Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-24
noRsM rn.iN QUOTATIONS..
So Miss Chcvnilier Describes Thomas
LlilIn Nnrris, pnnnIe

Lake Harris People.
They're worse than Mormons | will
break up their community if have to
take the matter to the President
Miss A. A, Cheyaller's eyes flashed
as she spoke these words to New York
World correspondent in San Francisco.
Miss Chcvalller is a Boston sociologist
reformer and magazine writer. She has
just left the Thomas Lake Harris com
munity at Fountain Grove, Sonoma
county, CAL, in great rage Her story
is stranger than the tale told of Harris
by Margaret Oliphant in her memoirs Of
Lawrence Oliphant. II was Harris who
made the lives Of Lady Oliphant and
her son so miserable by taking away all
their property and setting them to men
NJ tasks that they might obtain high
spirituality Soon after writing letter
IN the Phillips Brooks controversy,
which made n stir, Miss Chevalier went
y Fountain Grove 10 get the .heavenly
breath" from "thc prinate of the
brotherhood Of the New Life" as
Harris calls himself. She found Foun-
tam Grove q beautiful place and Harris
u beautiful man, The estate includes
200 Oacres, 400 in vineyard. She lived
with her mother in cabin on the noun
tain side near the Primaie's hermitage.
When She first met Harris there lie
put his hand on her head and gave a
gruht, saying that the vampires of
preachers had nearly destroyed her
spirituality. He would, however, ac-
cept her AS a member of his community
and in time would make her his queen
Of the East
Miss Ghevallier found among others
~ the community Mrs. Parting, i widow
81 an East India coffee planter, who
lial brought her two daughters and
young sister, all formerly in high
Ehgllsh society, to the place to live
under the spiritual care of the Primate.
MIS-. Parting gave up large fortune to
llarris. One of the girls, an accom-.
pushed artist is now washing clothes for
Harris another is Il maid in his house
mold, and another sets type for him.
Prince Kanayc Nagavasa, Japanese,
"na one OF his countrymen named Ari,
ife members Of the community. Ari
gas charge Of the private printing house
rom which Harris issues his many reli-
glous and spiritual books.
MISS Chevallier found Harris to be
very wealthy, Most of his money has
been brought TO him by his converts,
who have numbered several hundred.
Inc Prlmate, who claims that he will
never die, is an old man of marvellous
hypnotic power. Which he has exerted
Tor years over his subjects Eie eats
oysters and drinks champagne, while
they are given bacon and bread. He
dresses in long silken robes and wears
White chamois gloves. His followers
wear coarse clothing, till the soil ana
clean out his stables.
Miss Chevallier received hints of i'm
morality on the part of members of Inc
community from time to time. and SHE
Hhaliy made the discovery that Harris
doctrine, known ms '.counterparts. was
What she calls "relinpd sensualism q
When she made this discovery She fled
The place with her mother. The married
women who become members OF the
community are separated from their
husbands and arc given ocounternarts,,
from time to time, in order that they
may arrive at state Of "structuaral BIZ
sexual completeness" be wholly ode
nagnitiAed' and lose their "proprium,"
after which they receive .open rcspira-
tiohs and enter into the celestial de-
gree"
Miss Chevallier has already interested
several influential San Franciscans in
the work of breaking up the community
and she will try to arouse sgeneral
public feeling against Harris. She tried
In vain to dissuade rich Mrs. uodg
kiss, of Alameda, Cal, from joining the
community last week.