Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-07-20
WHEELING, W. VA, TUESDAY MORNING, JULY 90 1886

Young ladies involved in the supers1llo1s
folly, that during the past week ner trAueh-
ter has only been home once, and then sne
remained only long enough to partaEe OF
hasty breakfast before returning 10 her ue-
votions. This girl, and the same statement
will apply to all, is perfectly beWitche1 Dy
the supposed godly character OF Mrs- mar
tin. They boldly proclaim that theI
Christ will save the world. In year she
will have thousands at her feet begging her
for pardon and the benediction OF God.
From hints dropped at various times, the
FORM OF SERVICE
can be surmised almost to a certainty.
The disciples assemble in the front room
of the house, on the second floor. Inc
apartment is but dimly lighted, and the
occupants have difficulty in Distinguishing
each others faces Mrs. Martin, the
divinity, occupies seat in the center OF at
the end of the room, with an open Bioie In
her hand. She is surrounded by the feT-
feet, who begin singing in low tone, full
of emotion and tenderness. As the song
dies away. another is taken up and stlll
another, until the participants seem salts
fed. The deity is silent until the music Is
ended, and then she chants passage from
the Bible in strange, weird eadencesf which
causes the listeners TO feel sort OF pneon-
trollable ecstacy. Sometimes Mrs Martin
quotes passages of Scripture in her natural
tone of voice, and again she closes the
precious Book with the remark: Il have
nothing for you tonight" 1t is said that
the enthusiastic worshippers frequently
= l.,,na, on1 G-iSS hnr hQn6S
and face in paroXysm of joy. A service
probably of this description was going on
in that second story front room last night.
Two men stood close under the south win
dow in a vacant lot adjoining the premises
There appeared to be about twenty voices
in the chorus.
IT WAS DELIGHTFUL MUSIC,
rich in soulfullneSS, and of ineXpreSsible
sweetness. The voices blended in almost
divine harmony, and the VOcalistS sang
with the most intense but suppressed fer
yor After four or five songs had been
rendered hymn was sung to the air OF
''Home, Sweet Home 1t reverberated
upon the Silly night, and pedestrians on
their way home paused to listen, chained
to the spot spell bound while the delicious
music lasted. 4 ShadOwy form OF a woman
kept vigil at the window, rs if fearful of
eavesdrOppers, while two of the elect
were on the porticO, presumably
detailed to pcVent interruption
from that quarter. Presently
low noise rs of Il person i'll distress, was
heard, and this was followed by a regular
sound, produced in all probability by some
one reading in solemn measured cadcnceS.
Then silence reigncd for a few moments,
and the dark house was to all intents de-
serted. The singing was resumed, followed
at a short interval by peculiar incantatlons
from the central figure Of the group. These
weird manifestations led the two men to
the conclusion, naturally enough, that an
element of SpiritualiSm entered into the
worship OF these people.
The darkened room, the periods OF absO-
Lutte silence, the occasional strange sounds
suggested the idea that the claim made by
Mr.. Jerome was actually taking place-the
Martinites were seeing God face to face.
The services, or whatever the unknown
proceedings may be termed, were continued
until near midnight, being at their
height about hali-past ten o'clock. Finally
SEVERAL FORMS Fitted ACROSS THE
LAWN,
and into the street, others remaining be-
hind rs guests of the BrOOEcS and the Sun
day night communion with the Almighty
through His earthly representative was
over. One of the devOtees remarked yes
tcrday that this was the jubilee time Of
the society, and that hereafter, she inti-
mated, the gatherings would be less fire.
qucnt. "Thc opinion of substantial Chris
tian people," said Rev. F. II. Montort,
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church,
lis that these misguided folks are prac-
ticing the vcricSt folly. In my judgment
it has gone far enough to bear invcstiga-
tion from the proper authorities. -