Cult turns village into a divided kingdom

The Hartford Courant

December 19, 1982

William Cockerham

Island Pond, Vt – When they first came to this decaying railroad village near the Canadian border five years ago, the 1,000 or so local folk referred to them as “the Christians.”  No one really knew much about them, or even cared.  They appeared friendly enough, kept pretty much to themselves and gave no hint of threatening this predominately Irish and French Catholic community.

Only about 20 of them moved in at first, mostly single people in their 20’s and early 30’s.  And, except for their pronounced Tennessee drawl and the head scarves and long skirts which the women wore, they did not appear different from other long-haired, idealistic young people who had sought refuge from the city in this rural economically depressed area.

But two years later, more of these young people began moving into this small village 30 miles north of Saint Johnsbury, buying up old houses and restoring them and starting a number of successful businesses, ranging from a bakery to a plumbing and heating company.

Today, these young people, who call themselves the Northeast Kingdom Community Church and follow a Tennessee man many of them regard as a prophet and a messiah, number an estimated 300 members, including 50 children.

This religious group, whose ambiguous doctrine espouses neighborly love and heaven on Earth principles, has increasingly antagonized local residents despite its undisputed contributions to the community’s growth.

Many villagers denounce them as “zombies” and “Moonies” and a “Jonestown waiting to happen.”  Some wish the members would leave.

“I thought they were the greatest thing to happen to this town when they first arrived,” said 18 year old Sheila Guthrie, whose mother owns the one hotel in the village.

She said she changed her mind after group members started calling the Roman Catholic pope a “son of Satan” and the Virgin Mary a “whore.”