Mabel, a Scorched Eden and Lucky No.106
by Volunteer Adrian Bean
Had the Panacea Society carried on until today, and had the Members kept their fervour for their sincerely held beliefs, they would surely have hardly slept for the excitement of world affairs in 2026.
Throughout the whole of the Society’s existence, Members scoured newspapers for what they considered apocalyptic signs. Especially in the 1970s, the minutes of the Annual Meetings record statistics about the number of worldwide disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, train accidents and famines. In their view, such dramatic and life-changing events would surely be an indication that the millennium was imminent.
During the existence of the Society, Members experienced historic and often traumatic events such as the First World War, a Flu pandemic, the rise of Trade Unions, Socialism, Communism and then a Second World War.The subsequent changes in culture and social norms from the 1960s and the massive advances in technology turned the world truly into a Global Village. By and large, they could cope with these changes as they were as isolated as they chose from the outside world; they could choose the extent to which they actively engaged with the world, but could retreat into their own Panacea world, safe in their Community and beliefs. But the outside events were essential to their existence and purpose.
So, if Mabel and her vibrant community in 1926 could be brought forward in Time to 2026, how would they have reacted to today’s events? Perhaps the first thing they would notice is not what was new, but what was now missing from their 1926 world. In Mabel’s World Picture, the lodestars were Royalty, the Church and the British Empire, all of which were institutions to be revered without question. In 2026 however, she would find that respect for Royalty was far from universal, Christian Belief much diminished, and the Empire gone and little mourned. She would search fruitlessly for Good Manners and Standards in everyday life. In 1926 she declared that she 'would not accept to live for a thousand years with … anyone who does not eat nicely.' She would now despair of the new ways of the world with different standards of etiquette and deference.
Yet she might see some of the momentous events of the new century as positive indications that the millennium was close. There would have been disappointment that the year 2000 had brought nothing of importance, and the Covid plague had brought much misery but no great revelation (see blog article - 2020: Coronavirus and the Panaceans).
But as she looked at the newspapers of 2026, especially the more right-wing ones that she preferred, she would have seen headlines referring to the coming Apocalypse, Armageddon and the End of Civilisation. She would also have seen that a woman had been installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury... the very first female in that role.
What would her reaction have been? Of course, it’s impossible to tell, as her mind worked in mysterious ways, and however much time spent in scouring the Bible for guidance, many different conclusions could be reached.
In the Middle East there was now a conflict in which both sides talked about the absolute destruction of the other, with speculation that the world was at End Times. Would this conflict result in the return of Christ? Meanwhile, the Anglican Church now lead by a woman, to the consternation of some male leaders in the Church. If the evils of the world had indeed been the fault of Eve, a woman, then perhaps they would be put right by the actions of a woman. Following this logic, then perhaps a woman Archbishop would instruct 24 of her Bishops to go about the opening of Joanna Southcott’s Box, and if so, then the very opening of the Box would break down the final barrier to Christ’s return.
And then to cap it all, parts of Europe were aflame due to the unprecedented period of great heat. I’m sure they would have seen similarities with the plagues of Egypt. Every inch of earth was crying out for water, which was now restricted by edict. Would there be a miracle, so that Octavia’s 'Garden of Eden' could recover its former glory? Would she literally see a burning bush? Perhaps the conditions would get steadily worse and move towards a conclusion which she welcomed but also feared.
Whatever interpretation she took of events, her followers would undoubtedly have believed it. I suspect they would also be disappointed, but not surprised by the new Archbishop’s likely failure to put Southcott’s Box at the top of her agenda.
