The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-09-23
tIRlNcE KANSAS SECT.
j of Reigionists Who Claim
Baptism by Fire.
.,r KNOWN AS "FIREBRANDs.'

~.,,sts Driven ou' ny "ioien'
Some of the River Bretla-
.,.-med at Their Growth.
u -, are. fire! Bless you, brotherr'
crv that startled the townspee-
W. afternoon a few months ago,
the Abilene CKan) correspondent |
40 Chicago Record, writing under |
ate OF Sept. Z. A soberly dressed |
wearing the plain suit and i
hair of the Quakerlike sect of |
'sDs ',rsr brethren. met another of the
n' appearance and this was their
Sa .;rr Afterward came other ex-
fssnces when young woman in riv-
hrotber garb came to town and. go
e. from store to store. declared in
Osapsware! Abilene will be destroyed
in 90 days.
,,s abundant locks trimmed in bar
shop. arose from the chair AMI
.a,o,pg to the middle of the floor an
ancad TO the crowd in waiting. 81
sssl called on to say that l have been
ssnt,zed by fire and am saved" Then
= mt on his coat and went out.
Tbose were but manifestations of
NJ ,aw movement that has caused the
aid river brethren more uneasiness
4 .b,n ANYTHING that has occurred in all
N tnoir religious life, even from the early
nart Of the century. when they settled
an the banks of the Susquehanna. in
NJ 9Srnsylyania, and began to worship in
4 yhoir own way without restraint. And.
sv the way, that was how they acquir-
NJ "A their title, for they were river"
brethren, as distinguished from other
4 members of their sect, Brethren Of
Christ, who lived among the hills.
This new form Of religious zeal is
The nroduct of somewhat sensational
rrescbing by leaders of the so called
Fire Baptized association, or, as they
are familiarly known. the Fire
brands," and it is the first schism that
has occurred in the river brethren de-
ponination. 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 1t will
come out all right"
The "Firebrands" began with the
coming to central Kansas Of an evan
eplist, B. H. Irwin, from Iowa, two
years ago. He was taken in by the
river brethren, and they accepted his
doctrines, which We're of the utmost
perfection through faith. Finally he
undertook TO change their form of
NJ dress, and they objected. Then he
\ sarted meetings of mis- own and preach
Cd the fire doctrine. He held that the
fire of inspiration came to the beliey-
eN and his meetings abOunded in
frances screaming and other eXhibi-
tons Of the power" Long after mid
night, night after night, the little band
msyed and testified. all the time grow
hg In numbers Finally Irwin advised
dl the members to sell their hogs, as
they were unclean beasts. and he was
obeyed. A score Of farmers took theil
swine to market at a great loss. He
. aIso attempted to cure by laying on oi
hands and found some patients who
thought they were helped. One man
declared he was cured OF sort OF pal
81, but he was as bad as ever the mex
day. One farmer "believed" and wa.
gonounced cured of consumption, bu1
be died in a few months.
Irwin returned last fall with a big
tent and two assistant preachers ant
opened meetings with greater zeal thai
before The excitement drew people
from a score of miles distant. and OF
Sunday thousands gathered. The serV
ee consisted of sermons, shouting ant
ambitions of the power" COmmun1
ants jumped up and down for hal
hour at q time, screaming praises t.
God. Some went into frances. Ihes'
Irwin allowed none to touch. In hi
address he abused the river brethren
their form of dress and customs. point
Ing them out in the congregation ant
calling them by name. Never in th'
history of this county has there beeI
So strange and wild preaching as that
and the people wondered how it woult
end If the excitement continued L
grow. They speedily found out.
party of young farmers. who's
parents. friends and sweetheartS ha'
been maligned by Irwin and his asso
ciates, surrounded the tent one moon
light night. Suddenly they cut tn
ropes and rushed for the preachers
They caught two of them, but Irwin
amid the confusion, darkness ant
fright Of the congregation, escaped
The captives We're taken to stool
tank near by. The windmill. driver
BY the prairie breeze, had filed it witt
clear, cold water
In with 'em. boys" cried stalwar
youth.
"One, two, threew Splash. splash!
W The evangelists were ducked thre
umes and then allo wed to go. Irwil
mad already secured a horse and wa
iar away. The others followed, and n
more camp meetings were held in tha
own. Irwin went to Colorado, and n
more has been heard of him. The 9th
efs went to Pennsylvania and attacke'
IN series of addresses the river breth
IDa hn