December 9, 1908
OWNER OF MISSION ARRESTED.
J. C. Creighton Belongs to a Cult Sim-
ilar of That of the "Adam
God" People.
While their stronghold has been the houseboat at the foot of Delaware street, the band of religious fanatics has had its real headquarters in the Poor Men's mission, 309 Main street. Sharp and his followers reached Kansas City Friday morning. Friday night, and every night since that time, they have been holding their meetings and preaching to audiences in the Poor Men's mission. Early last evening J. C. Creighton, owner of the mission, was arrested for investigation, it being believed that he was one of the Sharp cult.
Mrs. Creighton did not know that her husband had been arrested, and when seen at the mission last night she made the following statement:
"My husband and a few followers have a religion which is similar to the Adam God religion. It is for that belief that we keep this mission for poor people. Jack Pratt is really the leader of the Adam God people, being Adam God himself. Louis Pratt is his brother. It is my belief that Jack Pratt is in Kansas city, though I don't know for sure.
"We knew the Adam God people, two years ago when they spent the winter in Kansas City. Then there was some trouble between them and the police. Friday we saw them preaching on the street and later that day they came to our mission. They have held meetings here every night since that time.
When asked what kind of religion it was which caused men to lose fear of bullets or weapons, Mrs. Creighton replied:
"We believe that the body never dies. The book of Revelation tells us that there will be 144,000 persons whom God will care for and preserve at the end of the world. We all try to live so that we can be one of them. Bullets could not hurt our bodies then, for we will live until Christ comes to earth again, which will be very soon, within a lifetime. Besides those differences the belief is the same as Christianity. Only those who do not live right with God will lose their bodies, their souls will live on in some newborn child."
J. C. Creighton, owner of the Poor Man's mission, formerly a janitor in a flat at Admiral boulevard and Troost avenue, did not talk much in his cell at Central station last night. He denied knowledge of the Sharps or Pratts for several minutes, but finally admitted having known the Adam God people two years ago. He said that the first he had seen of them this time was Sunday, but would not admit that they had ever held meetings in his room, or ever asked permission to do so. He made a similar statement to the prosecuting attorney.
Labels: Adam God sect, Admiral boulevard, Central station, Main street, ministers, Troost avenue
