The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-05
EARTHQUAKE pR0PHES|ED
In Consequence the Colored People
Of New York City Became
Frightened.
The Prophet Foretold tho Charles
ton Earthquake and tho Johns
town Disaster.
Some OF tho Visions Hc Has Seen and tho
Dreams He Has Droamsd-No
Time Hst,

Nxw YORK, Aug. 4.-The residents of the
upper portion of New York have been
threatened with serious inconvenience by
the flight of their oolored help owing to o
prophecy of the destruction of New York
city by an earthquake in the near future.
On Tuesday a reporter went to the troubled
district (Fordham) to locate the prophet,
but found that he had changed his quarters
and was to preach Tuesday night in the
A%byssinian Baptist church in Waverly
place. Several OF the frightened persons
were seen and all were VI tied In a firm be-
lief in the fulfllment of the prediction.
~ would not believe it either" rem nrksd
= young colored man who works at the resi-
dence of Mr.. Hutchinson, at Fordham
Heights, "if the prophet had not p~rophesied
tho Charleston earthquake and the Johns
town flood"
The Abysslnian church was crowded or
Tuesday night with the colored people OF
the neighborhood to listen with awe-struck
countsnances to the doom which WAS swiftly
approaching thcm. There was not a vacant
seat when the pastor of the church intro
duced the prophet. The latter, who bears
tho worthy name Of Jones (Rev. Ebsnezer
Jones), stepped forward and told his hear
era how he had shaken tho dust Of New
York from off his feet, and had hoped never
to view the wicked city again. But while
at Williamsport, Pa, no had had a vision
in which he saw the pastor of this church
calling him in q loud voice to come back
and look at them again, and he was here.
He made numerous references to former
prosecutions Of himself. and how. at one
time, three men had o%onspired to throw a
rock at him, but it missed him by
fully four feet, and then he raised
his voice and yelled and the ground
under the three mon shook. After an
arraipnmsnt of the sinners of New York,
Prophet ZONES announced that New York
was not to suffer alone, adding: Last
night 1 looked at Chicago and saw it a field
of wheat, ready for the harvest, and den !
be entirely destroyed" This, to say the
least, is rough on the Worlds fair.
After a collection for the church and an
other to help the prophet OF his way to
Chicago and the singing Of several hymns,
the benediction was pronounced. The re-
porter. however. sat still to get a few words
with the prophet. He asked him: "What
prophecies have you made before?"
II foretold the earthquake in New York
or August 10, 1884. I saw New York in a
vision shaking, and the people running out
into the streets. Den l prophesied de
Charleston earthquake and de Johnstown
disaster. warned de people Of Johnstown
for years before dc calamity fell"
lis there any specified time set for the
destruction of New York;"
mo. sab; but it will be shaken, not like
it was in 1884, but seventeen times worse
than Charleston"
do you ever have other visions?"
eyes, sab. l saw You in a vision dia
afternoon. You so to East Orange, N. j.,
and ask 'enn dar what / said when l got up
dis afternoon. I said l had seen a news
paper man como to me and tell me he had
heard of me through somebody and he
wanted to know something about me-"
Prophst Jones appears to be perfectly sim
cere in his predictions, and the colored
people of Fordham are shaking in their
boots. There is no lack of colorsd help for
seaside hotels, a condition of affairs very
seldom known in this vicinity.
A reputable New York paper SAYS that
Jones did actually prophesy two years be-
fore the destruction of YOUNGSTOWN that that
city would be overwhelmed with a mighty
flood" For creating an exoitement among
the colored people of Johnstown bp his pre-
diction he was arrested and imprisoned for
nearly two months. Mr.. Williams, the sex
ton of the Abyssinian Baptist church and
one of it's pillars, said tonight that Mr..
Jones was not crazy, but was gifted with "a
peculiar power" in which every colored
Baptist layman and minister has faith.