Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-20
A. PECULIAR SOCIETY
QUEER RELIGIOUS BODY HOLDS
SESSION AT MoUNDSvILLE.
Leader of West Virginia Democracy
Declares His Withdrawal
From Arena.

Special Correspondence OF Inc Evening quar-
WHEELING. w. Va, June Is. 1903
The Holiness Society has been holding Its
annual camp meeting at its central nome
at Moundsville. twelve miles below here
This religious gathering attracts WIDE
spread interest throughout the state.
The society is peculiar denomination.
whose beliefs are a sort of mixture OF the
Quaker and Baptist faiths. with Christian
Science healing as a side issue.
In the Moundsville home. which is the
organized head Of the church, there are
about 200 members. equally divided between
the sexes. They live in one large building.
but the civil laws In regard to the marriage
relation and the sexes are strictly observed.
The men and women dress with severe
simplicity, eschewing jewelry ard all I'M
necessary personal adornment. Their fare
Is frugal to degree of unpleasantness. 1or
the articles barred from their table include
salt sugar, pepper and condiments and
relishes of all kinds.
The entire family eat together in an i'm
mense dining hall. They will not marry
outside their faith. but proselyte literally
to prevent the dangers attendant upon IN
termarriage.
E. E. Byrum is the head of the church.
and his rule is absolute. He Is a man Ct
broad education. a polished speaker. and
has so far succeeded IN keeping his big
family free from scandal. Neither he nor
his followers are retfcent about their AFFAIRS.
and apparently court publicity.
Society is Wealthy.
The society claims to have $1,000 MEM
bers and to be represented in every state
of the Union, all European countries, In
dia. China Mexico and South and Central
America. The fact that the attendance at
the camp meeting is 1000. including per-
sons from Mexico. India. England and
other distant points. tends to substantiase
the claim. 1t Is also a fact that Byrum IS
continually receiving large sums Of money
from all portions of the globe. is the largest
bank deposition in MOundsvflle. a city OF
1909 inhabitants, and has property valued
at 500 1000
The chief object of the camp meeting
which Is now in progress is divine healing.
and while the procedure Is along the time
honored lines Of those who practice that
particular stunt, there have been some al
legged cures which, to say the least show a
most powerful Imagination upon the part
of the patients. The word Of the Holiness
folks themselves Is not taken for this: their
meetings are open, and some very RESPONSE
BILE citizens and skeptical reporters have
had several times to admit that they were
puzzled. The lame the halt and the blind
from distant localities have thronged here
and are getting prayed over.
Wondrous Cures Claimed.
Sunday afternoon several persons who
were carried into the meeting on stretchers
were able to walk away unaided. The most
peculiar case was that of ]. c.. Giesler, a
retired farmer who lives on Walnut street.
MOundsville. Giesler has been blind in one
eye. He was given prayerful attention Sun
day. When the supplications had been COM
pleted Giesler declared he could see out Of
the bad eye as well as ever. Several tests
tended to bear out the truth of his aSser-
TONS Local physicians who have attended
the meetings give the conductors credit for
working up some OF the finest cases Of re-
ligious hysteria they ever saw. They ac-
count in this way for the apparents miracle.
Out Of Politics.
The West Virginia democracy is now with
Grafton. who has been the democratic dc
tator since 1895, has announced his with
drawal from politics. He says he Is too
busy, and while he will still take q friendly
interest in state politics. he will no longer
be at the helm.
The withdrawal of McGraw is about the
largest political happening in West Vfr-
ginia since the last election. Brafny and
bold. with a. mixture Of ROoseveltian ag-
gressiveness and Of Crokerish astuteness,
McGfaw has been the head and shoulders
Of the democracy for six years Besides
running the whole machine, he has been an
active candidate three times. and has the
distinction Of coming closer without set-
ting there more times than any other West
Virginia politician. It Is difficult 70 name
his successor. o. 8. Mckinney Of Fair
mont, w. e. Chiffon OF Charleston. James
Capehart of Point Pleasant and John J.
Cornwell OF Romney are among the names
suggested.