New-York tribune., 1905-04-09

In the remote little old village OF Montague 1
In Northwestern Massachusetts. there is quietly /
gong forward n movement which may spread /
untl il enSreiy removes the stigma OF de-
cadence" from which many communities in |
New-England suffer This movement finds its |
visible expression in a settlement OF workers
which is called New -Clarvaux Plantations. So
cisl settlements I'm the snrns are familiar feat /
ures Of city life: but this is kind OF social /
settlement in the country-and that is q new i
ides
The members OF the settlement earn their own /
living. They support themselves ana faniiies
by farming by fruit poultry raising, py /
teaching, or by hRndicrafts OF various KINDS
These enterprises are carried on individually
An the proceeds Of work go 70 the worker: bur
they cooperate by exchanging work. by eX- /
changing tools bv conducting classes for learn |
ing handicrans by msIntaining a cooperative /
exchange in the village and outside exhibitions /
for the sale Of goods and by spirit or mufOal Il
and public service without compensation
The object is to make country life interesting. |
and At the same time profitable, both spiritually |
and financially.
rbe Rev. Edward p. Pressey is the founder OF |
Che settlement. He desired 20 rid himself OF the
sasInt that ne preached the gospel Of Christ. not
40 much sDr the love Of his fellow man as for the
salary which he drew as preacher, and while |
casting aboct for the ways and means to do this |
ne had vision OF q society IN which all should |
h. ministers one to the other in the literal sense
OF that word.
THE VISION OF THE FOUNDER.
Here Is his vision as set down in words bE1
himself:
.sT4. t,rae ia ripe for the 2Iew-Clairvaux.z Ths
name cIalrvanEIs a symbol OF that arOundswhi
eTustalEsd of universally unsasfacsoryr condi-
lions new civilization ThSsOld ClairVauE was the
flower Of the ola Benedictne- Abbey founded by
st. Bernard 50 the twelfth century, WEIGH one
writer has thus described:
.'In France. and England. IN every Tfch valley.
by the side Of every clear and deep stream, arose
q Benssictine Abbey. a centre, OF local good anu
Christian civilization
II arst saw Hev-Clairvaux. from the top OF a
ruountaiusroad in the moguingSlght. where a.large
mountain brook tumbles out Of high upland past
ures. I saw large buildings grouped around
SPACIOUS ouadrangles. They might have been FAC
tories a country college. or else some religious
institution. ana I7lssned later they were en three
in q mast uRtUzB-cOnblnstionaof industry learn
ting and deVotinn-
the several ouontry, rOadsithat led up and down
the valley were tb0r1sTed, byllnes Of young shade
trees or pleasant fruits. The same may be said
Of the Fanas ehate LED, ostwssn the helds. There
were miles; ana miles OF avenues OF trees 70 the
llsflE oe GhsasS1anes of TS0S-C -CairVRuE and among
them aznaay an inviting rsat for rest or study
Threw EeEs no szlaxs stEsets "A the vicinity OF
ahGsRhonz. DucsEhe houses located along the
roads i8 Sgsz, direction. very substantially built
IN Et1lNBRT1s ssErafiuE an eighth Of milo apart
'T3pon elossr ezzznaiEsg3oR found that most OF
shsHIsuEes we're bent osscomnOn AeId stones gen,
srs1lY c3cas EDlSt. showing the fresh beauty, OF
me depLatEEs5 u10lsHted5by chiEol The
eszzzz1 sr community buildings weTs built with
g1Ks@s Such care ans taste the pTivatsA dwell
al&a Outside thsR ana in EVas the sasne!f !fnish.
G1El1zpher GE1s Symbolism OF devotion
~Hus lest you Ehlnk am dreaEinEra dream
rg1ss 0ssh1 back ana tsll you bEsaay the history
os 6aPS1zssszuE TIA builder ofF7Tew- -CTairvaux
kx3 tsIken up an abandOned famn which ne found
EsaAiT q C01tnst New -RnslRndieor $500 SleOdoWn
T4s 8sst question naturally WA. How uauoh does
3Eialss sSfEully of two three, ,four. iva etc, to
lfNsNRl fAs-moEts Desirable simple way7 He began
20 eKpeEllsne IN the direction OF testing Henry d.
Th0EeaTs H1a0 &c G0maBtio economy outlined ia
Chapter &c TVgRl6ea.' anS Sound that e wAs an
GDProxinaa0lE 51llRhle 9act that Assinglo man can
subsist aa country 2Seg-Enzlande and live the life
OF q cultured BSrsOa upon ilve or six wesks OF
manual labor each year. TOgthis he added another
ak wasl1s' sl0sznca, sOrg the support Oe a mar
Fied couple. This hO found q large margin
through the .ehlnEssshsEsd ana labor divided for
creature o0za1prtss nssainglo man would generally
deny himself rako1R Kgath each addition 10 the
family above sN0. ehsgsdGlti0aal weeks OF labor
were found % E1p11ly .0llliniSh and as children
successfully nearsa acult age 20 disappear alto
Eether. AZ ehs outset With family OF four after
paying for 3ls farm, gradually stocking and equip
ing II. he found thaa ne had considerably more
than twO-thiTdE. or in other words. almost pre-
clsely ssvsn-tsnfhs osshls time on his hands for
devOring 20 tho neGt problem Of life.
He vas SOurnEliss ~ profession and by taste
an ardent tower of gOoa literature. So ne set up
a small printing press and sought 20 get
employed people Into faFmlnE TOthis end he pub
nshsd little hEesoont magazine, partly q mis-
stnnRry organ: sso0u6lv. he wanted 20 collect g
model oouutEylhsaEy: Thirdly. he wanted to print
a-coueUf1cR Grfhs tTadlEiOns oT persons and places
chrougAOua Aas 00aafy. the printing press enter
pElss pHl6,. bSSanEs altossthsr- it served unique
purposs or 6ubsS8ntlal.as well - growing popular
snteSeses
GA l1a2ekEr1zathed up.In a-SS1nsy Of the factory
saauliSa1 zTots4sthlag AbOutiOr within ithad been
uaani1s Ss0EEs oct sysrythlng was done BY hand.
On pleasant days ths aohzSel dO1F stood open from
SaEly zuozr1nE Unt1 dark within were all the
11ss % osg0tlol. sRo,o11<g AN the devotional and
sp1T1t11I zlfsrzeure 0S tho wprld carefully bound,
sn eases aJgzE ths walls. arn3as statuaTy OF nns
shssn0teIs and snsD2T1ng pictures So1ustiHses they
had lecS1r5s h6te upon RuEkin. William Norris.
Sxs1gss C6GIlas EzlsEsasy.. Emerson. Robert owen
T6Ekgys or sons ether prophet Of tho heavenly
S1la Tur21 zlfes tie StsE1fY Oe now. Sunday even
lnFs shAr1 vas q social service OF song followed
bynSAsanz11e szposluon % B0ms5paEt Of the Bible
Gzd an sd1Isss ~ some visiting speaker. ending
Wdfscme erie& Inspiring liturgy Of great: eignity
R1Gss&cSsness.
"a pzzphets. chamber had been fitted. up in the
t1wsrggss tho factory end chaDsE entrances. Here
tkGra most Always abode como visiting speaker 0f
auv esoorsoEflonzl psTEEasion onGace, provided Il
s5zsy 6ouoe oDe who seemed % have sosnething
sDeolaI lying az his or her heart 20 say 20 the
public. The practical theology ana ethics Of this
y serzs ol9 souls philosophy. The prophets
cla-nbaf scoa found frisn0s 20 specially endOw.it
an Ia e5srEs.of4 rsBE yOEEB a.grOat manysmRl
indusfrie1 hznelezszts ana artSaWsEA added 20 the
psexv4clasFTsuS. zhsEs wRs practical sympathy
here sspsolaTy7 fer sgSfP commercially unsuCcsss-