“The Cult Next Door: Stony Brook and the Rise of the Holy Ghost and Us”

By Scott R. Ferrara

Stony Brook Community Church, located on Christian Avenue, served as the spiritual stronghold where Rev. William M. Fanton led his congregation in resisting the growing influence of the Society of the Holy Ghost and Us during the early 1900s. (Image source: Google Maps)

While organizing the archives, we discovered an old scrapbook belonging to a “Mrs. Anderson” of Stony Brook, NY. Inside were dozens of newspaper clippings from the late 1890s to early 1900s—a treasure trove of local community events, milestones, and curiosities. But one series of clippings stood out among the rest: articles detailing a strange and dramatic spiritual clash between the Stony Brook Methodist Church and an encroaching cult known as the Holy Ghost and Us. In the waning years of the nineteenth century, this small Long Island town found itself at the center of a religious controversy that stretched far beyond its borders. The Society of the Holy Ghost and Us, a radical faith-healing sect headquartered in Shiloh, Maine, began proselytizing aggressively in Stony Brook. Their unorthodox methods, supernatural claims, and charismatic leader, Rev. Frank W. Sandford, stirred both fervent devotion and deep concern. This blog post traces the history of the sect, its mystical origins, explosive rise, and the dramatic fallout that followed in both Shiloh and Stony Brook.

Rev. Frank Sandford (later known as Elijah II, the self-proclaimed "Son of God" and the "Uncrowned King",1909 (Library of Congress)

The story begins with Rev. Frank W. Sandford, a 37-year-old ordained Free Baptist minister from Topsham, New Hampshire, and former college ball player of some notability. Disillusioned by what he saw as the spiritual decay of mainstream churches, Sandford embarked on a 13-week pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1890, seeking divine inspiration. Upon his return to Bowdoinham, Maine, he began preaching an intensified message of repentance and spiritual purity. Though local residents questioned his mental stability, Sandford’s conviction and charisma gradually attracted a dedicated following.

In Durham, Maine, Sandford established his new religious colony, Shiloh, on a sandy hill he called Beulah Hill. There, he erected a temple known as "The Truth," and later a striking brick “hospital” structure for female adherents named "Bethesda," crowned with a golden dome and with a cornerstone made of locally quarried flint. The community was so active that a post office was constructed to handle the enormous volume of mail, much of it stemming from subscribers to their in-house publication, Tongues of Fire. This magazine, sent freely to all who requested it, carried news of faith healings and spiritual testimony, spreading Sandford’s message across the nation.

The Shiloh Colony in 1901 (Library of Congress)

The faith of the Shiloh community rested on miraculous claims. One of the most sensational came in January 1900, when a woman named Olive A. Mills was reportedly raised from the dead by Sandford himself. Mills, a devoted follower who had helped paint the temple exterior, collapsed during a dedication ceremony and was declared dead. According to Sandford’s own account, he prayed fervently beside her lifeless body, drawing strength from the Gospel of John and commanding Olive to return to her body. Miraculously, she resurrected, later claiming she had been at the threshold of heaven before being commanded back by a divine voice.

"Raised From Dead." The Wichita Eagle [Wichita, KS], 7 Jan. 1900, p. 13.

Mills’ own testimony was just as vivid as Sandfords. She described hearing faint words calling her back from a heavenly vision and seeing the word "PREACH" written in letters of fire on the walls outside of paradise. Despite her reluctance to return to her physical form, she obeyed, convinced it was God’s will. Her story, widely circulated in religious publications and newspapers, bolstered the reputation of Sanford and his movement.

By 1900, the influence of Shiloh had reached Stony Brook, Long Island, sparking a crisis in the local Methodist community. Rev. William M. Fanton of the Stony Brook Methodist Church on Christian Avenue publicly condemned the sect’s proselytizing, reading testimonies from Maine ministers who warned of Shiloh’s troubling practices. The criticisms were startling for the Stony Brook congregation, especially as prominent community members had already joined the cult.

Among the new converts were Captain Edwin Smith, a well-respected member of the local Methodist church; his daughter Stella Smith; Miss Lulu Blydenburgh, the daughter of one of Stony Brook’s wealthiest men (George Blydenburgh); and Miss Tillie Smith, an heiress worth $16,000 ($605,000 today) and more inheritance expected. Captain Smith, long afflicted with internal ailments, claimed he had been healed during a visit to Shiloh. His impassioned testimony inspired others, including Blydenburgh and Tillie Smith, who took her blind niece, Caroline Hulse, to the colony in hopes of a miraculous cure. However, Hulse’s healing was reportedly unsuccessful, claiming the procedure failed due to her father’s insufficient faith and tobacco use, which the sect deemed un-Christian. Some members of the Stony Brook sect can be found on the 1917 membership list of the Holy Ghost and Us: Here

The economic implications of joining the sect also raised eyebrows. New adherents were expected to donate all of their possessions to the community fund. Captain Smith, who owned considerable property in both Stony Brook and Manhattan, struggled to comply due to legal ownership issues. Largely that his wealth was inherited through his wife, and he could not get her signature to donate their assets to the Shiloh community... The group’s financial demands and secretive practices of the Stony Brook sect, including secret weekly meetings, added to the town’s alarm.

The New York Herald detailed the growing tension in November 1900, characterizing the society’s spread in Stony Brook as slow and insidious. Methodist ministers from neighboring towns planned revival services to counter the cult's influence. Meanwhile, members of the society retaliated by labeling their local critics as "Imps of Satan" and "Devil’s Tools."

"Holy Ghosters." Commercial [Bangor, ME], 21 Nov. 1900, p. 3.

Captain Smith, who had left his life at sea after a religious revelation (and the sinking of his ship), became a vocal advocate of the sect. Known for his fervent prayer habits and public exhortations, he became a local fixture, delivering groceries while preaching from a delivery wagon. His daughter Stella eventually relocated to Shiloh, allegedly in obedience to divine instructions received by her father.

Despite the group’s mystical allure, warnings continued to emerge. Clergy visiting Shiloh reported disturbing treatment and abuse of young women and accused the leadership of manipulating followers to relinquish their wealth. One Baptist minister outright called Sandford an insane person, echoing claims that had been previously made about his father. Yet, defenders of the community, like Miss Matilda Smith of Stony Brook, insisted all property was "deeded to God" and that free will, not coercion, guided decisions.

As the years progressed, troubling stories mounted. In 1906, the Governor of Maine, William T. Cobb, received appeals to intervene at Shiloh following testimonies about poor living conditions and psychological abuse: a former follower, N.H. Harriman, accused Sandford of insanity. Mrs. Alice Phelps from Kansas City shared a chilling account of her daughters’ indoctrination—one of whom ended up in a Maine asylum from abuse suffered at Shiloh.

"Sanford Is a Sure Prophet." Reno Evening Gazette [Reno, NV], 16 Nov. 1906, p. 6.

In 1909, Sandford declared himself "Elijah II, The Uncrowned King and Son of God" and from his camp in Cape Town, South Africa, prophesied that the world would end on September 15th at 10:20:30 a.m. Followers back at Shiloh donned white robes and climbed to temple rooftops in anticipation of their ascension. The world, of course, did not end.

By 1910, the once-glorious leader was on the run. Wanted for civil suits totaling $150,000 ($5,700,000 today), Sandford evaded authorities aboard his vessel Coronet, taking only a select group of sanctified followers from his inner circle. Lawsuits revealed further disillusionment: Rev. Ira Case sued Sanford for unpaid debts, having been promised a high seat at the temple council in return for financial support to build the Kingdom, another of Sandford’s ships.

The Coronet, 1894 (Library of Congress)

The saga reached a tragic climax in 1911. A Portland grand jury indicted Sandford for causing the deaths of six followers who perished from starvation aboard his yacht. The charges were the culmination of a 30-year ministry marked by charisma, controversy, and catastrophic outcomes.

The story of the Society of the Holy Ghost and Us remains a striking example of how charismatic religious movements can thrive on faith and falter through fanaticism. In Stony Brook, its brief but intense impact revealed deep anxieties about spiritual authority, communal life, and the boundaries between belief and manipulation. For some, it was a path to deeper faith. For others, it was a dangerous detour cloaked in scripture. Work cited: "New Religious Sect Started." Richmond Times-Dispatch [Richmond, VA], 12 July 1899, p. 5.

"Raised From Dead." The Wichita Eagle [Wichita, KS], 7 Jan. 1900, p. 13.

"Child Patient at Shiloh." Commercial [Bangor, ME], 4 Oct. 1900, p. 2.

"Holy Ghost and Us Converts." Commercial [Bangor, ME], 19 Nov. 1900, p. 1.

"Stony Brook Shaken." The Portland Daily Press [Portland, ME], 19 Nov. 1900, p. 2.

"More Shiloh Converts!" Sun-Journal [Lewiston, ME], 19 Nov. 1900, p. 1.

"Holy Ghost and Us, A Society at Shiloh." Brooklyn Eagle [Brooklyn, NY], 17 Nov. 1900, p. 15.

"Holy Ghosters." Commercial [Bangor, ME], 21 Nov. 1900, p. 3.

"Sandford’s Disciples." Kennebec Journal [Augusta, ME], 21 Nov. 1900, p. 3.

"A Shiloh Off-Shoot." Sun-Journal [Lewiston, ME], 22 Nov. 1900, p. 2.

"Sanford Is a Sure Prophet." Reno Evening Gazette [Reno, NV], 16 Nov. 1906, p. 6.

"Maine Man Said the World Would Come to an End Today." The Iola Daily Register [Iola, KS], 15 Sept. 1909, p. 4.

"Elijah Sued for Loan." The Washington Herald [Washington, D.C.], 22 Oct. 1910, p. 4.

"Evangelist Indicted." The Salina Daily Union [Salina, KS], 8 Dec. 1911, p. 1.