The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-23
A PROPHET Gagged
,.xEs HARDNESS, INSPIRED
WRITER AND HEALER, IN JAIL.
ALLEGED TO BE INSANE.
CONFINEMENT DESIGNED TO PRO.
rECT HIS FAMILY FROM DANGER.

of the Next Few Years-The Author
of Pamphlets on This and Kindred
Subiects-CIafmed to Have Re-
ceived a Revelation as to the New
TempIe-A Politician of Note and
Perpetual Candidate for the
Legislature.
James Hardness, author, prophet and
divine healer, according to his own ac-
count divinely inspired to announce the
second coming of the Messiah during
the present century, was yesterday ar
rested on a lunacy warrant and locked
m in Chatham county jail. He entered
that place of retirement and seclusion
with the statement. 81 am the British
consul" on his lips.
Hardness has made himself interest
ing to the people of Savannah for the
last few years, during which time he
has constantly announced his belief in
his own inspiration, and set forth his
neculiar views on the subject in several
pamphlets he has written and pub
ushed. He has made not few ex-
cursions into the troubled domain of
notifies, ranging himself first on one
side and then on the other of local and
rational political questions with a fine
impartiality.
Recently Hardness has been rather
wilder than usual, has been in the habit
of keeping a revolver on his person
or constantly within reach, and has
acted altogether after such a peculiar
fashion it was deemed wiser to have
him placed in confinement, in order to
prevent any possible injury he might
in1ict upon his family. His wife is
now quite i'll.
His Prophecy.
In July of 1900 Hardness issued a
pamphlet. Possibly it was the most
ambitious of his literary productions.
The title page, which bore a photo
graph of the author, was further in
scribed:
1.-THE Twentieth Century Prophet
ION the
Future of the Jews.
IAN Inspired Book, by an Inspired
Writer and Healer
The authors preface to this little
pamphlet is as follows, the punctuation
being his own:
"The family of which I ann derived
was an old Scotch family, which was
by no means an ignoble one, unless it
be 'ignoble' of them to have been poor,
honest and religious. My claims are
to have been inspired to write this
pamphlet, for the purpose of announc-
ing the coming of Christ in this CEN
fury, and for the further purpose of
bringing Gods people, of every ma
tonality and religion all over the
world into more cordial relations of
Brotherly love together. And my ear
nest desire is that all who claim to be
Gods people, both Jew and Christian,
will put aside all their little childish
prejudice and jealousy, and stand
shoulder to shoulder in anticipation of
the great war that shall confront us
in the early part of this twentieth CEN
fury, led by the great Cog and Ma
Cog against the God of Israel, who is
the Christians God, as well as the
Jews.
Now, in order that may be fully
understood by the terms of Cog and
'Magog,' which 1 shall often use in my
subject, Cog means simply the Gear
Of Russia and 'Magog' means his SUI
b0rdinate toe powers.
MY further purpose is to transmit
divine instruction to Britain and the
United States to prepare for the
world, which is to start not later than
the wear 1915 And in which they are
appointed by the God of heaven to lead
the Christian world, together with the
soldiers of Israel, against the great
Cog and 'Magog, who will confront
them within the next fifteen years.
IF the reader is not familiar with
the names of Cog and 'Magog,' 1
would respectfully refer him to the 3Sth
ND oI,a Of oil
Bible, for a more elaborate explana-
ton
with an earnest desire that he will
study this subject in connection with
the Bible, I submit my pamphlet to his
fair and intelligent consideration"
A Queer Writing.
The statements of the pamphlet were
queer enough, outside of their value as
prophesies, to entitle them to atten-
ton. Hardness predicted the early
coming of the Kingdom of Israel-ht-
orally be it understood, and without
any reference to a vague and uncer-
tain millennium. The world, according
to him, is to be ruled by the Israel OF
old, restored and triumphant.
However, Hardness at this point
made an exception. The Jews who are
to rule the world are not those born
to that estate only, but those also who
become Jews by adoption No persons
are to have any part in the govern
ment of Israel and the Israelitish en-
pire, he says, "unless their Jewish citl-
zenship is based upon a higher princl-
pie than natural BIRTH"
The Car of Russia, according 10
Hardness, is the parsonage who shall
oppose the establishment of the King
dom of Israel, and Great Britain ana
the United States are to be the lead
ers of the movement that shall finally
attain success. 1.-THE decree has long
gone forth which calls upon the Lion
Of Tarshish, which is Britain, and the
Land Shadowing with Wings, which is
the United States. to protect the jews.
Selected North Carolina.
The spot selected by Hardness for
the establishment of the kingdom is
among the mountains of North Caro-
ina, near the Temple of God" There
Will be very active preparations for the
building of this temple" says Hark-
ness, within the next five years. The
nature of this temple will be such that
It will far exceed, both in cost and
architectural greatness, Solomons
temple of old, or anything that has
ever been built by man for the honor
and glory of God.
have had a. most wonderful reve-
lauon made to me in regard to the
structure of this temple. / will not at
Tempt to describe it all here, but / will
say, however, that in the center stands
beautiful throne, which is as shining
ana bright with diamonds, as the
sparkling dew droDs from high heaV-