Holy Office, Congregation of the

HOLY GHOST AND US SOCIETY: A sect founded in 1893 by the Rev. Frank W. Sandford, having central headquarters at Durham, Me. The immediate neighborhood is named Shiloh, where a vast frame building houses the community. The front towers are used as watch- and prayer-towers; and dormitories, Bible-school rooms, a dining room, etc., occupy the remainder of the structure. The founder of the sect was born in 1862 in Bowdoin, Me., was educated at Bates College and Cobb Divinity School, Lewiston, Me. He was pastor of Free Baptist churches in Great Falls, N. H., and Top sham, Me., having but moderate success in these fields. In 1893, at a convention of his denomination held at Ocean Beach, Me., Sandford announced that he had received certain divine revelations, the chief purport of which was that he was commanded to preach the Gospel to all the world before the "coming of the end." The structure at Shiloh was projected by reason of an alleged vision commanding him to "arise and build." He preached absolute community of goods, requiring those who should form the community to turn in all their earthly possessions. Of the business he took entire charge, every legal title being in his own name. The local community numbers about 300, though it was at first larger. Of these the majority are women and children. Proselyting stations have been established at various points, but have not flourished. Camp-meetings are held on the coast islands of Maine every summer, and bands of the sect, led by Sandford, have made tours of the world on vessels owned by the community. Several actions, civil and criminal, have been un dertaken against Sandford by the local authori ties, for cruelty, disregard to health laws, and other causes. The beliefs of the sect are strongly chiliastic. A great catastrophe of fire, falling mountains, and other cosmic judgments soon to destroy the earth and its inhabitants comprise much of the preaching. Sandford claims to be Elijah, preaching in preparation for this judgment. There is insistence on baptism by immersion as prerequisite to salvation, and no prior baptism is accepted as valid. The Apocalypse, Daniel, and the judgment pictures in the Synoptic Gospels are interpreted literally. Great emotional excitement pervades the meetings. Mi raculous healings are affirmed, credence in which has not been shaken with the community by an epidemic of smallpox, including several fatal cases, that prevailed there in 1903. The sect is apparently waning. W. C. STILES.