The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-12
TAKEN FROM HOME.
Fierce Religious Riot Against q New
Sect.

Bangor, Me. June 12.-Messengers ar
rived here at 1 o'clock this morning
from Levant, with the report of a re-
hgious riot in that town in which 100
men participated. The sheriff has been
called upon for a posse.
For some months past the represen-
tatives Of a new sect, known as the
have been travelling in various parts of
Maine seeking converts. In February a
man from Massachusetts, and George
w. Higgins Of Levant began a series
of revival meetings. They succeeded in
making a number of converts, proni-
nent among whom was Ruel Clement, a
young farmer. 1t is the rule Of the new
sect that every convert must give up
all his or her earthly possessions, turn
ing over their money and property to
the leaders of the movement and de-
pending upon Providence alone for eV-
is a gospel of faith, pure and simple,
and only fanatics have thus far en-
braced the new religion.
The central establishment of the sect
is at Beulah Hill, in the town of Dur
ham, Androscoggin county, where
man of the name of Sanford, who is
the chief of the sect, has caused to be
erected a curious building called the
Temple of the Holy Ghost.
Around the temple stretch many
acres of farm lands. There it is the
purpose of the Rev Sanford to create
a sort of cooperative colony, all the
faithful living together. They get their
living from the soil.
When Ruel Clement became a con-
vert last spring he gave up his fine
farm to the disciples of the church, and
went to Durham to join the cO-Opera-
tive colony, having first paid all his
bills with money furnished by his
mother, who also, it is said, gave $1,000
to the new cause.
The Clement farm has since been
conducted by George w. Higgins, the
most active of the disciples in Levant-
Clement became tired of the Beulah
Hill colony some weeks ago and re-
turned to his farm. where he has since
been living with his wife, Higgins and
the latter's wife and child and a hired
man.
They seemed to be living in peace to-
gether and up to Sunday there was
no trouble. Higgins has been holding
meetings at Clements house and in the
village school house for months past
and the tOwnspeople have attended.
Recently the people of Levant began to
show their dissatisfaction with the gos-
pei preached by Higgins.
The climax came at 10 o'clock on
Sunday night. when a mob gathered at
the village grocery and made a hostile
demonstration toward the Holy Ghost
sect.
Conservative citizens warned the mob
to desist from its expressed purpose of
violence but the men were determined
They marched to Clements home, many
of them disguised with masks and
paints and bearing various weapons
The leaders of the mob knocked at
Clements door. When Clement appear
ed he was seized and dragged strug-
Cling away into the darkness.
Higgins appeared with a lantern.
God will look out for me, boys" he
cried Then some one kicked the Ian
tern out of his hand. He was grabbed
and violently hustled away.
Mrs Clement prayed and sang. Mrs.
Higgins screamed with fright. The mob
disappeared. dragging Clement and
Higgins with them toward the woods
on the Herman road. Rogers, Clyde,
Marcho and a man named Luce, fol-
lowed the mob at a distance, and a half
a mile from the house they found the
bosom of a shirt covered with blood
Nothing is known of the fate of the two
victims of the mob. Some fear that
murder has been done.