Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-07-22
.ANANA CASE Is CLOSED
Judge Byington Takes Matter
Under Amusement and Will
Give Decision Later
THE CASE IS INTERESTING
THE CASE is INTERESTING
Many Interesting Facts About tho
Peculiar Sect Brought Out in the
Testimony-ceIbaoy Feature of
1neir MISREPRESENTATION on High
Spiritual Plano.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
which was commenced Thursday
morning Is an extremely interesting
one. The Society of True Inspiration"
Is Incorporated under charter for re-
ligious purposes. The plaintiff claims
the members are exceeding the rights
granted them under such charter.
The uniqueness and peculiar charac-
ter Of the society the vast amounts Of
money involved and the very flne
points Of law to be brought up make
this the important case 1t is. The
trial Is before Judge Byington accord
ing to statute. the jury having been
waived.
The case was concluded Friday and
Judge Byington took 1t under advise
ment.' The Amana people were not
charged with any crime, social or 9TH
erwise, unless perhaps it Is a crime
to own $4,000 acres OF the, finest land In
Iowa, besides untold wealth In manu-
featuring and milling industries. as 1t
was shown the Amana colony owned.
The suit, however, brought out
many interesting facts not generally
understood, particularly as to the re-
ligious belief of these Mennonites. AS
the defense is that they hold the lands
and minister to the affairs of the col
ony as a religious duty, the testimony
as to their belief was particularly ex-
plicit.
One fact brought out was that the
Mennonites advocate celibacy, a feat
ure OF their religion, which
caused a good deal OF sur
prise, even to those who have
known them for years. They hold that
bachelor is on higher plane spirit
ually than His married brother, and
that he has better chance of getting
thru the pearly gates.
George IIeinman, one OF the elders OF
the society, was put on the stand ana
testified to this. He said however, that
their religious belief did not forbid
marriage. On the contrary they recog-
nized the necessity fol 1t. TO quote
the witness: 1T is good to be married,
but 1t Is better to be single" This,
they say, was taught by the Apostle
Paul. Spiritually, the members OF the
society are divided into three classes.
A single man is in the first class, and
&c he marries he drops to the third.
The testimony did not bring out the
nature Of the second class. When q
man marrles he does not lose social
prestige or any Of his civil rights, he IS
simply a loser spiritually. The trim
ming of the beard dlfferentlates the
three CLASSES.
Mr.. Herman testified that the Soc
iety has no ministers, but In their
place they have elders, OF whom he Is
one. Their religious exercises consist
OF prayer meetings, which are held
every evening, in the summer at 8
O'Clock and in the winter at 1880. ON
Sunday there are three services, IN the
morning, afternoon and evening, while
on Wednesdays and Saturdays they
have "a morning service in addition to
that In the evening, making eleven
during the week, which all are expect
ed to attend.
Mr.. Heinman brought that the hold
Ing of property in common was part
OF their religious belief, and his evid-
ence on this point is expected to have
a large bearing on tile Issue OF the
case. He said that they held property