Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-10-01

From the N. Y. Tribune
Il Jill tLI~ ~ 4 4 EUU
EBENEZER.


man brotherhood who migrated thither from
Prussia about two years since. having previ-
ously bought their land of the white proprie-
tors under the Treaty. Their domain consists
OF about 1900 acres of level and generally fer
tile soil, of which perhaps seventh is clear
ed, and under thorough cultivation. We never
saw more luxuriant crops of ripe or ripening
Wheat and Rye, mainly the former, than their
| spacious fields exhibited on the 22d ult:, and
their Corn, Oats and Vegetables promised an
equally bounteous harvest They have Fruit
Trees, &c, coming forward in profusion two
or three branches of Manufacture established,
! beside Saw and Grist Mills, about two hun
| dred neat, commodious dwellings, generally
two stories high and painted white, and dis
trlbuted into three villages on different parts
OF the location. Land-clearing, road-making,
&c, with building, are still going rapidly for
ward. A portion of the members have not
yet arrived from Germany, but are expected
this fall The present number of residents is
700, those expected to arrive 200, making 900
members in all. All participate alike in in
dustry and rewards. 1t rather shocked our
Yankee rejudices to see a goodly number of
women working steadily and vigorously in
the harvest field, but this, we were assured,
was mo peculiarly of theirs, but simply the
way IN their native land, to which they had
always been accustomed. We infer that the
usage was not general with them, but in good
part confined to the Harvest time, which this
year was preCipitated by the intense heat and
dryness of the first three weeks in July, so
that two or three hundred acres of grain badly
wanted cutting, and were wasting in default
of it. We believe, however, that some of the
extensive vegetable gardens here are cultiva-
ted by women
We were favored with an hours converse
ton with one of the leading members, an in
telhgent and worthy man, who has been some
years IN our country and speaks the English
language, which few of the associates vet do
We learned from him that among the ,funda-
mental principles of the Society is that of en-
tire community, or equality of possessions and
products, so long as the relation shall subsist
but strict account is kept OF each members
contribution of means to the common stock
which he is entitled to claim and receive back
under certain regulations, whenever he shall
choose to withdraw from the fraternity But
no account is kept with any member of earn
ing by him or disbursements on his behalf
and he who can do two mems work, and he
who can 90 little or nothing-the single man
who has useful trade or handicraft, and the
father OF hall dozen children-are deemed
entitled to equal shares in whatever is produ-
ced. 1t seems odd, that with this community
OF goods and chattels, the separate household
for each family should be rigidly maintained
and we so observed. It was replied that il
was the general choice of each family to have
a dwelling by itself-that the labor and ex-
Pense OF providing fuel was not felt, as the
Society owned great deal too much wood,
which they were getting rid of as fast as pos
slble- that the cooking, eating, washing,
&c, were now done IN combination, eight OF
ten families uniting in the preparation of food
which was served at one common table, leav-
ing the dwelling entirely free from the smell
OF cookery, from grease, &c This, we were
given to understand, suited the people of Ebe-
neZer, at all events, in their present ciIcum-
stances; others were abundantly at liberty tC
make any improvements upon it they should
think proper The community, we gathered
have no anXletles to make proselytes to then
own ways, but slmpl y to place themselves in
the relations most favorable to the leading oil
true life, and to the moral we'll being of theil
offspring. Their community life is by nc
means novel, but had its origi in the old coun-
try years age. The only event which urged
them to leave Europe was the want of free.
dom, for they were not pecuniarlly needy
But they are seceders from the Prussian Els.
tablished Church, claiming that the Church
has apostatiZed from them their religion be-
ing the Evangelical Lutheran or Primitive Pro
testanism of Germany The Pruss;an rulers
are no admirers of such fancies.
We questioned our informant as to the gen
eral efficiency of the members as laborers, ask
ing him
In ,harr af,1cac to hot
the remedy?
He answered that, should such case oc
cur, the members of his class would report his
delinquency to the Council, by whom he would
be thereupOn transferred to the next lower
class, (the associates being divided into three
classes beside children J while should he con.
tinue obstinately indolent, he would be agar
reported and again put down, until he should
ultimately reach the children's class, and bt
thenceforth regarded and treated accordingly
But, he added, there had never arisen any oc
casion for so doing, diligence being the gene
raj rule, and Incidence the very rare excep
ton; and in fact the Council were far oftene
constrained to admonish members agalns
working beyond their strength and perslstlns
in doing far more of the common labor thar
any necessity dictated, or the spirit and PURPOSE
of the Association justified. Such admonltlons
he observed, were common.
In reply to our question concerning mar
rage at Ebenezer, Mr.. M. stated that no rul
forbs ie, no influence tended to discourage it
But, the basis Of their society being aspiration
to lead truly religious and spiritual life, tn
young We're frequently and earnestly admon
lshed to take solemn heed that the impulse t.
a marriage union had its origin in the soul ant
not in the senses-that the outward union wa
but recognition of the earlier and true mar
riage, and so recognized and blessed by Hea
ven Wherever this is evident, the consen
and approval of the community follow, o
course.
I Ebenezer has an independent township o
village organization by Legislative act, sup
1 ports and manages its own schools, elects II
own officers, though its members are yet I'm
naturalized, and is in fact little republic b.
. ITSELF Church without Bishop, and
State without King But it has not an idlel
loafer, trafficker for his livelihood, on 1t
Is domain rich and poor labor equally, mode
rately, cheerfully License or no License l
g question OF no moment, as there is no mem
" Der who wishes either to buy or to sell liqui
poisons; and cOnstables, jailers, and the Who'll
paraphernalia of the game of grab and goug
i are superf1uous and unknown. Of course
there is very much in the constitution and usa
d ges of the people of Ebenezer which does nc
accord with Our notions; but they are not tn
less deserving of consideration. 1t does seer
that no missionary about to devote himself t