The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-06-02
The world to an end shnii come
In eighteen hundred and eighty-one.

These rhymes would not oe entitled
to the space they occupy in these col
umns, were it not that, by imposing on
the creduiity of the public, they have
tended to bring into discredit the gen.
uine prophecies of Holy Scripture, and
that the start ing announcement in the
last couplet has somewhat disturbed the
peace of timid souls.
Having frequently, in pressing upon
skeptical minds the argument from
prophecy as establishing the Divine orr
gin Of the Bible, been met by the state
ment that "here is an uninspired proph-
ecy Of undoubted antiquity which, how
ever rude its shape, contains several re.
markable predictions" have forsever-
al years been trying to unealth what
impressed me as hugh imposture; and
having succeeded, l give the result to
the public. :.
The first clue to the forgery was found
in the discovery that at least three sepa.
rate and different versions had been put
before the people. The changes Jr vari-
ations were slight and sly; so adroitly
and skilfully made as to call but little
attention, yet accommodating the form
of the prophecy" to the fact ofcurrent
history. Having compared the first
form that appeared in print nearly
twenty years since with the subsequent
versions, marked these evidences of
unmistakable meddling with the orr
ginal couplets
England shall at last admit the Jew.
was changed, if l remember rightly,
only in one syllable. The first form
was, think
England shall at last permit the Jew.
The Jew that was held in scorn
| To his own land to be born.'
In this form, instead of a prophecy of
the position Of Disraeli in the councils
of the nation, it becomes only hint of
the restoration of the Jews to their own
land.
Some of the intimations, had they
been centuries old, might have been
only crude references to Scripture.
The floating iron might have been sug-
gested by II. Kings 6: S, 8, and the
couplet about learning by Daniel -:
4.
But, happily. Prof.Piazzi Smith, Sgd
ney Hall, and others, have been on
search for the author Of the imposture,
and have now successfully placed the
responsibility for the hoax where it
belongs.
Sydney Hall, having seen it stated
that the original of this prophecy, with
others of Mother Shipton's, was first
published in printed form in l44S,
and that the book now in the library
of the British Museum, instituted a
thorough search. OF course he knew in
advance that no such printed volumns
could be thele, as the Mazarine Bible
of 145O-1455 is The earliest printed book
known. But those who invented this
falsehood, when it was exposed, adroitly
covered it with the statement that the
"printed book' is only manuscript
Rut the manuscript cannot be found
In the year 1641 book Of Mother Ship
tons Rhymes was published, but it
contains not one of those tlnticipations of
crystal palace, steam engine, balloon,
railway, etc, which have given this
prophecy" its undeserved fame and
have so startled the credulous.
Not few editors have helped to give
this hoax its hold upon the public mind
by careless endorsement. The editor
Of the Christian Globe rashly asserted
that Of the antiquity of this rhythmical
prophecy there can be no doubt" and
that it has been found in old books of
type and design as ancient as those
of Caxton Wycliffe!' Not only readers,
but even editors, are sometimes af.
flicted with disease known as 'guM-
biHty."
4 The facts are these: In 1862, Charles
Hindley, of Brighton, published an edi-
ton of Mother Shipton's prophecies
and here, for the first time, were given
these rhymes containing the pretended
prediction of things which had already
happened. This book started con
: troversy about the reality of Mother
Shipton and the genuiness other saying
which was continued from time to time
in "Notes and Queries" In Series ~.
Vol. lX., the editors announced tha