The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1914-12-26

''In view of the strong Bible evidence
VIC consider it an established truth
that the final end of the kingdom of
this world and the full establishment
Of the Kingdom Of God will be accom-
plished by the end OF A. D. 1914"
This was the prediction made a guar
ter Of q century ago by the Rev. Chas.
y. Russell, the leader Of the sect for
mally known as international Bible
Students. but popularly as "Millental
Dawners."
The end Of 1914 is now at hand, and,
while the numerous disciples Of Rus
sell are confidently awaiting the usher
ing in OF the great day, the vast multi
tude Of unregenerate humanity are
STANDING pat" and going about their
customary duties.
The predictions of Rev. Russell, who
has given publicity to his views in the
press Of nearly all nations, and Of q
host Of other ~present.day prophets who
see It H. the European conlagratton
the beginning of the end OF the world,
are reminiscent of the caree of Jo-
sauna Scuthcott, au English religious
enthusiast and prophecies who had a
host Of followers in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries.
This Sunday will mark the centen'
airy Of the death of Joanna s%outhcott,
as she passed away, to the consterna.
ton and dismay of her ardent follow
ers. on Dec. 81, 1914, Just MS modern
prophets see in the present war q fore.
warning of the Day Of Judgment, SO
Joanna southcott perceived in the Ma
poleonlc conflicts the promise of a
speedy end of the world. She wasc
not without that quality called mag
netism, and she convinced thousands
Ct English people that the possessed
mysterious and supernatural powers Of
G%ivination.
Joanna Southcott was born about
1850, of a poor and obscure family, and
she herself remained poor and OBJ.
scure until she was about forty years
cid. It was then that she began to
preach her strange doctrines, declar-
ing that she was the woman mentioned
in tho twelfth chapter of the Book Of
Revelation.
She asserted that Jesus vas destin-
ed to return to the earth and that she
was divinely appointed to become his
mother. The American and French
revolutions and the subsequent Ma,
poleonic wars helped t convince many
that she was a true prophecies, for
fl ON the first days of her mission" she
proclaimed that the birth of tho Mes,
siah would follow a long period OF ter
rible and bloody warfare, such as the
world had never witnessed before.
Although practically without educa.
ton, Joanna Southcott had learned to
read and write, and she turned out
vast Quantities Of literature" in elab.
Grafton Of her views. Most OF her I'm.
spired" revelations psre unintelligble,
but that made them all the moro con.
vincing to her deluded adherents. Jo.
anna, for all her fervent belief that
the world was soon to come to an end,
did not overlook the possibilities Of
profit, and for years she obtained an
excellent income from the sale of
mystic seals" which were to insure
salvation to those who wore them on
the day Of final accounting.
Although Joanna did not obtain that
wide publicity for her notions which
is possible today, the delusions she
fostered spread all over England and
even overseas, and whenever she up.
peared in public she was hailed with
the reyesence betting n who was to
become the mother Of a god.
The last year Of. Josannn's life was
The period OF her greatest glory. Early
1914 when the prophecies was
bout sixty:four years old. she assun:
the appearance Off swoman about
become q motheri
brief armed psass had followed