The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1912-03-30
AMERICAN WOMEN CONVERTS
TO STRANGE RELIGIOUS CULT.
Some Forsake Homes and Children
to Follow the Light" Many Find
Their Way to Asylums.

'ANAA ~ -ASJ
Often has it been charged that
curiosity killed a cat" And since
the statement has never been sue
cessfully refuted there is reason to
suppose that the inquisitive puss in
question, although fully aware that
eight of her nine lives were alrea ly
spent, lost the ninth and last period
of her career through lack of ordi-
nary feline discretion. All of which
demonstrates the fascination of mys-
terry.
1t is a psychological truth that
mankind differs not particle from
the aforesaid cat in the matter of
curiosity. To be sure, womankind
is not overlooked, either
The mind will not be appeased
when there exists the need of an
explanations Human nature loves
the mysterious. 1t is trait which is
displayed early in life, for does not
little Johnny try to take his watch
apart to see what the ''innards' are
made of? 1t is a trait which is neY-
er outgrown, nor does it change in
the proportion to age.
Mystery furnishes the background
of the christian religion, serving to
bring out one of it's most beautiful
aspects-faith. Yet, despite the
strength Of christianity, in the pres
ent day, it is surprising to learn
how many minds are still cropping
about, reaching out for something
upon which to base their religion.
Influence of Oriental Religions.
This tendency, or weakness, if it
may be called such, has furnished
the cue to founders of new cults and
sects, not a few of whom were ia
kers and Founders. Oriental "isms"
of various kinds and degrees have
fOurished, for such had an attrac-
ton peculiar to themselves. The
convert to these new bands of wor-
shippers invariably fails in the search
for the tangible, frequently realizing
that the tenets are not only complex
but Ofttimes compromising. Some
of the religions are sacrileges; 9TH
erS are genuine and sincere.
Much Roadway has been made in
this country by the Hindu religion,
whose swamis and priests have sue
ceeded in converting many American
women. Indeed, it is principally to
the weaker sex that the glamor
and alleged mystery of the Orientll
religions seem to appeal, as has been
witnessed so often in the influence
eXerted over American and English
women by the Chinese and Japanese,
as well as by the Hindus. But there
is something in the mysticism of the
religions from Hindustan, whether it
be Buddhism, Mohammedanism Ba-
haism, Vedaism, or what not, that
has proved particularly fatal to
American womankind.
Government inquiry has now been
set on foot in an effort to discover
how many women converted by the
various Hindu proselytes have left
this country for India in the hope of
calculating the Oriental mysteries.
Governmental agents are quietly at
work investigating the strange
spread of these Oriental religions
throughout the country.
American Women Converts.
From somewhere east O. Suez"
have come strange religions that are
taking firm hold and root in this
country All over the United States
are Hindu teachers, or sWamis, pros
elyting and preaching and "educat-
Ing" pupils, and while in various cit
les temples are being erected to
Krishna, to the Vedas, to Buddha
and to other symbols of the Hindu
mythology American women obsess-
ed by the strange philosophers of the
wise men of the east" are being
taken to insane asylums, or, seeking
the perfect way are desertin~
home and husband aod children to
follow the light"
Among the American women con-
verts made by Hindus there is Mrs.
G. W. Hilton of Lowell, Mass, who
is styled Her BIessedness," as she