The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-16
KNAVE OR CRANK?
Present Head of the Beekmanites.
The Man Who Claims To Be Christ
the Lord.
His Remarkable Success In Delud-
ing Men and Women.
His Religion Rapidly drowlng-A
Strange Community.
His House Heavenly Harem - Meek
and Lowly, But Ho Knows
the Value or
Dollar.

Rockford any, Correspondence Of the y. Y. Herald.
Christ lives. lie has come to earth the
second time. Behold the Savior. IIeis the
pure one, the perfect one lie has no guile.
lie is God, become man. by believing
on him we are made pure and sinlcss as
ho is and our salvation is assured. oh,
how grateful and happy are We who arc
redeemed. Blessed be God, that We have
found Him."
Such were the expressions delivered ina
quiet but intensely earnest tone OF voice to
a Herald reporter this morning by one Of
the angels Of the Schweinfurth Com
munity.
What is the Schwoiniurth Community2
IL Is the head center OF the newest and
most remarkable religious sect, Of all the
queer theological schools. that has found an
existence and a company OF believers.
And the woman whose uttcmnce was
quoted above expressed briefly, but hon.
estly, the sum and substance OF their boz
licfs.
ORIGIN oF rIE sECr.
Tho sect has been in existence about If
teen years, but Schwciniurth has not been
revealed to them as their Lord and Master
until within the last hall dozen years.
Mrs Dora Bcekman, the wife Of a Con-
grcgational minister, originated the body
OF strange believers She preached that
In her own pcrson were the attributes Of
the risen Lord. She was the woman Christ
I tuNFtV.l unI 4. III III
ing of Christ spirit. The band Of bcliev-
ors grew slowly aud steadily. They To-
Gated their central church at the little
hamlet of Byron, south OF Rockford, and
10y dint Of bcsiceing the meetings Of allthe
other churches, and, jumping up, declar-
ing their doctrines at all Seasons, KEEP, tho
poor clergymcn aud their faithful ilocls
In continual hot water. Her husband did
not believe the new faith, aud as a result
lac n now In tho insane asylum.
The Rev. George j. Schwciniurh was
at that time q Methodist minister, Young
man Of progressing appearance. lie had
auburn beard white brow, with veins
/ plainly indicating refinement, and very
! sharp eye, that could look ns meek and
] pathetic ~ Delaware River shads when
| CIRCUMSTANCES ttllAilNtN NutuillfN.
schWcniuHh preached In the country
churches hcrabouis aud gathered GOOD
audiences. lie preached we'll, anl ho had
especially lysuccc-sirl scanccs with the Young
ladies oi his several nocks. Il il related
that they often pretended conversion
merely iu kncc al the altar whore he
could lond'c their broWs and sweetly whis-
pcr: Dear sister, have faith; only have
/ laith."
suddenly II was announced that Domi-
/ ME Schwciuiurth had fcnounccd Method
| ism aud become q disciple oi Mr. Dora
! Bcckman. Very shortly aitcrWard he was
Installed ~ Bishop oi the llcckmanitcs, as
they were called, with u rowing
10 visit The different localities where tho
creed had gained footing to cxhon aud
prosclyic aud oralo aud be- the mouthpicce
aud confidential atlacho OF tho woman
Christ.
Hut, alasl for the faith Of the little band.
MrA B,eSmau died and became cold clay
like any ordinary mortal. Her broken
hearted believers kept her body for week
expecting that she would fisn ~ she had
promised aud prophcsici. They placed her
body on a miscd platform and won.hippcd
about u hourly There wcro oxpcclant
disciples standing about Il every moment
Ia hope that life would rciun and thoy
would wi,n,ss the resurrection. Tho re-
mains were never lett alone for an instant,
but thc corruption OF thc body grew 20
grat that nt the end OF week the inter-
mcut was ordered by the public aulhor-
ties.
TnE NEW MESSIAH.
At this juncluu came forward 10 the
comloftlcss little baud he sircwd Schwein-
iuuh. lie declared to them that lust rs
she was dying be- saw q glimpse OF heaven
"thruugh the window ul her soul aud from
her lips came the words. You are Christ
the holy one My spirit passes into thine,
aud by this act Transforms thy whole be-
INK. GO forth pure aud sinlcss, the only
sou oi Cod. Thou shalt bring all nations
10 worship thee and put 10 rout tho evil
one aud all ihc hosts ui darkness"
The cfcdul0ut company believed aud rc-
ioicrd iu ihc fcal savior brought 10 them
as from the dead.
From that day the growth Of the oreani.
gliiun. both n financial RESOURCES aud
membership, has been simply wonderful.
The new Christ las displayed business
sharpness and q kccnuoss ia the study Of
human nature that has brought ionh
much iruit
4 good old farmer named Weldon, who
was possessed OF 500 acres OF iinc land, be-
came infatuated with thc new sect and
made over his entire property 10 SchWcn-
fuuh as head OF the Church. Here tho
central community h located aud here
found my way early this morning.
sCuwEiNrrWHs rNuERNAclE
Tho homo Of Christ j. q largo mansion
standing IA u spacious iurIusuro amid
number OF large l0rcst trcs some distance
back nom the main road. about five miles
south %. this city. IL hls spacious barns,
carriage buildings, shlis ani other npput-
lcnaucCs oi a piu.psrUul country nansc.
Tho members ol thc community mako
the breeding oi bOoicd horses especially.
schwciniurlh has three imported siallions :
aud larsc number Of brood mares llo
also has about eighty head oi iine cattle.
Tho house Is very to1my aud with IL
wings easily accommodates 100 persons.
There are usually about DIZZY females there
and q dozen OF fifteen men. The male
disciples do the heavy work aud ats
Ifudgrs. They live on the plaiurst food
and scvp iu the attic. Alost o! them hav-
iuf. i.,t,,utH infatuated with The now re-