The New York herald., 1876-12-18
WICKEDNESS IN MISSOURI.

A DISMISSED PREACHER ORGANIZES CHURCH
OF WOMEN AND Is MoBBED.
Tho Kansas City Times OF December IA, gives
strange account OF the recent Of one j. Bedi
ent He claimed to be a minister Of tho Congresa-
tona Church. and few years ago hc went to the vaso
Greenwood about thirty miles south OF kansas C'y
in Missouri where he organized church. he seemed
have considerable power q speaker but ne prayea
In the and stopped people on The Sidewalks anu
finally announced himself able 10 heal tho SICK ana
perform miracles Christ did These and otner
strange scandal and caused hin TO DO
dismissed and repudated by tho Church Hc con
tlnucd. however, To cast out devils and IN ie"
weeks he organized praying bands, which were
largely composed or cxcitablc and unbalanced women
They called their church ssThe Temple oil God, anu
each member obliged make regular end open
confession OF all sins committed. rhe result was That
in short ,imo startling and shameful crimes were
revealed which caused the church divide, and tho
preacher and ms iemaic udherenis driven out
Tnc prophet then went 10 live with widow and her
daughter, who devout believers IN LIS singular
faith Lady members OF tho praying cand went TO the
house; wild meetings were held, and IL IS said that
they frequently had midnight services in the woods
and graveyard by. all Of which excited the cti-
such pitch that ono night masked men en-
tered the house anu carried the preacher away by main
iorcc and uuIg him Until he was nearly dead Tho
women couples, back to back, and were
greatly frightened.
Highly exaggerated accounts OF the affair
by telegraph and the most startling and Improbable
stores were Circulated throughout tho state cor
respondent Kansas City Times sent down 10
Greenwood for the facts, and Inc additional particulars
gwen ioows:-
A long walk out into tho distant suburbs or the
town, wnich appeared to DO iarmhouscs, aud tho
scene OF the kidnapping reached. IL too
dark 10 sec much Tho mouse stood back III hed or
garden aud appeared 10 bc deserted Inquiries Ut the
iarm house discovered nothing Dul the tact that
the women inhabitns the house hal He'd 10 tho
protection OF some friends III town. The house was
poor ing irao structure containing three rooms.
One OF these. IT said had been occupied the
preachers study the next by Two young women who
id his cooking aud the ncxt by the widow, MIS- John
son. IL was IRON other houses and seems
somewhat strange that no one heard oi tie kidnapp
ing until the preacher and CapOrs had disappeared
PLMALE BEDIESrITEa
Guided by tall boy with lantern and sharp
little boy with big ppo The news hunter returned
TO town, and after applying 10 several houses in
the town for information US to the Whereabouts OF
the johnson family succeeded at last in hnding them
home at the house u Mr. Lciebre. The
newhat frightened, doubt expecting nnwel-
come visitors, but were soon reassured and in unrc-
served conversation with the nows hunter. Mrs.
Johnson Is . determined looking woman perhaps
nfiy years OF age Mss May Opdyke is pale, taika-
tive female 0! pei haps wentyseven She Is passaUly
good looking but not attractive The third woman and
the alleged cause OF the trouble was seated ~ stand
writing on pile OF manuscript (evidsntly a bookl
Her Saide White, and she the daughter OF
widow whose son has recently returned from the
This girl is firm believer In the craxy par
sons doctrines and has willingly become ono vi mis-
dupes. She sud looking girl oi about twenty three
twentyiour years OF age, pale as chalk and wildly
tunatic6l IN her conversation.
THE woMENs STATEMENT
These women stated that about nno O'Clock on
Tuesday night tney wero startled by hearing mon
walking the porch, and INN medately afterward the
door was KICK cd open and TOUR masked men cnlcred
each presenting gun or pistol They bade the
in his dressing gown and snppers and
marched HIM outside and delivered him over TO tho
outside the door. They then tied the giris'
ana then tied them both together back to buck
and Loft them Tho boy in the house attempted to 60
Out ana give the aarn Dut was met az lhe 'front.' door
by guard, who presented gun al him aud bade him
go into the house Inc boy made q second attempt to
escape, and succeeded by getting out OF back window
and running across the holds, and reached town and
gave the ALARM Search at instituted Tor She
preacher and his supposed yncners but without avail
The excitement In the town soon became intense, and
parties all night looking for the body OF
preacher, which was not found.
sAPE IN CHRIST
While the people were hunting the body despatch
came from Pleasant Hill, which rcad:-
Beloved ones-Don't srisvo am safe in Christ
j. A. BEDIENT
Mrs. Johnson and her daughter and other
females started Tor Pleasant Hill 10 buggles
There they met tho preacher who consoed them with
tho following story oi his nights dventures-Ac said
there were eight men in the party, all armed aud
masked. They werc all on loot, and compelled him
walk with them. They took him west OF town 10
tank pond, whcre they compelled him TO stand
upon the ice Tor about half hour in his slippers
Wbie thoy consulting he says he knelt down ana
prayed for them. When shcy back ahry told
him he must consent 10 leave Greenwood for
tney would hang him. He answered
and sad he could not leave until God bade him
CO. that he ready TO die then there II II
Gods will Then he says they took him tree and
hung him until he insensblc When he recov-
crcd they kicking him to mako HIM get up Ho
was then taken to within short distance Of Pleasant
Hill and turned loose, with the promise HIM
he would not return to Greenwood ''unlcss the Lord
bado him'' or officer OF the law brought him back
rho women returned yesterday from Pleasant Hill
aud went Uoorc justice OF the peace and swore
warrants against Amcrlcus White (prohcr OF Saidc
Whte), Watt Philips, William NJ. Falcvuer and sam
ucl I. Hoover charging them with beng members OF
The KID mapping party. These men deny the charges
inadc but the girls say they positive In their iden
tihcaton. Tho preliminary examination Will take
place to-day. Meantime the preacher will do well
keep away from Greenwood.