Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-21
bic in high and low places-is
checked by some unforeseen condi-
tons, the calamity is not distant.
DISTURBING PREDICTIONS.


DISTURBING PREDICTIONS.
FREQUENTLY Of late the coast
papers have contained references to
a man named Erickson and a
woman named Mrs. Woodwork,
who have been reiterating with the
utmost assurance, predictions TO the
effect that San Francisco and Oak-
land were 10 be destroyed during
the present month by tidal wave,
and that Chicago and Milwaukee
were to be obIitera.ed by an earth
quake. So marked was the effect
which these prophecies had upon
the minds of certain class in Cali
fornia that the San Francisco
Chronicle felt called upon to exert
an influence 10 counteraet it.
Ridicule was mingled with an ar
gument which aimed 10 convince
the reader that, as human eyes
could not penetrate to the interior Of
the eartu, no man could possibly
foretell when such a disturbance of
its surface would occur as would
produce either a tidal wave or an
earthquake.
1t is reported that many people OF
Oakland sold out for what they could
get and fed TO the interior of the
State, that numbers Of persons were
driven insane by the fear caused by
the dire predictions of the individ-
uals referred TO, and that many
have subjected themselves to desti-
tuition in their terror at the pros
pect held up before them. That
serious consequences attended the
prophesying of Erickson and Mrs.
Woodwork seems TO be abundantly
sustained, but the good that has
thereby been accomplished is an
invisible quantity.
The New York World takes up the
subject, remarking, at is one of the
Inconvenience Of liberty that IN
der a system OF free speech the
knave and the fool may exploit
themselves as freely as the philos-
opher." II speaks Of the grave
mischief which has been done
by these predictions, and contin-
ues:
"And all this occurs simply because
Erickson and Mrs. Woodwork de
sired TO attract attention to themselves
and make a sensation by confidently
pretending TO a foreknowledge which
no human being can possess and pre-
dieting calamities. of which they know
no more than brute beasts.
"WhAt a reelection this kind Of thing
is upon the imperfec;ion of our system
of popular educationi There was
never time when the knowledge
which should render superstition pow
erless 10 make dupes was so universal
as now; and vet there was never a
time when vulgar cheats, pretending
TO supernatural powers or hypernatur-
al knowledge. seemed so easily TO make
victims among people educated in
the schools. Faith-healers, spiritual
lists, prophets OF disaster. charlatans,
quacks, cheats Of every kind, ply thoir
trade in tho very centres Of intelIi-
gence and find multitudes 10 follow
them, in spite Of the teaching of the
schools that results flow only from
efficient causes
1.-THE skepticism OF our time seems
to begin believing where credulity is
inclined to leave of"
The World is probably correct in
assigning the main motive which
aetuated the prognosticators, and
certainly expresses truth in respect
to the readiness with which the
present generation allows itself to
be deceived. 80 marked is this dis
position that one may well believe
that error is preferred 10 truth.
In past ages it has generally been
a noteworthy fact that false prophets
most abounded when true ones were
abroad among the people proclaim
ing a message Of warning and re-
peutance; and that deceivers Of the
varieties named by the World were
most numerous when true and d.
vinely inspired teachers were en-
gagged in preaching righteousness.
In other words, counterfeit coins are
contemporaneous with the genuine.
One feature connected with the
prophecies Of Erickson and Mrs.
Woodworth is sufficient to condemn
them as from an evil source. The
person who believed them was not
thereby led to repentance from sin,
brought nearer TO God, or made hap
pier or better in any way. On the
contrary their converts were
plunged into misery and despair
far greater than they had eyer
known before listening to these pro-
phets. Whereas those who receive
the message of a true prophet have
an experience exactly the opposite
Of this. They become better, purer,
happier, more godly and more de-