The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-06-18
A NEW INDIAN PRoPHNT.
his Predictions Failed, But He Created q
Lot Of Excitement.

Lot Of Excitement
The growth of sects and heresies uh'
der our tolerant rule In India Is more
frequent than is generally known, tof
Hinduism is elastic enough quickly TO
absorb them, and they are still more
short-lived when their leaders haVs
been Christians 1t is when the rens-
ious imposter heads a movement Whlcn
threatens the peace Of the country that
we learn the curious details.
The latest event of this kind has oc-
CURED in the Bengal division OF Chota
Nagpore, the aboriginal tribes OF whicn
have Joined the Christian church' An
gllcan. Lutheran and Scottish Presby-
terian by the thousand. Birsa, lao
Of twenty, who had lapsed from Chris-
tianity was in the jungle with COM
panion, when a flash of lightning FOR a
moment transfgured his face. and his
friend saluted him as god. Blrsa
returned to his vills ge, Chalkac, ana
proclaimed himself an incarnation VINO
could work miracles of healing.
His first case was that of a baby,
who was perfectly well; he breathed
upon It, declared he had cured 1t. and
his fame brought thousands Of the sim
over every case of sickness he pro-
nounced a charm, consisting Of such
headlines of an English primer as he
had read in the Lutheran school at
Chaibasa. "Stul, store, stare, stale"
was the favorite Invocation. He admit
ted that Christianity was good but for
two evils-the offertory in church, and
the permission to wear boots when at
worship.
He soon proclaimed the end of the
world for a fixed day and hour; all
~ere to be destroyed by fire and brim-
stone except those who found refuge
with him. Money was therefore use
t~,s, and the people were told to spend
their all at once on clothes, with the
result that the Hindu dealers could not
sut ply the demand. The coming har-
vest would not be wanted; the cattle
accordingly were turned into the crops.
WHIST thousands waited at high noon
on the fixed day for doom, and nothing
occurred, Brsa tied a string between
two trees and declared that the end
would not come till that broke. The
nearest English missionary who had
tried to open the eyes of the deluded
multitude, and feared famine, then
Informed the British deputy commits
sioner at Ranchi, the county town. He
sent a constable to arrest the impos-
tor. but the crowd was too great. A
whole posse of native constables fol-
lowed, and had to flee. He then went
out himself, and by night arrested the
prophet, who was sleeping in the midst
of his chosen followers.
But by that time there was the be-
ginning of a rebellion such as in Lord
Dalhousle's time, caused the Santel
war in the neighboring hills AS Birsa
went to Jail he prophesied his return
in four days, and 1000 men, whom he
had ordered to arm themselves with
axes, waited in vain. Now, afraid Of
the military police under the white
man, they are flock. G to the chapels,
eager to be recognized as Christians
but of these the maj 'rity are expected
to change their mind when their terror
and delusion have disappeared with
Blrsa's long Imprisonment in a distant
place. A similar imposter caused what
is known as "the war of the axe' am
ong the Kaffirs of South Africa a-Edin-
burgh Scotsman.