The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-11
FOUR ARKs AND A NEW NOAH.
Carolina Fanatics Preparing for the
Coming of Second Flood.


The ark is prepared. The modern
Noah has arrived. The chosen few are
being gathered The second flood is
due December rs.
This is the belief of Poe Lynch and
the one hundred members of his "San-
| titled Band" down in Eastern Carolina
| The Chowan River is small stream,
but deep enough near Currituck Sound
to bear up the four arks of the modern
| Noah A short distance to the east
| lie the treacherous rocks of Hatteras.
After three-mile ride in a rowboat
in crooked river, the waters suddenly
widen, forming a pond-like harbor.
| Upon the left bank the forest sets we'll
| back from the shore, leaving an open
space of sandy desert. Here Joseph
| Lynch fastened his arks. A more iso-
lated spot would be hard to find. The
few inhabitants of this region live
miles back from the dense river Dor
ders, and are generally of an illiterate
class to whom deaths and births are
of very little concern. These are the
people so ready to accept the modern
| Noah's faith
Young girls and young men joined
| the band. Their homes knew them
no more. Farmers sold their planta-
tions, deserted their families and fol-
lowed the band. Wives left their chill
dren and husbands at home.
Then came the first trouble for Noah
! Lynch. 1t began with the conversion
of Matilda Petty, an unsophisticated,
pretty country girl, poor but respecta-
bic. She took up her abode in the ark
of safety. Her fathers grief knew no
bounds. The story spread until every
one within ten miles knew the fate of
virtuous and upright girl. Friends of
! fered their assistance for revenge. They
would tar and feather both Lynch and
his colleague, Sarah Collins, burn the
arks and annihilate the "Sanctifed
Band
j As the appointed time drew near, old
musl1ets and rusty pistols were polish
ed and loaded. But Lynch somehow
i heard of the plot, and one night told
( the band of the danger. His message
was: Depart We hence; delay not, for
! the enemy cometh." They weighed
anchor and floated down to the Sound.
( For days they foated in the desolate
Currituck Sound. Finally they drifted
] into the mouth of the Chowan River
and arrived at their present resting
place, probably the most desolate sec
ton upon the North Carolina coast.
Here they have rested since the LIST of
August.
angels of the Sanctified Band" were
/, sent out among the neighbors, inviting
( them to the meetings. Many came, but
/ few returned to their homes without a
/ vague unrest within their breasts. The
/ hypnotic spell took a more firm hold
upon the young men and young girls
than upon their parents, and they
went again and again. Converts were
easy.
+ All went well until another poor
young girl named Lizzie Bell Pearsall
suffered the fate of Matilda Petty after
she joined the "Sanctified Band" The
/ band now numbered 120 souls. The
more conservative people became a.
/ Harmed, and finally a letter was sent
I to Governor Carr, at Raleigh, N. c.,
asking for help. Then the neighbors
of the Pearsall family, who had lost
daughter, decided to help themselves.
/ The formalities of the law were. too
slow
Twas Friday night, August 20,
great revival was going ON. The hand
elapping, shouting and praying be-
came louder. They were in the middle
of the song:
Don't you want to go ober dere,
Where de sanctified band stays;
IF yer duz, my dear brother,
You'll hab to git on the ark;
Come long, brothers, git on de ark,
Come long, sisters, git on de ark
The song was interrupted by the
sentinel, who announced the distant
patter of many horses feet. The meet
ing ended, and Joe made the unbeliev-
ers go ashore, and the sanctifed ones
prayed before seeking refuge. But
not once did Lynch or his band finch.
They all repaired into the ark. The
flood came, but it was not OF water
The rattle and crash of firearms, the
bullets pattering against the ark, told
Joseph Lynch and his followers that
the Carolina Regulators had arrived. In
the melee Patty Watkins, one OF the
loudest shouters in the "Sanctified
Band, was struck by bullet and died
within half an hour.
With solemn ceremony she was bur
led, and many tears were shed at her
grave. Sunday morning the arlzs NOV
ed down the stream about ten miles
The neighbors promise not to modest
them so long as they contine their
Mormonistic ways among their own
crew, but they are warned not to set
foot on land to uphold "sanctification. . /
New York Journal