Lore 266: What's in the Box

Summary

Lore Episode 266: "What's in the Box"
Host: Aaron Mahnke
Release Date: November 4, 2024

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Introduction

In this chilling episode of Lore, host Aaron Mahnke delves into the enigmatic story of Joanna Southcott and the mysterious box she left behind. Blending historical events with the eerie intersection of belief and reality, Mahnke explores how faith can persist even in the face of undeniable evidence.

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The Seekers and Cognitive Dissonance

[01:12] Aaron Mahnke sets the stage by recounting December 21, 1954—a day marked not by apocalypse but by the fervent activities of a doomsday cult known as the Seekers. Led by Dorothy Martin from Chicago, the Seekers anticipated a catastrophic ending accompanied by an alien rescue to a planet called Clarion.

[02:14] However, the Seekers' beliefs were scrutinized by Leon Festinger, a social psychologist who infiltrated the group. His observations of their desperate attempts to reconcile failed prophecies led to the development of cognitive dissonance, a psychological phenomenon where individuals strive to maintain belief despite contradictory evidence.

Notable Quote:
"The group believed that on December 21st of 1954, global catastrophe would arrive in the form of a massive earthquake and a tidal wave."
— Aaron Mahnke [01:12]

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Joanna Southcott: Life and Visions

Transitioning back in time, Mahnke introduces Joanna Southcott, born in April 1750 in Devonshire, England. Raised in a devoutly religious family, Joanna's early life was typical for a farm girl of her era. However, she harbored grandiose visions of destiny and divine purpose from a young age.

[04:03] As Joanna matured, she moved to Exeter and established an upholstery shop. It was here, in 1792, that her life took a supernatural turn. Joanna began experiencing intense visions and hearing prophetic voices that commanded her to disseminate divine messages.

Notable Quote:
"These words were so dreadful in my ears, they made me tremble."
— Joanna Southcott [05:31]

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The Prophecies and the Box

Joanna's prophecies centered around the impending Second Coming of Christ and her role as his bride. Her followers, known as Southcotians, believed that Joanna was a prophetic figure destined to lead them into the Age of Ascension.

[06:19] Joanna's compulsion to document her visions became obsessive. Her writings, influenced by the voices she claimed were from the Lord, were produced with an almost supernatural fervor.

[06:47] The culmination of her prophetic activities was the creation of Joanna's Box—a sealed container filled with unread prophecies. According to Joanna, the box was to remain unopened until a moment of great national peril, and only then, in the presence of all 24 bishops of the Church of England, would its contents be revealed.

Notable Quote:
"The box, the voice insisted, must only be opened at a time of great national danger, and only if all 24 bishops of the Church of England were present."
— Aaron Mahnke [18:14]

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Attempts to Open the Box

After Joanna's death in 1814 without the birth of her prophesied child, Shiloh, the Southcotians faced a crisis of faith. Cognitive dissonance set in as they grappled with the unfulfilled prophecy. To preserve their beliefs, they held onto Joanna's Box as a tangible proof of divine foresight.

[22:03] In 1927, paranormal investigator Harry Price attempted to unveil the mystery by opening what he claimed was the real box. To his astonishment, instead of prophecies, he found everyday objects—books, dice, a lottery ticket, and more—rendering the box's contents a perplexing falsehood.

Notable Quote:
"What he found inside was nothing short of perplexing. For one, there were no prophecies. Instead, the box was filled with oddly ordinary objects."
— Aaron Mahnke [22:03]

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Legacy and Modern Implications

Despite the debunking of the box's contents, belief among Southcotians persisted. The mystery of the unopened box fueled ongoing intrigue and conspiracy theories. To this day, none can confirm the box's true whereabouts or contents, leaving room for endless speculation.

[24:14] Mahnke draws parallels to modern times, emphasizing humanity's vulnerability to charismatic leaders and the allure of mystery as a comforting force in uncertain times. The enduring mystery of Joanna's Box serves as a testament to how deeply ingrained stories and beliefs can shape collective consciousness.

Notable Quote:
"And honestly, maybe that's all for the best. It's like Schrodinger's cat. As long as the container remains unopened, anything could be inside."
— Aaron Mahnke [24:30]

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Conclusion

In "What's in the Box," Lore unravels the intricate web of prophecy, belief, and psychological resilience through the story of Joanna Southcott and her enigmatic box. Aaron Mahnke masterfully illustrates how human nature clings to narratives and symbols, even when faced with reality's stark truths, echoing Leon Festinger's theories on cognitive dissonance.

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Notable Quotes Recap:

• "The group believed that on December 21st of 1954, global catastrophe would arrive in the form of a massive earthquake and a tidal wave."
  — Aaron Mahnke [01:12]

• "These words were so dreadful in my ears, they made me tremble."
  — Joanna Southcott [05:31]

• "The box, the voice insisted, must only be opened at a time of great national danger, and only if all 24 bishops of the Church of England were present."
  — Aaron Mahnke [18:14]

• "What he found inside was nothing short of perplexing. For one, there were no prophecies. Instead, the box was filled with oddly ordinary objects."
  — Aaron Mahnke [22:03]

• "And honestly, maybe that's all for the best. It's like Schrodinger's cat. As long as the container remains unopened, anything could be inside."
  — Aaron Mahnke [24:30]

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Further Exploration

For those intrigued by Joanna Southcott's story and the psychological underpinnings of belief systems, Lore offers a compelling narrative that bridges history with the macabre, reminding us that sometimes, the most enduring legends are rooted in the very real complexities of the human mind.

Transcript

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[Narrator 1]

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[Aaron Manke]

The date was December 21st of 1954, and like any day in history, there was plenty going on.

[Narrator 2]

Jane Fonda turned 17, the song Home for the Holidays was number one in the US charts.

[Aaron Manke]

The very first Godzilla movie was crashing.

[Narrator 2]

Its way through Japanese cinemas. But if there's one thing that absolutely did not occur on this particular Tuesday, it was the apocalypse, which to one.

[Aaron Manke]

Group of Midwesterners was a huge bummer.

[Narrator 2]

They were called the Seekers, and they were a doomsday cult led by a Chicago woman named Dorothy Martin.

[Aaron Manke]

The group believed that on December 21st.

[Narrator 2]

Of 1954, global catastrophe would arrive in the form of a massive earthquake and a tidal wave. But not to worry, Martin had a backup plan. Aliens were going to swoop down, gather the Seekers up in their flying saucers, and carry them off to a planet called Clarion.

[Narrator 3]

Sounds legit, right?

[Aaron Manke]

However, little did the Seekers know there was an imposter in their midst. And no, I don't mean Dorothy Martin.

[Narrator 2]

It was a social psychologist named Leon Festinger who had infiltrated the group to.

[Aaron Manke]

Study what would happen to them, mentally speaking, when their beliefs did not come to pass.

[Narrator 2]

Which, of course they didn't.

[Narrator 3]

December 21st came and went, and Festinger.

[Narrator 2]

Watched the Seekers struggle to make sense of it all. He saw the group do wild mental gymnastics to keep justifying their faith against all evidence, and it led Festinger to develop a new psychology theory about what happens when our beliefs conflict with reality. And you may have heard of it before. He called this phenomenon cognitive dissonance. It just goes to show at the end of the day, or should I.

[Aaron Manke]

Say, at the end of the world.

[Narrator 2]

There'S nothing we can cling to more tightly than stories.

[Aaron Manke]

I'm Aaron Manke, and this is lore.

[Narrator 2]

When we think of doomsday prophets, we.

[Narrator 3]

Probably imagine cyanide cults, billboards warning that.

[Aaron Manke]

The end is nigh, men shouting from street corners and carrying signs quoting the book of Revelation.

[Narrator 3]

You know, apocalypse stuff.

[Aaron Manke]

What probably doesn't spring to mind is.

[Narrator 2]

An 18th century peasant girl.

[Aaron Manke]

But settle in, because that's about to change.

[Narrator 2]

Joanna was born in April of 1750.

[Aaron Manke]

And her first few years were honestly pretty typical for the time.

[Narrator 2]

She was one of six children raised.

[Aaron Manke]

On a humble farm in Devonshire, England.

[Narrator 2]

Her family was devoutly religious, and Joanna spent her days as any farm kid would cooking, picking fruit, feeding the animals, churning butter, studying the Bible. You get the idea.

[Aaron Manke]

And yet, little did the people of.

[Narrator 2]

Devonshire know, Joanna's future would be anything but ordinary.

[Aaron Manke]

You see, ever since she was a.

[Narrator 2]

Little girl, Joanna knew that she was.

[Aaron Manke]

Destined for something great.

[Narrator 2]

She fantasized about a highborn lover coming to whisk her away as if she were the heroine in a fairy tale.

[Aaron Manke]

And so, as she continued to do the washing and sowing and tending of.

[Narrator 2]

The crops, she waited and trusted that her prince would come. Except, well, he didn't.

[Aaron Manke]

Plenty of men tried to marry her, for sure, but none of them fit that highborn lover picture she had painted in her mind.

[Narrator 3]

And so she turned them all away.

[Aaron Manke]

Tragically, though, there was one fairytale trope.

[Narrator 2]

That did find young Joanna.

[Aaron Manke]

Like so many snow whites and Cinderellas before her, when Joanna was 20, her beloved mother passed away. Time went on.

[Narrator 2]

Joanna grew up, and when she was in her 40s, she moved to the.

[Aaron Manke]

Nearby city of Exeter and opened an upholstery shop.

[Narrator 2]

And it was around this time, in 1792, that her normal life, well, it.

[Aaron Manke]

Suddenly grew very abnormal.

[Narrator 2]

Because this, you see, is when the.

[Aaron Manke]

Voices and the visions began.

[Narrator 2]

One morning, she wrote, when I awoke, these words were sounded in my ears. Wake ye ministers, mourn ye priests, for.

[Aaron Manke]

The day of the Lord is at hand. The sins of the nations hath provoked the Lord to anger. He will go forth as a flaming fire.

[Narrator 3]

He will be wroth, as in the.

[Narrator 2]

Valley of Gibeon, until he hath brought.

[Narrator 3]

Forth judgment unto victory.

[Narrator 2]

These words were so dreadful in my ears, she continued. They made me tremble.

[Narrator 3]

At first, Joanna was pretty darn skeptical.

[Aaron Manke]

Of the whole thing, which seems Like a reasonable reaction, right.

[Narrator 3]

She worried that the voice may be Satan trying to trick her.

[Narrator 2]

But still, when it told her to.

[Aaron Manke]

Buy some paper and pens and go to her sister Susannah's house for a.

[Narrator 3]

Little supernatural writing residency, she obliged.

[Aaron Manke]

And it was there that she had another startling vision.

[Narrator 2]

But not from the original speaker.

[Aaron Manke]

No. On her first night at her sister's.

[Narrator 2]

House, she sensed a human spirit near her.

[Narrator 3]

And when she asked who it was.

[Narrator 2]

The spirit replied, thy mother, if thou hast the courage to see me, I will appear. Joanna was too frightened, though, and covered her head still, her eyes shut tight.

[Aaron Manke]

She whispered a question to her mother's ghost.

[Narrator 2]

What spirit, she asked, had been sending her those visions?

[Aaron Manke]

And her mother answered, from the Lord. And that was all Joanna needed. She was in. From that moment on. She recorded the voice's dictations with a fanatic frenzy. When she put pen to paper, her hand moved all on its own, as if the voice itself were pushing it across the page.

[Narrator 2]

And sometimes it would force her to.

[Narrator 3]

Sit down and write, even when she.

[Narrator 2]

Didn'T want to herself.

[Aaron Manke]

All of a sudden, she wrote, the.

[Narrator 2]

Spirit entered in me with such power.

[Aaron Manke]

And fury that my senses seemed lost.

[Narrator 2]

I felt as though I had power.

[Aaron Manke]

To shake the house down. But as soon as the spirit had.

[Narrator 3]

Left me, I grew weak.

[Aaron Manke]

As before. The voice warned her of the end times and assured her that she had.

[Narrator 2]

Been chosen as the Lord's personal mouthpiece. Oh, and it also told her that.

[Narrator 3]

When Jesus arrived for the second coming.

[Aaron Manke]

She would become his bride. That's right. That highborn lover that she had always dreamt of would be none other than Jesus Christ himself. When the voice finally quieted a few months later, she went home to Exeter, only for it to come back even fiercer than before.

[Narrator 2]

And yet, through it all, she kept.

[Aaron Manke]

The experience a secret.

[Narrator 3]

At least she did, until something happened.

[Narrator 2]

That convinced her to speak out.

[Aaron Manke]

In November of 1793, while staying with a friend, she dreamt the house was on fire.

[Narrator 2]

At first, she ignored the dream, but.

[Aaron Manke]

When she eventually went down to investigate, she found the staircase consumed by flames. With sudden horror, she saw the price of silence. She had not acted on her dream. They were all going to die in their beds. These visions were meant to be warnings, she realized, shared with the world.

[Narrator 2]

And if she didn't speak about the.

[Aaron Manke]

Second coming she knew was at hand.

[Narrator 2]

Well, the consequences would be a whole.

[Aaron Manke]

Lot more dire than a house fire.

[Narrator 3]

It was time to get the word out.

[Aaron Manke]

But she couldn't do it alone.

[Narrator 3]

And so Joanna steeled herself and contacted.

[Aaron Manke]

Three major Christian groups in England. The Methodists, the Church of England and.

[Narrator 3]

A group called the Dissenters.

[Narrator 2]

Now, suffice to say, the clergy were.

[Aaron Manke]

Not too stoked to hear this peasant girl declare herself both a prophet and Jesus future wife.

[Narrator 3]

But Joanna wasn't about to let a.

[Aaron Manke]

Little rejection get her down. And so she aimed her energy at.

[Narrator 2]

An eloquent Anglican priest named Joseph Pomeroy.

[Aaron Manke]

Who Joanna was convinced she could win over.

[Narrator 2]

And when I say aimed her energy.

[Narrator 3]

She basically started harassing the guy.

[Narrator 2]

For the next several years, Joanna relentlessly.

[Aaron Manke]

Barraged poor Pomeroy with countless letters and prophecies, despite him accusing her of downright blasphemy.

[Narrator 2]

Except, well, there was one thing that.

[Aaron Manke]

Even Pomeroy couldn't ignore. Many of these prophecies that she said.

[Narrator 3]

To him ended up coming true.

[Narrator 2]

She predicted the Bishop of Exeter's death.

[Narrator 3]

Right down to the month she foresaw.

[Narrator 2]

The fall of Italy to Napoleon's forces.

[Aaron Manke]

The continuing war between Great Britain and.

[Narrator 2]

France, several local crop failures and many more.

[Aaron Manke]

But even through all of this, the.

[Narrator 2]

Church still didn't take her seriously.

[Narrator 3]

Finally, she had enough.

[Aaron Manke]

This was an emergency after all. The people of England had a right to know the danger that they were in. And so she marched into a printer.

[Narrator 2]

In Exeter, her arms filled with handwritten.

[Aaron Manke]

Prophecies, and printed a thousand copies of her first book, a 48 page pamphlet.

[Narrator 2]

Called the Strange Effects of Faith.

[Aaron Manke]

One woman, one booklet, one spark of an idea. And from there, even the Church couldn't.

[Narrator 2]

Stop that spark from spreading into a bright, flaming message.

[Aaron Manke]

The second coming was at hand. And unless England accepted Joanna Southcott as God's own prophet, all of them would be doomed. There were over a thousand people there. They were packed into the London loft with hymns echoing through the air.

[Narrator 3]

But these weren't the sort of hymns.

[Aaron Manke]

That you've heard before.

[Narrator 3]

They were originals written by the prophetess herself. Wine as thick and dark as blood was poured into a goblet. First the prophetess drank, then the women, then the men. The worshippers were Italian, Swiss, French and English. They were Roman Catholics and dissenters alike.

[Aaron Manke]

Even a lone Quaker and a Native American were tucked into the crowd.

[Narrator 3]

But despite their differences, everyone in the.

[Aaron Manke]

Room shared one thing in an unshakable.

[Narrator 3]

Belief in the prophecies of Joanna Southcott. The year was 1804 and much had happened since Joanna published her first pamphlet three years earlier. Yes, that's right, her first pamphlet. She would go on to self publish.

[Aaron Manke]

Upwards of 65 texts over the next decade, not to mention deliver Countless in person speeches all across England.

[Narrator 3]

And it was working too. Colonies of what were known as Southcotians.

[Aaron Manke]

Had begun to pop up, first across.

[Narrator 3]

Devonshire and then rippling outward.

[Aaron Manke]

And okay, I know what you're wondering. What exactly was she preaching?

[Narrator 3]

What did South Kadians believe made them.

[Aaron Manke]

So different from others?

[Narrator 3]

Well, the truth is, Joanna wasn't really saying anything new.

[Aaron Manke]

Sure, she was warning of a second.

[Narrator 3]

Coming, but that wasn't exactly unique. What made Joanna's followers special is right.

[Aaron Manke]

There in the name. Above all else, they believed in Joanna Southcott.

[Narrator 3]

Specifically, they believed that Joanna, as she.

[Narrator 2]

Herself claimed, was a character right out.

[Aaron Manke]

Of the Book of Revelation. They believed that the Age of Ascension was at hand and that Joanna would be the one to lead them there.

[Narrator 3]

And when it was all done, she.

[Aaron Manke]

Would indeed become the bride of Christ.

[Narrator 3]

You know, casual stuff. Oh, and then there was the magic South Kadian seals. It was a simple slip of paper sealed with wax.

[Aaron Manke]

At the top would be a follower's name. At the bottom, Joanna's own signature. And she handed them out in person to anyone she deemed to be a.

[Narrator 3]

True believer, a sort of cult member.

[Aaron Manke]

Party favor, if you will.

[Narrator 3]

And trust me, these things were worth.

[Aaron Manke]

Getting your hands on. Why?

[Narrator 3]

Well, according to Joanna, anyone with one of her seals was protected from the machinations of Satan in all its forms. In other words, if you had one of these bad boys, nothing could harm you. And this was important too, because harm was brewing. You see, as Joanna traveled throughout England preaching to the masses, someone else was.

[Aaron Manke]

Also on the move. Napoleon.

[Narrator 3]

Country by country, Napoleon was toppling governments.

[Aaron Manke]

Leaving rivers of blood in his wake. Back in England, the people were terrified that an invasion might arrive at their door any minute. And what could be better for a.

[Narrator 2]

Cult leader than a terrified public desperate.

[Aaron Manke]

For a sense of safety?

[Narrator 3]

Joanna asserted that Napoleon was none other.

[Aaron Manke]

Than the Antichrist himself.

[Narrator 3]

And should he indeed decide to invade.

[Aaron Manke]

Only one thing would keep them safe.

[Narrator 2]

That's right.

[Narrator 3]

One of her sacred seals. Now, in Joanna's defense, it wasn't like.

[Aaron Manke]

She was selling these things. She handed them out for free. And she did seem to genuinely believe in her own claims.

[Narrator 3]

But still, this was a woman whose.

[Aaron Manke]

Fame and power hinged on despair. And when eventually the threat of invasion.

[Narrator 3]

Dwindled and life seemed more secure, belief.

[Aaron Manke]

In Joanna began to dwindle as well. Optimism was on the rise, which was.

[Narrator 3]

Bad news for a doomsday preacher. If she was going to keep her.

[Aaron Manke]

Disciples, she was going to need a heck of a Hail Mary pass.

[Narrator 3]

And by Hail Mary, I mean that literally, because Joanna Southcott was about to claim immaculate conception. By now, the year was 1814.

[Aaron Manke]

Joanna was 65 years old and allegedly a virgin.

[Narrator 3]

But despite it all, she announced to her followers and the public alike that she was pregnant. The voice, she said, had come to her and told her that she would.

[Aaron Manke]

Give birth to a messiah.

[Narrator 3]

His name would be Shiloh, and he would assist Joanna in preparing for this.

[Aaron Manke]

Second coming by serving on earth as king.

[Narrator 3]

And just like that, Joanna was back in the spotlight. Newspapers published constant updates on the pregnancy. Southcott became a household name. Thousands of believers flooded into London, where Joanna was now based, all in anticipation of the birth, all clamoring for her special seal. Some people quit their jobs, certain that after Shiloh's birth, they wouldn't need them anymore. And then there were the gifts.

[Aaron Manke]

Lace caps for the baby, embroidered bibs.

[Narrator 3]

Silver cups, gold coins, fine linens, golden spoons, and so much more, all lavished.

[Aaron Manke]

On Joanna by her loyal followers. One group of disciples even purchased land.

[Narrator 3]

Near Regent's park, where they planned to.

[Aaron Manke]

Build a palace for King Shiloh.

[Narrator 3]

Which I know makes all of this sound like a heck of a money making scam, but to her credit, Joanna.

[Aaron Manke]

Actually started refusing gifts after a while and swore to return those that she had received if she didn't end up having a child. There was a darker side to this miracle pregnancy, too. Countless impostors descended upon London, all claiming to be Joanna Southcott in hopes of capitalizing on her name.

[Narrator 3]

Plus, Joanna still had plenty of naysayers.

[Narrator 2]

People who saw her as a dangerous.

[Narrator 3]

Blasphemer that needed to be stopped. Mobs began attacking her house, throwing rocks.

[Aaron Manke]

And insults at the aging woman and her secretaries. By September of 1814, the voice told.

[Narrator 3]

Joanna that she was no longer safe there.

[Aaron Manke]

And so she went into hiding.

[Narrator 3]

The spirit also told Joanna that she'd.

[Aaron Manke]

Give birth at the end of September. But September came and went, and still no child. Then October, November, December.

[Narrator 3]

Her followers and even Joanna herself tried to trust in the voice, but fear crept in.

[Aaron Manke]

She had been pregnant for a full year now, but even so, Joanna refused to lose faith.

[Narrator 3]

Finally, Christmas arrived. But unlike another immaculate conception, this Christmas.

[Aaron Manke]

Would not end with a miracle birth.

[Narrator 3]

You see, all this time, Joanna had.

[Aaron Manke]

Been growing sicker and sicker.

[Narrator 3]

And on Christmas, her. Her health took a final turn for the worse. Two days later, on December 27th of 1814, she passed away.

[Aaron Manke]

And an autopsy soon confirmed her followers greatest fear. Joanna Southcott had never been pregnant.

[Narrator 3]

If there's one thing the human brain loves, it's order. Turning chaos into harmony. Me, I can't write unless my desk is clean and tidy. That's where all of our folklore comes from, too, after all.

[Aaron Manke]

Monsters and magic and legends helping provide sensible explanations in a senseless world.

[Narrator 3]

But what happens when the stories we rely on?

[Aaron Manke]

The answer, just as Leon Festinger discovered.

[Narrator 3]

When he studied the seekers, is cognitive dissonance, a refusal to accept the facts.

[Aaron Manke]

Even when they're right in front of us. Which is exactly what happened to the South Katians. Joanna was dead. There was no child. And still her true believers held fast, warping their story to match.

[Narrator 3]

Some claim that Shiloh had indeed been.

[Aaron Manke]

Born, but in a spiritual form rather than physical. Others thought that the Messiah had simply been delayed.

[Narrator 3]

And others still, and this one's a real callback, insisted that Reverend Joseph Pomeroy.

[Aaron Manke]

The guy that Joanna had basically stalked.

[Narrator 3]

For years, would come forward as Shiloh. Now, it may seem foolish, but put.

[Aaron Manke]

Yourself in their position. Imagine that you had abandoned your job, your home, the entire life you knew, all to follow Joanna Southcott. And then imagine that after giving a.

[Narrator 3]

Decade of your life to this woman.

[Narrator 2]

You discovered that it was all fake.

[Narrator 3]

So for the South Cardians, it was.

[Aaron Manke]

Just easier to keep on believing, no matter how far fetched that belief might seem. And lucky for them, there was one.

[Narrator 2]

Very real, very solid object that allowed.

[Aaron Manke]

Their belief to continue, not just in Joanna's lifetime, but for hundreds of years to come.

[Narrator 3]

Because, you see, when Joanna died, she.

[Aaron Manke]

Left behind one of the most mysterious objects in human history.

[Narrator 3]

A little treasure known as Joanna's box. Here, Close your eyes for a moment and envision it.

[Aaron Manke]

The box is large and at 156 pounds, looks almost like a trunk or a chest. It's made of dark stained wood with.

[Narrator 3]

Metal brackets at the joints, and the.

[Aaron Manke]

Whole thing is tied up in thick brown twine.

[Narrator 3]

And there, locked inside the box is.

[Aaron Manke]

Well, that's the thing no one knows.

[Narrator 3]

Way back in 1804, a full 10 years before her death, Joanna had allegedly filled this box with unread prophecies.

[Aaron Manke]

And then the voice instructed her to seal it shut. The box, the voice insisted, must only be opened at a time of great national danger, and Only if all 24 bishops of the Church of England were present.

[Narrator 3]

When Joanna died, the box went to.

[Aaron Manke]

Her followers, who kept it safe, first.

[Narrator 3]

For one decade, then another.

[Aaron Manke]

Eventually, a century had passed and still the box of prophecies remained unopened.

[Narrator 3]

By the early 1900s, most people had forgotten about Joanna Southcott. And I say most people because there.

[Aaron Manke]

Was one lady who certainly had not. Her name was Alice Seymour. And like Joanna before her, she too had a calling.

[Narrator 2]

She dedicated her entire life to republishing.

[Aaron Manke]

Joanna's pamphlets and spreading her story.

[Narrator 3]

A story that included, of course, this.

[Aaron Manke]

Mysterious box of unread prophecies. Word of the box began to spread and Meanwhile, World War I was on the horizon. And once again, uncertainty ruled the lives of ordinary people.

[Narrator 3]

If this wasn't a time of national.

[Aaron Manke]

Danger, then what was? And before long, people had begun barraging the Church of England with letters and petitions, begging them to assemble the bishops and open the box.

[Narrator 3]

Just like in Joanna's day, the Church.

[Aaron Manke]

Tried really, really hard to ignore all the hubbub.

[Narrator 3]

But it turns out, ignoring it only made things worse.

[Aaron Manke]

One woman, later known as Octavia, even became so distraught by the clergy's lack of interest in the box that she had to recover in a mental institution.

[Narrator 3]

But if we've learned anything about Sothkadians.

[Aaron Manke]

It'S that they don't take no for an answer.

[Narrator 3]

When Octavia got out of the institution.

[Aaron Manke]

She dedicated the next 20 years of her life to gathering followers of her own and hounding the Church to get.

[Narrator 2]

Over themselves, to get the bishops together.

[Aaron Manke]

And to open that dang box. And she wasn't the only one.

[Narrator 3]

To quote a 1956 book on the topic.

[Aaron Manke]

Sandwich men paraded London, proclaiming the bishop must open Joanna's box to save England from ruin. In the Underground stations, travelers were confronted by enormous placards. London is doomed unless the bishops open Joanna's box. A petition bearing 10,000 signatures was left at Lambeth Palace. A press agent was employed to keep the box perpetually in the papers.

[Narrator 3]

In short, this was a big deal.

[Aaron Manke]

So big that the Church was starting to get incredibly annoyed. In 1918, a group of 24 bishops did in fact agree to be present for the opening of the box, if only everyone would just shut up about it. But to the Southcotians, that wasn't good enough.

[Narrator 3]

They didn't just want the bishops to.

[Aaron Manke]

Stand around and placate them.

[Narrator 3]

They wanted to be taken seriously and.

[Aaron Manke]

For the bishops to dedicate real time to interpreting the prophecies inside. And so the box remained sealed.

[Narrator 3]

Oh, and there was one other teeny tiny issue.

[Aaron Manke]

You see, more than one person claimed to actually have the box. Octavia and her followers insisted that they had it, yes, but so did a number of others. Which box was the real one? And without actually opening it, how would anyone know?

[Narrator 3]

Finally, in 1927, paranormal investigator Harry Price decided that enough was enough. He had the box, he insisted, and it was time to put an end to the mystery. And so, in the presence of just a single bishop, he cracked it open.

[Aaron Manke]

What he found inside was nothing short of perplexing. For one, there were no prophecies.

[Narrator 3]

Instead, the box was filled with oddly ordinary objects. Some books and papers, dice, a lottery ticket, a nightcap, earrings, a purse and an old horse pistol. Had England thrown itself into a frenzy over this? Except here's the thing. The box that Harry Price opened was.

[Aaron Manke]

Only 12 inches long, which was a heck of a lot smaller than the.

[Narrator 3]

Trunk that Joanna Southcott originally filled. That's right. Despite all the pomp and circumstance, it seems like Harry Price's box was just another fake.

[Aaron Manke]

Which leaves us with a very important question.

[Narrator 3]

Today, in the year 2024, where on earth is that? The world is a tumultuous place.

[Aaron Manke]

It is now.

[Narrator 3]

And it was in Joanna Southcott's day.

[Aaron Manke]

As she came of age, she saw.

[Narrator 3]

Her world become a battlefield.

[Aaron Manke]

The American Revolution devoured her twenties, with the French Revolution not far behind. Then Napoleon's rampage. Disease and death were everywhere. War and pestilence thrived.

[Narrator 3]

In short, it must have felt like.

[Aaron Manke]

The end of the world. One important thing to note about Joanna's.

[Narrator 3]

Followers is that they were mostly women.

[Aaron Manke]

And members of the working class, those.

[Narrator 3]

People most affected by social and political instability.

[Aaron Manke]

They were vulnerable, disenfranchised.

[Narrator 3]

And there was Joanna Southcott, someone just.

[Aaron Manke]

Like them, who seemed to have all the answers. Today, it's easy to imagine dismissing Joanna as a fraud. But the truth is, we're vulnerable to.

[Narrator 3]

The same kind of propaganda here in the 21st century. How tempting it is to let a.

[Aaron Manke]

Charismatic leader take the reins and promise that everything will be alright.

[Narrator 3]

And in a time of so many.

[Aaron Manke]

Unknowns, what can be more comforting than.

[Narrator 3]

The thought that maybe, just maybe, there's.

[Aaron Manke]

A hidden box out there somewhere that can tell us how it will all turn out.

[Narrator 3]

Oh, and amazingly, there are still selfkadian.

[Narrator 2]

Sects that exist today.

[Aaron Manke]

One of them, called the Panacea Charitable Trust, insists that they have the real.

[Narrator 3]

Box hidden safely away until the time.

[Aaron Manke]

To open it arrives.

[Narrator 3]

Others believe that the box was moved.

[Aaron Manke]

To the British Museum where it was.

[Narrator 3]

Opened, the content split between the British Library and a remote museum basement. But in truth, we simply don't know. And honestly, maybe that's all for the best. It's like Schrodinger's cat.

[Aaron Manke]

As long as the container remains unopened, anything could be inside.

[Narrator 3]

We can continue to believe. And isn't that the whole point a reason to believe in something, anything, when.

[Aaron Manke]

A sensible world falls away. But then again, it's hard not to wonder what's in the box. Plenty of false prophets throughout history have predicted the end of the world, but.

[Narrator 3]

I have one final story of a certain apocalypse that no one saw coming. Stick around through this brief sponsor break.

[Aaron Manke]

To hear all about it.

[Narrator 2]

This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

[Aaron Manke]

This month is all about gratitude, and.

[Narrator 2]

Along with all the people in our lives we're very grateful for, there's another person we don't get to thank enough ourselves. It's sometimes hard to remind ourselves that we are trying our best to make sense of everything. And in this crazy world, that isn't easy. So consider this a little reminder to say thank you to the people in your life, including you need help finding the courage or strength to do that?

[Aaron Manke]

That's where Therapy can be a big.

[Narrator 2]

Help I know how important and helpful therapy can be when it comes to helping us see our lives with fresh.

[Aaron Manke]

Eyes and to process it all better.

[Narrator 2]

And therapy isn't just for folks who have experienced major trauma. It can truly empower you to be.

[Aaron Manke]

The best version of yourself.

[Narrator 2]

If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge. Let the gratitude flow with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.community today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp. H E L p.community this episode is.

[Aaron Manke]

Also sponsored by Mint Mobile.

[Narrator 2]

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[Aaron Manke]

Of a much better price compared to other wireless providers.

[Narrator 2]

All of their plans come with unlimited Talk and text, plus high speed data.

[Aaron Manke]

Delivered on the nation's largest 5G network.

[Narrator 2]

And you can even use your own phone with any Mint Mobile plan and bring your phone number along with all your existing contacts to get this new customer offer and your new three month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mint mobile.com lore that's mint mobile.com lore cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mint mobile.com lore 45 doll upfront payment.

[Aaron Manke]

Required equivalent to $15 per month.

[Narrator 2]

New customers on first three month plan only. Speed slower above 40 gigabyte on unlimited plan. Additional taxes, fees and restrictions apply. See Mint Mobile for detail.

[Narrator 3]

It was a typical spring day, and.

[Aaron Manke]

The Connecticut Legislature was deep in deliberation. I imagine the conversation was lively and heated, the men caught up in passionate debate. After all, they took their duties seriously. And what could be more serious than.

[Narrator 3]

That day's topic of regulating local fisheries?

[Aaron Manke]

And look.

[Narrator 3]

This was rural New England in 1780.

[Aaron Manke]

There wasn't a lot going on.

[Narrator 3]

But as the Connecticut Council continued its work, something rather strange began to happen. A thick, ominous darkness began to fall.

[Aaron Manke]

Which was odd because, you see, it was only nine in the morning. First there was only a dim haze, a reddening of the sky above, tinged with fog and rain. Then the sun was blotted out altogether. Smoke gathered, ashes fell into the rivers, and the air smelt burnt and bitter. And it wasn't just Connecticut, either. All of New England, it seemed, had.

[Narrator 3]

Been plunged into an inexplicable night.

[Aaron Manke]

Birds returned to their nests as if bedding down to sleep.

[Narrator 3]

Nocturnal frogs began to chirp.

[Aaron Manke]

In Westboro, Massachusetts, a reverend looked to.

[Narrator 3]

The sky and saw only black. At Harvard College, students had to light candles to see by. In New Hampshire, cinders began to fall like snow until the earth was buried.

[Aaron Manke]

In six inches of ash. And all across the Northeast, one word was on everyone's lips. Armageddon. And let's stop and think about that for a moment. Have you ever thought about what you.

[Narrator 3]

Would do if the world were coming to an end? Would you go home to spend those final hours with your family?

[Narrator 2]

Would you try to escape, or desperately.

[Aaron Manke]

Attempt to check a few final items off your bucket list?

[Narrator 3]

Maybe you would go someplace that you.

[Aaron Manke]

Felt safe, a favorite meadow or a childhood home. Or perhaps you would try to continue.

[Narrator 3]

As always, pretending it was simply another.

[Aaron Manke]

Normal day for the people of New England.

[Narrator 3]

On May 19th of 1780, this question was far from hypothetical. The world, it seemed, was ending at that moment, and it was time to.

[Aaron Manke]

Decide how they would spend it.

[Narrator 3]

Back in Connecticut, the legislature was in a panic.

[Aaron Manke]

They scrambled to adjourn. After all, who cares about fishing regulations.

[Narrator 3]

At a time like this? Well, someone did, it turns out, and.

[Aaron Manke]

That would be a councilman named Abraham Davenport.

[Narrator 3]

I am against adjournment, davenport declared to his colleagues.

[Aaron Manke]

The Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not.

[Narrator 3]

If it is not, there is no.

[Aaron Manke]

Cause for an adjournment.

[Narrator 3]

If it is, I choose to be.

[Aaron Manke]

Found doing my duty.

[Narrator 3]

I wish, therefore, that candles may be brought in. And Davenport must have been convincing, because.

[Aaron Manke]

The candles were indeed lit and the meeting continued right through the end of the world.

[Narrator 3]

Of course, the world didn't really end that day.

[Aaron Manke]

Through modern science, we now know that.

[Narrator 3]

New England's dark day, as it's come to be called, was no act of.

[Aaron Manke]

God, but rather the result of massive.

[Narrator 3]

Forest fires up north in Ontario. As the Canadian trees burned, smoke and soot took to the skies, floating all the way down to the United States. But back in 1780, while they had no way of knowing about the fires further north, the Apocalypse was as good.

[Aaron Manke]

An explanation as any. And as we've seen time and time again, when people become frightened, there will.

[Narrator 3]

Always be demigods waiting in the wings.

[Aaron Manke]

Ready to weaponize that fear for their own gain.

[Narrator 3]

Which, yes, is exactly what one religious leader did in the wake of New England's dark day. Her name was Ann Lee and she.

[Aaron Manke]

Was the head of a new Christian.

[Narrator 2]

Sect called the Shakers.

[Aaron Manke]

And if there was one thing that.

[Narrator 3]

Ann Lee knew how to recognize, it was an opportunity. After the dark day, she and her fellow Shakers embarked on a 26 month.

[Aaron Manke]

Mission throughout New England, preaching about the biblical implications of those blackened skies and.

[Narrator 3]

Imploring people to join her sect as.

[Narrator 2]

Well as practice total celibacy.

[Narrator 3]

With the help of those Ontario fires, the Shakers brought in hundreds of new converts, cementing them as one of the major influences in the American religious landscape. As it turns out, there's nothing like a little darkness to help people see the light.

[Aaron Manke]

This episode of Lore was narrated and.

[Narrator 3]

Produced by me, Aaron Manke, with writing by Jenna Rose Nethercott, research by Sam.

[Aaron Manke]

Alberty, and music by Chad Lawson. Don't like the ads?

[Narrator 3]

I've got a solution for you.

[Aaron Manke]

There's a paid version of Lore available on Apple Podcast and patreon that is 100% ad free.

[Narrator 3]

Plus subscribers get weekly mini episodes called Lore Bytes.

[Aaron Manke]

It's a bargain for all of that ad, free storytelling and a great way to support this show and the team behind it.

[Narrator 3]

Of course, Lore is much more than just a podcast.

[Aaron Manke]

There's the book series, available in bookstores and online, and two seasons of the television adaptation on Amazon Prime. Information about all of that and more is available [e-mail] you can also follow.

[Narrator 3]

This show on YouTube, Threads, Instagram and Facebook. Just search for Lore Podcast all one word and then click that follow button. And when you do, say hi.

[Aaron Manke]

I like it when people say hi. And as always, thanks for listening.

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