Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-02-21

The Mormon iniquity has not existed thus
far without protest, high loudly proclaimed,
and now at last beginning to be effective.
But Mormon polygamy Is not the only or the
foulest organized social defiance Of civil
law and common morality. in our country.
In some Of the most intelligent, orderly and
moral portions Of the country, frec-love
communities, making no secret Of their
character, have existed for nearly genera
ton, growing in numbers and wealth, and
because of their material thrift permitted to
remain unmolestei by the decent people
around them. The largest and most sue
ceSsful of thee is in the town Of LenoI,
Madison county, in Central New York,
four miles from the village OF Oneida,
from which it takes its name. 1t
was founded by Vermonter, one
John Humphrey Noyes, who is still its
ruling spirit. Noyes graduated from Dart
mouth College and from the Yale Theologi-
cal Seminary. In 1893 he was licensed to
preach by the New Haven Conn Associa-
ton. The next year, having returned to
Vermont, he came out as PeriectionIst
and began to teach and practice his free-loye
doctrines. lie was communicated from
the Congregational church in Putney, of
which he had been member, for hercsy and
breach OF covenant. Driven from Patney
by the force OF public opinion, in l8i7,
Moves turned up at Oneida, and summoning
around him the few disciples he had made.
he founded the Oneida Community Their
Distinguishing principle is what they call
Bible communism or complex marriage. a"
Blsing their principles on the facts, record
ed in Act', that the early Christians held
their property IN common, they 90 further
and eni.in and practice a community of
persons as well as of goods. 10 the Oneida
Community no woman has husband Of her
own and 10 man has a wife Of his own.
They declare that they live the resurrection
life, in which "they neither marry nor are
given 10 marriage" They discourage in
diyidual attachments between persons Of
opposite s,xcs, and maintain within the
secret pale Of their great household, foul
and bestial freedom" from the restraints
Of human law, and Christian and civiliz-
ed morality. The community now num-
bers nearly five hundred members and
is reported To be steadily increasing. BY
thorough organization and system, they have
reduced the cost Of living to II little over
Sl00a year for each adult. They are in
dustrioua, like the Shakers. Their canned
fruits, rat-traps and silk thread iad ready
markets all over the United States. Finan-
cially the Community thriyes and its prop
erty in lands, buildings and other inves.-
ments is believed to be worth several mil
lions. Thus far the Community have sue
cessfully defed the sentiment Of the sur
rounding people Of Central New York and
have carried out the practice of their peculiar
system unmolested. The money they spend
and their honesty in business dealings have
led large portion Of the population in the
immediate neighbour BOD Of the Community
to protest against AIRY interference with it.
workings. Bat a movement to break NJ
this nest Of f,ee-lovers has been inaugurated
by a number Of leading clorsymen Of Cen
trail New York, the Inspiration thereto being
found in the recent decision of the United
States Supreme Court establishing the con
stitutionality # the laws against poygamy
in Utah. Inc movement originated witt
Bishop Huntington, Of the Episcopal diocest
OF Central New York. lie consulted DIR
Mears. OF Hamilton College, and Chancellor
Haven, Of the Syracuse University The re
suit was the calling ofa conference which me
at Syracuse last Friday 70 strike at the root
of.the evil The leading cities of the State sen
accredited delegates, both lay and clerical, anC
the convention was an important and in
auential gathering. The speakers agrect
that the Community was both an organized
defiance Of human and divine law, and
source of impure sentiment constantly spread