The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-09-12
An Iowa Farmer Who Developed into q
Trance-Preacher.


ased in Washington and johnson Coun-
ties by the mysterious doings of Noah
Troyer, an Amish farmer, living near
the village of Amish, in the southwest
corner of johnson County. lie IS IN
comfortable circumstances, about 40
years old, and has a wife and four chill
dren. By birth be lis a German, and a
member of the Orthodox Amish Church.
He is very illiterate, seldom reading
book. The only paper he has about the
house, or has read for several years, Is
the Chicago EUening Journal. he has
a copy of the Bible in German, but sell
dom reads it. He has never possessed
an English Bible, and his family do not
know that he ever saw ono. He speaks
both English and German. He and his
family are highly respectable, and he IS
noted among his neighbors for his fond
ness to trade horses and tell good sto-
ries. He is very strict in his religious
notions, conforms rigidly to the tenets
of the Amish Church, and will not at
tend the service of any other.
About four years ago he was troubled
with distension of the stomach, accom-
panied with cramping pains, which was
followed by a lethargic condition.
About q year ago these attacks were
followed by a condition of unconscious
ness or trance, in which he talked upon
religious matters. These became peri
odical, finally coming on every day. He
would rise about daylight, eat hearty
breakfast, and go about his usual farm
work. About o'clock in the afternoon
the bloating and cramp of the stomach
would come, followed by drowsiness,
which gradually increased. He would
eat a light supper, and, when night
came, he would be nearly unconscious.
He prepared low couch in large
room, on which he would lie down and
pass into commissions, which would last
nearly an hour. About 9 o'clock he
would rise to his knees, and utter a
short prayer or invocation, followed by
repeating the Lords Prayer; after
which he would rise to his feet and de-
liver a sermon from an hour to two
hours long-speaking with strong
voice, which could be heard by 800 peo-
pie outside the house. He moves about
the room, gesticulates forcibly, and his
manner is that of person earnestly
speaking to large audience. His Ian
guage is not elegant, yet his discourse
is always logical and eloquent,
and evinces preparation. He
breaches from the Bible, but takes
no text. He often illustrates ideas
with passages identical with Millions
" Paradise LOST" yet be never saw that
work, and probably does not know Mil
ton ever lived. His discourses are lib
eral in doctrine, whereas the Amish
Church is exclusive and dogmatic. He
speaks in the German aud English Ian
guages. On one occasion, however, he
spoke about twenty minutS in German :;
then for more than an hour in a Ian
guage unknown to any one present, al
though there were persons of education
and talent listening; and suddenly closed
in English, in which he said he had de-
clared the word of God in three Ian
guages, and shown how to gain the ark
in safety, and avoid the pit. He sets
| forth but two churches: Christ, light,
love, charity; and the Devil, darkness,
hate, selishness. He often gives pas
sages of Scripture, and, being ques-
toned the next morning about them,
can not tell whether they are in the
Bible or not. He knows very little of
what is in the Old Testament. At the
close of his discourse he gives a short
benediction and the Lords Prayer, and
falls on his couch, apparently exhausted,
his whole person having the appear
ance of a dead man; and, after a few
moments of convulsive tremor, sudden
ly awakes, gets up, and walks out of
the house. The next morning he gets
up, says he has had good nights rest,
and goes to his work, only to repeat
the experience of the day before7 and
so it has been for months, every night
The mystery, of course, soon began
to spread abroad. At first it annoyed
the family very much, as it kept them
from sleep and rest; but they could not
prevent it; and soon the crowds which
gathered compelled them to adapt them
selves to the circumstances. Clergy
men and physicians have visited the
phenomena, and are all alike puzzled,
but agree that there is no deception
about it. When he is speaking, his
eyes are closed, his abdomen and
stomach distended and hard as stone,
not yielding to pressure more than a
case of iron. As soon as he passes out
of the eonYulsive stage, the stomach and
abdomen at once become naturally soft
and pliable. His pulse is remarkable
strong, but not increased in rapidly
When he ceases speaking, his pulse be-
comes rather weak. Several attempts
have been made to awake him while he
was speaking, but the most vigorous
treatment failed even to check his talk.
Every night this has been going on,
with but two exceptions: One was
when he was attending service in his
own church. He was seized with his
drowsiness, and determined not to 90
home, but overcome it. He, however,
did not, but arose in his place and
preached two hours with remarkable
power, much to the establishment of the
meeting. On Sunday of last week
large number of people were present
from surrounding towns and cites. After
speaking over an hour and half, he
closed with the Lords Prayer; but in
stead of dropping on his couch, as usu-
al, he opened his eyes and quickly said:
"My eyes have been opened. l stand
before you natural man. 1t has been
revealed to me that this is the last time
1 shall speak to you. My work is done,
and am released" His face expressed
much Joy, but, as he beheld the crowd
of people, the change was quickly that
of surprise and fear. Since then he has
not spoken; and none are more graft
fed than his family, who had become
nearly worn out with fatigue and ex-
element. They give no explanation of
the matter. Indeed, they say they know
nothing about it. Troyer knows moth
ing of what he does, or says, and only
says he can not help it. 1t is the work
of the Lord, and he must do His will.
The Amish Church generally so believe
it to be, and nothing else. Spiritualists
who have seen him say he is a medium,
controlled by deceased Amish preach
er. No persons of intelligence believe
it to be fraud. Several medical men
from Washington and Iowa City visited
him, but what their opinion is has not