Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-13
A FANATICAL SECT.
SANCTIFIED CHURCH OF
CHINCOTEAGUE.
The Queer Antics of a Colony OF
Dclawarian Squatters on an
Eastern-ShOre Island.
correspondence o, tho Richmond Dispa,ch.l

fCorrospondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.l
CAIScoTRAGUE ISLAND. April IL
Rrief mention has been made in tins
correspondence of new aud novel re-
ligious sect that has sprung up here
within the last year. They call them
selves Chris,'s Holy Sanctiiied Church
Of Chincoteague Island, No. !. All OF
them came here from Sussex county.
Del. and were originally members of
the Northern Methodist Church, from
which they separated. about one year
ego. They all claim 20 10 sanctihed and
entirely free from sin. and they say that
all who are not sanctifed will be hope
lessly lost. According TO their doctrine
those who profess 10 be Christians but
are not sanctied arc no better than the
most outrageous sinner or blasphemons
intidel. Though there are four rogu-
larly.ordaiued ministers on this island,
these people will not permit any one OF
them 70 celebrate the rite of Ddirlmopy
between any Of their followers or to
bury their dead.
IlChN1B IL AhkEis
Some time ego they applied to Judge
Gil.et. OF the County Cont, and obtain
ed from him license for an ignorant and
fsratical fellow named Workman to cele-
bratc matrimony between members OF
this sect. William Lynch, a man OF
similar character and ignorance, enjoys
with Workman the uncpyIable reputa-
E L.. 4. thaaa
pie. They live in the northern part oil
the island and have ms little ~ possible
to do with the native population. All
their houses are alike being two stones
high and having only one room below
and one above. Whenever one OF their
members builds house they all assem-
bic there and dedicate" 1t after their
peculiar fashion. They sing and pray,
Shout and Jump very much after the
manner of old plantation negroes IN
their religious ecstacies. 1t is credibly
reported that they have shouted and
danced the floors ont Of several new
houses and entirely demolished the
pOrch OF another.
THEIR CHURCH.
They have built church in the midst
OF their settlement, costing several thou
sand dollars, where they bave meetings
every Sunday morning, afternoon. and
night, and frequently every nightln the
week. Here they engage IN the widest
and most fantastic capers. working
themselves into such frenzy OF excite
mont that many OF them fall exhausted
on the floor. Their NOISY devotions
have frequently disturbed the religious
exercises in the ncighboring Methodist
church from which they withdrew, and
more than once Lynch and Workman
have been arranged before the local JUS
tees Of the peace Tor disturbing religious
worship.
! SERIOUS CHARGE.
Many OF their customs SAVIOR Of com
mumsm and socialism and have more
over subjected them to the charge OF
lcmg frec-ioye community Accord
ing 10 a custom recently adopted among
them, Whenever q man dreams aboat
any woman IN the community, lie imme-
diltely pays her visit. md the two r.
tire to room. lock- themselves IN and
sueud the might i'll meditation us they
express II.
s~tNDALIZED.
Tho nStivc population OF the island
mud the respectable PEOPLE that have
moved there from other parts of the
county are greatly acands,i2ed 10y the
lracliccs Of the slnctliicd sect. and they
vii doubtless take steps to inform the
of the county concerning
their doines and have tue license TO
celebrate matrImony taken from the
leaders and Their dcmorAiziDg practices
lcpiesscd. Unless the legal authorities
It IS thouQht tlat the people OF
the ISLAND will take matters into their
own hands and put stop to these pro-
ceedings.