Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-03-12
RELIGIOUS FREAKS.
Dowie, the "HoIy Rollers" and Other
Sects.

dy'S closing scene. surely remark
able personality. that played marvel
lous role in life entirely unique.
Fifteen years ago he founded Zion
City, an Industrial town Of over 1000
persons. Its factories and stores were
humming hives of industry; but now
his wealth Is gone, and the communi-
tvs debt stands at s1,300,000.
The downfall of Dowie and Dowie-
ism dates from Elijah Ills" pilgrim
age to New York three years ago to
convert what he was pleased to call the
worlds wickedest city. Alas, the pill
grimage only resulted in ridicule and
a loss Of nearly 100000! But 1t was
only a few weeks before last Christmas
that the end came. On that day II
was announced that Zion City would
be abandoned. On that day, Dowie
made his last appeal to the faithful
few remaining. But even to them he
was a poor imbecile, raving incoher-
emily in warlike figures Of speech that
marked the ringing down Of the cur
tain on a tragi-comedy that was over.
And then there Is that other Elijah
Sanford, who built his huge temple
at a cost of 100000 on the sandhills
near Durham, in the state Of Maine,
Sandford came near rivalling Dowie
as a prophet, and began to build the
foundations of the temple with his own
hands in 1893. AS showing the Gre
dulity of the Americans, 1t may be
mentioned that at this time the mans
sole possessions were a wheelbarrow
and a shovel. AS he labored, he was
jeered at by the farmers; yet one af-
ter another of them fell under his in
f1uenee and adopted his strange
tenets.
IT zee" many Of them sold their
rich farms and gave all they had in
the world to the new Elijah. He sent
missionaries into foreign lands, and
immigrants for the new faith colony
began to arrive at Ellis Island, the ia
nous immigration station in New
York harbor. The new prophet i'm
posed fasts Of incredible duration; he
himself claimed to raise the, dead to
life; and his faith cures" were her
aided far and wide.
Physicians and the orthodox church
es Of the state tried to combat the new
craze, but in vain. Like many anoth-
er, Sanford throve on persecution; said
he was the representative Of God, and
ruled even his richest and most pow
erful adherents with an iron rod. But
the end soon came. The vast pile of
wood, brick and stone on Beulah Hill
began to look deserted, rats infested
the prayer rooms in the minarets.
None remained but few half-starved
dupes in the stronghold, where the
impudent charlatan claimed to have
talked with the Almighty.
The governor Of Maine ordered an
investigation Of life behind the bars Of
the New Zion, and Sandford's assist
ant, Moses" Holland, was hailed forth,
with O. number Of half-insane Great
ures, who were handed back to their
own people more dead than alive.
Sandford's wealth Is still believed to
be great, for he deposited large sums,
given by believers, in various banks
throughout the United States. His as
sistant, Moses" and other lieutenants,
would pray with uplifted arms day and
night for weeks at time. Without a
moments break the petitions ascend
ed; food was brought to the praying
men and women when they were about
to faint from exhaustion-and money
flowed in a steady stream Ito the tenn
pie builded on the sand"
Fantastic as these things are, they
are excelled by what is to come.
Sanford bought a fleet an old
barkentine and two yachts. With
Elijah" Sandford and Moses" Hol-
land as admirals, they put to sea with
seventy of the flock The Holy
Fleets" destination was kept secret;
but it leaked out later that the pill
grims were at Beirut, in Syria. Their
leader had acquired land near Joppa,
and there some at least Of the Holy
Ghosters' may remain. At present,
however, the state authorities In
Maine are trying to wind up the affairs
Of this disastrous sect.
Away out in Seattle, in the far
northwestern state Of Washington, the
Holy Rollers" are in full swing, and
already they have caused blood to flow.
George Mitchell, despairing young
man, who claimed that the lives Of his
two sisters had been ruined by Frank
E. Garfield, the so-called "Joshue" of
the sect, shot the leader dead.
And the affair had a terrible sequel.
One Of the Misses Mitchell followed
her brother to court in Seattle, and in
the midst Of the hearing produced a
revolver and shot him dead. AS re-
suit the Holy Rollers on the Pacific
coast had to fly for their lives, for the
murder of young Mitchell aroused wild
frenzy against t. N.
This sect was organized six years
ago by the shores Of Canandaigu Lake,
in western New York. Belief in hell
Is their cfef tenet, and conversation is
by fear. The penitent lies on the floor
at the end Of great hall and rolls
over and over like a hypnotized Hindu
az a big "mela" until the authorities
are satisfied the devil is rolled out of
him. This fantastic ceremony has
lasted as long as five hours, and as the
unhappy penitent rolls the sins of a
lifetime are elected from him by con-
fession.
There are also the "Flying Rollers" "
with headquarters at Be2ton Harbor,
Mich. These claim converts even from
Australia, where they have had mis-
sonaries at work. At their "purifica-
ton meetings" great fire is built,
and the converts throw their treasures
into the flames to show they forsake
all things for the faith.
All this Is tragic enough, but there
is comedy in the "Sanctified Church of