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Nordhoff, Charles, 1830-1901

"The Communistic Societies of the United States From Personal Visit and Observation"

No stone is to be left
unturned--no filth is suffered to remain. The temple of God, or the
soul, must be carefully swept and garnished, before the new man can
enter it and there make his abode. (Christ, or the Divine Intelligence
which emanated from God the Father, transforms the soul into the new man
spoken of in the Scriptures.)
"Those who have committed deeds cognizable by the laws of the land,
shall never be admitted, until those laws have dealt with their
transgressions and acquitted them.
"Those who have in any way morally wronged a fellow-creature, shall make
restitution to the satisfaction of the person injured.
"Wives who have unbelieving husbands must not be admitted without their
husbands' consent, or until they are lawfully released from the marriage
contract, and vice versa. They may confess their sins, but cannot enter
the sacred compact.
"All children admitted shall be bound by legal indentures, and shall, if
refractory, be returned to their parents.
"There shall exist three Orders, or degrees of progression, viz.: The
Novitiate, the Junior, and the Senior.
"All adults may enter the Novitiate Order, and then may progress to a
higher, by faithfulness in supporting the Gospel requirements.
"When at the age of twenty-one, the Church Covenant is presented to all
the young members to peruse, and to deliberate and decide whether or not
they will maintain the conditions therein expressed.


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