The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-12

hither from Europe as early as 1741, and
preached here the new dispensation unre-
mittinRly until 1865, and subsequently in
Germantown and Milestone, this state, un-
til his death in 1893. It is, accordingly, to
straighten out this fact Of history and to
accentuate it before the world, while at the
same time rendering tribute to the hal
lowed memory of a great and good man,
that the pilgrimage to Obey has been under
taken.
and picturesque stone mansion, two stories
high, situated in delightful hollow, and
surrounded by stately trees. Though built
in 1745, it is still in an excellent state OF
preservation. It was designed to serve the
double purpose Of 9 residence and a church.
was received most cordially by the Moravi-
ans, who had already established a monastic
house at Bethlehem and mission school
just two miles distant from Obey line. In
this mission school De Bonneville preached
regularly until the growing differences Of
creed between himself and the Moraylans
eventually led them to close their doors
against him. That was in 1744. De Benne
vile at once set to work, with the
aid of Jean Bertolette, of France,
whose daughter he had recently married,
to rear substantial mansion of his own.
wherein he could preach at will. The sec
ond or upper story, which was originally
reached through door directly over the
main entrance below by long flight of
steps leading up on the outside, he con-
structed as hall for holding meetings,
with a seating capacity for fifty people.
The steps are now removed, but otherwise
the appearance of the building is practical
ly unchanged. A spring of living water
gushes from a rock in the cellar and flows
out at one corner. In this spring of run
ming water, to HIM a mystic symbol of spir-
itua1 purity, De Bonneville baptized his
~Ar h. all
ter Sabbath, to gather his friends and
neighbors about him and preach to them
what is now the accepted Universalist
creed. With such quaint memories clus-
tering around it, the old De Bonneville
mansion Is bound in time to become a GEN.
ter of interest to every Universalist in the
land.
The arrangements for the pilgrimage and
exercises are under the supervision of the
Rev. Geo. W. Kent, pastor of the Reading
church, and a special committee of ladies
and gentlemen. The Rev. James shreRley,
address on the life and times of De Benne-
vile. Mrs. Phoebe A. Hamford, of New
Haven, Conn.,, will read an original poem
composed for the occasion. A fine musical
programme has been prepared, and souve-
Mrs illustrative of the occasion will be dis
tributed to each of the pilgrims.
De Benneville's life and experiences were
stranger than fiction and more thrilling
than a romantic novel. His mother was
one of the noble Granville family, of Eng
land, and bore to her husband nine chill
dren in five years after marriage, having
De Benneville's birth. The father was q
French refugee attached to the court of
King William III. After the denth of his
mother, Queen Anne herself provided the
infant with nurse, and personally super
intended his early education. At the age of
a I L. A.
a war vessel belonging to little fleet bound
for the coast of Barbary. On his return to
England he was stricken with fainting fit,
during which he had a vision of himself as
q frebrand in hell. On coming to himself
he cried out, 81 am damned 70
This incident determined the trend of his
future life. He became melancholy. and
continued SO for fifteen months. At the
end of that time, as he himself relates, he
was awakened out of a sleep and heard q
voice within him which pronounced upon
him sentence of condemnation. Then, as
he relates, he ''heard the Savior's eternal,
universal voice, which penetrated through
me with divine power, saying, take cour-
|age, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee"
He became a convert, and began to preach
the new doctrine of universal salvation. He
was arrested for talking in the markets and
on the street corners and imprisoned. Some
of his companions were hanged. De Ben
~
through the Intervention of Queen Anne he
was pardoned by LOWS XIV. After that he
removed to Germany, where he had as ac-
auaintances "a company of gentry who
awelt near Siegen, some of whom were
married, but only dwelt together az
brethren and sisters" and engaged in liter
ary pursuits and religious contemplation.
In Holland he met his m ost extraordinary
Experiences which resulted in his openly
announcing the creed of Universalism. He
fell into wasting disorder. He felt him
self die by degrees, and was regarded az
He saw them prepare his body for burial
and inclose it in q coffin. During the inter
val he had one of the most remarkable
visions on record. In spirit he visited the
she abodes of the dead. both the wicked
and good. He narates his experiences and
describes his sensations in little volume
xrltten by his own hand IN the French, an
English translation of which was published
IN 1904. in Philadelphia, under the title of
"A True and Remarkable account of the
Life and Trance of DR.. George de Benne-
nile, late of Germantown. Pa. Including
What ne Heard and Saw during Trance
Happiness and Misery" Only two OF
.hree copies of this little book are now
sxtant. 0ne is in the possession of the
congressional library at Washington, and il
pronounced BY Librarian 6pohord to be, in
commercial sense, worth double its weight
n gold. The Rev. Elhannan Winchester,
IN eminent divine of his day, says of the
sontents Of the book in the preface: 81
bless God that I was ever acquainted with
Dr.. George de Bonneville, for such an hum
DE, pious, loving nan have scarcely ever
'een in my pilgrimage through life. I have
40 doubt of this revelation" In the latter
pages of the book De Bonneville describes
lis trance. Occult mysteries, thincs hid.
len from the wise and prudent, are there
et forth with q viyidness of coioriup and
strength of conception that recall thu
works of Virgil and Of Dante in the same
inc. He saps:
81 felt myself die by degrees. Exactly
1t midnight was ssperated from the bod
md saw the people occupied in Washing it