The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-11
GIGANTIC HOAX IS
CHAIN Of PRAYER
Episcopal Bishop of Massachu-
setts DenOunces the Scheme
as a Fraud.
CREDUL0(JS PEOPLE ARE
MADE SICK WITH FEAR
Curse Is Threatened Unless
Each Recipient Passed the
Prayer" to Others.

BOSTON, Aug 1910 much annoyance
has been caused to the Right. Rev. VIII
liam Lawrence, Episcopal Bishop OF Mas
sachusetts. by the food OF letters which
has been pouring In for several months re-
garding the so-called endless chain OF
prayer" alleged to have been started by
him, that the bishop has found 1t neces-
sary 10 issue the following denial that he
is connected with the matter:
THE endless chain OF prayer, said to
have been written by Bishop Lawrence, Is
a hoax. Bishop Lawrence of Massachu-
sets never wrote It, and knows nothing
about It. 1t is the work OF some dement,
| ed or mischievous person"
| a denial that such n scheme had been
| started by any church official or diSni-
tary was promptly published In all the
| Episcopal church papers as well as In
| the local secular papers In many cities.
| The church officials also sent TO Bpisco-
pal clergymen throughout the country n
| letter describing the hoax. Despite this.
| however. there Is scarcely day when
Bishop Lawrence does not receive letters
containing inquiries concerning IT. Such
queries recently have come from Florida.
Texas, Northern and Western States and
points in Canada, while only this week 4
query regarding 1t was received by Bishop
Lawrence from Paris, France.
Prayer Carries Threat.
The prayer begins with an invocation
for divine mercy on all mankind, and says
1t was sent by Bishop Lawrence, who rec
commended IL TO be sent to nine persons.
Misfortune was threatened to whomsoeyer
failed to send 1t. On the other hand, 1t
promises that che who will rewrire this
prayer will be delivered from every ca
lamity."
The Inquiries concerning the endless
chain and comments on II which have
been received by Bishop Lawrence and
by church and secular papers indicate
that the fears Of many persons have been
80 worked upon by the mention Of
dreadful accident as the penalty for
falling to comply with the conditions Of
the scheme that they have not only aided
In the spread OF the prayer, but have felt
great terror lest they might meet with
misfortune. One OF the most striking
letters regarding the matter was received
by the editor Of a Montreal paper from
q correspondent in British Columbia,
This correspondent wrote as follows:
Reaches Far-Of Canada.
'I inclose you copy of letter (thc
endless chain letter. with which the
United States and Canadian mails are
flooded. l received the seventh today
from Canada and have resolved to give
the matter publicity. One of my lady
correspondents writes me that she is
sick with fear for her husband would
not allow her to follow the directions in
the letter she received Of the kind, and
she WAS so afraid that some calamity
would befall herself or family that she
has disobeyed him and written secretly
nine letters and sent them off to as
many different parties, myself being one
Of the vlctims, thus placing nine others
under the ban Of the curse, as she calls
II, II they do not do likewise. 1 am
sending copy OF the letter that is caus-
ing so much discussion TO several of the
leading newspapers In Canada and the
United States, and hope the matter Will
be SO widely discussed that It will put
q stop to such sacrilegion."