Evening star., 1902-09-15
RELIGIOUS MANIA IN GERMANY
Dire Results That Followed the Stop
ping of a Clock.
Berlin Correspondence London News,

Berlin Correspondence London News
Some years ago when the story reached
western Europe of the sect at Tiraspol, in
Russia, who buried their relatives alive. an
outcry of horror arose. Now we have here,
two hours journey from Berlin, a case
which is hardly less astounding At the
village of Datten near Forst, in the Laus-
itz, there is a sect calling themselves Breth-
ren of the Lord, who regard the second
coming of Christ as Immediately impending
The chief of the sect is 4 peasant named
kaschke, who with his wife his daughter
one or his sons and some other persons, al
together numbering about twenty souls
are in the habit of racticing fanatical rites
Last week the clock in their house stopped
ana this was regarded as d sign that the
last day was impending. From that time
that is 70 say, for a week-the peasant his
family and three other married women
tasted. Suddenly, in the evening fearful
tumult was heard proceeding from the dark
parlor. Out of curiosity a crowd of persons
of both sexes hurried in the direction of the
house BY the light of a lantern they saw
the daughter, the son and another girl COM
pletely nude. holding each other and dane
ing III the village street in front f the yard
gate. They were singing hymns and shout
ing and lcapins with joy. The peasant him
self and the four women were dancing
about in the house In the same state The
burgo:naster entered the yard with the in
tention of putting a stop to the orgy but
he was driven off with clubs, and the whole
party then started to go through the village
as they were. When the indignant villagers
energetcally protested they replied: I'VE
are flying upward we wear trailing robes
of cloud and mist" These lunatics now at
tackled the villagers and tried to drag them
into the yard. You also must be angels"
they cried. Finally the burgomaster got
together a number of men in front of the
house. and when the fanatics again at
tempted to leave they were received with
deluge of icy water which had been held
in readiness In buckets.
This religious madness had already
claimed one victim. On the place being en-
tered. the peasants wife was found lying
dead on the floor in her chemise. The other
inmates Of the house lay around her. gaZ-
ing at the corpse. Everybody in the village
was convinced that the unhappy woman
had been killed, and the members of her
family did not deny it. When the doctor
asked her daughter What have you done
to your good mother?' she answered, The
devil did 1t; but mother will soon wake up
again. She is smiling already" The son.
on being asked why he had killed his
mother referred to a tract in which the fol-
lowing passage occurs: God is light; thus
He has nothing in common with the sinner.
God is love. thus He offers sinners atone
God is light; therefore without shedding of
blood Is no remission He added: Mother
was possessed with the devil, and to drive
out the devil blood must flow. Without
shedding of blood Is no remission Without
remission, bliss. God called us Now
the devil has gone from us. We have
atoned and are now going TO heaven The
whole party was at last bound and taken
off TO tho lunatic asylum.