Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-05-31
ace of I, m, mo,nsr used to say tina, an


tanned To be "a Levite. Verify, God has
chosen him. In early days, though thrown
in an unwholesome moral atmosphere, by
IA wonderful working Of an internal God
given power OF selection i was kept from
all those secret vices which iniest all
grades of society. studied for and enter.
ed the Methodist ministry. My ministerial
associates seemed so secular, SO uncees-
tial, so unChristlike that / could not feel
OF them though among them. was hnal-
y sent TO Alpena, Mich. When entered
upon that charge was in the spirit oil be
coming more rapidly q citizen OF Heaven
than denizen of earth. Under the cleo
trio light OF inspiration i found that tho
Methodist church was filled with spirit
ual wickedness in high places.
"ln December, 1871, l met Dortnda
Helen Fletcher Beekman, tie bride OF
Christ. She was my spiritual NJ ry. She
gave TO the world its Jesus aud its Lord
OF my history since that time you have
been already made acquainted.
On the first floor were the sleeping apart
ments of the ladies, elegantly httcd bou-
doris. The second story OF the wing is de
voted TO Schweinfurth's suit. They eclipsed
the ladies' ems in elegant furnishings.
There was also large school room on the
second floor OF the main building, where
some 20 pupils are daily taught.
The growth in membership OF this re-
markable sect has been astonish ne rapid
within the last few years. They now have
churches at Chicago, st. Charles, Mimi,
Minneapolis, Paw Paw, Ill, Louisville
KY, Leavenworth and kansas City. But
the central community is this onesat Rock
ford where new CONVEX must come.
There are quite company of travelling
| men, coporteurs and agents in various
| lines, who belong To this sect. Schwe n
fur,h makes special effort 10 attract this
| class, as they can more wiley SOW seeds
| OF the new religion and can select the more
| likely subjects Tor their influence. Among
| the leading lights are the kev. Mr., lutt
| and wife, "a Congregational minister who
| has been established over the Chicago
church of Mr.. Schweinfurth. Mr.. Tuttle
| is a man of education and excellent parts
| He is a graduate of Yale college and An
| dover theological seminary.
| There are number Of women who by
| long res dence and devotion have approach
! ed sufficiently near TO the purity OF their
Christ that they are called "angels. There
were l3 of these angels when she was
there. They eat with Schweinfurth, k
| ing but two meals day. The rest OF the
women, whose angelic wings are still in
the pm feather stage eat separ@ tely at an
| other house, and the men all have other
quarters for their meals There is one
| "angel who is the most perfect and called
| by Schweinfurth his "souPs mate Her
| community name Is Ange lea She is a
| pile, dark eyed, lissom ere lture OF - years
not very plump, but willowy and spirit
uelle, with far away look in her es
| Mrs. Claim said that her complexion was
wonderful-white as alabaster. She DC
| cupies special apartment. watch IS the
most lavishy and richly adorned o any in
| the house Her room is very near Christ 81
and she is never seen about the house, and
| is visible to others only at me lis, when she
sits on his right hand.
a recent d sturbing element has been the
attempt Of a Chic 90 p lyscan, j. :. Will
| kins TO secure tisfact on fr m the Rev.
| George Jacob. on account Of his alleged
alienation Of the affections OF the doctor ;
wife. Mrs. Wilkins it is said. made pill
grimage TO Rockford, and became so infat-
| uated with the king of the new heaven that
her husband was obliged to take her abroad
in order TO restore her mental balance. On
| his return the doctor lie ,rned that the Rev
| Mr.. Schwciniurth was possessed OF consid-
! cradle property. bestowed upon him by en-
thusiastic followers. DR.. w llkins thereup.
| on sought for evidence upon which TO Sc
a suit for damages. He sent SIN 1T female
detective 10 the home in the roll of "a
| seeker after truth. She was a beautiful
woman and WAS most attractively dressed.
She tried al her fascinat ons on her intend.
ed victim, but in vain. He rem ined proof
| against her seductons and ended by con
verting her 10 his religious theories and she
is now disciple and wants to be an angel.
There are certain final rites celebrated
which are called THE Garden OF Eden ,
| test. This is known to be "a fact though
it is one of the few things that no one
seemed ready to explain II is understood,
however, that IL is modelled quite clC sely
after the Mormon endow house, and II
is rumored that the women who pass
through the ordeal do so in an absolute
state of nakedness in the presence OF
Christ, also nude. But it is alleged that
the participants are so free from all sin h
even thus unatlired they are purity self
There is one thing remarked upon by all
who study Schwenfurth. He certainly
bears the closest resemblance to the popu-
lar pictures Of Christ SO near is tie like
ness that strangers in total ignorance of his
identity, have beer heard 10 conn ent on it.
His eyes, beard and hair are OF the same
color The contour of his face follows the
lines of the paintings of the real Christ
with great accuracy. ! have certainly
never seen any person who could begin to
approach this striking reese nblauce. 1t is
| likely that Schwenfurth depends upon
this similarity for some of his most power.
full arguments in making discip .es.-N Y.
Herald.