The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-11
VICTIMS OBEY
IN DEADLY FEAR
ENDLESS Chain of Prayer"
Causing Excitement All
Over the Country.
SCHEME DECLARED A HOAX
EPISCOPAL BISHOP GREATLY
ANNOYED.

Boston, Aug. 1870 much annoy
ance has been caused to the Rt. Rev.
William Lawrence, Episcopal bishop of
Massachusetts,, by the flood of letters
which has been pouring in for several
months regarding the so-called end
less chain of prayer" alleged to have
been started by him, that the bishop
has found II necessary to issue the
following denial that he is connected
with the matter:
The endless chain of prayer, said to
have been written by Bishop Law
renee, is hoax. Bishop Lawrence of
Massachusetts never wrote 1t and
knows nothing about it. 1t is the work
OF some demented or mis- ,hievOus per-
son.
Letters Continue to Come.
A denial that such a scheme had been
started by any church Official or dig
nitary was promptly published in all
the Episcopal church papers. as we'll as
In the local secular papers in many
cities. The church officials also sent
TO Episcopal clergymen throughout the
country "a letter describing the hoax.
Despite this, however, there is scarcely
day when Bishop Lawrence Goes rot
receive letters containing inquiries con-
corning it. Such queries have come re-
Gently from Florida, Texas. northern
and western states and points in Can
ada. while only this week a query re-
garding it was received by Bishop Law
renee from Paris, France.
Deliverance Promised.
The prayer begins with an invocation
for divine mercy on all mankind and
says it was sent by Bishop Lawrence,
who recommended it to be sent to nine
persons. Misfortune was threatened to
whomsoever failed to send it. On the
other hand, it promises that ''he who
will rewrite this prayer will be delivered
from every calamity"
The Inquiries concerning the endless
chain and comments on it which have
been received by Bishop Lawrence and
by church and secular papers indicate
that the fears of many persons have
been so worked upon by the mention of
dreadful accident as the penalty for
failing 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 mat
ter was received by the editor of
Montreal paper fnom correspondent in
British Columbia. This correspondent
wrote as follows:
"Sick With Fear
Il enclose you a copy of letter (the
endless chain letter. with which the
United States and Canadian mails are
flooded. 1 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 let her 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 virtins, thus placing nine
others under the ban of the curse as
she calls it, if they do not do likewise.
! am sending a copy of the letter that is
causing so much discussion to several
of the leading newspapers in Canada
and the United States. and hope the
matter will be so widely discussed tha~
it will put stop to such sacrilege.