The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1886-04-15
assnnso vialona 50 xoane sslris.

4 "A repsarkable outbreaks Of feligious
hRllpcihAtion ocGurrea on this island
this year. Abou: Januaty last II report
was out that "a young girl Ind secn
visions and Was under some influence
not belonging to this world. Her ex-
citetnsnt soon communicated itself to
others, aiid in the course Of q fcw weeks
son)e twenty young girls wero affected,
They then organized religious meotings
and much excitement was cn,,aed X
went at olco to sec what took placo
at these meetings. About fifty people
sat round in u room singing, clapping
hands and stamping tho foot, keeping
time to n kind OF mOnotonic Chant. The
girls who saw visions were standing In
The center, sometimes walking up and
Gradually tho singing qutekened, until
at iast It became fastp aid furious. Thon
tho girls would dance, shout, and bark
like dogs.
After twenty minutes OF this they
w0tild fall down with a. slriok. Their
struggles, cries, and foamings at tho
mouth were dreadful to SEQ, and In many
cases 1t took four or five men to hold
thom STILL, After tile fit was over they
would lilo exhausted for about one hour;
then, when they came to, they gave very
detailed accounts Of tho visions they had
seen. A great deal of these visions was.
Of course nonsense, but ono thing WAS
remnrkablethey spoke Of people doing
things many miles from tho place. Up
on inquiry II was found in some cases
that what they fha9 seen correspondent
exactly with the Ag6nts.
Ono most remarkable feature in this
outbreak was that it was not confined to
one spot. Almost simultaneously in
every settlement OH tho island (the
broad in places) similar outbreaks oc.
Cured Girls living ut u distance Of
five or ton miles from tho sccno of the
''shouting meetings" rs they were call
ed, would be seized. Boing seized with
| n kind of frenzy, they would run, as II
by inspiration, to the spot Where
tho rest wore assembled, no matter how
far. -...r,. .,..rt ~.
Most OF those attacked with tho fits
were people who belonged TO tho baptist
society. Consequently their visions wero
not Of the Madonna, but of the distinc-
| tive predestination doctrines of their
sect. Very glowing accounts were
given Of tho various punishmonts and
/ tortures reserved for the wicked in hell,
and they werc most liberal in dispens~
Ing these punishments among their
friends.
Up and down tho island about 400 or
500 people were seized, and 1t was at
first thought 1t was q kind epidemic of
hysteria. In q few cases girls of highly
respectable character wore seized, and,
although they did not SEQ visions, yet
for weeks they would have fits daily. and
such was their supcrhuman strength
that have seen young girl of 18
struggle out of the grasp Of four strong
| men. Tho outbreak lasted from Janu-
ary to July, and at ono time it was fcar-
cd it would lead to serions consequences,
for all the people who gave crcdenco to
tho visitors neglected work and nban-
dosed themselves to holding meetings
day and night for singing. shouting,
barking, and iistcning to accounts ofthe
visions seen. e..
In the daytime. and especially ON
Sundays, tlcy had PROFESSIONS with BAN
ncrs. This led to SONG bnd ftpl:ng. and
in fcw cnscs tho law had TO be appeal
cd to in the interests of peace. 1t was IL
singular thing thnt although they organ
izcd themselves into IL sect. and all Who
disbelicvcd in the; visions were 'hcrc-
tics, yet ihsy showed the utmost court
esy nnd Eyood.'I55s4 toSSuitt@ the t''iUr<'n,
but toward thtHFf own particular do
pRIUipatiOn and the rariOu, other s1cts
they aisplHyril srrH, ;n.moSity. Tho
excitomept bsE HiWI qu, NOW, and they
hoye censed TO ANist ~ u scct.-San
SniputlOr LEttcE In LQHda3 Ir0iea