Wichita eagle., 1889-03-20
aailS eagle
SIGHTS In ECONOMY.
a Pretty Pennsylvania Town o.
cupied by Celibates.
Ihe Remarkable Theocratic Community
rounded in America by a German En-
thusIast-Elder Heinrich and His Gov
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Doctrines

er0ment-Ha r1nCnlst Doctrines.
Eighty-four years ago, in what was then
q wild forest region of Butler County, Pa,
there was solemnly and formally organized
the most remarkable and unique theocratic
community that the world had ever seen
Since the days of that famous old Grecian
philosopher, Pythagoras. It's originator and
founder was George Rapp, an humble Ger
man farmer who, with some six hundred of
his fellow-countrymen had fed thither to
escape religious persecution in their
GVaterlaud.n
Absolute communism, says the Chicago
Tribune, was the most important feature of
their creed, and those who had wealth
agreed, quite as cheerfully as those who
had nothing, to throw all their possessions
into comm on stock.
The community founded and deserted two
towns before settling here. Economy is
one of the most picturesque villages in the
world, standing in the midst of an elevated
plateau, which extends some four miles I'D
and down the Ohio river, and slopes gently
back to the vine-clad hills which skirt it at
the distance of nearly mile The dress Of
She Harmonites is precisely in accordance
with the fashion Of provincial Germany in
men all wear long-talled blue coats and
broad brimmed stovepipe hats, while the
women dress in high WASTED, plain-skirted
blue gowns and high pointed caps of blue
satin. Their costume is as uniform as
that Of a company of soldiers or Of the in
mates OF a charity school
repaired to the great hall, where pro-
cession was formed to march through the
streets to the church. First came the
elders Heurici and Lenz, both bowed by the
weight of more than eighty-three years Of
life, and each with long curling locks, white
as snow, hanging nearly to the shoulders,
and floating out upon the winter wint.
They were followed by the other nine elders
who assist IN governing the community,
while after them came the members of the
society and their work people.
The streets through which we passed are
sixty feet in width, crossing each other at
right angles. On their corners and midway
on the intervening sides are erected the
dwellings-frame or brick two stories high,
and all Of precisely the same economic style
OF architecture, having but one door, en-
tered from a yard at the side. Each house
is surrounded by large vegetable garden.
Death-principailY from old age-has re-
duced the membership of the Harmony So
ciety from one thousand, which il once num-
bered in the days of It's founder, TO less
than twenty-five aged men and women
The society's adoption in 1907 of the rigid
practice of cehbacy, which they have ever
since strictly observed, checked its natural
increase, and the accessions of new mem
bers from Germany, winch for time main
tanned thesr mum bers, ceased many years
ago. The church was well filed, however,
by some four hundred or five hundred
work people whom the HarmOnists are
compelled to employ to farm their thirty
five hundred broad acres, to develop their
rich oil and natural gas territory, and to
carry on the various handicrafts necessary
TO render economy independent of the out
side world as regards every thing worn,
eaten, or in any way used.
Harmonist opposition to marriage was
formerly so bitter that the society would
employ no married persons, but experience
has taught them that married men with
wivss and children are the steadiest, most
Industrious worknen, and they now hire
families rather than any other ''help- To
each of these families house and garden
is assigned rent free, and the streets of this
long childless town are now oyerrun with
children. All these hired people are
but clothes. The society's wagons go
through the streets every morning gratul-
tously supplying each household with meat,
bread, milk, vegetables and groceries of
the best quality.
The government of this little kingdom IS
strictly patriarchaL Elder Henrici, its ab-
solute ruler, is kind father to all. Save
in the matter of cehbacy every inhabitant
of Economy must strictly conform to all the
rules of the society All are required to
attend church twice each Sabbath. ANY
one found out of bed after nine o'clock on
any night of the week is Immediately ban
ished from the town, and all must rise at
that poetic and lyric hour, five O'clock in
the morning" Besides three of the squarest
possible meals daily, a free luncheon IS
served to the whole community at nine a. N.
End three p. m, when pint Of WINE is
melted out to every man, woman and child.
Though the Harmonists have come to toler-
ate married people. they are bitterly op-
posed TO having any counting done on their
land. They require all the fathers and
mothers III their employ TO keep strict
watch and ward over their sons and daugh-
tiers that the sexes may be kept as far apart
IS possible A young man and woman seen
out walking together, or jointly engaged in
any harmless pastlme, would be immedl-
ately required 10 leave Economy
To render II impossible for young men and
women TO walk together in the evening
without observation Elder Heinrich placed a
lantern in every family and issued a decree
that any female having occasion to go upon
the street after dark should light and
carry it with her. The introduction of nat
ural gas has now rendered this unnecessary,
as it burns in great jets at every corner and
transforms night into day.
In discourse which drew tears from all
p resent, Father Heinrich reviewed the
eighty four years Of the soclety's existence
and reiterated the firm belief which is one
Of the fundamental doctrines Of the Har-
noRists, that Christ's second coming will
take place before the last member of their
society shall have passed away He further
stated that when that glorious event occurs
Ill the Ea-monists' vast possessions will be
aid at the feet of the Master to be dis
posed Of as he shall deem best.
1t is worthy OF note that this most singu-
ar people firmly believe that at His second
coming Christ VIII establish upon Mount
Sinai, in Palestine, a visible. personal King
lom, and that from His throne upon that
,reat mountain He will judge and rule the
world. They keep acomplete supply of every
equisite for the trans portation of their
community 10 the Holy Land when Christ
bah come again.
Some New Enterprises.
There is on foot
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