Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-05-31
ANO-ueR NEW RELIGION.
a Michigan Man strikes IL Rich In Found
Ing 10 Reii .tous Order-rhe Garden
of Eden keproIuCed.

the pure one, the perfect one. ne mas no
guile. He is God become man. by believ-
ing IN Him we are made pure aud snless
as He is, and our salvation Is assured. %,
how grateful and happy are we who are
redeemed. BLESSED be God, that we have
found Him."
a quiet bu. .ptenseiy earnest tone OF voice
10 u reporter in Rockford, H., by one OF
the angels OF the Schweinfurth com-
munity.
What is the Schwcinfurth community
1t is the mead 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 utterance was
quoted above expressed briefly but honest
ly the sum and substance of their beliefs.
The sect has been in existence about ID
years, but Schweinfurth has not been
revealed unto them as their Lord and
master until within the LIST half dozen
years.
Mrs. Dora Beekman, the wife Of Con-
greg .tional minister, originated the body or
strange believers She preached that n
her own person were the attributes OF the
risen Lord. Her husband DID not believe
the new fifth, aud las "A result he is now IN
the insane asylum.
The Rev. George j. Schweinfurth was at
that time a Methodist minister, young man
of prepossessing appearance. Schwein-
furth preached in the country churches
Whereabouts and gathered good audiences.
He preached We'll, aud had especially sue
cessful seances with the young ladies' OF his
| hocks 1t Is related that they often pre-
tended conversion merely TO kneel at the
altar where he could fondle their brows
anu sweety whisper. Dear sister, have
| faith; only have 1aith."
Suddenly it was announced that Dominic
| Schweinlurth had renowned Methodism
and became disciple o, MRS Dora Beck
Ia tf.at.t 4.Ih all "A
as bishop of the Beekmanites. But, alas
| for the faith OF the little band, Mrs. Beck
man died and became cold clay like any
| ordinary mortal. Her broken hearted be-
levers kept her body for week expect
| ing that she would rise as she had promised
and prophesed They placed her body on
a raised platform and worshipcd about it
hourly The remains were ever eft alone
for an instant but the corruption of the
body grew so great that at The end OF a
week the interment was ordered by the
public au lhorities.
At this junCture came forward the shrewd
Schweiniurth. From that day the growth
| of the organization both in financial re-
sources aud numbers, has been simply
wonderful. The new Christ has developed
business sharpness and keenness in the
study of human nature that has brought
forth much fruit
y good Old farmer named Weldon, who
was possessed of 800 acres Of fine land. be-
came infatuated with the new sect and
made over his entire property to Schwein
| furt as head of the church.
! The home of Christ is a large mansion
standing in a spacious Enclosure about five
miles south OF Rockford, III. ii has spa
cious barns, carriage buildings, sheds, and
otuer appc RANGES of prosperous country
manse The members of the community
make the breeding ., blooded horses spe-
claIty. SchweinIurth has three imported
stations and a large number of brood
mares. He also has about eighty head OF
fine cattle. The house is roomy and with
its wings easily accommodates 100 persons.
There are usually about 80 females there
and dozen or fifteen men. The male dis
ciples do the heavy work and are drudges
They live on the plainest food and sleep in
the attic.
Schweinfurth possesses in his own name
property which has been given him out
rlgut TO tie amount of 500 900 at the low
est calculation. Wherever "a member of
the Church Triumphant" is found he sets
aside a tenth Of ali his earnings as tithes
for the Lord, and the Lord deposits it IN
different banks in his own name.
When the reporter called he was met by
young male servant aid ushered into the
front ,rlor. The feet sank into velvet
carpet; leopard and wolf skins were spread
about and added to the beauty and richne IS
OF the surroundings. The house is furnish
ed in antique oak, and light comes through
large plate glass windows surrounded by
many hued ass. The reporter was intro
duced TO two richly dressed and quite pretty
young ladies, who gave every evidence of
refinement and culture. They answered a
few immaterial questions politely but APP
peared u be reserved, and were evidently
relieved when an inner door opened and the
savior Sthweinfurth appeared. a brigh;
eye and bright red English cut whiskers
were the first things one noticed His natty
6 heavy gold fob chain hung from a watch
pocket, high clerical collar and "a brilliant
blue and gold tie surrounded his neck
The first question would sttrtle an aver
age man, but il did not surprise the Rev
Schwelnfurth: Are you Christi"
81 am, was the reply. al am more than
Christ. / am the perfect man and also God
i possess the attributes of Jesus the sinless
anu have his spirit, and more than that |
am the Almighty himself"
When did you discover first your divine
attributes and that you were the great
head of the churchH
lin 1883, at the decease of Mrs. Beck
man, three days before her death she had a
light from heaven and transferred her
spiritual holiness TO me- Before her death
outsiders enormously called her the won
an Christ That was not true She was
the spiritual bride of Christ and Der people
were called Beekmantes. After her death
at first was only sensible that possessed
the attributes OF Christ and had in my own
person His spirit coming a second time on
earth. The people who believe in the great
truth were The Church Triumphant.
Within the last year there has been still
greater knowledge, and 1 can now declare
that ] am God Almighty My name is 4
am, that / am
Can you, then, perform miraclesl Can
you vanish from the flesh and be invisible
and pass from one place 10 another as "A
spirit.
Yes, | have unlimited power | can
come into room with closed doors and dis
appear. can raise the dead, cure disease.
and do all the miraculous things that ac-
complished when was on the earth before
Go not practice them of en- for wish TO
convert the world TO the truth without de-
pending on supernatural powers, but by the
truth itself. One of the ladies you saw
down stairs was in the last stages of bron
| chial consumption. Physicians had no
hope for her. brought Der back from the
! face OF death with my divine power and
| without approaching herr
"Do you expect to live on earth for
everH'
al shall be here for many years in the
present body, and the world will see won