The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-03-20

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Rio Grande val A NJ. ROWLAND.
ley. The colony is under the wing Of
a sect calling themselves ''Faithists of
jehovah - of which Mr.. Rowland is an
ardent member.
incidentally the Faithists intend to
reorganize the religions, the science and
the political economy of the world in
accordance with the teachings of their
bible, Oahspe, which was revealed
through DR.. J. H. Marlborough, former
~ New York dentist But the work
especially enjoined upon them by their
bible and their object as set forth in
their charter of incorporation is to
gather into Shalam helpless, homeless,
parentIess children, the children whom
no one else wants, and there carefully
educate them and train them to be self
supporting. When they reach years Of
discretion, they can either return to the
world or remain with the colony, as they
choose.
The Faithists believe in community
of goods, and SO Mr.. Rowland is in no
sense the owner of the 400 acres of
land, with I'LL improvements. upon
which the colony is located, although
the money expended was all once his.
The ex-wool merchant and financial
magnate of Boston is now only trustee
for the children at Shalam." But new
ertheless he is the head, shoulders and
feet of the enterprise, and is throwing
into it all his heart, strength and energy
Just as freely as he has already cast III
all his fortune.
Mr.. Rowland is a small sized man,
so or SIS years old, with long, heavy,
slightly curling hair and whiskers, now
almost white, but evidently once of a
reddish cast What his whiskers leave
visible of his face is thoughtful and very
earnest, but kindly in expression. His
blue eyes are set wide apart and ara the
eyes of dreamer and idealist He is a
picturesque figure as he hurries about
the ranch in his costume of white he'll
met, Chinese blouse of white flannel,
Turkish trousers of white duck, blue
sash and tan coIored shoes and leggings
When the weather is fair, he goes bare
footed, bare armed, more or IS bare
legged and usually bareheaded.
He is a vegetarian, as are all the
Faithists, of the strictest sort, and he
hates animal food with all the fervor of
a true follower of that principle, but no
more than he hates a Photographic
camera. Many are the kodak owners
who have ridden out to Shalam and
tried to persuade or inveigle him into
being photographed. They have always
found him both obdurate and wary, and
of has mi
But have been fortunate enough to get
a sketch of him from an artist who had
visited Shalam.
Associated with Mr.. Rowland are a
number of helpers, young men and
women, who are all of singularly serene
and wholesome aspect. Whether it is
their vegetarian diet, their unquestion-
ing faith, their unselfishness, the fire.
quent bathing their religion commands,
their untroubled lives, or what not,
never have l seen anywhere else such
delicate, clear, healthful skins, bright
eyes and serene faces. The women are
especially notable for the pure, brilliant
white and rich coloring of their COM
plexions. Even the children, born
though they were in the squalor of
the slums and until they came here
knew no purity of body or of mind, show
already the same sweet, happy faces,
pure compilations and rosy cheeks.
The care, training and teaching Of tho
children, so that they may grow up
with sweetness of spirit, vigor of body
and keenness of intellect, is the especial
work of the women of Shalam. Their
leader in this is Mr.. Howland's wife,
happy faced young woman from Boston,
whom he married in the colony not long
ago.
Asked why he had come to this out of
the way corner of the world to start the
colony, Mr.. Rowland replied:
eve wish to bring up the children
entirely away from the communicating
influences of flesh eaters, liquor drink
ers and those who find their pleasure in
the qualification of their lower passions.
Then we believe that in and near all
great cities a vast army of drujas,
spirits of the dead who lived wicked
lives, lie il wait to bring children I'M
der the same influences which ruined
them. But here the little ones are safe. -
Thousand and one cranky notions
though there are in the belief of the
Faithists, the life at Shalam is pathet-
ically beautiful, pathetic in its simple
and unhesitating faith that through
them the whole world shall be revolu-
tionized, and surprisingly beautiful in
the generous and loving devotion that
| lays all of life, strength and wealth at
the feet of these little waits of the
worlds crime and misery