The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-15
WONDERFUL HANNAH WILLIAMS.
Miracles said 60 Have Been Performed by
the Woman who Led the BsttIe-Axes.

TNor ne Rerdfag EiqJ
CHESTNUT HILL, North Coventry Town
ship. Chester County. Sept 9.-Ycstcrday
morning l went down tho Reading road to
Douglassville. and l walked across tho schuyl-
kill down to Unionvllle. up tho hill past Tn O
Temple meeting house, and scanned closely the
house in which old Hannah Single was MUIR
dercd about twenty-five years ago. Thence
went MP the wild and romantic Chestnut Hill
range to the head winters Of Pigeon Crock. and
passed the home Of tho stubbleblnes. who
propagated tho Battlc-axe Faith and ran
naked up and down the hillsidcs proclaiming
the doctrine that. as Adam came into the
world naked. the true religion requires the
human family to wear no clothing Whatever
l saw the log on which Hannah Williams
preached the Gospel TO the Battle-axes. stand
ing barefootcd, and in earnest. defiant Lam
guage. proclniming that tie fall Of man was
hcrcsy. and that the true religion was to act and
live ~ Adam did before be knew Eve. and that
there was no doubt ~ the miracle performed
by Moses. ana that in every generation there
were certain persons born 10 whom God had
given IN" power to perform miracles. She said
she possesscd this power, and Us an evidence of
u ~" would stand on any rock or log that might
he loaded with Runpowder. and "A safety fuse
should 9e applied 10 1t. and she could. by the
lorre Oi hor viii power. prevent IN explosion.
70 test her power. this large chestnut log was
selected. and % hole three inches in diameter
and between seventeen and eighteen inches in
depth was bored into II, and II was LOADED with
the best Of guupowder. a man by the nnme Of
Samrbell, who understood digging wells and
the log, and ho declared that tho log was
charged IN the most scientific way. After he
hhi put into the hole over six pounds Of pow
der and packed IT, he said that II Hannah Will
liams could prevent ii from exploding. then no
would believe that she. like Moses of old. could
also p"rinrm miracles. Tho log being ready
Hannah Williams WIS summoned and about one
hundred persons had gathered about the log
and she deliberately walked To the hole filed
II o. II Ill tlltl tk al
Campbell to light the safety fuse, and when he
did 50 the multitude ran away. Tho fuse
exploding point Hannah Williams IN clarion
notes shouted to those who had left her alono
and were about five hundred yards away
And when Moses saw that the People were
naked tfor Aaron had made them naked unto
their shame among their enemiesl'
And the angel, ~ God spake unto mo IN n
am 70 49,, .,,.
sircnked Speck led, and erizzlcd. for have seen
all that Laban doeth unto thee"
- Alter She had uttered these passages from
scripture ehe turned pale and clapped her
hands and danced and wriggled. and then
laughed and called e. those who had fled for
fear of injury from the explosion 10 return rs
there was no danger. The multitude. however.
stood aloOi. and seemed frightened. and she, IN
haunting way. said. " am the tree Of life and
iehch ye pure religion. ana We stand OF aud
Tear mo. IL 1t the powder ye are afraid Of. or ia
II the religion teach. command ye Ia re-
burned out and God haS tart me- from harm ms
Iher"upun q uumber q the men went up 10
over liz h",e that bad ben sd SSppvn Iron
\ los" Inspection was ma,le'"f The ho'n i'm tho
log. The powder had blackened it. but there
s1ol mr. ony arn"rii,'' W nm "', any
Hannah Wlliiam-'s fam" from this time on
spread rapidly. At ono time in her career she
pIchuNd ou" OF ia" leading church members.
ana WIS cast into prison. Il is related of her
niitr theo"r Of I,r c,ll ,,a .L,i nIn ''a Lar
.he went iqioa tran'c and while in this stat,
s, 1. H. r, d, ,''s,' WI IT. oteIi"d ana
M.ud "lWH}s come 20 her n~si Stance IN the
Guns and -ha H. .he ony laughed at '''''''
i Was told 10y MIR. Barhmnu that % worthy far
NOR. William llIu-.u. had an ulp.e orchard
tnt the trees were iiil,l with lice and he could
NOT rll-r amy apples. Hannah Williams hear.
% he lNd iuith IN hrr Will could remove tho
ice from his trees. Mr. hinson WIS at first
s"nng hrr terrible oa.no-tnc-- WIS startled and
uurr-iiui. She went away and for five success
slNr days and nights Mr. Hiu-on could not
7i'"p, hut nn IN" : Nii night voice from with
out tue room SAID. william HiuSon. have
iAith IN .haunah Williams and thy troubles will
u"I.lrL ihr next morning he got NJ early
ANA went down near hnaucrtown. where Han
nan was and me sad; ] Know You would
como Tor mo- You have not Slept any since
leii you, and You Will 40 down tothe grave ~ ana
cary dhy unless you have ialin.' Mr.. Iln-ou
-uil Doe Nid ftItn. huf Huuuul said lr had NOT.
am dto return with him. He went home
Hud iu9i h-ht Do" had "a VISION. In his sleep hc
iYh .4'd ',' h'hNc,- oph'd g. ham, ald tH"rn
n 0NM hAihdh W iN,n- Ilrndhg Tor him.
~, s4t"il+ II 'tn ny hcd ma hHSiY ARRANGED
Ws i''u 70 's Nv ing lv ~ hl once il Sc" itanuhh
." iiili''l,-' hhfink uh1"uMrd laltA ia her ability
" XIX, H. ' ii "i'Yt i'''4' '' ilii'i' ,.
HIM, ,,, IKE il'i,. LIZ a l'W inihYtes'
'rNN,,iIlE VWniI inr lle'r, Mn're PEE hhd IN
M ''.uStS H'.'u ilhlinal W iilihhs proposi,
fnith 49,, ,'' ~, ', ~ ';' ''' 80 ~ r. i"i
i..,' i''' ,.'. i.'i u.Mn ID ,ic uead ~
ENTERTAINMENT " 'f ~ -, - st'tH ,HS h3Hh' hs
"a '''N "iu' 'ss'u Hoi' sue s"ld'
Miii,h Hli, T. rom iNs unc iorii yNu are con-
hr 'i IN, MAJ i1,. you a' h'' sNsu Lea Would re-
,Hu n -r',rtaN Al 'his innrii.n ''" tU
w act auly relieve you lut val nee your nee, Of tne
A0U
Mllllam HinSon had fuith yos. unlouhted
i"llh ~ what ne lnd heard this strange woman
say. l'reci~".y at the hour named hc met Han
llrr Srrarl. ana mo'sst ttis, mau' : trees no