The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-03-29
SCHWEINFURTH.

| SCHWEINFURTH.
Rockford is at present receiving q
good deal of attention on account OF
a cOnvocation being held there of the
devotees of religious craze, known a
few years ago under the name OF
"Beekmanites," or followers of Dorm.
da Helen Fletcher Beeckman. but
now as "The Church Triumphant
under the headship of George Jacot
Schweinfurth. Mrs. Beekman com.
menced teaching" some ten or twelve
years ago at Byron, Ogle county, cal.
ling herself the "MOther of Christ, .
or some blasphemous name Of that
sort, and teaching that persons en-
tirely free from sin-immaCulate-
were immortal; and that she, having
attained that state Of bleSSedness,
would never die. She gathered around
her few followers, as all religious
pretenderS can do; no matter how alb
surd or irrational their claims, and
among others who came to hear her
and became willing or unwilling vic
tim of her delusiOn, was a young
Methodist preacher from Ohio-the
present imposter at Rockford -
Schweinfurth.
There was some hitch in Mrs. Beck
mans claim to immortality; perhaps
she committed some sin and lost her
immaculacy; at least the hour came
when she lay on her death bed: but
before taking her departure from this
vale of tears she dropped her mantle
on the shoulders of Brother Schwen-
furth, who, the dying mother" told
her followers, it had been revealed to
her, would be the worlds savior, and
would succeed her as the head of the
church, representing Christ in full,
possessing his saving power and di-
vine attributes" At least so Schwein-
furth says. And he had no hesitancy
in accepting the commission, realiz-
ing in his own inner consciousness
that he had attained that state of
moral perfection that could only be-
long to divine being, and that he
was therefore really and truly the Sec
ond person of the Trinity returned to
earth.
AS such he went on his mission.
But while the Christ of 1900 years ago
could say "the foxes have holes and
the birds have nests, but the Son of
Man hath not where to lay his head, "
Savior Schweinfurth began early to
look around for something more avail
able for his bodily comfort. Among
his first conquests was man named
Spencer S. Weldon, his son and
daughter, who owned and lived upon
large farm some five miles south
west of Rockford, with large, mod
ern built mansion upon it, big barns
and other outhouSes. Schweinfurth
gladly accepted the invitation to make
the house his home, and before long
he prevailed upon Weldon to deed to
him the property, himself and family
reserving only small tenant house;
but the neighbors made such fuss
that Mr.. Messiah concluded to deed
the property back to the Weldons,
who, however, remain in their new
quarters and still recognize Sehwein-
furth's ownership of all the rest.
This place the imposter has christ
ened "heaven," and into it has gath
cred about thirty women, whom he
calls angels" and who are his lack
eys and servants. There are also a
few men devotees about the place,
who, with the Spencers, do his farm
work and other drudgery.
Once year the imposter gathers at
this place such of his followers as he
invites personally to meet at his
''heaven" in convocation. Last year
about forty thus attended; this year
there are about 100,-all but eight OF
ten females, young, old, good looking
homely and Indifferent. The convoca
ton lasts ten days, and during that
time most of the attendants are en-
tertained at the heaven" though
how they can find sleeping rooms is a
marvel; the men, however, are driven
| to the barn.