Arthur Worthington
Encyclopedia
Arthur Worthington was an American
-born Australasian
alternative religious
leader, bigamist
and fraudster
in late nineteenth century Christchurch
, Melbourne
and Tasmania
.
. He began to lecture at a local Oddfellows Hall, and rapidly amassed a following, given his views on matters such as metaphysics
, natural philosophy
and the human mind. Worthington's externally professed sexual ethics
were surprisingly conservative
and he preached celibacy
and the value of the institution of marriage
. He established an alternative religious faith entitled the "Temple of Truth."
Unfortunately, not even this professed social conservatism
was enough to avert the suspicions of Reverend John Hosking, a fundamentalist minister at St Asaphs Free Methodist Church. Hosking investigated Worthington's background, and uncovered ample evidence of Worthington's commitment to the institution of marriage.
, 1868), Miss Groot (Albany
, New York
), Mrs Lizzie Cowell (Troy
, Michigan
), Miss Joy Winfield (Chicago
) and May Barlow (Xenia
, Ohio
). He had eloped with already-married Mary Plunkett to Christchurch, and had several pseudonyms employed in the previous recorded instances. Nor did Worthington stop his romantic dalliances with Mrs. Plunkett, for he soon eloped with Miss Evelyn Jordan, a follower at the Temple of Truth, leaving Mrs Plunkett to deal with the adverse publicity and debts that Reverend Hosking's exposure of his past matrimonial and financial fraud had generated in Christchurch. Mary Plunkett revealed all about her erstwhile lover before taking herself to Sydney
.
As a consequence of this hostile reaction, Worthington resettled back across the Tasman, in Melbourne. He refounded a new Temple of Truth, attracted new followers, and even found an "Isis
" to compliment his newfound identity as a reincarnation of Osiris
, an ancient Egyptian deity. Unfortunately, this relationship foundered when he tried to defraud this wealthy widow out of her spousal inheritance. He was then imprisoned for seven years.
After he served his sentence, Worthington returned to the United States, allegedly had an evangelical religious experience and became a Presbyterian Church minister, until his incorrigibility reasserted itself. He was imprisoned after expulsion from the ministry, on the basis of financial fraud. He died in prison in 1917.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-born Australasian
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
alternative religious
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
leader, bigamist
Bigamy
In cultures that practice marital monogamy, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries, and when it occurs in this context often neither the first nor second spouse is aware of the other...
and fraudster
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
in late nineteenth century Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
Early alternative religious period (1890-1895)
Arthur Worthington's documented life began when he settled in Christchurch in 1890, after emigration from the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He began to lecture at a local Oddfellows Hall, and rapidly amassed a following, given his views on matters such as metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
, natural philosophy
Natural philosophy
Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature , is a term applied to the study of nature and the physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science...
and the human mind. Worthington's externally professed sexual ethics
Sexual ethics
Sexual ethics refers to those aspects of ethics that deal with issues arising from all aspects of sexuality and human sexual behavior...
were surprisingly conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
and he preached celibacy
Celibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
and the value of the institution of marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
. He established an alternative religious faith entitled the "Temple of Truth."
Unfortunately, not even this professed social conservatism
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
was enough to avert the suspicions of Reverend John Hosking, a fundamentalist minister at St Asaphs Free Methodist Church. Hosking investigated Worthington's background, and uncovered ample evidence of Worthington's commitment to the institution of marriage.
Worthington and bigamy
Hosking found that Worthington had contracted at least five bigamous marriages- to Miss Josephine Moore (New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, 1868), Miss Groot (Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
), Mrs Lizzie Cowell (Troy
Troy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
), Miss Joy Winfield (Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
) and May Barlow (Xenia
Xenia, Ohio
Xenia is a city in and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio 21 miles from Dayton and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
). He had eloped with already-married Mary Plunkett to Christchurch, and had several pseudonyms employed in the previous recorded instances. Nor did Worthington stop his romantic dalliances with Mrs. Plunkett, for he soon eloped with Miss Evelyn Jordan, a follower at the Temple of Truth, leaving Mrs Plunkett to deal with the adverse publicity and debts that Reverend Hosking's exposure of his past matrimonial and financial fraud had generated in Christchurch. Mary Plunkett revealed all about her erstwhile lover before taking herself to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
Worthington in Australia (1897-1904)
Worthington then fled to Australia, where he settled in Tasmania (1895-1897). Unfortunately, he found that its rural and mining frontier society held little promise for an alternative religious entrepreneur, and returned to Christchurch in 1897, only to find that his estranged ex-lover had revealed all, and that the former Temple of Truth had closed down. He attempted to revive it, but faced a riot from Reverend Hosking and his own supporters, which was narrowly averted by police attention.As a consequence of this hostile reaction, Worthington resettled back across the Tasman, in Melbourne. He refounded a new Temple of Truth, attracted new followers, and even found an "Isis
Isis
Isis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...
" to compliment his newfound identity as a reincarnation of Osiris
Osiris
Osiris is an Egyptian god, usually identified as the god of the afterlife, the underworld and the dead. He is classically depicted as a green-skinned man with a pharaoh's beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive crown with two large ostrich feathers at either side, and...
, an ancient Egyptian deity. Unfortunately, this relationship foundered when he tried to defraud this wealthy widow out of her spousal inheritance. He was then imprisoned for seven years.
After he served his sentence, Worthington returned to the United States, allegedly had an evangelical religious experience and became a Presbyterian Church minister, until his incorrigibility reasserted itself. He was imprisoned after expulsion from the ministry, on the basis of financial fraud. He died in prison in 1917.