| 57 all things common.' This is exactly what we want to do, to establish a brotherhood of perfect liberty and equality, having everything in common, that none may suffer. And though the title of the property is in law vested in the individual who owns it legally out of the Presbytery, yet in the Presbytery he renounces, upon moral honor and moral honesty, all claim to exclusive right to such property; but they regard it alike as their common inheritance, a common home, where the curse of poverty and riches shall not be known. All understand it to be a perpetual order, that is never to be broken up, but to remain an everlasting home for the dwellers therein, and to be a place of refuge and redemption from starvation and slavery for the honest poor, whose condition is getting worse from day to day. No one has therefore any right to leave the Presbytery without making proper settlement with us according to moral honor, common justice, and according to prior agreement of our solemn covenants and solemn bonds. And here is the clue to the difficulties with those who have left us; when they grew tired of the work, they were found unwilling to settle on honorable and just terms. Some went off and did not settle at all, and then reported that we had robbed them. Others who never had any property at all, went and did the same. Others drew a portion of their property, and went off without the other portion, intending to return to us after a time; but they subsequently drew it all out, and turned enemies with the rest. Again others settled up fairly, to all appearance well satisfied; but some of them have since then made common cause with the rest against us."-Preparation News and Ephraim's Messenger, June 13,1855.
This was signed by Charles B. Thompson, Chief Steward of the Lord's House; Andrew G. Jackson, Clerk; Samuel Scott, Andrew Hall, and Guy C. Barnum, Chief Patriarchs.
Family Patriarchs: Hugh Lytle, Job V. Barnum, John Thomas, F. D. Winegar. Heads of families: Rowland Cobb, George Warner, S. Blackman, Orrin Butts, Henry Brooke, E. Johnson, A. Clements, Thomas Lewis, H. C. Hoyt, C. C. Perrin, Silas Wilcox, George Rarick, John R. McIntyre, Jacob Paden, Jebiel Savage, J. Outhouse. Single
(page 57) |
