The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-11-15
Go Entirely Naked. and Matrimony Was
Prohibited and His Followers Were
Restricted to a Fruit Diet.
Only Had Two Recruit
to His Views.

He was a native of Bavaria, a un1Ver'
sity graduate, and an author OF con-
adorable merit. He might have made
something of q mark In the world II
he had not sickened Of civilization ano
its WAYS. 1t Is sad that the failure OF
A woman to reciprocate bis sf 'ction
was the cause Of 1t, but this 1s mere
conjecture, and due to the fact tnat
the fair sex was excluded from Dis
scheme for restoring mankind to an
earthly paradise. He believed that
vhere woman came, the devil was
sure to follow, and he didn't intend to
run any risk Of getting into the same
sort of trouble that Adam did.
It was his opinion that the human
rsce originated in the "sun.blessed
tropics" and only there could 1t 90
tain q fresh start On the right track.
In 1901, he went to New Britain In
search Of q suitable place for the es.
tablishment of q community which he
fondly hoped would form the first link
In a chain Of similar settlements that
would eventually grid the earth. He
purchased the little island Of Kaba.
kon, situated In the duke Of York
group, and about Is miles from Her
bertshoe, the seat Of the German &C.
ministration In New Guinea. 1t Is
1856 acres In and cocoanut trees flour.
ish there in abundance. He believed
that living in the primitive fashion
REQUIRED of those who joined the order,
it would suffice to maintain 100 men.
II have proclaimed Kabakon an
open fruit garden and sun grove" he
said In q letter setting fourth his
ideas, ''for the purpose Of retaining
degenerate mankind to their true
state of existence. I will settle 1t with
fruit-eatipg sunworshipers to rear
preat, pure, true, same lien by giving
it's members natural conditions OF life.
I will send out as missionaries mem
bars of the sun order who have been
tried and found to be true, natural
J living men. In this way, I shall es.
tablish similar colonies round the
whole equator. The more people who
Join. me and the greater the means
placed at my disposal, the quicker
will these colonies be formed"
Expecting a rush Of applicants, he
laid down very stringent rules as to
conditions on which candidates for
earthly perfection aid human regen.
Grafton should be taken into his island
paradise. Among them were the fol-
lowing:
81. Only men of noble and excel.
lent character will be admitted.
50. Each applicant must be recon-
mended by two respectable credible
persons, approved Of by tho leader of
tie Sun Order.
80. A payment Of $3.50 for such
ss can afford that amount; for less
wealthy persons q sum corresponding
to their means; and for the poor sun
worshippers nothing at all"
Naked man comes into the world
and naked be goes out Of it, and max.
ed he should abide In it, according to
the high priest Of the sun worship
pers. He insisted that bis followers
should never under any circumstances
wear q vestige Of clothing. he held
that clothes poisoned the system, and
that BY intercepting the rays Of the
sun ''the source of all life, Of all mind
and all strength" they prevented the
attainment of q perfect humanity.
Marriage he also regarded as an abom.
nation and strict celibacy was enjoin-
ed. Fruit which ripened In the sun
as'slone to be eaten. Houses were
forbidden. He would t~oleSate nothing
that interfered with living close to
Nature all the time. By going around
stark naked, bathing constantly In
the sun and eating nothing but fruit,
he de clared his followers would even
tually be able to subsist without food
or drink of any sort and gain the
power of transporting themselves at
will to any part Of the world without
having to ~patronize railways or steam'
ships.
On taking possession of bis island,
E~nglehardt stripped himself to the
buff, and armed with q palm leaf to
keep of flies, feas and mosquitoes,
confidently awaited a host OF regener-
ating recruits. A lot Of folk In Ger
many had signifed their intention OF
joining him when he got his paradise
started, but whenr it came to the
scratch all but two backed out. Some
pleaded for the privilege Of at. least
being allowed to wear skirts; others
clamored for concessions In the shape
of beef steak, and some base back
sliders declared they would not tackle
the paradise job unless permitted to
bring their best girls with them. But
Enqlehardt was adamant to all these
appeals. He would admit no one to
membership in the Sun Order who
was not willing to adhere to all the
rules and regulations which he had
laid down for its guidance, and which
he faithfully observed himself. The
two men who joined him on these
terms were Max Dutzow, a musician,
who conducted an orchestra in Berlin
that bore his name, and Heinrich Eu.
kens, q native of Heligeland, who mad
settled in the same city. They con.
signed their clothing to the sea on