The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-10-05
HOLY ROLLERS IN VERMONT
Waited in Rain at West Derby for
End of World

West Derby, Oct 5.-This town has
just emerged and partially recovered
from an experience similar to that OF
West Duxbury, Mass, Derby being
the Mecca of Vermont Holy Rollers
during the recent end of the world
vigil
An apostle of this singular sect
came here syeral weeks ago and be-
gan a vigorous campaign, announcing
the near approach of the millennium.
Ii is said that several Derby people,
who at first looked on the movement
with amusement, became strenuous
believers. 1t is also said that the con-
verts were given a vigorous treatment
in preparation for the great event,
one stunt being to place the candidate
in a PROSTATE position and then adj
minister long and severe drubbing
TO drive out evil and innoculate the
convert with the holy ghost"
One aged man, who possessed of
considerate means, gave away several
thousand dollars and was about to
dispose of his farm in like manner
when his son arrived and succeeded in
getting himself appointed the old
mans guardian just before the pap
ers were drawn. Many of the far
mers neglected their crops and there
was a general disregard of things
temporal
Unlike their Duxbury brethren the
| Rollers gathered here did not believe
that they were on ground exempt
from the coming end of the world.
The believed that after eight days of
prayer and meditation they were to
be carried skyward in a white cloud.
while their wicked neighbors would
be cut into small pieces and. still liv-
ing. float about in their own blood.
The local pilgrims met on each of
the eight evenings at various private
houses. the sessions being held in
| darkness. Although for the most
part the community regarded them
with amusement and pity few heart
less practical jokers could not let the
situation pass unnoticed. On one
evening one of these funny fellows
| attended the Rollers meeting while
his friends assembled on a neighbor-
ing hill with a bugle, megaphone and
large quantity of brushwood. When
the fanatics had worked themselves
| tliAO a HiOBtl PUN VI NANiNNAANht III
stole out and signalled the hilltop.
Immediately the bonfire was touched
off, the shrill notes of the bugle pierre
ed the evening quiet, and the man
with the megaphone got busy The
effect was such as to satisfy the boys
most sanguine expectations.
On another evening the Rollers re-
ceived an equally startling shock
from an altogether different source. A
Canadian steamboat stranger to the
Vermont end of Lake Memphremagog
came down TO Newport to be inspect
ed by government officials. When
| they tried out the searchlight, with no
malice aforethought they happened to
direct its powerful rays into the win
dows of house where some fifty of
| the Rollers were assembled. In an
instant every person in the room was
on his feet and rush for the door
| followed The men and women
shouted, IT'S come, it's comet roll
ing in the road and leaping in the
air When they found out it was
little Canadian steamer instead of the
angel Gabriel their faith was undim-
inished and they resumed with their
prayer and meditation.
On the evening following the land
ing of the party who had been mp the
lake for clambake and added some
what to the noise of their brass band
upon landing served as another false
alarm.
After tarrying the prescribed eight
days and one or two more to make
sure the pilgrims gradually dispersed,
having received word that the final
ity of material things had been post
poned for twenty years.