The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1899-09-15

s7~"~N~Ns~TNT@>~>E
county. Mo. Several years ago DR.. d.
r. McAnally (now deceased), the cru
dite editor OF the St Louis Christian
Advocate. In an editorial on the sub
feet OF communism. asserted that the
Oneida community In New York. the
Bethel Colony and It's oif-shoot, the
Aurora (ore.) Colony. were the notable
instances OF the application OF the
theory OF communism upon American
soil. Aside from this slight mention
the fame OF this singular experiment
has been confined to Preside MARIA
tiyes. M the historian OF It's achieve
ments seems TO have been omitted from
its caravan. or left behind In the long
journey.
Like nearly all modern cooperative
schemes OF similar character this was
conceived and planned In the brain OF
a religious enthusiast. who doubtless
dreamed that he was n chosen power
20 usher In a brighter day for human
kind. Dr. william Kell. the founder,
prophet. priest ana king Of thls vest
ern Utopia. was a Methodist preacher
OF German descent. who labored among
his race and kindred In portions OF
Pennsylvania and Ohio; how long he
continued In the ministry or how sue
cessful were his labors can not be as
certained. but for some reason. pre-
sumably that OF preaching strange doc
trlne. he was "hauled upon the ear
pct" by his ecclesiastical sunerlors. by
whom he was deprived OF his minis
terial authority lie then formulated
this communlstlc scheme. organized
this society. and with his followers en-
igrated westward and founded this coll
ony. which survives its wreck no far AZ
appearances are concerned. In the pres
ent town OF Bethel. where the quaint
buildings OF the early colonlsts are
still pointed out TO the inquisitlye
traveller.
These colonlsts secured by entry or
purchase large tract Of valuable land
HOO acres OF which was Enclosed as
the common field where the individuals
labored under the direction OF over
seers appointed by Or. Kell. A com.
mon boarding house was erected where
the unmarried male members OF tho
community resided, and common
storehouse was kept where the faml-
lies were supplied with their allotted
portions OF provisions. the storekeepeT
managing the accounts and supplying
the necessaries according 10 the com
munal regulations. The attention OF
those frugal people was directed to-
ward manufacturing. and In the palmy
and prosperous days OF the enterprise
Bethel was a miniature Lowell; cloth
was spun from the wool OF the colony
sheep, which roamed In vast herds over
the virgin ! -airies. attended by the
designated shepherds. and the skin OF
Wild deer, which had not then dlsap-
peared from our horizon. we're made
Into hats and gloves,
Distlllerles and brewerleA were In
operation, where the bloom OF the
fields OF rye and corn was preserved In
the translucent glow OF red liquor and
lager beer. the Influence Of which can
yet be traced upon some OF the de-
scendants Of the temperate dreamera
OF former days.
Perhaps the browning work OF these
Industrious people. from an architec-
tural standpoint. was the erection OF
the colony church. which until recently
stood In simple grandeur as a memory
OF better days. This edince was con
structed OF brick and stone. after the
type OF churches IN the fatherland. II
was paved with thing. provided with
an organ loft. II was crowded each
Sunday with the colonIsts, who. In the
zenith OF their power, numbered pee
haps a thousand souls The type OF