The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-06
t was Julius who found the body.
Burton Threatened Suicide.
FANATICISM AND CRIME.
Dreadful Religious Rites of Certain
European Sects.

European SectS.
From the American Journal OF Sociology.
The results of an analysis of a series of
legal actions involving prosecution for
| crime supposedly committed under the
spell of fanatical religious beliefs were
20 illustrate this point. Thus the Convul-
sionists, sect existing in Paris about
1890 were wont to cruelty members of their
order, in emulation of the crucifixion of
Jesus, in the belief that the soul of the
surviving members would be saved by the
sacrifice of their fellows. In 1917 the Pas
chellians," an Austrian sect murdered a
man, his wife and their daughter, under
the delusion that the trio who refused to
go with the fanatics were possessed of
the devil. On The following day they cru
CITED one of their own number, girl of
is years who had suffered herself for
the death, in imitation of the death of Je-
sus, in order to save the souls of her fell
low believers In 1923 the leader of Pietis-
sic circle in Switzerland, after having des-
pat ched her sister, who gave her life as
means of saving the souls Of her rela-
ives, was cruciied by her followers at
her own command, in order that she might
die rise again after three days, and res
tore TO life the sister whom she had slain
In 1868 two mothers, adnerentS of the
HOLY Man" slew their sick children, be-
lioving them to be victims of demonical
possession. In 1875 a Hungarian miller. be
longing 10 the "Nazarenes." killed his
son as an offering for his own sins, after
the fashion of Abraham. In 1870, in 1rk-
utsch. Russia. one of the 'Schismatics'
convinced himself by prayer and fasting
ard much scripture reading that 10 save
lis soul he must be crucited. Accordingly
he attempted self-crucifiXion, and succeed
ed so far as the circumstances Of the case
would permit In 1880, in the government
Of Perm Russia. peasant killed his enid
as an offering for sin. and buried the body
in an ant hill Likewise in the government
Of vladimir, another peasant killed both
his children In due Abrahamic form. and
while the babies bled under the fathers
knife the devout mother celebrated the
service bv reading aloud selected portions
Of the twenty-second chapter OF Genesis.
In 1874 in the government of Tambon,
Russia. a peasant, convinced that to save
his soul man must have sin 10 repent
Of killed a neighbor with an ak IN order
tn satisfy this highly imperative condl-
zion.
Il ie a mart of the creed of the WAN
derers - a Russian sect that Antichrist
mics in high places there, and that, &C
cordipolv GOOD men must have naught
n do with governmental affairs OF any
soft. In conformity with this belief man
murdered. in various ingenious ways TWEEN
tv-five men, women and children, includ-
ing his own wife and babies, in order 10
free them from the danger of losing their
souls nv suffering the communicating con-
tart Of the government census taker. rms
occurred in 1897. The "Deniers, another
omife interesting Russian sect believe that
evil taints all earthly good and that the
onIv escape is death. In 1925 sixty OF these
non strong in the faith, after having
murdered their wives and children, per-
nitted themselves TO be put TO DEATH one
bv one. by their leader The "Scourgers'
who also form a widespread and inhuen-
la sect in Russia, in obedience to the
bebasts of their "saviors" are in the haoie
~ indulgirg in human sacrifice, cannioai-
istic feasts, erotic dances, and other lewd
rrocedures. as an extremely ethcaclous
method of keeping the hand OF evll from
off their immortal souls. So the Muckers
~ Koniesberg and the ceiebrants OF the
R1aak Mass in Paris afford further ex-
amnIes of the use of ritual OF erotlsm'
connled with a practice of the most aoan-
doned and obscene behavior, to promote
tba eternal welfare of the soul.