Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-14

was in the prime of life and thought not
of death he considered it perfectly sooo
doctrine to have more than one wife
When old age made the vision OF .ne
grave something more than theme for
sermons-an impending surety-he gave;
ex cathedra. an edict to his people thai az
heads of families should return to lhe'f
first and. by law. only welded wives.
For the man realized, then that his con-
siderable estate belonged to the woman
with whom in the first place he had eN-
changed vows the first nature of Whlch
were later to be adjusted to suit the re-
lision he was little by little evolving.
Sect Is Disturbed.
Like thunder from sunny skies to the
second third and fourth wives of Crowdy
and others high In the church, came the
amendment of the dying Crowdy. that all
male members of his faith return to their
first wives, who. with their children only
would be recognized by the church as
legitimate.
The prophet himself returned to his
first wife. from whom he had been sep.
the members of the church had openly
violated the laws of the state regarding
matrimony. although because of the OBJ
security of the parties to these unions
there was no public comment. CrOwdy
conscience resulted in his leaving sew
eral women and children, his more re-
cent wives and progeny. nameiess ana
without income and many of his follow
ers found his return to conventional stand
ards and morality annoying. The elder to
be promoted to the Office of prophet
will probably make his first official act
an order restoring polygamy to the
church.
For this man is understood to feel as
tenderly solictous for the recognition OF
a certain young person as his wife as he
does to receive the mantle of the dead
prophet" POlyandry is also accepted by
this religious sect.
Remarkable Ideas
The church has various remarkable
ideas If married woman becomes a
member. and her husband refuses to fol-
low her. then. by the church rule, she
can choose husband in the congrega-
ton. The first legal marriage is nullified
the sect declares. 1t has thus come to
be jest among the negroes in the south
ern part of the city that if a woman
tires of her husband she had better be
come a member of the Church of God
and Saints of Christ" 1t is for this
among other reasons, that pastors of
orthodox churches have protested against
the Crowdy teachings.
Nephew May Become Head.
Crowdy's nephew. known as Elder
joe" is backed for the prophets seat by
many of his uncle's followers. He went
to Washington. the New Jerusalem of
the church. where Crowdy was wont to
sit in state. yesterday. There Isaiah and
Augustus Crowdy, the prophets sons.
live Elder joe is believed to have
gone there to fix up his fences with the
neirs of Crowdy. Isaiah and Augustus.
who have long managed the prophets"
worldly affairs. will get his estate.
Present indications are, however. that
Elder joe will not be made prophet
Elder Plummer of Boston, called the in
1ellectual giant of the sect, Is being
doomed as the next prophet. by the
presbytery of elders, which will meet in
this city next month Meanwhile pastors
of orthodox negro churches are threaten
ing to force the police to suppress fur
Their operations of the church in various
cities