The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-09
STRANGE VISIONS OF YOUNG GIRLS.
Remarkable Outbreak of Religious Enthusi-
asm in the Bahamas.

Remarkable Outbreak of Religious Enthusi-
asm in the Bahamas.
| San Salvador Letter in London Times.
| A remarkable outbreak of religious hallucna
ton occurred on this island this year. About
| January last report was out that young girl
had seen visions and was under some influence
not belonging to this world Her excitement
soon communicated itself to others, and in the
course of a few weeks some twenty young girls
were affected. They then organized religious
meetings, and much excitement was caused
went to what took place at these
meetings. About fifty people sat round in a
| room singing, capping hands and stamping the
| feet, keeping time to a kind of monotone chant.
The girls who saw visions were standing in
| the center, sometimes walking up and down.
They had a vacant kind of stare. Gradually the
| singing quickened, until at last it became fast
and furious Then the girls would dance,
shout and bark like dogs.
| After twenty minutes of this they would fall
| down with shrek. Their struggles, cries, and
| foaming at the mouth were dreadful to see, and
| in many cases it took four or FIVE men to hold
them still. After the fit was over they would
| lie exhausted for about one hour; then when
| they came to, they gave very detailed accounts
of the visions they had seen. A great deal of
| these visions was, of course. nonsense, but one
thing was remarkable-they spoke of people
| doing things many miles away from the place
| what they had seen corresponded exactly with
| the events.
| One most remarkable feature in this out
| break was that it was not confined to one spot
Almost simultaneously in every settlement on
the island the island is forty five miles long
and twelve broad in places) similar outbreaks
occurred. Girls living at distance of five or
ten miles from she scene of the shouting meet
ings," as they were called, would be seized. Be-
ing seized with kind of frenzy, they would rum
so hxyi iCcn otinr 70 ofvuh
were assembled, no matter how far.
Most of those attacked with the fits were peo-
pie who belonged to the Baptist society. Con
sequently their visions were not of the Madon-
na, but OF the distinctive predestination doc
trines of their sect. Very glowing accounts were
given of the various punishments and tortures
reserved for the wicked in hell, and they were
most liberal in dispensing these punishments
among their friends
Up and down the island about 400 or 500 people
were seized, and it was at first thought it was
kind of epidemic of hysteria. In few eases
c1r. of highly respectable character were seized
and, although they did not see visions, yet for
weeks they wou,a have MS daily: and such was
their superhuman strength that have seen a
young girl of sixteen. struggle oat OF the grasp
of four strong men, The outbreak Lasted from
January to July, and at one time it was
feared that it would lead to serious consequences
for all the people who gave credence to the Wis
ions neglected work and abandoned themselves
to holding meetings day and night for singing,
shouting, barking and listening to accounts of
the visions seen.
In the daytime. and especially on Sundays
they had professions with banners This led to
some bad feeling. aud in few cases the law had
to be appealed to in the interests of peace. 1t
was singular thing that although they organ
lied themselves into sect, and all who disbe-
lieved in the visions were 'heretics.n yet they
showed the utmost courtesy and good will to-
ward the church, but toward their own particu-
"a rio oth cfr
they displayed great animosity The excitement
has died out now, and they have ceased to exist
AS sect. p. BARROW MATTHEWS,
Rector, San Salvador, Nassau Diocese.