The New York herald., 1869-05-23
THE NEW RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY.


THE NEW RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY.
4 Visit to tho New Religious Community ON
Lake Erie-intcrview with MIR. Oiphant-The
Religious Tenets OF His Pnrty-Bmsiness
Pursuits and Prospects.
DuNxiRK. N. Y, May 10. 1889.
have just visited the settlement of the new reii-
eious community Oh the shore OF Lake Erie, In Cha
tauqua county. It Is about ten miles in . westerly
direction from Dunklrk, and near the village OF
Brocton. The ride to 1t from Dunkirk, through
Fredonia, a very pretty little town, ana along the
old high road. over which, before Lake Shore Rail-
road was made, the mai stage coaches used to run,
Is through a well cultivated and settled cOun-
try. Farm lands are worth 500 an acre.
There Is an appearance of comfort and inde-
pendence throughout the whole region, and many
handsome residences with surrounding gardens and
strawberries that have something OF luxury about
them. The grape is extensively cultivated, and al
most every farm along the road had an acre or two
of vines, and some several acres Between Fredonia
and Broct0n. distance of seven miles. OH the
whole several hundred acres. Part OF the grapes
are sent TO New York and other markets in the East
and part are made into wine. One establishment at
Brocton makes over 10000 gallons OF wine year.
and finds ready sale for 1t in the cities and towns
OF this section. 1t is In the midst OF such country
as this that the new religious community has estab
sbed itself and where it expects to flourish.
understood that the Rev. Thomas Luke Harris
was at the head OF the cOmmunity-nOmlnally at
tleman, and formerly member OF the British Parlia
ment, and his mother, Lady Oliphant, were the
principal persons connected with It, on arriving at
the residence OF these individuals which is and
neat cottage with number OF connecting rooms on
the ground floor. inquired for Mr.. Harris, but, un-
fortunately, he was not at home. The gentleman
aS
was Mr.. Ophant. Az as he understood that
my object was TO inquire INTO the principles upon
which the community established. and its religious
Views he became reticent, and 1t was with some diff
fculty that brought him to be communicative at
all. He does not want anything published about
himself and his connection with the enterprise
establishment; though he says he is not afraid
It IL too TO give publicity to them for though
he has no doubt OF success, the matter IL stll an
experiment Then ne ShrInks from publicity
through the press, because having been man OF
some prominence IN England the English people
and views, and set him down as cracked enthu-
siast He was the more sensitive about this because
certain Bohenians OF the press had visited the COM
munity and had not represented In manner he de-
sired the opinions he expressed and the Information
he gave. was little surprised TO see Mr.. Ophant
have such dread of the press for there nothing,
far as | could learn in his community or its OBJ
ject to be ashamed Of especially he has had great
experience as writer for the press Is an author,
respects. Mr.. Oilphant claims the privilege
OF privacy, but his community is not
a
lie interest and has already been made public. Yet
Is but proper to say that the people In the imme
diatc neryhborhood and the surrounding country
know little nothing about IL. Mr.. Oliphant q
refined. cultivated, amable and intelligent gentle
man. about thrty-iye to forty years OF age and has
first class OF Engiishmen. He has travelled great
deal Asia, was In Ceylon with his father, Sir
Anthony 0llphant who was Chic! Justice there, and
he went to China with Lord Elgn. His mother
Lady 0liphant. who IL with him, IL said to be q
woman oi superior mind culture and IL heartily
undertaken on the shore OF Lake Erie. The Rev.
Mr.. Harris is also an EngIshman, but seems to
have more Of the characteristics Of the Yankee
who become q clergyman, lawyer, farmer
banker or anything else at the shortest notice; FOR
this gentlemen. II appears has been q preacher, a
banker and farmer, and Is now noininay the
chief Of the new religious community on Lake Erie.
that Of Inc swedsntorSans or New w isrisaiem lem
Church. They believe there Is but one God, and
that Jesus Christ is that God. They reject the doc
trne OF the Trinity, or three persons In one God,
and hold that under whatever name or form the
Divine Being Is represented spoken OF In Scrip
different ways The Swedenborsians while they
believe there IL but one God I'm essence and person.
admit there Is In HIN sort OF trinity Of qualities or
properties like SOUL body and operation in man; but
1t does not appear that this community mold even this
distant sembance TO Trnitarian doctrine. They be-
lieve that Jesus Christ was God manifested in the
flesh, and that though He was I'm the form OF man
He was still the only one God, omnscent. omnipres
ent and omnipotent They hold the SCRIPTURES TO he
a divine revelation, and In other respects except
with regard to the doctrine OF the Trinity, they be-
lleve much the most OF the Protestant Eyan-
gelica churches with regard TO spiritual influence
regeneration and consciousness Of the spirit OF
Christ or God dwelling In them Like the Methodsts
and some other sects they believe In personal expe
rence OF divine influence. or communion with God
including newness OF life and consciousness OF sal
ya,ion, though they seem TO go a little further in
10 judge OF the spiritual life Of others, or as
the Apostle says, to try the spirits, whether
building yet for church worship but Contemplate
erecting one. They have but lust commenced. and
everything seems to be In embryo or unmatured,
though they are making considerable progress and
laying the foundation ior a large ana prosperous
community.
These people arc SOCIALISTS In the best sense OF that
word that is, there is real Christian equality among
them. and they all work upon the cooperative prln-
cple; but there Ia no communism Of the free love
order or ndiscllminate herdIng together They are
all workers, In one way another. believing, as
Goethe says work y workshp, or that IS good for
! " considered that under this cooperative
principle OF labor every one gets the full benefit
DESTROYS seIashness and songnees LOO noa
and more perfect Christian life. and this IL the
great object and aim OF the association. Tney own
1,60O acres 0f and IN Que block, where the head
quarters are, aud have purchased several farms in
the nelghborhood, with view, evidently, OF future
expansion. There are about 100 persons belonging
to the community at this settlement who occupy
different dwellng-. according to the accOmrDOiar
ton afforded. Among them are two Japanese. edu-
Gated IN TINS country. There were several others
but they are away at present though stlll iberinQ
TO the community. Mr.. 0llphant spoke highly Of
these Japanese Tor their intellectual and moral qai-
ties. There are IN England and other parts OF the
world numbers OF persons afYiliatng aud in
correspondence with the society Lake Erie,
which appears TO be the nucleus aud ultimate
destination or widespread organization. Mr. OIL
plant has had little hood OF correspondence pour
ing IN upon him from various parts of the United
States, inquiring into the nature OF the establish.
| ment and its prospects. No doubt he can ind any
number Of visionary and speculative individuals IN
! ths country, particularly carpetbaggers from the
East. who would be ready to take land in his en-
terprise II there IL any money to DC made and little