The whole countryside had been just then wrought
up to a state of religious excitement by revival meetings and
Cochrane gained the benefit of this definite preparation for his
work. He claimed that all his sayings were from divine
inspiration and that those who embraced his doctrine received
direct communication from the Almighty. He disdained formal
creeds and all manner of church organizations, declaring
sectarian names to be marks of the beast and all church members
to be in Babylon. He introduced re-baptism as a symbolic
cleansing from sectarian stains, and after some months advanced a
proposition that his flock hold all things in common. He put a
sudden end to the solemn "deaconing-out" and droning of psalm
tunes and grafted on to his form of worship lively singing and
marching accompanied by clapping of hands and whirling in
circles; during the progress of which the most hysterical
converts, or the most fully Cochranized," would swoon upon the
floor; or, in obeying their leader's instructions to "become as
little children," would sometimes go through the most
extraordinary and unmeaning antics.
It was not until he had converted hundreds to the new faith that
he added more startling revelations to his gospel.
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