THE NEW EDEN.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LI, Issue 9137, 9 July 1906, Page 2

THE NEW EDEN.

FLIGHT OF A CURIOUS SECT.

"ELECT" MEET FOR THE END OF

THE WORLD.

By a midnight special boat train from Eueton (London) last month there travelled a parity of 19 mem and women, who are soiling from Liverpool on board the Lake Erie.

They form the first English contingent of the "Flying Rollers," a curious sect, journeying, as fast as steamer and rail will carry them, to Benton Harbor, Michigan, U.S.A., to be in time for "Israel's ingathering."

The "Flying Rollers," or members of the "House of David," scattered all over the world, are flocking to the Michigan headquarters for "the great gathering of the 12 tribes, when 144,000 righteous are to be saved' and the Gentile rule to end."

They are known, as the "Flying Rollers" because they pin their faith on "the flying roll" referred to in Ezekel. They believed that "the seven messengers mentioned in Revelation have visited that earth, and the seventh trumpet is sounding. At Benton Harbor, Michigan, they have a colony wheat© all goods are held in common. Their London place of worship is a -tiny, (red-brick villa in Romford road, Manor Park, where last night the departing one» said farewell to their English friends.

Most of the party are married' couples. The majority of the men wear thedr hair and' beards long, for no barbers' shops are j*ermitted in the Israelites' settlement.

"The trumpet is blowing, and we go to the ingathering of 'lsrael, for 'Benjamin and Mary,' our leader in Michigan, has spoken/ said one of the members of this strange secfc to a Daily Mail representative.

"We believe in the immortality of the body, and those who live with us enall remain unchanged' when the end comes, and the earth is restored to its Eden state." At Manor Park fresh converts are eagerly awaited, for as yefr the total of 144,000 of the elect is not quite complete.