The evening times., 1899-09-04
scHwEINFURTH's NEW ROLE.
The Famous "yfcar of Christ" Now a
Christian Scientist.

SclchthSt.
ROCKFORD. H., Sept. 1.-The announce
ment that George Jacob Schweinfurth has
become a Christian Scientist means that
there will be one less curiosity in Win
nebago county. He had posed as the Vicar
of Christ and the head OF the Church Tri-
| umphant" headquarters, on one OF the most
| highly cultivated farms in the State. seven
miles from this city. The inmates Of the
home, most of whom were women either
| in widowhood or past the age when women
| add to their beauty were known as angels.
| The one child in the home had come into
| the world by special dispensation, and was
regarded as incapable of sin.
People who saw Schweinfurth for the first
| time were always dumfounded, in spite
of any description they had heard or read.
He was neither meek nor lowly in personal
appearance or garb. He did not discourse
| In surplice or stole. He was not even
| severely clerical. He was on intimate
| terms with a tailor in Chicago who kept
| him advised of the latest patterns On one
occasion when legislative committee went
to the home empowered 10 investigate, to
enquire and. il necessary. summon wit
| nesses and bring about what grand juries
| in Winnebago county had failed to do.
after repeated efforts, the committee was
/ upset at the first step by the wears recep-
! ton. .+s.
The Home, cottage of the Queen Anne
| style of architecture, stands in the centre
| of a well-trimmed lawn. Trees, shrubs,
rosebeds, ndswinding pathways add to the
attractiveness Of the place. A gravel road
runs between the cottages and the main
road. At the main road intersection the
vicar" stood and received the legislative
committee. His mien and garb were in
! contrast with those Of the faithful who
were prosecuted in their day for their be-
| lief. His trousers were fresh from the
| Chicago tailor. and his other attire bore
| a closer resemblance TO fashion plates than
did that Of any member OF the committee,
or other visitor. His boots were of patent
| leather, pointed; his waistcoat was 1ecked
cerulean; his linen immaculate and ample
| with FURNISHED studs in the front. He
| wore no coat but instead a silk embroid-
| cred smoking jacket, the fit of which show
ed that it was no bargain counter affair
On his head, smoking cap. with hint
OF list to port in its setting. His hair
and beard harmonized. They were sug-
gestive in tint Of Titan, and were we'll
groomed. His beard covered his face, but
was nearly Van Dyke in cut.
There was nothing In the manner OF the
vicar" to which exception could be taken
He seemed well bred; he was neither high
melted nor condescending. The commit
| tee was most considerate. II was Sunday
morning. AS Schweinfurth led the way to
| the Home of Angels one saw coming in
from various directions teams in punches
and procession. They were not the wagons
of ordinary farmers. They were buggies,
family carriages, light vehicles drawn by
horses which had competed for premiums
at the Winnebago county fair. The occu-
pants of these equipages were the follow
ers Of Schweinfurth. They were taxpay-
ers and prominent in their respective To-
49,,
present.
Before leaving the committee sat down to
dinner in the Home. The table was that of
any man Of means who liked good things.
1t was bountiful and well served The
vicar" explained that every article on the
table was home product
The committee made no report adverse to
the Home. No grand jury ever found an
indictment. When strangers came to Rock
ford and said the town ought to be ashamed
OF itself for permitting Schweinfurth to live
in the county, Rockford merchants turned
to his accounts and showed them. He was
| a big buyer and paid cash. He bought the
best of everything The churches some
times reviled him, but their assaults were
spasmodic. A Chicago newspaper sent an
angel to the Home and paid her literally
to put to a test the wears claim and
obtain the secrets of the angery. She re-
mained several months. She succeeded in
satisfying the vicar" of her sincerity in
the belief of his teaching, But that was all.
The newspaper printed two pages of the
story, and before doing SO submitted it to
the supervision of lawyers, but there was
not line in it on which to hang an indict-
ment. And yet over every portal in the
cottage hung the scriptural motto, They
shall neither marry nor be given in mar
riage, but be as the angels of God in
heaven ~
Three years ago Schweinfurth broke away
from these notices and married in Mime
sofa. The headquarters of the Church
Triumphant" are closed. But the model
farm and all its accessories remain. Some
of the whilom angels have fluttered into
matrimony. A few Of the wrinkled ones
remain as employees.
When asked how he explained his in
fiuence over his followers. the other day,
Schweinfurthe said he could not explain
it. But he insisted that it was not hypno-
tic. He expressed his firm belief in Mrs.
Eddy, and hoped to obtain hor favor, and
have standing in her sect. Rockford is in
terested in the result. The effect OF
Schweinfurth's renunciation on trade is
awaited with anxiety. Angel business
always paid in Rockford.