches and vampires is by no
means extinct in Europe. Several
vampire cases have lately been re-
vealedsin Germany and Hungary.
supERsrrrIous EFFECTS OF THE CHOLERA
IN RUSSIA.
Turning to Russia, the late cholera
epidemic there has produced among
the ignorant population Of some dis
tricts some very peculiar forms Of
snperstitlon, verging upon heathen-
ism. A St. Petersburg correspond
ent Of the AuQsburger Aligemeine
Zeitung furnlshe. some interesting
information on tho subject. The
spread OF The fearful pestilsnce was
looked upon By tho people as a juSg-
ment sent from God. In their er
tremity they thought 70 pIseeo'
themselves by taking refusI :" .'.e
performances Of old usag"~' wh'cn. II
Was thought. had bee- forgotten tor
csr,rr;s. r. w.s observed that
no,h Is~. and christians developed
sho same = ropensity to hcatheism
sl,La M A.nong the Jews. says our
;nfor,.Ant, the superstitions appear
- I y. connected with rabbinlcal zealot.
l.sm. - seen in various events which
| took place in the province Of V,tcbsk,
where tho cholera pestilence carried
OF in . short space OF time five hun
dred OF the Jewish population. As
q remedy against the cholera the rab-
bies ordered the
4 CURIOUS USAGE
that two couples should be publicl.
married upon the churchyard, th'
dowry, furniture and all other cost
to be voluntarily supplied by tn
congregation. The excitement dur
ine the ceremony and the subscquen
; teasting had the effect OF increasing
tho ravages of tho cholera. There
upon the elders ot all tho prayc
! houses sent cmissarics about the vii
liages 10 gather from the people sur
' of money which should free then
q (the pcopIe) from the pestilcnct
j. The people were told that the ply
/ sicians charged much moro than IL
l. contribution demanded, and only tn
: religious remedy was infa'l,bl'
.. But, in spite OF the purchased rem'
u dy, tho cholera still continued il
o fearful ravages, while the action
], the rabies became constantly mol
= irrational. They proceeded TO q
81 mand OF theif congregations that Il
et ph, sicians should not be called !
r. and requested tho congregations
A. get rid Of their sins by the one d
0. nouncing the other; tor instance, I'll
III ono should denouncc the other
he accoun. OF adultery and similar 81
r.. A toarful social condition was tho
be by created, ending in low gossip.