The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-11-02
A NEW WESTERN RELIGION
THE ILLINOIS "PERFEcrIoNIsTs'
AND THEIR FEMALE APOSTLE.
Mrs. Beekmnn's Queer Inspiration $50
Her Death aud Failure 10 Rise
According TO Promise.

W. tfeehuI eRUeCT INSPIRATION -
Her Death aud Failure 10 Rise
According TO Promise.
The followers of Dora of Byron"
style themselves Perfectionists, and
their headquarters are at Byron, Ogle
county, Ill. Byron is small village of
about 700 inhabitants, eighty nine miles
west of Chicago. Although first settled
about fifty years ago, the population of
the entire township does not exceed 900 {;
but nearly all the inhabitants are, if not
wealthy, exceedingly well-to-do.
The attention of the stranger is not
called to the Pcrfectionists, for the
greater part of the people of Byron look
upon them with aversion. While seated
in the Office of the Commercial house a
correspondent Of the New York Star was
given some information about this curl
Gus sect by the proprietor of the hotel,
Mr.. J. F. Spalding, who is also one of
the village trustees.
Mr.. Spalding said 81 have lived in By
ron for more than thirty years. know all
about these people, and whatever l tell
you, you may depend upon as being cor
rect. In 1876 the Rev. j. G. Beekman
came here and assumed the pastorate of
the Congregational church. He is an
able man, and his preaching gave salts
faction. So, at the end of the year. he
was invited to remain. During the
spring of 1877 his wife, Dora Beekman,
claimed to have received manifestations
from God that she was the true Christ,
and called upon all true Christians to be
lieve in her. From the start consider
able number of persons became her fol
lowers. She went to Alpena, Mich, and
there made several more converts to her
belief, among them the Rev. George Jacob
Sweinforth, pastor CT the Methodist
church at Alpena. Mr., Sweinforth was
enthusiastic in his advocacy of Mrs
Beekman's belief that she was the mani
festation of the coming of the second
Christ, and upon her return from Alpena
to Byron he accompanied her
"This could not fail to make trouble
for Mr.. Beekman among his church mem
bers. 1t was said, and l don't think
there's much doubt of it, that for year
she dictated all his sermons. AT first
he fell in with her ideas, but she carried
them so far that at last he openly re-
VOTED. AT the end of the second year
of his ministry the members of the
church held meeting to determine
whether or not Mr.. Beekman should be
dismissed from his charge. Forty-five
members voted to dismiss him, and only
eight voted that he be retained. An
extra quarters salary was voted him, and
he signifed 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 eX-
ccpt his belief, and, though opposed to
her in this, he quietly let her go on in
her own way.
So Mrs. Beekman went on, exhort-
ing and preaching in various places and
adding members to her following, always
assisted by Mr.. Sweinforth. There are
in Byron about forty Perfectionists, and
the total membership of the sect l do
not think exceeds 200. But now let me
tell you of the strangest part of the
whole business
Mrs. Beekman died last April in
Bucna Vista, Col, where she had estab-
lished company of her followers. Her
husband was notified that she was i'll, but
it was not until the day after her death
that he was telegraphed to that effect.
The Perfectionists, holding that she was
Christ, insisted that she would rise again
on the third day, and refused to embalm
her remains until the fourth day had
passed and modification had set in. They
then cmbalmed the body and started with
sas City and Chicago and arriving here
eight days after Mrs. Bcekman's death.
They placed the coffin in the yard, in
front of Mr.. Bcckman's residence, de
Ginning to carry it into the house. They
also refused to permit the coffin to be
opened. Well, the coffin was finally
opened and the body of Mrs. Beekman
was there, beyond Il doubt. Then the
townsfolk were satisfied, and the re-
mains were inferred in the village ccmc-
fiery. The Perfectionists, having been
disappointed in that their Christ did not
rise again on the third day, they boldly
asserted that she would reappear on earth
at the end of forty days but in this, too,
they were left in the cold, and it has
rather staggered them
A visit was made to the house of Mr..
Beekman, but it was learned that he had
gone to Romeo. Mich, on visit to his
brother, who lives there. The house is
commodious one, and was given to
Christ H. e., Mrs. Beekman) by her fol
lowers When she died it passed into
the hands of her husband. The Pcrfcc-
tionists did not like this, and tried TO get
possession of it, But as they had form
ally decided it to Mrs Beekman, upon hei
death it legally became the property OF
her husband.
OF Mr.. Beckman no one in Byron has
anything but good to say, excepting
always the Pcrlectionists, who cannot
forgive him for opposing their belief and
for retaining possession of the home they
gave his wife. He is one of the most
popular men in the town, and at present
fills the Office of village clerk. He is q
regular attendant of the Congregational
church, and frequently speaks in tho
church meetings He is loved for hi,
undoubted goodness, and is pitied for tho
sorrows he has been called upon to bear
Mrs Beekman is described by one who
knew her well to have been handsome
lady, slight in frame, but with great