The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-21
THE AMANA COMMUNITY
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY IN IOWA LIVING
BY GOLDEN RULE.
100000 i'm Property, Yet There
Is No Friction.
Chicago Evening Post.

Chicago Evening Post.
Out in Iowa along the river bearing the
State name is a sect which Is demonstrate
ing to the world that a colony governed by
the golden rule and organized on the COM
munity Of interest plan is a success. This
colony is composed mainly of Hessians.
who many years ago purchased land In
the fertile valley of the Iowa river and set
tied down to serve their Goo and do their
part toward their fellow-man. Here to-day
there is a community of $500 souls bound
together under an organization that has
for its fundamental principle fair dealings
and equal rights to all.
In the northeastern part OF Iowa county
and about twenty miles south of Marion
are a half dozen thrifty villages composed
of members of this religious society. The
principal and oldest of these villages is
Amana, which is situated on the Kansas
City division of the Chicago, Milwaukee &
st. Paul Railroad. This road passes
through a rich and productive community
from north to south. South Amana and
Homestead. two smaller Hessian villages,
are on the Rock Island.
Amana is, properly speaking, the capital
OF the colony, and as a rule it is here that
the seat Of government, If such it can be
called, is located. There are upward of 500
people in this town and every one who is
old enough is kept busy adding to the
wealth of the community. The only per-
sons exempt from this are the infirm. who
are guaranteed food. shelter and care dur
ing old age.
In this unique settlement there are
wooden. cotton and fOur mills f0haP00
warehouses, storage barns for grain, ele-
vators, general stores, operated and man.
aged In the interest of all, for in this So
ciety there are no individual ownerships.
While manufacturing forms an important
industry and the cotton mills tax care of
the raw products, it is second to agricul-
ture.
Politics has little part in affairs. When
the Hawkeye State is torn asunder by po-
litical rivalry, fractional differences and
party strife these people go calmly about
their everyday affairs as though political
campaigns were unheard of. They have no
part in the precincts of Amana, South
Amana, Homestead and other villages in
this section. This colony owns more han
5000 acres of land. Its property is valued
at upward of 100000 While the laws
of the State and Nation are respected, the
SASN1 III q W. vi us Ia -.
AS a consequence 1t is regarded through
out the State as being composed of almost
ideal citizens, and the courts of Iowa coun-
ty would have little to do If all the county
was made up of such law-abiding and I'M
selfish individuals.
ORGANIZED IN 1714.
The Amana Society dates back to the year
TIA, when ]. F. Rock and Z. l.. Gruber. of
Hessia, Germany, organized a religious sect,
having for it's creed that God could in these
latter days inspire men to speak and de-
clare His word and will. They soon had
many followers who desired a purer religion
with a higher standard of virtue and NOR
ality. The preachers, their SUCCESSORS and
followers were prosecuted, derided and mob
bed. They were even tied to the whipping
post, and were sometimes publicly dashed
through the streets. They were forbidden
TO hold meetings, and on the death of p.
O.. Nagel, one of their leading preachers,
in ITO, the society declined. In 1S4S it was
decided best TO emigrate to America. Rep
resentatives OF the society bought 5000
acres of land near Buffalo, n. Y. A commit
tee was sent to Iowa in November of that
year, and on its favorable report $500 acres
OF land was purchased about twenty miles
west of Iowa City. Additional land was
subsequently obtained, till the present 26,-
0OO-acre limit was reached.
| Since coming to Iowa seven villages have
been Observation-Disclosures, West Amana,
South Amana. High Amana, East Amana,
Homestead and Middle Amana- The soci-
ETY. is Incorporated under the name of the
Amana Society. According TO the articles
of incorporation 1.-The foundation of our
civil organization is and shall forever re-
main In God the Lord, and the faith which
He worked in us according to His free grace
and mercy"
According to the plan of organization, the
control and management is vested in a
board of thirteen trustees, elected annually
from the elders. These trustees choose an
nually from their number a president, vice
president and a secretary, who have full
| power to sign all public documents in the
name OF the society.
TURN OVER L PROPERTY.
When an individual becomes a member
of the Amana Society he is required to
turn over all property owned by him to the
common fund. Officers of the society in
turn issue to new members a certificate of
credit, which is also shown on the books.
This credit is secured by the pledge of the
common property of the society.
Each member Is entitled to free board
and dwelling. to support and care in old
age. sickness and infirmity, and to an an
nual sum of maintenance. the amount of
which is fixed by the trustees. All children
and minors after the death Of their parents
and relatives are under special guardian
ship of the trustees during their minority.
All credits, If not disposed of by will, or
Il any QGObo ltAI Wy TIC DdLCILSt dIG assumed
by the children. Members leaving the So
ciety, either OF their own choice or by ex-
pulsion, receive back the amount paid into
the common fund. without any interest or
allowance for service during the time OF
membership.
The society operates two wooden mills.
One of these mills is located at Amana and
the other at Middle Amana. A factory for
the manufacture of cotton prints is located
at Amana. Through a canal seven miles in
length water Is obtained from the lows
river, which furnishes part of the necessary
power. Steam is also used. There are
-four mills at Amana and West Amana.
Each of the seven villages has a general
store, where everything needed by the com
munity may be obtained.
Each family has apartments by them
selves, but the cooking is done in large
people eat together. When the people as
assemble in these eating houses the mer
are seated at one long table and the women
at another. Transient visitors are given a
table to themselves.
They have graded schools, and the chill.
dren between the ages of five and fourteen
attend the year around. instruction is
given in English and German. Two re-
ligious services are held Sunday in large
meeting houses and prayer meetings are
held weekday evenings.
MONEY NOT NECESSARY.
Members of the community purchase ar.
ticles at the general store in much the
same manner as is described by Edward
Bellamy in his Looking Backward" Nc
money is used in the transaction. Should