RAPPISTS
912
RAPPISTS
approach of (be millennial reign alone distinguished the Rapputs from other Christians; but in thai year an un- usual religious awakening Led them to determine upon a still closer life with God, and, having become per- suaded that it was the duty of the followers of Jesus to conform in all things to the life of Christ and his apos- tles, the Rappists, in the spirit of the apostle Paul, that "He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may phase the Lord; but lie that is married careth for the things ofthe world, how he may please his wife," forsook marriage, and since that time celibacy is one ofthe distinguishing tenets ofthe Har- monists, and they that have wives do truly live "as though they had none." A member writing on the con- stancy of the Rappists to the decision of 1807, in 18G2. says, ■' ( lonvinced of the truth ami holiness of our pur- pose, we voluntarily and unanimously adopted celibacy, altogether from religious motives, in order to withdraw our love entirely from the lusts of die tlesh. which, with the help of God and much prayer and spiritual warfare, we have succeeded well in doing now for lifts- \cars."
In 1814 the Rappists determined to remove to Indi- ana, and the unanimity of feeling which prevailed when the council so ordered proves how well organized and how sincere they all were. Thej Bettled in the Wa- bash valley, on a tract of 27,000 acres, and called the place ".New Harmony" — a property which, in 1824, they sold to Robert Owen (q. v.), who settled upon it his New Lanark colony ami bought and removed to the property they still hold at Economy. For some years the society was in a most flourishing condition, and, by frequent accessions from Germany, maintained their ground remarkably until 1831, when an adven- turer— Bernhard .Midler by right name, who had as- sumed the title Graf, or count, Maximilian de Leon, and had gathered a following of visionary Germans- joined the Economists, and sowed the seed of discord. In 1832 Rapp determined upon a dissolution, and 250 members— about one third— left Economy fur Philips- burg, where they settled. to break up in a short time, and finally to furnish a small quota to the Bethel Com- munity in .Missouri. Thereafter the Economists no more sought for accession. But they have steadily in- creased in wealth in spile of all their removals and nu- merical decadence ; and now own. besides I heir village and estate at Economy, much property iii other places, hav- inga large interest in coal-mines and oil-wells, and rail- roads and manufactories, and controlling at Beaver Falls the largest cutlery establishment in the United Slates.
\i present the town of Economy counts about 120 houses, very regularly built, and ii is well drained and paved. It has water led from a reservoir in the hill-. abundant shade-tree-, a church, an assembly hall, a store. and different factories. The house which the society built for their founder is a sort of museum, and serves also as a pleasure resort to all that remain ofthe Rappists, who, according to Nordhoff, number about 1 10 persons, mnsi of whom are .'mid. and none under forty, with some :>."> ii'h,j,t,i} children, and an equal number living there with parents who are hired laborers, these numbering about ion. The whole population is German, and Ger- man is the medium of communication on the street and in the church, as well as in the houses. Most of the men
wear for week-day dress blue •• roundabouts." like boys' and pantaloons ofthe same color, and broad- brimmed bats; and are full of quiet dignity and genuine politeness. On Sunday the men wear long coats. The women are dressed quite as oddly as the men. with their Bhorl loose owns, kerchiefs across the shoulders, and
Caps thai run U] he top of a high back-comb. The
present dress ot the Harmonists was worn by Rapp and his associates when they came to this country, and con- tinued from choice bj them and their successors.
The agreemt nt,or articles of association, under which the •■ Harmons Societj ' was formed in 1805, and which has been signed by all members thenceforward, reads R8 follows:
I " Whereas, by the favor of Divine Providence, an associ- ation or community has been formed by George Rapp and many others upon the basis of Christian fellowship, t he principles of which, being faithfully derived from the SacredScriptures.inclodethegovernmeut ofthe patriarchal age, united to the community of property adopted in the
days ofthe apostles, and wherein the simple objl
is to approximate, bo for as human imperfections may al- low, to the fulfilment of the will of God, by the exercise
of those affect ions and the practice of those virtues which are essential to the happiness of man iu time and thrOUgh- j out eternity:
"And whereat it is necessary to the good order and well-being of the said association that the conditions of membership should be rJearlj understood, and that the lights, privileges, and duties Of every individual therein should be so defined as to prevent mistake or disappoint- ment, on the one hand, and contention or disagreement, on the other;
" Therefore, he it known to all whom it may concern that we, the undersigned, citizens ofthe county ot Bea- ver, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do severally and distinctly, each for himself, covenant, grant, and agree, to and with the said G >rgi Rapp and his associ- ate.- as follows, viz. :