The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
TIE SACRIFICE At pOCASSET
A Complete Review of the Famous Ad-
vcntist Tragedy of Six Years Ago.
The True History of Charles F. Freeman's
Bloody Sacrifice Of his Child to His
Fanatical illusions.

cant the world over of the strangest outbreak
of religious fanaticism the present age has seem
Six years ago the first Sunday in May the vii
1age church and the graveyard overlooking
Buzzards bay witnessed display OF barbaric
superstition far more incomprehensible than a
startling tragedy that had three days preceded
it. The occasion was the burial of little.child,
Edith Freeman, who had been slain by her par
ents, as they proclaimed it, in obedience to the
command of God On that gray cherries Sun
day afternoon 1 sat in small church where /
could scan the faces of 300 people who
crowded the pews. Presently there strobe
up the aisle friend of Freeman, the jailed
fanatic, carrying under his arm small cof-
FIN. which he laid in front of the altar. 1t
was the test moment for the faith of the band OF
believers in the congregation. Their leader,
s'the Christ of the Nineteenth century, had told
them that the marcyred child should rise from
the dead on this the third day. Their faith was
great, but their faces told of intense anxiety.
The coffin was opened, and during the solemn
service they watched for some sign Of life from
the little form within. Freemans representa-
tive was not allowed to address them at the close
of the short Methodist service, and the coffin was
carried out in the same manner it was brought
10, 10 the grave tDaL unOelleVlng IflenOs ndO
prepared. Again the lid was removed and over
the sleeping figure there was scene which no
one of the 800 witnesses has been able adequate
~ to describe. The desperate, almost maniacal
attempt of Freemans lieutenant to defend the
motives of the deluded murderer: the indignant
protest of the outsiders; the persistent defiant
defense; the rage of the people; the cry for
rope and for alynching; the peace making prayer
of white haired minister, the final burial of the
child-all have become matters of religious and
secular history.
AS the earth began to fall upon the coffin,
found upon the outskirts of the crowd tremb-
ling old man, who had been of the most
earnest of the Adventists as they were called
Leaning despondently upon canting grave
store he pitifully cried in the depths of his
despair: ''Why has God failed to fulfill His
promises" He knew not what to believe. The
faith of all bis bard was terribly shaken Some
sought refuge in the idea that they had miscal-
eulated the time for the childs resurrection, and
to prevent any attempt at body snatching the
grave watched for some days by the sheriff
remained for some time in the village, study
ing the causes and effects of the strange de-
lusions which had unbalanced the reason of an
entire community The social and physical
conditions of tho place were scarcely abnormal
or different from those of scores of New England
hamlets. Pocasset is a village of about 400
souls, only about sixty miles south of
Boston, but out of the world on the
sandy shoulder of Cape Cod. In summer
it is of the most delightful spots
on this attractive coast, but during seven months
of the year it is wind swept and almost desolate.
The sandy soil makes farming scarcely protita
able; indeed the cranberry seems 10 be the only
indigenous product of value But the oyster
beds are valuable and the fishing is good. The
people are intelligent and thrifty, though neces
sarily frugal and simple in their manner of life
1t was more than year prior to the tragic eli
max of May, 1879, that the seeds Of religious
Juror were planted here A series of revival
meetings were held, led by one or two so-called
AduAn ldnrC ut1nx faIf hn fnvU Thn
movement resulted in the secession of large
faction from the Union Evangelical Church in
kle. village, over which Methodist clergyman
presided. The schism became social, well
rs theological, and during the dreary winter,
when the horizon bounded their world. the divis
ion among them became sharp bitter and per
sonal. Charles f. Freeman became the leader
of the dissenters. Having no hall or meeting
house, the Adventists met frequently in each
others homes, and finally developed among
themselves by some inexplicable process of evo
luton, the blind, unreasoning faith which led to
buch terrible elimination.
Now that time has mitigated or swept away
the immediate effects of the great tragedy,
study of mental and moral developments during
the intervening years becomes almost as fascin
ating and significant as was the original inquiry
The balance wheel of common sense in the vii
lage has been fully repaired. The bitterness
which at one time threatened violence between
the fanatics and their enemies has, for the most
part, disappeared from the daily life of the PEG.
pie, but the social and religious breach has not
been. fully closed The gradual progress of re-
lgious disintegration among the Adventists is
easy to trace. First defiant and obstinate, then
bitterly doubtful the progress to unbelief, or to
Bome other erratic but more material faith, came
almost as matter of course.
A few, very few there are who still defend
Freeman in ''his obedience to Gods commands
One of tkem has told me the true story of Free
mans revelation of his deed to his followers. At
the time OF the tragedy, when the law threat
mad I. all s.~% -
1t was impossible to get the exact truth about
their relations to the deed. They were sum-
mone& TO their leaders home on Thursday after
n00n relates one of the company of twenty or
more who responded to the call. They found
freeman and his wife in all unusually gentle and
happy mood. The dining room had been prepared
Tor one of the usual meetings, and Freeman re-
marked at the opening that the usual singing
would be omitted, because he had much to say
to them. He then read a chapter from the Bible
and offered earnest prayer. Beginning
impassioned address, he dwelt first on the sacri
fee of Abel, to illustrate that some chosen of
God and that others are rejected. The command of
God to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac was touching
ly reviewed, and he next spoke with much feel
ing of the sacrifice of Christ. He added:
'Ours is religion of sacrifice and God has
called for one more Offering. 1t is for Edie.
Come" and he led the way into the next
room. where the child lay upon its pillow,
stabbed to the heart and sleeping in death. The
little assembly was awe struck and amazed
Freeman, with tears in his eyes, told of the terri
Die struggle before he was willing to give up his
bestowed little one. and he added Gods com
fortinS promise to restore her on the third day
Nathaniel Wing was the only one who spoke aft
er the awful announcement He would not at
tempt he said, to judge of the deed. He had
not known it was contemplated, and he could not
realise all it implied The benediction was pro-
nounced and the group of believers was dis
missed with instructions to reassemble at the
resurrection scene on the following Sunday. But
in the meantime a child in her terror disclosed
the secret to an unbelever, and the law soon
usurped the place of the fanatical leader and his
divineiy-inspired plans.
"A prominent friend of the imprisoned zea!ot
talked freely with me yesterday about Freeman
and his delusion This man has become an out
spoken and radical infide at would have puz-