, 1874-07-19

Florence, Mass, 3 suburb Of Northampton
boasts q remarkable church, the offspring OF .
semi-communistic soclcty-"Tho Association Of
Education and Industry tried to in-
augurate the millennium at Florence about the
time when Hawthorne, and Emerson, and Mar.
garet Fuller were busy with the noble folly OF
Brook Farm. The same fate overlook both
communities. They went to pieces. The one
survives in "The Blithedale Romance :" the
other in the t.Cosmlan Society" Of Florence.
When the old association broke up, some OF it's
members remained on the ground. They at-
tracted others like unto themselves. People
with new ideas. good or bad, gravitated thither.
The town became hotbed Of isms. It probably
fulfilled. pretty faithfully, the Southern idea Of
all New England villages. About dozen years
ago, society was formed which adopted the fol-
loving creed:
Respecting in each other and In Ill the right OF In
teect md conscience to be free and holding it to e
the duty Of every to keep his mind and heart a
times open to receive the truth aud follow its gid-
ance, set up no theological condition Of member
ship, md neither demand expect uniformity OF
doctrina1 belief asking only unity Of purpose seek
and accept the right and true and honest aim and
effort to make these the rule Of lie: and, recognizing
the brotherhood of the human aud the equality
Of human rights, 1nnte no distinction as to the
conditions and rights Of membership in this society
on nccouns Of SCI, or color, or nationality.
Thus We have church which rejects theology
and union which is based On different beliefs !
The curious creed is strictly regarded Spiritual
lists. Materia1ists, Unitarians, Universalists,
Theista, Methodists, Baptists, Congregational
lists, ex-Quakers, and ex-Catholcs fill the COM
Portable a1m-chairs in Cosmian Hall. The hall
itself is one Of the most striking buildings in
Western Massachusetts. It is admirably ar-
ranged and admirably furnished. The main
audience~room is changed, By the removal OF
heavy maroon curtain behind the pulpit, from
church for Sunday into theatre for Week-days
The windows arc Of rich stained glass. The
walls are elabola ately hcscoed and adorned with a
medley Of portrnits- Shakespeare and John
Brown, Humboldt and Rubons, confront each
other. There are class-rooms and parlors
dining-1oom and q kitchen. Broad halls con-
meet all parts Of the building. It is elaborate.
entrance has sculptured upon it the simple creed
to which alt subscribe.
The worship, or rather the service, is as odd
as the creed. Two meetings are held esch Sun
day, morning and afternoon. The first is mainly
for the young. It is q sort Of sunday-school,
in which science is taught rather than religion,
facts rather than faith. The opening cere-
monies are sufficiently orthodox, save
that there is no prayer, and that the
moral sentiments which the children re-
peat in unison may or may not be
taken from the Bible The class-exercises are
peculiar. IT found" writes a correspondent
OF the New York Tribune, zone class OF girls
reciting in physiology and another IN botany. q
c2aas Of boys studying photography under the
tuition Of lawyer, q large class OF young ladies
and gentlemen reading Shakespeare under the
leadenhip Of ! lady, md another 1azgs clam m