The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-21
KANSAS FIREBRANDS.
TF'rom the Philadelphia Record.l

a.
Chambersburg Pa, Sept. 16.-Kansas
missionaries of the queer sect know as
the Fire Baptized association keep up
or in religious circles has been stirred up
by them in certain districts. These people
but in the latter method-by fire-as set
forth by St. Paul in the Acts of the Apos-
privilege granted only to those who join
their associations
not have more earthly possessions than
another, but that all should share in COM
mon. In fact they go a little further than
this and take the thirty-second verse of
the fourth chapter of the Acts literally.
ana say that their possessions are not
their own. but are given to them by a
Divine Being merely temporarily. They
are seceders from the river Brethren de-
nomination and during the first few week
of their stay here the missionaries con-
upon that church Recently, however,
they have turned their guns upon all re-
meetings that their faith is the only one
which guarantees absolute safety in the
The Fire Baptized have located in Leh-
mans Grove, about six miles from this
place. They hold two meetings day
one in the afternoon and another in the
evening. on account of the novelty of the
their converts have been very few. one
of these is Amos Musser, one of the most
prominent farmers in that section of the
county. The evangelists have been max
ing their home with him. There are now
about a dozen here from Kansas.
Musser was baptized last Sunday, a red
hot iron being used to brand him on the
while attempting to fly from a loft to his
barn he fell to the floor, sustaining, how
ever. but slight injuries. He has also dis
posed of large herd of hogs, believing
the assertion of the evangelist that hogs
are unclean. A few days ago he was will
ed a farm but he declined to accept it on
account of neither said any of them that
aught Of that which he possessed was his
own Musser, however, has not given an
equal share in the magnificent farm upon
which he resides to his brother evange-
lists.
The evangelists profess to be able to
cure disease, and tell their hearers that
anything can be accomplished by faith,
but this doctrine was given terrific
shock a few evenings ago. when one OF
the number, to demonstrate their power
prayed that a neighbOrhOOd would bring
them a supply of buttermilk at once,
are made to prove their omnipOtence. but
like the buttermilk, the things asked for
have failed to materialize.
AS the camp is established in close
proximity to the Air Hill River Brethren
church, their opposition to that particu-
lar denomination is made more apparent.
members of the River Brethren church.
That the latter body is determined to pre-
sent a hostile front to the Seceders is
shown by the expulsion of a number of
greeted the seceders with the holy kiss.
There is a tacit understanding that the
members of the old denomination are to
have nothing to do with the new sect.
For this offense several members of Bfsh-
Op Martin w. Overholtzer's church were
deprived of their membership.
Were not the River Brethren an ex-
ceedingly law-abiding people it is queS-
tionable if the seceders would progress
very far with their work. Should they
continue their TRADES against other de-
already there is talk of driving them from
the community in which they are located.