A.B WORTHINGTON AGAIN. ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2631, 17 September 1902, Page 14

A. B WORTHINGTON AGAIN. ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES.

At the Central Police Court, Sydney, on the 2nd inst., Arthur Bcutley Worthington, described as a Unitarian minister, was charged by warrant from M«lbourne with having obtained from Miranda May de la Juveny, by means of false pretences, a sum of £1096. between July 27, 1900, and April 1, 1902.

Detective-sergeant Macmaiiamny asked for a remand to Melbourne, which was granted, and he left with the accused for Melbourne by the express.

Arthur Bentley Worthington. who is alleged to have at different periods of his career adopted a variety of names, has had a «trang© aud eventful career. He was first heard of. as far as Melbourne people w-e-re concerned, in connection with his doings in C'hristohurch, New Zealand, where he preached as the Apostle of Truth, and attracted a large crowd of followers. The religion which he preached contained elements of spiritualism, faith-healing, and Unitarianism, into which was infused germs of the Pythagorean belief in the transmigration of soub. The mysterious elements in many religions were imported into this strange farrago which Worthington gave to his discute=: but it was not so much the nature of the dectrine as the actions of the man. that aroused public interest when he made his appearance in. Melbourne. It was known that he had practically been driven out of Christchurch, and that hid attempts to live down the reputation which lie had established there caused such resentment that on his last appearance he was stoned by the populate, who were only qu.etcned when the mayor appeared and read the Riot Act Simultaneously with his departure from Christchurch, the " Students of Truth, ' as the society which he founded was termed, addrea-ed a strong letter to the religious denominations in Tasmania, charging Wortl ingtou with wife desertion, fraud., aud hyp-octisy, which they i\rro prepared to sustain with a mas 3of evidence.

With this uLenviable record Worthington came to Melbourne m 1599, afier an unprofitable career in Tasmania., where the public proved either too shrewd or not fcufficicutly ad\anced in thought to accept the Woithiiiglonian decrriue. He opened at Buxtou'.^ Art Galleiy. uhr-re he delivered addresses on Sundays, and gathered about him the nucleus of a congregation. Wealthy widows had always a strong attraction for him, as Madame de la Juveny has discovered to her cost. She was early enrolled among Ins disciples, and in July, 1900, a few months after he had started teaching, he told her that he wa3 anxious to build a new temple in Flinders street, on the site secured by him adjoining ..Le Australian Church. He unfolded a comprehensive scheme, which included the establishment of a kindergarten and other institut.ons, on the lines which he had folowed in Christchuich. A large sum. of money was required for such a purpose, but Worthiugton asserted that he had been recently left a legacy amounting to £10,000 by a wealthy aunt in America. He had purchased the site, but not having sufficient money to complete the transaction the Bank of Victoria held the deeds of the land as security against an overdraft, and he could not receive any remittances until the balance of the purchase money was paid off. In the meantime he desired to acquire a block of land near the Red Bluff. St. Kilda, where he proposed to build a sanatorium, and carry the theories of Christian science and faith-healing into practice. A plan of the land which he intended purchasing was submitted to Madame de la Juveny, who was, he told her, to be the " pyramid" of the cult in Melbourne, the highest honour which could be bestowed upon any v.oman.

Madame do la Juveny does not appear to have realised to the full the advanta^rt.wlnch she posses&ed in being the recognised " pyramid " of the new faith, but when symbolisms stood for cash Mr "Worthing ton \\ as among the mo«t bolvent of men. He told the " pyramid " that ho had discovered recently that she was the reincarnation of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis, and that he had an inward consciousness that he himself was none other than the great Osiris, who. as the sacred bull of the Egyptians, ' had been crrried in procession before the Pharaoli3 of old. On many occasiong he pointed out in the street persons who, though apparently quiet, everyday folk, he told the credulous Isis were possessed of the souls of scriptural and historical characters. It was rather startling to the widow at first, but she got used to the idea, and was not at all astonished when one- day Worthington showed her the photographs of five Hindoos, all of whose ages, ho said, bordered on 100, though they did not look more than .a quarter of those years. The.se, he explained, wore the presentments of Mahatmas, who lived in remote ages on tho fringe of the lofty Himalayas, and who were all-powerful, all-knowing, and were among the immortals

From her dreams of the sublimity of these pure souls the lady- would be rudely brought to earth again by a gentle hint that a little money would l>e acceptable Ii; was nearly always forthcoming, for Worthina^ton appears to hnvo had a persuasive manner, which would take no denial. She states that she first of all advanced him a sum of £200, and that she afterwards lent him sums of money ranging from £20 to £100,. the total of the amounts bping- nearly £900. By this time she had exhausted her ready money, and told him so. The haughty spirit of Osiri«, which did not obtrude itself during the settlement of these monetary transactions, did not prevent Mr A. 13. Worthington from making a final pressing demand upon her purse. He told her that he wantod £200, and that if the money wa3 not forthcoming his plans would all be upset. Madame de la Juveny, though an enthusiast in Worthmgton's cause, had yet a certain business instinct, and she be?;an to feel that his demands were becoming excessive, and demurred against further loans. Her belief was put to the test by the receipt of a letter which Worthington handed to her one day in a sealed envelope. It professed to be a message from the five Mahatmas, each of whom advised her to asaist Osiris in the project which he had on hand, otherwise the Nile would rise and overwhelm their work for 1500 years. The me=sage was too peremptory to be denied, and Madame- de la Juveny hastened to obey the order of the Mahatmas by raising £200 on promissory notes, which she handed to Worthington. Her business instincts, however, throughout the transaction caused her to obtain acknowledgments of all the sums that passed between them. The building of the church, kindergarten, and sanatorium was never carried into effeot. About 12 months ago Mr Worthiagtoo,

whose reputation as a speaker and entertainer is beyond question, received a "call" from the Hyde Park Unitarian Church, Sydney. He gladly obeyed the call, and was accepted, in spite of the protests of the Unitarian body in Melbourne, which urged that he was not a fit and proper person to hold this position. The church was in difficulties when he took charge, but the preacher rapidly became popular, and at the time of his arrest had a large congregation. When it became evident that Worthington had no intention of returning to Melbourne, or of repaying 1 the 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, admitting his liability, but stating that he could not and would not pay her back at present, and! if she chose to take action she might do her worst. " I v. ould rather face any disgrace into which you may bring me," he wrote in one of his letters, " than be in your position, and siiffer what you will have to «uffer at the hands of the Occult." Madame de la Juveny, however, had had enoughi of the occult, and decided to risk the wrath of those unknown and terrible powers. She consulted a lawyer, who placed the matter in the hands of the detectives, and Detcctive-sargcant Macmanamny was told off to inquire into the ease. His work resulted in a decision to take criminal proceedings against Worthington. ,