Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-05-10
1 New Religious Sect-An Improve
ment on the Rowling Dervishes.

NEW YORK, April 19.-Great re-
ligious excitement exists in Macoup-
in, twelve miles from Paterson. A
new religious society called "Jeho.
vah's Band" has been started, sup
planting q tavorite station of the
Methodist Church. The Methodists
sent their best preachers TO combat
the heresy, but they are repudiated
Each in turn is forced TO leave
The peculiar form of worship de-
veiops itself in putting, blowing,
whistling, shouting, jumping, wrest-
ling, falling to the floor, and rolling
over and kicking. Both women and
men engage in the exercises. Bap-
tism is by immersion in the village
mill-pond, in the dead hour of the
night. On Sunday they hold contin-
uous service. and take recess for
meals ouly, refusing to read news
paper, or even TO receive a letter on
that day.
Every Thursday evening they held
their meetings in the school house,
until difficulty about the candles
used led them to leave it, and now
they meet at any house in the neigh
borhood where the spirit manifests
its elf.
John Rhinesmith, a wealthy and
well-to-do farmer Of the neighbor-
hood, is the chief man of the band,
and recently had his house rebuilt
especially to accommodate the breth-
ren-one room resting upon strong
beams, it stands the jumping, but
about month ago an ardent member
in paroxysm of fanaticism, declared
that when filled with the Holy Ghost
he felt as light as.air, and even though
they jumped upon q looking-glass
they would not 80 much as bruise it
with scratch whereupon he began
to leap upon the stove-hearth, and
broke it off, and then leaping on the
top broke in the frail covers, and f.
nally smashed big rocking chair,
before he subsidized.
Recently Rhinesmith baptised Mr..
Gilbert B. Speaker, man of family
and q convert TO the new faith, the
baptism taking place in Rhinesmith's
mill-pond, before the members of the
band and amid shouts and cries of
the whole gang at one time shouting
fire." to the alarm of others in the
neighborhoOd. it being then after
midnight.
Ode Of the band told reporter
that as he was at work in his barn
he got the spirit, and that be ran
one mile ever bitches and fences be-
fore the spirit left him, and all this
time he was so eialed that he thought
be was flying.
When jumping in ecstacy of the
Holy Ghost they say their spirits
rise far above their bodies.
They permit no person, excepting
those belonging to the band, to join
with them in singing or jumping, or
any other Of their exercises, although
no objection is made to the attend
ance of outsiders at the meetings OF
the band. A dozen will have the
floor at once, pounding aud kicking,
and the whole crowd seems worked
up to fearful state Of sxcitement-
some jumping until they fall the W O
men shrieking in the widest manner,
and others praying, whistling or put
ting, as for wager.
They permit no levity on the part
of the young folks during their pro-
ceedings. Mr. Cobb, one of the band,
is thought to be growing insane I'M
der the excitement of this religious
phrensy. There is no doubt that
the members of the band are sincere
enthusiasts The society now num-
bers over five hundred members.