Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-08-25
BLASPHEMY.
Excitement Among the Colored Peo-
pie in South Carolina.
'aused by Letter Alleged to Have Been
written Them by the Saviour of
the World.

CHARLESTON, S. c., Aug. 20.-The me-
groeS in the Sea Islands are considerably
wrought up over a basphemous screed
that their preachers are selling them as a
letter written by Jesus Christ. They buy
the letters readily at fancy prices. The
following is the letter. which is preceded
by long explanatory introduction:
'Whosoevcr worketh on the Sabbath day
snail be dursed. | command you to 90 to
church and keep the Lords day holy, without
DONG any manner of work. You shall not idly
Spehu your time in bedecking yourself with any
superilulties OF costly apparel and vain dresses,
Tor have ordained day of rest will have
mat aay kept holy that your sins may be for
gwen you. You Shall not break my command
hehts' nut observe and keep them, written
WIN my own hand and spoken with my own
NOUN. You shall not only go to church your
sell, but also your men servants and maid ser
wants, and observe my words and learn my
commandments, You shall finish your labor
| every Saturday in the afternoon by six o'clock,
at which hour preparation Of the Sabbath be-
gins,
" advise you to fast Ave FRIDAYS in every
".
tinue the four Fridays Immediately following,
IN remembrance Of the five bloody wounds
| received for all mankind, You shall diligently
ana peaccaby labor in your respective callinss
wherein it hath pleased God to call you You
shall love one another with brothcrly love- and
| cause them that are not baptized to come to
church and receive the sacramcnts, baptism
| and the Lords supper and be made members of
the church. and in so doing will givevou long
| life and many blessings. Your lands shall flour
ish and your cattle shall bring forth IN great
| abundance; and will give you many blessings
and comforts in the greatest temptations, and
he that doeth to the contrary shall be unproht
able, will also send hardness of heart upon
them I'LL | see them; but especially upon
lhpenltcnt unbchcyers. He that hath given
to the poor shall not be Improbable
II remember TO keep holy the Sabbath day,
Tor Inc seventh day have taken 10 rest myself
and he that hath a copy Of this letter written
with my own hand and spoken with my own
mouth, and kecpeth II without publishing il to
others, shall not prosper; but he that publishes
it 10 Others shall be blessed of me, and. though
his sins be in number as the stars in the sky.
he that believes in this will be pardoned and
| if he believes not this writing and command.
ment ] will send many plaques upon him and
consume both him and his children and his cat
'le And whosocycr shall have a copy of this
letter written with my own hand and keen It
| in the house. nothing shall hurt thonr. neither
pcstilcDce, lightning nor thunder shall do them
hurt; ana If woman be with child and in la.
| Dor and copy OF this letter be about her and
| She firmly puts her trust in me- She shall safely
| be delivered Of her birth. You shall have no
| answer from me but by the Holy Scriptures un
| I'll the day of judgment All GOODNESS and
prosperity shall be on the house where copy
| 0t this, my letter. shall be found.N