Hiss wrote an extensive, independent history of The Kingdom. He will offer a history of the movement, well-illustrated with slides of the movement's work over the decades up to the present. His work to understand and write a history of The Kingdom has led to close personal friendships with many members of the families that made generations of commitments to this work.

Rev. Frank W. Sandford, an 1886 graduate of Bates, by the middle 1890's, had created a uniquely American religious movement to "evangelize the world in our generation." By the very early years of the 20th century with his hundreds of followers, he had built one of the most remarkable religious communities on the sand hilltop that came to be called "Shiloh."

Shiloh, Maine (circa 1901)

The last verse of the Old Testament, in Malachi 4, says that "Before the great and terrible day of the Lord, I will send you Elijah the Prophet again..." Coming at this symbolic Biblical location to close the Old Testament, this prophecy of a second Elijah figure as a precursor to the return of the millennial Jesus has attracted much thought from Christians. In Auburn in the first years of the 20th century, Frank Sandford announced that he was the Elijah of Malachi 4. From that moment on, his Shiloh movement attracted both hundreds of loyalists and much public hostility.

"The Prophet Elijah Receives Bread and Water from an Angel." (Depiction of the original bible story by Peter Paul Rubens)

Through much of the next twenty years, Rev. Sandford and his closest followers were at sea, following the commandments they had received to take the gospel and the evangelization of the world to every continent.

Through inexpressible spiritual joy and some periods of great suffering and conflict with the civil authorities, the community lasted as a religious community preparing evangelists until 1920, when it was dissolved as a community. The Kingdom still exists as an evangelical movement, and the original Shiloh sanctuary building in Durham is still in use for Christian services.

Hiss retired in 2013 after 35 years as a dean, vice-president and lecturer in Asian Studies at Bates. He earned a BA in English from Bates, an MTS in Ethics and American Church History from Harvard Divinity School, and an MA and Ph.D. from Tufts. He is the Moderator of the West Auburn Congregational Church, a beekeeper and gardener, soccer referee, and the principal researcher on a national study of optional standardized testing in college admissions.

Franklin County residents and Gold LEAF members were treated to some first-hand up-close-and-personal experiences with some very special musical instruments in early November as part of the Fall term offerings.

Antique harpsichords were the subject of a concert-lecture given by Gavin Black, Director of the Princeton Early Keyboard Center. Harpsichords preceded the piano as we know it, and each instruments was tuned to itself, not necessarily in tune with other instruments. This worked at the time since most performances were local, without other "traveling" musicians coming into town (and needing to tune together). The experience of playing a harpsichord was shown to be quite distinct from that of piano-playing. A clavichord was played as well and the sounds of all the instruments were compared and contrasted. Gavin's knowledge of the early instruments and the compositions of those centuries was extensive, and he generously shared stories and answered questions. 

Gavin performed a concert at the Emery Community Arts Center on a Saturday evening, and then followed it up with a concert-lecture the following day. At both events, close inspection of the centuries-old instruments was permitted, and the inner workings of all the wood pieces could be examined. The concert was played on an Italian harpsichord built somewhere in the period 1650-1720.

Jumping forward into this century, a large class had a great time with the Western Mountain Trash Can Band. The band brought many samples of the only major musical instrument invented in the 20th century: the steelpan, which comes to us from Trinidad and Tobago. Tuning comes into play with steelpans which create steel drum music. The class was taught the range of sounds accomplished by tuning the pan from high tenor down to Nine Bass. 

The group first listened to a variety of toe-tapping music, and then got hands-on acquaintance with pitch percussion instruments. Members of the band explained how they got started; how and where (Blue Hill, Maine) the drums are made; and the band's involvement with area schools. 

A simple song was taught so that those who wanted to could experience the drums and play a bit. There were two different groups, so everyone who wanted to play had the opportunity. It was a very lively, interesting evening! 

All in all, it was an extended weekend of learning about fascinating instruments, spanning many centuries. This is not to mention, of course, a lot of fun.

Please submit your articles and photographs to Anne Cardale at acardale@maine.edu.

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