Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-11-28
The PerfectiOnlsts.
From the Chicago News.

Blecker street. I'm New York city. He has made
himself notorious by several dangerous anC
ToOlhardy deeds. Some years ago he told re
porter for the Daily News of startling plan I,
capture the State of Illinois and make OF IL
nation to be occupied solely by the followers o.
the red flag The scheme was TO bring oyel
from Europe some three hundred Thousand
communists, settle them in this State, and le
them in due time become naturallZed citizens
They would then elect all State officers from
members of their own organization these OF
icers would f0rtfy the State on all Its corners
and when everything was in readiness Illinois
would be declared free and independent ma
ton. NJ. Megy was confident that within ten
years all the plans which he unfOlded would he
successfully carried out.
"Our organization" he said, "will be 81
strong that the United States government will
concede to us our rights without forcing us tC
blOodshed.p
Absurd, though startling, as this prophecy OF
an ignorant man must seem TO most persons
its audacity is equaled by the claims of beau
tlful and accomplished woman in this State
who for years asserted herself to be the true
Christ. So successfully did she ply these claims
that she did not lack for followers and, slngu-
lar as II may appear, many of them are persons
unusual amount of shrewdness, intelligence,
and common sense. OF "Dora OF Byron" as
she Is called, and her singular belief and teach
ings, the Daily News now presents the first ac-
curate account ever given to the world 1t is TO
be hoped that its careful perusal may serve to
warn such persons as are easily impressed I'm
religious matters against the folly OF espousing
the beliefs Of those who, not TO speak harshly,
are fanatics of the most pronounced type. The
religion" If such il can be called, of Dora of
Byron has already estranged husband and
wife, created discOrd in homes, dissipated fine
properties, and held up the sacred name of
Christ to the ieers of multitude of scoffers.
The Daily News does not wish TO be misunder-
stood In this matter. For true faith, of what
ever kind, it has naught but unbounded re-
spect But fanatiSm and its attendant evils 1t
will always endeavor TO show up in its true
colors. BY faith man is made whole By fan.
atheism he is inevitably shattered.
The followers OF "Dora of Byron" style them
selves "Perfectiouists," and their headquarters
are at Byron, Ogle county. Illinois Byron is a
small village OF about seven hundred inhabi-
tants. on the line OF the Chicago, Milwaukee s.
ST. Paul railroad, eighty-nine miles west of
Chicago. IL Is beautifully situated on the banks
of the Rock river, aud is in the midst of one of
the wcathiest farming districts in the State.
Although first settled about fifty years ago, the
population Of the entire township does not eX-
coed one thousand but nearly all the inhab.
tants are, II not wealthy, exceedingly well to
do. The attention of the visiting stranger is
called TO two remarkable thngs-hrst the fact
that the postmaster Mr.. st. John Mix. has held
his Office in the village for thirty years, which
is said to be longer term of service than that
of any other postmaster i'm the United States ;
and that Mr.. Mix, who is SO years old, is the
Oldest postmaster in the country. The second
interesting fact is that the first soldiers mon
ument in Illinois was erected at Byron. Ii is
a handsome marble shaft and contains the
names of forty-siX men of the town who died
while serving the Union in the late war;
The attention of the stranger is not called to
the Pcrfcctionists, for the greater part of the
people of Byron look upon them with aversion.
While seated i'm the office of the Commercial
House, the reporter for the Daily News was
given some information about this curious sect
by the proprietor of the hotel, Mr. j. +. Spald-
ing who is also one of the village trustees.
Mr.. Spalding said II have lived in Byron
for more than thirty years. know all about
these people, and whatever tell. you may de-
pend upon as correct. In 1876 the Rev. j. c.
Beckman came here and assumed the pastorage
of the Congregational church. lie is an able
man, and his preaching gave satisfaction. So.
at the end of the year, he was invited to re-
main. During the spring of 1877 his wife, Dora
Beekman, claimed to have received manifesto
tions from God that she was the true Christ, and
called upon all true Christians 10 believe her.
From the start considerable number of per-
sons became her followers. She went TO Alpcna,
Michigan, and there made several more con-
verts to her belief among them the Rev. George
Jacob SweinfOrth, pastor of the Methodist
church at Alpena. Mr.. Sweinforth was enthus-
iastic in his advocacy of Mrs Beekman's belief
that she was the manifestation of the coming
of the second Christ, and upon her return from
Alpena to Byron he accompanied her He Wis
tied her so often that people began to talk about
IT, But for this am convinced that there were
no grounds. better. purer woman than Mrs.
Beekman never lived, and aside from her crazy
notions, nothing can be said against her.
"But all this could not fail to make trouble
for Mr.. Bcckman among his church members.
1t was said. and | don't think there's much
doubt of IT, that for year she dictated all of
his sermons At first he fell in with her ideas,
but she carried them so far that at last he open
ly revolted. At the end of the second year of
his ministry, the members Of the church held
meeting TO determine whether or not Mr.. Beck
man should be dismissed from his charge
Forty-ive members voted TO dismiss him, and
only eight voted that he be retained. An extra
quarters salary was voted him. and he signi-
fled his intention of leaving Byron. but his
wife desired TO remain here, and he yielded to
her wishes. She appeared to control him in all
things except his belief, and, though opposed to
her in this, he quietly let her go on in her own
way.
80 Mrs Beekman went ON, exhorting and
preaching In various places and adding mem
bers TO her following, assisted by Mr. Swein-
forth. There are In Byron about forty Perfcc-
tonists, and the total membership of the sect
do not think exceeds two hundred But now
let me tell you of the strangest part of the
whole business:
Mrs. Beekman died last April in Buena Wis.
ia, Colorado, where she established a company
of her followers. Her husband was notified
that she was i'll, but il was not until the day af-
ter her death that he was telcgraphed to that
effect. The Pcrfcctlonists, holding that she
was Christ, insisted that she would rise again on
the third day, and refused to embalm her re-
mains until the fourth day had passed and NOR
tihcation had set in. They then embalmed the
body and started with it for Byron coming by
the way of Kansas City and Chicago and ar
irving here eight days after Mrs. Beekman's
death They placed the coffin in the yard, in
front Of Mr.. Bcckman's residence. declining to
carry It into the house. They also refused to
permit the coffin to be opened. This caused
murmur Of Indignation to run through the viii
lage, and there was danger that the excitement
would end in very unpleasant manner. am
very warm friend of MIR. Beetman, and
went down 10 his house and said 10 him
"'Look here; I don't like the way things are
going on. Now, II youll just say the word I'll
see that the coffin is opened
"He replied; Il don't want TO have any fuss
about this matter Don't you see, all these peo-
pie want TO be resisted. Then they will raise n
great hue-and-cry about how they have been
prosecuted. Whatever faults my wife have had
she was true wife to me, and don't want her
name made free with I'm the way 1t would be II
we interfere in the natter