The morning times., 1896-12-06
THESE PEOPLE POSE
As MODERN MYsT|Cs
Men and Women Whe Claim to
Be Healers and Messiahs.
sCHLATTER AND HIS TYPE
Koreshans, Angel Dancers. and As
censiOnists-France Mexico. and
the United States as Fields for
the Latter-Day Prophets.

Thls year VIII probably Dc pun uoWh III
history as remarkable for It's immense
crop OF spiritual neaiero, prophets, ana
messiahs. The excitement over August
schrader is the latest manifestation Of the
craze, but Schrader is only one OF many.
Men and women who claim 10 possess
divine power have areuindoZens duHng
the past few months. They have sprung
from all classes of society, and while
some have been charlatans OF the blacklist
type, earnest workers, who really believed
in their own powers and in ''heavenly
missioH," have been plentiful enough
TO put the stamp of legitimacy on the
general movement. Perhaps the widely
heralded success of the leuding lights las
brought many OF the small fry into the
business, but at least fair-sized directory
could be made up OF the names andaddresscs
OF persons who profess to be agents OF a
God-giyen force. The widespread ere
dulty with which their protestations have
been accepted, says Theodore Waters, in
the New York Sun,is another remarkable
feature OF the movement, and this, taken
in connection with the fabulous sums
of money collected by eXhorters and the
attention given to .'shrines,' would seem
to favcr the theory that wave of spirit
ual enthusiasm or of mysticism is in tue
air.
The Biblical injunction relative to the
coming OF "a Messiah has been so ground
and for so many centuries that 1t takes
rank with the most pronounced hereditary
instinct. 1t has been played upon by
charlatans with varying success for ages.
In the early years of the Christian era
Alexander OF Abnoticus used this pre-
tence to draw thousands OF persons and
millions OF money To his temple. He
carried on the deception to the end, and
died at a ripe age. very much regretted by
his gullible public. There have been
many pretenders of the same stamp since
then, hut never such multitude as ut
present.
sculatter, who gained more followers
than any of his contemI oraries, disap-
peared in the midst Of his Succcss-ran
| away from his fame, and has not teen
heard of since: Hunism the Modern
Christ" still leads the Angel Dancers in
| New Jersey; DR.. Cyrus Teed was at last
accounts exerting an iron rule over the
"Koreshans'' on Es;eIo Island, Florida;
| Ferdinand StutZke is yet fondly hoping
| that Some of his unluliilled pi iophecies VIII
come 10 pass, W. +. Hammond rs shcaling
by the spirit aid:'' Rodgers OF ogus Bible
| fame seems 10 be merely lying i'll wait for
| another Cpl ortunity to lead his black fol-
| lowers heavenward, and Sandford sill
| conducts his Holy Ghost and Us Bible
School" in Maine.
In addition to the al owe there have been
/
who claimed to lie the nouthpccc of .As
Angel Gabriel and was exposed a fraUu
after Zola had been hi odwinkrd into inter
| viewing her; Or. Dervin, who sold Heaven
| Sent OintmenJ,r v yienes, the Swiss peasant,
who was reported to have effected some
wonderful cures: by the laying ON OF
! hands, DIR. John S., Willetts, who be-
Queatled his prophetic powers to Rodgers
Dolores Luiz .,tiies " ision-seeing Maiden of
| Tabasco;t' Ida Nelson, the visionary, Of
| Pleasant Valley, Ind; Bradley Newell, who
went to EngiDnd, hut failed in his intention
toconyert THE = rincc of Wales: Bill James.
the Indian healer. whose patients all be-
long to the Puysliup tribe; George Clark,
formerly of the syerm ont legislature, where
he is said 10 have made more ohiecti )ns
to political measures than any other ten
members. Manley Raw son, Albert Larrabec,
Paulin Deipont, the French hoy prophet;
prof Zacks Shavno, and August SChrader.
AS can he seen from the foree DING, neither
age, religion, color, race, nor nationality
has heen u bar tc the aspirations of these
people.
Healers, generally speaking, may be sep
arar-i iruin prophets in that they seldom
lead religious organizations. The greatness
of being Messiah is ordinarily thrust
upon them. They are, however. of humble
pretention and seemingly do not court tho
| publicity they receive. To this class be
long Schlatter, visnes, Bill James, and
Hammond. In the group of sect leaders
| VINO claim to be the absolute Messiah are
! Huntsman, DR.. Cyrus Teed, Bedward, ant
Wiiletts Healing with them was, or is
side issue; something necessary to theil
continued popularity. The prophets VIII,
believe themselves divinely gifted, bu
| yet only the agents of a higher power, con
stitute third group. Among them art
Stutzke, Rodgers, Mile. Couesdon, Sand
ford, Dolnrez Luiz, Ida Nelson, Bradle,
Newell, and the boy Paulin Delpont, who's
| Delsi III Jic LIaOler HGS Letn sudt.eu- d,
parents and neiehhors. The rest of th
gifted persons mentioned. such as Clarl
Larrabee, Rawson, Dervin, and Shavnc
form group which is indescribable IL
some respects They have not sufficient
declared themselves to warrant definit
Characterization.
The first group is somewhat entitled t
respect, inasmuch as its members have a
passed through the all powerful test o
having refused a money consideration fo
their services. Simple, i'll every case {
the hurnblest extraction, sympathetic an
modest, the Judgment of the Just upo
| them must always include the fact tina
| their intention is honest enough But tn
| second group, while hedecked with rC
| mantle features, must be looked upol
askance. Teed, who was formerly know
| as the Chicago Christ mas become "a
absolute monarch in small way. To hi
followers he is a yelled prophet, and
| Tile ni4s.y.r wei a. uis ioTu of his pee
pie He owns Estero Island, in Lee county
Florida The inhabitants are k,jown a
"Koreshans." his mansion N nam I'd "Beti
Ophpah" and his consort, who, by tn
way, left her former husband to becom
queen of the colony, Is known as "Fictor
Grati;. uoresh" To be !; Kuieshan mean
degrading slavery as far as the subject
concerned. Every person who joins th
sect is required to sign over body and Sol
to the high priest, who must hencefort
be regarded as The actual Incarnation
Jesus Christ.
Teed is supposed to be able to create
destroy at will. and the two laws of Il
island-worshipsbf Tecd as God and blir
obedience to ,his will-are never depart
from by theS Inhabitants. There is
marrying in Merivilized sense of the wor
and all children born into the colony a
taught to beffeSe that Teed is their faith,
Teed claims to De healer and says he C;
economic features of the island are well Co
Quoted, and notwithstanding plant and tv
newspapers, the Flaming Sword and t
Pruning Shears ,are carried on. Teed sa
he is to asce nd TO Heaven, and is even nc
to be prepartng for his trip to the NE
Jerusalem, Eh9nce he will conduct the ;
fairsof his coEnl at long range: Meantin
his followers ,dnah, woman ana cnlld, Wo
in the field Wheiher fitted for the occup
ton or not, and groan and hope for the I
liverance, which they are told is very nei
On tho other hand, the Lords Farm
which contains the congregation of t
"Church of the Living God" presents t
question Of an existing Messiah from
entirely different point of view. 1t
been subjected to any amount Of newspap
and Individual abuse. yet it thrives a
gradually acquires new adherents. 1t
situated near Woodcliff, N. J., and Is p
sidedover by the an Christ" whose mar