Creffield and the Holy Rollers made page one headlines from 1903 to 1907. When I was researching Holy Rollers: Murder and Madness in Oregon’s Love Cult I spent months transcribing hundreds of articles. I’m not sure why I was so obsessive. Maybe it was my way of immersing my self into a cult without joining one. Anyway, I’m posting them all for those who are really interested in the story, or are interested the history of journalism, or are interested in how a scandalous story played out in the "media" in a by gone era. Since I no doubt made typos and unconsciously corrected papers' typos, these web pages should not be cited in anything serious (e.g. your dissertation). For such projects they should only be used as starting points and you should refer to the original sources. If you want a shorter version of the story, buy my book. Enjoy.
February 6, 1904: How They Tell The Holy Roller Story In Far Off Scotland
Corvallis Times 2/6/1904 p4
Corvallis Abroad
How They Tell The Holy Roller Story In
Far Off Scotland. Some Things True and Some Not --The Maiden at the Sacrificial
Fire -- Burning Musical Instruments on the Flat Stone.”
The news of Holy
Rollerism as lately practiced at Corvallis has penetrated far off Scotland. A
copy of the Scotchman, published at Edinburgh, and contains a story of the
doings of the Corvallis Holy Rollers has reached the “Times” office. The
article appears under the head, “The Holy Rollers -- Frenzied Acts of a New
Religious Sect.” In full, the story is as follows:
“Be it as God
directs.”
With these words
on their lips the fanatical men, women and children who constitute the strange
religious sect of “Holy Rollers” whose extraordinary practices have awed the
state of Oregon for the last two month, throw upon the flames household goods,
and even sacrifice their pet dogs and cats.
“Be it as God
directs” they also answer to the grave charge that their prophet, “John the
Baptist” reincarnated, is preparing to offer to the altar’s flames one of his
most devoted followers, a young girl, Miss Matilda Johnson. And the girl, when
officers of the law asked her if it were true that she was to be sacrificed,
answered with bowed head: “Be it as God directs.”
The prophet and
his foremost followers have been taken into court on the charge of insanity,
but have easily cleared themselves of that charge and gone free. Their weird
rites continue, and near the house in which the ordinary services are held,
behind barred doors, the prophet has built a tent, into which none dare to
enter but himself, for in this tent is the sacred receptacle containing the “holy
rolls” upon which God has directed to be written the names of the elect.
Among the
members of this sect are people who have always been known as sound mind and of
good business sagacity.

Jon Ashley Hall as Frank Hurt
ALL TO THE
FLAMES
After the
dismissal of the insanity case, the citizens threatened violence, and some of
the leaders fled, but only to remain away for a few days. Their return was occasion for a grand jubilee by the adherents of the new religion,
whose faith and zeal were reinforced when the leaders, with great solemnity
declares -- “God bade us return. Human beings cannot harm.”
The effect of
this declaration was electrical. All the faithful assembled in the evening
before a flat rock near their temple, which the prophet had proclaimed an altar
for special sacrifice. A fire was built upon the altar, and behind it stood the
prophet with rapt countenance and arm upraised, alternately praying and
exhorting his followers.
These fanatical
followers had brought before the altar what remained of their furniture and
cherished personal effects. As the flames rose the prophet spoke --
“Subjugate all
lustful desires. All that has price contaminates the spirit and hinders
communion with God.”
“Be it as God
Directs!” chanted the followers.
A young and
handsome woman threw upon the flames the mark of her vanity-- a mirror in a
carved frame. Men and women followed her with all manner of household fixtures
and goods--even the beds upon which they were accustomed to sleep.
“All, all to the
flames!” exhorted the prophet. “To the flames with all these agencies of evil!”
“Be it as God
directs,” answered his disciples, whose excitement had become intense.
The blazing
altar was heaped with furniture and clothing. A young girl fed the fire with
her dearest possession, a mandolin. A young man sacrificed his guitar. Two pillars
of the church came with a small mandolin which the
flames destroyed amid prayers and shouts.
OVERCOME WITH
EMOTION
At this stage
the emotions of several women had overcome them. They fell upon the ground, and
then began a detail of the sect’s religious practices previously performed only
behind barred doors. Shouting and praying, the women rolled over and over on
the ground in front of the altar. Gradually other men and women joined them.
Suddenly what
had really been impressive became frightful. A faithful house
dog, whining and struggling in its master’s arms, was stunned by a blow
and thrown into the midst of the flames. Pet cats had the same fat--even a bird
in its cage.
Children
sacrificed their toys without urging. One mite of a girl kissed her rag doll,
and threw it upon the blazing altar.
The prophet,
seen through the smoke with his arms upraised, completely dominated every mind
and body there.
The mode of
ordinary worship of this strange sect consists largely of shouting, singing,
screaming, rolling, and other actions which denote a
greatly perturbed state of mind. While some sing, others roll about on the
floor, giving vent to blood curdling yells. When they tire of this the prophet
takes the floor and reads a few passages of Scripture, and if his disciples
still show weariness, he holds communion with God. Then the shouting and
screaming is then renewed.
A GIRL TO BE
SACRIFICED
When the rumor
gained general circulation that a young girl was to be offered as a sacrifice,
police officers repaired to the temple of the sect. Admission was at first
denied them, but they were not to be defeated, and rushed past the door keeper. The prophet promptly made his appearance and
inquired the cause of the disturbance. When informed that all in the building
were wanted by the law and were under arrest, he made no protest. The visitors
were ushered into the apartment. The scene impressed them in spite of
themselves.
Disciples were
lying about on the floor, on mats, cots, blankets, hides and other places of
rest remarkable for their crudeness. Nor furniture graced the room, and the
worshipers had assumed various positions to offer up prayers and otherwise
declare their devotion to God.
One young
girl--she who it was reported was to be sacrificed--appeared to be in a trance
or suffering a spasm. A large white cloth covered her face. The officer stepped
over to remove it, when instantly all in the room cried out, “don’t touch her,
she is holding communion with God.”
The officer
asked the girl if she knew she had been selected as a subject for sacrifice. She
replied in the negative, and added, “If God so wills, such a death would be a
joy.”
Close beside the
girl, with his head almost touching hers on the pillows, was the prophet. The
questions addressed to the girl were then put to him.
“God’s will be
done,” is all he would say.
Requested to
explain the meaning of the cloth over the girl’s face and the nature of their
devotions, he replied--”We are receiving a revelation from God to our future.”
Pressed to
answer whether God had ordered that the girl by his side be sacrificed, he
said--”He has not yet, but if He should, His will be done. We know no law of
man.”
Pressed still
further as to whether he deemed such a command probable, he would only say--”It
is in God’s hands; His will be done.”
The officers,
realizing that their mission had failed, hailed the leaders, Creffield and
Brooks, into court on a charge of insanity. Their discharge by the court has
left them at liberty to continue their strange devotions unmolested--until the
watching officers of the law gain evidence that a human sacrifice is actually
in preparation.
Chapter of Holy Rollers where these articles are some of the sources:
Chapter 5: A Sacrificial Bonfire
***
February 1, 1904: Camp In Linn County Is Broken Up By Officers
February 11, 1904: Medium Mystify Corvallis People
***
Newspaper Articles about Creffield & the Holy Rollers
1897-1903: B.C. (Before Creffield)
October to December 1903:Holy Rollers Burn Furniture & Pets
January to March, 1904: Holy Rollers Tarred and Feathered
April to June 1904: Holy Rollers are Committed to the Asylum
July 1904: Creffield is Found & Arrested
September 1904: Creffield's Trial
April 1906: Men are Gunning For Creffield
May 1906: Creffield is Murdered, Murderer is Considered a Hero
May 1906: Holy Rollers Found Starving Near Heceta Head
June 1906: George Mitchell's Trial Begins
July 1906: Hurt Testifies of Debauched Wife and Debased Sisters
July 1906: Esther Mitchell Kills Her Brother
August to October 1906: Seattle Prepares for another Big Trial
November 1906: Maud Hurt Creffield Commits Suicide
April 1909-August 1914: Esther Leaves the Asylum
1953 Stewart Holbrook's Murder Without Tears
1951Startling Detective Magazine, Nemesis of the Nudist High Priest
***
Chapters from
Holy Rollers: Murder & Madness in Oregon's Love Cult
Part 1: The Seduction
Chapter 1: Trust Me, Brothers And Sisters
(Life Before Creffield [B.C.])
Chapter 2: God, Save Us From Compromising Preachers
(Creffield's Preachings)
Chapter 3: The Flock
(Profiles of the Holy Rollers Were)
Chapter 4: The Holy Rollers
(Things Start to Get Wild on on Kiger Island)
Chapter 5: Housecleaning
(There's a Sacrificial Bonfire)
Chapter 6: Community Concerns
(Officers Visit)
Chapter 7: Esther, The Chosen One
(Creffield Plans to Marry 16-Year- Old)
Chapter 8: Tar and Feathers
(The Men of Corvallis Act)
Chapter 9: Sane People Don’t Go Bareheaded
(Holy Rollers are Committed to the Asylum)
Chapter 10: More Beast Than Man
( Creffield is Arrested)
Chapter 11: God Will Plead Creffield's Case
(Creffield in Court)
Chapter 12: Scandal
(Shocking Testimony at the Trial)
Chapter 13: Calm Before the Storm
(The Holy Rollers Resume their Lives)
Chapter 14: Giving Up The Ghost
(Men are Gunning for Creffield)
Part Two: The People V. Creffield
Chapter 16: The Widow Creffield
Chapter 19: An Inherited Streak of Insanity
Part Three: The Madness
Chapter 23: Seeking Reconciliation
Chapter 24: Another Holy Roller Page One Murder
Chapter 25: What Can Papa Do For You?
Chapter 26: Human Life is Too Cheap In This Community
Chapter 30: The Final Chapter
(What Happened to Everyone Afterwards)
The Epilogue
(Heaven's Gate)