The Portland daily press., 1873-09-17
Free Lovers.
VISIT TO THE wALLNGFoRD COMMUNITY.

"a Nlcll ~ \.
A correspondent of the Boston Post has
lately been at Walingford, CT, to see what
the Community or, as it is sometimes
called, the band of ''Free Lovers" are like
unto. This Community is about fourteen
miles from New Haven, and has long been
successfully established They are prosper
Gus, and, as far as the fraternal effect on their
neighbors is concerned. it is advantageous, as
the advance of property since the formation
of the sect shows. The correspondent, after
looking around the farm, says:
Then slowly wended my way back TO the
house, and, as 1 entered, was invited into
stting-room by pleasant-looking female
In the room, seated on benches without backs
were seven females dressed in calico bIoomer
costume, wearing their hair short. All were
sewing. l tiled to induce them to converse
with me, but by the sly glantes they cast be-
hind the house inferred that they were
watched or afraid of somebody. As they
would not talk to me, took good look at
them. l must be pardoned if do not de-
scribe their appearance, because descrip-
ton would not be complimentary. Suffice to
say, they were not lovely in form nor less
than forty years of age. As soon as Mr.. Olds,
the Superintend MT, returned, they all began
ia king to me at high rate of speed, and
probably would have continued until the pres
ent time had it not been that Mr.. Olds res
cued me from ting talked to death by female
Communists, and tpok me into the room he
and l were in during the morning. Then he
began the conversation by giving me long
dissertation ON the Bible. the divinity Of
hrist, and the Apostolic influence of St.
Paul. 1 cut him short by asking if they had
any speca. rules of internal economy or
home government. He replied: ''We have
daily evening meetings and weekly system
of mutual criticism"
Corresponden.-Will you be kind enough
to describe this method of criticism, Mr. Olus !?
Mr.. Olds-Well, it takes the place of back
biting. Some persons are criticised Ly the en-
tire family; at other times by CT mmittee OF
six, eight. twelve or more. In these crit-
cisms the most perfect sincerity exists, and
whenever / am criticised abo 1T nv faults |
try to mend Them, and love the people who
have criticised me. In determining upon
any course of action, we act unitedly, or not
at all; and therefore, our business harmony
is pt rfect, and only our private life is crtl-
cised.
Correspondent-Have you many new con-
verts, and are they chiefly males or females?
hundred applications annually equally divided
between the sexes, but we reject them all.
Joining the community is like marriage, and
we want the parties who do join rs to know
all about us beforehand, be in full sympathy
with us. believe in all our religious and social
doctrines, pay all th.ir debts, secure their
freedom from kindred, and to count well the
cost of enlisting with us ior lte
rrespondent-Now, Mr.. Olds, will YOU
be kind enough to tell me what u expect to
attain in the end?
Mr. Olds-Peace, tranquility, independence
social elevation of tn sexes, and We hope in
time to do away with Jail prisons, and laws.
The criminal laws are tor the bud, not for the
good. Look at the corruption that exists at
Washington; isn't it true that cheating and
lying and stealing are going on throughout
the country, aliG that from the President of
the United States down to the lowest man,
al are corrupt? Our religion teaches us to
do good only. We hope to improve the hu-
man lace BY observing care, we hope to
produce race of men and women which shall
be healthy, spirited and enduring. We pre-
pose beginning as the Jews did, and we will
continue it as long as we find it advantageous
to our doctrines for improving the races.