The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-04-30

Joanna southcott and Her Re iigious Dis
eipIes-Death OF Mrs. Peacock, Her Sue
cessor.

Joanna southcott and Her Religious Dis-
cipIes-Death OF Mrs. Peacock, Her Sue
cessor.
The Queen OF the Millennium is dead. A
few weeks ago an application was made to
"A London police court for funds 10 aid I'm
the interment of an Old woman named
Peacock She was the successor of tie
notorious Joanna Southcott who died in
1914, the victim to her credulity in be-
lief that she was 10 be the mother of the
coming Messiah. Old Mrs. Peacock was
l03 years old at the time of her death, and
from the fact that she died In a condition
of pauperism, the supposition Is that the
sect has almost vanished or at least sunk
into a condition of unshaven beggary.
The history OF Joanna Southcert is a
story OF one OF the most extraordinary de-
lusions that ever fired the distraught fancy
in the human brain. She was born of
humble parents in the year 1850 ia the
vale of Honiton where the lace il made i'm
the picturesque county of Devon, and i'm
the classical neighborhood of the Cole
ridges. Joanna event out to service" as
it Is called, in the cathedral town of Exc
ter where her conduct is said to have
been irreproachable. She studied the BIZ
BILE and believed herself 10 be acted upon
from above either by outward signs or in
ward emotions. passing her time scrb-
bling much mystic nonsense as the results
of visions and prophecies. and carrying on
n lucrative trade in the sale of seals which
We're TO secure the salvation of the pur-
chasers. The majority OF her followers
were of the humber and more ignorant
classes, but il is also remark able that many
persons of intelligence and education Of
both sexes were attracted by her unintel-
ligihla axhnrfafians and made eonNnrte IN
her wild opinions. Ii was not until the
age of forty. however, that she assumed
TO be prophecies, and at this time we
learn from one OF her most prominent dis
cples-William Sharp. the celebrated en-
graver-that hef prophetic writings were
carefully sealed. and after being witnessed
by the leading elect of her extraordinary
sect were put out OF her possession. These
writings we're opened in 1903. and " il was
the unanimous decision of twenty three
persons appointed by divine command, a.
well as thirty-five Others then present,
that her calling was of God" The faith
full arrived AT this unanimous decision"
by certain events which in their ianaticsm
they believed to have been foretold by
Queen Joanna.
The browning event of her life occurred
when she was about sixty-five years old.
She declared herself 10 be the woman
mentioned i'm the twelfth chapter of the
Book OF Revelation that having received
divine appointment TO be the mother of
the Messiah. the vision of st. John would
BE- verified through her agency and by the
son who was 10 be miraculously bonn of
her. The imposture was fully believed in
by her followers. and was strengthened
by the presence of dropsy in her system,
which gave 10 her the appearance of preg-
(larnVInap ON her hsa-
levers, and a DR.. Reese whose conduct in
this matter met with grave suspicion at
the time, and who must have known from
professional experience that the physical
assumption OF such forthcoming event
was as disgusting as il was disgraceful.
The faith OF her followers. however. was
unbounded. They purchased cradle of
most costly materials, and made prepare
tons on a grand scale 10 welcome the IL
lustrious little stranger. The delusion
under this impetus spread with wonderful
rapidity. in the vicinity of London. and
the number of her converts at that time
was estimated at one hundred thousand.
As may be imagined. these people. who
were 30 readily led away by so monstrous
an imposture, were of the lowest order,
but il also conveys TO us an idea OF the be-
sotted ignorance and superstition which
prevailed in the metropolis of England
little more than half "A century ago. Ali
who believed i'm her. however, were not
ignorant and IL is reported of one of the
clergymen that, on being reproyed 10y his
diocesan, he offered 10 resign his living
If the holy Joanna failed To appear on
certain day with the expected Messiah i'm
her arms"
In 1914 the prophecies began To have
doubts a. TO her own revelation, and as
tl.at 1h,l Il. lei.
had herself been the sport of some spirit.
either good or evil" This doubt must
have borne heavily on her mind, for she
died in December of the same year, vic
tim to the malady which afflicted her and
the mental struggle growing out OF the fact
that she had so deceived herself and those
who trusted in her. Her disciples. how
ever. never lost confidence. either before
or after her death. They would not be-
Y lie e that she was dead. Her body was
kept unburied in anticipation Of her re-
| vival and the advent of the infant Of pro-
mise. and II was not until decomposition
set in and post-mortcm examination de-
| termined the causes of her death, the alb
surdity OF her imposition. that the more
intelligent could be brought 10 realizing
sense of the truth. Many of them. long
after her death. continued to believe in her
resurrection and bound themselves not to
shave their boards until her second com
ing. A few of these have lived together
as a sect near Chatham. in Kent. owing
allegiance To the Mrs. Peacock. Just de-
ceased. They were noted for the length
of their boards and for the general sin
gularity OF their manners aud appearance.
As for Joanna Southcott, the originator of
this singular creed, she was buried under
I fictitious name near st. Johns Wool,
London. where small stone. with very
wretched attempt of laudatory inscrip-
ton, alone serves to mark the spot.