Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1885-01-16
.r,.x.y RvL.eIous BELIEF.


The ~. Elimar Mira Militia CongregA'
,;op Of the Lord" composed Of people II
Philsdelphia. whose form OF Religion,
belief is most remarkable, has appiieo
for a charter. The application is resisted
hv the friends of the woman who founded
the church, and exception to the sp'
,l;cation for the charter was made re-
Gently.
The sect was invented two years age
bv 4. woman, who claimed that she had
revelation from the Lord to the euee'
that she was the third person OF the Holy
Trinity. The woman's name was Ann
Meis.er. but after the alleged revelation
she assumed that Of j. Elimar Militia. A
number Of credulous Germans believed
her story, and formed church Tor the
advancement OF her ideas. They pur'
chased a house on South Eleventh street,
and became so infatuated with the new
religion that they decided it to Miss
Meister. In the building they set up a
meeting room. and in this they congre'
gated every Sunday to worship the sell
STYLED prophet. Miss Meister, it IS
claimed by those resisting the apPlies-
.;on 90, .hs charter. was in the habit OF
wearing a crown and a tinsel dress, ana
Of going through all sorts Of weird mean
tat;ons. while the members Of the con-
gregation paid her homage upon their
knees as If she had been q deity. Sew
eral members of the congregation were
rich. and no expense was spared IN hitting
MP the building in which the services
took place. For eighteen months the
followers OF Meister assembled weekly,
aud sometimes more frequently, to go
through the forms that had become
sacred to them through their convictions.
A few months ago Miss Meister, who
is said to have been a religious mono
maniac, died. The enthusiasm OF the
congregation redoubled. and they wor-
shipped her as a saint. A difficulty,
however, arose on which they had not
counted. The heirs of the deceased
prophet prepared to take possession OF
the temple. on the ground that, as it was
Miss Meister's property, her death made
it theirs. This view the congregation
was by no means ready to accept. In
their confidence in the oma as 3
prophet, it is true, they made her a pres
emit Of the building without throwing any
restrictions about the transaction, but
they claimed that they never intended
that it should be used for = purpose other
than that for which it was purchased,
namely, the performances Of religious
ceremonies. They averred that the
building was held by Miss Meister in
trust for the congregation. This is an
other point that will have to be settled.
The application for the charter was
made last week. The purpose for which
the incorporation is designed is to main
tain the worship Of a Triune God accord
ing TO the Lutheran Cultns and the teach
ings Of ]. Eiimar Militia" The author.
tiles Of Philadelphia are resisting the
granting Of a charter for a combination
Of reasons, among which is, that the
worship is idolatrous, aud because it is
Questionable to a large body Of Christian
believers, regularly organized as the
Evangelical Lutheran Church, to have
the corporation styled Lutheran"
The opposition to the granting of the
charter. it is said. will in its turn be
desperately fought by the Mira Mitts
congregation. The lawyers of Mis-:
Meister's sister declare that they, too
will fight the case tooth and nail, anG
compel the production in court Of tn,
pictures, crown, and other paraphernaliI
used at the services Of the congregation
in order to convince the court Of theil
idolatrous character. Whether the char
ter can be refused If the application TO
it is properly amended 30 as to meet tn,
technical demands Of the law is q poin
that promises to excite some controversy
The question OF whether it is polite o
lawful to prevent the formation Of sucl
congregations where the members ar,
really believers in what they profess an,
act in other respects in good faith, is on
that has champions on both sides.
Complaint is made that the tramps ar