The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-01
THE LAST DAYS OF ZOAR
CONCLUSION OF A NOTABLE EXPERT
MENT IN COMMUNISM.
Members Who Have Kept Faith to Get
About $4,000 Apiece-Poverty of
the Community at the Start.
Toledo 6o.l Letter in New York Sun.

Toledo (O.) Letter in New York Sun.
The decline of the Zoarites, who have just
relinquished their c~ommunistic principles
and abandoned the constitution under which
they have laborad for nearly three-quarters
of a century, may be regarded as the end
of an interesting experiment. In one way
1t was successful The material prosperity
of the order is a splendid example of the
manner in which good hard work, syste-
matically applied, will turn a desert into a
rose garden and the abode Of contentment
1t is true that Tuscarawas county, Ohio,
was not exactly a desert when the Zoarites
reached it in the bleak winter of 1917, but
since that day they have made their farms
the best, their barns the largest and their
pocketbooks the heaviest in the region.
In the spring of 1917 two hundred erman
from Wurtemberg, who had been harried
in their fatherland for years because of
their peculiar religious tenets, embarked for
Philadelphia. They were induced to take
this step by some Quakers who had learned
of the persecution to which the Separatists,
as they were called, had been subjected.
This name they had earned by their refusal
to accept the teachings of the Lutheran
faith, and by some notions they had ac-
quired as to the equality of man which
were far from being popular with the Ger
man authorities. In short, they occupied
such a place in the social fabric as the
Come Cutters of New England did some
years ago, with the added unhappiness of
being forced to move on when
ever the combined powers Of church
and state could discover their haunts.
Poor and distressed, it was only
through the help of American Quakers that
Storage passage for the party could be Sc
cured, and when they reached these shores
they knew not how to solve the question of
daily bread. Again they were befriended by
the Quakers, who, gave them a sum of
money equal to SIS for each man, woman
and child in the party. On the voyage over
the natural leader of the party asserted
himself. He was Joseph M. Bauemeler, who
later anglicized his name to Bimeler. This
man had been q weaver, but through self
education had become a teacher. He was a
student of old German t~heologianS and had
assisted in reducing to twelve articles the
faith which the SeparatistS had evolved.
Before Philadelphia was reached he had
been tacitly chosen as pushes manager of
city was sent to spy out the land and find
a home for his people. Bimeler was pleased
with $500 acres of land in the virgin
county of TuscarawaS, which was offered at
So an acre, on fifteen years time. Further
concessions were made as to interest, and
he recommended the purchase. The land
Md0 POlClldOCo aliu no dl0 his PNOPAO -
moved to it in December. The land was
parcelled out in severalty, and each head of
a a f haayy oddg ghf ME Then IN th fol hew Iof eigh Wlen
months of logged grubbing and hardship
which well nigh broke down their sturdy
German determination. The debts on the
land had not been reduced by a penny, and
there seemed little hope of better things.
Their only homes were bark huts and a
ton was so great that the colony. would
doubtless have been abandoned had 1t not
been for a bountiful present of supplies
which reached the Separatists from an un-
known hand.
BIMELER AS AN EXECUTIVE.
Then Bimeler came to the front again and
showed his ability as an executive. He
pointed out the fact that each was working
for his own good, and an immense amount
of labor was actually wasted each day
which might be better applied by concerted
labor for the general good. This was the
beginning of the community of Zoar, as
they had named their little, struggling,
ugly array of huts. The idea took root at
once, and a constitution was mapped out.
This has been amended from time to time.
but the underlying principles laid down by
Bimeler have never been changed. BY them
all labor was for the common veal and all
profits accrued to the society. This in turn
was charged with providing for the wants
signed by every one which set forth the du-
ties of the individuals to one another ana
to the society, and this short code OF laws
has proved SO ehicaciouS that in all these
years no convict has ever come out OF Zoar,
and no chickering's ever reached the outside
world until the movement for the abohtlon
Of the society began some four years ago.
The officers of the society were few, and
both men and women shared in the fran
chise. An agent was appointed to buy and
Zoarites with the world at large were con-
cerned, and. as might have been expected,
Bimeler was chosen for the Office, and ne
held 1t for many years. Three trustees were
elected and their terms so arranged that
one Of the three was chosen anew each year.
These trustees were charged with the DUTY
Of providing board, clothing and dwellings
for the different members of the society,
without respect Of persons" They pre-,
scribed to each his work in the society, and
were the supervisors of every. description
of labor, with power to appoint subord1-
mates and superintendent. And that there
might be a court Of last resort there was
created a standing committee of five, which
was what may be called a society or peace
and arbitration, and to this body all differ
enceS were brought for adjudication.
1t will be seen that the power of the dol
lar was not recognized in the makeup or
tied an individual from owning so much as
a copper cent. and from that time until
the wind-up of the society within the last
thirty days men and women have been
born. wed. and buried without having been
contaminated by the touch of lucer in at
least one portion Of the civilized world.
AS lOT the ILIdIIldSS SldlS, liz oOSlCly was
s~orrowfully compelled to acknowledge that
it must be q part of the system. Encourage
ment of marrying was not originally con-
templated, as it was held by Bimeler and
the Twelve Articles that God only tolerated
marriage for the perpetuation of the race.
The society was to be celibate, as Bimeler
taught that celibacy was esteemed above
the marriage state. This state of
things continued until Bimeler himself
became enamored of q rosy-cheeked, flax
en-haired girl in 1882, and the first marriage
was celebrated in Zoar. 1t may be remarked
that the girl became the mother of a large
family.
RECRUITS ON PROBATION.
Prior to that time it was the hope of the
founders of the society that it would be re-
cruited by means of novices, and early pro-
vision was made for their reception. They
were to serve a probationary period OF one
year, after which, if they chose to become
members of the society, they signed the
covenant and constitution and made over all
their property to the society. From that
time they received a guarantee of two
suits of clothes at all times, a good home,
plenty to eat and medical attendance.
Schools were also provided but they were
OF an elementary nature, and mental Guilt
walton did not reach a very high plane in
the society at any time. It's founders were
generation showed only such evolution as
might have been expected, shut out as the
youngest were from the more progressive
life 0f tho MATCHMAKING toOvnS and villa opS