OHIO
Archaeological and Historical
PUBLICATIONS.
THE SEPARATIST SOCIETY OF ZOAR.
AN EXPERIMENT IN COMMUNISM -FROM ITS
COMMENCEMENT
TO ITS CONCLUSION.
BY E. O. RANDALL, LL. M., SECRETARY OHIO
STATE ARCHAEOLOGICAL
AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
It is somewhat singular, if indeed not
really significant,
that just at this time while the views
of Edward Bellamy1 are
attracting world-wide attention and
receiving an enthusiastic
acceptance almost startling in its
extent, one of the most com-
plete and perhaps most thoroughly tried
applications of the so-
1Edward Bellamy, born Chicopee Falls,
Mass., March 26, 1850;
died same place, May 22, 1898. Author of
"Looking Backward" (1889)
and "Equality" (1897). Editor
"The New Nation," established January,
1891. These works advocate a socialistic
communism. Bellamy's books
reached a sale of hundreds of thousands
and some four hundred papers
and periodicals have been established
devoted to his theories, while
thousands of clubs and societies have
been formed throughout the coun-
try promotive of what is called the
Nationalistic Movement, which in
certain sections has taken an organized
political character, leading to
the formation of local, state and
national parties. The Nationalistic
Movement does not at once demand the
adoption of the perfected ideal
scheme as described in
"Equality," but tends towards an Utopian com-
mune, to be preceded "by the
nationalization of industries, including as
minor applications of the same
principle, the municipalization and state
control of localized business."
Vol. VIII-1
2 Ohio Arch. and His.
Society Publications.
cial scheme of communism has reached a
termination and, a
self-confessed failure, has passed out
of existence, as to its com-
munistic feature, and that too after a
duration of more than
three quarters of a century, a
continuance apparently under the
most favorable circumstances.
ORIGIN OF THE SOCIETY.
The history of this communistic
experiment is a sociologi-
cal study, both important and
instructive. It is the history of
the Separatist Society of Zoar. As
religion was the funda-
mental basis of the organization, the
object of its formation, the
cause of its emigration to this country,
and a prominent ele-
ment in its operation and final failure,
some considerable space
is devoted to this component of the Zoar
Colony. As is well
known to every reader of history, the
reformation in Germany
in the sixteenth century resulted in the
springing up, through-
out the fatherland, of innumerable
anti-Romish sects. This
was especially true in those countries
where the union and
united oppression of the church and
state had become unusually
obnoxious and tyrannous. The Kingdom of
Wurttemburg be-
came one of the hotbeds of the revolt
against popedom and
churchdom, and for three or four
centuries before the reforma-
tion, Wurttemburg was noted for the
reformatory activity of its
people.
While following the leadership of the
Wittenberg Monk,
Wurttemburg became, not only the
stronghold of Protestantism,
but also a prolific breeding ground for
countless religious inde-
pendents, and also for an innumerable
variety of sects and
creeds.
As early as 1544, two years before the death of Lu-
ther, a preacher of Waiblingen
complained that there were as
many sects in Wurttemburg as there were
houses. The Lutheran
Church became the church of the state,
and the orthodox clergy
supported by the compliant government,
stood up, of course,
resolutely against the dissenting and
independent religionists.
Among these numerous heterodoxies the
Pietists constituted
one of the strongest and most
influential religious parties-
they were hardly an organized sect-but
were antagonists to
the state church. This sect, or rather
theological school, owed
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 3
its origin and growth to the writings
and teachings of Johann
Arndt (1555-1621), Johann Andrea
(1586-1654) and Frederick
Christoph Oetinger (1702-1782). The
latter was an enthusiastic
disciple of the mystic philosophy of
Jacob Boehm (1575-1624).
Oetinger's heterodoxy fostered a species
of dissent known as Sep-
aratism. The Separatists rejected
baptism, confirmation and
other ordinances. They declined to do
military duty or take
the legal oath, and refused to remove
their hats to their desig-
nated superiors-they had no superiors in
their own estimation,
as all men were equal before the Lord.
They would not permit
their children to attend the public
schools, which were con-
ducted by the Lutheran clergy.
Disobedience to the conven-
tional forms of the regular church and
the dictates of the ruling
state, naturally brought the Separatists
into conflict with the
government. They were insulted and
persecuted. They were
brought before the civil authorities and
punished with floggings
and imprisonment. Their houses and lands
and personal prop-
erty were confiscated; their children
were taken from them and
sent to orphans' homes or other public
institutions. In short,
an intolerable and bigoted oppression of
the Separatists pre-
vailed, just as two centuries earlier
the Puritans of England
were persecuted by the Protestant King
James.2 There was
2 The interesting fact should not be
lost sight of that while the prime
purpose of the expedition of the
Mayflower (1620), under the reign of
King James I, was for religious liberty,
the financial plan and practical
working of the Pilgrim Forefather
settlement was a phase of communism.
The Leyden Emigrants having no means of
transportation and being
scarce of funds, entered into a hard
bargain with one of the English
Colonizing Companies of London. "In
their arrangements for the voy-
age, and the business foundation and
management of the colony," the
Pilgrims formed a communistic
co-partnership. The Plymouth Company
of London, comprising some seventy
merchants, handicraftsmen, etc.,
"which raised the stock to begin
this plantation," had an original
capital of some seven thousand pounds, divided
into shares of ten
pounds each ($50.00). This company was
to furnish the Pilgrims trans-
portation and land for settlement. The
Pilgrims were to go as planters
or pioneers-they were to become
stockholders by virtue of their services
or contributions. "The shares were
ten (10) pounds each. For every
person going, the personality (that is,
from sixteen years of age) was.
accounted one share for him and every
ten pounds put in by him (in
funds or property) was accounted an
additional share." This co-part-
4 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
no alternative for the Separatists but
to suffer or flee the coun-
try. They were forced to emigration. The
first of these Sep-
aratist departures to America was under
the leadership of George
Rapp, the eloquent weaver-preacher of
Iptingen, Wurttemburg.
He first gathered a small congregation
in his own house in
1787. He and his followers were
duly fined and imprisoned
when in 1804 some six hundred of them,
mainly mechanics and
peasants; landed in Philadelphia and
finally located on the Ohio
river some twenty miles northwest of
Pittsburg, in Beaver
county, Penn., where they purchased some
five thousand acres
of wild land. They called the place of
their settlement Econ-
omy, and they "formally and solemnly
organized themselves
into the 'Harmony Society,' agreeing to
throw all their pos-
sessions into a common fund, to keep
thenceforth all things in
common; and to labor for the common good
of the whole
body."3
nership was for seven years. During this
time the Pilgrim colonists
were to be supported out of the common
colony property. At the end
of the seven years, all the possessions
of the colony, with everything
gained by them, were to be equally
divided among the whole of the
stockholders-London capitalists as well
as Pilgrim colonists. Such
was the contract, the essence of which
was co-partnership in interest
and a communism in support and
subsistence. One of the earliest
studies, therefore, in this country of the
relations of capital and labor
is offered in the establishment of the
Plymouth colony. In 1623 the
colonists raised funds through English
friends and bought out the
London stockholders in the company, and
the Pilgrims thus became
possessed of all the stock and property
of the company.-[Pilgrim
Fathers, G. B. Cheever, page 107.]
3The Harmonists or Rappists, as
sometimes called, remained in
Economy ten years and then moved to New
Harmony, Indiana, re-
maining there till 1824, when they sold
their land to Robert Owen, the
scientist and philanthropist, author of
"New View of Society" and
"The Book of the New Moral
World." For three years Owen tested
his socialistic theories at New Harmony
when the experiment became
unsuccessful and was abandoned, Owen
returning to England, his native
country. The Harmonists (1824) returned
to Economy, which has ever
since been their abiding place. They
suffered many vicissitudes, dissensions
and desertions. Several times seceders
established other communistic
societies. The Harmonists at Economy
numbered at one time over a
thousand members-and in their palmiest
days were reported possessed
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 5
The company that comprised the Zoar
colony departed from
Wurttemburg in April, 1817. A few months
earlier several of
their number were sent to Antwerp to
engage a ship to trans-
port them to America. They chose as
their leader one Jo-
seph M. Baumler, which name was later
changed for the sake
of English euphony to Bimeler and is so
known to-day in Zoar
and elsewhere. Bimeler was of humble and
obscure peasant
origin but a man of unusual ability and
independence, a
teacher, a natural leader and a fluent
speaker. He easily
became by common consent the guide and
mentor of a large
following. There were some three hundred in this pilgrim
company. They were from the poorer class
of their country-
men. Many were unable to pay their
passage, which was pro-
vided for by some of their more
fortunate companions and ma-
terial assistance was rendered to these
religious emigrants by
the sympathizing "Society of
Friends," the Quakers of Eng-
land. The journey of the Separatists
lasted some three months,
and the voyagers landed in Philadelphia
on August 14, 1817.
They were kindly received in the City of
Brotherly Love by
their friends, the Quakers, who provided
a large building in
which the Separatists could remain until
departing for their
western home. As further acts of aid by
the Quakers, it is re-
lated that the "Society of
Friends" in England had sent a
considerable sum of money to America for
the use of the worthy
but destitute Wurttemburgers-a sum
amounting to about eight-
een dollars for each Separatist. This
fund was given the re-
cipients upon their arrival in
Philadelphia and was used later
to send them on to their destination in
the Tuscarawas Valley.
As most of these emigrants reached
Philadelphia "in an im-
of property valued in the millions. They
made large real estate invest-
ments which proved exceedingly
profitable, for the coal mines, oil
wells, etc. They built up large
industries, shipping their goods through-
out the country. The past few years they
have rapidly declined. They
number now less than a dozen members.
Their manufactories are mostly
abandoned. Their property has been
mainly sold and that remaining
has greatly depreciated in value and is
more or less encumbered. The
society has practically lost its
co-operative character and its fate as a
communistic society will doubtless be at
no distant day that of its kin-
dred at Zoar.
6 Ohio Arch. and His.
Society Publications.
poverished condition," this Quaker
beneficence came to them
like an act of Providence and the
Separatists have always pre-
served a warm spot in their hearts for
the generous and sym-
pathetic Quakers. They tarried in
Philadelphia several months,
during which time Bimeler arranged for
the Ohio settlement.
He purchased of one Godfrey Haga a tract
of five thousand
five hundred acres of land, a military
grant in the wilderness
of Tuscarawas county. He was to pay
three dollars per acre,
giving fifteen hundred dollars cash
-(loaned, it is said, by
their Quaker friends)-and his
(Bimeler's) individual notes for
fifteen thousand dollars, secured by a
mortgage on the land
for that amount, to be paid in fifteen
years, the first three years
to be without interest. This transaction
was solely in the
name of Bimeler, but with the
understanding that each mem-
ber of the society should have an
interest therein proportionate
to the amount he might contribute to the
payment for the land.
Bimeler, with a chosen few of his
company, went out to take
possession of this purchase December,
1817, when the first log
hut was erected, others rapidly
following, on the site of the
present village of Zoar.4 The colonists were as fast as pos-
sible to cluster their humble homes
about this chosen center,
after the custom of the German peasant
farmers who settle in a
common locality rather than scatter
their dwellings upon their
respective and more or less distant
farms.
In the succeeding spring (1818) the
colonists then remain-
ing in Philadelphia went on and took up
their abode at Zoar
-that is all that were able to do
so. Many were too poor
to reach there without assistance and a
large number were com-
pelled to take service with neighboring
farmers to earn sup-
port for themselves and families. They
were almost wholly
unskilled workmen and many delayed their
journey at an op-
4Zoar was, as may be surmised, so named
from the ancient town
on the shore of the Dead Sea, a city
described in Genesis as "a little
one" to which Lot was permitted to
take refuge in his flight from
Sodom. The choosing of this name is
indicative of the religious char-
acter and purpose of the Separatists.
They have generally been known
as "Zoarites."
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 7
portune station to acquire a knowledge
of some useful trade or
calling.
This Separatist emigration had been
primarily for the pur-
pose of securing religious liberty;
secondarily for better oppor-
tunities of obtaining a livelihood. They
had thus far no in-
tention of forming a communistic
society; they held their in-
terests individually, and it was
expected that each member
should pay for his own share of the
land, which had been se-
cured by Bimeler to be subsequently
divided and sold among
separate purchasers. But the members
were unequal in age,
strength, experience, energy and
enterprise. They soon real-
ized that their individual inequality
stood in the way of the
collective success of the company.
"Having among them a
certain number of old and feeble people
and many poor who
found it difficult to save money to pay
for their land, the lead-
ing men presently saw that the
enterprise would fail unless it
was established upon a different
foundation; and that neces-
sarily would compel the people to
scatter." Early in 1819 the
leaders, after consultation, determined
that, to succeed, they
must establish a community of goods and
efforts, and draw
into themselves all whom poverty had
compelled to take ser-
vice at a distance. This resolution was
laid before the whole
society, and after some weeks of
discussion was agreed to; and
on the 15th of April articles of
agreement for a community of
goods were signed. There were then about
two hundred and
twenty-five persons, men, women and
children.5
These articles of association were dated
April 19, 1819, and
were signed by fifty-three males and one
hundred and four fe-
males. The articles created a common
unity of interests, pre-
sent and prospective, whereby all the
property of individual
members, and their future earnings,
should become the com-
mon stock of the association, to be
taken care of and man-
aged by directors to be elected annually
by the members.6
5Nordhoff,
Communistic Societies in the United States, page 101.
6 The articles of association entered
into by the society were prefaced
by the following preamble: "The
undersigned, members of the Society
of Separatists of Zoar, have, from a
true Christian love towards God
and their fellow men, found themselves
convinced and induced to unite
8 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
In March, 1824, amendatory articles7
containing features
similar to but more extended than those
of 1819, were drawn up
and signed by about sixty males and one
hundred females,
themselves according to the Christian
Apostolic sense, under the follow-
ing rules through a communion of
property; and they do hereby de-
termine and declare that from the day of
this date, the following rules
shall be valid and in effect:"
1. "Each and every member does
hereby renounce all and every
right of ownership, of their present and
future movable and immovable
property; and leave the same to the
disposition of the directors of the
society elected by themselves.
2. "The society elects out of its
own members their directors and
managers, who shall conduct the general
business transactions, and
exercise the general duties of the
society. They therefore take possession
of all the active and passive property
of all the members, whose duty
it shall be at the same time to provide
for them; and said directors are
further bound to give an account to the
society of all their business
transactions."
The other articles relate to the duties
of the members of the society,
the adjustment of difficulties which may
arise among them, and an
agreement that backsliding members
cannot, either for property brought
in, nor for their labor in the society,
demand any compensation or resti-
tution, except under the order of a
majority of the society.
5 McLean, page 224.
7"We, the undersigned, inhabitants
of Zoar and its vicinity, etc.,
being fully persuaded and intending to
give more full satisfaction to
our consciences, in the fulfillment of
the duties of Christianity, and
to plant, establish and confirm the
spirit of love as the bond of peace
and union for ourselves and posterity
forever, as a safe foundation of
social order, do seek and desire, out of
pure Christian love and per-
suasion, to unite our several personal
interests, into one common in-
terest, and, if possible, to avoid and
prevent law suits and contentions,
or otherwise to settle and arbitrate
them, under the following rules, in
order to avoid the disagreeable and
costly course of the law, as much
as possible. Therefore, we unite and
bind ourselves by and through
the common and social contract under the
name and title of "The
Separatist Society of Zoar," and we
agree and bind ourselves, and
promise each to the other and all
together, that we will strictly hold to,
observe, and support all the following
rules and regulations. New
articles, amendments, or alterations, in
favor of the above expressed
intentions, to be made with the consent
of the members.
"We, the undersigned, members of
the second class of the Society
of Separatists, declare, through this
first article, the entire renuncia-
tion and resignation of all our property
of all and every dimension, form
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 9
under which articles, with those of 1819, the affairs of the
Society were thereafter managed. On
February 6, 1832, the So-
ciety was incorporated under the then
existing laws of Ohio,
and shape, present and future, movable
and immovable, or both, for
ourselves and our posterity, with all
and every right of ownership,
titles, claims and privileges, to the
aforesaid Society of Separatists,
with the express condition that, from
the date of the subscription of
each member, such property shall be
forever, and consequently also
after the death of such member or
members, remain the property of the
said Separatist Society."
Directors were to be elected by the
society, who were authorized
to take all the property of the
individual members and of the society
into their disposition, and to hold and
manage the same expressly for
the general benefit of the society,
according to the prescriptions of the
articles. They shall have power to
trade, to purchase and to sell, to
conclude contracts and dissolve them
again, to give orders if all of them
agree, with the consent of the cashier,
who was to be elected by the
society. They were "to appoint
agents and to conduct the entire pro-
vision of all and every member in
boarding, clothing and other neces-
saries of life, in such proportion as
the situation, time, circumstances
may require." And the members bound
themselves to obey the orders
and regulations of the directors and
their agents. The children of the
members, during their minority, were to
be subject to the control of
the directors, but without the votes of
a majority of the society, they
cannot bind apprentices out of the
association.
The directors are required to take
charge of inheritances of de-
ceased members as universal heirs, in
the name of the society; to investi-
gate and settle disputes among the
members, an appeal being allowed to
a board of arbitrators, which was to be
elected and to consist of from
one to three persons. The arbitrators
were bound to observe the economy
of the society, and give orders and
instructions, to investigate accounts
and plans which may have been made by
the directors and their agents.
All transactions, exceeding in amount fifty
dollars, to be valid, required
the sanction of the board of
arbitration. This board had also the power
to excommunicate arbitrary and
refractory members, and to deprive
them of all future enjoyments of the
society.
New members were to be admitted, being
of full age, having been
approved of by the directors and board
of arbitration, by a vote of two-
thirds of the society; and on condition
that they should resign all their
property to the society, as had been
done by the original members.
Directors and arbitrators were to be
elected as often as shall be deemed
necessary by the society. "The
highest power shall be and remain for-
ever in the hands and disposition of the
society, who reserve the right
at pleasure to remove and to establish
officers, or to place others in
their stead; in short, to make any
alteration which may be deemed best."
10 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
by the name of "The Society of
Separatists of Zoar." This
conferred upon the Society the ordinary
and usual powers of
a corporation, with perpetual
succession, with power to hold
property, purchase and sell, pass
by-laws, etc.8
On May 14, 1833, at a meeting of the
members of the So-
ciety, called in pursuance of said act
of incorporation, an or-
ganization was effected and a
constitution adopted for the gov-
ernment of the Society, under which its
affairs have ever since
been regulated. All the members under
the articles who re-
mained in the Society at the adoption of
the constitution, be-
came members of the Society in its
corporate capacity.
According to the constitution9 of
the Society adopted un-
der the articles of incorporation
(1832), the members were di-
vided into two classes, the novitiates
and the full associates.
The novitiates were obliged to serve at
least one year before
admission to the second class and this
applied to the children
of the members, if on becoming of age
they wished to join the
Society. The full associates must be of
legal age, the males
twenty-one and the females eighteen. The
members of the
first or probationary class did not give
up their property. A
child of a member or an incoming
outsider, wishing to enter
the Society, was admitted to the first
class if the officials of
the Society found no objection. Later on
the candidate made
application for full membership. The
trustees would formally
receive this request, inquire into the
case as far as seemed
necessary, and if no cause to reject was
presented, they there-
The cashier was bound to keep all the
funds of the association, and to
apply all moneys which may come to his
hands, by the orders of the
directors and arbitrators, to the
benefit of the society-to pay its debts
and to liquidate its general
wants."
And it is agreed that individual demands
by backsliding members,
or such as have been excommunicated,
whether such demands may be
for goods, or other effects, or for
services rendered to the society, are
abolished and abrogated by the members
themselves and their posterity.
These articles are declared to be
confirmatory of those of 1819, and
extending to a more detailed
explanation.
5 McLean Reports, 225.
8Vol. 30, Ohio Laws, page 92. (See p. 77 this article.)
9This constitution will be found in full
on p. 79, etc.
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 11
upon would, by posting his name in the
public meeting room,
give thirty days' notice to the Society
of the time and place at
which he was to sign the covenant. At the appointed date he
would subscribe to the constitutionl0
and yield up to the So-
ciety any and all property he might then
possess. It was not
required that he have any property, but
he could not be ad-
mitted if he were in debt.
Strangers who came to Zoar for admission
during the pro-
bationary year received food, clothing
and lodging, but no pay-
ment. During the early years of the
Society many friends and
relatives of the first comers emigrated
from Germany and joined
the colony. Very few other foreigners
became converts. Oc-
casionally an outsider would enter the
community because of
marriage to a member. But outside
accessions or conversions
were exceedingly few. No native American
is known to have
entered the Society.1l According
to the constitution of the So-
ciety, all officers were elected by the
whole Society, the women
voting as well as the men-all elections
being by ballot and a
majority vote. The government of the
community vested
solely in a board of three trustees (or
directors) to serve three
10The
covenant the elected subscribed to was as follows: "We,
the subscribers, members of the Society
of Separatists of the second
class, declare hereby that we give all
our property, of every kind, not
only what we already possess, but what
we may hereafter come into
possession of by inheritance, gift, or
otherwise, real and personal, and
all rights, titles, and expectations
whatever, both for ourselves and our
heirs, to the said society forever, to
be and remain, not only during
our lives, but after our deaths, the
exclusive property of the society.
Also we promise and bind ourselves to
obey all the commands and
orders of the trustees and their
subordinates, with the utmost zeal and
diligence, without opposition or
grumbling; and to devote all our
strength, good-will, diligence, and
skill, during our whole lives, to
the common service of the society and
for the satisfaction of its trustees.
Also we consign in a similar manner our
children, so long as they are
minors, to the charge of the trustees,
giving these the same rights and
powers over them as though they had been
formally indentured to them
under the laws of the state."
11An old member stated that a
"Yankee," by which he meant a
New Englander, lived with the colony
several years, but never became
a legal member.
12 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
years each, one to be elected annually.12
These trustees had un-
limited power over the custody and
management of the prop-
erty, and all the temporalities of the
Society, but were bound
to provide clothing, board and dwelling
for each member, "with-
out respect to person"; and to use
all means confided to their
charge for the best interests of the
Society. They had the man-
agement of all the industries and
affairs of the Society. They
designated to each member his especial
work. But in this they
consulted the inclination and peculiar
abilities of the member,
endeavoring to fit each man into the
place for which he was
best adapted. The trustees appointed the
subordinates and su-
perintendents of the different
industries and departments of
labor. This board of trustees, which
might be called the ad-
ministration committee, was accustomed
to hold monthly meet-
ings in which foreign and home affairs
were considered and trans-
acted. Beside this ruling board of
trustees there was a stand-
ing committee or council of five, one
member being elected each
year. This standing committee or council
was the supreme ju-
diciary or board of arbitration of the
Society. It was the
high court of appeals in cases of
disagreement, dissension
and complaint. This council had power to
excommunicate
arbitrary and refractory members, and to
cross out their sig-
natures and deprive them of all
participation in the affairs of
the Society. It was agreed that all
disputes should be settled
by arbitration alone and within the
Society. The trustees en-
deavored to act at all times in harmony
with this council. The
Society elected once in four years a
cashier or treasurer,13 whose
duties were those of secretary and
treasurer. He had sole and
exclusive control of all the moneys of
the Society, the trus-
tees being obliged to hand over to his
custody all they received.
He kept the books and had immediate
oversight over the bus-
iness transactions of the Society. There
was also an elected
officer known as the Agent General,14
who acted as the trader
to buy and sell for the Society in its
dealings with the outside
world, make and conduct contracts, etc.
The office of Agent
12 See Constitution, Article II.
13 Article
V of the Constitution.
Article III of the Constitution.
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 13
General was, when created, regarded as
the position of honor
and influence in the Society, and to it
Joseph Bimeler was
elected. It was the one office he held
and he continued in it to
his death, after which the office always
remained vacant. The
duties of this office were subsequently
performed by the cashier
or one of the trustees. The time and
place of an election by
the Society were made public twenty days
beforehand by the
trustees and five members were chosen at
each election to be
managers and judges. The office of
president was unknown.
The constitution was read in a public
and general meeting of
the members of the Society, at least
once every year, at which
time the villagers met and discussed and
acted upon their af-
fairs much as was the custom in the New
England town meet-
ings. So far as Zoar had any political
form of procedure, it
was a pure democracy.
THE RELIGION OF THE ZOARITES.
We have already alluded at some length
to the religious
origin in Wurttemburg of the Separatists
as a sect. We can
not properly study the Zoar community
without a thorough
understanding of their religious faith
and practices.
The "Principles of the Separatists,"
which were set forth
in the works of Joseph Bimeler, were
evidently framed in Ger-
many. They consisted of twelve articles,
as follows:
"I. We believe and confess the
Trinity of God; Father,
Son and Holy Ghost.
"II. The fall of Adam, and of all
mankind, with the loss
thereby of the likeness of God in them.
"III. The return through Christ to
God, our proper
Father.
"IV. The Holy Scriptures as the
measure and guide of
our lives, and the touchstone of truth
and falsehood. All our
other principles arise out of these, and
rule our conduct in the
religious, spiritual, and natural life.
"V. All ceremonies are banished
from among us, and we
declare them useless and injurious, and
this is the chief cause of
our Separation.
14 Ohio
Arch. and His. Society Publications.
"VI. We render to no mortal, honors
due to God, as to
uncover the head, or to bend the knee.
Also we address every
one as 'thou'-du.
"VII. We separate ourselves from
all ecclesiastical con-
nections and constitutions, because true
Christian life requires
no sectarianism, while set forms and
ceremonies cause sectarian
divisions.
"VIII. Our marriages are contracted
by mutual consent,
and before witnesses. They are then
notified to the political
authority; and we reject all
intervention of priests or preachers.
"IX. All intercourse of the sexes,
except what is necessary
to the perpetuation of the species, we
hold to be sinful and
contrary to the order and command of
God. Complete virginity
or entire cessation of sexual commerce
is more commendable
than marriage.
"X. We can not send our children
into the schools of
Babylon (meaning the clerical schools of
Germany), where other
principles contrary to these are taught.
"XI. We can not serve the state as
soldiers, because a
Christian can not murder his enemy, much
less his friend.
"XII. We regard the political
government as absolutely
necessary to maintain order, and to
protect the good and hon-
est and punish the wrong-doers; and no
one can prove us
to be untrue to the constituted
authorities."
Joseph Bimeler was not only their leader
and guide to this
country, but he was their priest and
prophet, if such they had.
Bimeler was their spiritual leader and
preacher, not by any
formal authority, but merely universal
acquiescence. The
standard, and indeed the only
theological literature of the Zoar-
ites, consists of the works, or rather
printed discourses, of Bi-
meler.15 They are in three
large octave volumes, the first four
parts having the common title:
15 On the subject of the faith of the
Zoarites I have made free use
of a little German Pamphlet, by Karl
Knortz: "Aus der Mappe eines
Deutsch-Amerikaners." Bamburg,
1893. Herr Knortz carefully examined
the works of Bimeler and in his pamphlet gives a summary
of many
of Bimeler's views.
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 15
THE TRUE SEPARATION
OR
THE SECOND BIRTH.
SET FORTH IN
BRILLIANT AND EDIFYING CONVENTION
SPEECHES
AND
MEDITATIONS.
PERTAINING ESPECIALLY TO THE PRESENT
TIME.
HELD IN THE COMMUNITY OF ZOAR IN 1830.
PRINTED IN ZOAR, 0., 1856-1860.
These ponderous volumes of theological
thought and re-
ligious reflection are in German and
have never been trans-
lated. The original copies are rare;
very few Zoar families
possess a copy. The last two parts bear
the title:
SOMETHING FOR THE HEART
OR
SPIRITUAL CRUMBS
FROM THE TABLE OF THE LORD.
GATHERED
BY A DEVOUT SOUL
AND COMMUNICATED WITH THE INTENTION OF A
BLESSED ONE.
CONSISTING
OF A COLLECTION OF EXCERPTS OF MANY FORCEFUL
SPEECHES AND OBSERVATIONS;
PARTICULARLY DIRECTED TOWARD THE INNER
LIFE
PUBLICLY HELD AND READ BY A FRIEND,
OF GOD IN TRUTH IN ZOAR.
ESPECIALLY ADAPTED TO THE PRESENT TIME.
PRINTED IN ZOAR,
0., 1860-1861.
16 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
Besides the history of Bimeler's
separation, these works
contain speeches, which the Zoarite
teacher made before
his people, in a language which was
clear and easily un-
derstood, although not always correct.
According to the tes-
timony of the publisher, they are to be
considered as direct man-
ifestations of the Holy Ghost, as
Bimeler never studied or com-
mitted his utterances. In his opinion,
the separation of the peo-
ple, who had inwardly renounced the
world and received Christ
into themselves, from the false
Christians, was a necessary pos-
tulate in the interest of the salvation
of the former. In the same
manner, it was necessary to declare war
on the official clergy,
who were called "lazy and useless
servants," and of whom it
was said, that by their empty,
ceremonious trifles they de-
luded the people and kept them from
entering upon the road
of truth.
From these speeches, a truth-loving,
believing Christian,
as well as a true and honest character
speaks to us and all
living Separatists, who had listened to
the sermons of Bimeler,
have unanimously declared that he lived
up to his teachings.
In his speeches, which abound in hints
for the practical life,
we now and then meet with declarations
which would greatly
honor a modern progressive theologian.
Thus, for instance,
he says that the religious needs of
mankind are not the same
at all times and that, therefore, divine
revelation progresses
and assumes a character adapted to
existing conditions. Bime-
ler preached from 1817 to 1853, that is,
to the year of his
death. He did not write his speeches
down, and the same would
probably never have been printed had it
not been that a patient
and dutiful youth of Zoar had written
them down from his
memory at the request of his deaf
father, who did not attend
the meetings. This work the son
performed during the night, as
in day-time he had to follow his
accustomed occupation. His
memoranda embrace the time from 1822 to 1832. In
the last
mentioned year the reporter died, but
happily there was another
young man who possessed the necessary
clerical skill to save
Bimeler's meditations from oblivion.
When the founder of Zoar
died (1853), there was not a man in the
whole colony who
could fill his place as speaker. For a
time they read to each
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 17
18 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
as I commence to speak an infinite field
of ideas opens before
me, so I can choose where and what I
like and what seems to
me the most necessary."
In these speeches Bimeler showed how
man, after he
leaves the state of innocence, starts on
the road of nature
which leads him to eternal damnation.
But, if like the lost son,
he turns at the right time and cleanses
his heart by penitence,
he is again taken into the community of
God.
Bimeler is very severe in his treatment
of the official
preachers, "who enter the pulpit
only for the wages and for
the comfort of life it affords, and who
promote the hypocriti-
cal worship and ceremonies, and he
reproves them for with-
holding intentionally from their flocks
the true Gospel." He
boldly stated the clergy were the
pensioners of the state. That
they did not get their knowledge from
God, but had learned
it like a trade in the schools. They
explained the letter of the
text, but felt not its spirit. They preached for compensation
and were given to arrogance and
hypocrisy.
Bimeler's speeches contain lessons on
morality, temperance,
cleanliness, health, housekeeping, etc.
As Bimeler possessed
a certain amount of medical knowledge,
some of his discourses
even describe "the inner parts of
the human body," in order to
show what influence the immoderate use
of food and drink may
have on them. Bimeler is very liberal towards worldly
science and does full justice to its
progress. Besides, it
is everywhere noticeable that he, unlike
most of his col-
leagues, was an educated, well read and,
in many respects, an
unprejudiced man. He possessed not only
great talent, but
a vast fund of knowledge.
For the traditional Christian holidays,
he did not have much
respect, as he thought one day as sacred
as another. Sunday
he did not even consider a day of rest,
because, as he remarked,
the crops sown on that day did just as
well as those sown on
any other day. If nature makes no
distinction in this respect,
it was not necessary for man to do so.
Time should always
be used to the best advantage. The Zoarites worked on
Sunday when occasion required, but in
late years generally
observed the day as one of rest. In
spring one should sow, and
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 19
in summer assist the crops so that the
weeds would not out-
grow them. In fall, the crops should be
gathered, and winter
should be used to prepare for the spring
work. The lessons
of the seasons Bimeler also applied to
the spiritual life of man.
His parallels in this respect are
distinguished from other sim-
ilar teachings by their wealth of
original and practical thought.
His speeches, however, lack logical
construction. "The most
heterogeneous subjects are often thrown
together higgledy-pig-
gledy, which is especially annoying,
because there is no connecting
thread. But this fault may be chargeable
to the amanuensis who
certainly was not a stenographer."16
The Separatists of Bimeler's school,
like most other Separa-
tists, were inclined to chiliasm.17
In course of time, however, they
came to the conclusion, that the kingdom
of God would not come
outwardly, but inwardly, and even then
slowly and by degrees.
A state of grace could only be gradually
attained by sincere re-
pentance; just as a person could not
exchange his sick body for a
sound body by legerdemain. A new heaven
and a new earth can
be created only, if by the killing of
the old Adam we ourselves
become new. If the latter is not done, a
new heaven or earth are
of no use to us.
But Bimeler does not put all the blame
on old Adam, for he
believes that all men have a desire to
taste of the tree of knowl-
edge. Adam consequently acted simply
according to human na-
ture. He was just like men nowadays and
had his bad and good
qualities, the same as they are found in
all other products of na-
ture, such as plants, animals and
minerals.
Nor does Bimeler think much of foreign
missionary work,
because, he thinks, it is much more
important for a true Christian
to do this missionary work at home. The
professional mission-
aries only make nominal Christians and
hypocrites, who may be
able to recite the confession of faith,
but otherwise know as little
of Christ's plan of salvation, as they
do of the man in the moon.
In regard to marriage, which is always a
vexed question in
16 Karl Knortz.
17 The doctrine that Christ will
reign on earth a thousand years
visibly and personally before the end of
the world.
20 Ohio Arch. and His.
Society Publications.
the confession of faith of the
separatists, Bimeler does not always
express himself as clearly and
distinctly as he really intends. But
this much is sure, he did not consider
the married state absolutely
sinful, as he himself was married and
the father of several chil-
dren. He said he knew, that many
believed him opposed to mar-
riage, but added, that if it enhanced
the happiness of people, he
had nothing against it. Moreover, such
happiness was only tem-
porary and ended with death. But he
wished that the endeavor
of men was principally directed towards
acquisition of eternal hap-
piness. A chaste life is therefore
preferable, because through
marriage sin with all its sad
consequences is perpetuated. The
married state could only in very rare
cases be called sacred.18
Many of the members of the original
company were opposed
to the institution of marriage and
decided to make celibacy ob-
ligatory in the society as had Rapp with
the Harmonists. Bimeler
himself at first supported this view and
taught that God did not
look with pleasure on marriage, but that
He only tolerated it;
that in the future world there would be
no marrying or giving in
marriage; that "husband and wife
and children would not know
each other" in heaven as there was
no distinction of sex there.
For the first ten years of the society
therefore Bimeler opposed
marriage and it was prohibited until
about 1828 or 1830, when
Bimeler was smitten with the charms of
one of the comely mai-
dens who was an inmate of his household
and whose duty it was
to wait upon the spiritual and temporal
head of the Society. They
were married and this wedding and
example of the leader led to
the abrogation of the anti-marriage rule
and the previous celibate
practice of the Society. The benedict
Bimeler, consistent with his
new and happy state, then freely
advocated marriage as shown by
his discourses.
With regard to education, Bimeler says
many things that de-
serve notice. As a good example is much
more efficacious than
words, he exhorts parents to lead an
exemplary life, whereby they
can influence their children better than
by the everlasting admoni-
tion to pray and to attend prayer
meetings, which fills them only
with abhorence for the Word of God. Prayers
at stated hours
18 Karl Knortz.
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 21
do not at all promote the fear of God,
because, if one is not in the
right humor, they are easily regarded as
a troublesome function.
Prayers must be short. Long prayers are
an abomination. Bi-
meler himself did not pray, at least not
outwardly, but inwardly,
"in spirit and in truth." All
prayers must come from the heart,
free and unforced. Therefore prayer
books are not only unneces-
sary but injurious to the true
Christian, because they "promote
babbling with the mouth." Bimeler
sincerely appreciated the
freedom, which obtained in American
school and educational mat-
ters, and the fact that there was no
attempt made to prejudice
the young mind against any social or
religious tendencies. The
youth are permitted to attain their
majority, when they may choose
for themselves. This is entirely in
harmony with the divine in-
tention, according to which men are
created free and which does
not favor any creed that may have been
created, parrot-like, during
infancy. Bimeler was a decided admirer
of the republican prin-
ciple of government and he demanded what
was perfectly in har-
mony with it, the subordination of the
individual will to that of
the whole, as otherwise in a community like
Zoar peace and har-
mony might be easily disturbed.
As all strife of the world may be traced
back to selfishness,
man must restrain love of self in the
interest of all which, how-
ever, few will try and fewer still
achieve. But it is said, "Love
God with all thy heart and thy neighbor
as thyself," and the latter
is only possible through restraint of
self-love, which, therefore, is
a divine commandment. It is easy to love
God, it is harder to love
one's neighbor. But as men are one
family the individual has no
right to refuse to love his neighbor.
The Separatists therefore
took as their model the first Christian
community of Jerusalem,
where all were one heart and one soul.
There was no compulsion
there. But as soon as Christianity
adopted compulsory means for
its preservation, it began to decay. In
a communistic colony there
are neither poor nor rich. In the outer
world there is wealth, and
poverty, of which Bimeler prefers the
former, because in its proper
application it may conduce to much
happiness, while the latter
often produces many sins and much
misery.
Bimeler nowhere appears as a zealot or
fanatic and with the
exception of the clergymen, whom he
thoroughly hates, he con-
22 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
demns nobody, because we only see the
acts of men, but not
their motives. Nor is he an admirer of
blind superstition; and
wherever there is a chance, he praises
the advance of science, be-
cause it improves the condition of
everybody. Every new inven-
tion he hails with sincere joy. He
always speaks like a loving
father to his beloved children. He never
acted toward his people
in a tyrannical manner as Father Rapp
(of the Harmonists); he
exhorted but did not punish, and if some
one differed with him,
Bimeler did not for that reason expel
him from the community.
Like Father Rapp, Bimeler had declared
war on tobacco,
without, however, entirely prohibiting
its use; as he never de-
manded servile obedience, which would
suppress individual views.
Everybody should reflect for himself on
all questions of life and
form his own independent opinion.
Therefore he says:
"We must be glad, that God has led
us out of our former
fatherland, which is kept so much under
pressure and servitude.
We should rejoice and thank God with all
our heart, that He has
freed us from that servitude, and
brought us hither, where we can
serve our God without hindrance and
molestation, according to
our conviction and conscience. You know,
my friends, in Ger-
many they did not allow us to do so, and
therefore we had no
other choice but leave the country and
seek a livelihood somewhere
else. This was the reason why we came to
America. It was not
selfishness, nor greed, nor avarice, nor
desire for any easy life, that
caused us to emigrate. No, no such base
motives led us to this
step. If either of these had been our
motives, as is the case with
thousands of emigrants, we would not be
so peaceful and satisfied
within ourselves, as we indeed are,
because we know that our mo-
tives were, as above mentioned, a desire
of a free practice of our
principles. And I do not believe, my
friends, that we should have
attained our aim, if we had been guided
by those ignoble in-
tentions."
The old piety which was cultivated by
Bimeler and his orig-
inal followers had to give place in Zoar
to ideas more adapted to
the present world. But in spite of all
that, the Separatists of the
third generation until recently (as
stated by Herr Knortz) still
sang the favorite verses of the old
Separatists, one of which
verses was:
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 23
Yearning is the soul in me
After peace,
That my troubles, stilled by Thee,
Soon may cease.
Lead me, Father, out of harm,
To the quiet Zoar farm,
If it be Thy will.
LEGAL STATUS OF THE SOCIETY.
Much speculation at various times was
indulged in con-
cerning the legal status of this
society; its character as an or-
ganization and the legal relationship of
its members to the So-
ciety. In several instances the courts
were called upon to con-
sider these questions. Members who were
deprived of sup-
posed rights, or who had been expelled,
at different periods
in the history of the society, resorted
to the law for remedy.
Two of these cases became famous and
important as legal pre-
cedents. In the April Term, 1851, a suit
was brought by John
G. Gosele and others in the Seventh
Circuit Court of the
United States.l9
John Gosele was one of the original
Separatist emigrants
and continued as a member of the Zoar
community until his
death in 1827. He was a subscriber to
the association articles
of 1819 and 1824, but died
before its incorporation. His heirs,
John G. Gosele and others, brought this
suit for a partition of
the Zoar property and the restitution to
them of their ances-
tor's distributive share. This raised
the question of the nature
of the contract entered into by the
members and also the char-
acter of the organization under our
laws. Did the Society con-
stitute a joint tenancy or a perpetuity
in property, both of which
our laws forbid? If such was the
contract it should be de-
clared null and void. Or was the scheme
some legal form of
a partnership, and if so, did the death
or withdrawal of a mem-
ber destroy this partnership, and compel
or permit the distri-
bution of the co-partnership property.
And how did the laws
governing real estate descent apply to
the lands of the com-
munity?
19John G. Goesele et al. vs. Joseph M.
Bimeler et al., 5 McLean
Reports, 223.
24 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
"The rights of the plaintiffs in
this suit rested upon the
contracts before the incorporation of
1832.
They claimed: 1,
that there was no grantee (of the
lands); 2, that if there were
a grantee, the grant would be void as a perpetuity. To this
the court, in its opinion, replied that
the lands were purchased
by Bimeler for the Society, were paid
for by it, and were held
in trust by him; the fee was in him and
the members of the
Society were the cestui que trusts. It
was admitted that an un-
incorporated community could not, in its
aggregate capacity,
take lands in grant, nor could its
directors and their succes-
sors in office take them, as the law,
under the circumstances,
recognizes no succession. A valid grant
to such a community
would only be made to the individuals
composing it, or to an
individual and his heirs, in trust for
its use. The articles of
association constituted a declaration of
trust, which Bimeler,
the trustee, recognized as binding upon
him. This declara-
tion did not require the formalities of
a grant; it was in writ-
ing and the application of the trust
being distinctly stated, it
was not affected by the statute of
frauds and perjuries. The
members of the Society agree with each
other that their prop-
erty of every description should be held
and used as a com-
mon fund for their general benefit and
they appointed certain
agents to manage their concerns and
provide for their sup-
port. It is true, they relinquished to
the Society their entire
property, but it was done that, as a
community, they might
enjoy the benefits of the whole. The
aggression which they
established relieved the members
generally from personal care,
but the sum of their enjoyment was not
lessened. The want
of capacity in the Society, as deeds to
take by grant, does not
invalidate this procedure. The agreement
was that the equit-
able individual right to the trust
should be relinquished for a
common right with the other members, to
the entire property.
In effect, it was constituting a
universal partnership, known
to the common law and which is not in
violation of any of
its principles, the name of the Society
was used as a designa-
tion of the whole body, the same as the
assumed name of a
firm to designate its partners.
Individuality of membership of
the property then possessed by the
members of the association
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 25
was abolished, and also future
acquisitions for the common right
of an interest in the whole. This common
right was limited
to the members of the association;
consequently those who left
it, or were expelled, forfeited such
right. * * * * By this
arrangement, the members of the
association were placed on an
equality as to their interests in the
property and their enjoy-
ment of it. Their minutest wants were alike provided for,
through the agency established; and this
was the consideration
on which the contract was founded. That,
in the absence of
all fraud and unfairness, this was a
bona fide and legal con-
tract, cannot be doubted. An important
part of this contract
was that the property thus surrendered
should belong only
to the members of the association;
consequently the heirs of the
members could not claim an interest in
the property as heirs,
but only as members. Against such a
disposition of property,
I know of no principle of law or morals.
Any individual has
the power to divest himself of his
property, real and personal,
for a valuable consideration.
"Gosele and the other members, when
they relinquished
their individual property for a common
interest in the whole,
and appointed agents to manage the
concern, expressly agreed
to receive as a consideration for their
property and labor a
support for themselves and their
families, including clothing
and
every other provision necessary for their comfort.
* * * * It was a partnership agreement
among themselves,
and was binding upon each individual who
entered into it.
"If there be no principle of law
opposed to such a com-
munity of property, it must be held
valid on the rules which
apply to partnerships. There was no
moral considerations op-
posed to it. In adopting it, the
Separatists Society followed
the example found in the early history
of the Apostles, and
which received a lawful sanction of
heaven.
"But it is said that this association
contemplates an enjoy-
ment of the property in perpetuity; that
those who shall be-
come members of it, through all time
shall enjoy it, and that
this the law will not permit. * * * * It
must be observed
that title (to the land) vested in the
trustees from the date
of the deed; and the common use, in the
society, as fully when
26 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
the articles were agreed to, as was
contemplated at any future
period. It is true that the association
could only be perpet-
uated by the admission of new members.
But such admission is
not obligatory on the Society. An
applicant to become a member
must first apply to the directors, who
bring his case before
the board of arbitration, and pass their
examination. If ad-
mitted, it must be on the condition that
he shall relinquish
his individual property to the members
of the association,
and with them enjoy a common benefit in
the whole. This
is a matter of contract at the time, as
it was at the formation
of the society. The perpetuity then, is
not created by the first
contract, but depends upon subsequent
contracts, which may
or may not be entered into. No right is
derived or can be
claimed under the articles of
association until the individual
shall have complied with the conditions
of his admission. He
then becomes a partner in the
association, and is subject to the
original articles, not from any
instrinsic force in them, but
because he has adopted them by contract.
Here is the origin
of his right, and of his obligation, and
the question may well
be asked, is this a perpetuity? If it be
a perpetuity, it is a
perpetuity that can extend beyond lives
in being, only by vol-
untary contracts. * * * * This association, in principle,
does not differ from any other
partnership, where the mem-
bers create the capital by giving up
their property to the con-
cern, living upon their profits,
applying their surplus to an in-
crease of capital, and receiving new
members on the terms of
the original association. This, if
carried out, may endure for
many generations, but it is not a
perpetuity, which the law
prohibits. The enjoyment of the right,
on condition of con-
tinued membership, has no necessary
connection with a perpe-
tuity. If the condition be broken by a
member, it depends
upon the individuals and the Society
whether he shall be re-
stored or not. * * * * For the
reasons stated, I think
the agreement entered into by the
members giving up their in-
dividual interest in the property for a
common interest in the
whole of it, so long as they shall
remain members, is not void
in law."
The federal circuit court decided the
case for the Society
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 27
and against the contestants. They
appealed the case to the
United States Supreme Court, when it was
tried in the De-
cember term, 1852, Roger B. Taney being
then Chief Justice.
The interests of the Society were
defended by no less distin-
guished advocates than Henry M.
Stanberry and Thomas Ew-
ing. Mr. Stanberry, in a very learned
brief, argued that the
association was not a simple pure
partnership, liable to the
incidents of such and subject to the
operation of all the or-
dinary causes of dissolution-viz: that
it might be dissolved by
the first death which happened among its
members, and was
capable of dissolution and partition of
its real estate, at any
time at the instance of any member.
"The original agree-
ment provides," he said, "for
a perfect community of property,
real and personal, and for a succession
or survivorship among
members on the Tontine principle. It
guards with great care
against the dissolution of the body.
* *
* This was not
a mere partnership, nor the members
tenants in common. The
agreement for community of property, the
mutual surrender
of all individual property into the
common stock and the ex-
press stipulation against any
reclamation in the case of with-
drawal, and for the preservation of the
common property, for
the exclusive use and perpetual
enjoyment of the members, in
succession, are inconsistent with the
incidents of mere part-
nership or tenancy in common.
"But, is is said, there are legal
difficulties which the agree-
ment of the parties cannot surmount.
That upon the death of
a member, the Society was dissolved ex
necessitate. This con-
sequence, though generally true as to
partnerships, does not
follow where the agreement provides
against it. It is not an
inevitable consequence. The doctrine of
dissolution upon the
death of a partner, only obtains where
the deceased partner has
a continuing interest in the property or
profits of the associa-
tion. It is not just that the surviving
partners should be obliged
to carry on the business, without his
co-operation, for the bene-
fit of his estate.
"I have said this Society was not
an ordinary partnership,
It very closely resembles that sort of
partnership in the civil
law which is called universal.
"Universal partnerships (des so-
28 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
cieties universelles) are contract by which the parties agree to
make a common stock of all property they
respectively pos-
sess-they may extend it to all property,
real or personal, or
restrict it to the personal only. They
may, as in other part-
nerships, agree that the property itself
shall be common stock,
or that the fruits only shall be such;
but property which may
accrue to one of the parties, after
entering into the partner-
ship, by donation, succession, or
legacy, does not become com-
mon stock, and any stipulation to that
effect, previous to the
obtaining of the property aforesaid, is
void.'
"'An universal partnership of
profits includes all the gains
that may be made, from whatever source,
whether from prop-
erty or industry, with the restriction
contained in the last ar-
ticle, and subject to all legal
stipulations between the parties.'
* * * This
association is a general partnership, with the
principle of survivorship ingrafted upon
it. In this particu-
lar it takes the character of a Tontine,
which is a society with
the benefit of survivorship, the longest
liver taking the com-
mon property in absolute ownership.
* * * I can see
no objection to this provision as to
ownership. Certainly as
to personalty there can be no
difficulty; but it is said, in so far
as the real property of the company is
concerned, there can be
no joint tenancy, no right of
survivorship, in Ohio; and that
upon a death of a member, his interest
in the real estate passes
to his heirs at law, and that at any
time the right to parti-
tion might be asserted. * * * * There
is, then, no ob-
jection to survivorship by express
limitation or agreement.
This being so, there has been no descent
of any heirs of the
deceased members of the society, and
there is no present right
of partition in any of the living
members.
"Objection is also made to this
association, that the prin-
ciple of community and succession of
property among the mem-
bers, involves a perpetuity. There
is nothing like a perpetuity
in it. The society has the perfect right
of disposal over all its
property, real as well as personal, and
this power of disposal
is wholly inconsistent with the idea of
perpetuity, which only
exists where the property is so limited
that no living agency
can unfetter it.
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 29
"It is further urged that this
Society is contrary to the
genius of our free institutions-that its
constitution enforces
perpetual service and adherence to a
particular faith, and that
it is aristocratic in its tendency.
"If there were anything in such
objections, the constitu-
tion answers them all. So far from being
at all aristocratic,
this Society is a pure democracy. All
the officers are chosen
by ballot, every member, male and female,
have an equal voice;
and the body of the Society reserves to
itself the power of
removing officers and changing the form
of government at
pleasure. All distinctions of rank or
wealth are abolished, and
a perfect equality provided for. No
single dogma in religion
or politics is announced, no unusual
restraint on marriage, nor
subserviency to any doctrine out of the
common way, exist;
and so far from any enforcement of
perpetual service being
provided for, the right is reserved for
every member to retire
from the society at pleasure, with the
single condition that no
claim is to be set up for services or
property contributed. The
powers which the Society confides to its
officers are temporary,
and so distributed as to prevent any one
member or officer
from engrossing too much power.
"Besides this liberal frame of
government, the constitution,
by very full enactments, provides for
the education of the chil-
dren, the comfort and support of all the
members, and the
peaceable settlement of all
controversies by domestic tribunals.
It is impossible to hold that such a
constitution is contrary to
public policy, or in any sense illegal.
To say that such a so-
ciety cannot exist under our form of
government is a libel on
our free institutions.
"This is not a perpetuity in the
common law sense of the term,
it does not tie up real estate, for it
may be disposed of at any time.
Such a limitation of the real estate, or
its proceeds, would be good,
by the laws of Ohio, for the lives in
being; and each tenant for
life, by his own signature, if the full
estate at any time vested in
him or them, could equally well transmit
it to another life, and so
in succession, a majority being at all
times able to terminate the
succession at pleasure."
Justice McLean delivered the opinion of
the court in which
30 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
he said that "according to the plan
of the Zoar articles that Gosele
renounced individual ownership of the
property and an agreement
was made to labor for the community in
common with others, for
their comfortable maintenance. All
individual right of property
became merged in the general right of
the association. He had
no individual right and could transmit
none to his heirs. It is
strange that the complainants should ask
a partition through their
ancestor, when by the terms of his
contract, he could have no
divisible interest. They who now enjoy
the property enjoy it
under his express contract. * * * * This
was a benevolent
scheme and from its character might
properly be denominated a
charity. But from the nature of the
association and the objects
to be obtained, it is clear the
individual members could have no
rights to the property except its use,
under the restrictions im-
posed by the articles. The whole policy
of the association was
founded on a principle which excluded
individual ownership.
Such an ownership would defeat the great
object in view, by nec-
essarily giving to the association a
temporary character. If the
interests of its members could be
transferred, or pass by descent,
the maintenance of the community would
be impossible. In the
natural course of things the ownership
of the property in a few
years, by transfer and descent, would
pass out of the community
into the hands of strangers, and thereby
defeat the object in view.
By disclaiming all individual ownership
of the property acquired
by their labor, for the benefits secured
by the articles, the members
give durability to the fund accumulated,
and to the benevolent
purposes to which it is applied. No
legal objection is perceived
to such a partnership. If members
separate themselves from the
Society their interest in the property
ceases, and new members
that may be admitted, under the
articles, enjoy the advantages
common to all."
A subsequent suit20 was begun
in the common pleas court of
Tuscarawas county, carried through the
circuit court and finally
decided in the Ohio supreme court in the
December term, 1862.
That case was brought by John Gasely and
his wife Anna Maria
Gasely. Anna Maria, with her father, was
one of the emigrants
20 Gaselys et al. vs. Separatists'
Society of Zoar et al., 13 Ohio
State, 144.
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 31
of 1817, John Gasely was also a member.
They were married in
1830
and signed the articles in 1833. In 1845
John Gasely was
expelled from the Society, "for
just and sufficient cause," it is
claimed, and his wife, Anna Maria,
"was compelled to leave also
or abandon him and their children, which
she was unwilling to
do." The petition of the Gasely's
was for their distributive share
of the Zoar property. In this case also
the Supreme Court of
Ohio sustained the contract upon which
the community was
based.
PRACTICAL WORKINGS OF THE SOCIETY.
The location of the settlement of Zoar
was well chosen on the
cast bank of the Tuscarawas river, in
the northern part of the
county (Tuscarawas) where the stream
flows through a valley
fertile in soil and rich in scenery. The
Ohio and Erie canal21
passes near by and the town is a station
on the Wheeling & Lake
Erie Railroad. Alighting from the train
one seems to have left
the modern American civilization and to
have suddenly dropped
into a little German village that dates
its origin to a century or
more ago. One of the county highways
passes through it and
forms its principal thoroughfare called
Main street, and the only
one having a name - and running almost
due north and south.
The village consists of not more than
seventy-five buildings - of
various shapes and sizes - and scattered
irregularly upon eight
or nine streets, two of which on either
side are parallel to Main,
the other four crossing these
at right angles and extending east
and west. Excepting Main, the streets
are narrow and unim-
proved, there being no curbs or gutters,
and on the side streets no
distinctive walks unless created by
packed ashes or gravel, making
a footway slightly raised above the
level of the road. There was
no system of sewage or drainage - though
water was brought
into the village by piping from a spring
on the hill north of the
urban limits; water was thus conveyed to
one or two public drink-
ing troughs, but it was generally not
carried into the houses.
Zoar seemed to studiously avoid modern
conveniences. Particu-
larly did it shun light; at some of the
street corners a wooden
21 The Ohio and Erie Canal was built
1825-1833 and extends from
Portsmouth to Cleveland.
32 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
lamp post stood like a lonely and almost
useless sentry, as the ap-
paratus for illumination was either
wanting or impaired. But
there would seem to be little or no need
of village lights as the
good people had rare occasion to
"go out o' nights." The streets,
however, were cleanly; the village for
the most part had a trim
and swept appearance, characteristic of
the German habit. The
garbage of the dwellings was gathered
each day in a wagon and
carried off. The home interiors were
scrupulously scrubbed and
dusted. The total population did not
exceed 300 including the
Zoarites proper and the employed help.
The natives lived in some
forty dwellings - a fewer number than
usually obtains in a settle-
ment of an equal number of inhabitants.
Many of the domiciles
were double and accommodated two or
possibly three families.
The other buildings were for public or
common purposes, - fac-
tories, barns, store-houses, hotel, town
hall, church, schoolhouse,
etc. The living houses were of various
ages and styles - an-
tiquity prevailing. Some of the log
cabins still stood in part-
if not entire - mementoes of the pioneer
life of the Society. The
later frame structures were a story, a
story and a half, in a few
instances, two stories high. There were
a few old time red bricks
with heavy beam lintels. These homes
though indicating the
strictest economy in construction and
form were comfortable; the
rooms were usually large, square and
low, the windows often
placed high up and small; the chimnies
were often those of "ye
olden tyme." There were no cellars
and no garrets. The floors
were mostly bare or partially and
cheaply carpeted. The furni-
ture was simple, sparse, heavy and
time-honored. Pictures and
ornaments were few and far between. A
rigid plainness existed
throughout these humble homes, nor was
there any variation de-
noting different degrees of comfort or
means as one sees in every
other village. There was an undeviating
sameness in the mode
of living.
The houses stood close to the street,
upon which the steps
often projected, but in nearly every
instance an extent of yard
surrounded the house on the sides and
rear. These yards were
invariably utilized as vegetable and
flower gardens. Each family
mainly raised its own vegetables though
the more common ones
were supplied by the Society. Flowers in
great profusion was
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 33
34 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
either side, in which flowers and small
fruit flourished in great
profusion. The interior arrangement was
in accord with the
striking exterior architecture. Here
Bimeler lived until his death
in 1853. Bimeler taught equality of life
and in his discourses
played the part of a "great
commoner," but this comparatively
aristocratic abode - so far in excess of
anything any of his asso-
ciates occupied- rather suggests the
suspicion that the disciple of
democratic commonality was not averse,
even at the expense of the
community, to enjoying some exclusive
luxuries. At times, how-
ever, this conduced to criticism and
even open charges, particularly
from those who withdrew or were driven
from the Society. It
was claimed by the Gosele contestants
that Bimeler was making a
good thing out of his prominent position
and that the Agent-Gen-
eral traveled about in "a gay and
brilliant equipage that flashed
and spun," consisting of a fine
carriage and span of speeders.
This imputation was not sustained and it
was proven in the trial
that the carriage was a very ordinary
one, "worth only about three
hundred dollars," that one of the
horses cost about twenty dollars
and the other thirty or forty dollars.
It was unmistakeable how-
ever that Bimeler did ride about with
his wife - while his equals
footed it. But it is also true in
extenuation of this privilege-un-
enjoyed by other Zoarites-that he was
permanently lamed by a
broken leg, his carriage conveyance
being necessary. But beyond
doubt Bimeler seasoned his plain
thinking and simple teaching
with no slight flavor of high living,
but that seems to have been
willingly and cheerfully allowed by his
contemporary people. Un-
disputed tradition and the universal
testimony of the aged mem-
bers, still living, who remember
Bimeler, deprecate any aspersion
upon the character, morality, honesty or
sincerity of precept or
practice of their founder and
acknowledged superior. With just
cause they all respect and honor his
memory as an able, just and
true man - devoted to the welfare of his
fellow-members. This
official residence for the past few
years has been used in part as
living quarters for some of the families
and in part as the store-
house or repository for the goods to be
distributed to the members,
groceries, clothing and living
necessities. To this building on
(two) designated days of the week the
villagers would go to
procure their supplies - each family
being allowed ample quantity
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 35
of the articles supplied, both food and
such things as were fur-
nished for the housekeeping. No account
or reckoning of this
distribution was kept by the society -
or its officers - with any
individual member. This at first always
surprises the thoughtful
visitor and appears to be a gross laxity
of business procedure, but
there was no need of
"bookkeeping;" there could be no charge
against, or credit to a member and hence
no balance to be struck.
What was the property of one was the
property of all. The trus-
tees allotted the proper portion to each
individual or family. Each
person was permitted two suits of
clothes a year. The material
would be submitted in a limited variety
and quality; each would
select the cloth and the tailors made
the men's suits and the seam-
stresses the women's dresses. Often the
women made their
own dresses and knit their own stockings
and those for the men.
In former years the attire of the
Zoarites was nearly uniform,
being very simple and eccentric in
style, somewhat after the
fashion of the Quakers. But now-a-days
their apparel is much
the same as one might see in any
American village. They are
neat in appearance and their clothes are
kept in better order
and repair than is usually the case. The
women wore the homely
sun bonnet. Luxuries, such as jewelry
and ornamental articles
of dress were, of course, unsupplied and
unworn. Each man
was however entitled to a plain, silver
watch and watch and
clock repairing was one of the assigned
occupations.
Until recent years the material for
their clothing was almost
entirely made by the Society. They
raised their own flax and
wool and in their mills wove both woolen
and linen cloths; this
was done to the extent of selling these
goods in large quantities to
outsiders. These factories were both
closed at the date of my visit.
For some time they had ceased to export
their fabrics, but on the
contrary had purchased the material, at
least in part, for their own
clothing. The Society could buy cloth cheaper than it could
make it. Indeed this was true of nearly
all their industries which
formerly were numerous and flourishing
and not only produced
all necessary commodities for their
comfortable existence, but also
afforded large and profitable commerce
with the outside world.
Their location upon the Tuscarawas river
gave them a valuable
and unfailing water power and they had
two large flour mills, a
36 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
saw mill, planing mill, machine shop,
tannery, dye house, stove
foundry, cooper shop, woolen mill,
brewery, slaughter house,
blacksmith shop, tile works, pottery,
etc. In all these concerns
when in successful operation the best of
goods were produced
both as to quality of material and
honesty of manufacture, and
their goods were eagerly sought by
foreign customers. But dur-
ing the present generation these
enterprises have declined and
ceased to be profitable - the age of
invention and improvement in
machinery, the multiplicity of outside
manufactures and the fierce
contest of competition had undermined
and crushed many of their
manufacturing interests. The Zoarites
are not a progressive peo-
ple; they do not keep pace in their
business methods with the
times- the changes in appliance and the
modes of conducting
commercial affairs became too rapid for
their adoption, and from
being producers they have become
consumers, relying mostly
upon the outer world to supply their
needs.
Up to a few years ago they obtained the
hides from their cat-
tle and made their leather for their
shoes; that was long since
abandoned, as they could buy leather for
less than the cost of
making; and their chief shoemaker
informed them that they were
foolish to continue making their shoes,
as they could obtain them
ready made better and cheaper. But he
added, "We have not
the money to buy all them things, so we
keep on making our
clothes and shoes." Formerly it was
the rule that the mem-
bers get an order from the trustees on
the shoemaker for their
shoes. Latterly this has not been
required. One needing "foot
gear" simply resorted to the shoe
shop, had his measure taken
and patiently bided the time of the
leisurely cobbler. For many
years in the past the Zoar shoe shop did
a thriving business
with the outside countrymen. But now the
shrewd farmers
buy the machine made article, elsewhere,
for less money.
The stove foundry long ago closed up-the
stoves cast
were grotesquely large and cumbersome.
When the sale for
the original pattern ceased they
attempted to make no others.
The stoves outside might grow light and
graceful and econo-
mical in the consumption of fuel, but
the Zoar heaters remained
large, heavy and homely as ever.
The machine shop, planing and saw mill
were all in op-
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 37
eration, as was the larger flouring
mill, the latter under the
management of Peter Bimeler, a direct
descendant in the third
generation from the noted Joseph. This
mill is most pic-
turesquely located just south of the
village on the main road
from Canal Dover. It is not far from the
river and the mill
race runs through a cluster of noble and
venerable forest trees,
while across the roadway and upon the
slope of the hill are the
home and grounds of the miller, just
named. His house is
famous for containing a pipe organ, made
entirely by Mr. Peter
Bimeler. The wind department of the instrument is ingen-
iously run by a cable extending to the
mill and propelled
by the same power that drives the grist
wheels. Mr. Bimeler
is not only a genius in invention and
mechanical construction,
but also he is one in music. Without
ever having had any
instruction from professional or amateur
teachers, he plays read-
ily and most skillfully the most
classical and the most popular
music. It has been remarked that music
seems to be the only
direction in which the Zoarites display
any talent, but that,
it may be said, is common to the German
people. There were,
however, no educated musicians in Zoar.
Worldly music was
prohibited by the more fervid in
religion. They used a hymn
book, but sang sparingly in their church
services. They had
for some time maintained an orchestra,
which, I was told, did
most creditable work. It was led by Mr.
Louis Zimmerman,
the energetic secretary of the Society,
and an accomplished
musician. Mr. Zimmerman seemed to be the
promoter and
leader of whatever social life Zoar
could boast. The Zoar
brass band was an institution of some
years' stand-
ing.
I did not see a piano nor an organ in any of
the houses, save that described above
and the one in their
church. I was much entertained one
morning by watching
a band of four or five Italian musicians,
tambourine and banjo
girls, led by the inevitable organ
grinder, as they strolled and
played through the village. The children
flocked to hear the
music, much as children do anywhere, but
there were no demon-
strations of joy or glee, and greatly to
the disgust of the play-
ers, who evidently did not understand
the peculiar character of
their audience; there were no pennies
thrown; "not one cent for
38
Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
tribute"-it was not a cash
community-strange anomaly,
money did not circulate in that
civilization. Music, neverthe-
less, timid and primitive as it seemed
to be, constituted appar-
ently the only form of recreation in
which Zoar ever indulged.
The hum-drum of Zoar life was relieved
during the sum-
mer months by the visitors who
frequented the place. Zoar
is a favorite destination for excursion
parties and these are
accommodated in a large and attractive
grove called the Park,
just west of the village and overlooking
the valley and river
of Tuscarawas. This custom of permitting
and even encourag-
ing visitors is an innovation of late
years and one not calculated
to advance the welfare of the community,
which is thus brought
in contact with the outside life and a
phase of it not always the
most desirable. The Zoar people in their life were almost
de-
void of amusements. Their religion
prohibited dancing; they had
no social nor literary nor even musical
entertainments. Such
a thing as a lecture or concert or
public entertainment of any
kind seemed to be, nay was, entirely
foreign to Zoar. Nor
so far as I could learn had they any
diversions in the home
circle. Nor did they seem to miss the
pastimes of modern
society. Perhaps their life, free from
care, worry and hurry,
and excessive physical labor and mental
exertion required little
or no relaxation. Their temperament,
moreover, was sedate
and stolid. They showed less sense of humor than the Ger-
man generally manifests. Though on the
other hand they were
uniformly affable and good natured,
perhaps more so than the
average German. Occasionally a gleam of
facetiousness would
break through their earnest
conversation. One would imagine
that their isolated and fraternal form
of life would intensify
sociability; probably it did; they knew
each other as one fam-
ily and owing to their close and
continued contact many fam-
ilies were intermarried. Marital
relationship and proximity of
residence is not always promotive of
friendliness, but the Zoar-
ites constituted to an exceptional
degree a happy family.
My first visit was made in the summer of
1898, after their
determination to divide the property and
dissolve the Society,
but some months before either of those
purposes were accom-
plished. Preparations were in process
for the distribution, such
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 39
as the surveying and appraising of the
land. The old regime
of the society was still in full force,
but they were inclined just
then to be some somewhat suspicious of
visitors from fear of
interference with their affairs or the
acquiring by outsiders of
information which they did not wish
imparted to the public.
It was in the afternoon that I arrived
at the Zoar hotel, an
overwhelmingly large hostelry for so
small a town. The old
hotel, erected half a century ago,
stands on the main street,
and extending east on the corner for
fully a hundred and fifty
feet, has had added to its front a
modern structure three stories
in height and containing some fifty
commodious rooms. A wide
veranda surrounds the new addition on
the west front and south
side. This new wing was added some five
or six years since to
accommodate the large number of summer
boarders who frequent
Zoar to spend a longer or shorter time
enjoying the beauti-
ful scenery, the rural drives of the
surrounding country and
the quaint and quiet life of the
village. The old landlord greeted
me respectfully, but hardly with that
personal zeal and financial
interest usually displayed by the
professional hosts in their
new guests. From majority he had been
allotted to "run the
hotel." He was moreover a trustee
of the society and a man
of unusual general intelligence and
special knowledge of the
affairs of the Zoarites. The hotel
corps, cooks, waiters, etc.,
were assigned to their duties as their
respective portions in the
labor of the Society. The cuisine was
countrified but credit-
able-not quite the usual hotel variety,
but all wholesome, well
cooked and all the articles of diet were
the "real thing," as
they were genuine home productions and
could be trusted
without the test of the state "pure
food" inspection. There
was a "bar"-the only one in
Zoar-in the corner room of the
hotel, where beer and wines were served;
the latter mostly of
the village vintage. The beer drank in
this region had here-
tofore been solely that of Zoar brewing,
noted for its purity
and excellency. The brewery had recently
shut down and an
importation was now all that could be
had. It could be bought
cheaper than made. The Zoarites drank beer freely. This
beverage, fresh from the brewery, when
in operation, was sup-
plied to each family in generous
quantities each day, precisely
40 Ohio Arch. and His.
Society Publications.
as was milk and cider. But they were a
sober people; rarely
did a case of intoxication occur. The
income to the hotel from
whatever source, bar, board or livery,
went, of course, to the
society fund, as did all revenues
received from any source; none
went to the landlord or any of the hotel
force.
Across the street, opposite the hotel,
was the only store of
the place; a general country store,
where dry goods, grocer-
ies, hardware, etc., were provided for
the outside country cus-
tomers, the neighboring farmers. This
merchandizing estab-
lishment was conducted in the interests
of the Society and did
a large and profitable business. Mr.
Louis Zimmermann, the
secretary and treasurer of the Society,
was the manager of this,
as he was of all the negotiations
between the Society and out-
side parties. In this store room was the
postoffice of the vil-
lage. This store and the hotel opposite
formed the center of
the village life and here the male
members who were so in-
clined spent their lounging hours,
smoking, chatting and dis-
cussing the affairs of their community.
Their conversation
was mostly in German, not a very pure
form, but rather a peas-
ant dialect. Nearly all could speak
English. They were not
an educated people, though all adults
could read and write in
German. They were not a reading class.
Literature of any
description was conspicuously absent in
this community. There
was no library in the place; books were
a rarity in the homes.
Some of the Zoarites were subscribers to
a weekly (generally
German) paper, but that was an
exception. In former years the
admission of outside literature was
discouraged, if not forbid-
den as tending to weaken their religious
faith and make inroads
into the principles and practices of
their life. On the contrary,
they never attempted to propagate their
doctrines among outsid-
ers.
They never sought converts. No
paper or periodi-
cal of any kind was ever printed or
published by the So-
ciety. They took little or no interest
in the concerns of the
outside world, unless it was in national
politics. This lack of in-
terest was true of the older people but
did not apply so much
to the younger generation. They were all
loyal American citi-
zens. In the Rebellion, in spite of
their peace principles, many
enlisted and fought for the preservation
of the Union, and the
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 41
Society had its quota of veterans. None,
I was told, took part
in the late Spanish war. They took an interest in national
events, particularly in the campaign of
1896, when as the elec-
tion returns showed, almost to a man
they voted the Repub-
lican ticket. The money issue of that
campaign must have seemed
rather extraneous to their personal
inter-dealings. The ques-
tion may have had a bearing on the
commercial relations of the
Society with outsiders, but among
themselves they had no need
of nor use for money. Everything they
permitted themselves
to have or enjoy was provided to the
individual "without money
and without price." In this respect
they, the older ones espe-
cially, were to be regarded as in the
position of wards of an
estate. I wondered what they would do
when given their prop-
erty and placed upon their own
responsibility, exertion and
resources. There were, in a partisan
sense, no local politics
in Zoar, though there was not an absence
of municipal func-
tions. Once a year the members of the
society met in the
Town Hall, situated in a small frame
building erected for that
purpose, and in the little belfry of
which hung the bell that
called the people to work in the morning
and sounded the din-
ner and quitting hour. In this little
hall the members would
gather, hear reports from their
officers, consider their questions,
discuss their interests and hold their
elections.
In 1884 (August 25) when the railroad
came along and
established a station at Zoar and put
the village in steam touch
with the world, the Zoarites
incorporated22 their village and as-
sumed municipal form, with a mayor, town
council, marshal,
etc. But in the election of these
officials there was never any
division of any kind. No partisan
contests disturbed the even
tenor of Zoar life. Their elections were
monotonous and unani-
mous. The municipal officers were chosen
from the leading
members of the Society and at the time
of my visit Jacob Sturm,
one of the three trustees, was the Mayor
as well. He was also
the railway station agent. His earnings
belonged to the Society.
As the evening shades began to fall an
interesting scene
was presented by "the lowing herd
winding slowly" from the
22These Articles of Incorporation will
be found in latter part of this
article.
42 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
pasture to the village barn. There were
"ninety and nine" of
them, many with their clanging bells,
driven, or rather accom-
panied, by one of the Zoarite
patriarchs, who bore on his bent
shoulders the burden of more than
three-score and ten years.
The sleek kine filed leisurely down the
lane into either side of
the basement of an immense barn. The
name of each cow was
posted in large letters over her stall
and each found without
hesitation her own proper place. A dozen
or more Zoar lasses,
with pails and stools, cheerily entered
upon the task of milk-
ing, superintended by the stable
"boss." The cattle and barn
were clean and tidy and this milking
scene was a memorable one,
The milk was carried into a small dairy
close by, placed in large
cans, and here dealt out to the village
housewives or children
who came with their buckets to receive
their portion. The
barn was a lofty concern, and in the
upper story was kept hay
and feed for the cattle. There were two
other extensive build-
ings or sets of buildings used in
connection with the farming
department. On the eastern edge of the
village were the stables
where were kept all the horses, some
fifty or more in num-
ber, and in adjoining buildings the
wagons, farm implements,
machines, etc. The horses were well fed
and cared for, though
this stable establishment had a
decidedly neglected and dilapi-
dated appearance.
On a hill still to the east of the
village was an enormous "L"
shaped sheep shed with the red tile
roof, which, owing to the
elevation on which the buildings stood,
could be seen from
almost any direction for a long
distance. At one time wool
raising was a very great feature in
their industrial life, but the
flock of sheep now only numbered two or
three hundred. In
the good old times it had often numbered
more than a thou-
sand. Not far from the horse stable was
the cider mill, which
was in full blast, producing an article
of superior quality. When
in season this was daily carted about
the village in a low-
wheeled, large-barrelled conveyance,
precisely resembling a small
sprinkling wagon. It stopped at every
door and the inmates
were supplied with a pail full or more,
as was required.
Not far from the hotel was the laundry
where the washing
was done for the community. Near
by was a stunted, one-
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 43
story, sullen, ominous, looking
structure with small, iron-grated
windows and a heavy double plank door.
It was the Zoar Bas-
tille; they called it the
"calaboose." I inquired with much sur-
prise as to the necessity for this penal
institution in so moral
and sober a community, and was informed
with a smile on the
part of my respondent, that it was built
solely for the benefit of
visitors to the village. It came with
the incorporation of the
town and the town marshal. Zoar was, as
before stated, a fa-
vorite field for the pleasure seeker and
occasionally the excur-
sionist exhiliration reached a
boisterous and even belligerent
stage, and incarceration was the only
remedy. In the days
when the tramp was so numerously abroad
in the land, Zoar
was his haven and delight, as the
generous and sympathetic
Zoarite would "take him in,"
feed him and lodge him over
night in the lockup. But my informant proudly stated the
Zoarites themselves never had any use
for a prison. No com-
munity of like number and age ever had
such a record for mor-
ality and good behavior. From the origin
of the Society no
Zoarite, while a member of the Society,
was ever charged with
a felony or crime. These remarkable
statements were verified
by several of the oldest inhabitants;
certainly the highest testi-
mony to the perfect character and
spotless life of the Separ-
atists. It is doubtful whether any
community in any time or
place can produce such a record.
At the northern outskirts of the village
upon rising ground
that overlooked the whole settlement
were the bakery, church and
schoolhouse. The bakery was an
interesting relic of the old time,
primeval bake ovens. The family having
in charge this important
feature of the Society's provision
department, were assigned a
good sized corner dwelling, with a
roomy, stone floored kitchen
into the rear of which was built a
cavernous brick oven, the cook-
ing chamber of which was elevated about
two feet from the level
of the kitchen floor. This oven was
large enough for a man to
easily enter and crawl about when
repairs were necessary. The
heating apartment was a similar brick
chamber, not under but at
the side of the bake oven. Here most of
the baking was done
for the village, though all of the
families cooked more or less
for themselves. The schoolhouse and
church were brick buildings
44 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
of many years standing. The schoolhouse
was a two story struc-
ture with a spacious recitation room on
each floor. This property
was dedicated by the Society to the
Township school authorities.
The school was conducted in all respects
like any village school,
under the state school laws. The
township school trustees elected
the teacher and paid him from the public
school fund. For fif-
teen or sixteen years the only teacher
has been Mr. Levi Bimeler,
a great-grandson of Joseph Bimeler. He
obligingly showed me
through the school building and I found
him a gentleman of ability
and culture. He had been fitted for his
profession by attending
the public schools at Strasburg
(Tuscarawas county) and the
Normal Schools at Shanesville and New
Philadelphia. These
outside educational advantages, improved
by Mr. Bimeler, were
at the expense of the Society and so far
as I could learn this
was the only instance in which a member
had been sent away
or been permitted to leave temporarily
for the purpose of being
educated.
He held his certificate from the county
board as any public
school teacher. He was paid the salary
of fifty dollars per month,
which of course under the rules of the
community he turned into
the treasury of the Society. It was
vacation when I visited the
building and I did not see the school in
operation. Mr. Bimeler
informed me that there were ninety-five
pupils enrolled and about
sixty-five in average attendance. This
number embraced, how-
ever, many children not belonging to the
Zoar society or village,
but residing in this school territory,
children of outside neighbor-
ing farmers.
Might not this collateral education of
the Zoar young and
the "worldly" youth have been
a dangerous influence upon the
growth or retention of the principles of
the Zoarites in their boys
and girls?
All the Zoarite children attended school
from the ages of six
to fifteen with the girls, and to
sixteen in case of the boys. The
pupils, their tutor testified were
bright, attentive, studious and
obedient. The course covered the main
studies of the primary and
grammar grades. There were a few studies
that might be classed
as in the high school curriculum. The
instruction was in Eng-
lish except on two days in the week,
when they were taught Ger-
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 45
man. Music was a favorite study and in
that the pupils did well.
The children of the village with whom I
talked seemed intelligent,
well behaved and obedient, and less
forward and "pert" in man-
ner than the average American youth of
similar age.
The village church if not orthodox in
its faith was so in its
furniture with its old fashioned,
straight back seats. The walls
and ceilings were uncolored and
unadorned; the whole air of the
interior was cold and uninviting. A
melodeon was on the plat-
form near the desk. On the open space
back of the seats stood
one of the colossal Zoar stoves, with a
capacity sufficient to absorb
the contents of a small coal mine at one
divine service. But coal
in those parts was plenty as the lands
of the Society were well sup-
plied with this mineral, though it was
not of the best grade. Be-
fore the decline of interest in
religious observances, the services
were three on the Sabbath; a Sunday
school in the afternoon and
worship exercises in the morning and
evening. There were no
prayers - only a song or two and the
reading of one of
Bimeler's discourses. This reading had lately been done
by the village gardener who acted as
both florist and par-
son. Bimeler's homilies had been read
and re-read till they
had become an old story and interest in
them was sadly waning.
Much that they contained had become
obsolete in the Zoar belief.
Attendance upon church was not
obligatory and the audiences
were slowly dwindling in number and
zeal. All services had been
abandoned at the time of my visit, and
as one member remarked,
their religious sentiment was passing
away, as a prelude to the
departure of their communism. The
descendants of the pioneer
and pious Separatists clung no longer to
the plain and simple faith
of their fathers. But while there seemed
to be an abatement of
religious life in the Society there was
no lessening in the standard
of their moral conduct. The church was
not used for the cere-
monies usually celebrated in the
sanctuary. The funerals and wed-
dings did not take place in the kirk.
There was no religious ob-
servance in marriage. It was purely a
civil contract, the legal part
being performed by a justice of the
peace. In 1898, and for some
years previous, the secretary of the
Society held the office of jus-
tice of the peace, and discharged all
the duties of the same. They
did not permit members to marry outside
of the society, and re-
46 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
quired all who made outside matrimonial
alliances to leave the com-
munity. When marriage first began among
them the plan was
adopted that the children should remain
in the care of their parents
until three years of age, when they were
housed in a common chil-
dren's home, the girls in one and the
boys in another, where each
respectively were brought up under the
direction of persons ap-
pointed for that purpose; nor did they
ever again come under the
exclusive control of their parents. This
custom prevailed until
1845, when it was discontinued and
thereafter the children were
reared in the homes of and by their
parents, subject to the juris-
diction of the trustees, to the extent
that their authority invaded
the domestic life. It was the business
of the Society, through the
trustees, to provide for the children
all they required, until they
became of age and elected to become
members of the Society.
The funerals were very simple affairs,
there being no cere-
mony of any kind either at the house or
at the burial. The
encased body, in an open wagon, followed
by the villagers on
foot, was quietly conveyed to the grave
at the usual hour of
1 P. M. The following Sunday evening a
funeral sermon was
read in the church. The cemetery,
situated on a hill north-
west of the village, was a veritable
"God's acre;" densely shaded
by fir trees, the grounds almost without
paths and profusely
overgrown with grass, wild flowers,
creeping vines and weeds.
Until a few years ago, tombstones were
proscribed. The graves
were not even designated. Bimeler
requested that no monu-
ment mark his sepulchre, and none does.
I could not find it,
though its location is well known to his
people. It is now the
custom to have the graves marked by a
wooden head-piece or
in some cases by a stone slab.
Such were the more noticeable external
features, as pre-
sented to me during my few days' sojourn
in Zoar. They were
a unique and in many respects remarkable
people, leading a
peculiar and isolated life. Their daily
needs and simple wants
were all readily supplied. Their lives
were peaceful and easeful,
proof of the sad refrain of Anna Boleyn:
"'Tis better to be lowly born,
And range with humble livers
content."
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 47
The men looked well fed and ruddy and
moved about with
a deliberation at times almost amounting
to indifference. The
women were noticeably the busier and
more active. In the
earlier period of the community they
shared almost equally the
physical labors of the men. They cleared
the forest and tilled
the field no less than their husbands
and sons. After the So-
ciety reached its prosperous stage, the
lot of the women was an
easier one. Their household cares were
lighter than is usually
the case with housewives. But they did
not appear as hale
and hearty as the men, perhaps,
possibly, because they confined
themselves indoors more than is
generally the habit with the
village dame. But they were happy and
contented. Their do-
mestic life was serene and pleasant.
This is evidenced by the
astounding fact that there had never
been a divorce in the So-
ciety. At the time of my visit the
wives, though consenting to
the coming change in the community, were
more anxious than
their husbands as to the outcome.
To one from the hurly-burly of the
business world the vil-
lage of Zoar seemed oppressed with an
air of stillness, if not
even sluggishness. Hamlet could have
walked the streets of
Zoar for a stage and have truly
remarked:
"And enterprises of great pith and
moment,
With this regard their currents turn
away,
And lose the name of action."
What did the Zoarites themselves think
of it? Did they
regard it as a success? Did they wish to
change this life to
one of individual responsibility and
result?
The patriarch, whose duty it was to
drive the cows to pasture
at early morn and to the barn at dewy
eve, did not wish to give up
the Zoarite scheme. Communism with him
had been and still was
a success. This was the sentiment of
many of the older members-
it was too late for them to launch out
into the world on an untried
experience for themselves; many of them
succumbed reluctantly
and apprehensively to the will of the
great majority - in the de-
cision to disband. To them it was a life
free from care, worry and
excessive work. They literally took no
thought for the morrow.
They lay down in comfortable homes at
night, in certain and sat-
isfactory knowledge that they would be
equally well provided for
48 Ohio Arch. and His. Society
Publications.
on the succeeding day. What boon in life
greater or more desir-
able than that?
"From toil, his spirits light,
From busy day the peaceful night,
Rich, from the very want of wealth
In heaven's best treasures, peace and
health."
The Zoar region was a remarkably healthy
one; the pure and
wholesome food, their simple and regular
habits, all united to pre-
vent disease and prolong life.
There was one doctor in the Society, the
only one they had
known for a generation. His office was a
room or two in one of
the less attractive buildings near the
hotel. He was self-educated;
had "picked up" his medical
knowledge; his nostrums were few
and simple and nature was doubtless his
chief assistant; his
"school", if he had any, might
be called "the school of common
sense." In extremely difficult
cases an outside surgeon might be
called in.
"Yes," said the doctor in his
chat with me, "the old ones are
not so anxious to quit but the young
ones are bound to wind up.
They go out and get a taste of the world
and its opportunities
and activities and they become
discontented and restless."
And that was true; many a family had a
son in the great west
or some large city. The young men wanted
to start out for them-
selves and possess and control the
results of their efforts. The bar-
ber shop was a little back room allotted
for that purpose in the town
hall building. Two days in the week the
members, who were ad-
dicted to the custom, were shaven and
also such visitors as were in
need of tonsorial attention. The knight
of the razor was a bright
young fellow who gave me fair facial
treatment, and with the cus-
tomary barber's conversational powers
imparted much information
as I plied him with questions. He was of
age, born and raised in
the Society but did not care to become a
member. "No chance
here for a young man." He contemplated going off to "find a
job" elsewhere; wanted to do for
himself; had already "worked
several years and had nothing to show
for it." But as he was
eligible to probation and membership he
hoped by remaining with
the community until the distribution
that he might get half a share.
There were several in the same
situation. As I gave him the price
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 49
50 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
rogatories he asked, "Was you one
of dem newspaper fellers what
wants to know evertings ?"
"No," I replied, "I am a college pro-
fessor." "Oh, vell," he
instantly retorted, "dot was the same ting
and just as bad," We understood each other perfectly after
that and became good friends.
In the hot boiler room of the cider mill
I found one of the
oldest members who seemed to be the
personification of con-
tentment. He was, and for many years had
been, the fireman
and he sat in his bared arms eating an
apple and apparently
wrapt in pleasing meditation. I think he
must have been think-
ing of the approaching dismemberment of
the community, for
upon my asking his views he
unhesitatingly stated he had keenly
enjoyed the Zoar life. It had been one
of plenty and peace.
But he realized there had come a changed
condition of affairs
and he philosophically accepted the
"new dispensation." "Yes,"
he said, "I was satisfied and
happy. It was all right till a few
years yet. I know not how it will do in
the new way, but we
must make the change, dat was
sure."
The good old shoemaker who, with two
younger assistants,
was "pegging away" in a
faithful but deliberate manner, was in
favor of the dissolution, though a little
uncertain and uneasy about
the outcome to himself and some others.
All three agreed it was
"not according to nature for one to
work for others," "it is better
that each be by himself and know what he
has got." The element
of self-interest and individuality was
self-assertive. The principle,
"every man for himself," was a
popular sentiment. Many minor
influences had been working to undermine
the Society. Oppor-
tunities had been increasing as time
passed for the shrewd and
enterprising ones to acquire sums of
money in a way that did not
demand, in their estimation, its being
turned into the general fund.
This developed in some curious and
ingenious ways. Many fami-
lies raised chickens in their yards;
these and the eggs they would
sell to outsiders. This questionable
method of traffic created much
dissatisfaction and the trustees
endeavored at times to regulate
and equalize the poultry production - by
dictating the number of
fowls each family might raise. This
attempt was found difficult
to enforce. Housewives would take in
washing for the visitors;
the young and older too would
do sewing for the summer board-
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 51
ers, or make lace and various articles
for sale; the boys would
catch and sell fish; make and let boats
on the river; slip off after
work and do odd jobs for outside
parties. Individual effort for
personal gain could not be suppressed
nor equalized. I was talk-
ing with one of the elder members as he
sat on his porch when a
young man rode up on a Columbia wheel,
dismounted and entered
the house. He was the son of my old
friend. I asked if the So-
ciety furnished bicycles to the members.
The old gentleman
laughed and said "not much",
and he explained that the young fel-
low earned money nights working for the
railroad and bought a
wheel. It was the only safety I saw in
Zoar, but the manner of its
acquisition was illustrative of one of
the currents that was in op-
position to the simple communism with
which they started.
Another source of inequality and
dissatisfaction was the furnish-
ing certain members at times with money
to go upon trips
to see friends or transact some
necessary business at a distant
point. Those who had no occasion for
going objected to or at
least regarded with disfavor those who
went. Again, and one
of the most important items tending
toward disruption was the
necessity for the Society to employ
help. Their principal busi-
ness had always been farming and
stock-raising. This required
the continuous labor of many "farm
hands." Their farming in-
terest was about the only one left them.
The young and stout
men were drifting away. The older
members were unable to do
hard and incessant manual work. There
were thousands of acres
to care for or go to waste. The Society
was driven to the em-
ployment of imported help. A field near
the cemetery was being
plowed by four teams, driven by as many
plowmen. I accosted
them as Zoarites, only to learn all were
"hired help" and foreign
to the Society. Some fifty men were on
the pay roll of the So-
ciety at the time of my visit, all of
course non-members. There
were also several adult members [by
birth] of Zoar families who
declined to become members of the
Society, but who were per-
mitted to remain in the community and
who, in addition to get-
ting their living from the Society, were
paid small annual sums
for their work. They were of course eligible to membership
but for various reasons did not wish to legally join. A main
factor in the failure of the Society was
the general decline of
52 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
its industries and the shrinkage in
values. To the decline in the
industries of the Society I have already
referred. The shrinkage
in values of both real and personal
property was necessarily not
confined at this time to the Society. It
was common to the
country wherever property of any
description was to be found.
A few Zoarites acknowledged that the
communistic plan
fostered extravagance or at least lack
of thrift and economy on
the part of the members. There was great
and unnecessary waste
of material, particularly in the line of
food and fuel and house-
hold necessities. The baker would get
from the miller more
flour than was actually needed. The
consumers drew from the
baker more than their needs demanded.
Not being required to
save for themselves, they naturally did
not attempt to save for
others or for all. What came so easily
and so plentifully was
not properly valued and there was no
incentive to household
economy.
DECISION TO DISBAND.
The history of Zoar is the record of the
rise and decline
of a communistic civilization. In the
pioneer years, their re-
ligious zeal and physical necessities
impelled them to industry
and thrift. After the forming of the
communistic contract they
prospered as a Society. The country was
opening up; the west-
ern tide of emigration, as it swept by
or settled about them,
fostered their industries and enhanced
the value of their prop-
erty. The building of the Ohio Canal was
of great benefit to
them. They contracted to dig the canal
throughout the ex-
tent of their territory, by which they
not only acquired the sum
of $21,000.00 in ready
money, but also made a considerable sum
by furnishing the neighboring
contractors with articles of food.23
It was a period of development; of
clearing and improving
the land; of labor and of saving. They
added to their original
purchase until at one time they
possessed some twelve thousand
acres. They not only built up industries
for their own con-
sumption, but established a large
commerce with the outside
23Penny Magazine (1837) Vol. VI, page
411.
The Separatist Society of Zoar. 53
world. The growth and prosperity of the Society was largely
due to the ability and shrewdness of
Joseph Bimeler. Until his
death the affairs of the community
progressed. This success
continued, or rather remained
undiminished for several years
after his death.24 Then the
decline set in and for the past twenty-
five years the interests of the Society,
as one member put it,
"have been going down." Their
trade gradually fell off, their
income decreased and their expenses
increased. Their young
and active members deserted. At various
times in its history
individual members withdrew and made
claim for their distribu-
tive shares of the accumulated property.
More rarely a disso-
lution was suggested, but such proposal
met with little or no
encouragement among the members. In the
few bygone years
the more intelligent and observant among
them could not fail
to realize that the Society was
"auf die Neige" - on the wane
-and time alone would determine its
dismemberment.
One of the most interesting episodes in
the later history
of the Society was the outspoken
"rebellion" of one of its
leading members, Mr. Levi Bimeler, the
descendant of Joseph
Bimeler and the village school master,
of whom we have already
made mention.
Mr. Bimeler was educated, as has been
noted, outside of the
Society. He openly advocated the right
of the members to with-
draw and receive their distributive
share if they desired it. In
1895 Mr. Bimeler promulgated his views
in a little folio,-a four-
page sheet about the size of a legal cap
page. Mr. Bimeler was
editor, publisher and pressman. He wrote
the entire contents of
his paper-a monthly-and then duplicated
it upon a letter
copying press. The edition was of course
very limited, a hundred
or more, and sold to the members. It was
the only periodical
publication ever attempted in Zoar.
24As late as 1875
their property was estimated at the nominal value
of $1,500,000. About the date of Bimeler's death, the society numbered
some 500 adults and children. This number in 1885 was 390
according
to the statement in Prof. Ely's "Labor Movement in
America."
54 Ohio Arch.
and His. Society Publications.
This organ of the agitator was called
the "Nugitna" and
three numbers were issued, the fourth
partially prepared for
duplication and publication, when the
editor was "called down"
by the Society authorities and given to
understand that unless
he ceased his vexatious and rebellious
publication he would
be expelled and deprived of all rights,
present or prospective,
in the Society. The fourth number never
appeared. As these
monthlies represent an element - however
small it may have been
- in the Society at the time of their appearance, and as
they con-
tribute much information concerning the
history and purpose
of the Society, they are herewith
reproduced without alteration.
They have historic interest and deserve
permanent preservation
in the archives of Zoar.
We would not say that they are to be
taken as voicing the
popular sentiment at the period of their
publication. As the
editor frankly confesses, his propaganda
met with both approval
and disapproval. The exercise of the
censorship of the press in
this case would indicate a centralized
power in this equal com-
munity. The "Nugitna", as the
reader will observe, was a
bugle-blast for individual rights in no
mild or mistaken tones.
It is the irony of fate that a Bimeler
should have been the most
pronounced iconoclast of his
great-grandfather's institution. The
claim for which the "Nugitna"
contended was not a new or novel
one. It had often been made at various
times and by various
members who wished to withdraw from the
Society and take
their "belongings" with them,
or by members who had with-
drawn. We have already reported the law
cases growing out
of such claims. But we let the
"Nugitna" speak for itself.
THE NUGITNA.
Vol. 1. Zoar, Ohio, Dec. 30, 1895. No. 1.
INDEPENDENCE, NOW AND FOREVER
When, in the course of human events, it
becomes necessary
for one person to dissolve the political
bands which connect him
with a Communistic Society, and to
assume among the citizens
of a state the equal and separate
station to which the laws of
nature and of nature's God entitle him,
a decent respect to the
opinions of his fellow Communists
requires that he should de-
clare the cause which impel him to such
separation. Whenever
any form of government becomes
destructive of the ends for
which it was instituted, it is the right
of the governed to amend
or abolish it.
Fellow Communists. I quote the above,
with slight altera-
tions, from the "Declaration of
Independence." It fits our con-
ditions exactly. And, if we possess only
half the "grit" and
determination of our ancestors, we will
be successful in obtaining
the coveted liberty and Independence.
This Society has for a
long time back become destructive of the
ends for which it was
instituted.
You know-or perhaps you don't-that this
"Communistic
Society" was instituted for these
five ends; viz: 1st. To secure
that satisfaction, proceeding from the
faithful execution of those
principles and duties which the
Christian religion demands; 2nd.
55
THE NUGITNA.
To plant and establish the Spirit of
Love as the bond of peace
and unity; 3rd. To unite our various
individual interests into
one common stock; 4th. To abolish all
distinctions of rank
and of fortune; 5th. To live as brethren
and sisters of one com-
mon family.
We believe that the faithful execution
of those "Christian
duties " was an easy matter to our
forefathers, but that it is not
possible for us to do likewise as
Communists. We may form
the best resolves, and aim to live
according to the rules laid
down by the founders of this Community,
but all of these vanish
like a light morning mist, when we see
the total corruptness of
our whole system. Some, indeed, still
believe that this is the
system, and can not understand why some
have the audacity to
condemn it, and to attempt to withdraw
therefrom with a proper
share of the Society's property. But
some day they will have a
revelation. Look about you, and show me
the man or woman
who has secured the desired satisfaction
as indicated in the 1st
end. There is not one who can truly say
it. Examine your-
selves, go down into the depths of your
conscience and ask
yourself-Am I living up to this
purpose?-and the answer
will surely be negative. To those who
say that they have lived
and are now living in accordance with
the 1st end, I can only
say that they are the worst hypocrites
existing, and that none
but their like believe them.
THE NUGITNA. |
THE NUGITNA Is published every four weeks. Its aim is to secure to the mem- bers of THE ZOAR SOCIETY the right to withdraw therefrom, and to receive a proper share of the Society's property. TERMS: Local subscribers, per copy, 5 cents; per year 50 cents. By mail, per copy 10 cents; per year, $1.00. LEVI BIMELER, Editor and Publisher, Zoar, Ohio. COMMENTS ON THE MEETING OF DECEMBER 3rd, 1895. The meeting was opened by Mr. Zimmerman who, in a few, well chosen words, briefly stated the object for which the meet- ing was called. Mr. Beuter, sr., opened
the discussion in his usual way on such occa- sions-exhorting the members to continue in this state of Communism, but advised also to discard certain avoidable habits of intemperance and gluttony. He was followed by |
Christ. Ruof jr. who spoke in direct opposition of Mr. Beu- ter's 1st theme.
Next came Jacob Sturm who entertained the meeting by an explanation. Next spoke L. Bimeler who ad- vocated the peaceable dissolu- tion of the bands which con- nect individual members with the Society. He was ably sec- onded by Messrs. Sylvan, Kuemmerle and P. J. Bimeler. Charles Ehlers ably presented the real object of the meeting. Others followed; some act- ing in a gentlemanly manner as did those who spoke before them, while others lost all con- trol over their tempers and gave vent to their personal feelings against one another. Christian Ruof sr. was con- spicuous through his absence. The meeting, after complet- ing its object, adjourned wiser than when it met. A few more such meetings with the people who have no other way of obtaining Data, will work wonders. |
57 |
THE NUGITNA. |
TOWN TOPICS. The time for the annual slaughtering of hogs is at hand. The party of slaughterers be- gan their work on the 16th inst. and disposed of the 1st lot of hogs, 45 head, in less than one week. John Gantenbein, the bar- ber, was waiter at the butcher's meals. John is a good waiter and always gives satisfaction. On this occasion however, he caught cold-the weather be- ing wet and cool-and was sick for a week after.
John says "Das kann mir gestohlen wer- den"; and " The next time I'll tend to my business only." The Society is actively en- gaged in lumbering and is ship- ping the lumber to all parts of the globe. Frank Kappel and Rosa Ruof --both born in Zoar but for a number of years away from home-are visiting at their pa- rents. Both
look well and happy. GUESTS AT THE HOTEL. Mr. Lockwood; Miss Scoti; and A. Gunn. The "Gold Mine" is flooded. |
The entertainment given by the pupils of the Zoar Schools assisted by the classes of '94 and '95 was well attended and gave universal satisfaction. The classes of'94 and '95-all girls be- tween 15 and 18 years of age- made an immense impression on the young men in the audience. Such expressions as "They look like a garden of Roses in bloom"; "Ah, me! I wish she were mine"; "The sweet an- gels;" and half suppressed sighs were heard on all sides. COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. Dec. 9th.
Council met in regular session. No business being on hand Council ad- journed. Mr. and Mrs. Obed Burkhart were made happy. It is a boy. Mr. Leo. Kern, a veteran of the Civil war, was held up by four armed men on the canal road between Zoar and Zoar Station and robbed of all his money. Poor Leo! He must have felt as bad as when his corps was routed at Chancel- lorsville by the Rebels. Barbara Angele, a domestic in the family of Adam Kuem- merle, died Dec. 26th, 1895. |
58 |
THE NUGITNA.
Vol. 1. Zoar,
Ohio, January 27, 1896. No. 2.
COMMUNISM - HUMBUGISM!
The second end for which the Society was
established is:
"To plant and establish the Spirit
of Love as the bond of peace
and unity." The second end is
closely related to the first and,
like it, rests chiefly on religious
principles. It is so easy to form
fundamental principles for others to
observe; but to live accord-
ing to them ourselves, is quite
different. The pioneers of this
settlement had originally no inclination
to establish Communism,
but simply to find a home where they
could, without molesta-
tion, live according to their dogma.
When the first settlers
came in 1817, all was still a
wilderness, the first winter was very
severe, and they suffered great
hardships. Among the settlers
were many who were not able to earn a
living. Since they left
Germany for the purpose of religious
freedom, the able-bodied
were in honor bound to aid the feeble.
After a time the old,
infirm, feeble and others who were too
lazy to work saw that
this could not last forever, and that as
soon as the religious
scruples exerted less influence, they
would be neglected and fare
badly. They were the ones who began to
agitate the Commun-
istic idea. Said they, "We are one
in religious belief, let us be
one in rank and fortune." The idea
was worked up until those
in comfortable circumstances -they
were the minority- had no
choice but to join or to be considered
renegades.
Mr. J. Bimeler, " Old Bimeler"
as we call him, opposed the
59
THE NUGITNA.
Communistic movement from the first, and
was the last man to
give his consent. " Old "
Bimeler was the Spiritual head of the
Separatists and, having joined the
Society, it was mainly through
his influence, and the then existing
circumstances that the Spirit
of Love was kept alive. The Society
prospered while he lived.
Bimeler saw clearly where Communism
would lead to; when we
read his sermons we find grave doubts
expressed regarding the
stability of Communism, and the wisdom
of establishing this
Society. He was right! Where is the
"Spirit of Love " now?
Where is the bond of peace and unity?
Where are the planters
and fosterers of this Spirit? Gone, forever! The "Spirit of
Love," as we look at it, is
embodied in the " Golden Rule," viz.:
" Love thy neighbor as
thyself." It appears, however, that the
majority interpret it thus: "Love thyself and slander thy
neighbor." All the simplicity which
the founders held dear has
given place to extravagance and
pomposity. And "thereby
hangs a tale! " The founders were
really devout believers, not
only in word but in deed also. But we
who are believers in
form only, who not only not believe but
ridicule the most sacred
of our ancestors' teachings, can't
establish this "Spirit" as
Communists. None can deny that we don't
believe the religious
doctrines of our fathers any more. You
may, perhaps, say " 0
yes! we believe." But where are
your deeds to prove it. Now,
If we are renegades, or in other words,
fell off from the doctrine
of religion, why not sever the political
bands which tie us to the
Society. Shall we continue to be
Communists?
60
THE NUGITNA. |
THE NUGITNA Is published every four weeks. Its aim is to secure to mem- bers of THE ZOAR SOCIETY the right to withdraw therefrom, and to receive a proper share of the Society's property. TERMS; Local subscribers, per copy, 5 cents; per year, 50 cents. By mail, per copy, 10 cents; per year, $ 1.00. LEVI BIMELER, Editor and Publisher, Zoar, Ohio. COMMENTS. The appearance of the first number of
the "Nugitna" Created quite an excitement. Various were the remarks and opinions expressed by different members of the Society. Some were mad, others shook their heads, and still others were glad. The editor has, person- ally, heard only a few opinions expressed, but is, nevertheless, well informed regarding the prevailing opinions. The first |
week after the publication of "The Nugitna" there was some strong talk. Some went so far as to express themselves thus: This act is enough to expel the publisher from the Society; but when the cool, second thought came, the impracticability of such expulsion made itself manifest.
This "second thought" is a great blessing. "Expel him" is more easily said than done. The U. S. Con- stitution guarantees freedom of speech and press. We avail ourselves of this guarantee for a good purpose. "The Nu- gitna" created more stir than anything we can think of in the history of this Society (ex- cept perhaps the circulation of a petition in the year 1850-4, for the purpose of throwing the trustees, Ackerman and Sylvan from office and putting the originators of the petition in their place). We can't see |
61 |
THE NUGITNA. |
why the "Nugitna" should disturb our affairs.
We are not seeking to throw anybody from and putting ourselves in the place as those petitioners in the early fifties. No! we simply desire that receding members shall receive a proper share of |
the Society's property. If we deem it necessary we will pub- lish the petition mentioned above and the names connected with it. "All is quiet on the Poto- mac." |
THE NUGITNA.
Vol. 1. Zoar,
Ohio, February 24, 1896. No. 3.
COMMUNISM - DESPOTISM.
The 3rd end for which the Society was
instituted is "To
unite our various individual interests
into one common stock."
This, like the preceding two rests on
Religion, being a modifi-
cation of the 22nd verse, 18th chapter
of St. Luke. Living up
to this end required very little
self-denial of our forefathers as
the majority possessed nothing but what
they carried on their
backs. The few who were in possession of
money had no chance
to spend it. The circumstances then and
now are widely differ-
ent. The Pioneers had absolutely no
intercourse with the out-
side world, except a few who were
entrusted with the conveyance
of goods and produce to, and from
Philadelphia, Pa. So you
see, that the money one might have did
him no particle of good.
He could not buy anything if he wanted
to. There was equality
of fortune among the first settlers. But
let us look at the con-
ditions of things as they exist now. Is
there a union of individ-
ual interests now? Do we contribute
every thing into one com-
mon stock? Has not the individual
interest gained supremacy
over the general interest? We tell you
that the individual in-
terest is the primary and the general
interest the secondary object
from the preacher down to the lowliest,
with only a few excep-
tions. All this has been brought about
by time, intercourse with
the outside world, and last, but not
least, our Public Schools.
The state of affairs now existing is
natural and in accordance
63
THE NUGITNA.
with the laws of human nature. The
present generation sees
too clearly that a favored few enjoy all
the comforts and luxuries
that money can buy, while they must be
satisfied with what is
meted out to them. This went well thirty
years ago, when the
members of the Society, were kept in
ignorance of the true state
of things, when the members did not dare
to think contrary to
prevailing customs, not to speak of
voicing them, for fear of ex-
pulsion from the Society. There has always been, and to a
certain extent still is a tendency to
keep the affairs of the Society
from the knowledge of the members. Is it because those in
office are the wise men of the Society?
Or, are the members too
ignorant to be trusted with the
knowledge of the Society's affairs.
Which?
The secret of the stability of the
Society lay in its Children's
Institution. In the early history of
Zoar, every child when it
had attained to the age of three years
was taken away from the
parents into the Society Children's
Institution and left to the
tender (?) mercies of its keepers. In
some future issue we will
illuminate said Institution.
If "Old" Ackerman had done no
other good deed but to re-
fuse to send his child to this
Institution, he has, by that alone,
richly earned the love and esteem of the
members which he pos-
sessed. Hold sacred the relation of
parent to child.
64