The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-09
AN ODD SECT.
Something About the Peculiar
People in London.
From the Lon ION TImes.

would appear to have been Ignorant down
to tLat Tune of the faith and practice of
this eX raordnary and mi>gu led sect; but
tie inha Jitaut, of Essex are o4ly too
familiar with the matter, and, though they
might deplOre it, case suCn as that
which came before Mr.. Langham would
excite no surprise whatever am ng them.
The sect was established by an Ill educated
man telon ing to Essex a out half
ceAtury ago, and its strength still lies In the
county which gave it birth. Members Of
the body have migrated to London and
other parts of the lnSdom, and lew
have so to the colonies; but as a rule the
Pecular People are not of a rowing dispo-
sltlon, anu they cling to the cou ty, a.d
even to tine districts OF the county IN which
their faith was first promulgated. Their
headquarters are at lrittlewell, the village
which suddenly sprang iuto fame some
years back by presenting the memoria to
Parliament III favor of 1.-THE unhap y noble
man now languishing in prison." and they
are chiefly to be found In the Rockford
Hundred, which includes Prittiewell,
thong good many live in the neignbor-
hood of CAelnsI ord. They say them>eVes
that the sect nun bers from 800 to 1000
But up II what basis is the faith of the
people built upf Their name is taken from
scripture and the particular tenet for
which they are principally known is found
ed on these words of st. Jau.es: us any
sick among you! Let him call for the
elders of tie church and let them pray
over him, anoint him It'll oil in the name
of the Lord, and the pray er of faith shall
save the sick and the Lord shall raise him
up" They argue that this tex proves the
need essne of medical aid, and when a
member OF the body Ia Is sick the elders
pray over him and anoint him and then
leave nature to work its course. In the
case OF adults who elect this treatment, per-
hapS no punishment can Ueawarded to their
re atives friends VINO carry it out; but
parents refuse the assistance of doctors for
their poor, helpless children, preterrlng to
see them waste away before their eyes
rather than admit that the doctrine of tne
sect is wrong. Addison, in his beautiful
Vision of MIRA iikenS the ailments OF
children to innumerabe traps S at the
entrance to the bridge of life, and here are
pueuts, who, If they do not actually open
the trap doors, calmly see their children
dsapp, ar without making a serious etfo.t
to ave item. The question will, of course,
oe asked whether i'll such cases the arm of
the law cannot he stretched forth to
punish. Several parents have been con-
united to the Essex Ass. yes on charges of
manslaughter, but only one has cen CON
victed-the difficulty being that MEDICAL
men have generally been unable or natu-
rally disinclined to say positively that, If
called in, they could have advised measures
which would have aved lfe. 1t is to be
regretted tlat the delinquents should
escape as they have done; but 1t is doubtful.
whether the severest punishment would
have any deterrent influence upon the
Peculiar People. At the inquest the other
day there was suppressed laughter" on
their part when the coroner told them that
theirs was the most mistaken rehg on he
had ever known, and at the close Elder
Brooks endeavored to Justify his belief by
appealing to Scripture and contending that
nowhere in the Bible had God appointed
medical treatment. Thi is the spirit by
which they are all animated. Whenever
they have appeared before the public they
have been condemned with one voice; but
they are confident in the truth of Their own
principle, and nothing will induce them to
swe We from it for q moment. They listen
quietly to all the arguments and remon-
strances addressed to them, and then go on
their way as before, ridiculing what they
call the "absurd pre-. entions of doctors"
and firmly believing in the direct interpo-
sition of Providence for the cure OF their
bodily ailments. Nil acles are claimed to
have been performed on their behalf, and
they go so far as to say that even in the
case of serious wounds they would not
accept surgical aid for the purpose OF
stanching the flow of blood.
Apart, however, from the great and I'M
happy error on which their faith is founded,
the Peculiar People are remarkable ex-
emplars of some of the primary social
virtues. There is not single wealthy man
among them, and only a very few are
above the condition of lahore S; yet they
never permit one of ''Lhe brethren to be-
come chargeable to the poor rates. When
one is unable to work for his living and has
no means of subsistence, they subscribe for
h S support and maintain hi II as long as he
remains in that condition; and it is their
cast that no member of the sect has ever
received parochial relief of any descr ption.
The person upon whose body Air. Lar. cham
held the inquest was stated to have been
maintained by the Peculiar People for
ONE years lastn In their ordinary
ia silly relations ey seem to be well nigu
irreproachable. Except up N the one vital
point they manifest the tenderest regard
Tor each other, and though they laugu
doctors and ali their nosUruus to scOrn, they
never fail to provi e an abundant supply
OIL wholesome food for the sick. Very few
ever touch alec hoic drinks; they are in
varlably absolute models OF cleanliness, and
tier general behavior as citizens cannot be
too highly praised. 1t is believed chat no.
body belonging to the sect has ever had
charge preferred against him in a cou of
JuSllCS, 6ACepJ III RdTu " JIl6 ueBIttJ Ol
common methods Tor the preservation OF
life in sick children. This is written by
one who has had the oppor unity of oisery-
ing the manners and customs of the
Peculiar People Tor some years, and it does
not exaggerate III the slightest degree the
good points of these misguided persons. Ii
they could only be persuaded 70 give up
Their one great fallacy they would be de-
serving of nothing but esteem.
Their church polity is OF a very simple
character. Nevertheless they recognize the
importance of having an ackno Vie ged
head. and their "bishop" at present is Mr..
Samuel Harrod, the occupier of a small area
of land at Thundersey, near Southend. MIR.
Haired is very unconventional bishop.
When discharging his duties to the brethren
he wears the ordinary Sunday clothing of
careful laborer. His neck is unaccustomed
to the friction of a starched collar, and he
prefers at all times colored scarf instead.
AS his dress is, so is his manner of speech.
He appears to have received very little
education, and talks In the Droade,t ver-
nal lar Of the agricultural districts Of Essex.
Yet his add. esses are in their way effective,
and delivered aS they are to audiences
certainly not above his own level IL the
matter of education, they are well calculat-
ed 70 serve their purpose. His phrases are
of the homeliest. and his images are taken
from the field and farm, and the listeners,
their faces irradiated meanwhile with
cheerful smiles, express their approval in
EXPLANATIONS sucu as "Xe-, Lord" and
up aise the Lord" One or two of the
mara nuapf nd NOR t,I,ftt. oaC IA