The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-18
THE HINKLEYITEs.
Something About an Odd Sect
Located Near Bingho mton.


Located Near Bingha mton.
From the New York Herald.
One Of the strangest sects in the
United States, whose existence was
until recently practically almost un-
known, are the Hinkleyites, who oc-
cupy a small settlement among Penn
sylvania's hills, few miles from the
New York State line, not far from the
city of Binghamton. There, strange a5
it may seem in these hard times, money
is drug on the market, and yet the
inhabitants are contented and happy.
But 1t Is doubtful, though, If all the
money in the community were scraped
together itN would foot up more than
$40 at any one time.
This peculiar settlement is known as
Hinkley's Corners. 1t consists of half
dozen houses, a like number of barns
and other outbuildings, and a frame
structure used as a place of worship
In cold weather AS long as the wealth
er 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 commune
ity is a strange one. About thirty-fivc
years ago a man named Hinkley be-
Pittsburg. He claimed that Christian
ity, by disregarding the Mosaic laws,
had violated one of the principles upon
which it was founded.
POLICE INTERPRETED.
Hinkleys crusade was so much of
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
Hinkley 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 Aset
apart for public worship, they don
their best apparel. The services open
with an invocation, the Sacrifice hav-
ing been previously prepared and laid
on the altar. The fire Is then lighted
and If the smoke arises in a straight
column, both men and women burst
into songs of thanksgiving; but should
the smoke hang in a cloud above the
altar weird, wailing song fills the
air until the priest has replenished the
fire. prtpared a new Offering, and the
smoke ascends directly heavenward.
FUNERALS AND WEDDINGS.
A strangely weird and solemn sight
is funeral among these strange peo-
| pie. The body is carried to its last
resting place on a bier, the grave hav-
| ing previously been lined with straw,
and into this the uncoffined remains
are lowered. Each person in attend
ance then sprinkles a handful of earth
on the corpse all the while chanting
the funeral 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 at
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
ceremony, at the conclusion of which
he pronounces the ceup.e united. Then
at the next funeral or on the next day
of worship he announces the wedding,
and the newly Unmarried couple are ac-
corded the rights usually bestowed
upon man and wife-they are at lib
erty to purchase a 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 exc
cutive officer of the community, fore
closes the claim, and the couple are
obliged to separate and seek work
where they can among their fellows.