The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-03-02

Order IL maintained by one day and
night watchman The latter while
J going his rounds continues the old.
time practice of calling the hours, and
to each Of bis announcements adds the
following or similar words: Another
hour is past and step made nearer
our end. Our time runs away
and the joys of heaven are our re-
ward" Though the Harmonists have
come TO tolerate married people they
are bitterly opposed to have any court.
ing lone upon their land. They re-
quire all the fathers and mothers in
their employ to keep strict watch and
ward over their sons and daughters
that the sexes may constantly be kept
as far apart as possible. A young man
and yonng woman seen out walking
together, or jointly engaged in any
other harmless pastime, would be i'm
mediately required to leave Econory.
To render 1t impossible for young men
and women to walk upon the streets
together in the evening without Oh.
servatiop, a lantern was placed In
every family, and an inviolsble rule
was made by Father Henrioi that
every young sirl who had occasion to
90 upon the street after nightfs1
should light it and carry it with her.
The introduction Of natural gas has
now rendered this unnecessary, for it
burns in great jets from lamp posts at
every corner, and makes the streets a.
light at midnight as at MONDAY.
EDUCATING THE YOUNG FOLKS
Various methods have been devised
to keep the young forks out of mis-
chif. A commodions schoolhouse has
been built after the latest and most ap-
proved models. Excellent gratuitous
instruction in German and English
branches is given bv competent teaoh-
ers engaged by Father Henrici at good
salaries. All young people not other
wise employed are required to attend
regularly. There is an excellent miln
tary band, c imposed of twenty-one of
the young men. There is Q singing
school of eighty young pupils taught
by Fa'her Henrici in person every
evening. Every possible variety Of
labor-saving machinery is used here.
Steam is made to do everything that
it can do. One of the most interesting
features of the place is an immense
laundry, filled with patent washing
machines run by powerful steam en-
gine, where all the women aud girls
assemble on certain days of the week
and do the washing for the entire CON-
| munity.
The church service of the Harmon.
lists differs in no material respect
from that of other Protestant sects.
two prayers and sermon by Elder
HenIici and the singing of two or
three hymns by the congregation COM
prise their simple ritual. The singing
is the principal feature, occupying
more time than it usually does in the
generality of religious services. On
feast days the military baud, already
mentioned, occupies small gallery at
the west end OF the church sud dis
courses sweet music at frequent inter-
walls.
Iu mis- sermon Wednesday morning
Elder Henrici spoke of how for nearly
a quarter of century past he and his
co-religionists have been daily expect
ing, as they still continue to do, the
second visible personal coming of
Christ, and he reiterated their 6rm
belief that His glorious second advent
will take place before the death Of their
last surviving member shall hsve for
ever dissolved their society.
1t does not seem probable that this
singular community will care to hold
many more annual celebrations. The
great age of nearly all of its few sur
viving members and the unlikelihood
of any important additions to their
number must almost inevitably cause
the dissolution of the society in q very
few years. 1t is Elder HeDrici's vast
will power and immmense executive
force, more than anything else, that
still hold it together. From very
small beginnings in 1905, the possess
slons of the Harmony Society have
come to include, besides the town of
economy and its surrounding lsnds,
fourteen large farms, many oil and
natural gas wells, vast tracts of lum-
Der lands, MAN. sawmils and coal
mines, controlling interest in three
railroads, and great sums of money in.
vested in Government bonds and othef
eilt-edged securities. = Cor. Phild
Press.