Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-10

.MN sect known to out
lhlsQ Nilllt uE siders as "sancti-
Es&xs NIA fiers." but to them
S selves as "Christ's
Sane TITLED Holy
Church." with capital letters. He was at
the time under bonds to await the action
of the grand jury of Accomac county, Vir-
ginia- 1 noticed in The Star that a bill
has been found against five Of the leaders,
meaning, i presume. five of the more prom
inent and active of these people, "for con-
spiracy in separating wives from husbands
and for being a public nuisance"
bitter feeling against this sect has
been growing for long time. which finally
eliminated in mob violence, the burning of
one church and the closing up of another
on 1.-The MAN, meaning not the high seas.
but the mainland. a strip of land at this
point proably fifteen or eighteen miles wide.
constituting to many of these islanders
the whole of the known world At Chinco-
league one night the mob broke the win
dows of the church and of the houses of
the members most of whom dwell in the
immediate neighborhood. and wound up the
proceedings by shooting a man who had at
one time been a member, but had with
drawn.
1t Is claimed and is probably true. that
this was unintentional, but the firing of a
pistol In crowd Is hardly to be COM
mended in any case. The man who fired
the fatal shot was arrested, and Is also TO
be tried, provided a bill is found. but the
people of Chincoteague, while admitting
that he was careless, could not bring them
selves to think that he had done anything
much out OF the way. That he had COM
mitted grave crime was not to be even
spoken of. L speak, of course only of
what seemed to be the general sentiment.
The "sanctitied'' meantime have achieved
sort or martyrdom, and If the rule which
has held IN all ages is still good, this move
ment, however Objectionable or absurd it
may be. has now all the conditions neces-
sary for big boom.
Origin of the Movement.
Its origin is thus set forth in their dis
cipline.''
I'm the year eighteen hundred and eighty
seven. Joseph B. Lynch of Chincoteague
Island, Va, a member and class leader over
about one hundred and ten members in the
Methodist Episcopal Church became deeply
convinced that he could not be saved with
out holiness, though he was living In JUS
titled state. With this conviction he sought
and obtained the blessing of Sancttfication
by the power of the Holy Ghost, through
faith In the cleansing blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ; and Immediately commenced
preaching and teaching to all whom
he had opportunity: and soon others
became interested and sought and OBJ
tanned this blessing OF holiness. a
distinct and separate blessing from that
of Justification, amongst whom was
Sarah +. Collins In the year 1889, who also
began to labor with him in the establish
ment of Scripture holiness to the people,
They soon had trouble with their pastor
who was, they think, IAN unholy man." and
petiticned the bishop TO send them a holy
man of God to preach the Gospel to them"
Flfty-one persons signed the petition. The
result was that Lynch was turned Gut and
the other petitioners foSbidden to n1uct
any service In the church. They thereupon
a. 1892, and withdrew from the NJ. E
Church.
A Visit to the SanctfHed.
Being convinced, from the talk In the
village that there was a great deal of
prejudice against them, / went Sunday af-
ternoon to their church, hoping that they
would hold the usual service. but, partly
from the condition of the building, and
partly, probably. from the dread of further
hostile demonstrations. they had postponed
It. / then inquired for their leader, Mr.
Lynch. / was directed to the house of his
watcher" Mrs. Sarah f. Collins, Sadie Col
Inns, as every body calls her. / found, in
little room plainly-I cannot say neatly
furnished which YVES swarming with flies
and i'll smelling, in spite of some enforced
ventilation provided by the mob, four or five
women and three men.
They did not seem to greet me with
much warmth, possibly expecting in me
some emissary of the law. These brethren
mostly, probably all who could read. had
Bibles, which they were studying. / was
given a wooden-bo ttomed chair, there being
nothing better in the room. Mr.. Lynch was
not there, but they Immediately sent for
him. One by one there dropped in a dozen
or so others, and in addition there were
present a number of little boys. These
perched themselves on every "coign of van
tage," kitchen table included, but most
found seats on the floor. Each newcomer
kissed the members present. This Is the
holy kiss" and Is given not merely at the
assembly, but upon every chance meeting,
even in the open street. That Is some
thing you are not used to, isn't ft?'' said
Mr.. Lynch. L frankly conceded that II was
a little novel.
The circumstances seemed very unfavor-
able for asking some questions which
wanted to put plainly. but there seemed to
be great freedom in their answers, and
succeeded in getting their account of every
thing / wanted to know, and, I must add.
considerable that 1 didn't. Mr.. Lynch was
perfectly cordial, kind and believe. frank.
He is a tall, lean, weatherbeaten working
man, his hair little grizzled. He Is, he
told me- fifty-four years old. He was forty
nine when Mrs. Collins first began to labor
with him. If there is anything of the SEN
sualist or anything crafty or hypocritical
about him. I am greatly mistaken
Neither does he appear to be of a strongly
emotional nature. One would not take him
to be a religious enthusiast at ALL En-
tirely unlearned, he cannot be said to be
ignorant exactly, but rather excessively
narrow. He is not wanting in a certain
shrewdness and facility In argument. and
he has, as all the rest OF them, great
store of Scripture quotations at hand.
The Real Teacher a Woman.
Manifestly, he Is quite dependent on his
watcher" and I presume he would have
been unwilling, or much less free to talk. If
he had been alone. This is a part OF their
system and creed. quotation from their
catechism shows their theory, with the Pc
culiar reasoning by which It Is reached.
20. Ara the processing ministers out to-
day according to Gods wordT'
"Ans. No The Scriptures teach us all
Christ's disciples were sent out two and
two and those that are out single today
preaching to you have to sin every day, and
cannot live without sim"
why do we give our women an equal
right in all church work ?" Is another oues-
ton, which Is thus answered: Because
Sarah was deeper in the counsels of God
than Abraham. God commanded Abraham
to hearken unto all that Sarah said unto
him, and that 1t should not be grlevous
unto him." And this brings me to speak
Of the real leader IN this movement, GER
tainly much the most intelligent and in
huential one Of their number.