The Taieri Fasting Girl.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 45, 21 September 1870, Page 6

The Taieri Fasting Girl.

[Prom the Ecko.] We have lately heard many and strange stories with reference to the " Taieri fasting girl," more particularly as regards the religious phase of the phenomena manifested in her. We have heen told by some that she lays claim to having experienced a temporary separation of the soul and body ; that during that time she in spirit visited the celestial gates ; that she was engaged in a personal conflict with the arch enemy; and that, now that body and soul are once more wedded, she speaks with the tongue of an angel, and sings seraph songs taught her in the realms of the blest. For the purpose of satisfying ourselves and enlightening our readers on the real facts of the case, we have recently taken an opportunity of visiting Maungatua, conversing with her, and making strict enquiries in the neighborhood as to the bona fidis of these rumours. On Tuesday evening we arrived in the neighborhood, and visited Mr Ross's house. We found about 30 people assembled, amongst whom were a minister of the Presbyterian Church, and a lay preacher of another denomination. We received a hearty welcome from the father and mother of the invalid girl, but as a prayer-meet-ing was held in the house immediately after our arrival, we had not then the opportunity afforded us of holding much conversation with Miss Ross. After the close of the meeting, we were invited to speak to hei, but it was evident that she was much exhausted with the excitement of the day, and so we curtailed our interview, promising ourselves a longer one on a more opportune occasion. The next morning we again visited her, and though we saw and heard very much to admire and marvel at, all pretences to the supernatural or miraculous were absent from her conversation. She described the vision that she had seen not as a reality, but as something which was as vivid as a reality. The principal, and possibly the most fascinating features of her conversation were its earnestness and simplicity. Far from pretending to be endowed with extraordinary powers in the interpretation of Scripture, she frankly acknowledged that she was a poor, ignorant, unlearned girl, who could not herself understand many of the things that sha read. We were prepared, -from the report that wo had heard, to encounter a second Johanna Southcote—a would-be prophetess, possibly somewhat dogmatic in her sentiments. So far as regards herself, the genuineness of the views she eauuoiat' s cannot for one moment bo doubted bv her hearers. She most certainly speaks what she b«liove3, and is anxious for all mankind t» possess a faith similar to her own. Still, there is nothing obtrusive about her manner : her enthusiasm assumes a ve/y mild and quiet, form, ; and she seems to be more richly emowed with the two most impunant and prominent of the virtues taught by the i'hris:-ian religion, \'\z., humility anil charity, than the greater proportion of professing Gijrwti'ina ami Christian ministers of the present ilay arc. The trance which has been so greatly in all quarters may be ascribed'to perKwtlv natural cnuse.s. Long hat' re cha mysterious sU:ep into which she foil, Miis Ross was impressed with strong religims views. It is, we are informed, altogether false that her present religious feelings are the result of the vision that sho has seen ; and it is more reasonable to believe that this vision was only a vivid dream (the duration of which, like that of most dreams, is extremely doubtful) whioh wa3 the offspring of those religious sentiments that, for some time previous to her sleep, had formed part of hor nature and existence. This dream has, in its turn, changed the current of her life ; without knowing whether the vision was real or ideal, she is in her own mind convinced by its means of the correctness of her views with regard to the faith which sho holds, and she tries (and with much success in some instances) to convert others to her way of thinking, and to the enjoymen tof the same peace of mind. With regard to the seraph songs which issue from her lips, we had not an opportunity of hearing a specimen, but we are informed on the most creditable grounds that when she does sing it is in a weak, but rather sweet voice; the melodies being those which she has been accustomed to hear from her earliest childhood, but not always accurately rendered—either as regards time or tune. We may add that Miss Rosa declared to us her perfect inability to describe either the entrance to tho heavenly kingdom, or the form of the tempter ; she merely remembers the one as being very glorious indeed, and the other as terriblo and abhorrent in tho extreme. The phonomena attending this case are not, however, wanting in miraculous elements, though these are in connection with the physical, and not the religious features of the case. There can be no doubt that since the beginning of the year the girl has partaken of not a single pound of solid food, and an infinitely small amount of nutriment of any kind. Under these circumstances we naturally expected to see some signs of wasting away, attenuated hands, and hollow cheeks, but on the contrary, the one hand which still possesses power (the whole of the girl's left side is paralyse 1) is strong and very healthy-looking, and covered with a fair proportion of flesh. The face is not that of a confirmed invalid, signs of suffering are altogether wanting from it, and the expression that it wears is one of peace rather than resignation. the absence of all palpable me*ns of recruiting health and strength, she Beeras capable of undergoing a large amount of fatigue, as is evinced by the large number of interviews which she daily holds with those who are comparative or entire strangers to ber. It is another remarkable feature of the caße that, before her illness, this girl v _ > t pf an exceedingly bashful and nervous disposition, terrified at meeting an unknown gazo, but since she has awakened from her long sleep, she is anxious and to see as many as possible. Considering all the features of this marvellous ca3e, it is hardly to be wondered at that the ignorant and unlettered should have endowed it with a supernatural halo of glory. The circumstances of the sleep, the trance, the awakening and the remarkable clearness and earnestness with which she now expresses herself, would all naturally lead thera to ono conclusion. We cannot blame them for their supposition, and we cannot be surprised that the rnmoars concerning Mlsb Ross have grown a little en their journey from Maungatua to Dunedin.