The most remarkable religious revival of the season so far as has been reported to this newspaper comes from Manns Harbor, Dare County, where the Rev. J. G. Cox of Oriental, Pamlico County, has just closed a three weeks’ meeting, in which he asked neither for money, nor food, and with his companion-preacher Lewis, fasted without food or drink for several days.
Cox drifted into Manns Harbor several days ago, and announced himself a child of God, and by some unexplained trick got permission to hold forth in the public school building. Here he spread his blankets, sleeping by night, and preaching twice daily, threatening the wrath of God on the community, and telling his congregations that there was too much running around with neighbors’ wives.
Along in the midst of his revival, this Cox was joined by another self-appointed man of God who called himself by the name of Lewis, and declared himself a man of wonderful power, who needed o food or drink. For seven days, Lewis went without food, refusing to go to the homes of the people of the community. Neither preacher asked nor received any contributions, nor did they take up any collections during their revival, insisting that the Lord would provide.
It wasn’t long before they had aroused tremendous interest in this hospitable fishing village of 275 folk, and before long the school building was crowded, including among the crowds many of the most prominent people of the community. One night the preacher appeared on is pulpit and served notice that the front row of men had better move, if they were afraid of lightning, because God was ready to send a thunderbolt thru the room, and dire calamities would befall the village of Manns Harbor because the men of the Community, he said, had been running around with their neighbors’ wives.
“Get away from this front row,” said the preacher, “and let all who in God take their places.” Three women converts marched to the front.
“You people backsliders are a bunch of thieves, robbers and whoremongers,” declared the preacher, “and I dare either man among you to come forward and lay your hands on your wives who are up here. You are not fit to touch them.” One man walked to the front and led his wife from the building. Another citizen carried the lights from the building, and left the fanatic preaching in the dark.
Needless to say, the Methodist church, which the fanatic predicted was to be destroyed by a thunderbolt, is still standing, the preachers are gone after their week of fasting, but some of the womenfolk of the community haven’t got over their religion yet. On Sunday night, one woman awoke at 11 o’clock, declaring that the Holy Spirit was in her, and despite the efforts of her husband and neighbors, aroused the whole neighborhood and couldn’t be quieted until after half an hour or more of frenzied shouting. “If he had stayed there a week longer, I believe he would have had the whole place in an uproar,” declares one prominent Manns Harbor citizen. “It’s a good thing he got away when he did, or somebody’s home would have been busted up.”
From the front page of The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Friday, Aug. 6, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83025812/1926-08-06/ed-1/seq-1/
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