McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1916-03-17
!! NEW YORK !
!, LETTER
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EDITOR INDEPENDENT:

References was made. in former
letters, to the Holy Rollers, a peculiar
set of religious enthusiasts who sprang
into the public's notice in the West
land even as far east as Maine) some
years ago, and it may be Of interest
to some readers to know just what
those people did that brought them
into such notoriety.
Religion is very personal and sa-
cred thing. Almost any kind Of re-
ligious belief is better than none. l
have more regard for an honest Mo-
hammedan than for an atheist. Faith
10 future life. and in 'the substance
Of things not seen" appears to be nee
essary to the mental and moral devel-
opment of mankind, and | am far from
| desiring to make light of religion.
But fanatics have gone too far in
their teachings and practices, and are
to be classed with dangerous people.
Primitive people are much more
emotional than those who have rubbed
against the so-called culture of the
world. My mother used to tell me of
the old.fashioned camp-meetings in
McNairy county, at which the women,
and even the men, got to shouting at
the top of their voices, with happy
religious feeling. while some would
fall in a faint. Who would wish to
take away from them their happiness,
and who could claim that they were
any the worse for their momentary
exhaltation? But when it comes to
getting so intoxicated with the Spirit
that one has to roll on the floor like a
drunken person, and iabber like an
idiot, the thing has gone too far.
Many Of us have heard negroes at
their worship, when after about elev-
en- hours of loud exhortation on the
part of the leather-lunged preachers,
the black listeners were worked up to
a high pitch Of frenzy. My father,
who had a keen sense Of humor, once
described part of negro Methodist
service he heard in Atlanta, Georgia.
The dusky preacher was lambasting
old Satan at a great rate, and from
various parts Of the church came such
expressions Of approval as: "Dat's
right. preacher" Lord grant it." Fl
aally, in q burst Of eloquence, the old
preacher cried out: 20 Lord, we doc
pray thee to curtail the powers Of the
Debbil" and a black brother some.
where 10 a corner sang out: Oats
right, Lord! Cut his tail smack, smoof
off"
| The Holy Rollers we're somewhat
like the Holiness people. "only much
more So" They believed they we're
incapable Of committing any more sin,
and that the Holy Ghost descended in
to their bodies and made it's presence
felt by the unknown tongue" an in
coherent babbling Of sounds which
we're no words at all, but which were
hailed by the Rollers as sure sigr
of their final acceptance and redemp.
tion.
A shrewd fanatic who called him.
self Adam God. and claimed to be The
brother of Jesus Christ. went through
Missouri and Kansas eight years ago
and had quite a following. They livei
on what they could pick up by tht
wayside, and preached their weirt
doctrine Of fire and birthstone and o.
damnation to everybody but those Wit
chose to think as thry did. The lead
er declared that he was immortal
} that neither fire nor weapon could in
jure him, and that be was born il
heaven. Several families followed
; him, men, women and children, ant
one day they went into Kansas City
| They were praying on the streets al
dav. but at night retired to the house
D boats which they had on the river
} The laws of the city required that al
children under certain age be il
2 school. and when the officer told Adam
: God that the young ones in his crow,
4 must 90 to school, he answered
Christ never went to school; are the,
D better than he vast" Then the of
5 ficer tried to arrest him. He resist
8 ed. and others Of his sect ran to hi
rescue with drawn revolvers, and 500
= there was a battle on the streets, i
; which some people were killed and
q number wounded, including the re
doubtable Adam God himself. who ha
; both hands shot. He succeeded in ei
e caninn hnt the sinhk of his hlaadin