News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-08-01

The other day, says q Birmingham
(Ala.) lctter to tho Cincinnati CONNER
cial Gazette, n rougLi-looking country
man walked into general supply store
in this city and stated to the proprietor
that he wanted to purchase 800 worth
of goods ON credit. The man wore his
hair long, like a woman, and his beard
reached almost to his waist. His clothes
were all made at home; they were ill
fitting and of the cheapest material, and
altogether he was strange specimen OF
humanity.
"What is your manner" asked tho
merchant, when the man stated his bus
mess.
"Jolln Smith," answered the country
num-
"Whcn can you pay for the goodsl q"
"Ill pay you in November, when | sell
my cotton crop.
'All right. Mr.. Smith; you can have
the goods.
The goods were soon luadcd on
Smith wagon, and he drove away with
out giving the merchant o nOto or any
kind of security.
"Do you know the man 2" ! asked.
"Never saw him before"
"Will he pay you for those goods|
Certainly"
"How do you know?"
"Because he is Sherinanite. He is
member of remarkable religious So
ciety, and if he failed to pay debt he
would be expelled from his church aud
driven from the community III which he
lives, in disgrace. may not see or hear
OF him again until next November, but
if le is living he will come and pay me
every cent lie owes me. The Sherman
ties all wear their hair long like this
one, and they arc easily recognized any
where
In Lood's valley, i'll the northwestern
part Of this country, there is a colony OF
Shcrmanitcs. There are about 100
families, and q happier, more contented
people cannot be found in the world.
Their religious rites and ceremonies arc
peculiar Who founded the society
none of them seem to know, but it is
very old, as the fathers and grandfathcrs
of the prosont generation were Slcr-
NANTES. They claim,,to follow. the teach
ings of tho New Testament in spirit and
letter, and they believe that only Sher-
manitos will inherit the kingdom of
heaven. They have churchesnnd preach
ers, and worship in manner similar to
many other religious scots. One oil
their peculiar rites is the wishing of
feet. A footwnshing service is held
once ovory month, mt which the preach
or washes tho fcot Of every member OF
tho church. Tho members then i'll sirn
wash tho feet of the preacher and of
each other. Tho service usually lasts
all day, boing intcrsperscd with singing
and prnying.
Members OF all other religious denom-
nations they rcgar,l as hcathcn, and
send missionaries among them instcal
of sending them to foreign lands.
Shcrmanites never cut thoir hair or
beard claiming that Christ never pat
ronized barber shops. In every home
may DE found ancient wooden repie-
senting Christ an His Apostles rs
wearing long hair and beard. A Shcr-
mantle who falls from grace is lost for
ever, and he must always live up to GER
tain moral and business rules. winch
arc very rigid TO pay all debts il
part of their religion. No man can DO
saved, they say, who does not pay his
ncighbor what he owes him. They
never charge one another interest OH i
loan, and no written acknowledgment
oil debt is ever given. The word Of
Shermanite is his bond, and it becomes
sacred duty for him to fulfil every
promise made. They are an industrious
people; industry is n part OF their creed.
Tho Shcrmanites are all small farm
crs but most of them own their farms
and some stock. Many of them arc
compelled 10 purchase n few supplies IN
| this city every summer for which they
are unable To- pay cash. Wliero their
peculiar Ioligion is known they have no
trouble in obtaining all the credit they
want They give no notos or security
of any kind, but merchants who liave
done business with them for years haye
never lost dollar due from n Sherman
ito customer. Their preachers accept no
pay for preaching the Gospel. working
on their farms during the week as hard
as any member of the church. Divorce
is something unknown among these Peo-
pie and the women arc all virtuous.
Drunkenness is another vice unknown
among these people, as they follow to
the letter tho advice of the Apostle, who
said: "Be temperate i'll all things.
Their homes aro models of nentnoss and
comfort, and the stranger is always wei
como within their gates. 1t would DO
almost an insult 10 tender them pay
mcnt for food, lodging or any other
favor shown "a stranger. The Sherman
ties make few converts TO their peculiar
religion, but they lose no members, and
seem happy and contentod in simply
holding their own.
One remarkable thing about them is
that they will have nothing 10 do with
courts and lawyers A lawsuit in which
a Shormanite was plaintiff oannot DO
found on the court records Of this coun-
try. They never seek loyal advice I'M
less it is actually necessary. All their
differences arc settled by arbitration,
mutual friends being The nrbitrators,
and tho civil courts arc never, under
any circumstances, resortcd 10. They
seek in every way possible to avoid jury
duty or being summoned as witnesses i'll
any cases. They take no part in poll
tics, and Shermanite was never known
to hold an office of any kind. Some Of
them vote Mt every election, but they
have no campaign clubs in their com
munity, and every man is allowed to
vote as ho pleascs. Many Of them never
vote at all.
Tho first settlers of this Shermanite
colony camo to Alabama from South
Carolina and Georgia about forty five
years ago. The oldest of them say their
ancestors came originally from New
England, but they are unable to say
who was the founder of their society.