Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-02
RELIGIOUS NOTES
AND COMMENTS

suit brought In the district court Tor tno
dissolution of the community at that place,
which for half century has furnished the
most successful example Of pure commun-
ism in the world. has been won by the COM
munity. Those behind the suit were some
OF the younger men and women. who chafed
at the restrictions prescribed by the society.
| and desired a division of the millions 1t is
supposed to possess. They alleged that the
society. being Incorporated solely a re-
ligious and benevolent body. had no power
to carry on general business. and that In
so doing it was violating the laws Of the
state. Upon this and the further ground
that the society. being taxed as religious
and benevolent organization, had long evad-
ed a large share of It's just dues to the
state. they asked for Its dissolution.
The community. lately threatened with
extinction, is based on religion, and sprang
from little band of people who in the early
days of the last century used to gather at
the house of Christian Metz, carpenter at
Strasburg, In Germany. Converts to the
mystical teachings of Boehmen and kock
they called themselves 1nspira tionists, and
protested to hold direct and personal COM
! munication with God, who. they avowed,
made chosen ones among their number His
instruments when He wished to speak to
His children. Christian Metz was one Of
these inspired instruments, and as time
passed began to travel about from place to
place In Switzerland and Germany. deliver
ing to those who were attracted to the new
sect the message of the Godhead.
Finally. in order that they might wor-
ship In common, Metz in 1889, gathered a
I'i,Ia na OF his followers together in the
send their children to the public schools,
or to take the oath of allegiance to the gov
ernment-the latter involved military serv-
Ice and they were devout believers in nom
reSlStanCe-thev soon in conflict wi
the authorities; and In 1912 Metz received a
message" comman ding him to lead his
followers to new home In America.
"A number Of persons of means were al
ready numbered among the InspiratiOnists,
and these placed their individual possessions
at the disposal of their fellows. making the
accomplishment. Metz and three others,
sent over to select a situation, made their
way to Buffalo, where they purchased some
5000 acres Of land which then formed a
part of the Seneca Indian reservation. The
site for a new home found, those left be-
hind in Germany followed the pioneers, and
in a few years LOCO 1nspirationists were
settled at Ebenezer the name given their
new abiding place The Inspira tionists were
mainly artisans and farmers, who had led
in the fatherland a frugal and laborious
life. Thus they were well fitted for the
hard lot of pioneers.
Community of goods was not thought of
at the outset. but the difficulty which the
craftsmen among the Inspirationists ex-
perienced in finding employment in
sparsely settled country. combined with
ether causes, soon made In evident that
only by associa ted effort could the best
results be obtained, and SO. about 1S47,
in common, and labor together for the COM
mon good. Eight years later came an
other inspired command to move west
ward-more land was needed, but could not
be had at reasonable price near Buffalo
and in obedience to the dictates of the
spirit new home was found in Iowa. The
fresh migration covered a considerable per-
Tod Of years. the change being made grad
ually In order that the holdings at Ebe-
nezer and the improvements thereon might
be sold without sacrifice. This policy
entirely successful, and by 1865 the In
spirationists, save few who elected to re-
main behind, were all settled in Iowa.
Their present home, which takes its
name from the hill described by Solomon.
lies twenty miles southwest of Cedar
Rapids 1t Is situated on rolling plain.
and covers 26,OOO acres of farming. forest
and grazing land. There the prosperity of
an earlier time has continued with them.
and their membership has gradually In
creased to 1900 souls-Rufus Rockwell
Wilson. in Public Opinion.
In two periodicals. the Universalist Leader
and the Cumberland Presbyterian, are ar
ucles on the value of an appeal to the
senses In religious services, the former of
the effect of architecture; the latter of
music The first of these articles by Rev.
1leHi ItlSSeip treats III main OF Ile VAL
ues of lights. saying: dim religious light
may be described a relic of an abnormal
ecclesiasticism and unsutted to the express
sion Of the cheerful aspects of recent de-
velopments in theology. But theological
considerations and popular taste may both
be held In allegiance If the church universal
IS to touch every man at the most needful
point Of his nature. Tempering of light for
the accentng OF religious impressions is
true to a psychological law. The primitive
North European followed no tickle caprice
in going to the woods to serve his gods in
special devotions. Light subdued by inter-
laclng trees and dense foliage disarmed the
gay and sporttVe and exuberant mood so
much inspired by the broad fields of light
in the pasturag e without. The Arabian star
worship, out upon treeless desert in the
hushed atmosphere of the night, has its
rootage In the same law. The aggressive
functions OF the mind are dominant In the
high light Of noon; the passive and intro
spective hold sway under the canopy OF
night In the poetry Of Christian litera-
ture the light of the New Born shines upon
the shepherds by night: and wise men saw
his star that led them. These visions of their
souls became realities when the glamour
Of radiant light was hushed in Shadow.
This law observed INTELLECTUALLY will
transform the lecture hall into a church
ligion."
Rev. A. M. Williams, in the Presbyterian,
says OF church music: God calls man
almost challenges him-to be musical. The
DUG Is Hileo Win suggestions and sum-
mons to all that Is musical in us. When
Israel had crossed the Red Sea and the
Egyptians attempting to follow were cut
Off. Miriam led all the people in
singing the praises of Him who had
triumphed gloriously. The song of Deborah
10 sample of the period of the Judges.
later age was taught to sing by King David.
who organized the nation under the magic
power OF song. 1t was only when, a captive
people, they remembered Jerusalem that
they ceased to sing, choked with grief and
hanging their harps upon the willows.
When the Son Of God comes by way of the
manager. the songs of the Advent in which
two worlds unite break the long silence.
When the Man of Sorrows was about to 20
out into the dark night to suffer, He showed
Himself man of song-snce it is written
that they sang an hymn and went out
Well does Paul write to the EphesIan
church, BE filled with the spirit, speak
ing to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody
In your hearts unto the Lord 1t is easy to
distinguish in many ways between the
churches where dignifed, hymnal music Is
used, and those where new book has
been purchased every year. The church
can afford to learn the lesson of songs
power from the Welsh revival The
churchs hymns should be characterized by
a deep spirit Of devotion to God. To be
worshipful, the church's music should be