The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-27
QUEER TOAD HEAVEN.
Religious Sect in Ohio With Strange
Ceremonies.


The hamlet Of Toad Heaven IL away
from the beaten path OF commerce, In the
extrome northwestern part OF Jackson
county IN Ohio. Strangers seldom visit
tho place, and the members OF Toad Heaven
community are ignoranS Of the outer
world.
The name of Toad Heaven applies to
the hamlet, the community and 70 the
unsightly log church where this singular
religious sect worships The dwellers Of
this strange community are ignorant and
superstitious They came originally from
Virginia, where they were prominent
among the unoducated natives known as
poor white trash.
One who visited Toad Heaven recently
says tho religious ceremonies in vogue in
tho community are grotcsquo and highly
sensational. Their "Amens" and Praise
the Lords are loud enough TO shake the
hills, and every month "a foot washing GER
emony, called sacrament" Is performed
as one Of tho church rites, corresponding
to the communion In civilized churches.
Upon a recent Sunday every member Of
the community present In tho unsightly
log church sat with bare feet, awaiting a
signal from leader 10 commence "A cere.
mony much needed by many feet, which
were being rubbed together under the
seats. The men and women were armed
with towel. worn like a sash, and tin
basin, which does secular duty ut home.
L. a mans memory happened to be good,
he would be able to remember rather
disjointed sermon delivered by an old
man, who said I'm part: II hain't pre-
pared no discourse. The Lord says TO his
sarvants, Git up and deliver SELF an at
the same hour I'll Ill yo' mouth with ut
trance. hain't got no larnin and never
went TO school, but l know am chosen
servant 10 pint the way TO sinners. Some
men who have larnin amt Christians, an,
Ii they don reform, everlastin hell will be
their sheer of the Lords gifts This foot
washin Of our'n amt for the purpose of
cleanin dirt from our feet, but it's "a sacry-
mint handed down to his faithful follow
yers, who washed his dicipules' feet and
dried them with u towel at the Last Sup
per.
The orator, encouraged by q chorus OF
amens, further declared that while he
was not lone O. yer polished, high toned,
stuck up preachers with fine clothes an
standin collars an sinful souls he was
liable TO preach tguths as the Lord puts
'en&iD my mouth" lhen he preached on
the text, Where art GhouS' He never
found out, nor did his listeners know
where he was, but his agony was superb.
In his rambling talk he became frenzied.
The coremouios of the feet washing fol-
lowed the sermon. In one corner of the
church was a barrel of rainwDter, filled
from the roof by tin pipe let in through
a window. To it each woman went and
filed her basin. Then each man COM
mcnced singing hymn, and each woman,
choosing not her husband, but any brother
she wished, laved his feet, one at n time,
in the basin. Then she unwound the towel
from her waist and wiped each foot dry.
Then came tho opportunity Of the women
to have their feet bathed 10y their brethren.
The men went at it brusquely.
Each woman sat and sang.
After IL all the members of the Toad
Heaven sect sang hymn and sought their
miserable log cabin homes in the hills
round about. Chicago Tribune.