The morning call., 1891-12-13
CURIOUS SECTS.

One of the most interesting bulletins
lately issued by the Census Bureau contains
an account and census of some twenty-eight
religious denominations, OF which not one
person in twenty has ever heard. A few of
these, like the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, sect with AZ, 725 members in good
standing, and the RCorganlZed Church OF
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with
2l,773 communicates, are occasionally men
toned in class papers, but hardly any one
is familiar with the names or doctrines of
the MennOnites, or the DunkardS and few
have acquainted themselves with the doc
trineS OF the Church Of God, "or the Shakers,
or the Harmony Society. On American SOIL
which is the land of liberation, all these sects
flourish side by side. and do not offend the
ear by the UNCONVENTIONAL wrangles to
which they owed their origin.
There are in the United States twelve dis
tinct and separate denominations of Men
ncniteS. Old Memo Simous, who founded
the sect in Holland over two hundred years
ago. did not differ in essentials from the
Protestant churches OF his day. But he
forbade infant baptism, and disapproved of
the taking OF oaths; he preached non-resiSt-
aDee, and was strenuous in favor of eXcom-
munication and nou-intercourss with per-
sons not in good standing as members of his
,hurch. He made many converts, and had
quite a following in Holland, Switzerland,
parts OF Germany and Southern Russia. In
1855 his church established colony in
Pennsylvania. 1t has since increased, and
the parent body has been swollen by accre-
ton from other Mennonite organizations in
Europe, so that now it numbers Al, 81 COM
municants, and 405 church edifices. They
are chiefly to be found in Pennsylvania, but
there are several churches in Virginia. Ohio
Indiana, Michigan and the Dakotas. There
are none in California.
The DunkaTds, or German Baptlsts, are
another sect which was driven by persecu-
ton from Continental Europe to America.
They settled in Pennsylvania some $50
years ago. They, like the Mennonites,
agrae with the Protestants on most essen
tialS; but they adhere to rules OF their own
regarding baptism, forbid the use of liquors
and t. bacco, and Giscountenance resort to
the courts to settle disputes. There are
three organizations OF this sect: Pro-
greSsive Dunkards, Conservatives and Old
Order Brethren. They have chiefly settled
in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana. A few
of them have found their way to this State,
ana have settled at Los Angeles.
The African Methodist Episcopal Church,
winch was du UuSuOOL III 1910 from the
Methodist Episcopal Church, does not differ
in doctrine from the parent organization
1t is numerous and influential body. It's
churches, as might be supposed. are mainly
IN the Southern States; but it is repre-
sented in almost every State in the Union,
and has members in twelve of the counties
of California. Los Angeles having the Iarg-
est membership.
The Reorganized Church of the Latter
day SantS-or non-polygamous Mormons-
is pretty well known In this State. When
the bolt took place and the followers of
Joseph Smith seeded a good many OF them
came to California. and are still to be found
In Alameda, Sacramento, san Beruardino,
Orange and other counties, the total men,
bership in California being reckOned at
1896 Their doctrines present no novelty,
though their church organization is pc
culiar, and their notions of prehistoric
America hardly tally with the teachings of
science. They regard polygamy as an
abOmjnation.
The bulletin contains mention OF a num-
Der OF semi-reiigious, semi-socialist organi
Zations each of which has a small member
ship. The Shakers, who are disciples o
Ann Lee, an English woman who came TO
this country in 1874, do not believe in mar
riage, do believe in spiritualism, deny the
Trinity, and lean to the Buddhist notion of
dual deity: they number 172S. The
Harmony Society was founded by George
Rapp, German, early in the present CEN
fury. They number go. One of their
doctrines is celibacy another is community
of property. They have a town Of their
own called Economy. which is known as
producing the best whisky in Pennsylvania.
The law of these sects is that they ap-
pear in periods OF religious excitement,
flourish as long as the founders live, and
then gradually die out. Sometimes, as in
the case of the Oneida community, their
name is preserved through the excellence
of some particular product of theirs loag
after the sect itself has disappeared.