Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-08-20
THE RAPpITE COMMUNITY,
AT ECONOMY, Pa.

hundred souls; they are now less than three
hundred. From one third to one half the
houses are tcnantless. Neat comfortable dwell
lings, both brick and frame, are ssvoiceless as
the grave" Elsewhere in the town all is still
enough, indeed at most hours of day or night,
save for the strangers who come to relieve the
quietude. After 2. NJ. not football is to be
! heard, save when traveller drops in from the
road or locomotive snorts by with its rattle
and clatter. At 6a A. NJ all who hope to eat
breakfast must be ready to SIT down at the ho-
| tel table Those who are laggard will have
sound scolding most surely from 'sJoseph,"
the worthy host, who occupies that trouble
some post for his share of duty as member
OF the society, aided as far as practicable by
! ''David,' another ssexcelleat little fellowwho
in addition 10 the duties of cutting tailor and
/ barber for the whole community, also helps
Joseph at the tavern. The fashions do not va
ry much, however, and probably David has not
an onerouS post as tailor; but observed with
! surprise that every grown male member of
! the community is shaved, at least on Sabbath,
| though all wear Whisllers, great or small.
| The community seems to be pretty evenly
| divided, male and females the latter almost as
hearty in appearance as the former. The So
| ciety, as you are aware, first settled at Old
| Harmony, Butler county, in 1906. Finding
! themselves too far from nayigable waters and
markets, they removed thence, about ten years
afterwards, TO New Harmony, on the Wabash
1 river, in Indiana. Here, owing to the unheal-
! thy climate, many died, and the community
again removed in 1824-'5 to their present To-
cation; having remained at each of the first
! places chosen about ten years, and here, to
the present time, thirty-odd years. George
Rapp, their beloved leader from Germany
came here with them. He had adopted son,
called Frederick, who also came to this place.
and died before his adopted father George
Rapp died in the fall of 1871, then in his Goth
year. He had preached more than fifty years ;
| had led his people in all his wanderings, from
| Germany to their last espromsed land'' here :;
and when all was settled hopefully, the COM
munity prospering beyond his most saDguine
| expectations, he prepared to lay down his
! shepherds crook, and, summoning his people
around his window in the yard of his dwell
ling, he thence delivered to them his last dis
course; and, though of age so advanced and
on the graves verge, his voice was yet strong
enough to be heard half a square. During
that same week he died, and lies buried, like
| all the rest, in the common lot, without even
a hillock to show where he lies. Mr.. X. l..
Baker, very able and worthy man, succeeded
in the spiritual and temporal leadership of the
| society. More recently, Mr.. Henrici, the very
able and intelligent treasurer of the society,
| hoe cd nin4 81 ay,-;fh Po
| ker. In the society, as is known, there is a
perfect equality ir all respects all are pro-
pretors, all equal in rights and in dignity
none are hirelings. The cook at the hotel,
who for thirtyodd years has occupied that
post, David the tailor, barber, &C., and all, of
whatever occupation, stand alike respected
The people are all pleasant and kind ; nothing
of austerity about them, except on Sunday,
and then they appear truly plain, devout wor-
shippers.
We attended morning service in the nice
cool church yesterday. Mr.. Baker led the SER
vices, with two old men sitting on either side
of him in the pulpit. The choir had about
twenty-four performers, male and female.-
Two pianos were in lieu of an organ; Miss
Gertrude Rapp played one, Mr.. Henrici the
other; the music was rather monotonous, but
fair. The services were First, music, sing.
ing, &C.; then prayers then chapter, SER
mon, singing, and prayer. For the first pray
or all rose during the succeeding services
preachers and audience sat, in the last prayer
leaning forward. On entering the church the
men and women came in at different doors, land
took opposite sides of the house. On leaving
the men sat waiting till all the women ha6
gone out and the coast was clear; then the
preacher led out, and the other male people
followed. We omitted to say that, at the close
of each division of the service, the audience
respond ssamen'' in what sounds exactly like
q sharp quick cultural 'sugh.'' and rather star
; ties at first. All the men wear blue clothing
all the women blue clothing, with silk caps o
exactly the same make and material as /
; moulded. The ceiling of the church is arch
ed handsomely, and it also is painted blue
bright blue. Blue is 'sthe rage" here deci
dedly. 1 estimated (pretty accurately th'
congregation at 225 the balance OF the nea
500 were confined at home by their aYocatlon
or by age and infirmity. There were few
young people, and even saw one infant child
: whose parents recently Joined the community
but the average age of the members is compu
ted to be now over sixty, and some are owe
: ninety; so that death must soon be busy thin
ming out their ranks. l observed very fey
. tottering steps, but ninc-tenths of the me