The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-27
a NEW KIND OF EAPTISTS.
"Shermanites" Who Let Hair and Beard
Grow, Do not Become Rich, and Bap-
tize in Running Water-Rapid
Spread of the Doctrine
Atlanta Journal

AiSiS 10 ilo iIiOlC QuSSl lSllSlOuS SSCl
in the world than the "Shermanites,' -
Of North Alabama.
In nearly any town in this section
you can see among the countrymen
who bring in cotton and garden truck
to sell, several with long uncut beard
and flowing hair, reaching half way to
the waist. In Birmingham, which sits
in Jones' Valley, as the Queen of all
these towns, these men with long hair
and beard can he seen by the dozens
every day during the crop selling sea-
son.
They are Shermanites and belong to
religious organization that is confined
to the mountain Businesses of North
Alabama, but has many thousand fol-
lowers.
About twenty years ago a man
named Sherman went through the
mountainous regions of Alabama on
horseback and preached in all the ham,
lets and villages. In fact, he preached
at isolated farm houses, with only a
single family as congregation.
His doctrine was of Jesus Christ, but
he departed from the creeds of all the
established churches and laid down
some new religious laws which found
favor among his backwoods hearers,
and it was not long till he had many
followers.
Immersion was the foundation of his
rev religion, and it had to be
done in running branch, so that the
water could carry off the sin as it was
washed away from the regenerated be-
lever.
The next best thing in Sherman's
doctrine was for the men not to cut
their hair or their beard. This law, he
said, must be followed strictly. Neither
scissors nor razor was to touch the head
or face under any circumstances, for
Christ had neither his hair nor his
beard cut, and his followers must not
depart from the example.
They were to have no church build
ings, for the Son of Man preached in
the fields and in ships and on the
mountains, and so should his disciples.
1.-THE only temple" said Sherman,
"erected to God during the old dispen-
sation was discountenanced by Christ,
and he predicted its overthrow when
it was pointed out to him by his
apostles"
They were to have no paid preachers,
but every Shermanite was to be a
preacher. All were to exhort and to
pray, and instead of paying money to
support preachers, the collections taken
up at the gatherings were to go to a
common fund for the relief of the poor
and destitute.
call this sect "Shermanites," for
that is the name they are known by to
the outside world, because they are fol-
lowers of Sherman; but as religious
sect they give themselves no name ex-
cept followers Of Christ" for their
leader taught them that Christ did not
call His established church by any
name, then why should they?
All of the church meetings are either
held in the open air or at some private
residence. Anybody can ''open meet
ing" and anybody can give out a
hymn, offer prayer, or make a few re-
marks.
There is another peculiar thing about
the teachings of Sherman and that is a
man must be possessed of only GER
tain amount of this worlds goods to be
a true Christian. He should have just
enough to give himself and family a
comfortable living. To possess any
more than this is considered inigui-
tous. He requires 1.-THE of every "fol-
lowers" possessions and the money is
put in the fund for the poor. He him
self would receive no pay for preach
ing. but owned and worked farm ard
contributed like any of bis followers.
do not know whether Sherman is
living now or not, but five Years ago I
saw and talked with him in Birming-
ham. He was a middle-aged, pleasant
looking man, with keen gray eyes and,
although using the backwoods dialect,
talked like a man of considerable learn
ing. He knew the scriptures by heart
and, when once induced to discuss his
religion, would quote verse after verse
in support of his ideas and theories.
~ teach," he said to me, "men to
love their fellowmen as wei. as to wor-
ship God"
"Are you prophet" was asked.
"Yes, prophet thus far: am sent
to establish a church that is free from
pharisees and hypocrites and devoid
of useless forms and one that teaches
it's members to follow the footsteps OF
the Savior"
TO join this band of mountain wor-
shippers one has only to get some OF
the "followersn to baptiZe him in a
running stream and then make known
to the guardians of the fund for the
poor what his earthly possessions are
so be can be assessed. These guardians
are selected from the regular election
districts, or "beats," as they are called
in Alabama, and are appointed at an
annual meeting.
4 mining engineer, who inspected all
the coal and iron districts in Alabama
few years ago, stated that he did not
think there was less than five thcus,
and Shermauites.