The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1896-10-01
sANCTIFIED SISTERS.
4 Queer Sect OF Women Located
In Texas.
they Live Like Monks and Are Guided by
Dreams-Celibacy II IN Impor-
tant Part of Their
Religion

tant Part of Their
Religion.
Located In the thriving town of Bel
ton, Tex. in the central part of that
state, il q curious colony of religionisss.
known as 'Sanctified Sisters" or .'Salc-
tificationists." Three representative
women of this order are Mrs. Martha
McWhirter, founder of the sect; Mis-.
Gertrude Scheeble, secretary of the CO.
operative institution owned and con-
trolled by these peculiar people, and the
treasurer, Miss Lizzie Holtzclaw.
This strange community of earnest
women is the outgrowth of religious
movement that has cut off its members
FROM all intercourse with the word,
and has even divided happy house
holds. The doctrine professed by the
women Is of very SIMPLE character,
and embodies three essential principles
Ia life of celibacy. common property
interest and an isolated existence
Among the members are those who
previously were social leaders in their
respective towns, universally respected
and some OF them were very wealthy.
The original leader of the Sanctitica-
tionists, and their present head, Mrs.
Martha McWhirter, is woman of iu-
domitable will. She was the mother of
twelve children when first she SON.
ceived the idea Of this new belief. Her
husband naturally opposed her extraor-
binary views ind endeavored to prevent
her from assisting in spreading them.
but his objections were in vain.
Nineteen years ago the society as
sumed tangible form, and since that
period steady growth. financially and
otherwise, has been made. History
records no instance where stubborn
ness, folly and fanaticism have been SO
strangely intermingied. Stern devotion
to principle, heroic fortitude and self
sacrifice have been and are the con-
trolling influences. In the early days
Of the society the women determined
TO raise money in order that the So
ciety might be seif-supporting. Each
employed method of her own for ac
complaining this result.
1t Is strikingly indicative of their
earnestness to know that one woman,
who had previously lived in afliuence,
bought wood as it stood in the forest
and with the mid of another sister cut
the timber and hauled the fuel to mar
ket. Others accepted positions as DO.
mestics in households in adjoining
towns. their earnings being pooled for
mutual benefit. Others sold country
produce and a few took in laundry work
TO add mite to the assets.
No uniform is worn by the Sanctih-
cationists, nor have they ever adopted
one. They dress plainly, and at Que
time wore bonnets similar to those
worn by orthodox Quaker women. a
little more latitude in the matter OF
dress has been allowed recently, and
modern hats have been received with
favor.
The community consists of 80 mer,-
bers, all of whom live at the Central
hotel in Bolton. This building is their
own property. The Central Hotel con-
pany In corporation well and favor
ably known in financial circles and req
resents the united interests of the vol
onists. The estimated wealth Of tho
sect In $100, 900. The hotel building and
furnishings cost $4,000. The rest Of
their capital Ii distributed in smaller
enterprises.
It In the aim of the sisters to mako
their community as complete within it
self az Il Ii possible to make it. With
that end In view the entire work Is
done by the members, who have sys-
tsnlatic method Of dividing the labor.
One of them will teach the children.
One of the sisters In an expert dentist
and has an office fully equipped for
working at her profession. The income
from the hotel is the principal source
Of revenue, but every investment seems
to have been profitable one, rendering
the organization self-supporting and
entirely independent. They are leaders
in making public improvements and
all are among the most active and pro-
gressiye citizens, always ready to al
vance the interests of the town. Mira.
McWhirter Is member Of the board OF
trade and director of the opera no lsc
syndicate of Bolton.
There Ia no formal worship of any
kind practiced by the sisters, but daily
devotional exercises are part OF thcii
creed, and they are also largely guided
by dreams" A recital of religious ex-
perience by members forms basis FOR
all their important actions. They ALSO
claim to be possessed of delicate sense
which is their greatest help, and by /,
they detect mistakes made and through
1t correct them.
They try to improve themselves In
tellectually, and are regular subscriD
ers to the leading papers OF the great
cities. In their library are all the
standard works, but the works OF lol
stoi, Bellamy and other would-be re-
formers are most liked.
Woman suffrage is hobby OF the
Eanctifcationists, and they CONSIDER
themselves an instructive illustration
of what women can accomplish IN un'
usual walks of life.-N. Y. World.
Great Fiaancisrs.