February 11, 1904: Medium Mystify Corvallis People

Joe Haege as Edmund Creffield

Oregon Daily Journal (Portland) 2/11/1904 p3

Medium Mystify Corvallis People

(Journal Special Service)

Corvallis, OR., Feb 11-- Following the recent Holy Roller excitement, Corvallis is now much aroused over the manifestations of two Seattle Spiritualists who are giving seances at the Maitland house in this city. One of these men is W. H. Kanouse, and the other is F. W. Rowe. The former is the physical medium and the latter, the photo medium. These men have power, they claim, to produce the picture of people who have passed to the other world; to recall and converse with departed spirits and to do other strange and uncanny things. From 10 to 25 people attended a seance a few evenings ago, and besides hearing an orchestra of stringed instruments played by alleged spirits, the crowd saw and heard enough to leave them thoroughly mystified. The mediums claim that their power is simply a gift and does not come from study nor other source. The two men came to this city on invitation from friends.

Yamhill County Reporter (McMinnville) 2/12/1904 p5

The holy rollers are now reported to be at the farm of Bill Isham on a little island near Wheatland where they are keeping up their insane warblings almost all the night. Residents of Wheatland say the rollers are worse than a band of tomcats. They have taken the right direction from Corvallis to Salem, and it is too bad that they have lodged in the beautiful Willamette when Doc Calbreath has rooms for their accommodation.

Corvallis Gazette 2/19/1904 p1

The Indians of the Quinault Agency are typical “Holy Rollers.” Under the influence of religious excitement they roll from side to side until exhausted. There is no record, however, that they have broken up their furniture, roasted dogs and cats alive, or performed other sacrificial rites which lately made the Corvallis contingent conspicuous as physical demonstrators of “religion.” But then the poor Indian is but recently civilized.--Oregonian

Corvallis Times 2/27/1904 p2

Seventh Day Adventists.”

They Organize in Corvallis and Rent a House of Worship

The building on the east side of Main street, between Washington and Adams, which was fitted up a year or more since for a place of worship for the Holy Rollers, is once more to be devoted to the purpose of religion. In Corvallis there are a number of Seventh Day Adventists, and something of an organization having been formed, they rented the building referred to and will hold services therein. The pastor, Rev. C. J. Cole, a gentleman, who with his wife resides in Job’s Addition. Mr. Cole has charge of the Adventist work in Benton, Polk and Linn counties. He is said to be a thorough Bible student, and while he delivers sermons upon occasion, he believes that in a general way more can be accomplished by teaching as in the Bible class.

In their new house of worship Sunday school will be held each Saturday afternoon, followed by Bible readings. The Adventists as is generally known, hold that the seventh day, or the legal Saturday, is the time appointed by holy writ as the day for worship.

Rev. F. M. Berg, president of the Western Conference, is expected in Corvallis soon to look over the ground with the view of deciding whether or not the annual camp meeting shall be held in this locality.