The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-08

A Peculiar Sect Which Contains Nh.
merOus Centenarians.
Db;1o1a1nhia Racord

one of the most remarkable societies in all
the world to-day. which claims that 1t has
lost but eleven or its $50 members in America
within the last twenty-five years. and that
twenty-five of its members have lived past
the century mark, has its headquarters ar
No. 7O7 North Seventh street, in this city.
1t is quaint little establishment, the bulk
window OF which might easily impress the
passerby as the front OF junk shop. or a
the home of the singular sect styled the
Vital Friends. One corner OF the window is
covered by thin layer of earth, upon
which are strewn china figures and dolls.
while from a pile of rock in the middle rises
a crooked wooden serpent. its head serving
as a support for a small shaded lamp. The
rest Of the bulk window is filled with a
curious collection OF physiological charts.
yellow piles OF paper tracts and packages or
seeds.
The Vital Friends, who speak OF them
selves as belonging to the Cosmical Church.
are bound together as a sect partly religious,
partly hygienic in its teachings, and the es-
school where this sect's doctrines are pro-
mulgated. There the members are daily in
structed by the founder and head OF the as
ISOLATION, Victor B. Hall. who subscrioes
himself as "Vitalist."
Upon entering the store the visitor finds
himself in small room scantily and humbly
furnished A stove, a chair or two, wood
en- settee and table are the chief movables,
and the floor is without carpet.
posted notices OF the classes held above
stairs, and across the back of the room is
thrown wooden arch, from which is draped
some fiimsy white material
Vtalist Hall. the presiding genius OF the
establishment, is a man of medium height.
with a face framed in long straight hair.
which tends TO accentuate the impressive
appearance of his deep-set eyes and high
cheek bones. His face is that of a seer and
his language that Of the man OF education.
Day after day he is busy instructing his
classes in the science of life, incidentally
teaching peculiar method Of shorthand
known as "Cosmical digitypy"
ba prir balf Of of E,~fo
| that the life principle is God. the creat tive
power being the chief principle of the uni
verse. The active power of plants, the
energy Of the electrician. these are also
| God. God rules the universe by one perfect
law, harmonious in all its parts while sick
ness and early death are the disgraceful
results of wrong-doing, the natural results
of disobedience of the divine rules OF life
| The study of this law is divided into three
! branches: Vital dietics. vital culinics and
| vital genetics. The first of these teaches the
medicinal use of foods, il being held that
| all chemicals used as drugs are poisonous;
the second treats OF special methods of
cooking, and the third of limitations I'm the
married state. as directly opposed to the
| doctrine OF free love. Botany and fruit
| culture are studied, as Is also anatomy.
| and il is asserted that vital physiognomy
| can be taught so that the expert can dag
| nose disorders and read the physical condi-
| ton Of patient from his countenance.
Cosmical digitypy, the shorthand already
referred to. is a curious art. The alphabet
| Is reduced 10 fifteen signs. which are fur
/ Their abbreviated to five characters. These
| are fixed upon rubber thimbles which are
| so attached to the thumb and fingers of the
| left hand that the characters are printed
| directly on the paper.
| The Society OF Vital Friends had Its orr
| gin thirty-five years ago In London, Eng
| land At that time Victor B. Hall was q
| boy, but boy much given to thinking over
| open field he was suddenly inspired with the
| idea that he had q mission In this world.
J and Tor three years Srom that time N