Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-20
WAS ADAM A WOMAN?
A RELIGIOUS SECT IN OHIO BE-
LlEvES SO.
in Zoar, Ohio-Their Belief and
Customs-A Masculine Maiden

Copyright 1891 and all rights reserved by
Godfrey Williston Christine:
ZoAR, ONO, Sept. 15-Of all the COM
munistic religious sects which at various
times have fiOurished in this country, I'M
questionably the most singular, reInarka-
BILE and Economically interesting is that Of
the Zoarites, a most peculiar association of
mystics and pietists who built, own and
exclusively occupy the charming village of
Zoar, place that is absolutely unique SO
far as this country is concerned. 1t IS an
exact reproduction of one of the small pro-
vincial towns of Germany, and while So
journing here stranger finds it impossi-
ole to believe that he has not been unwit-
Lingly transported to the Fdderland.
The communistic religious sect known as
the Zoarites originated in the kingdom Of
Wurtemberg, Germany, in tho latter years
of the eighteenth century. A young man
named Joseph NJ. Bimeler, not finding the
necessary spiritual nourishment in the es-
tablished church to which he belonged, be-
gan to speak in his own house once or twice
every Sunday to 4 small number of friends
his sentiments on religion. His congrega-
ton steadily grew in size until it numbered
several hundred families. Bimcler and his
adhereutS now denounced both state and
church as constituting that great Baby
Ion" that was to be destroyed by the wrath
OF heaven, ana lHey not only separated
themselves from the established church,
but they abjured allegia ce TO the civil au-
thorities, refused to pay taxes or to render
military service, or even to show ordinary
civility to any magistrates, whether higher
or lower They thus brought upon them
selves deserved civil penalties in the way
of fines and Imprisonment, while they were
also subjected TO religious persecution.
Bimeler himself escaped Imprisonment
nDlV ny rhmOUlpp from nIlpp nIaPn and
by living in the utmost privacy, while
Johannes Goesele, one of his co-laborers,
was imprisoned for nine years.
While in prison Goesele was often visited
by the Duke Of Wurtemberg, who held
long conversations with him. during which
Goesele refused TO take OF his hat to the
duke, and always addressed him with the
disrespectful thee and thou of the
German, while he freely dealt out to him
the fierce denunciations of the ZoariteS
against the government The bluff but SEN
sib!e old duke took this all in good part.
On one occasion when Napoleon was visit
ing him the great couqueror asked to see
GOeSele, who had become somewhat IA
nous. The French emperor, however, re-
ceived no more respectful treatment from
the doughty prisoner than the duke had
done. but was boldly warned of the dread
account he should have to render at last for
the multitude of souls he was hurrying into
sterri Y by his bloody wars. Napoleon was
provoked and desired to have the man pun
iShed for his insoience, but as soon as the
emperor had gone the duke summoned his
prisoner before him, and instead of punish
ing him set him at liberty. saying, 'Goe-
zele, if you had not talked to the emperor
just as you talked to me / would have taken
OF your head. but now. since you treat Us
both alike, you may go home"
Though the Zoarites, as they now called
-, .l,-N, al, ,,nI Sh@,y
believed-for righteousness sake, they at
length grew weary of their trials and re-
solved to emigrate to America. Under the
leadership of Bineler, they came by way
of London, and finally purchased from Phil
adelphia Quakers, at fair price and on
long credit, $500 acres of land, formerly mil
itary land. lying around old Fort Laurens.
in Tuscaroras county, Ohio. They reached
the place in winter. Their situation was
deplorablc. They were poor and destitute
of all the means necessary to render life
even in some measure tolerable They had
neither cattle, farming utensils nor house
hold furniture. They first sought shelter
i'll the most wretched huts. They suffered
from hunger, cold and wet. Fever COM
United great devastation among them, but
their religious communion and fellowship
beld them together. Their society had not
8een organized at first on the principle of
community of goods or holding all things in
common, but after struggling along for
year upon the individual system. each one
of their number then voluntarily surren-
dered all he possessed to a general fund,
and from that time to the present all their
property has been held in common, and
communism has been one of the chief prin-
ciplestof their organization.
They regarded the married state as i'm
purs and unholy, and practiced the most
rigid celibacy for fifteen years. The chol-
era epidemic Of 1882 wrought fearful raw
ages among them. and in order to prevent
further diminutions Of their numbers and
the ultimate complete extinction of their
society, Bimeler himself set the example of
taking a wife This new departure was
readily followed by all except . few faith
ful ones. who continued to cling to their
primitive faith and practice.
With the adoption of communism and the
abandonment of celibacy new era of great
prosperity dawned upon the Zosrites. Their
town, to which they had given the name Of
Zoar, became famous as place well worth
seeing, and visitors foched to it from all
parts OF this country and even from Europe.
In few years the value Of their property
was estimated to be considerably more than
81 ,00O, 900. They held 5000 acres of land in
one tract, and were very large farmers and
stockraisers. The Zoar of to-day is no diff
ferent from the Zoar of thirty or even forty
dsSo. iEO paw HCNCR nLl ~
might well adopt as its motto .semper
idem" always the same). It is beautifully
situated on the banks of the Tuscarawas
river one of the prettiest and most pictur-
esaue streams to be found anywhere. A
short distance from the town it goes plung-
ing over a ledge Of rock into small
chasm below like q beautiful miniature
Niagara The houses in Zoar are
ali Of frame, and are all built upon the
same plan. Great attention is paid to the
cultivation of grapes, and these are grown
largely upon trellises fastened to the sides
of the houses. so that all the dwellings of
the Zoarites are most luxuriantly vine-clad.
The place IS complete little kingdom in
itself. Everything that the Zoarites eat,
drink and wear, with the exception of tea,
coffee, sal: and spices, is produced by
themselves. They are warmed in winter
by coal dug from their own lands and
burned in stoves cast in their own foundries