Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-12
HIGH PRIESTS
Of COD AMAZE
MOUNTA|NFOLK
"HoIY Rollers" Writhe in Pit, Talk
in Tongues" and Submit
to Snake Bites.

GADSDEN, Oct 1.-THE law may
be invoked to stop strange and dan
gerous practices Of a religious sect
known as the Holiness People" or
Holy Rollers" Fanatical leaders
have stirred the ignorant mountain
people into q state Of frenzy In Eeo-
wah. DeKslb, Marshall. Cherokee,
jackson and adjoining counties, and
the conditions have reached such a
stage in some sections that the more
sober-minded citizens are seriously
considering taking steps TO interfere
and protect the weak and ignorant
from the Holy High Priests of God, 4"
whose practices border on the black
arts.
From lonely mountain settlements
reports are sitting in Of acts of cruel
~ and almost unheard-of frenzy on
the part CT the leaders and the lay
men. To impress their followers, the
exhorters have gone so far as TO Try
to raise the dead and perform other
.liracieS, even TO permitting snakes
to bite them while telling their peop.e
that they are possessed of the Holy
Ghost and therefore immune from
earthly harm.
How the "spirit'' Works.
The followers Of the strange cult
are taught that when once they be-
lieve in the doctrine they too, will be
possessed of all the power of the
teacher
Following every sermon a pit is dug
m the ground. and when a subject
comes under the influence Of the
power he is placed in the pit, where
ne rolls about, muttering a strange
gibberish. The preacher tells the con-
gregation that the subject Is possessed
of the Holy Spirit and is talking in a
strange tongue. which can only be
translated by one who has received
divine sanctification Frequently the
preacher translates the words the sub
ject utters, or which he claims he ut
tiers.
At some of the meetings as many
as 300 people have Joined and from 25
to so persons have been writhing in
the pit at the same time.
Men, women and children become
possessed" OF the spirit" Some sit
on the ground, their bodies swaying
backward and forward; some roll
about in the dirt. while others jump
up and down, always with the eyes
closed . and the lips pronouncing
strange syllables
Some Of the Victims have become
utterly exhausted and have remained
in a stupor for hours after their en-
feebled bodies refused to permit them
to continue their wild contortions
A court stenographer, visiting one
OF the meetings, traced the words ut
tered by a woman. "Yibbrie, yibbrie,
yako yako, pomba yamba chataka,
yekeddi chakoa, chakoa," and hun
dreds OF other meaningless sounds
were made.
Fanatics Undergo Torture.
That these people are in deadly ear
nest there can be little doubt, with
the exception OF some of the leaders,
who are educated and who are to all
indications preying upon the weak
nesses OF their followers. Some say
that the teacher has the true be-
lever under a hypnotic spell
The followers Of the cult do not be-
lieve in physicians, and when theiY
children fall sick they are permitted
20 die
One subject, a youth of DeKalb
County, permitted a rattlesnake to
bite him to show his people it could
not hurt him. He died a few hours
later
A REV" Holsap, holding a series of
meetings at Boaz, an enlightened com
munity in Marshall County. failed to
make the proper impression on the
audience, and to convince at least
some Of the people that his teachings
were correct, he let a rattler bite him
He suffered untold agony, but recov-
cred.
Think They Will Never Die.
Followers of the Holy Roller
preachers have been taught that the
end Of the world is near at hand, that
on the resurrection morn, after the
earth has been destroyed, they will be
conveyed 10 heaven by white-robed
angels. and Will never know the suf-
fering OF death.
The simplicity of some Of these I'M
educated people Of the mountains is
pathetic. They become angered when
one differs with them or makes an eff
fort to convince them their religion
is wrong. Anyone who attempts to
interfere Is considered an enemy to
God and Righteousness and a subject
for destruction. All fear OF the laws
Of man is lost The world sinks into
insignificance. and only the teaching
of the Holy High Priest Of Cod is
taken into account
The Holy Rollers invaded this sec.
ton of the State almost two years
ago.