A NEW RELIGIOUS SECT.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 708, 8 September 1870, Page 2

A NEW RELIGIOUS SECT.

New York papers report that great religious excitement exists in Macopin, twelve miles from Paterson. A new religious society, called "Jehovah's Balm," has been started, supplanting a favorite station of the Methodist Church. The Methodists have sent their best preaehers to combat the heresy, but tbey are repudiated. Each in turn is forced to leave. The peculiar form of worship develops itself in puffing, blowing, whistling, shouting, jumping, wrestling, falling to the floor, and rolling over and kicking. Both women and men engage in the exercises. Baptism is by immersion in the village mill-pond in the dead hour of the night. On Sunday they hold continuous service, and take a recess for meals only, refusing to read a newspaper or even to receive a letter on that day. Every Thursday evening they held their meetings in the school-house, until a difficulty about the candles used led thorn to leave it, and now they

neet at any house in the neighborhood yhere the spirit manifests itself. John Bhinesmitb, a wealthy and rell-to-do farmer of the neighborhood is the chief man of the band, and re;ently had his house re-built especially to accommodate the brethren; one room resting on strong beams it stands Ihe jumbling; but about a month ago in ardent member, in a paroxysm, dejlared that when filled with the Holy &host he felt as light as air, and even though they jumped upon a looking;lass they would not so much as bruise ifc with a scratch ; whereupon he began to leap upon the slove-hearth, and irake it off, and then leaping on the top, broke in the frail covers, and finally smashed a big rocking-chair, before he subsided. Eecently Khinesmith baptised G-. B. Speaker, a man of family and a confert to the new faith, the baptism taking place inlthinesmith's mill-pond, before the members of the band, and amid shouts and cries, the whole gang at one time shouting " fire," to the alarm of others in the neighborhood, it being then after midnight. One of the band told a reporter that as he was at work in his barn, he got the spirit, and that he ran one mile over ditches and fences before the spirit left him, and all this time he was bo elated that he thought he was flying. "When jumping in ecstasy of the Holy Ghost, they say their spirits rise far above their bodies. They permit no person excepting those belonging to the band to join them, in singing or jumping, or any other of .their exercises, although no objection is made to the attendance of outsiders at the meetings of the baud. A dozen will have the floor at once, pounding and kicking, and the whole crowd seems worked up to a fearful state of excitement —some jumping until they fall; the women shrieking in the wildest manner, and others praying, whistling, or puffing, as for a wager. They permit no levity on the part of the young folks during their proceedings. Cobb, one of the band is thought to be growing insane under the excitement of this religious frenzy. There is no doubt that the members of the band are sincere enthusiasts. The society now numbers over 500 members.