The record-union., 1896-09-06
DOLORES LUZ.
The "Yision Seeing Maiden Of
TobaSC0."
The Young Woman Who Is Stirring
Up Religious Trouble in
Mexico.

with the authority Of special revelation,
predicting in the name of the Virgin ca
| lamitous events, some Of which have
| come to pass, an ignorant Indian girl
is rousing Southern Mexico as it has
never been reused before.
The Vision Seeing Maiden of Tabas-
CO" must be added to the miracles of
LOurdes, to the prophecies of the Rue
Paradis, to the apparitionS Of the Virgin
at Tilly and to those other mysterious
spiritual phenomena which within the
past few years have formed SO strange
| a contrast against the background of
the materialistic nineteenth century.
Matters are approaching a crisis"
writes correspondent of the Sunday
World in Mexico. The Archbishop Of
Tabasco, NJ Amezquita, still holds to
his determination Of bringing the Santa
Dolores to San Jose Bautista. He is
a dictatorial and obstinate man. If he
executes his design no one can estimate
the consequences. 1t is in the air all
through the south that If the storm once
break 1T will rage until the wrongs of
centuries have been washed out In Span
ish blood. The authorities are extremely
uneasy and will give little information. :"
For a year or more the fame of this
new Saint Dolores Luiz, has spread
from the hamlet of Macuspana through
out all Mexico, much as six centuries
ago the fame Of Joan Of Arc went from
Domremy to the uttermost corners of
France. The Spanish Mexicans of
the upper classes regard her as an i'm
poster. Her influence upon the Indians
is almost boundless. The church is
still in doubt as to the course 1t will
pursue.
Several months ago the venerable Gu
rate Of Talpa journeyed muleback to
Macuspana to investigate the story OF
her visions. He had long talks with her
and went back convinced that she was
chosen vessel Of divine grace.
His account induced the Archbishop to
order her brought to the Episcopal seat
at San Juan Bautista. The rumor of
this went abroad and started series Of
outbreaks, for the people of Macuspana
and of the whole department of Chan
talpa believe that he is planning to rob
them Of their saint.
There have been wild uprOarS at night
in the wretched villages. Threats nave
been uttered against the white men.
The priests have been insulted for ques-
tioning the authority OF the saint.
The Spanish magistrates have arrested
many and warned others.
All through the sweltering summer, in
the heat and filth Of the overcrOWded
Mexican lockups, hundreds of Indian
prisoners have been sickening. The fer
ment is approaching the danger point
The people are sullen and silent. Those
who know the Indian character warn
Mons AmezQuita to act with caution
for a word may precipitate revolution
and set a nineteenth century Joan OF
Arc at the head of a horde Of religion
mad savages.
Four years ago Dolores Luiz, the In
dian girl returned at dusk from the
forest Her face seemed transfigured
her eyes shone with new light Her
manner cast an inexplicable spell over
those to whom she spoke
II have seen the virgin" she said.
The parents of Dolores were devout
folk. The inherited mysticism of their
Aztec forefathers adapted itself readily
to the superstitions of their new faith.
There was nothing inherently improb-
able to them in her story, and they be-
lieved it. The correspondent writes:
"'As child said the father, was
not Dolores unlike all other children?
Have 1 not found her many times deep
in thought at the foot of some great
tree in the forest SO, when my wood
was cut, there was need for me to rouse
her roughly? Was not the Holy Spirit
preparing her all these years to do the
Virgins service?
IN. Zola would say: Here is an
other instance of hysteria fOmented by
the joyless loneliness of peasant life;
here is another case for M. Charcot.'
But the people of Macuspana know
nothing either Of hysteria or Professor
Charcot.
"They followed Dolores to the forest
her eyes shining as other young girls
eyes did not shine, and she showed them
the very tree by which the Virgin had
made her blessed appearance Was
there need Of other proof?
But it is the nature Of men to doubt
and many held aloof and waited.
Then began her prophecies. From
time to time as the SAINT Esprito moved
her she would go to the forest where a
shrine had been erected at the foot of
the Holy Tree. There she would see
marvellous visions and receive strange
prophetic revelations from the Blessed
Virgin.
Many Of these prophecies she related
to the village folk, and, incomprehensi-
BILE as it seems, many of them have come
true.
1.-The trend of her revelations seems to
be that for their sins men are soon to be
visited with terrible calamities and dis
asters. A year ago she predicted that
there would be great shakings Of the
earth and a vast caving in of the ground
throughout the Department of Chan
talpa.
When these predictions came true
the people doubted no longer but called
her Santa Dolores. She has become a
saint.
What more room have we for
doubt said her father to me. that
heaven has blessed her mother and my
self above all the parents of Chantalpa?
HAS not the great stone bridge at
Eibaya fallen? And that at Zaragoza
likewise, and still third at San Juan
Bautista. our Capital? Did not Dolores,
our child, foretell these things 2,
" And the fields on the road to Talpa
have they not been swallowed up, even
as the child said?' s.,
: The only answer which the increG-
ulous may return is to say: .Coinci-
dence.'
mot only did these stone bridges fall
without premonitory crumbling and
without apparent cause, but In q gen.
eral way at least Dolores predicted
their fall.
As regards the caving in of the land
between Macuspana and Talpa, her