The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-09
THIS COLONY CURIOUS
A RELIGIOUS SECT IN NEW MEX
leo FOUNDED BY A
DENTIST
CREED WAS MADE TO ORDER
Written by the Originator of the
Idea While He Was Under Some
Strange Influence The Tenets
or Their Unique Reiigion-The
First Head of the Colony Came
From New York.

From New York.
From the Chicago Record
New Mexico has many strange and
interesting sights for visitors. But of
| all the oddities presented to the
stranger there is none more interesting
than those seen in the Sholem colony.
SIX miles north of this place.
Dr. Newbroagh. New York dentist,
was the founder Of the colony and the
head and front Of the enterprise In
every way. He conceived the idea of
FORMING the colony about fifteen years
ago. He was an ardent Spiritualist
ana medium of no small Importance,
ne mad practiced Spiritualism for
many years. and is said to have re-
| ceived many messages from the spirit
world. he was not satisfied with the
ordinary. commonplace communion
lions which he had received from the
dead. and finally became convinced
that If he could purify himself by fast
ing an prayer he could get into COM
munlcation with higher order of spir-
It's. He tried this, and after some time
he received orders to get a typewrit
ing machine. Every morning he found
himself drawn to the machine by some
unseen influence, and for an hour he
would write without knowing what he
wrote. He was told to put away the
writing each day and not to read il
until his work was completed After
year of this he was instructed to
read the things that he had written
and to have it published This was
the origin Of the Bible of the Sholem-
ties, as the story is related by them.
BIBLE OF SHOLEMITES.
The book is called "Oahspe' and con-
tains more than 900 pages, purporting
to be history Of the heavens and the
earth from the creation to the present
time. If this Bible is to be believed.
this world. which we have been taught
Is 5000 years Old is more than 70
OOo,o0o years old. "Oahspe" teaches the
9enef Of one supreme God called
JehoVih, and a multitude of inferior
soos and evil spirits called drajos. The
| INFERIOR gods, lords and lord gods all
nave dominion over certain portions Of
| the heavens and the earth.
Inc use OF meat or the killing of ami
mas for any purpose whatever Is
strictly forbidden. All other religions of
the World, such as Christianity, Juda-
! ISM, Mohammedanism and Buddhism
are founded by evil spirits. or false
goos, who rebelled against the rule of
Jehovih- "Oahspe" tells of an alleged
continent, Which 1t calls Pou, said to
nave been located where the Pacific
ocean now Is, and which was submerg
ed at the time of the deluge.
MS modern Bible Is Illustrated with
many strange pictures Of alleged scenes
| In the earths history It teaches the
| doctrine of reincarnatfon and tha
| Sholemites hold that after death the
| soul must be born again in a higher
| or lower state, according to the life ono
has led, and after becoming sufficiently
purIf1ed the soul passes in the heavens.
which - -
ARE SEVERAL IN NUMBER.
Alter passing through the several in
ferlor heavens every soul eventually
VIII reach the highest heaven.
The site Of this unique colony Is in
beautiful bend of the Rio Grande
river. 1t embraces a tract of several
hundred acres of fertile land. we'll
Watered, with much of it in a high state
Of cultivation.
Dr.. Tanner, the noted faster. at one
Tune was a member of the colony. a.
NJ. Rowland, of Boston. who was one
| OF DR.. NeWbrough's first followers and
| chief assistant in the work of estab-
llshing the colony, is the present chief.
Dr. NeWbrough died in 1884. The pres
ent mead OF the colony is yerv Meas
ant man, about sixty years Of age He
Is SAD to be wealthy and to be a cousin
| OIL Hetty Green. Mr.. Howland's cos
Tune consists of white linen trousers
ana Jacket, with a wide, blue scarf
| around the waist. At home he never
wears. a hat. but goes about with his
| heao Dared alike to the chilling blasts
OF winter or the hot rays of the sum
| mef sun In winter he sometimes
| wears shoes and leggings, but in sum
| nief ne nnds these to be luxury. and
i in hi h,,.@
AT the present time there ora fav
adults in the colony, excepting Mr.
| Rowland and his family, and thew ara
devoung themselves in accorda noe
! with the directions of their Bibla in
the raising of children. They make a
business of gathering up numbers Of
homeless children. whom they bring
up Wlthout Knowing the taste Of meat
ana whom they instruct in
TENETS OF RELIGION.
In this way the colonists expect TO
raise a race of better and purer he
| ings.
AS the visitor approaches the COLONY
from the little station of Dona Ana
ne enters a large wooden gateway and
| passes up an excellent road To the
pulidlngs. There are two of these for
! uWelnng purposes. One is a red brick
cno 10 IoI the use OF children. The
| front door opens into a large hall that
| Is USED for playroom. Opening from
this hall are a number of doors. lead
ing into the kitchen. dining room and
! bedrooms. Mr.. Rowland also he's bir
| library and office in this building. Not
| W1thstanding his peculiar religions
views and eccentric dress he is a very
intelligent and well-read man.
At the present time there are about
nff0Qn ~ ~
young. None of them know their par
ents. having been brought to the col
ony when quite young and adopted by
Mr.. and Mrs. Rowland. They are
taught to read and write. and each
one is obliged to learn some trade. A
kindergarten is maintained for the
young ones and a teacher has been
employed for them. The children are
all dressed alike. without regard to
sex. and in the summer they wear only
| single garment reaching to their
| knees. Like their guardian, they do
not wear hats.
| The other building is of adobe. built
| in the Mexican style around an oblone
court. The building is intended for
| adults. The rooms are arranged to
| open into the court yard In this
| building is the parlor. in which can
be seen some Of the most
EXTRAORDINARY PICTURES
To be found anywhere. All are strange
and weird and many Of them are hide
Gus. Mr.. Rowland explains that these
were drawn by the hand of Dr. New
brough under the same influence of the
spirits that guided him IN the writing
| of 'tOahspe."
| One Of these extraordinary works is
| calculated to draw the Immediate at
tention of the visitor. 1t represents