The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-10
KANSAS NEWS.
Farmers Near Abilene Stirred
Up by ssFirebrands.'
Branch OF From River Breth-
ren-A Queer Sect.
HAVE BAPTISM BY FIRE
One Band Run Out of Dickinson
County Recently.
Mrs. Annie BrechflIl, a Wealthy
Woman, a Convert.

here recently. A soberly dressed farmer,
wearing the plain suit and long hair Of
the quaker-like sect of river brethren,
met another OF the same appearance and
this was their greeting Afterward
came other experiences when a young
woman in river brother garb came to
town and going from store to store de-
clared in a despairing voice:
"Bewarel Abilene will be destroyed
in ninety days.
One day a young man, having had his
abundant locks trimmed in a barber
shop. arose from the chair and stepping
to the middle of the floor announced to
the crowd in waiting: Il feel called on
and am saved" Then The put on his
coat and went out.
These were but manifestations of a
new movement that has caused the staid
river brethren more uneasinesS than
anything that has occurred in all their
religious life, even from the early part
of the century, when they settled on the
banks of the Susquehanna in Pennsyl-
vania. and began to worship in their own
way without restraint And, by the way,
that was how they acquired their title,
for they We're river" brethren, as dis
tinguished from other members of their
sect, Brethren in Christ, who lived
among the hills.
KNOWN AS FTREBRANDS-
This new form of religious zeal is the
product of somewhat sensational preach
ing by leaders of the So-called Fire Bap-
tized association, or, as they are famil-
iarly known, the "Firebrands" and it is
the first schism that has occurred in the
river brethren denomination. 1t has
worried the elders. Said one grave faced
brother, shaking his abundant beard and
locks: I'VE hardly know what to make
of it, but we abide in faith and think it
will come out all right"
The "F'irebrands'' began with the COM
ing to central Kansas of an evangelist.
B. H. Irwin, from Iowa, two years ago.
He was taken in by the river brethren
and they accepted his doctrine, which
was of the utmost perfection through
faith Finally he undertook to change
their form Of dress and they objected.
Then he started meetings of his own and
preached the fire doctrine. He held that
the fire of inspiration came to the believ-
erS and his meetings abounded in
frances, screaming and other exhibitions
of the power" Long after midnight,
night after night, the little band prayed
and testified, all the time growing in
numbers Finally Irwin advised all the
members to sell their hogs, as they were
unclean beasts, and he was obeyed. A
score of farmers took their swine to
market at a great loss. He also at
tempted to cure by laying on of hands
and found some patients who thought
they were helped. One man declared
was as bad as ever the next day. One
farmer believed and was pronounced
cured of consumption, but he died in a
few months.
Irwin returned last fall with big
tent and two assistant preachers and
opened meetings with greater zeal than
before The excitement drew people from
score OF miles distant and on Sunday
thousands gathered. The service consist
ed of sermons, shouting and exhibitions
of the power" Communicates jumped
up and down for a half-hOur at a time
screaming praises to God. Some went
into frances. These Irwin allowed none
to touch. In his address he abused the
river brethren, their form of dress and
in
gregation and calling them by name.
Never in the history of this county has
there been so strange and wild preach
ing as that, and the people wondered
how it would end if the excitement con-
tinued to grow. They speedily found
out.
PREACHERS WE'RE DUCKED.
A party of young farmers, whose
parents, friends and sweethearts had
been maligned by Irwin and his asso-
ciates, surrounded the tent one moon
light night. Suddenly they cut the
ropes and rushed for the preachers.
They caught two Of them, but Irwin,
amid the confusion, darkness and fright |
of the congregation, escaped. The cap
tives were taken to stock tank near
by. The windmill, driven by the prairie !
breeze. had filled it with clear, cold
water.
In with 'en. boys." cried a stalwart
youth.
'One--two-threeI" Splash spIashi
The evangelists were ducked three |
times and then allowed to go. Irwin had |
already secured a horse and was far |
away. The others followed and no |
more camp meetings were held in that |
town. Irwin went to Colorado and no |
more has been heard of him. The 9TH /
ers went to Pennsylvania and attacked |
in a series of addresses the river breth- |
rent near Chambersburg, Pa, until they |
were driven out of that section. One |
youth. Harry Solonberger, went to Phil |
adelphia and started an orphanage |
prh ha q
laying on of hands alone. One or two |
children died and he was arrested.
A girl, Martha zook, entered the |
healer of this faith. and died of diph-
iberia in spite of the efforts of the |
brethren through prayer.
ATTACKED WITH EGGS.
Two weeks ago another company of |
and began q. series of meetings in the |
old place. Their preaching waxed |
louder and louder and one night a num- |
Der of young men gathered with eggs |
and prepared for an attack. They were |
arrested and brought here to jail, but |
released later. Then others in the |
neighborhood were aroused and they
served notice on the "Fsrebrads'' to /
quit, and they did
1t is a popularity of the sect that |
its members believe that they are in /
solutely removed from all the tempta- |
tiOns OF the world. Many wear scrip |
ture texts on their hatbands and they |
make pretense of following the estab-
IiShed rules of the old river brethren |
sect as to dress.
One of the notable converts is Mrs. |
Annie Brechfill, wealthy woman, who
has given of her property and strength
to the canse. She believes in the new
faith implicitly and claims that she has
been cured of consumption by means
Of faith and laying on of hands. She
is prosperous as farmer and gives lib
orally to spreading the new gospel
Some of the river brethren are alarmed |