The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-24
-,rR RELIGIOUS SECT.
.-..,ss and Virtues OF the 9ne'
- origin Unknown.

QUEER RELIGIOUS
,.-.+,ss and Virtues OF Ino
Peculla'rIa..a-Their origin Unknown
nan-'o1 c;.cianati Commercial a'ette.
From TIE - Ala. July 1S.-The otheT
DiAAI r,oaga-ioOking cOuntryi hiA ,;t /" and
DAY a Tue supply store in this city anu "a
mo S9 the proprietor that he wan1e oai "
gated ~ .160 worth Of goods on creul''
purchase 50, his hair long like woInap'
|IIe nan WI , cached almost 10 MS " ~.
srd hls oeai .Iere ali made at home; ~
his il-fittine ard OF the cne,. p sr.ecimen
N5ie .iirore.h her be was 4 S'' A--7
/ = humanity. .,o,oazn asked the mer-
WHAT IS u, man stated his business.
D aIonn smith, answered.
na l.7r.., can YOU pay for the goo 5s, sell
~rI 70 paw YOU in November "A
ny SS sI.' r.gbt, Mr.. Smith, you 'AH AA'
so2s coed, we're soon loaded on o NUNS
luo and he drove away MlIh ~ Ses Srt-
- uu-,-cFsnt note or any K5uu ~ oa
vs. IN Won know the nah: l a0>
i .3,srar saw him before. .l.n,
.Wil, he paw you for those soOuS'
Certainly. -,
no" ~ ne is a Shermanite he IS
DIS1--f a remarkable religious society,
'neIno7t fsileI to pay a debt he would be
p ID H.. Il a. rom the church and driven from
pen NS-,,onnity in which he lives, III as
~ NAV not see or hear CT MIN again
ao nv November. but If he IS living ne
mn NJ ~, INA and pay me every cent he owes
III III ris Sbarmanites all wear their mar
-e' Ike this one, and they are easily recog-
4 ed anywhere. 49,, ro,.+brveetarn
IL - r. countv. there is a colony OF
a.- el There are about 100 famll s,
w. Ion,ier more coutented people can
~ a d -t f,nIi in the world Their religious
and ceremonies are peculiar VINO
80 rbe society none of them seem 10
NJ bnt If is verv old, as the fathers and
rondfatbers of tine present generation were
a.r- They claim TO follow the
- If the New Testament In splrlt
n5 Liter and they believe that only Sher-
aritos will inherit the kingdom OF heaven.
-r bava churches and preachers, and
-rsbini a ma er similar to many other
CONS s4cts. One of their peculiar rites
i5a Washing of feet A footwash ng
rric. is held once every month, at which
nraacner washes the feet or every men,
If the church. The members then In
m wash tie feet of the preacher and OF
Oh other. The service usually lasts ali
" bany intersDersed with singing and
pGylng.
Members of all other religious denomlna-
o,s they regard rs heather, and send mis-
raries among hem instead of sending
I'm to foreign lands. Shermanltes never
In their hair or teard, claiming that Christ
eyer uatronized barber shops. In every
bne mar be found ancient wood cuts
presea,iug Christ and his apostles as
ear1g long hair ana beard. A Sherman
o ia Is from grace Is lost forever, and
must always live up to certain moral
ID business rules, which are very rigid.
pay all debts is part Of tleir religion.
man can be saved, they say, who does
t pay his ueghbOr what h. owes him.
bev never charge one another interest on
loan, and no written acknowledgment of
debt is ever given. The-word of "a Sher
snite is his bond, and it becomes MS
cred duty for him tc fulfill every promise
aie They are an Industrious people; in
Stry is part of their creed.
The SuerAanieS are all small farmers,
mos OF them own their farms and some
Fck Many OF them are compelled to
rcuase few supplies IL this city every
mmer for which they are unable to paY
h. Where their peculiar religion is
Down they have no trouble IN obtaining all
II q. 4lff Tlt4arr
security OF any kind, but merchants who
I've done business with hem for wears
I've ever lost dollar due from a Sner-
IT. Customer. Their preachers accept
pay Tor pr aching ne gospel, working
their farms during the week as
Fd as any member Of the church.
VoFce Is something unknown among
ese people, and the women are all
tuouS. Drunkenness is another vice I'M
own among thes4 people, as they follow
the let er tue advice of the apostle VINO
q: Be temperate il all things" Their
mes are models Of neatneSs AID comfort.
the stranger is always welcome within
Flr gates. 1t would be almost al INSULT
lender them payment for food, lod.ing.
any other favor shown ranger. The
ermahltes make few converts to heir
lunar religion, but they Sc no members.
seem happy and conteuted i'll simply
ding their own.
Jle remarkable thing about them is tlat
viii Lave nothing to do with couts
lawyers. A lawsuit in whicn a Sle-
lite was plaintiff cannot be found {,
'urt records Of tbs country. TIE.
er seek le-al advice unless 1t is actualk
.SSary. All their diff rences are SETTLED,
a[oltratlon, mutual fiends bel =
islal rs, and the civil u is are neve,
"a any circumstances resorted to. TIE,
III every way possible to avoid iur
VI 3eing summoned as witnesses in am
Ihey TAX no part in politics, and
mantle was never known TO hold a.
- VI any Kind. Some of them vote ut
eieelon, but hey have 10 ca1paiey,
n ~ V1er community, aud every man
,,oNei to vote as he pleases. Malv Of
~ never vote at all. Vi
NC LIS settlers OF this Shermanite COL
'anie 70 Alabama from South Oro-
anu Georgia about forty-fiye y.ars
re Oldest of them say their ance, r.
y originally from New England h., =
dit are unable to say who was tne fonnd..