The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-08-29
rHnsHEnnAnrrEs.
A Coleny IN Alabama-ThslF Qasss
Fensas asa DoctYlnes.

A colosy IN Alabama-Thsir Qasss
Fsnsts asa Doctrines.
The other day q rough-looking
countryman walked into . general
supply store in Birmingham, Ala,
and stated to the proprietor that he
wanted to purchase 800 worth Of
goods on credit. The man wore bis
hair long like q wOman's, and his
beard reached almost 10 his waist.
His clothes were all made ct home,
and they were ill-fitting and Of the
cheapest material, and altogether,
be vas Q strange specimen OF hu-
mainly.
WHAT IL your manner" asked the
merchant when the man stated his
business.
"John Smith, /" answered The eoun-
tryman.
when can you pay for the
goOds?"
al will pay you In November when
i sell my cotton crop"
"All right, Mr.. smith, you can
have the goods"
The goods were soon loaded on
Smiths wagon, and he drove away
without giving the merchant q note
or any kind Of security.
"DO you know the man." was
asked OF the merchant.
Never saw him before"
will he pay you for those gOOds7"
Certainly
How do you know"
Because he IL q 5heTniAnite. He
IL . member OF . remarkable Telig-
iOus society, aud II he failed to pay
debt he would he expelled from
his church and driven from the
community In which he lives Ia dis
grace. j may not see or hear Of him
again until next November, but II
lac ls living he will come and pay
me every cent he owes me. The
Shermanites all wear their hair long
like this one, and they are easily
recognized anywhere"
la Leeds Valley, in the north
eastern part Of this county, there IL
q colony Of Shermanites. There are
about 100 families, and happier, more
cOHtented people can not be found
in the world. Their religious rites
and ceremonies are peculiar. Who
founded the society, none Of them
seem to know, but IL IL very old, n
AaNhGAH anu VI NbN
present generation were Sher.
NANTES. They claim tO follow the
teachings Of the New Testament In
spirit aud letter, aud they believe
that only Shermanites will inherit
the kingdom Of heaven. They have
churches and preachers, aud woT.
ship In q manner similar TO many
other religious sects. One of theil
peculiar rites II the washing Of feet
A fOOt-wAshlng service Ii held once
every month, at which the preacher
washes the feet of every member oil
the church. The members then IN
turn wash the feet of the preacher
aud Of each other. This seryict
usually lasts all day, being inter
spersed with singing and praying
Members Of all other religious de,
nominations they regard as heather
aud send missionaries among them
instead of sending them to foreign
lands. ShermAnites never cut theil
hair or beard, claiming that Christ
never patrOniZed Larber shops. In
every home may be found ancient
wood cuts, representing Christ and
his Apostles rs wearing long hail
and beard. A Shermanite who fall,
from grare IL lost forever, and ht
must always live up 90 certain mora
aud business rules, which are very
rigid. To pay all debts 10 part oil
their religion. No man can be
saved, they say, who does not PAY
his neighbor what he owes him
They never charge one another In.
terest on q loan, and no written
acknowledgement Of q debt IL ever
given. The word Of q ShermanIts
10 his bond, and Il becomes Q sacred
duty for him to fulfil every promise
made. They are industrious people
because industry Is . part Of theiI
creed.
The Shermanites are all small
farmers, but most Of them own their
own farms and some stock. MANY
Of them are compelled to purchase
few supplies in the city every
summer, for which they are unable
to pay cash. Where their peculiar
religion IL known they have no
trouble in obtaining all the credit
they want. They give no notes or
security Of any kind, but merchants
who have done business with them
for years have never lost O dollar
tue from q ShermAnite customer.
Their preachers accept no pay for
preaching the gospel, working on
their farms during the week a. hard
As any member Of the church. Di-
vOrce Is something unknown among
these people, and the women are all
YirtuOus. Drunkenness II another
vice unknown among them, as they
follow to the letter the advice of the
apostle who said: "Be temperate Ia
all things" Their homes are
models OF neaIness and
comfort and the stranger IL always
welcome within their gates II
would be almost an insult 10 tender
them payment for food. lodging or
any other favor shown q stranger.
The Shermanites make few converts
10 their peculiar religion, but they
lose no members, aud seem happy
aud cOutented In holding their own.
One remarkable thing about them
10 that they will have nothing to do
with courts aud lawyers. A lawsuit
In which q SheTmsnite was plaintiff
can not be found on the court
records Of the county. They never
seek legsl advice unless Il II actually
necessary. All their differences are
settled by arbitration, mutual
friends being the arbitrator, and
the civil courts are never under any
circumstances resOrted to. They
seek In every way possible TO avoid
Jury duty or being summoned a.
witnesses In any cases. They take
no part In politics, and q Shermanite
was never known to hold an Office of
any kind. Some Of them vote at
every election. but they have no
campaign clubs In their community,
aud every man IL allowed to vote as
he pleases. Many Of them never
vote At all. The hrst settlers Of this
ShermSnite colony came TO Alabama
from South Carolina and Georgia
about fOrty-ive 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.
IL IL because the natives Of the Sa-
moa Islands are 30 unlike all other
savage tribes or peoples that they
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