The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-17
CHIEF OF THE PERFEcTIoNIsTs.
Death Of John Humphrey Noyes. Founder Of
the Oneida Community.

New York sun.
boro, Vt, on Sept. 8, 1911 He died at his homo
at Niagara Falls, Ont, on Tuesday. Mr.. Noyes
achieved distinction by foundinga religion based
upon an utter destruction of selfshness and
most genial system Of communism. He was the
father Of the Perfectionists who peopled the
Oneida Community. Noyes studied theology at
Andover and New Haven, and was licensed to
preach In 1888. But he was carried away by q
fanatical study OF the Bible and by the frenzieds
preaching of revvalists under whose ministra-
tions he CHANGED to sit. He conceived altogether
new ideas Of the scheme of salvation, and devoted
himself for the next twelve years to spreading
his doctrines by preaching salvation from
SIM He began his original ministrations at
Putney, VT the home OF his parents and his
license as an orthodox preacher was annulled.
He promulgated his extreme 'Perfectionis"
views by means Of the Oneida Circular and also
published number of books including THE
Second Coming OF Christ" Bible Communism"
male Confluence and Scientific Propagation
and others on kindred topics In the course of
time he drew about himself band of some forty
faithful followers at Putney. 1t was In l845
that he first declared his peculiar views of the
relations of the sexes. and year later the Put
ney community adopted them In practice. They
professed to repudiate the doctrines of free love,
but women as well as goods were enjoyed in
common lot by the Perfectionists, and the equal
ity of women with men in social and commercial
affairs maintained. Their views were res
garded by the good people about Putney with
such disfavor that the little band of fanatics was
driven by force and threats from the CONF
munity.
This led to pilgrimage to Oneida, Madison
county, New York, where, in l848, the now fa-
nous community was established with MEM
bership which presently grew to over two hum
dred. They started in with forty acres of I'M
titled land, but in little over twenty years the
community by industry and thrift, had acquired
664 acres Of land, abundant water power. and
manufacturing interests representing come $780,
600. hardware was among their manufactures,
and silk was one of their chief products. Farm
ing was, however. the general occupation. The
system of complex marriage and the "unitary
home worked its natural and most melancholy
results, which were seen in the younger genera
ton which came up during Mr.. Noyes's control
of the community. In 1879 it was found neces-
sary to abandon tho institution of complex
marriage and the other practices of the COM
munistic settlement fell into disuse. The beliefs
of Noyes in dual God. male and female, in
whose image men and women are made, and OF
sinless life, made SO by unselfsh intercourse
up to the point of perfection, still shared by
many survivors of the little band of early set
tiers at Oneida, but the community is without
leader and without honor in it's own country.
Theodore Noyes, of 20S West Forty first street,
this city, a printer, is son OF the late John Fl.
Moves, and he has been summoned to Niagara
Falls to his fathers funeral.