619. Shepperson, George. "The Comparative Study of Millenarian Movements." In Millennial Dreams in Action edited by Sylvia L. Thrupp. The Hague: Mouton, 1962a: 44-52.
Describes middle- and upper-class sects in nineteenth-century Britain. In its original conception, the millennium is transitional, not final, and has two configurations, called pre-millennial and post-millennial [on this point, see H. Schwartz, 1987: item 602]. The pre-millennial form is essentially pessimistic, requiring supernatural intervention. In post-millennial scenarios, the millennium arrives before the supernatural intervention [if the latter is supposed to be coming at all]. Such movements are revolutionary or reformist and usually occur in Judaeo-Christian contexts. A distinction between religious and secular movements is valid in modern societies, in Shepperson's view, and "cosmic anxiety" is always present. He describes Marxist interpretations of millennialism, and Cohn's (1962: item 177) critique. Shepperson wonders whether Cohn's view of medieval movements--that they always arose in revolutionary times--may not be generally applicable.
He observes that the history of these movements may not be a "simple progression," and asks for more work on "impersonal messianic agencies," and on triggering agencies, like UFO scares and invasions. How far can the messianic agency be seen to be alien to the groups it will save? Or is it alien in appearance only? There is need for investigation of women as members and leaders of movements, such as Joanna Southcott and the English Panacea Society, Mother Ann Lee and the Shakers, Ellen G. White and the Seventh-Day Adventists, Mary Campbell, a working class girl who suddenly appeared well-dressed and possessing elite skills and much influenced the Catholic Apostolic Church, and Lenshina Mulenga and the Rhodesian Alice Movement.
The middle classes may be influenced no less than the poor: the Catholic Apostolic Church, for example, was a middle-class group. Victorian groups such as the Plymouth Brethren seem to have attracted at least some "poor gentlefolk." American nineteenthth-century millennialism was both optimistic and pessimistic in the same movement.
620. ———. "Nyasaland and the Millennium." In Millennial Dreams in Action edited by Sylvia L. Thrupp. The Hague: Mouton, 1962: 144-59.
Description of Chitawala-Kitawala movements, based on Jehovah's Witnesses evangelism, Kanwama's movement among the Tonga, and the Shikunda prophetess Chanjiri's movement.
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