Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-15

tial force DO carried over land and sea to
Jerusalem, where there is to DO n grand
round up Of the faithful ere the journey
to the skies Is resumed. So thoroughly
have these ideas taken possession of many
Of the negroes that they have already dis
posed of their worldly belongings. They
have thrown up their jobs and are simply
waiting for the trumpet blast.
Many of the prospective angels have
strange ideas rs to the geographical loca-
ton Of tho holy city. Some Of them
think it is near Macon, others that it is
just beyond New York, and still others
that it is just the other side Of the clouds
Several people arc responsible for the
spreading OF these strange ideas. Their
chief propagation was DIR. John ). Willetts,
a faith cure prophet who made his home
In Midway, Washington county, Pa. He
became too active to suit the people Of that
particular neighborhood, SD the White Caps
killed him. But several worthy successors
were found, among them his wife and
"Dr." Anderson Rodgers. The latter is
Mt present holding services i'm Atlanta and
preparing the Negroes for their flight next
month.
Rodgers figures it out that the faithful
will stand in the rebuilt temple in Jerusa-
lem from Saturday, Aug. IA, 1897, to
Monday, Feb. 25, 1901, or 1880 days
This idea comes from the Scriptures, where
Daniel Is informed of the times xii, 10
and ~:
"None Of the wicked shall understand,
but the wise shall understand, and from
the time that the daily sacrifice shall be
taken away and the abomination that
maketh desolate set up there shall be one
thousand two hundred and ninety days"
DE- Rodgers explains the very long week
In this language:
"Read Daniel. ninth chapter, twenty
seventh verse, and you will find that this
covenant was made for one week. This is
not week of literal days, but week with
q prophet is seven years.
According to Rodgers creed, the Saviour
Is to reign on earth !, 900 years. He says
there are at this time IA, 600 wise virgins
who shnll not taste death, but who shall
meet the Saviour in the clouds high up over
the world next March. The preacher Is
| careful to explain that he uses the word
virgin" in q broad sense. He includes
in the figures named sanctified people
"bOys, men, women, black and white"
"Yo' must keep yo' lamps full Of oil, -
| Ia his injunction. Then he explains that
this is Biblical expression meaning to
keep the soul full Of holy thoughts. He
warns the ignorant negroes not to misun-
| derstand him and invest in kerosene.
Rodgers expresses the hope that the
| eventful morning will be free from haze,
| SO that those who are doomed to remain on
| this sinful sphere can have the pleasure OF
| seeing their brothers and sisters depart
for the golden gates.
| Rodgers is baptizing on an average &c
| converts to the new belief daily. To each
new convert he gives o passport officially
signed,
| The Willettsites are not spending money
for robes rs did the Millerites, who OK.
| pected the Judgment day several years ago
| The latter congregated on n large hill and
awaited in vain for the coming Of the
Lord The followers of the new creed
will remain right in their homes until the
summons they expect arrives.
| Alabama has been flooded with circulars
announcing in bold type that "Jesus II
coming" and great enthusiasm has been
aroused among the colored population.
There is particular rejoicing among the
negroes confined In the state prison, n
Montgomery. Nearly all Of them have
been converted to the Willetts creed, and
they believe they will 60 sailing upward
March next whether they wear balls and
chains or not.
Many converts have sold their belong
ings for what they could get for them,
and in some INSTANCES they have given
their things away. Prominent among the
few white believers Is o man named Snow,
q resident Of Selma. Snow has consider
able property, part Of which he has con-
verted into cash to carry ON the mission
airy work. He announces that he viii
spend every cent he has before March g.
As money will be useless after that date.
Mrs Martha willetts, widow Of the
martyred prophet, who is now living q
East st. Louis. Ills, says that she recently
had message from her departed husband
In which he announced he was making n
rargeinents for the reception OF the faith
ful, and that he would DO on hand early
on the morning Of March To greet the