The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-02
A RETURNED sPOFFORDITE
John A. Dickson Recites His Exper-
fences With the New Sect.

John A. Dickson of Lebanon, Smith
county was one of the men who was
induced by the supporters of the Spot
fordite faith, to join the colony which
left that county in 1896 for Jerusalem,
accepting the teachings of SpOffordites,
believing that they had been inspired
by divine power to people and rebuild
Jerusalem for the second coming of
Christ.
WhenAr. Dickson arrived in Jerusa-
lem and discovered the true conditions
prevailing in the colony he at once
made his escape and succeeded in get
ting back home, according to his own
story of the trip, a sadder and wiser
man.
Upon being asked for a statement con-
corning his experiences Mr. Dickson
prepared the following for the Journal;
4 was with the SpOffordites two
months. Two weeks in Chicago; one
month en- route to Jerusalem and two
weeks with them in the harem at Je-
rusalem. Mrs. Spofford is the queen
bee and medium through which comes
all the sO-called heavenly cOmmunica-
ton. Privately think they come from
the neither regions.
I found them capable of the most
After they secured the money from
their dupes they subjected them to the
most humiliating and tyrannical OPP
preston imaginable. Mrs. Spofford
called it pressing the wine out of them
The one leader did not tread the wine
press alone but her weIl-trained accom-
plices got onto the victims with both
feet When l Joined them / thought
them the very soul of purity and enter
tanned only good will for men. They
claimed to be the ne plus ultra of
all that is good.
ION the other hand I found them to
be untruthful to the last degree in all
respects in their representations con-
corning Palestine and their purposes
and doings in Jerusalem.
There is not a respectable person in
or about Jerusalem which has a parti-
Gle of respect for the SpOnOrdites. They
are looked upon as outcasts and swind-
lerS in the community in which they
live. These Spoffordites live by prey
ing upon the credulity of the people that
can be duped and they seem to find
plenty of that class. I was one of
them once but I have promised myself
to be more wary in the future. When
a member of the colony dies the man
ayers of the institution declare that
death was due to the lack of faith in
the doctrine of the Spoffordites.''
J. A. Wright, editor of the Lebanon
Journal, writing of the sect said:
Through the influence of some kind
of religious fanatcism or hypnOtism
they destroyed the homes and happi-
ness of no less than five WelI-tO-dO
families and they did it in the name of
religion. They made our people who
left here believe that unless they again
gathered at Jerusalem they could not
be saved.
Joseph H. Myers and wife and the
We're the ones here that accepted the
foolish doctrines of these travelling
proselyters two years ago and with
whom they are now in bondage Mr.
Myers when he met them was worth
from $4,000 to $4,000 as was also D. D
4ant1SS- They disposed of all their
property and gave it to the Spoffordites.
Now they are in Jerusalem and their
money is gone. Letters received by the
relatives Fecite the most cruel treat
ment' principal Of which was the sew
erlng of all family ties and the female
members of the families were subjected
to the caprice and passions of the ia
cobs of the institution. The conse-
quences are that E. d. Heyde of this
city, a brOther-in-law of Mr.. Yantiss
has gone to Jerusalem to return his
klnspeople to this country
In recent issue of his paper Mr.
Wright said editOrially
1T now appears to us, that if some Of
our good people had taken our advice
two years ago; which was to take a
good healthy club, and give your uncle
JACOB, OF Jerusalem fame, Just two
hours to get out of the country. if
would have saved many a broken heart
and family circle, and been so much
cheaper.
I'VE are not an advocate of brute
force except under extreme circurn-
stances, but when a lot of Jacobs
Joshuas or John Henrys, claiming Df-
vine power invade the home and drag
innocent women and children to for
eign land there to exc out a nisera BILE
life separated from father, husband. son
and sister, at the behest of a band of
brigands; the extremity has been
reached. We never for the life of us.
could tell how the pretense of religion,
lessened the enormity of the crime. and
just two or three good stuffed clubs
TWO years ago, would have saved thous-
ands of dollars, and many a heart
ache"
After returning from Jerusalem Mr..
Dickson delivered a series of lectures in
which he exposed the falIacies Of the
Spoftordite teachings and denounced
the promoters Of the colony in unmeas-
ured terms.