Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-09-11
sECTs OF THE UNITED STATES.
origin OF the Church of God-SeN erai penomi
naILnn. 1hnt LIaNc necnme LNlincI.

origin OF tho Church ot God-SeN erai penomi-
nations That Have Become Extinct.
Tho history ui fifty denominations of the
United states, published by John Vine
brenner, '. II. Nj, III lSil, contains in part
the contributions of the founders Of the sects,
and those not written 10y tho orlginators are
treated by members OF the faith they evil
dontly knew all about. Excerpts from the
work will from limo To time be taken and
elaborated il possible.
The author Of tho work settled in Harris
burg in lS20, and ministered TO four congrega.
lions oi tho German reformed church one
in the town aud four In the country. Ro-
ligious "reviyals" were soon promoted by
his influence and ministration. Many of his
locks were opposed TO his new ideas, but in
a few years these IeNivals were introducted In
Lancaster, Elizatethtown, Nit Joy, Marietta,
Lebanon, Middletown and other places
The converts soon numbered hundreds, and
in ISL, unable to uear the violent opposi.
tiOn, his adherents concluded to separate
from the church and be "beiioSers or Chris
tians only, without any human name or
creed or Laws Five years later a meeting
was called for the purpose of poriecting a
system of cooperation, and then the dele
gates declared "that there il but one true
church, namely, the Church OF God" Rev.
John Winebrenner was speaker OF this meet
ing and John Elliot, OF Lancaster, clork.
~
"The Church OF God has no authoritative
constitution, ritual, creed, ca,echism, book Of
discipline, or church standard, but the Bible.
The Bible she believes To be the only creed,
discipline, church standard or test book
which God ever intended His church to
haye.' She believes in baptism, feet-wash-
ing, the Lords supper, the personal coming
and reign of Jesus Christ, the Immortality OF
the soul, universal and eternal Judgment
future and everlasting rewards and punish
salty and perpetuity of the Church OF God.
In less than twenty years after founding the
denomination had 100 churches and about
l2-O0O members. Now it has i0O churches
and $1,000 members
some Old seot..
The New Born was the name OF a sect
originating in Obey township, Berks county,
about 100, which gave the retired Sieben
Taeger, OF Ephrata, trouble by their persist
ent prosel ytism. one OF the leaders on mis-
sion to Philadel phis, wanted to prove that the
New Born doctrines were divine by walking
across the Delaware He left the Quakers
and their town. however, without giving an
exhibition. New birth was claimed to have
been received through mediate inspiration,
appariiions, dreams and the like. IL was
composed OF seceoers from the Reformed
church.
George Keith, preacher of the Society OF
Friends, in 1851 formed sect who called
themselves Keithians; a few years saw them
again in the ranks Of the Quakers. The
leader was acute in argument, and very
ready and able in logical disputations and
nice distinctions on theological subjects. lie
disputed too much, 1t seems, for he was eX-
PEELED and disowned by his brethren Ia
whom " he was captious supercilious treat
ing their remonstrances with contumely, and
assalling their persons and church with In
decorous epthets.' After expulsion his
entire lie was spent in denouncing the
luakers by both tongue and pamphlet. On
his death-bed he said, al wish had died
when ! was Quaker; for then | am sure II
would be well with my soul"
The Wilkinsonians were followers Of .
woman named Jemima Wilkinson, Of West
ern New York, who died in 1919. These,
too, were Quakers. In 17I6 She through
sickness, had fallen into a syncope and WAS
believed To be dead. A ftsr recovery she an.
nounced that she had been raised from the
dead, and had received a divine commission
as a religious teacher. Soon enough prose-
lytes were made To buy land and settle upon
It The village was named by her New Je-
rusalem. She professed To be Christ I'm His
second appearing, claimed to have power TO
work miracles, fOrtell future events, discern
the secrets OF the heart and to heal diseases.
Upon her essaylng To walk on water plat.
form was built into a lake, the brethren as
sembled around it, and Jemma prepared to
do it She addressed the crowd, inqulring
whether they had faith that she could
perform it for IL otherwise she could not I;
parted, declaring ~ they believed In her
power, IL was unnecessary to display 1t. Her
periidy was disclosed when n Dutch trader
spoke to her in different Indian languages, to
which no reply was made.
The Economics, or Harmony Society, was
founded by Geo. Rapp, in Germany. He left
the Lutheran church. Coming TO America
in 1905 his adherents settled In Butler county,
this state. In isis they went To Indiana,
remaining two years when they removed to
Beaver county, this state where they built a
third town, naming 1t Economy. Since the
death Of its founder in lsi7 the Harmony
Society has been controlled by nine elders
1t gets no accessions of members now beside
the children, and 1t IL said before many years
the sect will become extinct All the breth-
rem supplied, the remainder of the products
is sold. The wealth taken by each from the
soil, forest, stream and mine is property OF
the whole community. They believe "one
lives for all, and all tor one"
The Xoarites are also seceders from the
Lutheran church. They came from Germany
about 1910. They do not differ much from
the Economics. Each seeks to advance his
own interest by promoting that of the whole
COmmunity.