The times., 1899-09-24
CALIFORNIA; QUEER SECT
The Dunkard River Brethren Are
DeyOut Followers Of Christ.
They Read the Bible Literally and
Do Not Admit That 1t Contains Al
IegOry-They AbhOr the Shedding
of Human BIood-Au Amusements
Are Tabooed-StranEe ObserYances.
From the New York Evening post.)


There have been a score of communistic
in California; several have been founded
on hygienic ideas; there have been many
religious colonies and a few political and
cooperative societies. All but three or
four have proved failures after trials of but
a year or two. The most successful and
probably the most unique colony of all is
one among the foothills, about the base of
the San Gabriel Mountains, in the northern
part of Pomona Vailey-known as the col
ony of River Brethren. They are an Off
shoot from the Dunkard denomination of
Kansas and Nebraska, and they take their
name from the fact that in 1888 Johann
Boehmler established the first church of
the sect on the Susquehanna River in
Pennsylvania.
The River Brethren follow the life and
ways of the first Christian Church in Jeru-
salem as closely as It is possible TO do in
these latter days of the nineteenth century.
They came to southern California because
this region is similar in climate and seen
cry TO Palestine; because here they may
raise the same crops that the first Chris
uans did; and because they may live in
these warm. semi tropic latitudes in the
same simplicity and out -of-door fashion
that the Master and his disciples did The
River Brethren grow olives and eat largely
of olive oil because the earliest Christians
did; they have vineyards and jackasses for
similar reasons. Their dress is patterned
somewhat after the Biblical descriptions Of
the garments OF the followers of Christ
IN Palestine, and some Of the leaders have
recently proposed that they adopt togas,
or loose winding garments of linen, in or
der 70 be garbed more like the Master and
his disciples
There are some three hundred members
of the sect in Southern California, and the
headquarters are at Lordsburg manned with
pious intenO on the northern edge of Po-
mona Valley. The sect has college there,
and as the sect lives as thoroughly as pos
sible within Itself, it has it's own stores
and warehouses In that,fplace. The tou-
rists who flock 10 this region every winter
are always interestedoin the unusual sever
/ ity OF the sects belief, and its rigorous
mode of life. No stern Puritan OF Oliver
| CrowwelPs time could have held amuse-
ments in gerater abhorreRce than do these
simple country folk. They hold them
! selves and their children SO firmly apart
! from it that they probably have an exag-
/ gerated and distorted idea of the wicked
/ ness of the wori3. Any attempt to follow
/ in the slightest degree current fashions and
manners is looked upon as an awful lapse
| into sin. They allow no public money TO
| be expended for their poor or helpless
| members, but provide for them among
| themselves.
The Bible is read literally by the River
Brethren There is no allegory there. SIX
/ Bible days mean six days, and all that sci
ence says and modern preachers in otnef
/ sects say. is but blasphemy. The New les
| lament is the sect's inspired and intalhoie
| guide in every phase of life. They have nc
patience with speculative theology, ana
while they are intense arguers OF their re-
| ligious belief they are seldom interested in
anything else. Few of them ever vote, and
political argument is scarcely tolerated.
The believe heartily in non-resistence' VIII
not go to law, and will not prosecute one
who wrongs them, without the consent OF