Devils Rampant by G.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 17, 1865

Devils Rampant.

By G.

A Church taken Possession of by Demons—Mysterious Noises—Results of an Investigation by the Police.

CONSIDERABLE excitement has arisen in Jersey City in consequence of groans, yells, and unearthly sounds said to emanate from a church in the upper part of Jersey City for some nights past. The first known of these mysterious sounds was some ten days since. When the pastor had occasion to return to the church after evening services to procure some manuscript which he had forgotten and had occasion to make use of. The edifice had been closed for the night, and was in total darkness. On entering he lit a match to guide him along the aisle, and when approaching the altar at the rear, his attention was attracted by a low moaning sound, which gradually increased, and at the same time drew nearer to him. To this he at first paid but little heed, presuming it to be the antics of mischievous boys; but presently the sounds changed to seemingly unearthly yells, shrieks and groans from innumerable invisible beings clustered around in close proximity to his person, until finally his feelings were so wrought upon that he felt impelled to leave the building with all possible haste. The above are substantially the facts of the case as stated by the pastor of the church to Chief of Police McManus, after reports were beginning to be circulated in the neighborhood that the church was haunted, and he requested that the matter might be kept as quiet as possible, believing that in a few days at furthest he would be able to unravel the

mystery, and satisfactorily explain the cause of the sounds. Since that time the church edifice has been thoroughly examined, inside and out, but without unraveling the mystery, and meantime these dismal and unearthly yells and cries are heard most every night. A couple of nights since, Chief of Police McManus, accompanied by Aid Doyle and Detective E. L. McWilliams, determined to pay a visit to the reported haunted church, they accordingly procured the keys and entered the edifice shortly after midnight. Taking their position in the center of the church, in total darkness, they had remained there but a short time when they heard a low moaning sound, apparently proceeding from the vicinity of the pulpit, which gradually grew louder and came nearer until it finally culminated around their heads into howls, yells, groans, etc., and then gradually died away as it came. After a few moments of perfect silence, Chief McManus drew from his pocket a revolver, loaded with blank cartridges, and fired one charge, when almost instantly the edifice seemed filled with thousands of infuriated demons, making the most hideous noises, and apparently bent on tearing them to pieces. The officers describe having experienced a very peculiar sensation in the head, and finally the noises became so hideous and unearthly that they made a hasty retreat, apparently pursued by the infuriated demons to the door, which they closed and locked. The officers then crossed the street to the opposite walk, and remained there until daylight, but heard no further sounds, and made no discoveries which would tend to explain the mystery. The people residing in the immediate neighborhood claim to have been disturbed at all hours of the night by these demoniac sounds, and a number of them have determined to leave the neighborhood.

The above we take from the Detroit Weekly Tribune of Sept. 26th. It is probably a species of that demonism which was first heard in a little wainscot not far from the city of Rochester, N. Y., a few years ago. This doctrine is, as its votaries teach, eminently progressive in its tendencies; thus it has proceeded from faint raps to most hideous and unearthly yells!

What next? G.