The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-02-21
DEEM is NOT iNSANE.
At Least that Is the Opinion Of
The Jury in the Case of the
Kansas Crank.

Deem, the originator of the new re-
hgion, in giving his evidence yester-
day in his trial on the charge of in
sanity, explained his belief and the
causes that led him to announce them
to the world. He said that as a
Sunday school teacher in youthful
DAYS his mind was led to the investi
CATION of Bible history and its teach
ings. He soon arrived at the con-
cIusion that the world had entirely
misunderstood the truths intended to
he conveyed in the mystical language
of the scriptures. He said that the
churches taught that the teachings of
the Old Testament should be sepa-
rated from the New Testament as
not affecting the plan of salvation
of mankind. The more he reflected
upon the subject the greater his rea-
sons for believing that the churches
were wrong in their theory and that
he himself being guided by the admo-
milton of one of the apostles to divide
the subject properly after beseeching
divine assistance, had arrived at the
conclusion that to understand the
scripture properly. the Old and New
Testament history and their teachings
should be divided into six parts: each
representing a different age or period
of the world. He said that five periods
had already passed. and that we had
now arrived at the Millennium. or the
time when Christ would appear and
reign a thousand years. He tuther
stated he was not fully convinced of
the fact that the time had really come
but believed if it had not arrived it
was close at hand. He believed that
he and his followers were descendants
of the ten lost tribes of Israel. The
chart prepared by him which was
exhibited on the walls of the court
room represented the history Of the
world. The ages of Adam and Me-
thuselah were given to show that
longevity OF life was affected by reason
of the sins of the people From the
time fAdam to Methuselah Sin dimin-
ished, and consequently age increased.
Since Mathuselah sin has always been
on the increase, and the age Of man.
kind had diminished to an average of
80 years. He fully believed that he
was in such a condition of holiness
that he never would undergo physi-
cal death and that possibly many
others that believed as he did had be
come so perfect as to defy death. He
would not say that he could cure dir
ease or restore bodily detormities, hut
he believed if the afflicted had suf-
ficient faith that their infirmlties would
he removed.
In giving his evidence the wonder
full talent OF the man was exhibited in
evading questions which would com
nit him to the denial or the affirmation
that he claimed for himself supernat-
ural powers. All such questions were
answered by quotation from the
Bible with the remark, The Book
save So" His followers were equally
pat with Scriptual quotations when
on the witness stand, and the common
remark was that for crazy people they
were the best posted witnesses ever
. seen in a court trial, and could dis
count an equal number of preachers
in their knowledge of the Scriptures.
In Justice to the Deems they DENY that
they threatened Mr.. Wilkins with
everlasting punishment unless he
mortgaged his farm and sent them
500. They also deny that they ex-
pect pay for healing the sick.
DIR. Baxter, a medical expert. fol-
lowed Deem upon the stand, and tes-
titled to his belief in the sanity Of the
defendant. The trial has aroused a
I nd feeling on the part of many citi-
IS ON account Of the cost entailed
uptS the taxpayers, As we'll Ne the
frnuklas opto;lej unou numerous