The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-27
TIE LOST TRIBEs or IsR4EL.
The Sect In New York thnt Relieves thnt its
Members soro OF Them.

Tho religious services in the Christian Is
raeite Sanctuary at 10S First street aro inter
mittent, depending upon the presence in the
city OF q preacher. Sometimes they are not
oftener than once n month and then sometimes
there is preaching for several consecutive Sun
day evenings. But the zoal Of tho members OF
this little known religious sect seems unabatcd
by this irregularity OF meeting. They call
themselves Christian Israelitcs and yet they
admit that there Is not. and never has BEEN n
jew among them. Thoy 20 further aud insist
that there Is not jew now on carth according
TO Bible teachng that is. thoro is no Israelte
without guile. Tho society that meets in tho
little chapel in First street is one OF the two
Of this denomination in tho United States
be- the acceptation Of the Bible from the first
word OF Genesis to the last Of Revelations, and.
except such parts OF II that are. without doubt
alleRorical. they believe II should be taken as
literal. The older members Of the society are
as familiar us the most learned theologian with
teach II day by day TO their children, 80 that
they grow up with the Scriptures indeliby fixed
IN their minds. The preacher OF last evening
Catherine Schertz. illustrated. MS is always her
custom. every thought with q passage from tho
Bible. giving book. chapter. and verse; and
this remarkable familiarity is shown by others.
who speak impromptu at times. Their remarks
are frequently mosaic OF passages from the
Bible. illustrating a single thought They be-
lleve that they. and others who are prepared
like them, arc the members OF the lost tribes
oi Israel; They are the nucleus Of the one hun
dred and forty and four thousand OF all the
tribes OF Israel who are sealed, and who will
witness the second coming Of Christ; The
seventh chapter Of tho Book Of Revelations Ia
the corner stone OF their religious faith. They
believe that being sealed and prepared they
will see the saviouT, whom he comes in q" the
twinkling Of an eye" but that only they will seo
it, The worldly and wicked will not see this
coming. aud will know nothing Of it,
The series OF sermons that Catherine Schcrtz
nrHnrnluR been based
the central thought OF the ingatherln Of Israel.
for the redemption Of spirit. soul. and body %
upon the seventh chapter OF Revelations
Mrs scherlz is a woman well on in years,
Her lace Is pallid but her eyes are bright and
full OF expression: She speaks without .noto
and with strong German accent, but her Eng
lish is pure and grammatical. Tho pulpit is a
desk raised upon a partition that extends from
one side OF the chapel TO the other. II conceals
all Of the speaker beloy the gray cape that Just
covers the shoulders. She wears drab Quaker
bonnet that conceals all OF tho head except the
face. The chapel is the second story OF First
the street and a grecn baize door Keeps out the
drafts. A dozen pews on the lett hand side are
occupied by the females. tho children sit,
along In the middle. and the mairons
behind Only tho children dress gayly.
6S TsST ss ~ ss 81
tive Methodist style. and the young men and
boys sit in the front seats There are few old
than a Hundred. An organ. all of which is con,
cealed. excepting the pipes. chind the partition
that also serves for pulpit. lends the congro-
CATION ia the singing. There are no novoluntaries.
no afterudcs. The hymns are Of the most fer
vently pious kind. and the tunes the familiar
songs Of the early Methodist Church. Words
and music seem familiar to all. and tho holding
opon OF the hymn book ie only q formality.
Singing. with reading OF tho Scripture and n
sermon, make up tho roigious service. Last
evening Mrs. Schert2 repeated promise after
promise 10 the congregation for the elect. and
urged them to be valiant. never Welding. and
always ready for the coming Of the Saviour.
The chapel was fuller than Is customary, but
for n large church and congregation these
seems TO be an abiding ono. and TO make them
very happy. The sect was founded 10y an Eng
ishmHn in 1922. who always insisted that his
spiritual vision was enlarged 10y special proyi-
dence. and that he wns thereby permitted to
teach tho doctrines us the Divine Will, which
are expOunded In several aanctuaries in Eng
land but In only two In this country.