The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-05-27

buildings at Shiloh that singular religious
community of Saints of the Worlds
CHARACTERIZATION" in Durham, Me, is a
huge brick structure on the edge of the
tis5=tt;- SS=es of barren sand plain that
constitute the Shiloh domain. The brick
building is somewhat apart from the Tenn
pie. as the huge structure is called that
serves as the place of dwelling, study and
worship provided for the 200 denizens of
Shiloh.
Bethesda is the name that has been
sS7sSsSz to the brick building. 1t has been
opened this spring as divine hospital"
There is to be no physician there. All pa
tients are to be treated by the elders of
the community. There will be prayer and
laying on Of hands-nothing else. No med
tcines will be allowed During the last
year there has grown up in the section
surrounding Shiloh more or less antag-
onism to the practices at the Temple, and
II Is certain that the first death. at the
Holy Ghost hospital of Bethesda" as
1t Is termed, will be the signal for some
determined step by the authorities.
The most striking religious function at
the hospital is the demon driving All the
adherents to the faith of the new move
ment are taught to believe that demons
POSS6SS men anu women. OnG OF the ITSI
steps when an applicant for admission to
the Temple presents himself or herself
IS to make the test to determine whether
there is a demon within.
These tests are searching. The candi-
date Is put through forms that would up
set the equanimlty Of the most self-pos-
sessed person. But in the case of the re-
hgious enthusiasts who apply for admis-
sion to the Shiloh Temple the results are
often terrifying.
I'VE discover this demon possession fire.
quently." explains F. w. Sanfords, chief
evangelist. 1T has been granted to me
to have keen perception of the existence
of these evils. I have even detected the
presence of a real demon in a clergyman
who was visiting here Modest, quiet
women who have never suspected that
they had a demon have, when subjected
TO the test broken out into most fearful
blasphemies that have continued until the
controlling agencies have been expelled
We have rid over 200 persons of demons &"
1t may be imagined what amazement
has been caused by this doctrine of demon
possession as Mr.. Sanford has expound-
ed It to the matter-of-fact Yankees who
make up the residents Of the town of Dur
ham
In most cases when 1t has been decided
that a person possesses demon the VIC
tim IS brought before all the saints as
sembled in the hall of the Temple. There
Is long series Of prayers that gradually
become almost frenzied in their intensity
OF utterance. People in all parts of the
room PROSTATE themselves on their faces.
Often the prayers continue for hours. one
supplicant following closely on another.
All this time the possessor of the demon
is seated on the platform, surrounded by
the elders Of the community.
II person possesses an emotional ma
ture this scene, the prayers running the
gamut Of appeal, the shouts of the wor-
shlpers and the presence of the people
SroYelng on the floor must of course pro-
duce most unsettling effect Then sud
UehIy' at the proper moment the chief
evangelist leaps to his feet. advances to
the supposedly possessed person and
SHOUTS, In the name Of Jesus of NaZa-
feth' l command you to come out of him."
The Lewiston correspondent of the New
york Tribune has seen persons who have
been thus wrought up and then startled
oy the lmpas2ioned command throw them
selves on the floor and roll and froth in
their excitement When such mani
festation occurs the PRAYERS continue
with intense ferVOr-a dozen people shout
ing at the same time. Women who nave
oeen put through this demon driving test
frequently pass from Mysteries into deem
SWoOn or trance that continues for sor,a
Time. Other persons, when the command
10 the demon is shouted break ont into
WILD laughter. Others rail and blaspheme
The evangelist says that in all his ex-
pe1ence he has rarely had two demons
al all alike. He states that there are
the laughing the sullen and fhe profane
spirits. 4 while ago one of the most
placid and motherly members of the Shi-
ION community suddenly broke out into
the most awful oaths and imprecations
n 4 60
hush. 1t has not been suspected up to
That time, so the Shiloh people assert,
that the woman was a demonfac
MI sanford states that many of the
eVu spirits come forth speaking in strange
tongues. There are still other demons
that baik and are obstinate and will not
come forth. When it is decided in the
conference of the Shiloh elders that GER
tam person Is possessed in this manner
II the spirit does not yield the person is
required to leave the community.
Inc most sensational happening at Shi-
ION during one Of these devil drivings''
was when stalwart man, stark mad for
the nHe, seized the evangelist the moment
ne mad uttered the command to "come
IofIh' There was terrific struggle but
III his younger days the evangelist was =
star baseball man and had an athletes
strength. He got the upper hand of his
antagonist and threw him on his back IN
corner of the room
A band Of enthusiasts called the ''5olv
Rollers has been creating a considerabIa
sensation IN the town Of OIland. in Han
cock county a woman is the leader Sha
mas built several churches in that G G.
Loh OF the state, for the town authorities
decided that her meetings were too lively
events TO receive sanction for tba usa ne
me schooihouseS for her work These
meetings terminate In singular manifesto
t.ohS OF religious ecstasy The peonIe
lhfo" themselves on the floor and ron
SLOWLY toward the altar uttering passion
ale excavations all the while Most of
the devotees are women.
Jphh h. NickersOn, 'prorhet.' tl7n bca5
OF The sect called the Got rp,jers, - 10.
Ieappeared among his followers. and il
eApiaIllnS 20 them that he led them into
error through a mistake in his calc,ia-
tons He had the people IA several toT-rs
an western Penobscot county. nc;abIz in
Ooi1hna, wrought up to an eltraordlna-z,
pltch or excitement through his r,roni,a
cles. His followers numbered several
scores That section is stroH;ylv inclined
toward Seventh Day AdIratisIn ana Pro-
phet john, d well k3,own resident Of the
section. found his prophecies reaGf3,,
taken IN. He had tbs end of the ,rort6
inquired down 20 not only d day. but ever
the hour. His meetings. were narl1s
VITA almost Incredible h,-strI.ia Ills al
herents had their white robes made
washed clean and iroued smoothly. Her:
and there il the closets az the farm,
houses were hung '-ge- ufa'' outfits fer the
whole family. AT last when the gre41
day approached the persons who believed
that the end OF the world was approach
.ng gave away their property, So that OF
the great day lhey coll,G present fhon-