HISTORY and TIMES of THE KINGDOM

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Sandford Time Line  1862-1948

1880 (85) 1890  (95)  1900 (05) 1910  (15) 1920  (25) 1930 (35) 1940   (45)

Key to Sources:

ABSPM    A.B. Simpson and the Pentecostal Movement by Charles W. Nienkirchen

CPJ          Clarence Parker's Journal

EG          The Everlasting Gospel   Edited by Frank W. Sandford

EM          Edith McIntyre's notebook  1900-1906

GTK        Glad Tidings of the Kingdom   Edited by Frank W. Sandford

H            Shiloh    by William C. Hiss

HTK         History & Times of the Kingdom

JAD       John Adamson's Diary

KMR        Kingdom Membership Roster (in Shiloh archives)

LB          Leander Bartlett trial (2 transcripts)

MPF         Marstaller family personal files

R            Restoration Tidings   by   Frank W. Sandford

RV          Frank W. Sandford's  "Revelation Sermon"  12-17-1911

SF          Sublimity of Faith   by Frank Murray

SN         Fair Clear and Terrible   by Shirley Nelson

TF         Tongues of Fire   by Frank W. Sandford

W          The Almighty and Us   by Arnold White

Notes: 

1. Editor's comments are in purple.  Emphasis has been added to red text.   Links are teal

2. For the sake of space and the many times his name appears, we have abbreviated Mr. Frank Sandford's name to "Mr. S."

Begin Sandford Timeline

10- 2-1862  Mr. S. is born.

The 1880's

2-29-1880 Mr. S saved in the Bowdoinham Ridge church p53 & 74SF

5-23-1880 Mr. S baptized. p53SF

Spring 1886 Mr. S graduates from Bates College. p52SF

Summer 1886  Mr. S reads Hannah Whitall Smith's The Christian's Secret to a Happy Life. p54SF

1- 1-1887 Mr. S becomes a minister in the Free Baptist Church in Topsham, Maine. p53SF

August 1887 Mr. S attends Moody's College of Colleges in Northfield, Ma. p58 SF

Fall 1887 Mr. S. attends a Moody/Methodist convention in Old Orchard Beach and a subsequent A.B. Simpson Christian & Missionary Alliance convention in O.O. B. , Me. p62SF

July 1888 Mr. S. returns to Moody's Northfield College.  He signs the pledge, "I am willing and desirous, God permitting, to be a foreign missionary", which he had been reluctant to commit to the previous summer. p63 SF

Fall 1888 Mr. S. attends the Niagara Convention. p65 SF

The 1890's

1-5-1890 Mr. S. accepts a pastorate in the Great Falls, (Somersworth) New Hampshire Free Baptist Church for $1500 annual salary. p68 SF

1890-1892 Mr S. "slips away to New York City" from time to time to attend Simpson's Christian and Missionary Alliance conventions at the New York Gospel Tabernacle  p69 SF & TF 4-1-96

January-February 1890 Mr. S has a nervous breakdown in Great Falls, N.H. p80H. p75 SF

Mr. S was evidently under a great deal of stress from his heavy schedule of activities.

10-21-1890 Mr. S. embarks on a 'round the world journey to visit missionary outposts.  While in Japan, he stops in on an earlier acquaintence from CMA days in Old Orchard Beach, Miss Helen Kinney, his future wife. She is doing missionary work there in Japan. Mr. Sandford also makes stops in China, India, Aden and Israel before returning home on 4-3-1891. p81SF

2-19-1891 Mr. S. is dramatically rescued off the coast of Jaffa by Sulieman Girby, an Arab , when the Tchihatchoff,  their steamer, runs aground in a storm.  The two become fast friends.

8-18-1891  At Old Orchard Beach, Maine, God reveals to Mr S. his life's work, to devote himself to worldwide evangelization on apostolic principles. Mr. S., praying for Miss Carrie Kendall, casts demons from her person, and the next morning believes he hears God's voice whisper to him "Armegeddon"  p134 TF 9-1-98

7-12-1892 At age 29, Mr. S marries Helen Kinney. p91H & p93SF. 

10-9-1892 Mr. S., after much prayer and deliberation makes the private decision to leave the Free Baptist denomination SFp.95

1- 1-1893 Mr. S publicly announces his intention and leaves the ministry in the Free Baptist Church; his explanation centers on spiritual restrictions in preaching and the "bondage" of being a church employee. He has been a minister in the Free Baptist denomination for 6 years. He gives all his money away and moves in with Helen's wealthy parents in their winter home in Honey Grove, Texas, and later at their summer home in Sing Sing, New York. p92,97,98 & 100 SF

7- 5-1893 Mr. S starts preaching in Bowdoinham expecting a revival. p102SF. Seven are present at his first service.

9-25-1893 Mr. S., at the movement's first covention, initiates a daily 9-10am hour of prayer. Noticing in the paper that the Jewish feast of Succoth was to run from 9/25 - 10/2, he decided that their convention should do likewise, terminating no less, on his birthday.   p99H, p106 SF

9-30-1893 An organization of twelve members signs a Constitution at Burgett Park amusement center, Somersworth, New Hampshire, officially starting the movement. p130TF, p106 SF    They were:

1) Frank W. Sandford 2) Helen Kinney Sandford 3) Mrs. James Sandford 4) Maria (Sandford) Lancaster 4) Annie (Sandford) Brown 5) Rev Frank H. Bickford 6) Miss Edith Sisson 7) David Miller (Manhattan, Kansas) 8) Carrie Kendall (Bowdoinham) 9) Thomas Williamson (New Hampshire) 10) Mr. Kinney 11) Mrs Kinney 12)?   (Nos. 7-12 are uncertain) p108 SF

In 1900,  the Constitution would be "cast aside" as gratuitous, since the Bible itself was all the Constitution Shiloh needed.  Seven Years with God p80. Also go to Shirley Nelson's Fair Clear and Terrible  unpublished page notes

7- 4-1894 Mr. S. holds a praise service and picnic at Center’s Point in Bowdoinham for all his first years converts. p118SF. (See 10-21-1919 when Mr. S buys Center’s Point.)

8/2/1894 Mr. S. receives "what was infinetly better than salvation, consecration, sanctification, or even power for service, The Personal, Abiding Hoy Ghost, who moved into His temple, never more to depart, but from thence to send 'rivers of living water' to all Israel and to all nations." p.135 July 15, 1898 TF

8- -1894 Rev. C.N. Kinney and wife (Mr. S’s in-laws) buy the first gospel tent. It is pitched at Sylvan Springs, Durham. (just west of Shiloh) The Revs Kinney, Hoffman, and Sandford and their wives are the workers. p5 TF 1-1-97

Colby farm, 1895 Litchfield, Maine (former Peacock homestead)

We are indebted to Ms. Nancy MacLeod Fitts, of Chelsea, Maine,  who provided the above photo from her grandfather's archives.  She is the grandaughter of John and Ida MacLeod of Litchfield, Maine, who were once members of the Kingdom.   The notes from her grandfather's archives  read . . . "Aaron Peacock settled on the Pond Road in Litchfield, where he owned a farm and slaughter house.  It was on this farm that the well known baptismal service that attracted over 1000 people with evangelists Frank W. Sandford and Miss Carrie Kendall was held."

left to right: Benjamin Colby (seated on wagon); standing rear: Frank W. Sandford; standing middle: Clara Colby, Lottie Colby, Ethel Colby, Annebell Peacock Colby (seated); front, seated: Mina Colby, Mertie Colby, and James Colby.

10- 3-1895 First Bible school class. Willard Gleason is the first applicant. Board and room fee is $1 per week, except for poor students. p118W & 10TF 1-1-97

1896 Totten's Anglo-Israel begins to be taught by Mr. S. p170H

3-7-1896 Mr. S. leaves the Litchfield farm of the Colbys behind and with 10 students moves to an empty building on John Douglass's farm, later dubbed by Sandford, 'Hephzibah', in Durham.  Douglas was a former Quaker, and the building had been resently renovated for the use of other former Quakers who had been disenfranchised by the Quakers for having been baptized.

They were  Mr. S., and 1) Mary Robinson from Durham, 2) Charles Holland 3) Willard Gleason 4) Roswell Harper from Wales, Me. 5)Edward Doughty  6) Clinton Cleaves 7) Rose Emmons [all 3 from Chebeague Island, Me.] 8) Henry Dickenson from Aroostook County, Me. 9) Mary Guptill from Cornish, Me. and 10) Maude Peacock p124H, p142SF

3-13-1896 Mr. S indirectly calls himself a prophet to journalist Holman Day by saying to Mr. Day, "you are like all doubters of the world, you believe neither God nor his prophet." p127H

3-31-1896 Shiloh foundation begun starting with a borrowed wheelbarrow and 3 cents. By the middle of August a 40' by 60' brick foundation wall is finished. Bible Class living in Hephzibah while construction goes on.

At the start of the Shiloh foundation on 3-31-96 Mr. S says,"...I have no income, and no influencialfriends, not even the imaginary millionaire that so many people talk about..."

        His wife’s parents were wealthy and influencial, her father being a wall street cotton broker with homes in New York and Texas.  They assisted Mr. S in his early efforts by purchasing the first Gospel tent. p125TF 8-15-97.

Mr. and Mrs. Leger are the first to move into the room called "Ebenezer". p105TF 7-1-97.

5-11-1896 The 40' sloop "Warren" is acquired for $2800 gospel work along the coast of Maine. Tongues of Fire recites that it was purchased by John Douglas, and  Sublimity of Faith records that it was named after Douglas's son.  The boat would prove the undoing of the relationship between Douglas and Sandford. SF p.145 TF 1-1-97 p.14, FCT

6- 1-1896 A 40' sloop, purchased by John Douglas, is dedicated and to be used for coastal preaching. An evening service at Long Island in Casco Bay was conducted by Douglas himself.  p14 TF 1-1-97.    Sandford refers to it in 1897 as the "gospel yacht".

7- 4-1896 Shiloh cornerstone laid. p131H.  Mr. S tells the audience to be looking for the development of the two witnesses, Elijah and Moses in their midst p134 H.

This is one of the earliest clear suggestions that Mr. S might possibly be thinking of himself as Elijah.

7-4-1896 Charles Holland ordained

Fall 1896 Thursday afternoon is devoted to praying for the sick. p15 TF 1-1-97. See 3-17-1898 when this practice seems to become official.

10-2-1896 The chapel is dedicated. The building is designed to accommodate 60 full time occupants. Value of the building is estimated at $6000 to $8000.

1- 1-1897    Mr. S says, "The yacht has come since I wrote last year’s article. It would not surprise me if the ocean liner came before I shall write the January paper for ‘98. I do not make this as a statement; I simply know it is coming some time, and I believe it will be speedily." p2TF 1-1-97. On 6-3-1897 Mr. S says, "God gave us definitely an ocean liner, to carry missionaries to foreign lands. ...I am as certain of that steamer as of my own existence, for God said it." p138TF 8-15-97.

No ocean liner was ever purchased, though the steamer "Barracouta" was eventually acquired by British Kingdom member, Helena Mary Newton, with the intent to reprovision Coronet at sea in 1911   see 7-30-1911

1- -1897 By this time there were 3 scheduled conventions in the year: 1) a 3 day 4th of July convention, 2) a two week campmeeting in August, and 3) an annual convention from 9-25 to 10-2 (Mr. S’s birthday). p16TF Jan1897

1-1-1897 "The Truth" sign is hung over the front door. p144SF & p128H & p15-16TF 1-1-97. A Boston firm makes the Shiloh crown for $100.00. p104TF 7-1-97.

1-7-1897 Mr. S’s first child, John, is born.

1-13-1897 Mr. S’s mother-in-law, Mrs. Kinney, dies in John Douglas’ home. A.B. Simpson speaks at her funeral service in Sing Sing, N.Y. She had 5 children. p17-18 TF Jan1897

2- -1897  34 official students, including Mr. and Mrs. S by this time. p33TF 2-15-97
        They are:

The same article indicates that, in all, over fifty students have attended school here.

2-15-1897 Mr. S says, "Dr. Dowie of Chicago prays with or for as many as 70,000 sick people a year, and thousands of most astounding and most remarkable miracles have taken place." (See fall 1898) p43TF 2-15-97

3-15-97 In Tongues of Fire, Mrs. C.E. Holland relates a story of how Mr. S had the needed money in his hand while he questioned one of the women about her faith in God to supply the money for sending out the wash. p47TF  A similar occurance is recorded in August of the same year regarding the purchase of the Shiloh boiler. p129TF

This practice of having the congregation continue to pray for God to supply money for a specific need while the money is already on hand has been carried on to the present day as a way of faith training.

4- -1897 John Douglas leaves the movement, and takes the Warren with him. FCT p.91

4- -1897 Mr. S admits that he committed a "blunder" regarding the purchase of an engine. p56TF 4-1-97

4- 8-1897 Mr. S speaks in Manchester, NH on "God’s last movement", Rev. 14:6 and 16:14, and that it would "be world-wide", ..."that all minor movements would be swallowed up by these two great ones" (God’s movement and the antichrist’s), and that this would be the time of the two witnesses. p70TF 5-1-97

Does Mr. S think at this time that Shiloh is the great movement that swallows up Christ’s minor ones as he does later on?

Spring - 1897 John Douglas leaves the movement. FCT p. 91

5- 2-1897    Mr. S says, "The very people who are being persecuted today by the ungodly, are going to sit with Jesus Christ on His throne and decide the fate of those who have persecuted them." p94 TF 6-1-97 (see 12-1-1901)

7-4-1897 Dedication of Shiloh chapel. p157SF (Mr. S. is 34 years old.) The new meeting room carpet is olive colored and 35 chairs are on the platform for the students. p108&109TF 7-15-97.  Easily a thousand were in attendance.  FCT p.93 Willard Gleason ordained   p95 FCT

The original Shiloh Temple, without the Jerusalem turret and heightened crown structure, before the Extension and Gates of Praise were added. from a cover photo on the August 15, 1897 issue of Tongues of Fire.

7-18-1897 The sixth gospel tent opens in Auburn, Me.

8- -1897 Mr. S says, "...six gospel tents have been given to the work, and faith sees ninety-four others coming as fast as we can use them." p137TF 8-15-97. (No record of more than six tents have been found.)

9- -1897 Mr. S. with 12 students travel around the county in the gospel carraige for a three week 'vacation' preaching in school houses, barns, and hitting many of the old haunts Mr. Sandford visited as a young person. Their holiday ends at Barter's Island, near Boothbay Harbor, where 5 souls are converted.  TFp.147 Sept15,1897

10- 1-1897 Mr. S says, "It is the church of pure gold that is going to be supplied by the pure oil of the Holy Ghost in all its fullness through these two mighty men of God. They are yet to appear. Some think they are Enoch and Elijah of old..." p162TF 10-1-97

The connection between Elijah and the pure church appears to be growing in Mr. S’s mind.

10- -1897 N.H. Harriman in a letter to Mr. S is trying to decide whether or not he should start a Bible school or do evangelistic work (in Tacoma, WA). p175TF 10-1-97

11-25-1897 The Temple in Auburn is dedicated. p187TF 12-1-97

1- 1-1898 Women start continual prayer in Jerusalem turret under the crown (ending on 5-11-1920). p16W & p13TFJan1898 & p179H

2-19-1898 Mr. and Mrs. Cummings decide to devote their  boarding home at 545 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, to Christian work. While a convention is held at the home for the previous 7 days, Mr. S and the students take the home in faith. The Cummings still have a $150.00 per month mortgage to pay on the home. At some point Mr. S. took on the mortgage payments. Mr. S says in reference to 545, "...He (God) gave us the privilege of beginning the purchase (in advance)...".

545 and 547 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, or "Elim".  Actually, only 545 was acquired at this time, 547 being purchased in the summer of 1903.

In the lead article of Everlasting Gospel , Aug 7-31, 1902 Ralph Gleason [having releaved Charles Holland as overseer of work in North American during Mr. Sandford's absence] indicates the following:

"God has given me a royal company of workers to stand by me in the great financial battle at Elim.  It is greatly on the heart of Mr. Sandford that this home should be entirely paid for and royally furnished by Oct. 2nd.  When we bought this house there was a mortgage on it for about $12,000 which we could not buy until it should expire.  As we would not run in debt we would not accept a deed for the property until the mortgage should be paid."  The previous issue, however, lists Elim at 545 Massachusetts Ave., Boston as one of the movement's centers.

The mortgage is ultimately paid off by the church on 7-4-1919. p35TF 3-1-98 & p181H & p115TF 7-1&15-1900

On this same date (2-19-1898) Mr. S says, "I feel sure that God wants a temple capable of seating ten thousand people in the city of Boston, and that the great, mighty God who said, "Go to," has started a fund with this end in view." p35 TF 3-1-98. (This temple never materialized.)

2-25-1898 Sandford, in a sermon at Elim in Boston, discusses at great length the appearance of Elijah, and the sharing of his authority during the millenium. p.244H, TF May15,1900-June 1,1900 p.96

"Do you want to have anything to do with that man?  Well, if you are true to God you will have a chance, for I believe as much as I am standing here, I will have the glorious privilege of haveing my work and all I may do through life connected with that glorious church of gold, connected with that glorious man."

This sermon was delivered two and one half years prior to his 'Elijah announcement'

3-17-1898 Cornerstones are laid for Bethesda (a hospital for faith healing located at Shiloh, which was dedicated 3-17-99 p36 TF 2-15-1900) and Olivet (the children's building, also at Shiloh, dedicated 3-19- 1903). p179H. This day marked the (official?) beginning of the practice of praying for the sick during the "six hours" every Thursday from 9 AM to 3 PM. p41 TF 3-15-98

The 4-1-1898 issue of Tongues of Fire records Mr. S's personal arguments for speaking in tongues.  Mr. S.  while en route to Jerusalem stays with the Blacks and Jennie Glassey in Liverpool, and defends the legitimacy of their claims regarding tongues and faith healing while on the African mission field. See Cyberjournal For Pentecostal-Charismatic Research

4-14-1898 Mr. S says God spoke to him: "Remove the covering cast over the face of all the earth." p.183 H. These words refer to Isaiah 25:7 "On this mountain he (the Lord Almighty) will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations." (There is no indication in this scripture that anyone but God will remove any covering over the earth as Mr. S. acknowledges. However, Mr. S says that this is the first direct command from God concerning his life’s work.) p145 TF 10-1-98.  

According to Hiss this is the first message Mr. S. gets which specifically gives him a distinct role and power. Hiss believes that this message is a turning point in Mr. S’s ministry. However, it certainly does not have the impact of the Elijah announcement in 1901. A year after "remove the covering", Mr. S. added "each of you" suggesting that he was not yet ready to take on the full role of authority indicated by the "remove" announcement. There is a suggestion from Mr. S.’s sermon on 11-24-1901 that either at the "remove" announcement or sometime later in 1898 he began to think that he was a prophet. It is clear that the Elijah prophecy was on his mind at least as far back as July 4, 1896. His emphasis on Elijah in his sermons became more frequent as the Elijah announcement approached.

5-16-1898 Mr. S. and Willard Gleason leave for Liverpool and Israel, p185 H.

(This is Mr. S's second trip to Israel. While in Liverpool, they stay with "three impecunious American missionaries" as Murray puts it.  A Mr. & Mrs Black, together with their adopted daughter, Miss Jennie Glassey, who were waiting for God's leadings regarding the establishment of an African mission.  The Blacks and Glassey were staying with yet another missionary's home, a Mr. W. H. Archer, who ran the Bethel Mission, 105 Hudson Place in Liverpool.  All of these individuals (excepting Archer) will later be acknowledged as pioneers in the charismatic/pentecostal movement, yet to be recognized. 

7-18-1898 Mr. S. writes his Anglo-Israel Manifesto while in Jerusalem. p185 SF

8-13-98 Mr. S returns from the Holy Land while Willard Gleason stays in Palestine at the home of a Christian worker in Bethany.   Willard is left in charge on the 'Holy Ghost and Us' Bible School there.  Upon leaving Liverpool on his return trip home, Mr. S's former host while in Liverpool, Evangelist W. H. Archer, accompanys FWS back to the U.S. p.137 & 139 TF 9-15-98.

10- -1898 Construction starts on Shiloh extension. p190H.  Mr. S. also makes public his "Remove the Covering" commission from God, and officially renames the movement "Church of the Living God the Pillar and Ground of the Truth". p188 SF

11-16-1898 Willard Gleason moves from Bethany and secures a rent in Jerusalem for about $14.00 a month, "... one of the best furnished homes in the city".  Brother Black and company are still with him. Tongues of Fire Dec. 15, 1898

12-1-1898 Helen Sandford writes in Tongues of Fire that the kitchen staff is preparing meals for about a hundred people. In the same issue, Leona H. Emmons, one of the Shiloh children, writes that she was the first child at Shiloh, excepting Theodora and  John Sandford, and that there are now 18 children at Shiloh.

12-2-1898 Mr. S preaches at Moody Bible Institute and twice hears Alexander Dowie speak (renowned faith healer). p191 H & p199 TF 12-15-98

1- -1899 Shiloh Post Office built.

3-17-1899 The hospital for faith healing, Bethesda, is dedicated

8- -1899 Olive Mills is raised from the dead. Sometime later (1900) the child of E.J. & Myrtie Brown, David, dies, and is carried to the turret or one of the extension monitors and prayed over continually in order to bring the child back to life.   This continued for more than a month before the child removed was quietly buried at night. It was stated in Hiss's dissertation, Murray's Sublimity of Faith, and Fair Clear & Terrible's page notes that the child's parents were N. G. Brown and Annie Sandford, Frank's sister. p230H & p277SN. (The inability to repeat the Olive Mills raising must have been disappointing and troubling.)

8- -1899 The seven ministers of Shiloh pause to have their photograph recorded

They are, l. to r. George Higgins, Charles E. Holland, Almon A. Whittaker, Austin K. Perry, Ralph E. Gleason, Willard N. Gleason, Frank W. Sandford. 

7-29-1899 Clarence Parker, Emma Lundgren and about 12 others from the Chicago Bible school arrive to help finish the extension.  CPJ, HTK membership list

9-24-1899 Mr S. preaches in Liverpool, kneels behind the altar, and, in prayer, "binds himself" to God's will.  As he bowed behind the pulpit "God swept such unspeakable joy through my whole being that I sobbed like a child and shook for a long time under the power of God".  This event followed an ugly confrontation with Mrs. Leger, and bad news from Shiloh regarding the lack of money. p221-223 SF   "Frank himself later considered it a period of terrible extremity, a watershed of ultimate significance." FCT p.130

?- -1899 Rev C. S. Weiss's text "Sandfordism Exposed" is published, revealing, among other things, that for a time Mr. S. referred to the Holy Ghost as "your Mother", and that the Lord's Supper was not offered to anyone who maintained an affiliation with another church or sect.  This is approximately two years prior to Mr. S's announcement of a "restored" baptism and the resulting "closed" communion as taught by Kingdom historians.

The 1900's

1- 1-1900 Mr. S starts writing Seven Years With God p229SF. Mr. S connects the two witnesses with Shiloh in Seven Years With God. p241H

2-25-1900 Mr. S says he believes that this movement will be connected with Elijah. p245H

4-30-1900 Mr. S and company (Mr. & Mrs. Gleason, Almon Whittaker, Mrs. Leger, Mary Guptill and Frank McKenzie) leaves for the far west by train.  They make several stops, among them, Winnepeg, Manitoba, as they head for Tacoma, Washington.  (Mr. Whittaker is on board without Mrs. W) p230SF

6-20-1900 N.H. Harriman and others ( 16 from Winnepeg, 40 from Tacoma, 11 from Kansas City and 7 from Topeka) arrive at Shiloh.  Charles Parham, whose group had taken in Shiloh's itinerent evangelists Ed Doughty from Chebeague Island and Victor Barton from Kansas City welcome the Tacoma group on their way back to Maine.  Parham returns to Shiloh with the group, spends about six weeks with the Sandford school, and is extolled by FWS himself, but returns to Topeka to found Bethel Bible College. p111& 115 TF 1-15-1900 There, with Alice Ozman on Dec. 31, 1900, "tongues" break out, one of the milestones which chronicle the development of the Pentecostal Church. p247H.

6-22-1900 N.H. Harriman says the party arrived at Shiloh on 6-22 p165LB & p111 TF 7-1&15-1900. Also see P112 TF 7-1&15-1900 where N.H. Harriman describes the convention before the departure from Tacoma.

6-30-1900 Charles Fox Parham leaves Topeka, Kansas for visits to Higher Lines Holiness Movements back east; Simpson's in Nyack, N.Y., A.J. Gordon's, and Sandford's at Shiloh, where he stays for six weeks.  He returns to Topeka in September.  (Parham, along with Simpson and Tomlinson are widely credited as early progenitors of the Pentecostal Church) p29 ABSPM

7- 8-1900 There are about 200 students at the close of this years Bible School session. p113 TF 7-1&15-1900

7-18-1900 Mr. S. and a party of 18, including Parham, head for Winnipeg, Manitoba for a month of meetings.  N. H. Harriman remains at Shiloh to work on the landscaping.  Parham leaves the party after the Winnipeg campaign and returns to Topeka. SF p233, FCTp.143, H p.247

A postcard of Shiloh, with the landscaping of the terraces in progress.

9-24-1900 Mr. S. walks out to a hill near Shiloh and sobs for several hours over the many new students' mixed levels of spirituality. p258H

9-25-1900 Divine Authority at Shiloh officially instituted as policy. p.259H  N.H. Harriman disfellowshipped the first time. p143 FCT

10-2-1900 The Fair, Clear & Terrible Purge begun at Shiloh p 144 FCT

12- -1900 N.H. Harriman, having been at Shiloh for four to six months, writes favorable articles about the school from Oct.- Dec.1900 which are later printed in Shiloh publications. p203LB

12-31-1900 Mr. S. tells his students they will see in "the coming century the final days of the gospel age, with all its violence, miracles, signs and the final arrival of Christ." p.266 H

1- 1-1901 Men start continual prayer in David's Tower (opposite Jerusalem turret at the rear of the extension). p16W and p21RMar/Apr93. Continual prayer ends for the men on 3-5-1920. p540 H

2- -1901 Over 300 students are now at Shiloh. The extension is expected to be finished by end of 1901 and to hold 500. p67W (the extension never was completed, Ed.)

4- -1901 Mr. S initiates a Saturday Sabbath. p21RMar/Apr93 &p244SF. This is the first act of the Restoration of All Things according to Frank Murray. p245SF

6- - 1901  Alexander Dowie declares himself to be Elijah the prophet, the forerunner of Christ's second coming.

6-17-1901  Words "the Restoration" used. p184W. Also see scriptural justification at 1942 entry.

6-19-1901  Party of 13 (1st Jerusalem mission) leave Shiloh for Liverpool. p247SF. In this group are Mr. and Mrs. S, their son John, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Gleason, Margaret Main, Ed Doughty, N. H. Harriman and his son Joseph, Elnora Emerson, Mary and Adnah Guptill, and Almon Whittaker (without Mrs. Whittaker).

Highfield House, (or "Pasdammim" , as Mr. S. renamed it) at Knotty Ash outside of Liverpool.  Once the home of an Earl, in 1901, thanks to Almon Whitaker, it became the rented center of The Holy Ghost & Us Bible School in Great Britain. from a photo in the personal collection of the Nathanael Street family album. Mr. Street was born there.

9-14-1901 Mr. S, N. H. Harriman, Olive Mills, and Grace Hughey return from England to Shiloh leaving the rest of the Jerusalem party in Liverpool. p287H

9-24-1901 Mr. S at the fall feast institutes 100, 60, and 30 fold (100 fold are fulltime church workers). p288H. The Lord's Supper becomes closed to the public. p290 H

According to Hiss, this occurs during this convention in 1901.  According to Rev, Chs. Weiss in Sandfordism Exposed, closed communion was practiced as far back as 1899.

9-29-1901 Mr. S says "Keep close to God commissioned men because God commissioned men will keep close to Elijah and the other witness when he comes." p296EG.

"I ask you if it is not about time for us to expect something radical to take place in the way of initiation into all that it (the power of the two witnesses) means." p293EG

"The very people that listen to what I have got to say tonight, a man commissioned by God Almighty, will be the very people that will receive Elijah when he comes, and the witness when he comes"... p295EG.

These 3 quotes indicate a building focus on Elijah before the announcement on 11-23-1901.

"One church member allowed in a church to live in sin corrupts the whole church." p283EG

10- 1-1901 First authorized baptism. p288SF  Mr. S says, "There is not the slightest chance for a human being to escape God’s wrath, who after having the opportunity to accept this baptism, definitely and persistently refuses to do so. Oh but you say, "I have been baptized once." I care not if you have been baptized twenty times. You have never been baptized by the man whom God has sent to herald his coming, and you never can be prepared to enter into the presence of God unless you have had that baptism. ...you have been under the law, that is, you have been under a baptism which corresponded to the law, which was only partly right. "The law was until John"- the law was until October 1st, 1901. Since that time "the Kingdom of God is preached," and men press into it." from Mr. S.'s undated pamphlet "Scriptural and Authoritative Baptism " p20&21

Referring to the justification for a "special baptism", Mr. S says, "...Jehovah Himself conferred that authority by word of mouth. During the first year of the twentieth century a voice was heard saying -"the mantle of Elijah is fallen upon thee"... (Mr. S says on 11-24-1901 that Satan, not Jehovah, whispered this quote to him. The "Elijah is here" announcement did not actually occur until 11-23-1901, after the first special baptism. Was Mr. S using Satan’s announcement as the justification for the "special baptism?" From Mr. S.'s undated article "The Baptism of the Restoration"

For other references on baptism see: 11-24-1901, 11-27-1901, 12-1-1901, and 7-4-1902. See also Oct. 1947 when Mr. S. re-visits the site of his own baptism just months before his death.

10-27-1901 Mr. S says, "..this movement has been pitched to the key of Elijah and has been commissioned by God Almighty to prepare the people for the second coming of Christ.." p276EG & p292H

11-23-1901 The "Elijah is Here" announcement. p293SF. (Mr. S 39 years old). Within the next several days Mr. S says, "Every stiff neck (who resists Mr. S) without exception is going to have a brand in his hand or on his brow, the mark that will consign his soul to eternal burning." p296H. Shortly after the Elijah announcement, contacts with Moody's and Simpson's followers ceased completely. p298H

The Elijah announcement, marked the beginning of a campaign that lasted into the 1940s during which time Mr. S strongly condemned his critics.

With the Elijah announcement, Mr. S brought on a level of control over his followers unrecorded in his previous sermons. That control came by telling his listeners that if they rejected him they would go to hell. He told them to be fully submissive to him. His increasing need for control may have been spurred by the increase in number of members and the fear of losing control that numbers can bring. It also may mean that emotionally he needed confirmation from his followers that he was Elijah.

11-24-1901 Mr. S said, "I have felt for several years as if I were a prophet to Israel."... "Then another confirmative proof to myself is the message that Satan once wispered in my ear. He said to me some six or eight months ago, 'The mantle of Elijah is fallen upon thee.' It is one of his tricks to try to anticipate God in the things He is about to do." p313EG. "Scripturally, no man in these last days has been baptized previous to October 1st." p315EG. (Did Mr.S apply this to his contemporaries such as Moody and Simpson?)

11-25-1901 Mr. S says, "Your safety depends upon the amount of authority the man of God has in defending you. If you are fully submissive to him, he can fight your battles."... "Many are the ministers that have gone to the insane asylum who have declared that I and some of my workers were insane. You mark what I tell you. You will see a cyclone of judgment fall upon the people that dare to attack me and dare to attack this Church that they are railing against." p331EG.

11-26-1901 Mr. S says, "So we have no less than 5 Elijah's in history." (Elijah, Elisha, John the Baptist, Mr. S, and the 2nd witness). p402EG.

Apparently at this time Mr. S does not think he will be one of the two witnesses, that there will be another Elijah still to come who will take on that roll. Mr. S later changes his mind and says he as Elijah is one of the witnesses. He says the 2nd witness is C.E. Holland as Moses 10-1903.

11-27-1901 Mr. S says, "...when the books (of judgment) are opened, every man, woman and child that has rejected this man, this movement, this church and this baptism will be consigned to a lake composed of fire which feeds upon brimstone, ..." " 'I (God) warned you through My messenger (Mr. S) that if you rejected that light I would damn you without mercy, endlessly, to show My wrath against such hellish ingratitude." (Not scriptural.) p450EG

Mr. S says, "They (so-called religious teachers) will find out that the words spoken by this man of God cannot be trifled with, and that insults ... can never be atoned for." p452EG

11-29-1901 Mr. S says, "He (God) said to me this morning, 'Testify of your oneness with me.' And I do it. And I declare before men and angels in this 20th century that Jesus Christ and I are joint heirs, and that God loves me with the same burning intensity with which He loves Him, without the slightest difference between us." p384EG

In John 10:30 Jesus said, "I and the Father are one." Jesus experienced oneness as the second person of the Trinity. Did the oneness of which Mr. S testified mean that he thought he was now elevated to the sacred plane of the Trinity? Romans 8:17 says, "...we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ..." This scripture applies to all of us and does not uniquely apply to Mr. S. In the context in which he wrote it, he seems to be saying that this uniquely applies to himself. Ed.

12- 1-1901 Mr. S says, "Every baptism that has taken place since the beginning of the dark ages has been defective and in part because men have had only partial truth-portions of the truth."... "Any person for instance that is in the Methodist denomination is a part of the indecency of that denomination which has young ladies on public inspection barefooted. On that great day when you stand before the bar of God to be judged you will be amazed to have me step up and say. 'I am against that person. I have no fellowship with him, Lord.' I promise you one thing: the Lord will not fellowship him." p347EG.

These recorded sermons following the Elijah announcement (11-23-1901 to 12-1-1901) show very little reference to Christ and the gospel. He spent a great deal of time establishing a position of authority that, at least to him, the Elijah announcement seemed to require. Was it necessary for a returning prophet to control his followers to this degree? What degree of influence was the Holy Spirit supposed to have on the individual followers of a prophet in the Gospel age? Was the Holy Spirit’s leading circumvented when Mr. S insisted that his followers submit to him?

12- 3-1901 Mr. S and 41 others leave Shiloh and Boston for Liverpool. (N.H. Harriman was in this group. p200LB)

12-30-1901 Mr. S in Liverpool emphasizing the trust that God has placed on him and the movement says, "The awful, yet glorious trust of holding my place as the Son of God in the eyes of the Father,and before a scoffing world." A footnote says, " No man can be a son of God without being the Son of God, that is 'accepted in the Beloved' and hence 'the Beloved' to the Father. p303H & p317EG Dec13 - Jan1,1902

In a letter to the ministers (2-12-1996) Roy Stamps, Sr., a long time dedicated Kingdom member, wrote that Mr. S. said in his presence, "I am responsible to be to my generation what Jesus Christ was to His, exactly that." While he did not say that he was Christ, he felt his position was the same to this generation as Christ’s position was to His generation. One can only conclude that Mr. S. must have felt that the reality of Christ in his followers hearts in this century was not enough to get them to the heavenly goal. A substitute or addition was needed, namely himself as Elijah the prophet.

1-19-1902 Mr. S in Liverpool says, "He (God) has taught me that what I am is worth more to the world than what I say or what I do, ..." p362EG

1-21-1902 The original Jerusalem party (without N.H. Harriman) leaves Liverpool for Egypt and arrives there on 2-6-1902. p300SF. N.H.Harriman is disfellowshipped while in Liverpool for 14 or 15 days. He is never restored to the ministry after this. His disagreements with Mr. S seem to be primarily related to differences in scriptural interpretation. p166LB

2-22-1902 Mr. S and Mr. Whittaker head back to Liverpool and arrive there on February 27, 1902. 10 people are left behind in Alexandria.

3-30-1902 A new Egypt party sets out from Liverpool to Egypt and arrive there on April 15, 1902. In it are Mr. S, Almon Whittaker, Victor and Emma Barton, Mr. and Mrs. Bolster, and Elsie Page.

5- 9-1902 The original Jerusalem party of twelve arrives in Israel from Alexandria leaving the 5 others behind in Alexandria. p304SF

5-18-1902  John Sandford is baptized in the Jordan River

5-22-1902 Mr. S leaves Israel for Liverpool by way of Egypt. p306SF

6-15-1902 Mr. S in Liverpool says, "...every man that sneers and rejects the God-sent messenger (Mr. S), that man will ere long bite the dust." "...every person who fails to deal sincerely ...with the speaker (Mr. S) concerning his or her attitude toward this movement, rue the day when I make my report to the Ancient of Days." p498EG. Also, see 7-3-1902

Mr. S. says, "Then there is the Son of God who comes to reign on the throne of David, on the throne established by ancient David and restored by the modern David (referring to Mr. S.)." p496EG.

Mr. S. says, "Higher even than they (the apostles and the 2 witnesses, unless Elijah is one of them) is Elijah ... " p495EG.

Mr. S. says, "Gentile nations are going to utterly perish that refuse to heed the words of this speaker. I want to tell you we have come to the sublimities of the Great Tribulation." p497EG

6-19-1902 Mr. S. leaves Liverpool for Shiloh and arrives on 6-28-1902. p307SF

7- 3-1902 Mr. S. says, "My very sanctification will set you apart as you come and yield to me." p436EG.

"If you want to know how He (Jesus) looks, look at me, for I look just like Him. Gaze right at me." p432EG. In the same sermon Mr. S seems to mean the opposite when he says, "Beloved, will you ask God to enable you to shut your eyes to everybody, to even Mr.S., ..." p435EG.

Mr. S. says, "He (Jesus) washed them when He died on Calvary. And now He is up there waiting for the kingdom to be prepared for Him. He (Jesus) says, 'I will send My true prophet and he will restore all things, prepare the people for my coming, and get ready the kingdom for Me. He will get a company of people whose hearts will flow together in unity, and there shall be one flock; and he will wash them with an authoritative baptism, and he will never stop until the work of the Holy Ghost in conjunction with his teaching shall have presented them to Me faultless as a people.'" p436EG. (This quote from Jesus is not found in Scripture.)

Mr. S says, " You cannot reject His forerunner and ever have Him come and speak peace to your soul; you will be 'ashamed before Him at His coming.'" p436EG.

Mr. S says, "When He (Jesus) comes back you can depend upon it that my Lord is not going to ignore me. He will turn to me and say, 'What about this woman?' And I will say, 'I will tell you just what I know about her.'" p437EG.

In contrast: Mr. S. also included in this meeting the wonder of the gospel of Jesus as expressed in the following: Mr. S. says, "The gospel is so wonderful in its power, it leaves no possible need unprovided for in Christ's atonement. The gospel is full of power." p428EG. "If you get God yourself and forget all that I say, you will go home rich." p435EG

7- 4-1902 Mr. S. says he is from the tribe of Judah and is the "Jew" spoken of in Zech.8:23 p463&466EG, and the "Lawgiver" from Gen.49:10 (also see Isa.33:22 & Jas.4:12) p469EG, and "David, king" from Isa.9:7 p476&479EG.

Mr. S says, "For two years I have known that I am of the tribe of Judah." p463EGZechariah 8:23 says, "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; In those days it shall come to pass,that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you." "God made me (Mr. S) know the last time I read it that I myself was that Jew". p466EG

Genesis 49:10 says, "The scepter will not departfrom Judah, nor the rulers staff (a lawgiver) from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his." Mr. S. said, "God said "a lawgiver should not depart from between the feet" of the tribe of Judah, and a lawgiver (Mr. S), the last character described in the Old Testament is here today speaking to you." p469EG In contrast: James 4:12 says, "there is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one (God) who is able to save and destroy."

Isaiah 9:7 "...He (Jesus) will reign on David’s throne and over his Kingdom, ..." Mr. S. says,"when the Son of God comes He actually mounts the very throne that David laid and the throne the other David prepares for the Messiah to mount, in other words, He reigns on the throne of David." Hosea 3:5 "afterward (living many days without a king) the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God (comma in the KJ version only) and David their King." (Once the comma is removed, Jesus himself becomes David their King and there is no need for another.) Mr. S says, "...God himself whispered those two words this morning on this hilltop "David, king."(referring to himself) Oh what a shout there should be." p476EG

(The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary refers to the above 3 characters as follows:

Jew - refers to the Jewish nation, not a specific individual.

Lawgiver - refers to Jesus.

King David - refers to Jesus.)

Mr. S says, "It is not a sin, a crime to give all the dues to the man of God who is of that tribe (Judah), ...it is not a crime to give him (Mr. S.) all the praise that is his due." p467EG

"I propose to open peoples eyes to the fact that God considers me of some consequence in His Kingdom." "I ought to be the most popular man in the country." p469EG. "I am going to be popular after this. I am a gentleman; I ought to be treated like a gentleman." "Some day you will wake up and want to kiss my feet." "I am a good subject to talk about. I wish you had as much right to talk about yourself as I have to talk about myself." p470EG. (2 Corin.4:5 "For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord ...) (2 Corin.10:17&18 "But, Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.")

"Every person not thus baptized (by Mr. S.) will never pass into the kingdom of God." p478EG.

"'I (Jesus, when he returns) will come to punish with everlasting destruction them that did not obey the gospel preached by My messenger.'" p479EG.

(The gospel message found in yesterday's sermon is missing this day.)

Mr. S. refers to "the restitution of all things." p466EG

7-12-1902 Mary Jane Sandford (Mr. S.'s mother) obituary posted in Lewiston newspaper

7-26-1902  Twelve ministers ordained, eight couples married.   EM,    p.88 W   p484EG,Oct1902
            Joseph Sutherland ordained and, along with seven other couples, is married.

7-30-1902 A new party of 12 leaves Boston for Liverpool arriving in early August. In this party are Mr. S., Mrs. N. H. Harriman, C.E. Holland and wife (the Holland children are left behind) with one child, Samuel (Cecil) Stanmore , Frank Templeton, Maude Peacock, Margaret Scott, Gertrude MacDonald, Emma Rimanoczy, C. A. Dunlap. p13EG Jan.-July 1903. The one child is Cecil Stanmore, a six year old boy who is taken (without his parents or any relatives) to play with little John S. in order to fulfill the prophecy with regard to children playing in the streets of Jerusalem. p187LB  Cecil Stanmore, however, never makes it as far as Jerusalem and instead is stranded in Liverpool, at Pasdam-min, under the care of the Kingdom workers. (FCT page notes, unpublished p458)

While in Liverpool, Mr. S. secludes himself for five weeks p.14 EG Jan.-July1903. (Is Mr. S. in a depression?)

9-01-1902 Three hundred fifty are now at Shiloh EG Sept 1-30,1902

9-10-1902 Mr. S. marries England & the U.S.   ". . .  after preaching on the 'Royal Sceptre,' the Mighty Monarch within led me to pour out a Spirit-inspired prayer that England and the United States might become one; and then the prayer changed into a marraige ceremony in which, as a representative of Jehovah, I made them one, as consciously so, as I ever married a man and woman."  EG Jan 1 - July 1, 1903 p. 14

9-11-1902 Mr. S. and N.H. Harriman leave Liverpool for Israel and arrive on 9-21-1902 p314SF. (Mr. S. never mentions N.H. Harriman's name on this trip in EG article of p14 Jan.-July1903.)

9-16-1902 Mr. S. says God spoke to him, "Renew the Kingdom" on his trip between Liverpool and Israel. p313SF

10-1-1902 Everlasting Gospel lists the Centers of the Movement as follows:

                1. Shiloh, Maine, headquarters for the movement, under F. W. Sandford
                2. Boston, Mass.  545 Mass. Ave. under R. E. Gleason
                3. Brooklyn, N.Y. 279 Dean Street under F. L. Richardson
                4. Ithaca, N.Y. 124 Madison St.  under G. E. Jewell
                5. Reedville, Texas, Caldwell Co. under A. J. Benson
                6. Chicago, Illinois 5547 Union Ave. under B. L. Mitchell
                7. Tacoma, Wash. 612 South 13th Street under F. G. McKenzie
                8. Moncton, N.B. Canada 29 Waterloo Street under John W. Scott
                9. Liverpool, England Highfield House, Knotty Ash under C. E. Holland
                10. Glasgow, Scotland 235 Bath Street under W. J. Taylor
                11. Alexandria, Egypt, House of Stagni, Port Post Office, under Victor A. Barton
                12. Jersalem, Palestine, American Consulate under W. N. Gleason

10-2-1902 The Kingdom is officially renewed  EM

10- 3-1902 Mr. S. while in Israel announces that he is David, King (Ezekial 37: 24-5). p319H & p6GTK Oct21 - July5, 1903. (see 11-28-1902).

10- 9-1902 Ed Doughty dies in Jerusalem. (Doughty was a Chebeague Island, Maine native)

10-14-1902 Mr. and Mrs. S. and son John, Mr. Whittaker, and Mary Guptil leave Israel and arrive at Shiloh on 11-18-1902 by way of Egypt and England. P317SF. Mr. Whittaker is away from Mrs. W. from 6-19-1901 to 11-18-1902. Mr. S. told Mr. W. not to go to his family until he had no natural affection for them. (Apparently, the reason for Mr. W.’s long absence is that he had affection for his family.) p184LB

11-13-1902  Mr. S. and 18 others land in Boston from Liverpool

11-28-1902 Mr. S. says, "the still small voice that spake on Horeb said, 'I have found David.' The words were spoken as applying personally to the man of God."p16TGK Oct2, 1902 - July5, 1903

The Thanksgiving convention opened with Shiloh being "set in majesty" with "the whole interior of Shiloh proper with a new coat of paint, new curtains, new paper, and new carpets, costing several hundred dollars"   p18 EG July 1, 1903

12- -1902  George Higgins, Sandford's hand-picked leader during his absence, is disciplined for not quelling the "mixed spiritual levels" now present on the hilltop.  In a letter to the workers overseas, Sandford explained to them that Higgins was to be severely punished by God, "if not killed.  I have been holding my breath," he wrote.  If the man should die, "a dozen hells would not be any too bad for him."  FCT p.202   Also, Ralph Gleason and Joseph Sutherland were to bear much of the responsibility for lax spirituality. FCT p.204

12-10-1902  Dr. Ida Miller brings word to Mr. S. that smallpox has broken out. FCT p.203

1-04-1903 Susie Jenkins and her son Theodore die of smallpox. They are the mother and brother of Herbert Jenkins. FCT p.204

1-16-1903 Absolute fast small pox  EM

1-17-1903 End of Mr. Sandford's seven day fast  EM    Shirley Nelson, in Fair Clear & Terrible   (p.209) indicates that Friday, January 23 was the last day of th extended fast, and that same morning the Nineveh fast was instituted.  This detail becomes a point of disagreement among witnesses in the Leander Bartlett lawsuit which eventually followed.

1-24-1903 Diptheria quaratine in Bethesda   EM

1-25-1903 Leander Bartlett dies of diptheria.  Joseph Sutherland dies later the same day of smallpox, making five deaths up to that point during the 1902-1903 winter at Shiloh.   " 'God is showing his wrath toward the ministry', wrote Helen Sandford to those overseas" p209SN

1-26-1903 Mr. S. kicks the minister's chairs off the platform, dissolves the Bible school and starts over. p328H & p329H, FCT p.211 (Was this action a result of frustration over the recent deaths?)

2-13-1903 Restoration of the Holy Spirit  EM 

2-13-1903 Friday evening, in Ebenezer, little John Sandford's fast begins, and the "salvation of the movement and the world would hang in the balance" FCT p. 214

2-17-1903 Tuesday morning John's fast ends, ..."saving the movement from the Black Winter, from failure, and the world from unspeakable disaster."  Nathan Harriman later commented, "It [John's episode] was the real beginning of my 'unbelief,' and so of my escape."   FCT p216

3-19-1903 Olivet (children's building) dedicated. p330H

5-21-1903 After pondering Jean Stevens letter to the Jerusalem mission describing in glowing terms the little John Sandford incident, N.H. Harriman leaves   Jerusalem alone and 'turns against' Mr. S.  N.H. Harriman is in the Kingdom approximately three years. P323SF

Summer 1903  A second brownstone in Boston next to Elim is acquired  FCT p.219

7-1-1903  Bible School disbanded and reformed, into "something higher than it had ever been before, even giving it the name "The University of Truth"  EG p20 July 1 - July 31, 1903

7- -1903  The Everlasting Gospel announces the list of re-instated ministers.  They are 1) A. K. Perry 2) R. E. Gleason 3) G. E. Jewell 4) R. L. Whittaker 5) J.W. Scott 6) F. G. McKenzie  7) E. H. Tupper. together with 8) C. E. Holland, 9) W. N. Gleason, 10) A. A. Whittaker 11) F. H. Templeton 12) V. A. Barton who were "stationed for some time across the water" EG p21 July 1 - July 31, 1903 

7-25-1903 With the help of an attorney, Moses Leger the printer collects his printing press and leaves Shiloh. p328H & p131 LB, FCT p. 218

7-28-1903 A series of tent meetings are initiated on Barter's Island, Boothbay, Maine, and continue on through August. The newly acquired motor launch "Overcomer" is utilized for transportation. See The Papers/Overcomer this website, LJ 7-28-03, 8-01-03

7-31-1903 Motor launch "Overcomer" purchased (30' long) p327SF

9-26-1903 N.H. Harriman's articles against Mr. S begin to be published in Lewiston Journal. p341H

The gist of his argument was that although the workers at Shiloh desired to serve God on the highest plane, Mr. S was perverting their aims and turning them into virtual slaves. He had led his followers to believe that all authority at Shiloh was hierarchical, and that he possessed the only sure access to God. Mr. S demanded near-worship from his followers and kept them in a constant state of anxiety about the proper fulfilling of their global mission. Mr. S told those who opposed or criticized him that they were damned, and could only be forgiven through his own intervention and prayer. Mr. S's need for absolute obedience had driven some to death or insanity.

10- -1903 The Wanderer (boat) purchased for coastal evangelism. p21R Mar/Apr93. It is bought for all weather cruising but is found unsound for that use. p328SF

10-2-1903 Charles Holland returns with others from Liverpool to Boston and the opulent Corinthian Hall in time for the last day of the Feast and Sandford's birthday.  FCT p.224  

       On that same day, C.E. Holland is identified as Moses, the second of the two witnesses, by Mr. S. p329SF, p344H, EM

Frank Murray in explanation of the death of Mr. S. and C.E. Holland, the 2 witnesses, says, "Since God had indicated to Mr. S. that he and Mr. Holland were the 2 witnesses, so they were. If God later chose to change His plan, that is His business, not ours; in any event it would not be the first time the Almighty has confounded even His closest servants." p331SF.  Victor Abram, Sandfrod's successor, remarked at Sandford's funeral, "If his work was done, and God decided to spare him that last awful thing he was facing so bravely, why should we weep for him? Our tears are for ourselves." p903SF. (Does this mean that the 2 witness prophecy in Revelation will not occur, or does it mean that Mr. S. and Mr. Holland were the 2 witnesses, and since they died, we should expect 2 more, or does it mean they were not the 2 witnesses after all?)

11-30-1903 Ralph Gleason divinely appointed ruling elder  EM

12-21-1903  Mr. S said, “The Kingdom will never be established by putting up buildings, having yachts, etc. and praying great prayers of faith, but through suffering and dying.”    EM    

1-14-1904 Mr. S said, "The declaration of war was momentarily expected between Japan and Russia...Accordingly January 14, (1904) was a day of mighty supplication before the Lord of Hosts. The reality of the fact that the great tribulation was about to break over us ..." p4GTK Oct2, 1903- Mar31, 1904. (See also 1-31-1941 when Mr. S. thinks the WW II is the Tribulation.)

1-15-1904 On Attorney Henry Coolidge's advice, Mr. S turns over all personal property ownership to the new Kingdom Corporation. p332SF

1-18-1904  Mr. S. writes the Wilhelm Marstaller family in Kyle, Texas, encouraging them to sell their farm and come to Shiloh.   He wrote...

"Since last November a great change has come.  God has led us to incorporate the property and the work at Shiloh under the title, 'The Kingdom'.  This was done January 15th.  I cannot tell you the sense of God's approval, the greatness of the rule of heaven thus transferred to earth and the joy in the knowledge that God has at last, after eleven years of toil, succeeded in getting seven people to that state of reliability that He could write the words "The Kingdom" over them without writing a falsehood."  MPF

Five days later Mr. S. is indicted for manslaughter.  Could it be that the Kingdom was incorporated for something far more mundane than those purposes expressed above, perhaps to protect Mr. S's assets from a pending civil suit? According to Sublimity of Faith, the incorporation was executed on the advice of Mr. S's attorney, Henry Coolidge. SFp.331

1-23-1904 Mr. S is arrested under six indictments. Of the six charges, two came to trial.  "Cruelty in the Case of John Sandford," and "Manslaughter in the Case of Leander Bartlett." Attorney Coolidge pleads his case.  He is found guilty concerning his seven year old son John's three day fast (John had disregarded Mr. S. and had been impertinent to Mrs. S. p355H & p212SN). Later this is overturned, but he is fined $100.

    The jury is deadlocked concerning his refusal to pray for Leander Bartlett before Leander's death. He is found guilty in retrial, but that verdict is overturned on appeal. Sent back to the lower court for retrial, the jury once more is hung.  The other indictments never come to trial. p335SF. 

A court opinion in the Sweet library says that since Mr. S. did not believe in standard medical practice, it was, therefore, up to Mr. S. to provide the care he did believe in which was prayer. Mr. S. refused to pray for Leander and thus it was charged that he was negligent by not providing that care. Mr. S. refused to employ counsel at these trials but attorneys Coolidge and Henry Oakes defend him at no cost. (Coolidge is also the president of the Lewiston Falls Trust, where Sandford maintains the Kingdom's accounts.)  The trial starts on 2-3-1904. p5&6GTK Oct2, 1903 - Mar31,1904

The judge's charge at the second Leander Bartlett trial in Farmington on 5-26-1904 is quoted on p42GTK June1 - 15, 1904. Also see LB trial Transcript.

early-1904 Mr. Almon Whittaker is in charge in Liverpool. p360SF

3-7-1904 Book binding department started at Shiloh  EM

3-26-1904  God speaks to Mr. S. "Begin to possess... a place in the wilderness".  Mr. S. believes that this is message represents God's confirmation that Shiloh is, at least in part, fulfilling Rev. 12:6.  It is the watershed event which opens the floodgates for complete families to come to Shiloh to live.

3-28-1904 Egypt mission leaves for Jerusalem. p386H. (Apparently only temporarily.)

3-31-1904 A pledge is signed by 515 people: belief in the Trinity, the Bible, Mr.S as Elijah, David the Prince, and the Branch, and Mr. S & Mr. Holland as the Two sons of oil, the two candlesticks, the two olive trees, the two witnesses, and the two anointed ones. p341,362,and364SF. (Copy of pledge in personal possession of Editor)

Above the pledge (in GTK) is written, " What it is now essential to believe in order to be loyal to the Kingdom and acceptable to Almighty God." p64GTK June15 - 30, 1904

In reference to Mr. S as the Branch, the scripture says, "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "When I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness." Jer. 23:5-6. The branch with this same Hebrew word is also found in Jer. 33:15,Isa. 4:2, Zech. 3:8 and 6:12. How can anyone but Jesus be the Branch?

The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary says the two candlesticks, olive trees, and anointed ones refer to Joshua and Zerubbabel, not Elijah.

4-22-1904  Wilhelm Marstaller family arrives at Shiloh from Reedville, Texas  Kingdom membership roster

5- 9-1904 Joseph Harriman and Adnah Guptil leave Jerusalem to run the day school at Shiloh . p343SF  (they were in Israel about 3 years)

9- -1904 Frank Templeton and Victor Barton die in Jerusalem. p371SF & p252SN

10- -1904 Tin shop started at Shiloh  EM

Fall 1904 The "Temple" is constructed at Shiloh (seats 700). p21Mar/Apr93. (The Temple was previously located inAuburn.)

1- 1-1905 Sarah Joseph (Syrian) is baptized in the Jordan by the Jerusalem mission. p334H

1- -1905 Mr. & Mrs. Archer Dunlap's son Erlon (members of Shiloh) is put under the custody of his grandfather because the judge says Shiloh is destroying family ties and is an unfit place to raise children. p386H. Eventually the court makes Archer the ward of his father on the grounds that Archer is wasting his father's estate. p393H

3-8-1905  The widow Mrs. Mary Marstaller, her sons and mother arrive at Shiloh from Kyle, Texas.  They had sold their cotton farm and forwarded their resources on to Mr. S. who was to buy a farm for them, where they would raise crops for Shiloh's use.  Kingdom membership roster

3- 9-1905 Coronet is agreed to be purchased for $10,000.  p367SF

3-15-1905  The Kingdom purchases what becomes Mary Marstaller farm from proceeds of the sale of the Marstaller homestead in Kyle, Texas ( $40,000) .  Marstaller family records indicate that someone from Shiloh came to Texas and tended to the sale of the property for her and the children.

4-5-1905  John Spier and family from Rome, New York arrive at Shiloh.

4-8-1905  Edwin H. Smith family arrive at Shiloh from Stoney Brook, New York

5-20-1905  Sabbath restored EM

5-30-1905 Tuesday evening service restored EM

6-3-1905  Kingdom yacht cub formed & Coronet is dedicated  EM

6- 4-1905  At 12 noon Coronet leaves for Jerusalem with Mr. S and about 30 people aboard. p398H., EM 
During the next 15 years from this point on to "the Scattering" in May of 1920, Mr. S. is at Shiloh approximately seven months in all.

7-17-1905 Coronet arrives in Israel. There are 10 people in the Jerusalem mission at this time. p371SF

7-28-1905 Coronet leaves Israel. All the current Jerusalem mission leaves except Mr. and Mrs. Bolster who stay behind in Jaffa. The Jerusalem mission is now staffed by Joseph and Adnah Guptil Harriman and Mrs. S and her two boys all who recently arrived from Shiloh. p372SF

10-12-1905 Coronet arrives in Freeport ("Port Royal"). Mr. S arrived earlier by steamship from Gibralter. p374SF

10-16-1905 Coronet leaves for New York for repairs. p375SF.

11-08-1905 Coronet's 2nd trip to Israel begun.  EM  (Arnold White is on this trip)

12 -  -1905 Shiloh Necktie department started  EM

1-23-1906 On what was believed to be Mount Hor, Mr.S.  says, "I here and now restore the entire Land to the favor of Jehovah of Hosts, and make it The Land of Beulah!" p379SF

Was this the first act of restoration in the land? The first kibbutz was founded 1-2 years before. In addition, the first Zionist Congress was organized in 1897 by Theodor Herzl (Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia.

2-10-1906 Coronet leaves Israel. p381SF

4-12-1906 Coronet arrives in Portland. p404H

4-29-1906 Mr. S. leaves Elim and goes to New York with Mr. Perry to check out the Kingdom for purchase p383SF

6-9-1906 Coronet is hung up on a rock near entrance to Freeport harbor.  EM

6-21-1906 Coronet goes up upon Israel Snows boatyard in Rockland for repairs after a mishap in Freeport harbor. Both boats are rebuilt or refurbished simultaneously that summer.  SF p. 384

7-12-1906 The ship Kingdom purchased     EM

8-11-1906 Kingdom leaves Boston for Rockland to be refit alongside Coronet.  EM

8-21-1906 Ships Coronet and Kingdom leave Rockland for Israel. p408H  p388SF  Clarence Parker's Journal indicates the Kingdom left for Israel from Wolf's Neck, Freeport, Maine sometime in mid-August after having been refitted.  CPJ

Fall-1906 Mrs. Alice Phelps comes to Shiloh to take her daughter Bessie who has gone insane to the state hospital. p408H

11-5-1906 The Kingdom arrives in the Holy Land a month overdue for the September feast. They spend the next three months cruising the east coast of the Mediterranean between Lebanon and Alexandria, with several excursions ashore.  CPJ

12-3-1906  The Thirty are chosen p391 SF

1-27-1907 The Kingdom leaves the Holy Land for America  CPJ

4-26-1907 The Kingdom arrives back in America. Mr. Clarence Parker left nine months earlier to go to Jerusalem to play in the band at the September feast.  The Kingdom arrived too late for that to happen, the band played as a band only once, and then was split up by the leaders to different boats and locales while there.  The opportunity to play a second time as a band while there did not present itself.  During Mr. Parker's nine month absence, his wife Mary had given birth.  CPJ

Mrs. Fred Caillat, angered because she is separated from her husband who is on the Kingdom, leaves Shiloh. p409H  See also Rev. Weiss's expose Sanfordism Exposed on file in the State of Maine Archives, Augusta State Library, Augusta, Me.

7-24-1907 Coronet leaves Israel for her circumnavigation, spending over two months in the Mediterranean at the start of the trip. p402SF. (Mr. Whittaker is on Coronet and Mrs. Whittaker and their children stay in Israel). Mr. Perry is captain. p415H. Mr. and Mrs. Willard Gleason left their two small boys at Shiloh thinking they would go right back. Instead they were chosen to stay in Jerusalem and did not see their boys for almost four years. p420H

10- 9-1907 Coronet leaves Gibralter.

11- -1907 Coronet arrives in the Carribbean, and rendezvous with Kingdom

11-26-1907 Man's dominion over fish, fowl, beasts and all nature restored  EM

1-15-0908 Coronet & Kingdom part

4-15-1908 Coronet crew gathers each midnight for communion as they round the horn. FCT p. 290

5-09-1908 A Spanish steamer gives her position to Coronet off the Gulf of Penas. FCT p292

5/23/08 Coronet weighs anchor and leaves "Harbor Beautiful". Out in the Gulf of Penas and feeling weak, First Mate Thomas Marshal calls for prayer. Prayer notwithstanding, Brights desease (a kidney ailment) claims his life and Coronet comes about. They bury him on “Good Shepherd Beach”, at “Harbour Beautiful”, where they linger for several more days.

9/14/1908  Alden Day, his daughter Wilola Campbell, and grandchildren, all from Barter's Island in Boothbay, Maine join the Kingdom.  It is believed that the tent meeting described elsewhere on this website was held on the Day farm at the north end of Barter's Island.  Ms. Campbell turns over a sizable estate to the movement ($59,000) Alden Day, ship's cook, ultimately dies on board the Coronet returning from Africa in 1911.  FCT p308  Kingdom Membership List

11-27-08 Coronet in Sydney, Australia

1/23-26/09 Four days are spent boating & gunning in a sportsman’s paradise on the western horn of Australia. Two more albatross' are added to the collection now hanging in the saloon.

1/14-23/09 Coronet off Amsterdam Island in the Indian Ocean.

3/25/09 Coronet off Cape Natal, Africa.

4/10/09 Coronet off Cape Agulhas, Africa.

4/11/09 Coronet anchors in Cape Town, South Africa.

8-17-1909 Coronet arrives in Portland, Maine three years after leaving Maine. p460SF. They bypass Israel on the way back.

10-25-1909 Mr. S. and his family (without Mr. Whittaker) leave Portland on the Kingdom to pick up Jerusalem and Alexandria parties and to close those missions. p466SF

12-28-1909 Kingdom leaves Israel then Alexandria with 85 people (49 people in Jerusalem mission, 8 men, 21 women, and 18 children). p466 & 468SF. (Israel mission lasted for 7 1/2 years).  Mr. S. decided to close the missions because of infighting in the Jerusalem mission between the Gleason brothers and forebodings of war. p453H. Mrs. Whittaker and her four children are on this trip. Mrs. Whittaker made a decision to leave the organization while Mr. Whittaker was sailing around the world and she is not happy on this trip home.

The 1910's

1-31-1910 Kingdom leaves Alexandria. p454H

April-1910 Mr. Whittaker and John Fuller are arrested on the grounds that Shiloh animals are not being properly fed. p454H

5- 8-1910 Kingdom arrives in Portland. p470SF. Mrs. Whittaker and her four children are kept on board with Mr. Whittaker, whom she has not seen in about three years, until she can be talked into staying at Shiloh. They sail around Casco Bay and occasionally get off on one of the islands. Mrs. W. refuses to go back to Shiloh.

5-19-1910 Mr. S. gives an interview with the AP.  In it he says, among other things, that a "chain of one hundred missions" would soon be established "in the western hemisphere," with one at Cape Horn and one at the North Pole.  The present fleet of Kingdom Yacht Club would be "doubled" to accomplish this.  FCT p.304

6- 1-1910 Mr. S. leaves on Coronet heading south. p472SF. 

A conflict in choronolgy is apparent here.   A court document in the Sweet library indicates that Coronet with Mr. S. aboard was close by Kingdom on 6-6-1910 when Mrs. Whittaker was taken off Kingdom.   According to Murray in Sublimity of Faith, Mr. S. had left five days earlier aboard Coronet.

6- 6-1910 Sheriff takes Mrs. Whittaker and children off Kingdom after 29 days on board. p306SN.

She was kept on board "for a few days" according to p470SF.  A warrant is subsequently issued for the arrest of Mr. S. for false imprisonment.

6-8-1910 Kingdom leaves Casco Bay for missionary support to Coronet

6- -1910 Mr. Perry in court is told to produce Sarah Josephs (a Syrian), suggesting she is being held against her will. She changes her mind, and says she does not want to leave Shiloh, and the writ is dismissed. p456H  Three months later she changes her mind again, and subsequently left.  FCT unpublished page notes

7-25-1910 Mr. Perry is released from jail, and takes The Kingdom to Browns Bank, to rendezvous with the Coronet.  

8- 2-1910 Kingdom and Coronet meet on Brown's Bank. p456 H. Mr Sandford here hears the pending Whittaker suit confirmed, and the decision to open a West African mission is made. p308 FCT (Everett Knight is captain of Coronet for this entire trip. LK)

8-25-1910 Kingdom runs aground off Nova Scotia on a fishing trip while Coronet is cruising in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. p457 H.

(Why did Coronet not sail to Greenland at this time since it was relatively close, they had plenty of food, and the weather was still good?  During the next year they sail from Africa via Venezuela to Greenland to start a mission, but turn back off Newfoundland.  Further, Murray indicates in his letter to Downeast magazine (1974) that it was Kingdom's mission to initiate the Africa mission, while Coronet's responsibilty to open Greenland. Ed.)

9-6-1910 Mr. S. receives the message from God "Give Up" p309 FCT

11- 1-1910 Kingdom and Coronet meet in Chesapeake Bay. p473 SF

12-24-1910 A lifeboat swamps in Chesapeake Bay and Alexander Sinclair and Pat O'Conner drown. Mr. S. blames Capt. McKenzie, goes below, and does not re-emerge for ten days.  W

12-27-1910 Coronet and Kingdom leave Chesapeake for Africa   W

4- 3-1911 Both ships arrive off Gambia to start an African mission (Their purpose for being there, though Murray indicates the Gambia mission was Kingdom's responsibilty- letter to Downeast magazine). The crew is not allowed ashore because of a smallpox epidemic onshore and they cannot buy food or water. p476SF & p461H.

(They give up on the African mission idea.   If God had wanted them to start an African mission, had He now changed His mind?   It would seem that smallpox onshore was more readily capable of turning the Coronet around, than a boat full of sick and starving followers five months later).

4-12-1911 Kingdom is abandoned and burned after running aground. There are now 67 people on Coronet (approximately double capacity) and they soon head west across the Atlantic. LK (see 7-30-1911 for discrepancy on the number of people onboard.) Mr. S. later writes that it was the inevitable end to a ship "filled with humanity that had never gotten right in the first place".  Sandford gets the word "Continue"  p322 FCT

4-30-1911 African mission abandoned

5-2-1911 Three hours of prayer for Alden Day W p259

5-3-1911 All day prayer meeting for Alden Day. "He is very sick & weak. His lower limbs are swollen badly. Had fast today." from John Adamson's Diary, quoted in W p259

5- 8-1911 Alden Day (Coronet cook from Barter's Island, Boothbay, Me.) dies on Coronet. LK  

There is no mention of Alden Day's passing in Sublimity of Faith. A vague reference is made to his passing in a letter to DownEast magazine in August of 1974 from Frank Murray, defending the Coronet and Mr. Sandford's honor.

5-22-1911 Meetings held to determine God's will   JAD

6-13-1911 Trinidad sighted JAD

6-20-1911 Coronet off Aruba. LK

7- 8-1911 Jabez Sellick (2 years old) dies on Coronet off Cuba. LK

7-30-1911 Coronet arrives off Virginia Capes with 60 on board (approx. 30 over capacity). p478SF. Mr. Perry, Captain McKenzie, Roland Whittom, and Bertram Dustin go ashore in the launch to get supplies.  Mr. Perry goes on to New York and buys the brig Barracouta (later renamed Alsatia) to use it to take part of the Coronet crew off Coronet and sail them to Portland. Mr. Perry fails however to rendevous with Coronet which is by now on its way to Greenland to open a mission. The launch also fails to rendevous with the Coronet with supplies and they sail and motor the launch to Boston. Coronet continues on, overcrowded and leaking, towards Greenland. p466H

8-3-1911 Lewiston Daily Sun reports "Coronet in distress 'Holy Ghosters' Yacht reported off Cape Hatteras with sails split and torn."

8- 8-1911 Benjamin Cook dies on Coronet. LK

9-2-1911 Coronet passes Cape Pine and Cape Race Newfoundland with no attempt made to put in.  Mr. S.  later explained at trial  that they "expected to secure an abundant supply of vegetables and fruits in Newfoundland...but were...disappointed."

9- 6-1911  Coronet turns south from Newfoundland. p480SF.

Roland Day and John Bolster cite lack of food, tattered sails, leaking hull, and the leaving of normal ship channels for the arctic as reasons for turning back. Others also felt in unity with Day and Bolster. Mr. S agrees to turn back, but warns of God's wrath because of it. p468H & p9RV.

(Up until now, Mr. S followed what he felt were God's directions. Why did he decide to go against those directions now? Also, why try to start a Greenland mission in a leaking, overloaded ship low on food just after closing the important Jerusalem and Alexandria missions, and failing in the attempt to open an Africa mission?)

9-28-1911 George Hughey dies on Coronet of scurvy at lat. 44 40N, long. 55 00W. Case File from 1911 trial.

9-29-1911 Steamer Lapland renders provisions, thanks to "Sandford family existence" p338 FCT

10-16-1911 Charles Hughey and Ralph Merrill die on Coronet of scurvy at lat. 42 10N, long. 64 03W. Case File from 1911 trial.

10-17-1911 Stuart Wolfe dies on Coronet of scurvy at lat. 42 23N, long. 67 47W.  He was formerly a student at Boston University School of Medicine. Case File from 1911 trial.

10-21-1911 Coronet arrives in Portland. p483SF. On 11-1 and 11-3 respectively, John Bolster and John Adamson die in the Portland Marine Hospital shortly after landing in Portland making a total of six men who die of scurvy. p486SF. Mrs. Whittaker's warrant is served and Mr. S spends the evening in jail. Samuel Sylvester an atheist admirer and William Wakeman post $10,000 bond at 11:00 p.m. The Whittaker case is not tried until 1912. p484SF and Case File.

10-25-1911 Federal arrest warrant for Mr. S signed. Case File.

10-26-1911 Mr. S is arrested for manslaughter. p484SF.

10-28-1911 Prosecution summons the following witnesses: Roland Whittom, George McKay, Jane Dart, Charles Holland, Harry Whitton, Everett Knight, Mary Burnham, and Arthur Fickett. Case File.

11- 1-1911 Bail of $10,000 paid by Mrs. Anna Clement, Mrs. Hama Perry, William Marstaller, and William Bailey. Case File.

12- 5-1911 Grand Jury indictment. In general, the charge was that since Mr. S was the President of the Kingdom Yacht Club which owned Coronet and was in charge of the ship from 7-27-1911 to the day of each death, and since he allowed the ship to proceed without sufficient food, and since he refused to allow the ship to enter port to procure food, he was responsible for the death of each man who died of scurvy. Case File.

12- 8-1911 A two day manslaughter trial starts without legal representation for Mr. S as requested by Mr. S. p488SF. (This appears to be the only trial before or after where Mr. S is without legal representation.)

2- 9-1911 The trial ends. p488SF. The jury returns a verdict of guilty for the death of Charles Hughey in 45 minutes. The other deaths may be tried later. p491SF and Case File.

12-17-1911 Mr. S preaches his last sermon, the "Revelation sermon", in the Temple before heading for prison:"People little know that their whole fate is being settled by the way they treat me." p16RV  "You will see this hilltop white with people flocking here; these buildings will not hold them." p23RV

The 13th chapter of Rev. "divides the earth into two parts; one is this movement, and the other is a great world wide religious movement that is going to be formed, and is being formed now." p43RV  "There is not a single denomination that is going to stand. This movement is going to spread to the ends of the earth--a great world-wide movement under the two witnesses. On one side will be a great world-wide movement under the false prophet called Elijah, and on the other side the movement under the two witnesses. p44RV

"...I shall not be an uninfluential man in that Court room (God’s place of judgement)." p54RV

"When men understand this (Mr. S.’s work for men’s souls) they will appreciate and love me, and I will be popular in the State of Maine." p57RV. Also see 7-4-1902.

12-18-1911 At the age of 49, Mr. S is sentenced to 10 years and he leaves for prison. p508SF.

10-13-1912 Mr. S in a letter to his son John suggests that John, then 15, publish a new paper, expand the Shiloh school system, and gradually accept the spiritual leadership at Shiloh in his absence. p490 H

12-20-1912 Mrs. Whittaker vs. Mr. S trial. The court finds against Mr. S for false imprisonment of Mrs. Whittaker and he is fined $1100. When Mrs. Whittaker asked Mr. S for a boat to go ashore, he said it was out of the question but he would leave it up to her husband. When Mrs. W asked Mr. W he said they would need to see what Mr. S said about it. When Mrs. Whittaker was taken off Kingdom by the court appointed officer, Mr. S was on Coronet, lying not far away. (From court opinion in Sweet library).

3- -1914 Chief Alfred C. Sam, alleged ruler over a town in West Akim, Africa, arrives at Shiloh with a number of his black followers, mostly Oklahoma and Texas sharecroppers. He has earlier been converted by Joseph Taylor. Sam organizes a back to Africa movement among disgruntled blacks selling them shares in a steamer to take them to Africa. The 309' Liberia sails out of Portland on 6-3-1914 with 12 members from Shiloh and arrives in Galveston on 6-18-1914. Mr. S writes that Shiloh members should leave Sam's group. The Liberia leaves Galveston on 8-20-1914, and arrives in Pensacola, Florida on 8-24-1914. (Mr. Pearson dies on the way). Sam gives the Shiloh group passage money back to Maine. After the Liberia arrives in Africa, Sam finds that his throne has long since been filled and the immigrants are stranded there. A few stay, but most trickle back to America. p505H. (Also see, The Longest Way Home: Chief Alfred C. Sam's Back to Africa Movement by W.E. Bittle and G. Geise, Detroit: Wayne State Univ. Press, 1964)

1915  Ralph Gleason leaves the movement.  

"He doubted all his life that he had done the right thing in defecting and believed into old age that he was "accursed."  After leaving, Ralph wrote out twenty reasons why he knew Sandford was a "false leader."  One of these was his recommended harshness toward wives ("Keep your foot on her neck"), but Ralph was noted at Shiloh for his own tirades of temper with his wife and children.   Phyllis Gleason Hassen correspondence.  FCT unpublished page notes p469

fall- -1915  The Eye of the Needle Purge initiated, prompted by a letter from Sandford the previous fall. 

"I want a Young People's Sanhedrin - 70 overcomers to judge every student who makes a 'mock of sin' as 'fools' were said to do in Jerusalem - chosen as fast as they develope.  Select seven first...I hope they will make short work of anyone who wants to tread that holy hill down: just debar them altogether from the hilltop or from the games...No one selected if a single vote against him." 

Many former members of Shiloh have talked about the "Eye." Merlyn Barltett, Doris and Avis White, Cal Higgins.  W p352

1- -1916 Margarite Sandford, Mr. S's daughter, runs away from Shiloh. p519H p364FCT  

2- 7-1916 John S's role in the Melchizedek priesthood is recognized on his 21st birthday. p519H

9- 8-1917 Mr. S. says it came to him that, 'I and my father are one' meaning that he was one with God. p526H.

Mr. S implies that he never had this understanding before. However, on 11-29-1901 he felt God told him almost the identical thing.

9- 6-1918 Mr. S. is released from prison (served 6 years, 8 months) (56 years old). He first stops in Boston to see his family, then goes to Coronet and Shiloh in mid-September. Three days after Mr. S. arrives at Shiloh his daughter Deborah runs away. p529H

Upon his release from prison, Sandford discovers that some of the farms had been mortgaged to cover expenses.  A seventy day prayer battle was initiated and $70k was raised to pay off the debts.  P393FCT

Frank Murray wrote, "For 70 days at the close of 1918 (approximately Oct. 22 to Dec. 31) he (Mr. S.) and his people had met at 9 in the morning and continued in prayer for 15 hours, stopping to eat a meal only after midnight. ...the meetings also had revealed an alarming distaste in some quarters for the life of faith." p584SF

The people may well have been hungry from only one meal a day, tired and irritable, accounting for their "distaste" for this particular life of faith.

Frank Murray wrote, "Years later Mr.S summed the period (1918 to 1920) up tersely: "The Holy Ghost was dethroned on Shiloh hilltop." p584SF

11-2-1918 John Sandford and Theodora Holland wed.  p388FCT

11-11-1918 Armistice is signed, World War I ceases.

A new Bible School known as "The Forty" is formed at the end of 1918. p581SF

1- 1-1919 Mr. S says, "No sheep can get away from the Shepherd (Mr. S) who knows his Maker. Their only way of escape is to die, and then while choking they will cry, "God help me!". You can not get away from a God-appointed man, commissioned to care for the flock ..." p583SF

1919    Mr. S says, "When ... our Bible School began (1895), it was during, what Professor Totten has called, "the sixty-ninth Jubilee." We believe the Master, if not before, will return upon the seventieth Jubilee (1945). (But as to whether the date given from which the Jubilee is reckoned be correct or not we have no knowledge whatever.) p48GTK (undated in 1919)

3-16-1919    Mr. S baptises America as a nation while in San Francisco. p532H.

Evidently, even this action did not make the baptism of other churches acceptable to Kingdom leaders later in the century

7- 4-1919 The mortgage on 545 Massachusetts Ave. is paid off. At the end of the prayer battle Mr. S says he feels that the devil has absolute respect for him and that ..."I broke the backbone of hell"... p533H.

Why was there a mortgage on these buildings while other projects could not incur any debt? See 2-19- 1898. The mortgage on 547 Mass. Ave. is paid off on 8-13-1919. p534H

10-21-1919 Mr. S buys Center's Point in Bowdoinham and names it Hachilah. p535H. In April 1920, the house at the Point burns to the ground. p540H. Apparently, Stephen Anderson and Nathanial Street who were there as caretakers of the building, have a mishap with a gas lamp that causes the fire. It was later rebuilt. p546H. Also see 7-4-1894.

The 1920's

2-28-1920 The court finds against William Hastings for not providing enough food for his children at Shiloh. p411SN & p601SF

3- 5-1920 The Children's Protective Society files a formal complaint with the State Board of Children's Guardians asking the state to take all the children at Shiloh from their families. p538H

3- 9-1920 Mr. S says God told him, "Work," and "can work," in regard to Shiloh residents leaving to find work. p537H. By May all but 100 of the residents have moved out. p538H. (This is referred to as the Scattering.) This date is from Doris Hastings'diary.

Continual prayer ceases in David's turret for the men. p540H

April 1920   The house at Hacilah burns to the ground. p540H.  Stephen Anderson and Nathanial Street who were there as caretakers of the building, have a mishap with a gas lamp. (Personal communication with Hadassah Abram, and Geraldine Street Parker, Eds.). It was later rebuilt. p546H. Also see 7-4-1894.

5- 6-1920 As Mr. S. observes the Feast of Pentecost, Mr. S says God said to him, "Retire."p541H.

Mr. S went into seclusion from the press and people in general.

5-11-1920 Continual prayer ceases in Jerusalem turret for the women (started 1-1-1898). p540H

5-14-1920 Mr. S makes his first trip to the Obadiah Aldrich farm in Hobart, NY, to check it out, then takes his family there to stay. p541H

2- -1921  Almon Whittaker dies. SF p.658

3-11-1921 On a train bound for Providence, Rhode Island Mr. S.  hears the words, "An apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ", which he believes is God's endorsement on his life's work.  SF p.659

4-23-1923 The Obadiah Aldrich farm burns and with it many of Mr. S's papers. Shortly after, the abutting farm is bought for Mr. S. p552H

7-12-1923 Through a women’s group Mr. S starts to re-gather old Shiloh members that were told to leave in 1920. p685SF

10- -1923 Marked the first year the Kingdom has observed the three annual Biblical Old Testament feasts, un-interruptedly . p555H & p691SF. (The fall feast, Tabernacles, is set to always end on Mr. S’s birthday and does not strictly follow the Jewish calendar.)

1925  Mr. S. says positively that the Sixth Seal will take place this year.  (Mrs. William Hastings 1937 letter to John Sandford)

1926   David Sandford, Mr. S's youngest son, purchases a farm on Chestnut Hill (Oak Hill) in Amherst, N.H . p708SF

David Sandford circa 1932

1-28-1928 The Lancaster, Pennsylvania farm property is bought, which Mr. Sandford designates as "Goshen". p735SF

The 1930's

1-28-1936 The Bible School is re-opened on David Sandford's farm at Chestnut Hill

The 1940's

1-31-1941 Mr. S says, "we are in turmoil . . . the great tribulation" in a personal letter to Dr.Charles Reeder. See reference to the tribulation on 6-15-1902.

1- 1-1942 Mr. S says, ..." I do now remit the sins of each and every person that has been baptized since 10-1-1901." p586H.

3- -1942 Mr. S, not attending the March feast, appoints Victor Abram as his representative to the Feast of Passover. SF p871

1942 Mr. S writes in a paper with numbered entries, entitled The Sent One: The Two Great Prophets:

#36 Mr. S says, "In Acts 3:21 Peter referred to his translated Lord as absent from earth "until the times of restoration of all things. 

Or in the NIV version, "until the time comes for God to restore everything".  Mr. S uses this scripture as the basis for calling himself the Restorer rather than God. Neither translation places Jesus’ return after the restoration but sometime between the beginning and the end. Therefore, Jesus cannot be ruled out as the Restorer.   In order to believe that Elijah is the restorer and not Jesus, we must somehow understand why Peter would introduce to a crowd of unbelievers the concept of a returning Elijah at the same time he is trying to get them to understand salvation through Jesus. James in 5:17 talks about Elijah with no mention of his reappearing. John in 1 John 2:18 says it is the last hour and the antichrist is coming, but makes no mention of the return of Elijah.  If Peter knew about Elijah’s return why did not James and John talk about it, especially to fellow believers who would want to know? Jesus himself had plenty of opportunity to talk about Elijah as the restorer in his description of what to expect in the last days, but he said nothing about it. Why should we expect the Restorer to be anyone but Jesus?

#64 Mr. S says, "As "a priest" he (Elijah) is referred to in Zechariah the 3rd and 4th chapters." (The word Elijah is not mentioned in these two chapters.  Since Jesus is our high priest, why would we not assume the priest in Zechariah is also Jesus?)

#72  "...heed the words of the representative of God that you may be approved a little hence." (Are we not approved by the blood of Christ?)

#84  "...with the exception of one person, I have never had such a pill to pray over in my life as he (C.E. Holland) has proved to be."  

#87  "If his (C.E. Holland’s) wife is not a help meet for him--"a busybody in other people’s affairs" as she used to be--if that’s what is making carnality, then God give him strength of soul to handle her! She will prove to be an eternal nuisance if that isn’t cuffed out of her." 

#92 "This same spirit possesses the writer, and he is saving you from the false worship..." (Mr. S is saving us and not Jesus?)

1943 Mr. S writes: 'This movement' to me used to refer to my own life's labors; but I am seeing finally that 'the Great Ground Swell' took in others beside myself and furnished a sort of Book of Acts in modern days--Acts brought about by men of God in various lands. p589H

late 1944  Mr. Sandford approves of three directors to administer the financial affairs of the Kingdom.  Mr. Charles Holland, at the request of Mr. S., retires as corporation president.  Mr. A. K. Perry, is installed as President, with Joseph Holland and Willard Gleason as directors. SF p870

late 1945  Mr. S approves a major 2 year overhaul of Coronet building a deckhouse and installing engines p591H. (According to oral history, the church Director's were pushing this through in order to get Mr. S to Jerusalem to fulfill his role as one of the two witnesses. Mr. S, however, expressed doubts as to whether or not it would happen this way. LK)

2-19-1946 Dr. Charles Reeder, an osteopathic physician, is shot and killed at Shiloh by deranged war veteran Rene Laprise. p592H p878 SF

3-30-1946 Mr. A. K. Perry dies at "Salem Farm, Chestnut Hill", New Boston, New Hampshire. SF p.883

4-1-1946 Mr. Frank Murray anointed as Corporation president.  Murray holds this position for 10 years, until Victor Abram replaces him. SF p883

7- -1946 Mr. S writes in his last article entitled "One Thousand Good Things About the Sacred Writings",  that the only remedy for escaping the coming curse is by "fairly flinging one's self into the one remedy offered, namely, identification with God's messenger (Mr. S)." p594 H  

Are we not supposed to fling ourselves onto Jesus? Evidently, Mr. S’s statement in 1946 apparently did not mark a change from his earlier positions regarding himself, contrary to what some late 20th century Kingdom leaders have suggested.   In 1937 Doris Hastings wrote a letter to John Sandford, her friend and Sandford's son, which is reprinted elsewhere on this website.  In the letter, she refers to a remark by someone she does not identify, related to her on an earlier occasion, indicating that John's brother, David, had heard his father make with regard to being "not infallible, but a 'man of like passions' ".  This is the only documented reference we have ever seen that remotely resembles a retraction.  If he ever made such a statement, it was never repeated to his followers by any other leaders.

Mr. S says, "he who betrays Elijah in our day and generation--nothing too awful can be meted out to him." p594H.

Mr. S. states that "...that the Bible is unfitted for our day... is what religious skeptics actually state.  And that statement is a lie of hell.  I am responsible to be to my generation what He was to His - exactly that."  p875 SF

June - August 1947 Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Miller together with Mr. & Mrs. Robert Morrison conduct evangelical services in Northern Ireland. SF p884

October 1947  Mr. S. hears the word "Roam".  He makes a last 'sentimental journey' to his boyhood home in Bowdoinham, Maine.  The absolute highpoint of the trip is his re-living his baptismal experience in Denham Brook, where with the assistance of a Free Baptist minister, Mr. Frank Sandford's sins were washed away 67 years before.  SF p.887

    (Evidently, it was one of the very few baptisms prior to October 1901 that was not counterfeit. Ed.) 

12- 26-31 -1947  Victor Abram, aware of Mr. S's failing health, preaches to the convention "... on the theme of faith - the faith of Abraham that could believe God to "raise from the dead if need be." SF p.887

2-6-1948 Victor Abram calls John Sandford and Frank Murray to the hills for prayer support for Mr. S. SF p.888

2-15-1948 Miss Dart and Miss Miller arrive at the hills for prayer and nursing support. SF p.888

It is during this period that Frank Murray, in Sublimity of Faith, relates the calling of a physician to attend Mr. Sandford.  He tells the episode thusly:

"A most important decision just then concerned getting a doctor.  No physician other than Dr. Reeder had so much as laid eyes on Mr. Sandford professionally since his physical examination in Atlanta.  God alone had been his physician and had seen him victoriously through the long years of retirement.  Now, however, the situation was approaching an emergency; some doctor must observe this patient before he grew any worse.  Even though none of us had the slightest idea a doctor could help him, still one must be summoned. 

Somehow, Victor Abram by faith in God made the right contact: a competent and understanding physician - one willing to pledge himself to privacy - was found.  When ushered into the prophet's room, he made his examination, marked the buildup of fluid that denotes a worn-out heart, prescribed what was needed to make his patient more comfortable, and quietly took his departure.  Before leaving the house, however, he paused and said to Victor, 'Doesn't it give you a thrill to meet a man like that?'" SF p890

This house call arranged for the same man who, at his own discretion, would deny parayer and medical attention to ministers or students almost five decades earlier at Shiloh, in a different time and place.  Ed.

3- 4-1948 Mr. Frank Weston Sandford dies at 7 a.m. with John and Esther Sandford, Frank Murray, Victor and Rebecca Abram, David and Eunice Street, Hermon Anderson, Obadiah Aldrich, Vincent Godfrey, Jeanne Dart, Elsie MacArthur, Miss Miller present. p894SF

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