The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-12-02
LEST WE FORGET.
The lend of the World" Craze in
IS43.
EIGHTH ARTICLE.

Few of our readers are old enough to
remember the Milleritc Craze of the
early 'fortics. Its founder was William
Miller, who was born in Pittsficld, Mass,
in 11S1, and died in lS49, six wears al
ter the date which he had fixed for the
end OF the world. He had large fol-
lowing, estimated at $4,000, but the
failure of his prediction greatly dimin,
ished the number of his disciples. 1t is
said that the sect still exists, but so
greatly reduced in number as to be OF
no consequence. In 1913, however, the
date fixed for the judgement day, Mil
lerite meetings were being held all over
the country, and, as many were attract
ed to them by a thorough belief that
Miler's predictions would be verified
many by curiosity, and many as scoffers,
there was never lack Of overhowing
audiences. The writer was lad of only
six when the craze struck Honesdale,
but well remembers attending a meet
ing in the old Methodist church at the
head of Chapel street, and of listening
to blood-curdling description of the
impending doom of all earthly creatures,
when ''the heavens shall be rolled up
like scroll" The startling discourses
were enh;nced in interest by the use of
large charts on which the relative posi-
tions of the sun, moon and stars, with
an occasional fiery-tailed comet, were
depicted, and so cunningly connected
with Bible texts as to thoroughly CON
vince the weaker minded and credulous
that the sound OF the final trump was
nigh at hand, when they should "al be
changed in moment, in the twinkling
OF an eye"
Ilonesdale furnished quite number
OF Millrr's deluded followers, who were
convinced that upon designated day
the angel Gabriel would make his APP
pearance and blow his trumpet; and
that then, they, the believers, having
beforehand given away their flour and
meat, and prepared and donned their
white robes, would Immediately ascend
into the air on their way to heaven, the
precise locality OF which blissful abode
the prophet never clearly defined. In
order to have good start, however, it
was said that few of the more eager to
depart hence and be at peace" be-
took themselves to the SUBMITS of Irving
Cliff and the lower lodges.
1t was told of man and his wife liv-
ing in Delaware county, that, on the
fateful morning set apart by Miller as
the day for a display of individual avia-
ton on the part OF the faithful believers,
they arose and neglected to prepare
breakfast, saying that they should not
need it, nor any more earthly food.
They were going up, and were done with
eating and drinking on this sublunary
sphere. But they had forgotten the
appetite of their children, and the kids,
not understanding the particulars of the
prospective aerial flight of their parents,
clamored so loudly for their breakfast
that it was finally prepared for them,
and before the children We're through
with the meal the time set for the flight
to the regions in the upper air was past.
contributor to the North Ameri-
can says that last summer very aged
man accompanied party of sightseers
to point on the banks of the Susque-
hanna river, some distance below Har-
risburg, and there pointed ont to his
guests high, rocky island in the river.
Here, he said, when he was youth, one
summer morning the Millerfties from the
surrounding country came, their objec-
tive point being this island, from the
top of which they were to make THEN
ascent. They were rowed across in the
flat-bottOmed boats common in that sec
rock, and there, all day, clothed in then
white ascension robes, they knelt fac
ing the east, praying and waiting fol
. the angelic summons. There was just 4
suggestion OF the ancient sun-worship in
the orientatOn of the crowd on the
rocks. 1t is needless to say that the
angel did not come, and the white as
cension garmentsdid not make their ap'
J pearance in Heaven. When night came
, on the dupes came down the rocks some
what wiser and considerably sadder in
experience. In their ignorant zeal, borr
of belief in the words of an ignorant
expounder of Old Testament history
those devotees had given away theil
household goods, their cattle, theil
crops, and other property, to their les'
'credulous neighbors, and they in turn
, would not give back the voluntary gifti
from the deluded victims of Miller; anc
so, the old man said, they afterwards
suffered keenly from want, almost for TIN
necessaries of life.
In Philadelphia there lived an ole
French ink-maker, at Third and Ger
man streets. He, too, was infected with
the craze, and giving away his business
he mounted TO the roof of his house