Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-19

vival meetings. and Cochrane gained
the benefit OF this definite preparation
for his work. He claimed that all mis-
/ sayings were from divine Inspiration
and that those who. embraced his doc
trine received direct communication
from the Almighty. He disdained for
NAL creeds and all manner of church
organizations, declaring that sectarian
names were marks of the beast and all
church members to be in Babylon. He
introduced rebaptism as symbolic
cleansing from sectarian stains, and
after some months advanced PROPOSE
ton that his flock hold all things in
common. He put n sudden end to the
| solemn ''deaconing OUT and droning
Of psalm tunes and grated on to his
form of worship lively singing and
marching. accompanied by clapping of
hands and whirling in circles. during
| the progress of which the most hys-
| terical converts or the most fully
| "CochraniZed" would swoon upon the
! floor or. in obeying their leaders in
! structions to become as little chill
| dren,'' would sometimes go through the
! most extraordinary and unmeaning
antics.
1t was not until he had converted
| hundreds to thee new faith that he
| added more startling revelations to his
gospel. He was in turn bold, mystical,
eloquent, audacious. persuasive, auto
| cratic, and even when his self styled
| communications from the Almighty"
cOntrOverted ali that his hearers had
| formerly held to be right he still mag
! nctized or hypnotized them into an IN
willing assent to his beliefs. There
was finally proclamation TO the effect
that marriage vows were to be annul
led when advisable and that complete
spiritual liberty was TO follow; liberty
in which n new affinity might be sought
and n spiritual union begun upon earth.
Il union rs nearly approximate TO Gods
standards as faulty human beings
could manage to attain.
Some of the faithful fell away at
this time, being unable TO accept the
full doctrine, but retained their faith
in Cochrane's original power to con-
vert sinners and save them from the
wrath of God. Storm clouds began to
gether in the sky. however. as the de-
fusion spread, month by month. and
local ministers everywhere sought to
minimize the influence of the danger
Gus orator, who rose superior to every
attack and carried himself like some
magnificent martyr at will among the |
crowds that now criticised him here
or there in private and in public.
what a picture of splendid audacity |
he must have been" wrote Ivory, |
when he entered the orthodox meet |
ing house at n huge gathering where
he knew that the speakers We're to de-
nounce his teachings. Old Parson Buz-
zeIl gave out his text from the high
pulpit, Mark xiii, 81, Arc what 1 say
unto you 1 say unto all. watch Just
here Cochrane stepped in at the open
door OF the church and heard the
warning. meant, he knew. for himself,
and Selling the moment of silence fol-
lowing the reading of the text, he cried
in his splendid sOnOrous voice. without
SO much as stirring from his place
within the door frame: Behold. 1
stand at the door and knock. If any
man hear my voice L will come in to |
him and will sup with him. l come to |
preach the everlasting gospel to every |
one that heareth, and all that L want |
here is my bigness on the floor
another page, that my father or moth |
er over engaged in any of the foolish |
and childish practices which disgraced |
the meetings of some of Cochrane'S |
most fanatical followers and converts.
By my mothers conversations (some |
of which 1 have repeated to you, but
which may be full of errors, because of
her confusion of mind 1 believe she
must have had a difference of opinion
with my father on some of these
views, but / have no means of know
ing this to certainty. nor do 1 know
that the question of choosing spiritual
ever came between or divided
them. This part of the delusion al
ways fills me with such unspeakable
disgust that 1 have never liked to seek
additional light from any of the older
men and women who might revel in
giving it. That my mother did not
sympathiZe with my fathers going out
TO preach Cochrane's gospel through
the country. this l know. and she was
so truly religious, so burning with zeal
that had she fully believed in my IA
hers mission she would have spurred
him on instead of endeavoring 70 de
ain him.
You know the retribution that over
-ook Cochrane at last" wrote Ivory ,
again, when he had shown the mans
,ariy victories and his enormous infiu-
ence. rhere began to De indignant
protests against his doctrines by law
yers and doctors. as well as by minis
terS; not from all sides, however. for
in extenuation OF my faith
er's and my mothers espousal of this
strange belief, that many of the strong
EST and wisest men, as well as the
Durest and finest women in York coun-
Y, came under this mans spell for
lime and believed in him implicitly,
some of them even unto the end.
FINALLY there was Cochrane'S arrest 9
md examination. the order for him to !
appear at the supreme court, his fall {
Ire TO do so, his recapture ana trial and ,
lis sentence of four years imprison- /