Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-10-23
odd RELIGIOUS SECT.
sPURNs JEWELRY AND oRNA-
MENTs AND GOOD CLOTHES.
~church Of Living God" Holding Re
vival Services in Park at Free
water, ore.-Pay Holy Vow
In Washina of Feet.

such vain things as good clothes, jew
elry and ornaments, with fervor
born Of religious fanaticism. with
rites Of feet washing. greeting each
other with kisses, the holding up of
hands and other evidences of enthusi-
asm and devotion, religious sect
calling itself the Church of the Liv-
ing Godv is holding revival services In
the city park here, and for several
days the faithful have been treking
this way in an effort to bring down
showers Of blessings" The public
rites OF the service are SO peculiar
that people are attracted to the meet
ings, while the personal adornment
Of the women, or rather the lack of
adornment, appeals to the public as
cross between religious enthusiasm
and poverty.
The. rites of the sect are many and
peculiar. The meetings are held in
large tent. while surrounding the
meeting house." as 1t is called, are
gathered many smaller tents. where
In simplicity and reverence the fam.
lilies Of the worshipers live, all the
families gathering alta common table
at meals and In other ways forming
community, Three public services
are held daily, one at 1890, another
at 2:30 and protracted session be-
ginning at 1880 IN the evening.
The preaching service is largely
made up Of Scripture readings, laying
special stress upon holiness and sane
tifcation. The Bible is held as the one
book to read, and from 1t comes all
the Inspiration given to the people by
the ministers. The meetings are of
the enthusiastic order, although none
of the antics of the Holy Rollers" Of
unsavory fame In southern Oregon q
few years ago. are allowed. During
intersperse the reading of the Bible
with songs or prayer the congregation
of the faithful extend their hands up.
ward and retain them in that position
until it would seem paralysis would
cause the posture to remain perma.
nent. In this position the minister
frequently maintains ais hands as q
method Of emphasizing his remarks Of
the effectiveness Of biblical quota
ton.
Among the congregation the holy
kiss" is used as token of good will
and of earnestness. Strong men greet
other men with the kiss. and women
are more free with the osculatory priv.
ilege among their own sex. than are
the women of other religious beliefs.
At given times feet washings" oc.
cur, in memory Of the occasion when
Christ washed the feet Of his disciples
as token of mental service. At
times Of religious conservation, when
kissing and feet washing constitute
much of the service, the minister
takes time to decry dancing and card
playing In bitter terms as coming
from the devil and unfit for the con
sideration Of the children OF men"
Nor is the air of earnestness and
fidelity confined to the men Of the
congregation. Women, in the excite.
ment OF the service, become as bois.
ferrous as the men. except the minis.
ters. whose duties are largely to con.
denim other religious beliefs and stir
their listeners into frenzy of reli.
gious fervor, with the idea OF future
punishment for the common herd and
future glory and dominion for the
saved, who enter through the door OF
this church
In the entire congregation there is
not to be found a ring or piece of jew
elry. scarcely watch to keep the
time; none of the cheaper hat orna-
ments are worn by the women, the
corset is denied even to young women,
and it is exceedingly bad form for q
man to appear with pressed trousers.
While music is allowed in the service,
1t must be of the old-fashioned sort,
the kind offered the people of Israel
1000 years ago. Nothing in the form
OF an organ or other musical instru-
ment Is allowed about the comp. But,
be 1t said to the credit of the congre-
cation, the singing is far superior to
that heard in many of the deliberately
equipped churches.
People from Spokane, Colfax, Day
ton and other places have come here
to camp and worship that their souls
may be filed with the gospel Of sane
tification." Men gather up their fam
lilies, leave their farms and work shops
and, without thought of the morrow,
come here Tor season to form part
OF community to help one another to
study the Bible and throw out the cor
rect light to the wayfaring pilgrim,
who otherwise may find himself in
perdition.
The Church OF the Living God, is
not entirely new, as 1t is said that a
publishing house is maintained In Vir-
ginia. where the first congregation was
formed. Small congregations are said
to meet In Walla Walla, Colfax and
In Spokane. but the number of COM
municants Is SO small that the congre-
| cations are required to get together In
. mass-meeting. hence the gathering
we're.
All About Her.
Winkle-=See that little woman In
black over there? I'll bet there are
u - ~.