Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-10-28
MAINE TO JAFfA.
Strange Story Of a Maine
Religious Upheavab
How Evangelist Adams Led a Colony
to Palestine.
4 Tale Of 80 Years Ago Which Has Moral
Maine May Heed Today.

and disastrous religious upheaval that
ever agitated Maine community. The
sorrowful recollections associated with
the embarking of the Jaffa colony
from Jonesport August II, 1866, come
with each succeeding year like NOV
ing panorama of grewsome scenes to
harrow the survivors of that eventful
day who are living sacrifices of their
former leader and betrayer, G. j.
Adams. Although 33 years have elapsed
since the nefarious scheme was perpe-
trated it remains as bare and bold as
then. 1t was soon after the beginning
of the war between the States that
Adams, who it is said was native of
Newark, n. j., came to Addison Point
and began to spread the doctrine that
the world was on the verge of a mo-
mentous crisis. The Jews were to re-
turn to Jerusalem, restore the city of
their fathers to its former grandeur
and glory. rebuild the temple and make
way for the coming of the long expect
ed Messiah. Furthermore it was his
mission to proclaim the great event.
Jews would be followed by an armed
COIllllCl DtlNttil llitlll anu poNtl >
of Europe; that other nations would
become involved and the greatest bat
tie in the worlds history was to take
place in the valley of Jehosephat. AT
this critical moment the Messiah
would appear and deliver the Israel
ties from their enemies and a nation
would be born to God in day. When
these events had come to pass the fate
of the world would be determined for
1000 Swords would be beaten into
plow- shares, spears into pruning hooks,
kingdoms and principalities would sur
render their power and dominion and
peace would rule the earth. The scenes
attending this momentous crisis were
to take place before the generation
then living had passed away, was the
prediction of this Prophet"
Ostensibly the purpose Of his appear
ance in these parts was to organize a
colony to settle in Palestine and CO.
operate with the Jews in preparing for
the coming of the Son of Man. Thus
nucleus Of the church that Christ would
establish in the Jewish city. Previous
to his advent to Addison Point this
Prophet" had been on a proselyting
mission through parts of Maine and
New Hampshire and was successful in
making converts for his colonization
scheme in Jaffa. His method of getting
q foothold was by disOrganiZing so
ciety, pulling down churches and build
ing on the ruins. While at Addison
Point. he trained his guns on the Bap
lists, but failing to demolish their
citadel he enticed a deacon to desert
and Deacon Wass was afterwards a
high functionary in the church founded
by Adams His sojourn in that field
was not productive of satisfactory re-
suits and he accordingly retired to a
more inviting one in Indian River. 1t
was here he organized the Palestine
Emigration Association and the Church
of the Messiah. Although the aim and
purpose was one, they were separate
bodies and Adams was the chosen head
of each. Deacon Wass. who had be-
come a convert to the doctrine that the
Jews were about to cease adOring
Mammon and thereafter worship the
Messiah in the restored Jerusalem. was
chosen bishop of the church. To en-
able the man to carry out his scheme.
families were divided, neighborly rela-
tions that had existed for a lifetime
were discontinued and the accumula-
tions of years We're wasted in few
months adventure in a strange land
attended by privation, suffering and
death.
Every passage in the Bible was as
familiar to Adams as the alphabet, and
he was master of the English vocabu-
larry Aided by a commanding presence
and tongue of surprising glibness he
was enabled to control and sway his
hearers at will Furthermore there was
a dramatic fascination in his oratory,
for he had been an actor on the stage.
1t was in Indian River that Adams
found an efficient co-worker in pro-
noting the Palestine emigration
scheme and the doctrines of the
Church Of the Messiah in the person of
A. X. Mckenzie, now living. at the age
of 81. In his time he had been a lead
ing citizen in his community and a
business man engaged in trade and
shipbuilding. Until his retirement Il
few years since Mckenzie ranked in
years of service the second oldest post
master in the United States, having
! been the custodian of the mails for 40
consecutive years. He has also been
| Justice of the peace, and by virtue of
that appointment has scored a record
of marrying 122 couples. Since the COL
lapse of the Palestine Emigration AS
ssociaton and the Church of the Messiah
| he has been engaged at times as an
| Advent preacher.
! To promote his scheme and extend
| his notoriety Adams in 1862 embarked
| in journalism and published the Sword
of Truth and Harbinger of Peace. The
sheet was first dated at South Lebanon,
/ Me-, and afterwards at Indian River,
and had q motto. Truth Crushed to
| Earth Will Rise Again; the Eternal
Years OF God are Hers" The sheet was
| largely made up of Adams discourses
on the Holy Land, the restoration OF
| the Jews, and long accounts of his
journeyings in Maine in the interest OF
his cause To enlist the interest Ct the
young. Adams organized a theatrica
company. and the old Curtis hall was
enlarged and fitted with a stage, from
which Richard III, Othello and Lady
of Lyons were presented to crowded
! houses. Adams himself was the scenic
painter. the designer of the costumes
and also drilled his company. All the
while he was adroitly pulling the wires