OUT WITH BEELZEBUB!

NZ Truth, Issue 120, 5 October 1907, Page 8

OUT WITH BEELZEBUB !

Frantic Pranks of Prussian Maniacs,

The latoxicatiea of Religions Fervor.

X veritable epidemic of an acute form of religious mania has broken out m the central provinces of Prussia, a»d thousands of persons have become temporarily more or less mentally unbalanced. Detailed telegrams from Cassel state that the outburst, which is manifesting itself m all kinds of astounding forms, was started by two fanatics, who proclaimed themselves Divine emissaries, specially sent by heaven to lead the inhabitants . of the adjoining provinces to salvation. Their principal lieutenants are two Swedish women, whose oratory exercises a strange fascination over the populace. Extraordinary scenes take place at meetings held nightly m Cassel, and many sufitounding towns and villages. The participants at these meetings emit inarticulate shrieks, throw themselves on the ground, roll on the floor, fling their arms and legs wildh* about, beat their heads against the wooden benches, and

AMAZING CONFESSIONS OF SIN then pour from their lips. After this they declare they see visions of heaven, hell, and other worlds. Sometimes all those present r^r the meeting prostrate themselves simultaneously on the floor and groan m unison, with wild gestures. Sudden- [ lv a man springs up and graphically describes some strange vision which he sees before his eyes. Loud shouts I of "Hallelujah «" greet the speaker, [ and when the vision has been described, men and women arise from (the ground, embrace each other with ecstatic fervor, and dance, with amazing grimaces and erratic movements, all through the night till sunrise. A spectator at one of these meetings states that there were over 200 people presents All of them SEEMED ABSOLUTELY* INTOXICATED . with religious ecstasy. He says :— ■ "I heard wild cries, loud confessions of sin, uncanny shrieks, groans, and other unearthly noises. I saw distorted faces, men and women gesticulating like lunatics. I saw them siak to the ground and kick out m all directions. Suddenly a young man sprang up and uttered sounds which the chairman described as being the result of a Divine vision. No sooner had the ' chairman uttered these words than a great shout of triumph ro^efrom the assembly. They all looked as if hvnnotised." At another meetinf- after a hymn had been sung, a young man sprannr to the platform, threw himself about with extraordinary vigor, made INDESCRIBABLE GRIMACES, and then shouted incoherently. One of the founders of the movement informed the congregation that the youth was Divinely inspired, and that his antics and noises were a Divine revelation. The worshippers clapped their hands, knelt down, gesticulated, shrieked, groaned, and grovelled m the dust. Several worshippers shouted, "We see the blood of our Saviour." Women embraced one another, saying, "We have seen our Saviour Himself." The preachet then offered up the following prayer: "O Lord, let everyone here kneel down. Whoever refuses to kneel, let him be thrown from our midst." One man remained standimr whereupon there were wild cries of "Out with him ! Out with Beelzebub !" "CASTING OUT THE DEVIL"." When the unbeliever left the hall, the worshippers shouted. "The devil has now gone. , The evil one has left our midst." At a meeting at Gross Almerode a young man divested himself of his collar and cuffs, declaring that he desired to renounce luxury. Young women tore off their hats, veils, ribbons, laces, and other finery for the same reason. Night after night hundreds of deluded enthusiasts are attending meetings of this kind, where erra.tic doctrines are systematically preached by fanatical religious maniacs. The congregations are principally composed of peasants from the agricultural dis- j tricts, but the intelligent classes of ! the urban population are also strong- '< ly represented at the meetings.: