Prophets And Fanatics.

PROPHETS AND FANATICS .

( Continued from page 60 . ) A CHESHIRE Prophet . —Robert Nixon , sometimes . called the Cheshire prophet , was a very humble imitator of Mother Sh ' ipton , being an idiot who had followed the plough . The date when he lived is problematical , one account placing him in the reign of Henry VII . and another in that of James I . With the exception of a doubtful allusion in King ' s " Vale Royal , " there appears to be no printed record of Nixon previous to 1714 . It is supposed that out of compassion he was taken into the service of a Thomas Cholmondeley , Vale Royal , near Nantwich , during the reign of the first . Tames .

Many histories of Nixon have since been printed , and many allusions made to him by writers . Of the latter Dr . Ormerod in his " History of Cheshire" gives a summary of his life , but admits that the following metrical prophecy of Nixon bears marks of antiquity . "When a raven shall build in a stone lion ' s mouth , on the top of a church in Cheshire , then a king of England shall be driven out of his kingdom , and never known more .

When an eagle shall sit on the top of the house , then an heir shall be born to the Cholmondley ' s family ; and this heir shall live to sop England invaded by foreigners , who shall proceed so far as a town in Cheshire ; but a miller named Peter shall be born with two heels upon one foot , and at that time living in a mill of Mr . Cholmondley ' s : he shall bo instrumental in delivering the nation . The person who then governs the nation shall be in

trouble , and skulk about ; the invading king shall be killed , laid across a horse ' s back like a calf , and led in triumph . The miller having been instrumental in it , shall bring forth the person that then governs the kingdom , and be knighted for what he has done ; and after that England shall see happy days . A young new set of men of virtuous manners shall come , who shall prosper , and make a flourishing church for two hundred years .

As a token of the truth of all this , a wall of Mr . Cholmondeley's shall fall ; if it fall downwards the church shall be oppress'd , and rise no more ; but if upwards , next the rising hill on the side of it , then it shall flourish again . Under this wall shall be found the bones of a British king . A pond shall run with blood three days , and the cross-stone pillar in the forest sink so low into the ground , that a crow from tho top of it shall drink of the best blood in England .

A boy shall be born with three thumbs , and shall hold three kings' horses , while England shall three times be won and lost in a day . " A tract published in London in 1719 , founded upon Lady Gowper ' s copy of the prophecy , tries to prove its fulfilment .

Some of the incidents which I shall enumerate in this article are calculated to cause a shudder of disgust , but I will ask , were not some of the men and women to be pitied rather than blamed ? Can we not say truthfully that these people , who in our day would simply have been placed under merciful restraint , were indeed objects of compassion ? The slave of passion and the unreal imaginings seems to be amenable to no well-defined law , and the physician is often the best antidote , for it appears that the faculties are subject to noxious and atmospheric influences . If the majority of medical

men who lived in these olden times had not been the veriest Sangrado's of empiricism , they would have traced much of the fanaticism to physical disease or mental disorder , and if the avowed teachers of religion had only been imbued with more of the love and gentleness taught by their Master , less blood would have been shed , and the demon of anarchy and unrest , instead of stalking through the world with terrifying influences , would have been exorcised , and peace , gentle peace and contentment , have reigned in its stead .

The Manichees . —Manes , the founder of the sect of Christian heretics called Manichees , or Manicheans , began about 277 A . D . to propogate his doctrines which he had derived from the books of Terebinthus , a magician , who had been murdered at the house of a rich widow , whose slave the fanatic then was under the name of Cubricus , which he afterwards altered to that of Manes , * this in the Persian language signifying a vessel , and in the Latin ( manis ) something good or propitious .

Mingling the pure teachings of Christianity with those of Paganism , he advocated—and here he borrowed from the Persian Magi—that there were two principles of all things , coeternal and coeval , that ia God and the Devil , that from the former all good , and from the latter all evil proceeded . The good being he called the author of the new testament , the bad of the old . God , he added , created the soul , the devil the body .

Manes pretended to be the " Comforter " whom our Saviour promised to send into the world , and taught his numerous disciples all kinds of absurdities . § Ho forbade his followers to give alms or to assist any who were not of their own sect ; he contended that the souls of his followers passed the elements of the moon , going thence to the sun to be purified , and passing on to God to be re-united with His

essence ; that the souls of all other men went eithor to hell , or became incorporated with other bodies ; that Christ had his residence in the sun , the Holy Ghost in the air , Wisdom in the moon , and the Father in the ab yss of light . He denied the resurrection , condemned marriage , forbade the use of eggs , cheese , milk , and wine , as creatures proceeding from the bad princi ple ; taught that magistrates were not to be obeyed , and condemned the most lawful wars .

He pretended to work miracles , and was sent for by Sapor , King of Persia , to cure his son , but his pretended power failed him , the child died in arms , and the disappointed father ordered the prophet to be flayed alive , and his skin , stuffed with chaff , to be hung up at the gates of the capital , where -kpiphanius , Bishop of Salamis , who refuted his doctrines , saw it .

The Messalians . — Sabas , an heresiarch , founder of the Messalians , interpreted the Gospel literally , made himself an eunuch , and distributed his goods to the poor . This sect , which prevailed near Edessa about 310 A . D ., was soon extinct . One of the absurdities advanced by the sect was a refusal to work , based upon the passage : " Labour not for the food that perisheth . "

An Anabaptist . —Thomas Muneer , a Saxon fanatic , born in Misnia , was one of Luther ' s disciples , but abandoned the tenets of the great teacher and preacher against him , ultimately becoming a leader of the Anabaptists . He , with . Nicholas Storck , another fanatic , destroyed with ungovernable

Prophets And Fanatics.

iconoolasm the images in the churches , and being with his followers rebaptised naked , began to regard all things in common . Backed by 40 , 000 enthusiasts , he commanded the sovereign princes of Germany to resign their authority to him , claiming that he was armed with temporal force , and had recoived directions from heaven . Tho Landgrave of Hesse took up arms , but Muneer , with the title of King , met him in the field , promising his associates a complete victory . But , after losing 7 , 000 of his followers , he fled to Frauchausen , where he was seized , and afterwards executed at Mulhausen ,

1525 . Storck was heard of subsequent to this , for after committing the grossest excesses , he escaped to Poland in 1527 , arid settled at Munich , where his sect again revived , spreading its influence into Moravia . He died in poverty . Fatal Presentiments . —John Stoffler , of Justingen , Swabia , author of

several works on mathematics -and astrology , taught the former science in Tubingen , but lost whatever fame he had acquired for superior knowledge by terrifying Europe with the prediction of a dreadful deluge which was to overwhelm tho best part of the world in 1524 . He had foretold that he would die by a fall , and in reaching for a book a large shelf fell upon his head , and ho died a few days after .

Jacob Boohmen " was born at a village near Gorlitz , Germany , in 1575 . From the occupation of shoemaker he rose to the position of Teutonic philosopher , aud by studying books of divinity found himself suddenly inspired , " for some days being plunged into the most excessive joy . " His religious notions continued to iucrease , and ho became a writer of the most visionary type . On 18 th November 1624 he declared to his son that " he

heard excellent music , and that in three hours' time he would die . " Taking a tender farewell of his wife and family , at the proper moment he requested his son to turn him , when he expired with a d 6 ep sigh , exclaiming , " Now I go hence into Paradise 1 " This fanatical son of St . Crispin had admirers in many parts of Europe , including William Law , the popular and able dissenting preacher ( 1686-176 L ) , author of "Christian Perfection , " who produced an English edition of Boehmen's works in two volumes .

An Irish Fanatic . —Nicolas , of Munster , founder of a sect called the " Family , or house of love , " about 1540 , pretended to be inspired by the Holy Spirit , and declared himself greater than Christ . He had many followers , and supported his doctrines by various publications , such as " The Land of Peace " ; "The Gospel of the Kingdom , " & c . Some of his followers appeared in England in 1604 , and presented to James I . a profession of their faith .

King of the Earth . —William Hacket , an Anabaptist fanatic in the reign of Elizabeth , had been a gentleman's servant , and although he married a' rich widow , his extravagance reduced him to poverty , and he became a knight of the road . From highwayman he assumed the title of prophet , being joined by a number of other fanatics , among whom were men of learning , like Henry Arthington and Coppinger . Hacket , who was announced as " King of the Earth , " professed to be inspired by the Holy Ghost , and proclaimed that Jesus was come to judge the world .

Opposed to the Ruling Powers . —Christopher Kottor , a fanatic , lived at Sprottow , Silesia . In 1616 he began his career , and threatened the princes and nations of Europe with terrible judgments , according to the directions , as ho said , of an angel . He fancied ho saw an angel" in the form of a man , who commanded him to declare to the magistrates that unless the people repented , they would incur the wrath of God . Kotter was pilloried , and afterwards banished , but ultimately retired to Lusatia , where he died in 1647 , aged 62 .

The Mouth of the Lord . —John Englebrecht , a clothier of Brunswick ( 1622 ) pretended to have intercourse with spirits , angels , and devils , and even with Christ himself , who , he asserted , had shown him his five holy wounds . Ho claimed to receive letters from heaven and hell , and called himself the " Mouth of the Lord . " He died in 1641 .

The Muggletomans . —Ludowick Muggleton , an English fanatic , originally a journeyman tailor , with an associate named Reeves , set up for a prophet , aud pretended to be inspired by inward light . They collected followers about 1650 , and made no religious scruple of seriously damning all those who opposed them or who differed from their tenets . They asserted that they were the two last witnesses of God that should appear before the end of the world . The " Book of Rarities , " by Bro . Edward Roberts P . M . ( To be continued . )

Holiday Arrangements.

HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS .

WE aro pleased to learn the Saturday and Sunday " combined rail and river " trips to Henley and Pangboiirne , by the Great Western Railway Company , have proved so successful during the past month that they are to be continued up to Sunday , 24 th inst ., arrangements having been made to issue , every Saturday and Sunday until that date , first class return tickets from Paddington to Henley-on-Thames , in connection with a Launch from

Henley up the picturesque reaches of the Thames to Pangbourne and back . Luncheon will be provided on board the Launch , and dinner at tho Red Lion Hotel , Henley , at an inclusive charge of 20 s . The railway tickets will be available by tho express train leaving Paddington at 10 . 10 a . m ., reaching Henley at 11 . 0 a . m ., and returning from Henley at 9 . 0 p . m ., and arriving at Paddington at 9 . 52 p . m .

It is also gratifying to know that the new Station erected by this Company for the convenience of visitors to the famous Burnham Beeches has been largely patronised . It is stated the Beeches have never been so popular , the large increase in the number of visitors being attributed to the improved accommodation provided by the Great Western Railway . The spot is a

lovely one , and will doubtless become one of tho Londoners' great " play grounds " in the near future . Thore are many spots around the metropolis awaiting energy on the part of the local railways similar to that displayed by the Great Western , in association with this and the many famous riverside resorts contiguous to their lino .

The Great Western Company also announce that excursions will leave Paddington on Sunday next to Burton and Minety for a day trip , and to Cirencester , Chalford , Stroud , Gloucester , Cheltenham , & c , for one , two , five , nine , twelve , or sixteen days . On Sunday nights , 3 rd and 17 th September , there will be excursions to Chippenham , Bath , Bristol , and Weston-super-Mare , for one , six , eight , thirteen , or fifteen days ; to Clevedon , for a day trip ; to Trowbridge , Frome , Yeovil , Dorchester , and Weymouth , for one , eight , or fifteen days ; and to Stroud , Gloucester , Cheltenham , Chepstow , Newport , Cardiff , & c , for one or four days .