The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-10
THE CALIFORNIA MESSIAH
Strange Influence of the London Crank
Harris Over Br illiant Minds.
Remarkable Submission of Laurence 0liphant
and His Family to the Authority Of an
Inscriptions Communistic Leader.

Boston Transcript
The revelations recently published con-
corning the Harris community open up
afresh subject of deep and peculiar inter-
est. One of the most interesting books Of
biography which the past year has produced
Is Margaret w. ELEPHANTS memoir of her
kInsman. Laurence Oliphant. HIS was re-
mark able career Indeed. as his biographer
claims, he was "a man unique in himself,
individual and distinct In his generation"
Born at Cape Town. the son of British
colonial Attorney-general, his early life
was passed at Cey Ion. where his father wac
afterward chief-justice. His life was filled
with forcefuI experiences and stirring and
remarkable adventure. Now we find him
hunting elephants in India; now studying
law in London; now publishing q book of
his Indian experiences; now admitted to
the Scotch bar; now exploring the remote
corners of Russia; now q writer on the staff
of the London Daily News; now secretary
of Lord Elgin's special diplomatic mission
to Washington. and plunged In the excite
ment of social season at the American
capital; now the British superintendent
general of Indian affairs in Canada; again
in London for a time. and then in the
trenches before Sebastopol as correspond
ent of the London Times; again In America.
and interested in the schemes of Walker.
the filibuster; now accompanying Lord Ell
gin on q mission to China; now attacked
and wounded by Japanese assassin; now
writing up the Schieswig- Holstein ques-
ton for the Times: now back in London
and occupying seat in Parliament lect-
urinR in Scotland, appearing as an author
In Blackw0Od's, favOrlte In London So
liant con ersationalist-this would seem to
be the last man to be interested in. ard
captivated by. the ideas of an obscure
American religious theorist.
THE RISE OF HARRIS.
1t was about the year 1860. or perhaps
year or two earlier. that Thomas Lake
Harris appeared in London. He was
visionary religious agitator-a crank. he
would be called to-day. He lectured at
small halls in London, enforcing his pc
culiar doctrines. W hich. he told his hearers.
were exemplified In the religious social
istic community in America. of which he
was the recognized head. He was openly
known at the time as an apostle of the
doctrines of Swedenborg. but he would APP
pear to have formulated q ystem of belief
wholly his own. His addresses were full
of lofty enthusiasm and warm Christian
feeling His theory was that the true
Christian life shOnld be not theory alone.
but actual practice; and there should
be an absolute - even remOrseless -
obedience. at whatever cost of sacri-
fee. to the principles of a perfect life.
There was much of mysticism wrapped
about this new prophet, his doctrines aud
even his personality. He affected a reti-
cence, an absorption by his reli gious duties,
- 10. Co.
those desIrous of personal conversation
with him to obtain an audience with him.
To the casual thinker 1t would seem that
Harris had two-fOld object In thus sur
rounding himself with mystery. He was:
and Ia still. no doubt. a close reader of
human nature. He understood that that
which IS forbidden TO US, or which ii is diff
cult to reach, becomes by this very diff
Guilty of attainment an object yet more to
he desired. Then. too. If he affected to deny
himself TO those W no ad become interested
in his preaching, and made the pathway to
his presence difficult, none could accuse
him afterward of having exerted undue in
tiuence to obtain converts and followers.
Such was Harris's method, for we find
that when Laurence Oliphant had been at
tracted by the preachings of the prophet.
and after long meditation had resolved
to enter his community and devote himself
TO the new life, Harris still dissimulated.
Oliphant gave up all-his position, pros
poets, politics, literature, society-to fol-
low this new teacher. and disappeared
from London, to reappear in Harris's Com
muBity, at Brockton, or Salem on-Erie
,Chautanqua county. New York; On his
landing in America he was met by mes
senger from Harris, who warned him TO re-
fleet still again before entering the CON-
munity. AT the same time" quotes his
b,ographer from the letter Of an intimate
friend of Oliphant. there was forwarded
to him such an exact moral diagnosis of his
then condition as to determine him more
thanever to join this extraordinary leader"
Thus he was held back and attracted ire
sistibly at ono and the same time.
HIS POWER OVER HIS FOLLOWERS.
The power of Harris over his followers
which would seem to justify fully Miss
Chevalliers charge of by pnotism-is shown
in the life which Oliphant led for the next
two years, his years of probation He
was put to the severest manual labor. He
was given an unfurnished loft for bed
chamber. with simple mattress upon the
| floor. His earliest work was that of clear
ing out a large cattle-shed or stable. For
days he was thus employed. often far into
the night, and forbidden to speak or be
| spoken to by any person. He worked and
ate his meals in silence and alone. Often
on returning home at 9 at night. exhausted
by his long labors. he was required to labor
for two hours longer in bringing water for
domestic use.
Harris affected to De able to cast out evil
spirits, or "Infernals," and to this end re-
| quired the whole community to abstain from
| sleeping. since the operation could be more
| surely successful if all were watching. Dep
r,vatiOn of necessary sleep was therefore
another of his ex pedients for bringing his
followers into the enjoyment of the per
| feet life"
| All ties Of relationship or friendship were
broken when one entered the community.
| Hnsbande and wives, parentsand children,
| were ruthlessly separated. and allowed to
| hold no intercourse with one another
| About year after the entrance
| of Laurence Oliphant into the Broc.
| ton community. his mother. Lady Oil
| plant. came from England. and offered her
| self. too. for membership. Perhaps she did
| this chiefly to be near her son. for between
| the two existed remarkable affection.
| But she was as well, profoundly attracted
| by che doctrines of Harris. Indeed, IL is
| probable that 1t was she who was at first
attracted by his preaching. and that
| through her interest Laurence also became
| interested. 1t was one of Harrlss first
| cares to separate the two. and thus put his
| theories into rigid practice. This woman.
| delicate and refined. was forced to engage
IN the most meDia, occupations.
taking part in washing, cooking
| to communicate in any way with her SOD.
although she saw him daily. but only as a
| stranger. When. at the close of his proba-
| tion he returned TOR time to ngland. the
| two were forbidden to take leave of one
another. and on his return he was forbid
| den TO tell her of his journey or Of whom
he had seen, and she was forbidden to ask.
Such was the strange power which Harris
| had obtained over his followers.
Al a - r.