The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1873-12-19
The BrOctOn Community.

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the Oneida Circular, is the village of
Brocton, a small country town with one
Or two steeples pricking upward into the
sky. and having a sort of harmony with
the dark and pointed hemlocks of the
woodland. The "Cross-Cut"
railway here branches off southwark, to
climb over The hills to the head-waters
Of the Allegheny, and take you straight
on 20 :he oil regions and Pittsburgh
Between the village and railway station,
which are half mile apart, and be-
tween the station and the lake, a mile
and half distant, i. the domain of the
Brocton Community. That Brother
hood" has; with poetic feeling which
seems to characterize it, named its home
SaIem-on-Erie."
This body of land, comprizing near
ly :wo thousand acres, is quite level,
somewhat diversified by patches
of timber and ravines of no great
depth. The soil is of a light character,
like that of most hemlock lands, but
owing 10 its nearness to he lake it is
very free from late frosts, and especially
desirable for vineyards. Of these the
have many acres, besides
more on lznds belonging to tnem in Ms
sou.i. Grapes, hay, and wine are the
aple products for markei; to these
should be added nursery stock and
plants grown in greenhouses. Scatter
ed over th;s domain are the houses of
me former nhabi:ants; these are now
occupied by tne Community. Living
thus scattered it is not possible for the
people to reap all the advantages of as
sociation. 1t Is their purpose, we be-
lieve, to build a un;tary dwelling.
AT tie railway station :ney keep
neat and tasteful eating-house with a
small conservatory attached; a bar for
the sale of beer, cigars, and wine-by
the ;ug or glass, and stand for grapes
and berries in their season. Not far
from the station is small hotel; near
this are the greenhouses, and surround
ing all are the nurseries and ornamental
grounds. A store has been opened for
the sale of goods. A large w1ne-house
and wine cellar were built three years
ago, and steam grist-mill was put in
operation last year. There is also
chapel.
The leader of this movement is
Thomas Lake Harris; born in England.
but educated from his earliest years in
this country; intended for the Baptist
ministry, but became a Universalist
preacher and oficiated in the pulpit
now held by the Rev E. H. Chaplin; be-
came a Spiritualist, and in connection
with one Scott undertook to found a
community at Mountain Cove, West
Virginia. the failure of which is record
ed in American Socialisms;" became a
Christian Spiritualist in contradistinc-
ton from the Infdel Spiritualists; had
time of great darkness and struggle,
when he succeeded in getting hold of
Swedenborg's internal inspiration;''
went to England, where he made friends
(indeed, the Broctonians are largely
English), and received some presents in
money which he very much increased
by an inspired speculation in stocks; col
lected his followers at Armenia, Duchess
County, N. Y, where they had mill
and national bank; and finally in 1865
he surprised the old residents of Broc-
ton by getting hold Of dozen farms al
one sudden stroke. Then followed a
series of improvements. Old buildings
were taken down and moved; new ones
were built and then drawn to other
places; vineyards were planted, to be
dug up and set elsewhere. One yeal
this Community hired its labor done
the next it did its own work. g
The Broctonians believe in monogamic
marriage, such as Swedenborg saw in
Heaven; they believe that religion is the
only basis of communism, but Their
Christianity seems mixture of Univer-
salism and Swedenborgianism; they be.
lieve in the inspiration of their leader
and some of them bate tneir breathf
when they mention "Mr. 'arris;" they
all work, partly from principle anc
partly from the necessities of their sit
uation, we judge, for they are mostly
people of refinement; they are getting
name for honesty, civility, and priva-
cy. Their doctrines are to be found ir
the "Arcana of Christianity" only two
Volumes of which have yet been pub
lished. From this work we learn tha
Mr.. Harris aims to set up heavenly in
stitutions on earth, and make, a sort o
model township; therefore marriage i
not the temporary union of Sweden
borgian affinity hunters is the bless
ed marriage of the great seer.
i The persons of weight and mean
whom Mr.. Harris has drawn into hi
following are, Mr.. J. A. Requa, South
ern gentleman of wealth and admins
trative ability who died in 1868; ant
Miss Waring, sister of Geo. E. War
: ing, the distinguished writer on farm
matters, and once agricultural enginee
of the Central Park. She is said to hav
proved herself good msnager for he
new associates.
OF the Broctonians with their 5000,
900 in land, selling hay and grapes
the latter sometimes go for two cents
pound in that market-we can only sa
with a writer in the New York SUI
at is generally believed that the profit
of their farming operations have nc
where reached legal interest on the il
vestment." Their eating-house is the
best-paying property. Of their stanc
ing there and offering the world hes
and wine and cigars, while they then
selves are revelling in the delights of a
"internal respiration" we say it lool
like piece of bitter irony.
A Horrible Graveyard in B0mba!