Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-10-22
Sufferings Alleged to Have Been
Endured by Self and Others.
Estel.a Shelter, Tacoma, Wash, Has .
Fitiful Story.


recital covers the period of 1902 03-or
two years ago. Most of these occur
rences were gone over in public at the
time of the trial. The conditions may
have improved. since then. as Mrs.
Shelter indicates IN the letter. The
suggestive portion of the letter is the
mothers hope to remain with her
daughter.
The letter is as follows:
TO the Editor of the Ledger:
AS there is still some DOUBT as to the
! truth of what has been brought to light
of the things that occurred at Shiloh
Bible School. | believe | owe it to Goa
and to the people to tell what | know
, about it. ] spent five months there
| during the winter of 1892 and 1903, and
| was AN eyewitness to Il great deal or
, what tranSnired there during that time"
! In September. 1902. two minters an
rived in Tacoma from Shiloh ana
! stopped at our house. ] was a mems
Der of the church. and for some time
lad been charmed by the description "l
the beautiful life lived at Shiloh. writ
ten by different ones there. For some
years l had been seeking Gods best.
and thought | should like to devote my
life to God and be tr1i''"' CO. mn
work. These men claimed to be led by
the Holy Spirit, ana InsIst,I t..a, .
belonged at Shiloh.
Ona night on" of them. ;tft": keeping;
up a rapid walk back and i".tH ini'
some time. came down stains amt sand
that he believed God was talking to
him, ana wanted us to go Ia shiloh.
N q IN
earthly possessions into their hands
and. with my husband AMI three chit
dren. was on my way East.
We reached Shiloh but did not find
it quite as we expected. The rest OF
the family wanted to leave but for fear
of displeasing God, p-rsuaded the
rest to try and endure it, and they de-
clded to do So We had a little money
left. and it was suggested to us that ~
long as we had money it would prove il
temptation to US.
Then a charge was made on those
who had money (by prayers) and
au ful iudemeiIth pronounced on all
who dared oh God. until all our money.
stamps and postal cards were turned
over. / saw this thing repeated so
many times when a stranger arrived or
u registered letter came that, If it had
not been against the rules of the insti-
tuition for any one to reason. should
have thought it looked tricky.
Almost daily the students were told
to pray for their dinner, as there VAS
rome. Ard student could not con-
scientIously pray for money when they
had amy. and this kept the school poor
pennlleSS most of the time. There
their money and we've aiterward turned
out in the winter time without cent
or shelter. | ent there expecting to
suffer, if necessary, and was there at 4
time when Il great deal of work was
being done on eli tie buildings. The
stone building was icing finished, fur
niShed and heated.
| Food was very scarce, even for thc
men who were labOring Gay and nigh,
! on the building. Most of the families
occupied the extension, which was ther
| unfinished. and there was no fire in j,
at all. that winter. a few had OF
stoves, but most of the time there was
no oil. II seemed unavoida BILE, and il
spite Of the suffering. do not remem
Der Of Ecaring any one complain. Bu
during the time the hill was under
|
many days when there was no dinner
= only n light breakfast. Every two d
three days they would call a fast. 81
that it was a fast most of the time
In spite of the fact that they claimed
to he in the supernatural. there were
a great many sick, and a number o
deaths. Besides, nearly all of the peo
pie had Lowell trouble, caused from tn
cold and lack of nourishment. Nj
Sandford and the minister said it wa
because the people rad been complain
ing about the food
Mr.. Sanford was locked upon as
king. and spoken of as 'our king III
claimed to fulfill the prophecy
Ezekiel. xxXiv:25-31. He had good food
u and 4 good cook to provide it for nj
r. family. while the other children coul'
x not have enough bread to satisfy thei
u hunger. | saw the children pu
ar through several weeks of suffering, no
Of only from cold and hunger but fror
what some called rat-huEting. That Is
!, going through their lives to find out
y there was sin in them. And If the
were judged by what the others sa'
or felt in them. If there was sin or re
- bellion in them. they We're punished b
severe whipping or Testing. or both. a
the case required. Mr.. Sanford sal
the whipping was the schOOlmaster
bring them to Christ. The childre
were kept in n constant state of feal
Ii they wanted to leave. they wer
afraid of being struck down by Goo
3 They were taught that if they left the
y would go straight to hell.
Everything is centered on the will g
Ole man. The teaching of all the minis
tiers was that Mr.. SandfOrd must b
oheyed to the letter. If he spoke or pro
nounced judgment on the people. it wa
God. If he cut them off. they consid
cred themselves cut off from God.
He also acts as priest and every on
must confess sins to him. or some on
whom he appoints to act in his plac
He claims to be the prophet Elijal
come to restore or prepare the king
dom for Christ. I heard a minister re
bul,e a woman who was praising NJ
Sandford in the meeting. saying, IL
us get our minds on Christ and not o
man.
A few days after this two minister