The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-10-14
LIVE AND DIE UNKNOWN.
The HinB,Ieyites of Pennsylvania Arc
n Strange Band of People.

Inc <AAO
n Strange Band of People.
One of the strangest sects in the
United States. whose existence was ur-
til recently practically almost un-
known, are the Hinkleyites, who occu-
py small settlement among Pennsyl-
vania's hills a-feW miles from the New
York state line, not far from the city OF
Binghamton. There, strange as it may
seem in these hard times, money is a
drug on the market, and yet the in
habitants are contented and happy. But
it is doubtful, though, if all the money
in the entire community were scraped
together it would foot up more than
ten dollars at any time.
This peculiar settlement is known as
Hinkley's Corners. 1t consists of half
dozen houses, q like number of barns
and other outbuildings and a frame
structure used as place of worship in
cold weather. AS long as the weather
will permit the religious rites of this
strange sect are held in the open air,
usually in a cave near the woods
The history of this peculiar commu-
nifty is strange one. About 35 years
ago a man named TIinkley began
preaching a crusade in the city of Pitts
burgh. He claimed that Christianity,
by disregarding the Mosaic laws, had
violated one of the principles upon
which it was founded.
Uinkley's crusade was so much of a
success, many prominent persons fol-
lowing his standard, that the police
suddenly put a stop to the sacrifices.
The result OF this threat was to cause
Hinlley and a few followers to emf
CRATE to the mountains, there to start
the peculiar settlement that exists to-
day. While working about the farms
the men wear ragged clothes that in
the summer season scarcely cover their
bodies, but on Saturdays, the day set
apart for public worship, they don their
best apparel. The services open with
an invocation, the sacrifice having been
previously prepared and laid on the
altar. The fire is then lighted, and if
the smoke arises in straight column
both men and women burst into songs
of Thanksgiving. but should the smoke
hang in q cloud above the altar weird
wailing song flllsthe air until the priest
has rcplenished the fire, prepared a
new Offering and the smoke ascends di-
rectly heavenwarN.
A strangely weird and solemn sight is
a funeral among these strange people,
The body is carried to its last resting
place on a bier, the grave hasing pre-.
viously been lined with straw, and into
this the uncofiinesl remains are lowered
Each person in attendance then sprin-
klcs handful of earth on the corpse,
all the while chanting the funera
hymn. and finally passing out of the
graveyard, until only the sexton is left
to complete the work of burying the
dead
a wedding is an unusually quiet af-
fair. The contracting parties call upon
the priest, who requires them to sign
an agreement to live together as man
and wife, and then performs a short GER
emory. at the conclusion of which he
rronounces the couple united. Then at
the next funeral on on the next dav
OF vOrGhip he annornccs the wedding,
and the newly married couple are ac-
corded the rights usually bestowed
upon man and wifc-they are at lib
crty to purchase Il farm, and the COM
munity will become security for the
payment within five years. If at the
end of that time the farm is not paid
for, the priest. who is the chief execu-
tive officer Of the community, fcrecloses
the claim, and the couple are obliged
to separate and seek work where they
can among their fellows.-N. Herald.