Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-08-02
MODERN RELIGIOUS FANATICS wuo
BELIEVE IN THEM.
Many Peculiar Sects In the oa
World, Particularly In Russi.
Whose Members XIII and Cruelty
That Salvation May be Attained

49," -NaS bc ATTAINED.
That human sacrifices have been
made even in the nineteenth century
and by processing Christians, too, Is
brought out by The American Journal
Of Sociology in a striking article:
The Convulsionists, n sect existing in
Paris about l760, were wont to cruelty
members of their order. in emulation
Of the crucifixion of the Saviour, In the
belief that the souls of the surviving
members would be saved by the sacri-
fees Of their fellows. In 1917 the
"Paschelians." an Austrian sect, mur.
dered a man, his wife and daughter
under the delusion that the trio, who
refused to 60 with the fanatics, were
possessed of the devil. On the follow.
ing day they crucifed one of their W
number, a girl of 10 years. who had
suffered herself for the death, in imi-
tation Of the death of the Saviour, In
order to save the souls of her fellow
believers.
In 1928 the leader of a PietIstic cir
Gle In Switzerland, after having dis.
patched her sister. who gave her life
as n a Of saving the souls OF her
relatives, was crucified by her follow.
ers at her own command In order that
she might die. rise again after three
days and restore to life the sister she
had slain. In 1865 two mothers, ad.
herents Of the Holy Men," slew their
sick children, believing them to be VIC.
Tins Of demoniacal possession. In
1876 a Hungarian miller, belonging to
the "Nazarenes," killed his son as an
offering for his own sins after the
fashion Of Abraham. In 1870. in II
kutsk. Russia, one Of the "Schismat.
les" convinced himself by prayer and
fasting aud much Scripture reading
that TO save his soul he must be cruci.
fed. Accordingly he attempted sell
crucifxion and succeeded so far o.
the circumstances Of the case woun
permit.
In 1880. In the government or Perm
Russia, a peasant killed his child "
dh Il IuS tol Sfh anu DuiiN" eA~
in an ant hill. Likewise. in the gov.
eminent OF Vladimir, another peasans
killed both his children In due ADfs
hamic form. and while the babies olea
under the fathers knife the deyors
mother celebrated the service by reao'
Ing aloud selected portions OF the tWen'
ty-second chapter OF Genesis. In ioof'
In the government of Tambov, Russia
a peasant. convinced that to save ns
soul a man must have a sin to repens
of, killed a neighbor with an Ak I'D or
der to satisfy this highly imperau's
condition.
1t Is a part OF the creed Of the "Wan
derers," a Russian sect. that anu
Christ rules In high places there ~.
that accordingly good men must nav,
naught to do with governmental a.
fairs Of any sort. In conformity WIZ
this belief n man murdered In variou,
ingenious ways % men. women an,
children. including his own wife aaa
babies, in order to free them from wv
danger Of losing their souls by suls.
Ing the communicating contact Oh
government census taker. This occ''
red In 1897.
The "Denierc." another qnlte ma n
esting Russian sect. believe that 81.
taints all earthly good and tina. :,
only escape Is death. In 1879 w.
these men. strong In the faiti' a IN.
having murdered their wives ana GU.
dren, permitted themselves to DC ~
to death. N by one, by their ieaue :
The "Scourgcrs," who also FORM !
widespread and influential sect III MI !,
sia, In obedience to the behests OF ~ ~
"saviors,' are In the habit OF inu us.;s
Ing In human sacrifices. cannipans
feasts. erotic dances and otner s..s
procedures ms an extremely ef1cacio IA
method OF keeping the hand o. -. M
from or their im;aortal souls. > -
"Muckers" OF Kon,gsberg n tne =.
ebrants of the black mass in far's
ford further examples of the use
ritual OF erotism, coupled with a 4.
tice OF the most abandoned anu
scene behavior, to promote the eva
welfare OF the souL. :