The sun., 1898-11-08
. ~
STRANGE RELIGIOUS SECT
Friend OfRusSian Ascetic in Rhine
beck to Arrange for Immi-
grafton Of DhOukhobortsi.
MANY FRIENDS INTERESTED
They are the Victims of Persecution
and Wilmington Friends Will
Assist in Having Them Migrate
From Russia..-SimiIarity
of Religion.

The attention of phi]antropists and
persons generally who sympathize with
people oppressed for their religious be-
liefs, Is at present centered on the Dhouk-
hoborsti, strange religious sect of Rus
sia. Ways and means are being found
in the United States to help them in
their distress regardless OF the unusual
ideas they have in regard to religious
| matters.
The members Of the Society of Friends,
throughout at least the east
/ ern part OF tho country, are specially in
terested in the sect.
The Friends in Wilmington are be-
coming interested. At the last monthly
meeting of the West Street Meeting
West street above Fourth, the matter
was brought up by David Ferris, who is
we'll versed in the history Of the sect.
1t is said the origin Of the sect has
been traced to an English member of the
Society Of Friends; but if such is the
case they have widely departed from the
belief of the Friends.
The Russian Imperial police discovered
the sect in 1850. On August %, 1899, all
members of the sect were banished for
life to the mines in Siberia, made to-.
wear chains and fogged with knots.
Fifteen thousand in all were transport
ed. They were allowed to colonize on a
Siberian farm in 1882, and in seven years
Etheir number had grown to $4,000,
when their farm was confiscated and all
able bodied men forced into the Caucas.
sian Army Corps and the others to the
deadly NnrchoYialr load uniroa
Those in the army when in front OF the
enemy would refuse to fight, as it is
against their belief. In 1860 they were
permitted to return to Russia but were
not allowed to stay in one place more
than six months, by which means their
number were reduced five thousand.
The members of the West Street Meet
ing were favorably impressed by the pre-
sentation of the subject by Mr.. Ferris
and sympathized with the much-per-
secuted sect.
1t is likely that the matter>wil be.
taken up again and definite action taken.
The subject has been treated fully in the
publications of the Society of Friends re-
Gently.
The effort to help the members OF this
sect has taken the form of assisting them
to migrate to this country and tempo.
rary colony is to be located at Rhine
beck, N. Y.
In Philadelphia, on Saturday night,
committee was formed to collect funds.
l. N. Seligman is treasurer, and the
other members are William Dean How
ellis, Jane Adams, of the Hull House,
Chicago; William Lloyd Garrison, of
Boston; the Rev. DR.. George Dana
Boardman, of Philadelphia; N. O. Mel
son, of St. Louis and Bolton Hall and
Ernest Fl. Crosby, of New York.
The sect has been granted two years to
leave Russia, and a small number who
are on the outskirts of London, have
been granted permission by the English
Government to settle for a time at Cy-
prus.
Count Tolstoi has taken a great inter.
est in the members of the sect for some
years. and wealthy Englishman, a Mr..
Mode, who resides with the Count and
has contributed much money to- his
charitable schemes, has arrived in this
country and is at Rhinebeck, N. Y, pre-
pairing for the colony.
Albert W. Smith, OF this city, mem
ber of the West Street Meeting, said that
one reason the Friends of this country
and England sympathIzed so much with
this sect was on account OF their cruel
persecution and the fact that they re-
sembed the Friends in that they OBJ
served the commandment "Thou shalt
not kill"
The sect resembles the Friends in
few doctrines, but in others widely differ.
They seem to have somewhat similar
idea in regard to not believing in hered-
itary sin and in regard to heaven and
hell.
In other parts of their doctrine the
sect seems entirely different from any
other in existence.
They base their family ties entirely on
mutual affection, and when this ceases,
man and wife separate. Wives are called
sisters, and children are spoken of bv
their parents as children OF the tribe.
There is no such relationship as father
and child in their eyes. A child is sup
posed to have no soul until one enters
ts body some time between its sixth and
fifteenth years.
They believe God lives in the soul of
everyone and regard the fall OF Adam as
historical and deny that it has anything
% do with the fall of any other man.
They look upon all the rest OF mankind
IS idolators. They hold to the belief
hat their church is made up of all men
Who know that God has chosen them.
They have the unusual belief that when
he millennium finally comes the righteous
will possess the earth, bnt will work and
lie just the same. The history and be-
ief of these people is a curious one in
Iced, and thev will be regarded with
much interest upon their arrival on our
hores and will be welcomed as all op-