The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-16
SECT ADOPTS BABIES
RELIGIOUS ORDER BELIEVES IN
SPIRITUALISM, VEGETARIANISM
AND COMMUNISM
PREFERS TO TRAIN YOUNG
Think 1T Better to Educate Ten
Children Properly Than Reform
Forty Adults, as the Former
Have More influence.

! DENVER. April ia new religious
| sect, which was founded in Denver about
two years ago, came into public notice
when incorporat ton papers were filed with
! the secretary Of state for the Brotherhood
| Of Light, an association which was form
ed not for pecuniary gain, but for the
advancement of the human race. Some
| of the beliefs of members of the brother
| hood are odd.
They believe to degree in spiritualism
| that angels have the power and on GER
tain occasions do communicate with NOR
| tails of the proper character.
| They are vegetarians, and eat only
| grains, fruits and nuts.
They believe so much in moderation
| the lighter grades of work eat only one
| meal a day.
! Members Must Give Up Property.
| Those who become members of the in
ner circle of the brotherhood surrender all
| their holdings, real and personal, to the
| brotherhood and live in community.
The chief work of the brotherhood is
the adoption of outeast and castaway
babies, taking care of lnem, and train
ing them in the beliefs OF the order. 1t
is intended to keep them in a home, where
they will be instructed. until they are
fourteen years old. After this they will
be sent out into the world, in charge
of competent guide" and will be shown
all there is to see. IT, after this expert
they will be instructed. until they are
free to go. If on the contrary they de-
| sire to devote their lives to the work of
| the brotherhood-it is believed that their
early training will accomplish this-they
will be made members of the inner circle
and will take up the work of training
children as they have been trained.
Order Owns House and Farm.
L. w Van Dyke, chief bookkeeper Of
| the Columbia Savings and Loan associa-
| ton, is one of the founders of the order,
which originated in Denver. Mr. Van
Dyke has been a student of theosophy
and a follower Of most of the new reli-
gIouS movements, but he believes that
his own is superior to any which has yet
been originated. It embodies In some
cases certain features of theosophy and
spirtualism. The Brotherhood of Light
has commenced its work by securing a
large house and thirty acres of land
located about one mile southeast of Uni
VerSlty park. Members Of the brother
hood farm the land and care for five
cnlldren, who have been in training for
The work since they were infants
We desire to have the personal eIe-
ment subdued as much as possible" said
Mf. van Dyke. I'VE are just getting a
start but within a few months we in
ment land and establish our colony. We
VIII build our own irrigation system and
make the colony self-supporting from the
start one of our principles is that we
never run in debt.
All Earnings Go to Society.
There are several of US at present who
are engaged in other business, but we put
all Our earnings into the brotherhood and
soon We expect to go into the colony and
devote the rest of our lives to the work.
we have several children promised 20
us which We will get as soon as they are
born. Our hope is that the children we
bring up will take up the work as they
grow older and that in this way "A new
race will spring up
The brotherhood asks for no charity,
but VIII carry on it's work with funds
secured by the labor of it's members 1t
intends to secure it's babies largely from
hospitals and asylums. 1t will teach them
as they grow up that they must marry
only for love and that they are to be
allowed to marry but once. If they are
unhappy in the welded state they will be
permitted to separate, but not to remarry.
| They believe that a new revelation has
come to the world which will supersede
all the old teachings, and they preach
the brotherhood of man as we'll as the
Gospel Of the Creator.
Believe Sin Punished on Earth.
They do not believe that great lead
er will appear, as in the case of the old
prophets, but expect that the light will
be shed upon all They do not believe
in eternal punishment, but hold that
wrongdoings are punished on earth, and
that after death the spirit lives and afdS
mortals to perform their work. Thee
truths are taught by the angels, who
also inspire them with knowledge as to
the best way in which to accomplish their
ends.
The brotherhood is composed of two
branches, outer council which gives
two degrees-Star and Dawn-and an in
ner circle-the Holy Covenant. Those
who join the inner circle devote their life
and their wealth to the work. They have
formed lodges in the cities between New
York and San Francisco. They do not
seek recruits to the order, believing that
the persons who are best fitted to take
up the work will be sent to them by d.
vine guidance.
Members Leaving Lose All.
Another of their beliefs is that it is
better to properly educate ten children
than to reform forty adults, holding that
the children, as they grow up. will dis
seminate a wider influence. Members of
the inner circle are provided with food,
clothing, education and a home, but all
the money derived from their labor goes
for the furtherance of the work ANY
member who voluntarily leaves the in
ner circle loses everyth which he has
donated save his clothing and jeweIry.
Members Of this circle are named as min
listers, having the power to perform mar
rage ceremonies and officiate at funer-
ais.
The officers named in the articles Of
incorporation are l.. w. Van Dyke chief;
Mary A. Elliott, recording secretary: G.
G. Rose, financial secretary; directors f.
j. Elliott, F. A. Sutor, Minnie E. Wheel
err Albert A Bass and Grace A. Bass.
There are now about thirty members OF
the order