Year: 1877

't'tStJ ehttItttHe6 l" t'tF TUy. w nen sup
per came in, it was placed upon a long ia
ble III large room, where, when all things
were ready, came in at call twenty mel
or upwards, but no women. We all sa
down, they placing me and my companion
near the head of the table, and having
passed short space, one pulled off his hat
but not SO the rest till a short space after
and then they, one after another, pulled al
their hats off, and in that uncovered pos
ture sat silent, uttering no words that WI
could hear for nearly half a quarter of al
hour; and as they did not uncover at once
SO neither did they cover themselves agair
at once, but as they put on their hats fel
to eating, not regarding those who wert
still uncovered, SO that it might be ter
minutes time OF more between the frs
and last putting on of their hats. | after
wards queried with my companion concern
/ ing the reason of their conduct and he
gave for an answer, that they held it un
lawful to pray till they felt some inward
motion for the same, and that secret prayer
was more acceptable than to utter words
and that it was most proper for every one
! to pray as moved thereto by the Spirit il
their own minds. likewise queried if they
had no women amongst them. He told mt
they had, but the women ate by them
selves and the men by themselves, having
all things in common respecting theil
I


household affairs so that none could claim
any more right than another to any part
of their stock, whether in trade or hus
with them, whether rich or poor, they
must put what they had in the common
stock, and afterwards if they had mind
to leave the society, they must likewise
leave what they brought and 60 out empty
handed. They frequently expounded the
Scriptures among themselves, and being
very large family, in all upwards of an
hundred men, women and children, carried
on something of the manufacture of linen,
and had large plantation of corn, tobacco,
flax and hemp, together with cattle of sew
eral kinds


The coonists conformed in most respects
to the mode of living adopted at Wiewert.
They slept in the same or adjoining build.
iDgs, but in different rooms, which were
not accessible to each other, but were ever
open to the father or such as he appointed
for the purpose of instruction or examina-
ton. Their meals were eaten in silence,
and it is related that persons often ate to-
gether, at the same table for months, with
out knowing each others names. They
worked at different employments in the
house, or on the land, or at trades, and
were distributed for that purpose by the
was plain and simple, eschewing all fash
ions of the world. Gold and silver orna
ments. jewelry, pictures, hangings, lace
and other fancy work were prohibited, and
if any of the members had previously
worked at such trades, they had to aban-
don them. They worked for the Lord aud
not for themselves. The product of their
labor was not to satisfy their lusts and





physical existence, and hence all their
goods and productions should be as free
and common as the air they breathed.
They were to live concealed in Christ
All the desires or aversons of the flesh
were, therefore, to be mortified or con
quered. These notifications were to be
undergone willingly. 4 former minister
might be seen standing at the wash tub, Or
young man of good extraction might be
drawing stone or tending cattle. If any
one had repugnance to particular food,
he must eat it nevertheless. They must
make confession of their sinful thoughts
in open meeting. Those who We're disobe-
dient, were punished by a reduction of
clothing, or being placed lower down the
table, or final exclusion from the society
There were different classes among the
members, which were to be succeSsvely
attained by probation, in conforming to
the rules of the establishment, and the
iiual position of brother obtained by entire
severance from the world.


Their peculiar belief about marriage was,
that member of their community could
not live in the marriage relation with a
person who was not a member of it. While
it was all right in their opinion for Laba-
dists and unbelievers to marry, it was
very wrong and sinful for a Labadist to
marry an unbeliever. 1t was owing to
hair of tn IN Il
trine that Ephraim Herman deserted his
young and amiable wife and called down
upon himself the displeasure and maledic-
tions of his aged and inlirm father, who
no doubt was shocked and mortified by his
conduct.


One of their converts, who lived in the
vicinity of the community, met with a
tragic death. 1t happened in this wise:
He had been induced to leave his wife, and
had lived with the community for time;
when they supposed him to be sufficiently
confirmed in their doctrine to remain stead
fast i'll the faith, permitted him to reside
with his wife again; he was still in the
habit Of attending their meetings, and one
day, whether Sunday or not, is not stated
while going to attend the Labadie meet
ing, he met with stray horse, which he
took with him for the purpose of deliver
ing it to its owner. The horse pleased
Sluyter so well that he Immediately began
to covet it, and after service was over he
placed the man upon it, in order to try it's
speed intending, if that pleased him as
well as its appearance did, to try and effect
a trade with the owner. The horse ran
away with the man, and, making a short
turn in the road, he struck his head against
a tree and was killed.


The colony, in few years after it was
established, appears to have been both de-
tested and despised by the people in the
vicinity.


In 1903 there appears to have been a di-
vision of the land Of the Labadists among
the principal members of the community,
for Sluyter in that year conveyed, for a
merely nominal rent, the greater portion
of the land which, as before stated, he then