Daily camera. [volume] (Boulder, Colo.) 1891-1928, 1899-06-05
A QUEER RELIGION.
Strange Beliefs Of Fanatieal oeeS
In Kentucky.
satuHsAAy L. Observed A. TAeAf DAD-
bath and They Spend tkss DDAaRs
Day N Violent Os0o-
noAAoA.

One Of the most interesting trials
ever occurring in this county was ter
minated at the courthouse recently. 1t
was a prosecution against Henry
Brown, Granvil Brown, James Withrow
and Charles Bard, charged with dis
turbing religious worship. The story
brought out at the trial is a most in
teresting recital of the extent to which
religious fanaticism. may easily lead q
community of people.
The defendants. with certain of their
Methodist and Baptist churches in their
community and organized church of
their own, teaching many doctrines
not countenanced as ort hodox by either
of the denominations to which they
formerly belonged Specification was
among the least of the differences be-
tween them and their former church as
sociates. AS time went on they be-
came. more and more engrossed with
heir peculiar method of worship. They
gave up association with the rest of
mankind. refraining from going to
town or anywhere else except upon the
most urgent necessity, deyoGng al
most all their time to attending upon
the exercises of their church. They
built a house of worship and employ ed
preacher from among their own num-
Der. They neglected their farms until
within the past few months they have
come almost to utter want What was
a few years ago one of the richest sec
tons of the country came to look like
a waste. The fences rotted down and
were overgrown with briars, while the
men were singing their weird songs
and repeating over and over again their
peculiar forms of worship. The wom-
en- joined in with the movement, and as
a part of their creed they did not use
any kind Of jewelry or give any but the
most meager attention to their per.
sonal appearance The women allowed
their hair to grow at will without coil.
ing it upon the head as others do. The
| men did not shave, and their per
sonl appearance soon came to partake
of the general look of dilapidation sur.
rounding the community. They OBJ
serve Saturday as their Sabbath, and
| go to church early in the morning and
| spend the entire day in the most gro
tesque performance ever seen in the
form of religious ceremonies in civ
ilized land. They sing and dance and
shout and pray and jump until the
very hills resound with the noise of the
| gathering. They join hands and march
round and round until they grow into
a perfect frenzy of nervous ecstasy,
To all of this and much that was new
in the doctrines taught some of the
ddssenters did not agree. The result
was that part of those who aided il
organizing the church withdrew anC
bought farm and erected house fol
worship. All went well for few month,
until the more enthusiastic and loudes,
shouting party undertook to forcibly
evangelize the other crowd. Then tn,
trouble began. The quiet, sanctifiet
brethren who did not approve of tbs
new3ang!ed methods objected to be
ing captured by the new crusaders. Thu
enthusiasts then proceeded to do b.
force what they had been unable t.
do by persuasive meanA. Then th'
quiet congregation, OF, As they Nt
| 'hhSo III Yak
others, the "Swine-eaters" (as they ea
meat, while the others are vegetarians)
demonstrated and undertook to con
duct their own service. Their meet
ing was overrun, however, and theil
minister was unable to preach. Their
they had the intruders arrested. After
a trial they were acquitted, perhaps
upon the theory that it is hard to draw
the line at which the law may interfere
with ones religious exercises.
The parties all live in what is know
as the Equality neighborhood, which
vs. one of the best parts Of the county
Many of the best people in the locality
are still true t. the older doctrine,
of the churches TO which these dis
senters formerly belonged, and are, o
course, much Disguised with this whole
business. The law seeming to aiforc
no relief. it is whispered. that Certain
of the more sensible people in he conn
munity will try moral sunsion with q
club the next time their congregation
is broken up by an onslaught OF thest
fanatics~Hartford Herald