Creffield, Vigilantes and Discernment

Walked into my local bookstores, rather - the ONLY bookstore left within 8 miles of my house!
There was a book on display called, The Vigilante Newspapers.
The jacket seemed to pose many questions.
Is murder ever justifiable?
What do you do when justice is failed by the law?

Woah!  Meaty questions there!

The book is oddly written.
It just does not flow well.
However:

A man named Creffield arrived in Corvallis, Oregon about 1903.
He was a bit of a lunatic and managed to convince many that he knew the truth about life, the universe and everything.
He quickly gathered a following of mostly teenage girls and bored housewives.
From there, it went straight downhill into a living Hell for everyone.

If you ever heard the term  "Holy Rollers", he is where this came from.
As the point of his "services" revolved around scantily clad young women rolling on the floors in "ecstasy", while, he being nude joined them!

The community of Corvallis tolerated him right up until his latest revelation from God, "You must burn all of your possessions!"

Free sex is apparently one thing, but burning all you own - in a poor community, was intolerable.
He was jailed frequently.
And as stories of what went on spread, there was reasonable outrage!

The story centers on a 15 year old girl, Esther, whom he seduces - as well as her older married sister, whom also is prey for this sex predator.

At one point, 5 men in Corvallis are all gunning for Creffield, intending to kill him for his debauchery on sight!
But, no one succeeds.

Creffield flees to Seattle, but no one knows where he went.
Just that he is gone.
Only, the married sister is seen boarding the train for Portland.
Then older brother gets a gun and decides to defend his sister's honor.
Everyone ends up in Seattle with the trial of the new century!

Brother does succeed in killing Creffield on a Seattle street in broad daylight.
Which in itself was unusual.
But the following trial for the young man was national news.
The court had to address some weighty questions:
Are women easy swayed in their judgement?
Is it the obligation for family to protect its own?
Is it reasonable that a sexual predator be dispatched?
Is an insanity plea reasonable in this situation?

And the answer was a resounding "Yes", to all of the above!
Yeah, read that list of questions again ......

Young man is released and told to go home.

Esther crosses his path and tells him good-bye.
In final terms.
He commented that he wished it was not so.
And she shot and killed him on the spot!

A little police work revealed that older sister was behind this revenge killing.
Although, Esther felt no remorse over it at all!
Both were jailed.
Older sister commits suicide while in jail.
Esther is found incompetent to stand trial and sent to an asylum for 5 years.

On release, she returns to Corvallis, marries.
And then commits suicide as well!

(my comment: that poor family! 3 members dead! and the story does not end here!)

The turn of the century was not a great time.
Religion had been attacked, based on Darwin's observations on a trip around the world.
And lost.
Workers were in rebellion in various industries.
And the government had its problems.
Newspapers were the major communications tool.
And as they had learned in the prior century, yellow journalism sells!

Ignore facts, ignore law, just tell people what you deem necessary!

And that was how the whole disaster which swirled around Creffield went!

Calling for action, will yield action.
Calling for violence, will lead to tragedy.
And, where was the real church in all of this?

Well, not in Corvallis!
Even to this day this town is lacking in a true Christian community.
Borderline cults are popular.
And yes, I am familiar with the state of faith in Corvallis ...

Back in the day, this was a Friends community.
I know the Friends very well.
Nice people.
But, the tolerance shown outright sin is a real problem.

Yes, they jailed Creffield.
Tarred and feathered him even.
But only when the damage was already done!
And no one had the nerve to drive home the point,
"You are not wanted here.  Return and you will die!"
Train ticket to Kansas, good bye, sorry about the broken knees ......

Ask me how I really feel about predators sometime.

Unfortunately, his lies created an environment which did not die when he was killed.
Nor with the death of his 2 most ardent followers!
Fifty years later, their rituals were still in  full swing!
Police did raid after raid on homes along the Willamette River.
"Holy Rollers" filled the news on Saturdays.

"Oh my!", mother would exclaim!
Little did she realize that maybe I could not talk, but I understood her younger brother barely escaped by the skin of his teeth!
Yeah, he would not have liked that on his record!
As it was, he left to join the Navy.
Once he graduated.

It would not surprise me if this pagan worship is still celebrated today.
Sex sells and is a strong lure.
Just as it was in Jesus' day.

So, sad that the church lost its witness in this society.
These are people whom need reached.
Obviously they are searching.
And they substituted the lie of sex for truth of Jesus ...