Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-22
EUROPE wHISTL1NC UP
GHOSTS OF DEAD SEERS
Statesmen Hang on the Words of For
tune Tellers-WhiIe half the World
Fights the Other Half Prophesies,
and il Seems to Help.
Ru VANCE THOMPSON

d
prophesying.
1t is a queer sort Of collaboration, but you
cant blame the stay-at- homes for helping
out in the best way they can; and bucking
up the weary fighters with prophecies Of
victory is no bad thing-useful in it's way as
knitting socks,
Even the Governments look at 1t in that
tolerant and hopeful way. You may remem-
Der cabegram from Berlin which stated
that the police had taken the ban off the
fortune-teers, clairvoyants and psychics
and that they are cheering up the war-sad-
dened population immensely I haven't the
fantest doubt it is true. In Paris, know, the
prophets go about the streets and their
prophecies fill the little wartime newspapers
And in London there is even a new publica-
tion, which gives "Teepathic War News"
price twopenCe. 1t is as though the war;
which has plunged Europe back into state
of barbarism, had brought with it a me-
dieval sense of mystery And darlSy the
seers brood "every man in the chambers Of
his imagery" like the ancients of Israel.
German Retreat Foretold
What interests me most are the predictions
which have been dug up out of the half for
gotten caves of prophecy. Many of them have
been cabled to the American newspapers,
notably the rather vague one of Tolstoi and
the more exact-perhaps too exaot-prophecy
Of MayenCe which has long been known In
Germany. One of the most curious was
brought to light by the Daily Chronicle, OF
London, It is a prophecy made by Father
Vianney, the famous Cure OARS. 1t is to be
found in "Voix Prophetiques on Signes, APP
portitions ct Predictions Moderne," published
in two volumes in Paris by Victor Palme In
1S72-the fifth edition. OF course, it had been
written long before. 1t predicted the invasion
of France in 1870 and the success of the Prus-
slang.
Then it foretold the present war and sec
ond Prussan invasion The prediction goes
on to say: 1.-THE enemy will not go imme-
diately. They will return again and destroy
as they, come. Effective resistance will not
be made They will be allowed to advance,
and after that their communications will
be cut and they will suffer great loss They
will be followed and few will reach their
goal. Then all that they have taken away
will be restored and more In addition. Much
more terrible things will happen than have
yet been seen, but great triumph Will be
witnessed on the Feast of Our Lady (Septem-
Der s)."
Now IL you bear in mind that this date
marked the turning point of the German
the German retreat-you will admit it is a
fairly accurate prediction. And there is an
other queer thing In the course of his proph-
ecy Father Vlanney predicts that at the out
break of the war his canonization will have
begun but that there will not be time to
finish the ceremonial before war intervenes.
That is precisely what has happened
The proceedings for the canonization Of the
Bienheureux j. NJ B. Vianney were begun
and after war was declared were brought
to an abrupt end.
Concerning Belgium and Poland
And there is another you should read
1t was written by Dom Bosco a Portuguese
priest. who died dozen years or 80 ago. AT
that time it was printed in LIE Matin-in
June, 1901. So there Is no question of this
being prediction after the event" 1t runs
as follows: "In 1918 a great European war
will break out Germany will be completely
torn to pieces, but not before the Germans
have penetrated into the heart of France,
whence they will be forced back to the
further banks of the Rhine. An arrogant man
will see his family tree cut in spllnters and
trampled upon by all the world. Great battles
will take place on August 1b and September
10. At that time the Pope viii die and live
again. Belgium will undergo fearful suffer-
ings, but will rise again and become stronger
than ever. Poland will get back her right"
There is a good deal of remarkable fore
sight packed into those last few lines Even
II it dates back no further than the year 1t
was published in LIE MatIn-that was 1901
it is an extraordinary forecast.
The Prophecy of Mayence
The prophecy of Mayence" was cabled
over in part; 1 have just seen the full text.
1t is an extraordinary thing-especially when
you remember it dates from 1854. First OF
all it foretes the victory of King Wilhelm
over Austria in 1866; and then the defeat and
overthrow Of Napoleon III at the "Chene
pOpuleux," when Alsaee-Lorraine shall be
carried away from France Finally 1t comes
to the present war; quote the last verses:
Courage, faithful souls, the reign of dark
ness shall not have time to execute all it's
schemes. A man, the wise, the invincible,
shall chase the enemy out OF France He
shall conquer Germany until 1t is completely
destroyed. That day he shall command seven
kinds of soldiers against three, on the field Of
Bouleaux near Paderborn In Westphalia-
seven allied people against three. Woe to
thee, Prussia, for thy seventh generation
shall answer for the wars thou hast made
upon all the people"
A generation is 80 years, which multiplied
by seven makes 2lO years. The realm OF
Prussia dates from 1713. The seventh gener-
alton Is, therefore, that living between 1898
and 1928.
or this final battle the prophet says It shall
last for three days and that Prussia and
Austria shall be annlhlIated. and concludes;
"WilheIm Ii shall be the last King OF Prus-
sia Germany and Austria shall form three
raat,,,s updar the KinRg Saxony of Hano- |