The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-01-16
OUR NATIONAL DELUSIONS.
Singular MaHiaS, SCareS and PanlCS and
Their Origin.
Preparing for the Earth's Destruc.
tIOns.The Crusade and the south
Sea IIubbIe..SpeculatiV Craze.

History tells OF numerous instances IN
which countries have apparently gone
mad, and, although the fits Of insanity
have invariably caused suffering and
death, many incidents in connection with
them were ludicrous 10 the extreme. From
time to time a scare has spread through
England In consequence Of prophecies
naming the date Of the earth's destruc-
ton. The last Of these is Of quite recent
date, having occurred as recently as 1881.
Mother shipton's prophecy, in execrable
verse, that during the year named "the
world unto an end should come" was
accepted as gospel by thousands Of resi-
dents in the agricultural districts, while
not few more civilized townspeople set
their houses In order and prepared for the
grim event, says the st. Louis Globe
Democrat
During the years 1879 and 1880 there
was a distinct religious revival. the little
country chapels were crowded to excess,
the penitent form was in constant use,
and psalm singing became the regular
evening recreation. Several women died
Of oyerexcitement, but otherwise the
scare had a good effect, especially on the
morals Of the people influenced by 1t.
Lord Chief Justice Coleridge tried q
breach Of promise case at Bristol in 1880
which showed how completely the proph-
ecy influenced the lives Of those who be-
lieved in 1t. The plaintiff in the case was
attractive and pretty. She described the
courtship and promise in the usual man
ner, and then proceeded to electrify the
judge by her description of the breaking
off Of the engagement. The defendant
had explained to her that as the world
was coming to an end in 1881 it would be
madness to get married in 1880. In vain
did she explain in reply that she did not
care when the world was coming to an
end, nor did she believe in the Mother
Shipton. The young man was what the
poor call obstinate" and the rich firm, /"
and hence the suit.
The judge expressed his antonishment
at the credulity Of an apparently intelli-
gent man like the defendant, and charged
the jury that it was merely question Of
damages. For hours the jury were locked
up. and finally the foreman explained that
they could not agree, as opinions differed
as to the reliability Of Mother Shipton as
prophecies. The judge decided that
this was equivalent to a verdict for the
plaintiff for the amount claimed, and his
decision was affirmed on appeal. But the
appeal did not come of until 1882, and
the damages were never paid, for all OBJ
stacles having been removed at midnight
on December 81 Of the alleged fateful or
fatal year the couple "made 1t up" and
all was forgiven and forgotten.
There were many other instances quite
as grotesque as this. Thousands Of acres
went uncuItivated because men refused to
work on the eve Of the earth's destTuc-
tion; buildings were left unrepaired and
q general spirit Of indifference as to ter
restrial matters prevailed. The mania
was confined to districts. and hence was
only partially national, but the same can
hardly be said Of some Of the destruction
Of the earth panics which preceded it.
The first Of these was in the year 900,
when pilgrims dragged their weary limbs
to Jerusalem to meet Christ on his second
coming. The craze extended to nearly
the whole Of central Europe and the bands
Of pilgrims were strengthened by new re-
cruits from every halting place. Much
destruction resulted from the march and
many comfortable homesteads were aban-
doned. Disease destroyed q large per.
centage Of the infatuated ones.
In the fourteenth and twice in the
eighteenth century prophesies as 10 world
termination caused excitement and panic,
the most remarkable instance being in
l736, when October Is was named as the
day Of judgment. Numbers were afraid
to 90 to bed on the evening Of the 18th
and were greatly reassured when thegray
dawn Of the l4th upset the prophets rep
utation for accuracy.
The crusades may fairly be classed
among national, II not continental crazes.
Peter the Hermit's motives may have
been excellent, but It was not long before
the religious war deteriorated into a dis
tinctly irreligious raid. Influenced by the
idea that the mere taking part in the
attack on the infdels would insure par
don for oil sins, men sold out their belong
ings and eagerly joined the ranks. But
the craze did not stop there. People who
had nothing stole from those that had,
themselves with the happy
thought that no III could possibly befall
them. The same idea Influenced the
on the march. As Q pardon
would cover everything, the fanatics de-
rided TO have q good time regardless Of
and never in the worlds his
Iory were there scenes Of more unbridled
than In the camps Of these
holy" warriors. The real object Of the
was.a matter Of comparative
Indifference to the rank and file, and
Europe was victimized remorselessly by
he thieves and bandits.
A craze against long hair and boards
look possession Of the English people
lfter the Norman conquest, and It was at
ts height In the middle Of the twelfth
century. The NormanS brought with them