The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1921-03-30


east of Brookhaven, what is common
ly known as a holy Rollers Meet
ing is being held. This meeting has
been going on some days now at this
location, and is similar in character
and conduct, it is stated, to many
held before it in various portions of
the county for some time past. The
writer does not know what has trans
pired at some of these other meetings
the record of which reaches back in
this section several years. This ar
ticle will attempt to describe, with
out criticism and in a fair way, last
Sunday evenings service.
ATTENDANCE IS PHENOMENAL.
BY comparison with the attendance
on other religious bodies at that
time and regardless of the location
and rude equipment for the peoples
accommodation at the place of the
Holy Rollers meeting it outdistanced
all other Easter Sunday assemblies.
We had been directed how to reach
the place of service; but stopped by
mistake at Mallalieu for few sec
onds. At this church regular SER
vices were being held, the attendance
being a mere handful. It. was not
necessary at this point to get any
further directions, for through the
air came a great volume of song and
sound from the grove of swaying
trees short distance further down
the road and alongside Of it.
When this point was reached to
the uninitiated as we were, the sight
presented was surprising to say the
least, so great was the crowd. Ev-
cry sort Of vehicle was parked along
both sides of the road for quarter of
a mile. In fact, the car we were
in had to stand still at last on ac-
count of blockade. A farmer, COM
ing along in a buggy and going to
see a sick relative down the road, had
to wait for an hour before 1t was
possible to clear the way enough to
let him pass through. Meantime a
truck from some section of the coun-
ty containing about 40 people mo-
tored up and helped to add to the
problem Of moving on or out. Peo-
pie were there walking-they came
in cars, on bicycles, on mule and
horseback, in buggies and in wagons
in fact they came just any way
they could, just so they got there. 1t
would not be extravagant to say
that fully 1900 people were on the
service grounds Sunday night.
SERVICES IN oPEN-No TENT.
NO BUILDING.
The services are held under a
branch covered arbor. A large num-
Der Of plank seats for the crowds
are placed under canopy formed by
small blackjack cuttings thrown a.
cross rafters made from saplings cut
near by. The preachers stand and
rostrum presents a scene with
background Of feed sacks sewed to-
gether, reinforced In a small way on
each end, by pieces apparently rem
nants Of old tents. In this impro-
vised and primitive auditorium"
which is lighted at night by four or
five gasoline burners the people are
gathering together to listen to men
"a dozen or more preachers are said
to be on the grounds-who exhort
vigorously through the reading of
Scripture, through song and intimate
personal appeal while awaiting a
Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy
Spirit.
PREACHING NOT EXCEPTIONAL.
The preaching service proper was
not exceptional, other than that it
was extremely informal and charac-
terized by great physical exertion, in
terspersed with "Hallelujahs" and
"Amens" world without end. FIRE.
.quent calls were made by the chief
speaker upon other brother ministers
present to read certain passages from
the Bible which he would repeat af-
ter them, few words at a time un-
til the sentences were completed.
Able seconding of the sermon at nu-
merous points is made by members
of the Holy Rollers who have "got
it" already, as the term is, when they
believe they are "endued with Pow
er from on High" and "see the light"
as 1t Is held cut to them. The con-
yerts are SO happy they laugh a great
deal.
AS we understand the service the
teachings of the Rollers is confined
to the Bible as they interpret it. we
learned from the chief speaker at
Sunday nights session the Rollers
do not have any church to join; there
isn't any under their code. It's the
Church of Cod. All they ask is
that the people believe the Bible and
follow it.
The true Holy Roller believer is
firm in his idea that the Lord will
always provide way. An example
of this was furnished Sunday after
noon here when one of the repre-
sentatives who took part in the sun
day night service came to Brookha-
ven on the south-bound cannon bali
and on being asked by one Of our
taxi drivers il he wanted a car, re-
piled: mo, haven't got the money
to pay for It, but want to get out
to Mallalieu to take part In the SER
vice there tonight. am not worried
though, because the Lord will pro-
vide a way, and send some one to
take me-" In few moments, SO the
taxi man asserts, up walked a fell