1. So< iiil Kronoiiiif. — The society was not communis- tic in (iermany, and even after removal to this country the community intentletl to live simply as a Christian congregation. Being obliged to look after the temporal interests of each other, they built workshops, etc., out of a common fund, and thus drifted into their present prac- tice. They have now seven villages, and carry on farm- ing, woollen, saw. and grist mills. Each family has a house for itself: but the members eat in common, in cook- ing- or eating-houses, of which there are fifteen. Each business has its foreman ; and these leaders, in each vil- lage, meet every evening to consult and arrange for the following day. The civil or temporal government is vest- ed ill thirteen trustees, chosen annually bv the male members, the trustees choosing the president of the so- ciety. The elders are men of presumably deep piety, appointeil by inspiration, and preside at religious assem- blies. The members are supplied with clothing and other articles, excepting food, by an annual allowance to each individual. I'sually a neophyte enters on pro- halion for two years, and. if a suitable person, is admit- ted t<i full membership; although s(tme are received at once into full membership by '" iiis|)iration." They for- bid the use of musical iiistrumenis (except a Hule), and exclude pliotogra[ihs and other pictures, aa tending to idol-worship. Although in»t forbidding marriage, cel- ibacy is l(Hiked upon as merilorioiis; and young men are not allowed to marry until twenty-four years of age. The MH'iety is tiiiaucially prosperous, has no debt, has money at inierest, ;ind owmd in IH71 about -J.^.OOO acrcyt of laiid,:JlMMi sheep. 1,'.(M) head of calile, '200 horses, and 2.VNI liogH, with n po|iulation of almut l.')00.
'2. Jteliffion iiiul l.itenilnre. — The society is pietistic, and iM'lieves in inspiration as a result of entire conse- cration to (lod, Il accepts both the Old and the New TcHtameiit, but iKtl to the exclusion of present iiispira- lioii. Il doeH not prai-lic<- baptism, but celebrates Ihc I»rd's Kupper whenever led by '• inH|(iralion." Inspira- tion is winietimcH private, at other limes public; aixl the warnings, n-priHifs, etc., thus received are written down ill yearly volumes, eiililled Ynir-book-x of the True Intjnralion ( 'oiif/rrifdtiotin. When a member offends ■gainst the rules of society, In; is admoiii>hed by the
elilers; and if he do not amend, expulsion follows. These rules are twenty-one in number, aiul encourage sol>riety. reverence, honesty, and abstinence. They hold religious services on Wednesday, Saturday, and .Suiulay mornings, and every evening. They keep New- year's as a holiday, and Christmas, Easter, and Holy Week are their great religious festivals. At least once a year there is an " i'ntersuchiinf/," or inquisition of the whole community, including children — an examination of its spiritual condition, in which each member is ex- pected to make confession of sins. Their hyranologj' is found in T/ie Voice from Zioii (Ebenezer, 18.51, pp. 958), and another hymn-book in regular use, Psalms after the Manner of J)arid," etc. (Amana, la., 1871). Among their books is Innocent Amusement (^Unschuldiger Zeit- rertreib), a mass of pious doggerel: Jesus' A, B, C for his Scholars, also in rhyme; Rhymes on the Sufferings, Jh'ath, Burial, ami Asce/tsion of Christ.
II. Perfectionists of Oneida and Wallrnriford. — This society is of American origin, having for its founder the present head, John Humjihrey Noyes, born in Brattle- borough, Vt., in 1811. He was educated at Dartmouth, Andovcr, and Yale. While in the latter institution he entered upon a new experience and new views of the way of salvation, which took the name of Perfection- ism. In 183-1 he went to Poultney, Yt., and slowly gathered about him a small company of believers, and in 18-17 had forty persons in his own congregation, be- sides small gatherings in other states who recognised him as leader. Not a Communist at first, Mr. Noj'es, in 1845, made known his peculiar views, and began cau- tioush' to practice them in 1846. The community were mobbed and driven from the place, and in 1848 settled in Oneida. Madison Co., N. Y. Other communities were estal)lisbed, but all were eventualh' merged in those of Oneida, N. Y'., and Wallingford, Conn. After various re- verses, they began to accumulate property, engaged in manufacture and the preserving of fruits, etc., and in 1874 had 640 acres of land near Oneida, with 240 at Walling- ford. In ten years (1857-66) they had netted $180,.580, and were worth over #.")00,000. The two communities must be counted as one, and the members are inter- changeable at will. In February, 1874, they numbered 283 persons, 131 males and 152 females. The members are mostly Americans, largely' recruited from New Eng- land.
1. Daily Life, etc. — The members live in one large building, the oliler people occupying separate chambers, the younger sleeping two together. There is no regula- tion style of dress, although plainness is expected of all. They have twenty-one standing committees — on finance, amusements, arljitration, etc.; and, besides this, the du- ties of administration are divided among forty-eight de- partments, as publication, e<lucation, agriculture, manu- facture, etc, F^very Sunday morning a meeting is held of the " Business Board," composed of the heads of all the def)artments, and any members of the community who choose to al tend. The children are left to the care of their mothers until weaned, when they are placed in the general nursery, under "care-takers," who are both men and women. They have no sermon or public prayers, and address one another as Mr. or Miss, except when the women were married before they entered the society. An annual allowaiu^e of thirty-three dollars is made to each woman, the men ordering clothes when in need. In the school the Bible is the prominent text-book, but a liberal education is encouraged. They receive mem- bers with great care, but exact no |)robation.