The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-03-02
A QUAINT Community.
WHERE NOBODY EVER MARRfEs AND
WHERE EVERYBODY Is WEALTHY.

A QUAINT Community.
WHERE NOBODY EvRR MARRrEs AND
| WHERE EVERYBODY is WEALTHY.
ECONOMY, Pa, Feb. l7.--In this
most singular and absolutely unique
village, built IN 1926 by that strange
sect of communistic, @, c,libate mystieo-
pietists known as the llarmonists or
Economics, who, with their great army
of hired laborers, still comprise its only
inhabitants, witnessed last Wednes-
day procession and ceremony which
for novelty and quaintness it would be
impossible to parallel in all the length
aud breadth Of our great country.
These observauces were in honor Of
the eighty-third anniversary of the
founding of the Harmony Society.
1t was on February Is, 1905, that
the late George Rapp and his 600 dis.
ciples, who had fed with him to this
country to escape religious persecution
in their German Fadeiland and to en-
joy the privilege of worshiping God In
their own way, established in Butler
county. near Pittsburg, Pa, their social
istic, theocratic community upon the
principle of holding all property in
common, and gave to it the name of
the Harmony Society. From that time
to the present, among all the vicissi-
tudes through which the society has
psssed--such as the separation of hus-
bands and wives, and the abolition of
marriage by the adoption of the rigid
practice of celibacy in 1907; the re-
moval of the community to Indiana in
1915, and the second removal TO its
present location at Economy in 1926
the 18th of February has every year
been sacredly kept. The Harmonists'
town of Economy is one of the mos,
beautiful and picturesque in the world.
| CELIBACY.
The scene presented to view on
Wednesday morning in the quaint old
sanctuary where Father Rupp preach
cd and prayed for SO many years and
where the whole community first as
semble at 9 o'clock to offer thanks to
God for having preserved their society
in peace aud prosperity for nearly a
century was a sad one. The adoption
of celbacy in 1907, two years after
their organization, checked, of course,
the natural growth of their community,
but for few years their numbers were
maintained and even increased by the
reception of new members who al
frequent intervals came from Germany
to join them; Many of these access
ions were descendant or relatives of
the original founders. In the Fall of
1917 1870 such were received into mem.
bership at one time. But these ad-
ditions gradually diminished, and final.
ly ceased altogether. For many de-
cades no new members we're received,
though the society has at all times
been willing and anxious, as it still is,
to accept as members any desirable
person who will subscribe to their doc.
trines and conform to their mode of
life. For years past they have had
identurcd to them by parents many
young German people of both sexes
whom they would have been very glad
to receive into full communion, but
young Germany has became young
America, and is not disposed to sub
NIT to the want of personal property
personal liberty and wife or husband,
even though compensated by all the
Advantages secured by membership iu
an enormously wealthy communistie
association. Six new members wer.
received last year. They were all men
ranging in age from 35 to 60. Bu,
even with their addition the community
now number only some twelve OIL
thirteen men and about fifteen women,
several of whom are bed-ridden from
sickness and old age, and it was q
melancholy sight to see gathered in the
church only those few remaining ageG
members out of the 1000 who once &C
knowledged the firm but gentle sway
of dead and gone Father Rupp. tt
cultivate the Harmonists' $500 acres
of farming land, TO develop their rici
oil and natural gas territory and t.
carry on the various handicrafts neces
sary to make good the wear and tea
of shoes, clothing, wagons, harness
ETC., in their community, a small arm.
of working people is required, and 40,
of them are employed by the Harmon
lists and live with them in ECONOMY.
Formerly the opposition of tn
society to marriage was 80 strong tina
! they would not have any married per
> sons in their employ, but experienc
has Taught them that married men wit
their wives and children are the stead
lest and most industrious class of work
ing people. Accordingly they no,
hire families in preference to any othe
kind of "help." To each one of thes
l families house and garden have bee
assigned. Every habitable house i
occupied and the pavements are ovel
(. run with children. Besides a nea
house to live in, rent free, all thes
: hired people are "found' by the societ
in everything but their clothes, Will
. the meat, milk, bread, vegetables an
everything else supplied to them are G
the best quality. The society's wagon
go through the streets and supply thes
things to each family according I
!, their needs without money and withor
price. Save in the matter of celibac
all persons in the employ of the Ha
monists are required to observe all th
, , rules of the society quite as rigidly 6
if they were members of it,
4 THE CHIEF OF THE COMMUNITY.
The government of this little kinl
dom is still, as it always has beer
strictly patriarchal. Jacob Henrioi, a
active, able man despite his "a Winter
: has filled Father Rupp's place, as hea
of the community, for many year,
3 He is its prophet, priest and king.
all matters his word is law. 1t
enough for any one in Economy ,
know that "Father Henrici says III t
satisfy him or her on any subject wha
: ever. lie is the absolute dictator {
the place and its people, but he is a
fatherly In his Kindness as in his seve
ity. To outsiders the rules and regl
/ lations to which every inhabitant {
II i