Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-07-24
HOLY ROLLERS
RAVE in ORGY
WHITE AND BLACK WOMEN IN
DELIRI0US ECSTACY
Shout DoggereI of Unknown Tongue,
Declaring Everlasting Fire of
the Spirit Is Raging
Within Them

Led by a negro preacher, who ex-
horted them to a stage of frenzy bor-
dering on the insane, white and black
women screamed, shouted and writhed
in a delirium of religious mania at
2S10 West Tenth street last night at a
meeting of the Apostolic Faith, more
commonly known as the Holy Roll
ers" Although their frantic utterances
graVely. disturbed the peace of the
neigborhood, they continued their orgy
until, as they claimed. the spirit moved
them to desist.
The meetings are universally opposed
by the residents of that district, who
declare they will take steps at once to
have the disturbances suppressed. Not
only are the residents in that vicinity
unable to sleep, but they have suffered
losses of various articles which have
been stolen since the commencement of
the meetings.
r. A. Garrison, negro preacher,
formerly of the African Methodist
Episcopal church at Pine Bluff, Ark,
has charge Of the gatherings, which
are generally attended by dozen
members, both white and black. These
kiss and hug the pastor, and carry on
in a manner that, were 1t outside OF a
religious gathering, probably would
cause their arrest on charges OF IN
sanity. Last night Garrison was as
sisted by Rev. J. w. Sykes, a while
man, who claims he was formerly pas
tor of Baptist church at Detroit'
Mich, fbut has been in Los Angeles Ior
the last two years.
These meetings have been conducted
at the West Tenth street address for
the last three weeks, and the clrcum-
stances attending some of the services
have been disgraceful, according TO
witnesses who have watched the SER
vices.
Tuesday morning at 7 o'clock Deputy
Constable H. G.. Wright while passing
the place saw two women lying on tne
floor in a semi-conscious condition. He
went in and aroused them, but when
thew had recovered their senses they
began to revile him, claiming that he
had scared the spirit away and had
extinguished the everlasting fire that
was burning within their bodies. The
women refused to give their names, but
one of them is said to be Mrs. An
derson, a Swedish woman, who twice
has been confined at Patton
Cut Preachers Hair
Wednesday night gang of boys, it
Is said. entered the place and with a
nair of scissors cut the hair of the
negro preacher. 1t is also claimed they
! followed him to the car he was about
| 10 hoard and would have handled him
roughly had it not been for patrol
man who appeared on the scene.
Last night Patrolmen J. Lyons
and wilcox were on duty, and although
there was a large crowd around the
Mace there was no attempt at violence
except when the pastor and his asso-
! ciate left the building. The crowd then
! hissed and hooted them.
Patrolnan Lyons was on duty there
several nights ago and states tnat the
noise made by the rollers would put
an insane asylum to shame.
"I passed there at apoul o'oo cioSn'
said Lyons, "and / saw woman
whose name. I unden6tand. is Ander-
son she was shouting, screaming.
wrjthine and speaking some sort or
doegareI which they call the unknown
tongue, The woman was in frenzy
| and declared that she was moved py
the spirit and that the everlasting Hres
were raging within her ana she ueneu
| anv one to come near her because they
ss,o,,1d he burned If they did. She con-
tinued these antics until midnight, ana
| then fell exhausted to the floor. Sne
was picked up by some OF the congre-
cation and placed upon chairs Until
she could be revived
Sx,lres and Garrison both claim theirs
is the only true religion, and say they
are moved to speak in unknown
tongues and that the spirit moves tnem
and their followers to shout' scream
and writhe.
tinHe to assist Garrison in conducting
the the meetings, declared he would If the
snir,t moved him to do so, but II II
ala NOT he would assist some other
meeting. He denies he was forced to
resign or expelled from the pastorate
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