The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-01-08

I'VE do not hold ourselves responsible forAny Opih-
on expressed by our CorrespoDdentaD
From OHIO.
OnERLIN. D. Dec. 26. 1875.

To the Editor Of the woRKuSsAAS's ADVOCATE.
Some If the particulars substantisting
our claim to being the godfather Of Oberlin,
etc.
At the date Of our arrival, we were full
of the spirit Of speculation, as was the
Church in general We had taken it tor
granted it was right, up to that hour, with
out question, being then one Of the young
converts Of the period, our conversion
dating 1881, and the very day of the year
which witnessed our birth into this world,
we being twenty, on that ever to-be-re-
membered day If our second birth, when
we sought Rev J J. Shipherd to join the
enterprise as colonist, having been ad-
vised not to make application as student,
on account Of impaired health, we having
cone foot III the grave, as was believed
by all, including the medical profession.
We were informed Father Shipherd was
in the woods, and sought and found him
splitting rails. Well, we made known our
purpose to join in the enterprise as a col
onist, and take lot Of land for the bene-
tit Of relatives, ID case Of our demise, as
was expected by all, being mere living
skeleton. 1t was then and there we were
informed we could not participate in the
lands, without first signing the Oberlin
covenant, and its extent and scope was
explained and made known to us Ia all its
length and breadth, as its authors had re-
ceived it, lin the mount, at the hand Of
God, or by the Holy Spirit, whose direc-
ton and inspiration was claimed in this
case. 1t was not their work, but Gods
After a desperate struggle with self, We
then and there yielded the point, and
adopted the Covenant fully, letter and
spirit, as fully as its authors did, and then
we knelt and prayed, calling God to Wit
ness what we had done. There was no
hole left for us to retreat through, and
it was, perhaps the most solemn hour Of
our life. Ve were made to understand
these lands were Gods, and must be used
to his glory and not for self, and for the
ushering in and building up of his king
| dom, and it appeared to as it has indeed
come, and that We had already gained a
foretaste Of it, We at once reduced the
entitled to our choice of lots, both village
and farm, IN the order Of our arrival; this
being the rule, according to which We
were entitled to very eligible 100 acres,
on our thoroughfare between Oberlin and
Elyria, embracing spring of water, very
desirable and valuable, with creek Just
at the corner Of the tract, also IL great
value for watering stock these advan-
tages in addition to advantages common q
all the lands. This ,ot We surrendered at
the la re suggestion of its being our duty
to do 80, for the brother who desired Il
mad means, ard would enter upon the
clearing Of it for the Lord Immediately
and thus the glory Of God and the publ,
interest would be promoted by nur sacri
tice. We therefore went and took lot In.
stead i'll the extreme suuthw estern coruei
of the Oberlin tract, containing hut l2C
instead Of 100 acres and cut up badly b.
the same creek, which approached the
other tract only 70 benefit n, meanderiua
through the adjoining lots, aud cutting
them up also for others benefit
This was the spirit and action the Cove.
nant inculcated. To further prove this
We give another example. L. +. Pease,
the man who accompanied Shipherd and
Stewart, as We believe, when they located
the tract, located his village lot to EN-
brace our southeastern business corner
1t remains such to this day, and is worth
we sudpose. $3.50 per foot front at this
this time. He parted with the half Of
this corner after clearing it, and cropping
it once or twice. for the original price - 81
per acre, with the expense Of clearing ana
fencing added. Again, cornices to build
ings were pronounced to be superfuities
by the fathers, and roofs for houses ere
built without projection, in olden time
barn fashion. We personally counted this
a folly, then as now, but this opinion pre-
vailed then with the fathers
Again, as respects dress, or ornamental
attire Father Shiphard, as we all fa-
miliarly called him, under the affiatus
which produced the Oberlin Covenant; be-
fore setting out On his first mission To the
East, for Oberlln, as we understand IT.,
went to tailor in Elyria, criticising ard
questioning him in this wise ''What is
the sense or use Of this rolling collar r.
sit il for looks, beauty" replied the tail
or. Leave it off, then, said Father 5.
What are those seams for in front, on
both aides the lapel !" mo particular
use, said the tailor. except for looks, or
beauty" said the Father, make mine
without them" Again. what are all
these buttons tor behindF says the father
For ornament replies the tailor.
Il ave them of, says the Father, and
that coat was worn to New England at
the conception and birth Of Oberlln. We
looked on 1t many time, and it did our
soul good, as the thoughts Of it do yet
1t marked HIM as peculiar man, and ms,
as A peculiar people, ana showed our
Covenant had meaning, and that We
were III earnest, and by means like these,
and earnestness in all religious duties and
through manifestations Of love for our fell
low man, soul and body, in all our ways,
with no natural advantages we shook the
nation for God, from centre to clrcumfer-
ence, III spite of all the bawdy stories Sa-
tan could invent respecting our licentious-
ness.
TO be concluded ~ our merit
EhDM MASSAEuli0EITQ