The Worthington Case. CAREER OF THE "APOSTLE OF TRUTH."

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue LXIV, 13 September 1902, Page 7 (Supplement)

The Worthington Case. CAREER OF THE "APOSTLE OF TRUTH."

Our cjvble messages of yoatorday announced that Wortlijngton had been committed for trial at Melbourne on a charge j of obtaining a sum of over £1000 by falso pretences. The cafcev of the accused and tho nature of the charge against him arc given as follows in o. recent issue of tho Melbourne Argus: — . Arthur Bentley Worthington, who is alleged to lmve at diiforent periods of his career adopted a variety of names, has had a slrniigo and eventful career. He waslirßt heard of, as fur as Melbourne people wero concerned, in connection with his -doings in ChriKtchurch, New Zealand, where ho preurhed an the Apostle of Truth, and attracted a large crowd of followers. Tho religion which lie preached contained elements of spiritualism, faith-healing, and Unitariaiiism, into which was infused germs of the Pylhagoioan belief in the transmigration of souls. The mysterious elements in many religions were imported into this strange farrugo which Worthington gave to his disciples; but it was not so much thc nature of the doctrine a« tho actions of tho man that aroused public interest when ho made his nppearanco in Alolbourne. It was known tliat he. had practically been drivoit out of Christchurch, and that his attempts to live down tho reputation which he had established there caused such resentment that on his last appearance ho was stoned by the populace, who wero only quietened when the Mayor appeared and ve/ul tho Riot Act. Simultaneously with his departure from Christchurch, the "Students of Truth," as the society which he founded was termed, addressed a strong letter to tho religious denominations in Tasmania, olmrgiiig Worlhinglon with wife desertion, fraud, and hypocrisy, which thoy wero prepared to sustain with a mans of ovidonce. With* 1 tliis unenviable record Worthington came to Melbourne in 1899, after an unprofitable career in Tasmania, where the public proved either too shrewd or not sufficiently advanced in thought to accept the Wortningtonian doctrine. He opeued at Buxtons Art Gallery, where he delivered addresses on Sundays, and gath-ei-ed about him thc iwcleus of a congregation. Wealthy widows had always been a strong attraction for him, as Madame de la Juveny has discovered to her cost. Sho was early enrolled among his disciples, and. in July, 1000, v few months ufter he had started teaching, ho told tier that he was anxiout; to build a now temple in Flinders-street, on tho site .secured by him adjoining the Australian Church. Ho unfolded a comprehensive scheme, which inoluded the establishment of a kindergarten and other institutions, on tho lives which he had followed in Christchuroh. A large sum of money was required for such a- pur-Eo'-'e, but Worthington asserted that ho ud been recently left a legacy amounting to £16,000 by a wealthy aunt in America. Ho had purchased t'llo site, but not having sufficient money to complete the transaction, tho Bank qf Victoria held the deeds of tho land sis (security ttguiiwit u n overdraft, and ho could 'not receive any remittances until the balance of the purchase-money was paid off. In the meantime ho desired to acquire a block of land near the, Red Bluff, St. Kildn., where ho proposed to build a sanatorium, and carry the theorien of ChiihUau science and fftit>h-healing into practice. A pla-n of tho land which ho intended purchasing was submitted to Madaino de la Juveny, who was, he told her, to be tho "pyramid" of the cult in Melbourne, the highest honour which could bo bestowed upon any woman. Madamo do la Juveny does not appear to havo rtnliiod to the full th» advantage which sho possessed in being tho recognised, "pyramid" of tho n*w faith, but when Nymbohsms stood for' cash Mr. Worthington wn* among tho most solvent of men. He told tho "pyramid" that he hail discovered recently that sho was tho reincarnation of tho ancient Egyptian goddess Isis, and that ho had an inward consciousness that he himself was none other than the great OsirU, who, as the sacred bull of tho Egyptians, had- been carried in procession before the Pharaohs of old. On many occasions bo pointed out in tho street persons who, though apparently quiet, overy«day folk, he told tho credulous Isis were possessed of tlie souls of scriptural and historical characterH. It was rather startling to tho widow at first, but ahe got used to the idea, and wns not at all astonished when one day Worthington showed her tho photographs of five Hindoos, all of whoso uges, ho said, bordered on 100, though they did not look more than a quarter of those yeurs. .These, he explained, were the presentments of Mahatmas, who lived in remoto ages on the fringe of tho lofty Himalayas, and who wore all-powerful, all-knowing, and were among the immortal*. From her dreams of the sublimity of these pure souls tho lady pould be rudely brought to earth again by a gentle hint that a little money would b© acceptable. It was nearly always forthcoming, for Worthington appears to have had a per- | suasive manner, which would take no denial. She states that she first of all adi vanoed him a sum of £200, and that she afterwards lent him sums uf money ranging from £20 to £100, the total of (he i amounts being nearly £900. By this time she' had exhausted her ready money, and told him so. , Tho haughty spirit of Osiris, which did not obtrude itself during tho settlement of these monetary transactions, did not prevent Mr. A. B. Worthingtou from making a final pressing demand upon her purse. He told her that he wanted £200, and that if the money was not forthcoming his plans would all bo upset. Madame d© la Juveny, though an onthusiast in Worthington'B cause, had yet a certain business instinct, and she begitn to feel that his demands were becoming excessive, and demurred against further loans. Hor beb"qf was put to the tost by tho receipt of a .letter which Worthington handed to her one day in a sealed envelope. It professed to be a message from tho five Mahatmus, each of whom advised her to assist Osiris in the project which he had on hand, otherwise the Nilo would riso Mid overwhelm their work for one thousand five hundred years. The messago was too peremptory to be doniod, and Madame de la Juveny hastened to obey tho order of the Mahatmas by raising £200 on promissory notes, which she handed to Worthington. Her busineas instincts, however, throughout tho transaction, caused her to obtain acknowledgments of all the sums that passed between them. ' The building of tho church, Kindergarten, and sanatorium was never carried into elFoct. About twelve months ago, Mr, Worthington, whoso reputation as a j speaker and entertainer in beyond question, received a "call" from the Hyde Park Unitarian Church, Sydney. *He gladly obeyed the call, and wan accepted, in spite of the protests of the Unitarian body in Melbourne, which u^ged that ho wan not a fit und proper person to hold this position. The church was in difficulties when lie took charge, but the preacher rapidly became popular, and at the time of bis arrest hud a large congregation. When it became evident that Worthington had no intention of returning to Melbourne, or of repaying tho sums which he had borrowed, Madame de la Juveny wrote several letters to him, asking for a repayment of the money, and, failing to obtain any satisfaction, she threatened to take legal proceedings. He replied, ndnulling his liability, but stating that ho could not and would not vtui her back at

present, and if she chose to takf action Bho might do her worst. "I would rather face any disgrace into which you may bring me," he wrote in one of his letters, "tlmn bo in your position, and suffer what you will have to suffer at the hands of the Occult." Madame do la Juveny, however, hail had enough of tho occult, and decided to risk the wrath of thoso unknown and terrible powers. She consulted a lawyer, who placed tho matter in tho hands of the detectives, and Detective Sergeant M/Mncnianaumy was told off to enquire into the ni.se. His work resulted in a decision to take criminal proceedings against Worthington.