The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-09-26
RiShOn HiIlCoiOnY.

luTOUpu luS hllOltsS VI MI. TTSECu, Ci
Albany, n. Y, who has been visiting his
brother-in-law, our fellow citizen Judge Dru-
~, we have been furnished with number
OF facts, respecting the Bishop Hill Colony,
which may interest our readers. The colony
is located in Henry county, and was formed
in 1856 by band OF Swedes who had left
their native land, on account Of the perse-
cution of its Established Church. The cause
Of their coming was substantially the same
as that which brougt the Pilgrims Of the
Mayhower to Plymouth Rock. Additions
have from time to time been made to its
members, until it now numbers eight hun
dred souls.
The colony owns a tract Of the richest
prairie land, containing fourteen thousand
acres, all in one body, and eight miles across,
in one direction. Its chief pursuit is agri
culture in which it is very successful. 1t
farms on a most extensive scale. This year,
it has planted eight hundred acres Of Indian
and nine hundred of broom corn-slx hun
dred of wheat-seventy Of potatoes-and
seven hundred Of oats, besides an extensive
tract Of fax. 1t cUltiyates also, other minor
crops.
The value of its annual agricultural pro-
ducts, is not easily to be estimated. 1t is
very great On item only, its broom corn,
was sold last year for thirty thousand dol
lars Some years it has brought fifty thou
sand. Thirty tons were, last year, made in
to brooms, which sold for a large additional
sum. Their broom-corn crop is from fifty
to sixty thousand bushels annually, which
is fed to stock and fowls. The colony owns
nine hundred head Of cattle; two hundred
and sixty horses; forty mules; and three
thousand swine. 1t has planted orchards,
in which are four thousand fruit trees. The
financial strength of the colony may be
Judged from the fact of its vast possessions
and its large income; its ownership of
large bank of issue, discount, and deposit,
at Galva, four miles distant; and its having
lately taken the entire contract for building
a railroad, involving the raising and expendi-
ture of several millions of money.
The managers of its affairs are Messrs.
Olof, johnson, Sacobius, Ohlsen, and Erck-
son. They are men of great business pow
ers, and of the strictest honor and integrity.
The colony may be described as founded
upon principles of Christian communism.
1t has all its property in common. All
work for the benefit of the common store.
At the same time, the sanctities of the mar
riage relation are preserved inviolate. That
primal institution, of Gods own appoint
ment, the Family. is respected as it should
be- The creed of the coonists is simple
and evangelical, broad and generous; ad-
herring rather to substance than to forms
rigorous in the daily fidelity of life it re-
aures in the Bible. Their creed and their
social economy, remind one strongly OF those
of the Essences, the purest of the Jewish
sects at the time of our Savior's coming; If
indeed, the Essenes were not themselves the
early Christians, as some very able men have
maintained.
1t is worthy of note that while all schemes
for associated labor, from which Christianity
was cast out as unworthy Of a controlling
influence, have proved total failure, from the
Brook Farm Utopia in Massachusetts,, to NJ.
CADETS Icaria, at Nauvoo, in Illinois, this
community has greatly fourished. Thus is
Christianity avenged herself upon those who
have striven to regenerate the world, without
her indispensable aid.-Rock Islander.