The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-27
A Swiss Seamstress Worshiped for Fifty Years Onde
of Miro Mta---Fer Followers Faithful Even After Her
The Sects Existence Revealed by am Aged Wo
Three Weeks Vigil Over CorpseOnly Tw
Votaries and Housefu Of Ghosts Left.

PHILADELPHIA; Aug. 7s.-Closed forever
aze the doors Of the Temple Of the Con-
grsgation Of tho House Of Lords. which
Tor hfty years was the shrine OF the Goddess
Mira Militia.
OF the hundred men and women wor-
shippers OF this self-proolaimed deity,
only two remain and these are hardly more
than ghosts-haggard, emaciated by years
Of fasting and Of penance, mere human
khells, but still olinging with wonderful
faith to the memory OF the goddess
ut whose command they gave up family.
wealth and all things Of the world.
Their temple has been sold its sanctuary
has been deseorated and It's halls. which
for hall century had echoed only to the
tread Of believers, have been trodden BY
tho proiane, called to remove the dead body
Of ono OF Mira MittA's people which for
three weeks had lain there unbured,
1t was the discovery Of this corpse that
unlocked the door Of her sanctuary and
revealed to Philadelphia that for fifty
years. unknown and unsupported by It.,
there had lived and worshiped here a
strange Sect Because she had told them
that none Of her believers could die her
thrine has been laid open and her mysteries
unveiled. ....-
Soon the two worshippers who are left
ono John Rapp. bent, wthered man of
a, the other, Mrs. Caroline Lang, a tooth
less, shrunken woman Of 90, must die.
Then. ave for group Of graves in West
Laurel Hill Cemetery, there will be nothing
loft Of the sect.
Some time about the year 1913 there came
I'LL IL. Ss,.l. -sA ,,.r
Msister. She was comely, industrious,
much given to the reading Of Sweden
borg. Day after day she toiled: at her
needle, sending most Of her wages: baek to
l,wit1erland. where she had left a par
alyzed mother and brood of: hungry,
tmall brothers andsisters.
For seven years she worked, and then
ono day in April, 1855. while sewing on
brides dress she dropped-the needle.
Hsr body became rigid For a few mo-
ments she remained still as one dead.
Then she rose to her feet and cried loudly:
Il am the Goddess Mira Militia, the daugh-
Tor OF the Holy Ghost, and of God and Of
His Son. Believe in me and worship me.
This Is tho command Of the Holy Ghost"
For perhaps Ave minutes she stood 80,
and then dropped to the floor unconscious.
Two days Anna Meister lay asleep, and
when she awakened she put aside her work
Ind went out to preach -..-
She had Had revelation, she said. She
WAS the daughter Of the Holy Ghost. She
had been told to work no longer for her
kelf, but for the Lord. All who believed
In her should be saved and should be Of
tho elect in heaven. To her had been
given Ten new commandments for her fol-
lowers. Mono but those who worshiped
her should 90 to heaven. All the rest Of the
world was damned.
There had come to the woman strange
gift Of words. Rapidly her followers grew
In numbers. e
In q house at Twelfth and Ellsworth
streets that had been given her by one
Of her followers; August Wiener, wealthy
merchant, she prayed and preached. From
III parts Of the city came German folk, drawn
BY tales Of her powers.
Sister Merada the Blessed she called
herself during this year Of probation. FL
hally che had as worshipers one hundred
men and women, young most Of them.
kome Of them married, some with families.
Then she announced the time had come
10 build her temple.
There wers many wealthy men among
Der followers. These bought for her