Daily Republican., 1885-02-02
SUPERSTIT|0Us II0LATRY.
\ CONGREGATION OF WOMAN
WORsHIPPERS In PAlLA.
DELPHIA, PENNA. so

WORsHIPPERS In PHlLA.
DELPnIA, PENNA.
The application for a charter by a
congregation sty ling themselves the
81. Elimar Mira Militia Congregation of
the Lord" in the Court in Philadel-
phia, has disclosed the existence of q
set of superstitious idolaters in that
city which seems in this enlightened
age almost incredible. These people
are known as the worshippers Of Anna
Meister, their originator, who has been
dead for some years. The application
for charter was made several weeks
since, when exceptions were filed by
the relatives of the dead woman, and
the General Council of EVANGELICAL
Lutheran church.
This body objects to the proposed as
sociation, because 1t claims q charter
on the ground that tthey"worship accord
ing TO the Lutheran cultus," and last
Saturday argument was heard before
Judges Pierce and Biddle upon these
exceptions.
William H. Stake, on behalf of the
exceptants, stated to the Court that he
had affidav1ts in support of his allega-
ton that the people desiring to be incor-
porated were, practically: idolaters, but
the Court thought the matter of suffi-
cisnt importance to warrant its being
placed on the General Argument List,
in order to allow of the taking of count
or affidavits.
Later in the day Mr.. Stake fled
three affidavits. One is sworn to by
Meta Meister. q sister of the deceased
Anna Meister, who declares that in
numerous conversations Anna said
that she was the Holy Ghost, the third
person of the Trinity, and should be
worshipped accordingly. She de-
nounced the marriage relation and
taught that husband and wife should
live together as brother and sister.
She had seen the picture In the house
on Eleventh street in which her sister
was represented as the Holy Ghost.
The most important affidavit Is that
OF Mary Rapp, who was formerly one
OF the fifteen or twenty persons who
constituted Miss Meister's sect. She
declares that j. Elimar Mira Militia re-
quired the members of her congregation
TO worship her as a god. They prayed
to her saying: 1--WE come to thee,
holy spirit we come to thee, holy Mira
Militia forgive us our SINS" She claim
ed the power to forgive sins as the third
person of the Godhead. Her adherents
would PROSTATE themselves before her
and worship her. She taught that hus.
band and wife should not cohabit that
there was another way of peopling the
earth, known only to her as one of the
persons of the Holy Trinity, and that
their ability in this direction depended
upon their faith in her power.
She forbade the use of coffee, and
would dictate her commands, which
were written in books by her followers.
On festival occasions, the greatest of
which was her birthday, she would ar
ray herself in red velvet gown OF one
of white silk embroidered with the sun
and moon and stars, and put on a
crown studded with precious stones,
said to be diamonds. She used water,
wine aud bread in her communion
service, and there was nothing Luthe-
ran in her teaching She rejected the
Bible ard required her followers TO cay
prayer at 5, 8, 8, II and 12 a. m. and 8,
and o p. m
They were obliged TO confess their
ON issioDs TO pray, ard she would then
scald and telate them, and sometimes
strike them on the face, or back, or
mouth with her hand or a book, or
whatever was most convenient. They
would thank her for these castigations,
declaring she bad whipped their sins
out of them. Through her teachings
the witness husband mad abandoned
her, and was now living with another
woman. She taught that those who
obeyed her teachings would never die
that in 1885 the world would come to
an end, but that her followers would
live under a new dispensation. Her
followers believed her immortal, and
still confidently expect her resurrection.
In her back bed room she had bed
stead and bureau, which, she declared,
was reserved for the Saviour, whose
bride she claimed to be. She had been
teaching these doctrines for more than
twenty five years.
Saiome Blattmann, a married sister
of the woman, sets forth in her affidavit
that Anna declared that she had taken
a journey through he'll to the moon and
different stars. and had seen her rela-
tives in heaven in white silken robes.
There it was revealed to her that she
was the Holy Ghost, and Immediately
afterward she had great growth of
hair. One day she was combing it,
and one hair fell upon the floor and
crimped itself in such way as to form
the words 81. Elimar Mira Militia"
Then it was revealed to her in letters of
gold that these words meant in Greek,
" The daughter of Jehovah" The wit
ness had seen her disciples kneeling to
l.er sister, and had seen the picture in
which she was represented as the HOLY
Ghost.
Emil Blattmann, a nephew OF Mira
Militia, cOrroborated the statements
about the pictures AID dress. He had
seen his aunt in festival dress of white
satin, wearing a costly white lace veil,
with roses in her hair and a golden
girdle around her waist, from which
was suspended triangular piece of
gold on which the words Mira Mitta''
were engraved. She also had a large
gold medallion, heavy gold chain and
white kid gloves, over which she wore
rings.
The case was noe disposed of on Sstur-
day, but from the affidavits which have
been presented, it is not at all probable
that charter will be granted.
Sale of Real Estate.
William Green, Esq, attorney for