The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1886-05-14
THE LATE JOHN HUMPHREY MOVES.


Noyes was highly educated He gradu-
ated at Dartmouth college and began the
study of law. But in 1881 great religious
revival broke out at Putney, Vt. 1t drew
Young Noyes within its influence. He whom
press and people have bounded as monster
of immortality and a destroyer of Chris
tianity abandoned all his worldly prospects
and began a work for the sake of religion.
He pondered deeply over religious ques-
tions and finally studied theology at Yale
college. He considered that he had been
converted and was Christian. In 1888 he
became Congregational preacher. Soon
after this his peculiar ideas began to mani
fest themselves He pondered more and
more deeply on religious questions, till at last
the Perfectionist doctrines began to be clear
to him He drew these doctrines from the
New Testament and the teachings of Paul
Upon these he based the whole social and re-
hgious system, which afterward resulted in
the founding of the Oneida community.
He became what he called seeker after
truth His meditation and study brought
him to the decision that the teachings of
Paul have been misunderstood. He seems to
have believed devoutly in the second
coming of Christ, but not that it was
to be a material appearance, with pomp
and flourish of trumpets, before the
physical eyes of men. 1t was to be rather
the quiet stealing into and impressing Of the
inner spirit of the individual, without out
ward sign other than the beautify@lg changes
wrought in the character of the individual.
Therefore, it was Noyes called himself and
those who believed with him "Perfectionists,"
strivers towards perfection in all ways-men-
tai. moral, physical and spiritual
Mingled with this were other doctrines of
III
the equality of men and women. He be-
lieved that those in whom the spirit truly
dwelt should separate themselves from the
world and live as one family, and return to
community of goods, as in the days Of the
early Christians. u.a
For such as these, also, there should be
Christian liberty. The existing laws in re-
gard to marriage, as other matters should
not be binding on them. His doctrines in
regard to marriage were more furiously
criticised than any Others And yet they
seem to have meant directly the opposite of
what they are commonly supposed to do.
Noyes believed that men and women should
live IN state Of celibacy ordinarily, and
that children should only be born from Sc q
lected parents 1t is fact that few children
were horn in the Oneida community Such
as were were turned into a common nursery
and school room f#7&
The women of the organization looked
very queer to the outside world. Many of
them were wholesome and healthful looking,
but they wore dresses male for convenience
rather than for adcrnment-scano skirts to
their knees, with trousers of the same goods
below Their hair was cut short, and they
wore nc corsets, but dress in one piece fit
ting the form and buttoned close up to the
throat Noyes believed that women were
put into the world for something else than
merely to look fascinating and cnticing to
men
Moves teachings were SO opposed to the
views of the church that his license to preach
was speedily taken from him. Then he COM
menced to found his own sect He married
Harriet Holton, and with her obtained suffi-
cient land and money on which to found his
colony She was in perfect sympathy with
his plans The first colony was started at
Putney, VT But the citizens of Putney
thought they had something to say about the
Perfectionists. They broke up the settle
ment. aa a a29a aaA aaGt 2
Then Moves and his band of followers went z
to a retired region in Madison county, N. Y,
and set up housekeeping. That was in 1S41
The company bought 600 acres of land in
course of time. They began to practice their
doctrines. All worked for the good of the
community, without seeking gain for him .
self In thirty years they had, without at all I
attempting TO do so, amassed valuable prop
erty, worth $500, ,000 The @Oneida trap
known to fur hunters the country over, was
the invention of an old Canadian trapper
who had joined the community. They pros
pered greatly, and seemed to live in peace
and content. s8A
In 1874 there were 23S Of them, with a
branch establishment. Hepworth Dixon de-
clared that in the peculiar costume worn by
the female portion of the community, "plain
women escaped notice and pretty girls looked
winsome." ssa sess agts
In 1879 the united preachers Of the state Of
New York interfered with the Perfectionists,
and set about collecting legal evidence
whereby they could be suppressed There
upon, in Difference to public sentiment, Noyes
advised the organization to give up complex
marriage and pair off like common folk.
This was done. After that Noyes did not
{ live constantly with the community.
He adhered to the last 10 his doctrines,
but believed the world was not yet ripe for
them.