The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-02-09
WAYS OF TWO QUEER SECTS,

| In Crogan, small village in Lewis
! county, this state. are living what is
| known as the Nanmberg sects. says the
| Utica Observer. AS these people regard
| strangers with suspicion and are un-
| willing to have any statistics regarding
themselves published little Is known of
them outside OF their immediate neigh
/ borhood. They are Industrious, frugal
| and thrifty people, bound together by
| common religious belief i'm which bap-
tsm is the central idea. The peculiar
manner OF their dress. which IL always
plain, yet with no attempt at uniformi-
! ~, made them an object of interest
whenever seen. The women dress sim
ilar to the Quakers. without ribbons.
feathers or flowers To- adorn their head
dress. The characteristics apply TO
both these Naumberg sects-the Hook
and Eye" and the Anabaptists. The
latter call themselves Evangelical Bap-
lists. and practice baptism with adults
or those of ripper years, while the
Hook -and Eye" people include infants
I'm the holy rite. Should any one wish
to join them they are re-baptized, no
attention being paid to previous bap-
tisms performed by any other religious
body. The EVangeicals place little or
no value on education even for minis
teral work. The minister labors gratis
and has not u1ue influence in the
equalization OF marriage among the
flock as TO competency. money matters,
etc.
It sometimes happens that all the
members OF a fanny are not of the
same religious belief Should person
de who is not member of the Evan
geNcals. and yet a member of such
household, the corpse must remain i'm
the hall of the church during the SER
vices. and not be brought i'm front of the
pulpit. an honor that is accorded to
n
hearse i'm attendance at their funerals
and their collins ars of the plainest
material.
To them: creeds are only the devices
OF men. The Hook -and- Eye people
fasten their clothing with hooks and
eyes even the male members believing
that buttons are too showy, and exhibit
a pride I'm dress that should be con-
cealed.
They have little to do with outside
people but greet each other with the
holy kiss after an absence or on leaving
for Journey. The men do this; the poor
sisters are strangely omitted.
Having no house OF worship the
Hook and Eye" hold meetings at the
homes OF the different members. They
do not meet with the Evangelicals. yet
hold many things In common with
them as TO belief and praG-icc.
Dealing in tobacco is against their
rules and i'm stores where it is sold the
merchant makes an arrangement by
which "A clerk takes care of that part.
and So the proprietor escapes that
shocking ana irreverent piece OF bust
npSs.
They have no firearms: they dp not
go TO law and seldom take interest for.
money loaned TO poorer members of
their sect.
They have no paintings. photographs
nor pictures OF any description TO adorn
their walls.
The men are not allowed 20 wear
mustaChcs,to votcor to hold office They
care for the own poor and are careful
of the treatment OF each other
As I'm almost every religion the older
members try 90 maintain the dignity of
the church. while the younger ones pay
less attention 90 the more rigid details
A very odd and uusccountable rule
among them is ihat no man s allowed
go lock arms witn bis wife In public es-
pecially IN going 10 or in coming from
Church such rule iu this localitv
would be- entirely uncalled for. How
ever the offence there is pun. shed ~
calling the offenders to- front seats.
known 20 all a. seats for discipline.
They arr an honest God-feating peo-
r' al nraca with the world and with
thmsciseg. They neithet fll 0ur coun.
ty houses nor our jANs They nrc tnti-
tltd to aN fno privilege and protection
uur cuusttu ION tXteuds an our pOuu-
try b. benefited 10y their Industry,