, 1879-05-25

IN New England, and is not only spreadin
rapidly, but assuming very violent phases.
Will be remembered that the horrible crim
OF FREEMAN found many apologists and d.
lenders, who made themselves vooiferou
and conspicuous until threats of ha1ters an
tar and feathers compelled them to desist
and slenced the noisy brawlers who hav
represented the Advent cause as trave1in
agents and elders. The excitement at Po
casset, however, has hardly quieted befor
the epidemic breaks ont In new spot,-thi
time at Portsmouth, N. II. It ia the same
old story. Travelling elders pitch their tent
for few days Or weeks, get the women in
terested, and work up the excitement. Th.
women plunge into the new movement al
over, and work for it with might and main
but somehow manage to preserve thei1
equilibrium better than the men, who, having
nothing else todo, so insane. AtPor.smouth
several have been sent to the insane asylums.
One Of the victims, hitherto quiet person,
supposed to be possessed of common sense,
tore through the streets for several days
shouting that the Lord had commissioned
him to kill his children, like FREEMAN, though
he had not FREEMAN's crazy faith, as he
begged people to take them away before he
committed the decd, The people who had
their wits left took mercy on him by placing
him and other crazy converts. Of the revival
IN an asylum. How much longer men and
women supposed to be sensible will allow
themselves to be bedevi1ed by these travel
ing elders, or what new phases of horror or
Stiffness this .delusion will assume, it il diff
cult to imagine. We presume it Will have its
run, like any other epidemic, and will at last
assume such disgusting, if not dangerous,
proportions that an indignant community will
rise up and stamp it, out by consigning not
only the victims but those who are RESPONSE
slble for their condition to asylums, or by
forbidding them to practice their sensational
and nefarious calling. In the colonial times
short work would have been made Of the
delusion, for the A1ArHZRs would at
once have attributed it to the old
women who ride On. broomsticks at midnight,
and kept the gibbets busy On Witch Hill.
In these practical days, however, religious
frenzy and absurdity are allowed wide de-
gree Of latitude, and even license but it is
evident that in New England they ara reach
ing pitch of folly, if not Of crime, that will
soon cause public interference.
It is not very creditable to the much.
vaunted culture and morality Of Massachu-
setts that social crimes Of the most horrible |
and revolving character keep pace with re-.
igious delusion, especially in the vicinity of |
The Hub Of the Universe. The region that
produced that abnormal monster of deprav-
ty, jesse PoNERoY, seems to be prolific in |
'coundrels, the latest being one BuzzR11,
yho takes the girl he has ruined out riding
Nth him. and during the ride requests her
o strangle her babe. The maternal instinct
icing too strong, the brute does it him
elf, and throws the baby into the bushes
y the roadside. These and other such
lorrib1e lines are perpetrated within
asy sight Of the steeples Of Boston
nd the walls Of various institutions Of
cience and learning, where abstusa ques-
ions are discussed, where art and music
hrive, and where the people themselves
oast OF their culture and progress in
nowledge, as compared with the outside
arbarians- At this distance from Boston.
would appear to our rude, unlettered peo-
le that what the region around the Hub
eeds is less science, literature, and philoso-
ny, and moro morality, less culture, and
ore decency. We see it stated in the pro- .
.edings Of the Church's work for foreign
issions during the past year that almost
!, o,ooo were contributed by the Presby-
rians alone. It is sad to think that not a )
mt OF this large amount Was appropriated !
missionary work in New England, and 9
at not single agent or colporteur was sent i
to the region around about Boston, where :
Q harvest is immense and there are no la Fl
'rers. .
Now that belief In the existence OF the Bad | II