The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-11-02
Heavenly Gates Drops Dartmouth to Get Religion

l 1oOStOAAk 1NONS 6-NO9 J-AA0AA AAA& - ton K. (Heavenly) Gates, Dart mouths able blocking qIArterback, turned his back forever on college and football today to seek peace and contentment with the Holy Ghost and Us" Society high in the New Hampshire hills.
 Exchanging gridiron togs for over- alls, the 24-year-old Saugus, Mass, youth worked with fellow members of the religious cult, also known as the Legion of God" on its Salem Turkey farm at Amherst, N. H.
 The cult believes that it alone can save souls from annihilation. Its regulations forbid the use of liquor, certain foods and contact with the outside world. Since its members believe 8 new great flood some day will envelope the earth, the cults farms all are situated on high ground.
 Gates resignation from Dart mouth was disclosed last night in an extraordinary press interview hastily called in a Boston hotel by Robert P. (Whitey) Fuller, the cole lege publicity director, on orders by Dean Lloyd K. Neidlinger. Too Rough
 Belief that football aggressiyeness violated the tenets of the cult, of which he has been a member. for nearly three years, prompted Gates resignation, Fuller said. 1AtncS Ia0fcirvN kS frvauo1rA rn1lanpA life and football fame came only "A hours after he entered the Dart inouth-Yale game Saturday and, with only three days practice, helped halt the Ellis first-period touchdown march and then, as quarterback, lead his teammates to a 24-6 victory.
 At i p. m. Sunday he was enthus- iastically discussing with teammates at the training table prospects of a win over Cornell.
 Three hours later, however, he taxied from the college at Hanover, N. H., to White River Junction, Vt, went by train to Manchester, N. H., and motored 12 miles to the cult farm at Amherst.
 His letter of resignation was re- ceived by Dean Neidlinger Sunday night and next day the Dean, Fuller and Joe Pyrtek, friend and former teammate of Gates, went to the cult farm.
 For two hours they pleaded with Gates to return to college, but he remained adamant.
 "He insisted that he had left the college voluntarily and he refused to leave the colony" Neidlinger said in a signed statement released by Fuller. "He seemed convinced that he should complete his college course, but uncertain that he could remain in college and resist the temptation of football"
 Leader of the cult at Amherst is Joseph Holland, 35, a former Bates college athlete, who resides on the farm with his wife and seven- month-old daughter Winola. Others at the farm include Kenneth Sand ford, 20, of Durham, Me, MT. and Mrs. John Fuller of Easton, Me, Randolph Paige, 22, of Ottawa, Kan, and Amos Anderson, 21, and Everett Knight, IS, both of Dur ham.
 The Holy Ghost and Us Society was founded in 1893 at Durham. Me. by Frank Sandford, who called himself "Elijah." Sanford also was a former Bates College athlete, at one time being considered for major league baseball.
 Not So Bad
 Money from converts poured into the treasury from all over the world. The world not ending as he had predicted, Sanford announced that God had commissioned him to go forth and convert the heathen. Legend said that when he prayed for money, a $l0,000 check appeared and he thereupon purchased the 150-ton schooner Coroaet.
 The last of many voyages on the Coronet was made in 1911, when eight members of the party died of privatiot1. and scurvy. Convicted of "neglecting the welfare" of his crew, Sanford was sentenced to 10 years in the federal penitentiary at At lanta, but was released for good be- haviour in 1913.
 Sandford returned to Maine, but found his followers had scattered. then de disappeared.
 Teammates said Gates apparently had debated the step for many months before deciding to give up college. Star quarterback and block CT last fall, he did not report for practice this year until, unable to resist longer. he appared suddenly three days before the Yale game.
 At the college he had kept much to himself, making few close friends. He paid his expenses by selling furniture and working as a waiter in Clark school for board. He spent summers at the cult farm.
 Had he continued at Dartmouth, he would have graduated in June. He was good student, having won at least one scholarship.
 Gates Is one of II children of El- der Gates of Saugus, Mass, an em-