The Communistic Societies of the United States by Charles Nordhoff

C >> Charles Nordhoff >> The Communistic Societies of the United States

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[Illustration: J H NOYES, FOUNDER OF THE PERFECTIONISTS]

The early followers of Noyes were chiefly New England farmers, the
greater part of whom brought with them some means, though not in any
single case a large amount. Noyes himself and several other members
contributed several thousand dollars each, and a "Property Register"
kept from the beginning of the community experiment showed that up to
the first of January, 1857, the members of all the associated communes
had brought in the considerable amount of one hundred and seven thousand
seven hundred and six dollars. I understand, however, that this sum was
not at any one time in hand, and that much of it came in several years
after the settlement at Oneida in 1848; and it is certain that in the
early days, while they were still seeking for some business which should
be at the same time agreeable to them and profitable, they had sometimes
short commons. They showed great courage and perseverance, for through
all their early difficulties they maintained a printing-office and
circulated a free paper.

At first they looked toward agriculture and horticulture as their
main-stays for income; but they began soon to unite other trades with
these. Their saw-mill sawed lumber for the neighboring farmers; they set
up a blacksmith shop, and here, besides other work, they began to make
traps by hand, having at first no means to buy machinery, and indeed
having to invent most of that which they now use in their extensive trap
shop.

Like the Shakers with their garden seeds, and all other successful
communities with their products, the Perfectionists got their start by
the excellence of their workmanship. Their traps attracted attention
because they were more uniformly well made than others; and thus they
built up a trade which has become very large. They raised small fruits,
made rustic furniture, raised farm crops, sold cattle, had at one time a
sloop on the Hudson; and Noyes himself labored as a blacksmith, farmer,
and in many other employments.

Working thus under difficulties, they had sunk, by January, 1857, over
forty thousand dollars of their capital, but had gained valuable
experience in the mean time. They had concentrated all their people at
Oneida and Wallingford; and had set up some machinery at the former
place. In January, 1857, they took their first annual inventory, and
found themselves worth a little over sixty-seven thousand dollars. Their
perseverance had conquered fortune, for in the next ten years the net
profit of the two societies amounted to one hundred and eighty thousand
five hundred and eighty dollars, according to this statement:

Net earnings in 1857.....$5,470.11
" " 1858..... 1,763.60
" " 1859.....10,278.38
" " 1860.....15,611.03
" " 1861..... 5,877.89

Net earnings in 1862....$9,859 78
" " 1863....44,755.30
" " 1864....61,382.62
" " 1865....12,382.81
" " 1866....13,198.74

During this time they made traps, traveling-bags and satchels,
mop-holders, and various other small articles, and put up preserved
fruits in glass and tin. They began at Wallingford, in 1851, making
match-boxes, and the manufacture of traveling-bags was begun in
Brooklyn, and later transferred to Oneida. Trap-making was begun at
Oneida in 1855; fruit-preserving in 1858, and in 1866 the silk
manufacture was established.

Meantime they bought land, until they have in 1874, near Oneida, six
hundred and fifty-four acres, laid out in orchards, vineyards, meadows,
pasture and wood land, and including several valuable water-powers; and
at Wallingford two hundred and forty acres, mainly devoted to grazing
and the production of small fruits. They have erected in both places
commodious and substantial dwellings and shops, and carry on at this
time a number of industries, of which some account will be found further
on.

The two communities, whose members are interchangeable at will and
whenever necessity arises, must be counted as one. At Oneida they have
founded a third, on a part of their land, called Willow Place, but this
too is but an offshoot of the central family. In February, 1874, they
numbered two hundred and eighty-three persons, of whom two hundred and
thirty-eight were at Oneida and Willow Place, and forty-five at
Wallingford. Of these one hundred and thirty-one were males, and one
hundred and fifty-two females. Of the whole number, sixty-four were
children and youth under twenty-one--thirty-three males and thirty-one
females. Of the two hundred and nineteen adults, one hundred and five
were over forty-five years of age--forty-four men and sixty-one women.

They employ in both places from twenty to thirty-five farm laborers,
according to the season, and a number of fruit-pickers in the time of
small fruits. Besides, at Oneida they employ constantly two hundred and
one hired laborers, of whom one hundred and three are women,
seventy-five of whom work in the silk factory; sixty-seven of the men
being engaged in the trap works, foundry, and machine shops. At
Wallingford the silk works give employment to thirty-five hired women
and girls.

Originally, and for many years, these Communists employed no outside
labor in their houses; but with increasing prosperity they have begun to
hire servants and helpers in many branches. Thus at Oneida there are in
the laundry two men and five women; in the kitchen three men and seven
women; in the heating or furnace room two men; in the shoemaker's shop
two; and in the tailor's shop two--all hired people. At Wallingford they
hire three women and one man for their laundry.

These hired people are the country neighbors of the commune; and, as
with the Shakers and the Harmonists, they like their employers. These
pay good wages, and treat their servants kindly; looking after their
physical and intellectual well-being, building houses for such of them
as have families and need to be near at hand, and in many ways showing
interest in their welfare.

The members of the two societies are for the most part Americans, though
there are a few English and Canadians. There are among them lawyers,
clergymen, merchants, physicians, teachers; but the greater part were
New England farmers and mechanics. Former Congregationalists and
Presbyterians Episcopalians, Methodists, and Baptists are among
them--but no Catholics.

They have a great number of applications from persons desirous to become
members. During 1873 they received over one hundred such by letter,
besides a nearly equal number made in person. They are not willing now
to accept new members; but I believe they are looking about for a place
suitable for a new settlement, and would not be unwilling, if a number
of persons with sufficient means for another colony should present
themselves, to help them with teachers and guides.

In the year 1873 the Oneida Community produced and sold preserved fruits
to the value of $27,417; machine and sewing silk and woven goods worth
$203,784; hardware, including traps, chucks, silk-measuring machines and
silk-strength testers (the last two of their own invention), gate-hinges
and foundry castings, $90,447. They raised twenty-five acres of sweet
corn, six acres of tomatoes, two acres of strawberries, two of
raspberries; half an acre of currants, half an acre of grapes,
twenty-two acres of apples, and three and a half acres of pears.

Silk-weaving has been abandoned, as not suitable to them.

At the beginning of 1874 they were worth over half a million of dollars.

From the beginning, Noyes and his followers have made great use of the
press. Up to the time of their settlement at Oneida they had published
"Paul not Carnal;" two series of _Perfectionist; The Way of
Holiness_, the _Berean_, and _The Witness_. From Oneida they
began at once to issue the _Spiritual Magazine_, and, later, the
_Free Church Circular_, which was the beginning of their present
journal, the _Oneida Circular_. "Bible Communism" also was published
at Oneida during the first year of their settlement there. They did not
aim to make money by their publications, and the _Circular_ was from
the first published on terms probably unlike those of any other newspaper
in the world. I take from an old number, of the year 1853, the following
announcement, standing at the head of the first column:

"The _Circular_ is published by Communists, and for Communists. Its
main object is to help the education of several confederated
associations, who are practically devoted to the Pentecost principle of
community of property. Nearly all of its readers outside of those
associations are Communists in principle. It is supported almost entirely
by the free contributions of this Communist constituency. A paper with
such objects and such resources cannot properly be offered for sale.
Freely we receive, and we freely give. Whoever wishes to read the
_Circular_ can have it WITHOUT PAYING, OR PROMISING TO PAY, by
applying through the mail, or at 43 Willow Place, Brooklyn. If any one
chooses to pay, he may send TWO DOLLARS for the yearly volume; but he
must not require us to keep his accounts. We rely on the free gifts of
the family circle for which we labor."

This paper was published on these terms, at one time semi-weekly, and at
another three times a week. For some years past it has appeared weekly,
printed on extremely good paper, and an admirable specimen of
typography; and it has now at the head of its columns the following
notice:

"The Circular is sent to all applicants, whether they pay or not. It
costs and is worth at least two dollars per volume. Those who want it
and ought to have it are divisible into three classes, viz.: 1, those
who can not afford to pay two dollars; 2, those who can afford to pay
_only_ two dollars; and, 3, those who can afford to pay _more_
than two dollars. The first ought to have it free; the second ought to
pay the cost of it; and the third ought to pay enough more than the cost
to make up the deficiencies of the first. This is the law of Communism.
We have no means of enforcing it, and no wish to do so, except by stating
it and leaving it to the good sense of those concerned. We take the risk
of offering the _Circular_ to all without price; but free
subscriptions will be received only from persons making application for
themselves, either directly or by giving express authority to those who
apply for them.

"Foreign subscribers, except those residing in Canada, must remit with
their subscriptions money to prepay the postage."

They print now about two thousand copies per week, and lost last year
six hundred dollars in the enterprise, without reckoning what would have
had to be paid in any other work of the kind for literary labor.

A list of the works they have issued will be found, with the titles of
works issued by other communistic societies, at the end of the volume.

Aside from its religious and communistic teachings, the _Circular_
has a general interest, by reason of articles it often contains relating
to natural history and natural scenery, which, from different pens, show
that there are in the society some close observers of nature, who have
also the ability to relate their observations and experiences in
excellent English. In general, the style of the paper is uncommonly
good, and shows that there is a degree of culture among the Oneida
people which preserves them from the too common newspaper vice of fine
English.

Their publications deal with the utmost frankness with their own
religious and social theories and practices, and I suppose it may be
said that they aim to keep themselves and their doctrines before the
public. In this respect they differ from all the other Communistic
societies now existing in this country. That they are not without a
sense of humor in these efforts, the following, printed as
advertisements in the _Circular,_ will show:

GRAND FIRE ANNIHILATOR!--AN INVENTION for overcoming Evil with Good
MEEK & LOWLY.

* * * * *

TO JEWELERS.--A SINGLE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE! This inestimable Jewel may
be obtained by application to Jesus Christ, at the extremely low price
of "all that a man hath!"

* * * * *

TO BROKERS.

WANTED.--Any amount of SHARES OF SECOND-COMING STOCK, bearing date A.D.
70, or thereabouts, will find a ready market and command a high premium
at this office.

* * * * *

ATTENTION!

SOLDIERS who claim to have "fought the fight of faith" will find it for
their advantage to have their claims investigated. All who can establish
said claim are entitled to a bounty land-warrant in the kingdom of
Heaven, and a pension for eternity.

* * * * *

ROOMS TO LET in the "Many Mansions" that Christ has prepared for those
that love him.

* * * * *

DIRECTIONS for cultivating the fruits of the Spirit may be obtained
_gratis_, at MEEK & LOWLY'S, No. 1 Grace Court.

Practical Reflections on CHRIST'S SERMON ON THE MOUNT may be had also as
above.

* * * * *

LEGAL NOTICE.--Notice is hereby given that all claims issued by the old
firm of Moses and Law were canceled 1800 years ago. Any requirement,
therefore, to observe as a means of righteousness legal enactments
bearing date prior to A.D. 70, is pronounced by us, on the authority of
the New Testament, a fraud and imposition.

* * * * *

THE EYES! THE EYES!!--It is known that many persons with two eyes
habitually "see double." To prevent stumbling and worse liabilities in
such circumstances, an ingenious contrivance has been invented by which
the WHOLE BODY is filled with light. It is called the "SINGLE EYE," and
may be obtained by applying to Jesus Christ.

* * * * *

WATER-CURE ESTABLISHMENT.--I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye
shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols, will I
cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I
put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh,
and I will give you a heart of flesh.--Ezekiel xxxvi., 25, 26.

* * * * *

PATENT SIEVES.--The series of sieves for CRITICISM having been
thoroughly tested, are now offered to the public for general use. They
are warranted to sift the tares from the wheat, and in all cases to
discriminate between good and evil. A person, after having passed
through this series, comes out free from the encumbrances of egotism,
pride, etc., etc. All persons are invited to test them gratuitously.

* * * * *

MAGNIFICENT RESTAURANT!--In Mount Zion will the Lord of hosts make unto
all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees; of fat
things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will
destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people,
and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death
in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces;
and the rebuke of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth:
for the Lord hath spoken it.--Isaiah xxv., 6-8.

* * * * *

PATENT SALAMANDER SAFES.--Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon
earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through
and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor
steal.--Matt, vi., 19, 20. This safe, having been submitted for 1800
years to the hottest fire of judgment, and having been through that time
subject to constant attacks from the fiery shafts of the devil, is now
offered to the public, with full confidence that it will meet with
general approbation. Articles enclosed in this safe are warranted free
from danger under any circumstances.

* * * * *

TO THE AFFLICTED!--WINE and MILK for the hungry, REST for the weary and
heavy-laden, CONSOLATION and BALM for the wounded and invalids of every
description--may be had _gratis,_ on application to the storehouse
of the Son of God.

* * * * *

The _Circular_ contains each week extracts from journals kept in the
two communities, and "Talks" by Noyes and others, with a variety of other
matter relating to their belief and daily lives.

II.--RELIGIOUS BELIEF AND FAITH-CURES.

They call themselves "Perfectionists."

They hold to the Bible as the "text-book of the Spirit of truth;" to
"Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God;" to "the apostles and Primitive
Church as the exponents of the everlasting Gospel." They believe that
"the second advent of Christ took place at the period of the destruction
of Jerusalem;" that "at that time there was a primary resurrection and
judgment in the spirit world;" and "that the final kingdom of God then
began in the heavens; that the manifestation of that kingdom in the
visible world is now approaching; that its approach is ushering in the
second and final resurrection and judgment; that a Church on earth is
now rising to meet the approaching kingdom in the heavens, and to become
its duplicate and representative; that inspiration, or open
communication with God and the heavens, involving perfect holiness, is
the element of connection between the Church on earth and the Church in
the heavens, and the power by which the kingdom of God is to be
established and reign in the world." [Footnote: Statement in the
_Circular_.]

They assert, further, that "the Gospel provides for complete salvation
from sin"--hence the name they assume of "Perfectionists." "Salvation
from sin," they say, "is the foundation needed by all other reforms."

"Do you, then, claim to live sinless lives?" I asked; and received this
answer:

"We consider the community to be a Church, and our theory of a Christian
Church, as constituted in the apostolic age, is that it is a school,
consisting of many classes, from those who are in the lowest degree of
faith to those who have attained the condition of certain and eternal
salvation from sin. The only direct answer, therefore, that we can give
to your question is that some of us claim to live sinless lives, and
some do not. A sinless life is the _standard_ of the community,
which all believe to be practicable, and to which all are taught to
aspire. Yet we recognize the two general classes, which were
characterized by Paul as the "nepiou" and the "teleioi." Our belief is
that a Christian Church can exist only when the "teleioi" are in the
ascendant and have control."

In compliance with my request, the following definition of
"Perfectionism" was written out for me as authoritative:

"The bare doctrine of Perfectionism might be presented in a single
sentence thus:

"As the doctrine of temperance is total abstinence from alcoholic drinks,
and the doctrine of anti-slavery is immediate abolition of human bondage,
so the doctrine of Perfectionism is immediate and total cessation from
sin.

"But the analogy thus suggested between Perfectionism and two popular
reforms is by no means to be regarded as defining the character and
methods of Perfectionism. Salvation from sin, as we understand it, is
not a system of duty-doing under a code of dry laws, Scriptural or
natural; but is a special phase of _religious experience_, having
for its basis spiritual intercourse with God. All religionists of the
positive sort believe in a personal God, and assume that he is a
sociable being. This faith leads them to seek intercourse with him, to
approach him by prayer, to give him their hearts, to live in communion
with him. These exercises and the various states and changes of the
_inner_ life connected with them constitute the staple of what is
commonly called _religious experience_. Such experience, of course,
has more or less effect on the character and external conduct. We cannot
live in familiar intercourse with human beings without becoming better
or worse under their influence; and certainly fellowship with God must
affect still more powerfully all the springs of action. Perfectionists
hold that intercourse with God may proceed so far as to destroy
selfishness in the heart, and so make an end of sin. This is the special
phase of religious experience which we profess, and for which we are
called Perfectionists."

Among other matters, they hold that "the Jews are, by God's perpetual
covenant, the royal nation;" that the obligation to observe the Sabbath
passed away with the Jewish dispensation, and is "adverse to the advance
of man into new and true arrangements;" that "the original organization
instituted by Christ [the Primitive Church] is accessible to us, and
that our main business as reformers is to open communication with that
heavenly body;" and they "refer all their experience to the invisible
hosts who are contending over them."

I must add, to explain the last sentence, that they are not
Spiritualists in the sense in which that word is nowadays usually
employed, and in which the Shakers are Spiritualists; but they hold that
they are in a peculiar and direct manner under the guidance of God and
good spirits. "Saving faith, according to the Bible, places man in such
a relation to God that he is authorized to ask favors of him as a child
asks favors of his father. Prayer without expectation of an answer is a
performance not sanctioned by Scripture nor by common-sense. But prayer
with expectation of an answer (that is, the prayer of faith) is
impossible, on the supposition that 'the age of miracles is past,' and
that God no longer interferes with the regular routine of nature." Hence
their belief in what they call "Faith-cures," of which I shall speak
further on.

Community of goods and of persons they hold to have been taught and
commanded by Jesus: "Jesus Christ offers to save men from all evil--from
sin and death itself; but he always states it as a necessary condition
of their accepting his help that they shall forsake all other; and
particularly that they shall get rid of their private property."
Communism they hold therefore to be "the social state of the
resurrection." The account on the sides of life and death arranges
itself thus:

APOSTASY,

UNBELIEF

Obedience to

_Mammon,_

PRIVATE PROPERTY,

DEATH.

RESTORATION,

FAITH,

Obedience to

_Christ,_

COMMUNISM,

IMMORTALITY.

The community system, which they thus hold to have been divinely
commanded, they extend beyond property--to persons; and thus they justify
their extraordinary social system, in which there is no marriage; or, as
they put it, "complex marriage takes the place of simple." They surround
this singular and, so far as I know, unprecedented combination of
polygamy and polyandry with certain religious and social restraints; but
affirm that there is "no intrinsic difference between property in persons
and property in things; and that the same spirit which abolished
exclusiveness in regard to money would abolish, if circumstances allowed
full scope to it, exclusiveness in regard to women and children."
[Footnote: "History of American Socialisms," by J. H. Noyes, p. 625.]

It is an extraordinary evidence of the capacity of mankind for various
and extreme religious beliefs, that many men have brought their wives
and young daughters into the Oneida Community.

They have no preaching; do not use Baptism nor the Lord's Supper; do not
observe Sunday, because they hold that with them every day is a Sabbath;
do not pray aloud; and Avoid with considerable care all set forms. They
read the Bible and quote it much.

They believe that the exercise of sufficient faith in prayer to God is
capable of restoring the sick to health; and assert that there have been
in their experience and among their membership a number of such cures.
In a "Free-Church Tract," dated "Oneida Reserve, 1850," there is an
account of such a cure of Mrs. M. A. Hall, ill of consumption, and given
up by her physicians. In this case J. H. Noyes and Mrs. Cragin were
those whose "power of faith" was supposed to have acted; and Mrs. Hall
herself wrote, two years later: "From a helpless, bed-ridden state, in
which I was unable to move, or even to be moved without excruciating
pain, I was _instantly_ raised to a consciousness of perfect health.
I was constrained to declare again and again that I was perfectly well.
My eyes, which before could not bear the light, were opened to the blaze
of day and became strong. My appetite was restored, and all pain
removed." This is said to have taken place in June, 1847. The following
case is reported in the _Circular_ for February 9th of the present
year (1874), and the description of the injury, which immediately
follows, is given by Dr. Cragin--a member of the Oneida Community--whom I
understand to be a regularly educated physician. The sufferer was a
woman, Mrs. M. Her hand was passed between the rubber rollers of a
wringing-machine. The machine was new, and the rollers were screwed down
so that it brought a very heavy pressure on her hand, evidently crowding
the bones all out of place and stretching the ligaments, besides
seriously injuring the nerves of her hand and arm. When she came here
from Wallingford Community, several weeks after the accident, not only
the nerves of her hand were essentially paralyzed, but the trunk nerve of
her arm was paralyzed and caused her a great deal of suffering. It was as
helpless as though completely paralyzed: she had not sufficient control
over her hand to bend her fingers.

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