The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-05


The most perverse devil that has been
taken account Of by the telegraphic dis
patches recently has been upsetting things
in a Michigan village and getting the good
people into court. This particular devil
seems TO have been an old hand az the
business OF making trouble and knew just
how to get in the most effective blows to
suit his purpose; for. according to the ev-
idence sworn to in the court by some Of
the defendants, he made a combination
with a Methodist preacher. And every
body viii be willing to admit such a CO.
partnership would be calculated to make
things hum.
The Methodist preacher in this instance.
it must be stated. was not of the per-
suasion we are familiar with in Georgia
This Michigan preachers NIethodism WAS
of d qualified kind that they call free
up there. What that means cannot be
told. 1t seems, however. that the devil
in the case made free with the preacher
and persuaded him to wear mustache,
and gold Eyeglasses, and a finger ring.
and a gold watch, and q gold collar but
ton and cuff buttons, and to make use Of
a toothbrush every morning. Brother
Johnson-that is the preachers name
was quietly demonstrated with by some
Of the deacons regarding his sin of van
ity. But it did no good. lie kept right
on wearing his mustache and jewelry.
Two weeks or so ago Brother Johnson's
congregation held camp meeting, TO
which was invited the Free Methodist
ministers for miles around. The meeting
had hardly begun when the visiting breth-
rem complained that Brother Johnson's
sin burdened them; they felt their souls
weighted down by Brother Johnson's
watch and finger rings. So they made the
matter the subject of a consultation. The
unanimous agreement was that Brother
Johnson was possessed Of a devil and
that the devil must be got rid of, as a
matter of relief to the whole camp meet
ing. The elders and the deacons thereupon
laid hands upon the devil-possessed
preacher and threw him upon the ground.
And the visiting brethren the lay work
ers and the sisters took turns in kneel-
ing upon his prostrate body to pray. BY
way of interlude to the prayers they
pounded him on the back probably with
the idea Of dislodging the devil by con
cussion, in the same manner that
bit Of food that has gone the wrong
way" is dislodged from ones windpipe
by vigorous thumpings on the back.
The devil that had Brother johnson,
however, would not be moved by any
such old-fashioned means. He was a
fin de steele devil. and wanted something
new. The women wanted to quit. They
thought the laboregs for Brother John
sons salvation had done their duty. But
the elders wouldn't have it so. They re.
solved to try incartations. The women
objected and tried to rescue Brother
Johnson. The elders held him down. and
went for both the women and the devil
on new tack. Says the dispatch: They
salloped after the women on all fours.
paved dirt on them and uttered
strange noises, which some pigs in the
neighborhood took for some of their own
kind calling them to dinner" That kind
Of thing apparently beat the devil. to the
satisfaction of the exorcists, for they let
Brother johnson get up and helped him
to rub on arnica.
Nevertheless Brother Johnson sued the
whole OUTFIT of his tormentors for as
sault and battery and to recover damages
for his ruined watch and torn clothes.
and the story as here related, with some
slight variations possibly, came out in
court.