The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-15
TIE ONEIDA COMMUNISTS.
CLERGYMEN or ALL DENOMINA TIONS
MAKING WAR ON THE SOCIETY.
A Secret Meeting In syracuse-The Community
Denounced ne Impure nnd ImmoraI-sug-
Eesting Measures Looking TO its Suppres s-ion


A Secret Meeting In nsyrscu.e-The Community
Denounced ne Impure nnd Immorai-sug-
Eesting Measure. Looking to u. Suppression
SYRACUSE, Feb. 14.-War was decl6tod on
the Oneida Community to-day. by meeting
called for tho express purpose. composed Of
about fifty clergymen OF all denominations
from all parts OF the State. The movement
originated in the mind OF Prof. J. W. Moars Of
Hamilton College, who IA long as year ago
proposed some action looking to the breaking
up OF the society. He made his first
proposition to tho Utica Presbytery. which
body appointed him ono OF commit
tee to acqualnt themselves with the social
relations Of the mombers OF the Commu-
nifty. Since then he has enlisted in his
cause the Right Rov. +. o. Huntington.
Bishop OF the Episcopal Diocese OF Contal New
York Bishop Jesse T. Peck OF the Methodist
Church. Chancellor T. o. Haven OF the Syracuse
University the Rev. James II. Porter. .. L.. OF
Brooklyn. and others. The meeting o-day was
attended by all these gentlemen and number
OF others representing tho Methodist. Eplsco-
pal. Congregational. Baptist. Universalst. and
Congregational churches. At the main en-
trance OF tho University. where the meeting
was hold. was stationed young man who was
loaded down with lato issues OF tho American
Socialist. the organ OF the Community. Mr..
William A. Kinds one OF the editors. was also
present The paper was filed with articles In
defence Of the Community and its peculiar doc
trines. Immediately after the Convention was
| organized by choosing Bishop Huntington
| Chairman. prayer was offered by Bishop Peck.
and thon Prof Mcars rose and. in behalf OF his
| colleagues. said that the press would bo OK
| cuded. The reporters representing all the
| journals then retired. The doors we're shut
| last and sergeant-at-arms was appointed 10
The roll wis first called u make sure that no
| outsiders remained in tho room. each g"ntle-
9saSSnce anG GcR dRrc6 10 SV Prof emrs
| WAS asked TO give the knowledge in his posses.
sion bearing on the subject in hnnd He first
! referred TO the action taken some time ago by
| the Synod of which he was q member with
respect t. this social evil. and to resolutions
! Baptist Association. in harmony with the action
| OF the Synod. Some time niter the speaker
heard Of the action taken 10y tho Chairman
| that two Synods tn q Presbyterian and Congre-
gational. met simultaneously at Oswcgo. Their
should BE- added that MS our Methodist brethren
had no State association. their action was by
| conference with all parties interested Several
| gentlemen were consulted rs To whether they
| would sign an invitation like that which was
| Seht out, ihls convention Is supposed 10 DC
acquainted with tho facts
The Chair said he supposed IL would be- safer
| IN presume on the Ignorance OF mankind than
Professor M'ars then gave n brief history Of
the rise and progress OF tho institution. The
! movement was headed by Noycs n graduate OF
a college. He based his theory on the second
chapter Of Acts. whore 1t is said that the early
Christians had their possessions In common.
| but Noyrs diyergcl from the Srrptural view by
as Of goods Soyss in college was
n bright student. and promised to be n
useful man. His communistic movement was
started at Poultney VI. in isi7. Tho people
| rose against II. and Noyes was obliged TO nre
He came to this section about thirty years ago
I | ~
orderly. aud cieanly IN the manner IN which
thsy conduct theiT howe1I wsIi, similar liar com ,
| It has failed. II DID not contain the element Of
| success thai tho Oneida Community contains
| together in sort OF cOncupisccn No woman
has husband ot her, own and NO man has
| resurrection lie. in which they neither marry
nor ar given 20 marrhge' They nrr not al
rule. and show any Part icular attachment for
| one another. they nre criticised for 40 doing.
institution u the oulgrowth Of vile passion.
person going through the Community sccs
nothing there to offend; All ia secret Our
students who visit the place say tho men look
pessahly well. but thHt the women hRd de,e.t-
ed loos: md how such women can be the
mothers Of an excellent stock oi men is ono
ot tho problems which tho students discuss.
Three or four years ago a similnr community
State. The Oneida Community las its location
IN tho very centre of the State. didn't know
hut thni we were Ia have the Stat, clothed With
~. however. has boon sold out. Whatever can
ho done ought to hN don" IN NV York ~ II was
I'm vermont. Tor the SAKE OF the morals Of the
State.
Chancellor Haven asked whether women ever
Leave tgeir precincts Tho answer was Not
Dr. Fowler asked whether Prot, Mcars
thought tho leaders in the Community were
sincere in comparison with the Mormon leader
He replied. presume they are sincere"
with5u, IS M" pr,.sent @ mnh5d f Of .oci" in,"r
course Prof. Mears added that they are edu-
eating their young men so As TO perpeluhte
their institution. One or moro have i-'en at
Yale College. The total vnluc OF their property
is about stO0OO0 or t6OOO 900 according to thoir
Bsnop Huntington snid: This is not an ieo-
lated community. II should ho shown up in
the light There is An impure omNnation from
H. Young people 70 there and return with
these nI ure thO hOughts and associations In their
Al this point Dr. Porter Of Hamilton read a
| letter from CONGRESSMAN Baker. in which the
writer sHys tlHt II is disgrace 10 The United
uited 10 Congress from Uuh. md that II is "A
disgrace 10 Nv York that 50 n Communi'y
speaker held that this sYstom il - foul blot on
The Rry'J i. Browncll Of LYONS said that tho
lo'..t we could do would ne 10 fnd way, u pos
hiiir, 10 supprcse this "v or. M Hercules said,
90 = ther md u way or mako onr."
Bishop Peck said he felt ii tInrumten, on him
TO express his sentiments. lie endorsed tho
view given that the cXigcncl"Soi th1 part, t,cular
tlme dcmnnd thti We go somrthlnE, lie on
dlrsed Congressman Bakers lrttcr THIS meet
, ing should huYe succession and I"rmnncu'c.
We should Mother look for suilrn success nor
ultimate failure. The evil is too daep. seated to
be easily erHdichtrd N Ia in the hands of
-aaaci1us men. The method Of treatment must
be moral and -crpurM. lithe Community stood
alone. with sympathy from the outside public
and with lcs- sAgnrious lenders il might be
overcome ty popular uprising. Hot -hcnded
men viii do rs 10 good IN this work. The %.
ungtion must bo soundlY srripturnl The
b. shop moved thHt committee be appointed
to invest igulr questions of fact ana Of law, ~
report 70 'his body nt n subsequent moetng
3 The Rev. q. NJ. Pierce. editor of tho Rockp
Mountain Christian AdrOcate. published in Salt
Lake CitY Uiuh. who WAS present was asked 70
q speak and IN rrsnnnsr he set forth tho coudi-
ton OF the Mormon people. particularly the
women. ar something ptiHbe.
| Mr. l.. y. Hale a prominent LAWYER Of Syrn-
| cuse. spoke on the legal spet Of the ease. He
| said that the statute books cnnttintd no law
which made the existence of the Community n
crlme. 1t was neither Hduitrrous or polyga-
, nous. A law in Massachusetts. pro.
hLting lascivious cohHhatlon. covered
tho ease. la this Slat",- however, adul.
, ] terry Is not penal offence He sud
the frat thing 10 bo DOM WIS 10 arouse u moral
l sentiment Whirh womb inhnence Legislation
, against the Oneilu Community. Until this sen
tmrnt was created u woul he idle 10 talk of
4 breaking up the society. He wns one of those
who believed the Continually would not die oul