New-York tribune., 1906-06-24
HOLY ROLLERS.
Knee Blenders and Other Queer Re
HoiOus .SectS.

If the complete history of Central and Western
New York is written, at least ore-thlrd OF the
volume could profitaby be devoted to the many
curious sects and religious communities which have
played more or less important part in the complex
story of American life and development. IL Is
now almost eighty years since Joseph smith, 'he
Mormon prophet. claimed to have found the goluei
plates of the Bible of the Latter Day Saints IN a
hollow of hill in Wayne County With them, ne
said, was unearthed the "Urim and Thummim
the wonderful stone spectacles, by which he was
enabled to translate the characters on the golden
plates. In 1890 the Book of Mormon was printed
and Joseph Smith began to preach the new religion.
In a surprisingly short time he succeeded in gath
ering A goodly sized congregation and arousng the
hostility of his neighbors His reputation in Pal
myra his home at that time was not OF the best.
He was nicknamed Rip Van Wrinkle" because
his conviviaI habits and general shftlessness were
not unlike the traits Of Irvings hero of the Cats
kills The persecution of his neghbors finally
forced the prophet to abandon his home. and with
his wife, three dogs, and a consenial company OF
proselytes he removed to the village Of Fayette,
in Seneca County. The new environment wrought
a substantial change in the expounder of the word
of Mormon From an idle dissolute fellow. the butt
of the villagers rude jess and jokes he became an
earnest. treless worker in behalf of the religion
whose tenets he claimed to have discovered through
divine revelation His preaching attracted the re-
spectacle farmers of adjacent counties and within
few years Smith was at the head OF a large and
prosperous community. and. to their credit, be it
said that while the Mormons were in Western New
York they conducted themselves in manner be-
yond repr7ach. Polygamy not a factor at that
time in the faith. and the evil days of Nauvoo and
of the Mountain Meadow far in the future.
No sooner had the Mormons left New York State
for Nauvoo, Ill, than a religious sect sprang
into existence. This the Oneida Community,
founded by John Humphrey NOyes scholar law
yer, theoogian and an enthusiastic expounder Of
communistic theories. The principaI theological
Of nd he vas
that the second coming of Christ is already past,
having taken place about the year 20 A. D., In
connection with the destruction Of Jerusalem by
the Romans. They looked forward TO a third com
ing of Christ, and expected that the final and gen
eral judgment of the world would then take place,
All property was held in common in the community
and the education and subsistence afforded TO the
members were considered just remuneration for
their labor The social organization also embraced
a scheme of ''pantagamy,' or complex marriage,
which. naturally, gave such offence to their neigh
bOrs that il led to the dissolution OF the community
in 1881. Noyes was forced to flee to Canada, and.
with the abandonment Of the obnoxious and notori-
Gus social features, the society Oneida Creek,
in Madison County, deteriorated into condition OF
desuetude On January l, 1881. the property of the
community divided. and the members were in
cOrporated under the laws OF New York State a
joint stock company in which capacity they have
since carried the business of the old community
1t is no longer purely religious body. and the
latiOns of the are such that there is no
ground for complaint.
No history of Western New York would be COM
plete. Of course, without chapter or two on the
Fox sisters and the beginnings of modern Spirit
uausm. The sticker for historical accuracy would
trace the origin of knocks and rappings back
Cock Lane ghost in London. two three centuries
ago; but the Spritualists of to-day look upon the
sleepy village of Hydesville their mecca. For
that matter. Spirtualisn can be traced centuries
beyond the antics of the Cock Lane spectre in tho
superstition OF savages. and In the worship Of
the gods by the Romans and Creeks but IL was
left to the humble and poor Fox family in an en-
ghtened age to give the world a form of belief