Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-08-10
A DETESTIBLE SECT.
SOME FACTS ABOUT THE" "HOLY
ROLLERS" AND THEIR CREED.

SOME FACTS ABOUT THE" "HOLY
ROLLERS" AND THEIR CREED.
1t Originated on Canandaisuas Shores - Hell
the Chief Tenet OF the Ssct--lt Rules bv
Fear and Throws Its Followers Into Violent
Forms OF Hystsria Regeneration Is Effected
by Prayer. Bathing, Robins and Baptism
If These Fail in Cleansing the Soul Comes
the holy RoIl-It Is Rolling Over Like q
Log Until the Devil Is Cast Out-WhiIe the
penitsnt Is Performing this Heroic Act He
Must Answer All Questions Asked-The Sins
of Lifetime Must Be Confessed if Re.
quired-The Knee Benders. an Offshoot
Of the Same Craze.
! New York Tribune.
The latest curious sect to take root
in western New York are the Holy
Rollers and the Knee Blenders. The
Holy Rollers were organized about six
years ago on the shores of Canandai.
qua lake, and the story of the rise of
this strange religious sec! is absurdly
out Of place in the twentieth century.
He'll is the chief tenet OF the Holy
Rollers belief-a hell of sputtering
birthstone and flames that eternally
torture, but never consume the bodies
Of the damned. To this hell is des-
tined every one who does not accept
the faith. The creed embodies doc.
trines which we're regarded as essential
to happiness 100 years ago. 1t is
creed that converts by fear, and the
writer has seen q number of young
women in various stages Of hysteria at
the conclusion Of a Holy Eoller revival
meeting. The leaders of the faith are
Mrs. Mary Mcintyre, Miss Emma
Chase, Professor N. L. Eastman and
Elder James Woodworth of Syracuse,
N. y. Regeneration is effected in
several ways, the course of treatment
including prayer, bathing, robing, and
baptism by immersion. When these
remedies prove futile in cleansing the
soul OF the sinner, the penitent is
obliged to perform what the believers
call the holy roll" The unregener-
ate lies on the floor at one end of the
building and rolls over and over like
log until every one present is satisfied
that the devil has been rolled out.
Sometimes the ceremony lasts q quar-
ter OF an hour, but if the convert has
been an unusually tough customer, he
may be compelled to roll for four or
five hours-a most heroic method of
securing salvation. As tue subject
rolls by the kneeling audience, every
person has the privilege to ask such
questions as each sees fit and the con-
vert must make satisfactory answers
before he is allowed to rise. The sins
OF lifetime must be confessed in de-
tail, and the innermost secrets of the
soul made public.
The Holy Rollers have operated ex.
tensively in central and western New
York, and certain small communities
are in condition of religious excite.
ment not unlike that which marked
the beginning of Mormonism. Perhaps
the strongest feature of this frenzy is
the establishment OF the strangest OF
sects, the adherents of which call
themselves Knee Benders. The Kuee
Benders are a small community and
live along the eastern shore of Seneca
lake. This sect originated about five
years ago. At that time a Swedish
farmer named Burson, man OF some
education, began to act in a strange
manner. He claimed that be had Wis.,
ions and refused to assist in work on
the farm, and spent most of his time
on a knoll near the lake. He re-
mained on his knees and in answer to
all inquiries said that the great Jeho-
vah had commanded him to remain
the rest OF his life in this uncomfort-
able position. Shortly after receiving
this interesting but inconvenient reve.
lation he began to preach, his themes
being on socialistic lines. Gradually
his relatives became imbued with the
sincerity of his preachings and es-
poused the strange religion. The en-
tire family soon began to live on their
knees. The enthusiasts now number
about 200. The Knee Benders deny
the existence of punishment in the
next world, declaring that hell will
come on earth in the shape of some
great sorrow for the wrong -doer. Pray
ers are not made to the Supreme Be-
ing, but to Nature, which is held &C.
countable for all changes in the ele.
ments and all accidents caused by fire,
wind and water. Socialism is the pri-
mary principle OF this queer religion; !;
the farms OF the enthusiasts are worked
in common, and it is claimed that the
wedding, planting and hoeing are done
on all fours by the Knee Benders.
They hold knee bending services five
times day on the knoll where Burson
was "inspired," and in the worship
their faces are turned always toward
the sun. Each week q revival meeting
is held, and, ridiculous ae the thing is,
the Knee Blenders keep adding con.
verts. Such story as this belongs to
100 years ago, but as an illustration OF
religious frenzy dominating the hui