Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-02
PROPHETIC BOXES !
MAY Be UNSEALED
Century-Old Predictions at Last
to Be Given to the
Public.
RELATE TO cHRlsT's COMING
English Clergy Consider Carry.
ing Out Conditions Prescribed
by Joanna Southcott. @

LONDON. September Certain sses
tions Of the population are much ex-
cited over the century-oId sealed
prophecies OF Joanna Southcott, relat-
ing to the second coming Of Christ.
The box containing these prophecies
has never been opened since it Wa
closed. over 100 years ago. tsesk 49,
To quiet credulous persons, some OF
the English clergy are considering
carrying out the ceremonies prescribed
for the opening of the box. and %
getting the matter out of tho way. sii rs 5
The box or boxes (accordinE. to sotss
versions, there are twenty-four) & era
not to be opened. members Of tHe
Joanna Southcott sect say until they
are sent for by the bishops suddenly
and unaware, in time Of nstionaI
danger. 80, 80
Twenty-four bishops. or their sshan.
lains or other appointed clergy, arc
required to be present when the box
of sealed writings is opened.
Joanna Southcott, q farmers dauRf.
ter. born in Dovonshire In 1850. be-
came convinced in 1882 that she had
supernatural powers, and that -tho
Spirit of Truth had visited her.
She began to write and dictate
prophecies in rime. She declared her.
self the woman spoken of In RevefSS
tions XII: -
And there appeared great woindar
In heaven-a woman clothed with TIE
sun. and the moon under her feet, and
upon her head n crown of tweIve stafI
And she brought forth afnana
child, who was to rule all the nations
with a rod Of iron, and her child wra
caught up unto God and to His throne.o.
Joanna appeared in London and 3D.
gan to gain disciples. She 'sealels
$4,000 elect at charges varying be-
tween $3.50 and $4.25 each. 49, %ess ~ {
GREAT PRECAUTIONS ss4tS
TO PREVENT RIOT
When she was more than sixty years
Of ago she announced that sho would
give birth to the Shiloh of tho prophecy
on October 10. 1914. OF course, the
| delivery did not take place. It .waa
| announced she was In trance ana
she died Of brain fever ten daysf>later.
| Great precautions were necessar3s,ta
prevent a riot at her funeral. 4 :9 u
According to the best accounts, sho
| left box containing snufr box. "a
| roll OF prophecies and q gorgeous robe
for the Messianic babe Shiloh. whoeo
expected birth did not occur. This Scx
was to be opened on January II, IgT6.
but nothing was heard Of 1t onSthat
date. ,ssjj..tsys
Now ''believers' have requested
Bishop Boyd Carpenter. Canon OF
Westminster and formerly Bishop of
Ripon. to gather the necessary bishopa
or clergy round him. SO that the claims
Of the prophecies may be tried. Tho
bishop, In an interview. said he Sda
not know where the box Is. y. s.sSsss
II have met some of these rood
people," he said. '.and have asked them
where it Is, and they have replied.
1t shall be produced at the timeI III
think the box should BIO opened I'm
order to a1lay excited interest in tho
matter" 49,.
One Of the boxes Is In the possession
of Miss Alice Seymour. who lives In
Devonshire. The other Is owned hy
Mrs. Kenyon. Sr- to whom 1t came
from her grandfather. Richard Hin
Norris, OF Birmingham. He-swaaSSe
believer of the Joanna Southcott sect.
1T came TO me as the eldest OF the
family" said Mrs Kenyon, but what
is in the box I do not know, nor
whether there Is anything in 1t at an.
The conditions under which hold
1t are that 1t shall not be opened tex-
cept ut the request Of the biahopa Or
the government. 1880
Il am quite prepared to go on sWsiI-
Ing another hundred years until tho
conditions with regard to the opening
are fulfilled"
J. E. Galley. of Bedford Place. Bootfe.
states that his wife has Joanns
southcott box, which she received SOME
years ago with an elderly lady In
Liverpool. since dead. and which wSa
only to be opened under exceptional
circumstances. y 10y f.sS
There were, she thinks. twenty-foIf
boxes made at the time of tho deposit
of the prophecies. and these were given.
to special persons to be handed on
to posterity" Mrs. Galley does not
know what her box contains. foE-sit
has never been opened. There ~,is.
however, something in 1t as there is "a
distinct sound when 1t is shaken.