Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 303, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1914 — “HOLY ROLLERS” IN BAD IN MICHIGAN [ARTICLE]

“ HOLY ROLLERS” IN BAD IN MICHIGAN

Grave Charges Against “Benjamin" Are Being Investigated—Old Whiskers a Sport. A few years ago, at least, Rensselaer was visited occasionally by several b.cwhiskered men from Benare in charge of the school townon horse 'buying missions. The men were known as the “holy rollers” or “flying rollers.” They belonged to the “Tribe of Benjamin,” and their leader enjoyed their worship and directed them, in tjieir labors while he dressed in white satin and lived in his “garden of Eden.” Recently charges of grave immorality, preferred by women and girls against “Benjamin” have resulted in an investigaion by state authorities and the “temple of love” in the “House of David” has shown evidence of toeing a very wicked place. A mass meeting of indignant citizens was held ip Benton Harbor when the true nature of The Israelite colony became public and it was shown that the “flying rollers” ton Harbor Mich., who came here ship and vote themselves on the school board and control the pay and the hiring of the teachers. The investigation has developed that the children retained at the “love colony” "are environed by immoral conditions and it is probable that the society of communed souls will be broken up. “King Benjamin” maintained an “inner court” according to the confession of one of his women/worshipers, where he had privileges which he claimed were granted to him by divine connections. He required the girls to dance for him and to occupy rooms near his and to leave the doors open and finally to sleep in his room to aid him in “fighting temptation.” He would wonder about all night in the inner chamber and then go to sleep about 6 o’clock in the morning and provide to be awakened by sweet strains of music from a chorus of girls rotbed in night gowns, while two or three more combed his whiskers and helped to dress him in his white satin robes. Old Ben had a very dickens of a time until he began to prophesy that the end of the world was going to occur on the 12th of last March and when there was nothing doing some of the wise ones began to call bluffs. Some of his band of women had been pushed back to make room for younger damsels and they seem now to be joining in the exposure and whiskers are apt to. be less popular and old Ben is apt to spend his remaining days far removed from the “heavenly chorus” that used to waken him at the noon hour.