The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-05-04
"oRIGINALa SAINTS. {.
Indiana's Queer Sect - No Frills OF,
----------- - Their. Ritual ~ 49, -

lnuianns Queer sect = No F'rtll2 OIL
Their Ritual.
Chicago Chronicle: In Perry county.
Indiana. Is a strange religious sect. the
members OF which call themselves
Original Saints" They never worship
In churches. but, instead. choose some
dreary vale hedged in by bluffs and set
It apart for worship. Rude benches are
fitted up for tho members 10 rest upon
and platform is prepared for the
preachers. Like the ouakers . man
who ie moved thereto Is eligible to
preach, for all members have the graca
and power at times. The preacher for
the day mounts the platform and dellv-
ers his sermon, usually improvlsed for
the occasion.
These saints are simple in their
methods. They 60 to the wilds OF ia
ture to worship and have few frills to
their ritual They begin the ceremon-
les By bestowing fraternal kisses on
each other. As q lad or lass enters the
dale he or she Is solemnly kissed by the
other faithful already on the ground.
An active man enrly to arrive could do
right smart chore" OF kissing before
the entire flock could take seats and
walt for something 10 happen. When
they finish with their kissing they sit
down and calmly wait spell.
Then somebody lifts up . more or less
tremulous voice In song. 1t Is a hymn.
in which the rest Of the CONGREGATION
joins It 10 accompanied by Instrument
tai music. The fiddle and guitar ore the
Instruments In which the snints have
skill and these are turned loose with
the voices. But this IS not oil by any
means. Frequency of kissing produces
q certain puckerlng of the lips Lips
rightly puckered and softly breathed
through produce certain sounds grate-
full to youth. WhistIinB can become an
art
These sanity Worahipers, like mos:
people Of the Hoosier state, have &C.
CURED great sklll in wh;stling.
Singing. playing the fiddle md guitar
and whistling continue at Irregular In
terrals until some member feels moved
to discourse. Then this brother or sis
ter-both seYes preach-rises from the
bench on which he or she has piaced his
or her homespuns. goes to the platform
and opens the book. Chance determines
the text and thems. Wherever the
book falls open and the eye Of the ora
tor first rcsts on the sacred word there
Is found the topic for discussion. Then
the preacher branches forth into long
extended sermon. while the other mem
bers preserve the silence OF sleep. Not
that they really sleep. but such Is the
seeming.
Whom two
congregation rises and the silence Is
broken at ONCE. Most orthodox churches
abhor dancing. II is an EXCEEDING Sin
for youth OF the two sexes TO Indulge
In unseemfy gyratiors. Not 20 with the
Original Saints. Whether the sNnno-
lefscy and lethargy produced by the
long sermon must be thrown off by
physical exertfou or scstGtic fervor in
spire9 by the words OF wisdom CAUSES
It. the fact remains that tho services
wind up with dance.
Like most dances, 1t starts slowly, but
as the Joys OF living rise In the hearts
and legs OF the wurshlpers, the measure
tccomes more animated. Then whlrl-
fnSs, as OF dervlshos In full career. FOL
low. Men and women m!ag1e In dnrce
OF the widest possible description. NAL
oens demonstrate how skilled they arc
In stepping measure and husky youths
buck and wing. ending q period with .
most gallant shake-down. Whoops e1-
u1tant rush from parted lips. Cries Of
glory be and praise the Lord and other
ferven: Calculations break on the quiet
mir. Corns are trod upon and other re-
marks are added to tho DIN. Noise Is
abundant where but brief time before
all was supernatural stiffness On they
whtrl In religious frenzy unit exhausted
nature declines the nomination. But no
stopping or staying for the fallen. let
them lie where they fall The dance
must go on In nll its weird fury as long
Us one rcmains TO whoop and spin. FL
nally all are out. and the chapel Moor
covered with rscumbent figures, thu
services OF the Original Saints comes 10
an end.