MYSTERY BOX.

Otaki Mail, 3 October 1923, Page 4

MYSTERY BOX.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTTS WRITINGS. Somewuere in Devonshire, in a spot known uhiy h> a cuoaon lew, iius tiie lunious box 01 Joanna imuUioott, • ai'oimd vnicn periodically uunug uie past cdisuiy an manner ui tales nave own woven. i Joanna cv. mitcuit, wan a religious mystic; pool at tillliemuii, Devon* 1 si.irt, ui i y.ii. \._ ru.e .hymiag prophecies, niitj declaring herself to , 'no mo \\ jinnri spoueu oi in Revelation mm .-mo u-ed in Ibbi, leaving a ] ic.tge iiuiuijei el loiiuwtirs and uie Uimuua ■ v. men was lo bo upened ■,.! jaaua.j 1~, hfio, "in me piesence ‘ oi i,wem-y-Jui..r Lisiiups ur oilier appointed clergy.’ pne year ajio came and went, and dm oox was newer opened. Followers oi Joanna Soutiieoit ale catling ioi die opening oi the uux. The press awi'i'Kii} i.ii iiio movement has inter- ! -'lotted the Aiehihshup oi tvant-erbury, .viechaplain, ii: me course oi ail oihthui ropij, sajs: — The Ai'cuhisitop has recently urged that, the box be opened lurlliwitll, ,ahd lias done ins very best to secure that This should he done. Those hi however, iiave declined to act unless conditions were maun which wouiu make tiie whole proceedings farcical. You are doubtless aware that there aiC rival boxes in different parts of iingjianu which claim to bo the authentic article. The Archbishop requests that. in ! any thing you publish in the matter with regal'd to himself this letter he made public. The conditions which (apparently prompted the use of the word “farcical” include the following:— All present at the opening must read the prophecies. The assouibiy is to lust three days. A suitable house must be hired or lent lor the occasion, and the box must be placed previously for three days m tiie dault or cellar oi the house, which must be close to a field or a raiied-in space. Tiie hist day must be demoted to a discussion between the bishops and a double jury of twenty-four believers. Tiie second day will witness a sign from the Lord ui “great importance.” The third day the sealed writings are to be opened and examined, and they may be burned it the verdict of the' bishops is against them. If the followers of the century-dead Joanna Soutlhcott are really desirous of seeing tire, box opened they w surely agree to a modification of tiie conditions, as suggested by the Archbishop. Some of them in tiie meantime are malting extraordinary statements, i, “.Moscow’s late will be Britain's doom, i unless tiie bishops open Joanna Suuth- ' colt’s box,” says one. , “If it is not opened, we shall have ! disasters of physical phenomena in I weather', earthquakes, wind and light- ’ ning. and tiie sword of war, plague, i. mut insurrection,”