Wayne County NcArchives News.....Sanctification Craze 1896
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Guy Potts http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00017.html#0004214 
October 28, 2007, 11:22 pm

Daily Charlotte Observer, 26 Jul 1896

The Sanctification Craze - The Latest Victim of Evangelist Crumpler - A Common-
Place, Ill-Favored Man Who Has Shaken up the Eastern Part of the State.

The town of Goldsboro has been visited by the most powerful and puzzling 
religious revival that has ever shaken the hearts and minds of her people. It 
began with the preaching of a "Sanctificationist" of some local renown by the 
name of Crumpler.

Crumpler is a native of Wayne County. As a result of this craze which he 
created by his talk, Richard Holmes, a well-known citizen of Clinton, was 
brought here last evening and placed in the Insame Asylum. Holmes has lived in 
Goldsboro, Wilmington, and Clinton, and is well known in the east. He was at 
one time proprietor of the Hotel Gregory at Goldsboro.

Mr. Holmes was brought here by Senator Fowler of Sampson and Dr. Holmes. They 
think Mr. Holmes' mind is only temporarily effected. He seemed to be 
completely under a spell or trance since he has accepted the teachings of 
Crumpler.

Crumpler has set the whole country wild. Numbers of people have lost their 
reason and are complete victims of the craze.

He is a man ignorant and unattractive in appearance and manner, decorating his 
language with much slang and many warlike gestures, thereby routing from the 
mind every suggestion of the "Christ" he pretends to preach and enthroning 
the "Crumpler" he preaches. He claims to have committed no sin in many years. 
The spell he has held over several thousand of every class to whom he has 
nightly preached has created the greatest sensation.

He claims that after conversion one must become sanctified or receive 
the "second blessing." This blessing comes to the recipients in a trance, 
during which he is purified in the presence of Christ, and after which he is 
incapable of sin. Almost every night during his visit from ten to fifteen men, 
women and children lay unconscious on the floor of the large tobacco warehouse 
where this apparent wizard held his court. They would remain in this state for 
several hours at a time and awake praising God. In some instances physicians 
were called in, and numbers of them, with intelligent men of all professions, 
who at first pronounced it excitement, have embraced the doctrine. Several 
have lost their reason, and one poor fellow was arrested while crawling on his 
hands and knees, cursing the citizens and commending Crumpler.

His father says he has been insane since he heard this man preach a year ago. 
Crumpler has departed with the brand of "blasphemer" from many, but the large 
assembly of converts who continue to hold services in several of the churches 
with the same weird scenes prove how effectively he has cast the cloak of his 
power upon his followers.

Crumpler has gone to Rose Hill, a station near Goldsboro, where he is setting 
forth the doctrine which he taught in Goldsboro. Many people are wild over 
him, having given up their business entirely.

Crumpler was formerly a Methodist. A leading Baptist of this city states that 
he has demoralized their church at Goldsboro.

Crumpler is described as a man of low statue rather stout build. He has no 
beard.


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