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The Wakemanites: a bizarre cult... "Bleeding Kansas"... Charles Dickens...
The Wakemanites: a bizarre cult... "Bleeding Kansas"... Charles Dickens...
Item # 704443
January 21, 1856
NEW YORK TRIBUNE, Jan. 21, 1856 Most of page 3 is taken up with a portion of the serialization of Charles Dickens' famous work "Little Dorrit".
Page 5 has two columns taken up with an interesting report headed: "The Wakemanites - The Murderers of Matthews Indicted - Revelations of 'The Prophetess' - Full Statement Of Her Doctrines".
The Wakemanites were a cult in New Haven, Connecticut led by Rhoda Wakeman, who identified as a prophetess returned from the dead. The followers killed a farmer who they were told was possessed and the group became extinct.
The following provides a bit more detail on this bizarre cult about which little has been written:
In 1855 a religious sect known as the Wakemanites met regularly at the home of Samuel Sly in New Haven, Connecticut. The Wakemanites were follower of Mrs. Rhoda Wakeman who had been chosen by the Lord to prepare the faithful for the return of Christ and the new Millennium.
She had previously lived with an abusive husband. Some 30 years earlier, Mr. Wakeman had beaten her so badly that, according to Mrs. Wakeman, he killed her. Two angels stood beside her and when they touched her with their bright swords she rose from the cloud of death and went to heaven. She saw Christ, in his crown of thorns and with nails in his hands and he spoke peace to her soul. She saw God sitting upon his throne in all his glory surrounded by angels in white robes. Then a spirit took her to earth where she saw her dead body lying on the floor and she knew she had come back to this wicked world to live again. She had been dead for seven hours but rose again. From that point on she would communicate directly with God as she pursued her task of preparing the world for the second coming.
Pages 4 and 5 have some content concerning "Bleeding Kansas".
Eight pages, never-trimmed margins, very nice condition.
Category: Pre-Civil War
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