New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-15
A SECT OF VOMEN ONLY.
THESE "sAycrrF1ED PEOPLE" RANK FOR
AGE WITH THE EARLIEST INDEPENDENT
D,O1-rN,t-N-T- AMONG WOMEN


ro- about tUentv-1ve years. says The Louisville
Commercial" there has existed and been held TO-
setber band Of women IN Bolton. Bell county,
Tex known as sanctihcationists. organized ana
managed by Mrs Martha McQuirter.
Mrs McQuirter is old resident OF Bel County,
and was for a number OF years an Influential mem
her OF the Methodist Church having class III
Sunday school Here she began advancing her
thoughts and ideas which proved 10 be out OF mar -
mony with the theology Of her Church. IN Cou'7e
of time Mrs McQuirter claimed to have had a rev
lation from heaven directing her 10 separate rum
the Church and the world and found an orue'' VI
band. Of sanctihed people.
This band must rank for age with the earnest
independent movement OF the present day among
women not only regiously but financially io'' oe-
sides being body composed Of religious enthusiasts
and led and instructed in doctrine by a woman
only they have also been stock company' sup
porting themselves by labor and accommodating prop
erty now estimated at from 100000 to S2ooo". F'o-
Tossing TO be guided by revelation entirely. one OF
the first divine orders which came to the leader
was a command to separate and completely WIN
draw the members of the band from an unDe me
Household This brought about the rupture OF i
ly all marriage relations and most OF the lal''''es
OF the band were entirely broken up.
When the sancthed people became sohut 81
gained Mrs. McQuirter received another rere -f5
ton namely. that they were TO go into me "orla
and i've their lives and religion before and among
f5e scoffers keepng entirely unnixed socially un-
communicative and aloof Mrs. McQuirter hired
these women cooks washerWomen or ser
wants In any respectable place and position, TOT Aer
own daughter hired 10 a family Where nut d
few months before she was always welcome guest.
They hired in the homes o. the 'unregen-
crate and without mixing affiliating !et tnelr
light shine in these dark places doing all KINDS or
mental labor I'm families where they had az neen
equal socially Some 81 the sanctifed FOLK got
cows sold butter and milk and did outdoor Work on
& farm they purchased near town. Ihen they
established a Laundry These enterprises were
financially successful In all these empoyments
n with
women that could possibly he avoided Their con-
versatlon with the uncOnverted was literally me
Bible standard OF yea nay.
Modestly. silently, quietly. without single sug-
eestion in all these years Of imprudence or reoe-
ION they held TO their belief and the work hey
had adopted They dressed very plainly with
aprons and sunoonnets. In common parlance they
were called the sanctifed people. Their work was
well done their butter good, their laundry work
excellent. People in a Joking way, had begun a.
first calling their washing "sanctihed washing. "
their cooking "sancthed cooking" their butter
"sanctihed butter"
Mrs McQuirter taught the band from the Bible.
Of which she a student, and new revelation
from heaven was always 90 hand for any emer-