"PROPHET" OF "THE FLYING ROLL."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7341, 30 May 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

"PROPHET" OF "THE FLYING ROLL."

A MAN styling hin.self J. J. Jezreel, the prophet and leader of an extraordinary socalled religious movement, has just died at Callingham, Kent. " The New and Latter House of Israel" is the name of this sect, which has made Glllingham its headquarters, and where the hundred and forty and four thousand of the elect are to gather preparatory to the end of all things. Already many have come from all parts of the world and settled down in the district, and in the interval of waiting they have opened shops, entered upon various industries, and laid the foundations of a huge temple for worship. Their scripture is a mysterious book named the " Flying Roll," only disclosed to the initiated, which ia reputed to have a divine origin, the deceased prophet having been the intermediary. On Sundays secret and open services are held, at the latter of which young children recite portions of the "Flying Roll," and the music of harps and other instruments accompanies the singing. The members allow their hair to grow to a great length and loop it up at the back, but otherwise they have no outward distinction. With respect to the death of the leader, the members of the sect have been mysteriously reticent, and up to the time of his burial it was hinted in Scriptural phraseology that he "is not dead, but sleepeth." As to the death, however, the non-elect havo no doubt. The same retioence has been maintained to the antecedents of Mr. J. J. Jezreel, and according to the aocount of a relative, published in the Chatham and Rochester Observer, .not without good cause. A lady named Mrs. Head, who with her husband are trustees in Kent of a rival religious assooiation which was earlier in the field, designed " The New House of Israel," has related the following story to a representative of that newspaper:—lt was on the 13th day of October, 1575, Mr. James White, whioh was the real name of Jezreel, as I will prove by his signature further on, came to my house seriously enquiring the way to salvation, and wishing to become one of our members. I accordingly gave him a book of laws to peruse, and be returned on the 15th of the same month, when he stated that he was perfectly satisfied, and was ready to sign the usual document for admittance as a member with us. The dooument states that anyone ' who subscribes with their hands believing tbe four books of the Gospel to be given by the inspiration of God will be received as members of our Church. Mr. White, who was then a private in the 16th Regiment, stationed at Chatham, immediately signed his name, and I have kept the original signature ever since, and will, now produce it. [Mrs. Head hereupon produced the signature of tbe late J. J. Jezreel, which was as follows:—James White, 15-10-75.] When he signed he said, "Keep nothing from me, for 1 mean to make a speedy work." He also told me that he was brought up a Roman C&tholio in France, that he had been in the monasteries ; in fact, he had been in all denominations, and now he said, "This is , the last, and I mean to make a speedy work of it." He attended our meetings from the time he was admitted a member up till Christmas Day of the same year, but during that time he so worked upon the minds of my sister and the remainder of my members to the number of sixteen, that upon bis dismissal they immediately joined him. After Mr. White's dismissal from oar Church (December 26, 1875), and prior to his sailing for India in February, 1876, he was always accompanied in his walks by two young \ girls, aged thirteen and fifteen years respectively—the present Mrs. Jezreel and her younger sister—who is now dead—whom he called his two virgins. These girls were i neither to marry, nor was he, because it was illegal; but on his subsequently being bought out of the army, he returned to this country under the name ol J. J. Jezreel—a fictitious and wholly assumed name—and was married. Since that time he has visited a great number of different countries, and his visiting our sect in those parts and imbuing his doctrine into their minds has obtained for him a great number of followers. He finally, as almost everybody knows, came to the Woodlands, setting himself up to be the author of the "Flying Roll," thus putting himself on an equality with God, as Scripture proves. I have no hesitancy in saying that the late leader of the New and Letter House of Israel, who assumed the name of J. J. Jezreel, was no other than James White, who placed hi* signature to our belief in October, 1875. '.