Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-14
'HOLY ROLLER IS DEAD
Prophet CroWdy Was Also
Boss of the 'FootWashers."
SAID HE COULDN'T DIE
And Followers Now Say He Is Just
Sleeping"
GROWTH OF PECULIAR SECT
There's One of the Churches Here in
Town With Sanity Cash
Grocery Attached.
GROWTH OF PECULIAR SECT


I
: prophet William S. Crowdy. founder
of the famous "Footwashers'' aud Holy
Rollers whose local church is at 4th
street and New York avenue. is dead.
: When he left this city three months
ago apparently in bad health, he told
his followers he could not die. And his
family and the heads of the local church
here refused to talk TODAY when asked
about the death of the leader.
He has gone to SLEEP, one of the
inembers admitted. however. and will be
seen no more leading the Washers and
imprinting 1.-The holy kiss
Prophet Crowdy succumbed to an at
tack of paralysis in Baltimore several
DAYS ago. A funeral service was held I'm
the tabernacle of the Church of God
and Saints of Christ in Philadelphia. and
his body was laid to rest in Newark, N.
j.. this week.
His Following Was Large.
: Prophet Crowdy came to Washington
TO organize a church several years ago.
His peculiar doctrines regarding marriage
and his bestowal of the name of "Daugh-
ters of Jerusalem on his woman follow
ers won him large adherence. He con-
Quoted regular services at the little wood
en- church at 18th street and New York
avenue
About three months ago he appeared to
be losing his health.
He is not i'll: but God is visiting upon
him the sins of his congregation, friends
of the prophet" told the followers.
He himself maintained that he could not
die. but he admitted that he might be
called to heaven; ard his followers be-
lieved him. His death. it is feared by the
church leaders, may create doubts o. the
prophets inspiration" So those in Wash
ington are keeping as mum as clans re-
garding this incident. At his former home
at lib L street all information is re-
fused.
Yes, the prophet has gene to sleep D..
Elder Tyler. the head of the local con-
gregation: told a Star reporter this morn
WHO is his successor" the elder was
asked
Bishop Crowdy was a prophet and there
can be no other prophet. Moses was
prophet. but when he went to sleep Joshua
succeeded him and Joshua was no
prophet.
who are the heads of the church now?'
the local elder was asked.
The prophet selected them long be-
fore he went to Sleep" was the reply.
nephew of the bishop. who is in Philadel
phia; Oliver Tyler Of Boston and L. Calvin
Skinner of Emporia. Kan
Big Man in the Church.
The death of the prophet" has re-
suited in a deep sense of loss here. for
ehe was no small man in the local
Church of Cod He gathered around
him several hundred colored women and
men. and they all had their feet wash
ed by an elder Many services were
held and Prophet Crowdy was the In
SEPARATION Of all the rites.
Crowdy also established other institu-
There is a Church of God cash restau-
rant near the structure and Church
of God cash grocery-with special ref
erenee to the cash" each tipe-on N
street near Sth street And the self
styled bishop lived in a handsome
home on u street.
One day when the Rev William s.
Crowdy was cooking in a hotel out west
vision came to him. he said. and
plainly admonished:
Go into great city and establish a
church.
Crowdy heard the CALI and chose
Philadelphia. There were some odd
formalities mixed up with his INSPIRED"
belief. but they seemed to catch the
crowd. and hundreds swarmed to the
little hall where he hung out his sign
NO one was admitted into the Inner
circle of the sect without first having
had his feet washed by an elder Then
the member was in good and regular
standing with the brethren
Evidently the negroes of the Fitzwater
street district in the Quaker city were
looking for just such a faith when Crowdy
came along. for flocks of them were ush-
cred secretly to the Jersey shore of the
Delaware and were treated to the all-nec.
eSSary foot wash"
Women by the scores enrolled under the
standard of the Foot Washers" for they
were known as the Daughters of Jerusa-
lem" and they liked the high-soundine
title.
Bishop" Crowdy began to wonder how
the men might be attracted to the fold.
so he issued this simple edict:
Every woman in this church is de-
manded to induce her husband to ioin
The "Holy Kiss"
1t created all sorts Of comment and ex-
element among the Washers" For
there were a good number that never had
tied the nuptial knot. What were they to
do? Prophet" Crowdy came to the res
cue of his sisters" He invented the
holy kiss
This religious fervor-spending scheme
bore quick fruit. Men packed the meet
ings and Prophet" Crowdy patted himself
on the breast with satisfying pats again.
In a month the congregation increased
twofold. and many of the unmarried sis
ters" had launched on the blissful sea.
The kiss rivaled the spiritual kiss of
the Holy GhOsters." and the five-minute
stage kisses In the soul kiss
In fact. Bishop Crowdy's up-to-date
evangeliZing agents proved to be SO sue
cessful that downtown ministers, twenty
of them. whose congregations had been
drained. declared war against the leader
of the new doctrine.
Even though the prophet had taxed
every member of his faith one-tenth Of
their daily income for the maintenance
of the church of the Foot Washers.
there were no "backsliders.''
Then came the final chance for the
clergymen of the other negro churches.
Smallpox broke out in the camp of the
Foot Washers" and Crowdy tried his
hand at curing the disease Five per-
sons died suddenly. and the bishop"
was being hunted across the country by
the police.
Grew Like the Bay Tree.
Immediately the twenty protesting min
listers of other faiths began to pray that
Dr. Martin. then director CT the Phila-
de,phia health department.. might succeed
in landing the self-appointed leader,
Il