Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-07-27
SINGULAR SECTS.


commonly called the Holy Rollers, but
We have not seen in the public prints
any fair and succlnct account OF the
ienets which those alleged fanatics en-
terrain. It's taken FOR granted by the
public press thai Crefield. who was
killed by young Mitchell Tor leading
away his sister from her home 20 join
the body Of which he was a leader, *
ercised an immoral influence over the
young girl. and that There was some
thing lewd and unchaste IN tho re-
llgious exercises among the Rollers Il
was because Of this generally enter
tanned idea. that young Mitchell was
commented as well as acquitted for
the Staying Of CremCd.
There may have been some evidence
adduced during the trial which justified
this opinion II so, II has not come 10
our notice. In the case Of the shooting
Of Mitchell by his sister, It r. clean
that she denied the infamy which Al
tached 20 her through tho actions of
har brother. rrchieds wife and Miss
Mitchell appear TO be in the closest
friendship and harmony and nothing
that has transpired concerning their
conduct and association gives color 10
the suspicion Of an Illicit relationship
I'm. a.. a-.s,..H ftrrE.fa
We arc not defending the Holy Roll
lers. FOR we are not fully advised as to
their teachings and practices. There
fore We do not Join in The general con-
demnation which has been passed on
them, as We think. without sufficient
evidence. That the sect holds some Pc
culiar notions about the religious effect
Of rolling on the ground Is quite ap-
parent, but that they associate with II
anything Of the Kind suggested hy their
opponents has not yet been subsian.
uatod.
The society called the Holy Rollers
did not originate in the state Of Wash
ington, but IN the State Of New York.
II made n considerable stir IN the vest
ern part of that state some time ago.
and aroused a great deal Of opposition.
u was one Of those peculiar excite
mcnts that occur Al what are called
"Revivals,' and the antics indulged
IN were not much n any more ludlcrous
and Objectionable than many other acts
OF religious intoxication which attend
such cxcitements. Tho New York Tri-
hupne Of recent date had an article IA
reference TO this matter. which throws
some light on the subject and we quote
from It the following.
The Holy Rollers were organized
about six years ago on the shores OF
Canadaigua lake. and the story OF The
rise Of this strange religious sect IS
absurdly out of place In the goth cen-
tury Hell is the chief tenet OF the
Holy Rollers belief--a he'll OF sputter-
ing birthstone and flame that eternally
torture, but never consume. the bodies
of the damned. To this hell Is des-
ti.ed every one who does not accept
the faith. The creed emhodles doc
trines which were regarded as essen
tia TO happiness 100 years ago II Is
a creed that converts by fear. and the
writer has seen "A number OF Young
women IN various Stages ~ hysteria
20 the conclusion 81 "a Holy Roller re-
Yiyal meeting. The leaders Of the
faith are Mrs Mary Mcintyre. Miss
Emma Chase. Prof y. L. Eastman and
Elder James Woodwork Of Syracuse.
y. y. Regeneration Is effected in sew
eral ways. the course OF treatment In
GLIDING pHyer. bathing robing and
baptism by immersion When these
remedies prove futile boz cleansing the
soul OF the sinner the penitent is
obliged 20 perform what the believers
call the holy roll The unregencrate
lies on the noor at one end Of the
building and rolls over and over llks
log until every one present is satisfied
that the dcyil has been rolled out
Sometimes the ceremony lasts a quar-
ter Of an hour. but n the convert has
been an unusually tough customer
De may be compelled 20 roll foi four or
five hours "a most heroic method ~
securing salvation. As the subject
rolls by the kneellng audience every
person has the privilege 20 ask such
questions a. each sees ut and the
convert must make satisfactory an
sWers before he Is allowed to rise. The
tins of "a lifetime must be confessed in
detail and the luneunost secrets Of the
soul made public
The same paper gives some narticu-
lars IN reference 90 another sect
which arose IN western New York
about the same time as the movement
81 the Holy Rollers. The New York
paper refers 20 the state Of excite
ment under which these sects arose as
being 'not unlike that which marked
the beginning of MormOnism." I'm this
remark there is AS usual when Nor
mouism' is referred Go O great mise
take. "Mormonivm" TT Us very incep-
tion was opposed 10 an such spiritual
inebrety az that which IS exhibited in
revival gatherings and emotional ex-
erclses. Improperly called religious Il
appeals 70 the intellect uthcr than 10
the emotions Il requires rational IN
yestigation and its ordinances and
ceremonies are absolutely free from
those performances that carry away
their devotees into unseemly and &C.
centric actions
"Momonism' az the very start de-
nounced ana such euatlc movements
as From the devil" and declared the
operations OF the Spirit Of God are
20 guide into truth temperance. vlr.
tue sobuoty ana order. Ba, the New
York Tribune adds the following re-
marks concerning ne establishment
Of what So calls the stIanrest Of an
sects' The adhUents of which are
known az Knee Blenders" Il says.
TIE Knee Blenders are small com.
muuity and live along the eastern shore
y SENECA lake. This sect originated