Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-10

A woman in the audience arose ant
sedately walked to the altar. She wa:
probably 45 years old and could have
poked hole in the door of a steel safe
with the point of her nose. Every bone
in her face showed through the thir
covering of skin. Her hair was drawn
back over her forehead and tied in a
hard, uncompromising knot on the back
of her head. Her faded blue eyes were
half hidden by enormous steel bowed
spectacles.
With q ruler in her hand she would
have appeared the typical old-maid
school teacher that the comic maga-
zines have made famous.
Inwardly the unregenerate trembled
fearing that she would spoil all the fur
with a voice as sharp as her features.
"This is all foolish nonsense. Stop II
this minute" was what was really ex-
pected Of her.
But nothing of the kind occurred.
Speaks Unknown Tongue
She shut her eyes and with hands
behind her back opened her mouth.
'Ippy, ippy, ippisit, ippicy, catty cats
clak, claky."
She was interrupted by vigorous
"Amens," but it didn't feaze her. She
was talking in the strange tongues that
the Holy Rollers affect but 1t sounded
more like an old speckled hen had laid
an egg in the corner Of the barn and
wanted everyone to know 1t.
If the old hen idea hadn't spoiled the
effect of the thing it might have been
awesome or tragical or pathetic or
something else, but as 1t was it was
simply ludicrous. 1t was evident she
was terribly in earnest about it, though
She made her little speech in a few
words however, and without making
any effort to translate it sat down
again.
Then a lanky. black wench took the
center of the stage. The most noticea-
BILE things about her were her neck
and mouth. Her neck was remarkable
for its length, and her mouth for its
width. When she opened that mouth
there was nothing to do but dodge or
be engulfed by the undertow. She was
the orator of the evening, and "felt de
han of Gawd laid on heh heat to
preach to de shepa'ds."
"Ah read fun de thuty-fo'th chapte'
of Zekel."
She read from the "thuty-foth chapte'
of Zekel' for about an hour and half.
She would read one line and expound 1t
until she had told all she could think
of, and then read another line. She
concluded her oration To the shepherds.
Warns the Shepherd
can you shepa'ds, you pasto's, you'd
bettah feed youh flock on de Holy
Ghost o. they won't feed you. If you
all don't git right wild Gawd you won't
have no mo- congregation and you'll
have to go out and go to wuk."
Following this sermon came the bless
ing Of a handkerchief. This handker-
chief was to be put on some sick child
and the devils of Illness were to be
driven from it. A good-looking, semi
white negro acted as the blesser and
an old, white-haired Caucasian as the
blessee.
After the handkerchief had been
properly blessed came the seeking"
There are three phases in the Holy
Roller religion. One Is Justification"
This is the man or woman who leads
a pretty straight life, goes to church on
Sundays and Wednesday nights, says
his prayers as often as needful and
what the world commonly accepts as a
Christian.
The second phase is "sanctifcation." !"
This Ia where the justified one has
reached the point where he can sin no
more.
From the services last night and the
testimony he appears to have n mighty
hard time getting there, but he must
be sanctihed before he can receive the
hantism of the Holy Ghost.
This baptism Is the third degree and