The San Francisco call., 1909-02-10
CROWD A DAMPER
ON HOLY ROLLERS
Curious Mob Treated to Hys-
terics, but Denied Scene
of Real Rolling"

With q crowd blocking the meeting
hau from wall TO wall. jammed in the
door and falling through the windows,
the gathering of the Holy Rollers at
ass Tenth street, Oakland. last night
was not the Wild scene OF frenzied emo
ton il had been during the last few
evenings. There were hysterical pleas
and fmpassioned speeches from several
OF the devotees OF the cult but there
was absolutely no rolling And the
presence Of the huge crowd was direct
~ responsible for this fact.
Men climbed upon each others
shoulders at the rear OF the building 10
get a view Of the stage on which the
score OF members of the devout body was
gathered. Women climbed upon chairs.
one boy was thrust through window,
taking the pane with him. The whole
meeting was merely a show place for
the curious crowd. Every effort or the
Rollers" to gather converts from the
scofing mob was unaVailing.
PUBLICITY VIEWED TWO WAYS
During the first part of the meeting
the Rollers shouted that the publicity
they were getting in the press was do
sng them good in advertising the tact
that there was one sincere religious
body among the sects. When they were
IaIs" they were screaming that the
press notices were nothing more or less
than prosecutions. such as Christ him.
self experienced. and such as the bible
said all Christians must expect. But
at the end they were compelled 10 ad-
nit mutely, that the publicity they
had aroused had worked anything but
good for them. for the crowd, drawn
by the accounts Of the wild meetings,
forced them to end the session before
IL had attained that climax of hysteria
peculiar 10 the Rollers
Little Evangeline Barbosa Of 1894
Twelfth street, whose rolling" conduct
aroused such a sensation at Monday
nights meeting. was not present last
night al the request OF the leader OF
The cult J. II. Sparks, who is attempt
ing to soothe the emotions of his fol-
lowers.
Elizabeth Rusk Of 2Os Eighth street
however, the child who fell in faint
Sunday night, after a protracted hys-
terical speech, last night worked her
self into an almost equal fit of emo
tional fervor. She shrieked and ex-
horted for over Is minutes, and at last
became so hysterical that her organs
Of speech failed her at times, and she
emitted only ,gasps and shuddery
blubbering. When sthe girl sat down
exhausted. painting and speechless
sparks was NlSADLE AEAlEf Gu
HOWLs AND PRAYER
After long prayer, in which Sparks
led. and the balance of the Rollers
rnoaned and howled in a loud chorus
numerous revival songs were given
and Sparks followed with a fervid dis
course which started his followers or
long testimonials" Then again Spark;
talked, exhorting sinners to join hi.
flock. and announced that the public
v,r7xT Tsaf Z,
one. to receive only those desirous o.
becoming members, would be held. NJ
one left the hall, however, though
Sparks told them again and again Z
do so. and that the accounts published
OF the orgies were incorrect Th'
crowd stuck il out for half hour, anC
then Sparks cspitulated, turned out th'
lights, and abandoned his meeting.
The members Of the Rollers declared
last night that they endeavored TO liv'
exactly as the apostles did and tha
their religion was an apostolic one.
Rev. William Day Simonds, d. D.
pastor Of the First Unitarian church
of Oakland. condemned the Holy Roll
ers- without reservation. He said
This Organization is bad all through
In Seattle the founder and leader o
the cult was shot dead in the street b.
The brother of woman he has
wronged. The brother was tried ant
acquitted and he was afterward sho
and killed by his sister These trage
dies aroused public sentiment agains
the Holy Rollers to such a high pitcl
that the followers of the organization
were compelled TO leave the city. Sub
seouently they were driven out o
many other cities on the coast for thei
notorious practices.
INSANITY AND IMMORTALITY
Summed up briefly the teachings o
this cult lead to insanity and immoral
ity. 1t would he to the best interest
OF the city if the police were to driv
them out of Oakland. / want to b
charitable in my attitude toward al
sincere religious bodies. but when
feel that an organization is thoroughl
bad I feel il my duty 10 condemn it,"