The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-10
SECOND ADvENrIsrs IN JERUsALEsr.
A Colony Which Wisely Fled from Chicago
to Await christs Second Coming.

A Colony Which Wisely Fled from Chicago
to Await Christs Second Coming.
Correspondence New York Evening Post.
come now to speak of a colony of fourteen
Americans, two English persons and three ma
nves, who are living inside the city wall, near
the Damascus Gate. / approach the task care
fully, for personal intercourse has led me to re-
speet the people thoroughly, although I cannot
sympathize with all their views They are not
headstrong, unreasoning or fanatic Socially
they are delightful companions, being, without
exception, cultured. refined people. Mentally
they are we'll equipped, and can always give you
areason for the faith that is In them. Spiritu-
ally they come as near to the perfect life with
out any ostentation or '4goody -goodyf piety, as
any body of men and women that have ever
seen. You enter their houses-and it is to the
finest in Jerusalem-and you will at once
be struck with the evidences of taste which are
scattered about. Books birds, a splendid piano,
flowers, plaques, notices. an aquarium these
are among the things that gladden. the eye and
bespeak the refinement of the coloniSts. The
house is very large one, and commands from
Its roof magnificent view of the whole city
The various families live together in perfect har
mony, and have done so for three years From
time to time there have been accessions to the
rather extensive home-circle from the number of
those unhappy ones to whom have already re-
ferred, who have not the funds with which to
return to America. These guests are
freely entertained for months at a time,
and the house is said to be never empty of
them Not a few have gone away ungrateful
Ihave in mind one man who was thus cared for
without money and without price for whole
weeks, but who afterward became the bitterest
enemy of his hosts.
Il warn you,n he said, shat / shall fight you
tooth and nail
reply, and serve you again if we can possibly
do So"
These people are always doing for the poor in
quiet way and viii never accept compensa-
ton from any one. During the past winter
smallpox invaded the household. No doctor
was called and no precautions were taken to
prevent the spread of the disease beyond the
supplication of Almighty God for relief Only
four persons suffered. although the sick were
constantly attended and ministered unto by
the others, and those four are now perfectly
we'll
Three years ago these people came here, most
Of them from Chicago, to await the second com
ing of Christ and the 'sendoWment from on
high" / believe they left a feeble society be.
hind which held to the same views, and intended
to come on to Palestine eventually but was alto
gether discouraged after the departure of SO
large part of their force. This company ex-
pected the restoration to begin very soon after
their arrival, but their faith has never faltered
at the delay and they seem to be more positive
than ever that the great day is now almost at
hand Their minds were awakened largely by
the Chicago fire, believe, and by the succeeding
fires, earthquakes, tidal waves, ETC., in various
parts OF the world, which they accepted as the
signs and wonders that Christ prophesied
should attend His coming.
They have no vocation whatever by which
they earn money. They are studying, praying,
and working the works Of righteousness, /"
which they consider the important things to be
done at SO critical time. OF course they can
not live without an income, and this has hith-
erto been supplied from the estates of those in
the company who are well-to-do. Latterly,
however, these supplies have been cut off since
the cupidity Of friends at home has led them to
prove in the courts that these Second Adventists
the people are deplorably in debt, and their
credit has been impaired. Still they live in
good style, dressing well and spreading as good
a table as any in Jerusalem, / understand If
they had their Dues they would not be in debt;
but as it is wonder how things viii come ont
with them if the contamination of this present
world is not hurried up.