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THE LABADISTS OF BOHEMIA MANOR. 431
ding several families; a few persons from New York also removed thither. " Thus really
was formed not only a new colony in America, but the daughter church, dochter gemeente,
as they themselves were pleased to style it, of the Labadists of Walta House, of which
Peter Sluyter declared himself the bishop, under Yvon, archbishop at Wiewerd."
Sluyter became the sole proprietor of the land and sole director of the church, and
exercised the severest discipline over the members. He, at the same time, carried on a
brisk trade in planting tobacco and selling negroes. Mr. Samuel Brownas, a Quaker
preacher, who visited Bohemia Manor, in 1702, thus briefly describes his visit:
" After we had dined we took our leave, and a friend, my guide, went with me, and
brought me to a people called Labadies, where we wTere civilly entertained in their way.
When supper came in, it was placed upon a long table in a large room, where, when all
things were ready, came in at a call, twenty men or upwards, but no women. We all sat
down, they placing me and my companion near the head of the table, and, having passed
a short space, one pulled off a hat, but not the rest, till a short space after, and then, one
after another, they pulled all their hats off, and in that uncovered posture sat silent, uttering no words that we could hear, near half a quarter of an hour; and as they did not
uncover at once, so neither did they cover themselves again at once; but as they put on
their hats, fell to eating, not regarding those who were still uncovered, so that it might be
ten minutes' time or more, between the first and last putting on of their hats. I afterwards
queried with my companion, concerning the reason of their conduct, and he gave for
answer that they held it unlawful to pray until they felt some inward motion for the
same; and that secret prayer was more acceptable than to utter words; and that it was
most proper for every one to pray as moved thereto by the spirit in their own minds.
" I likewise queried if they had no women amongst them ? He told me they had, but
the women eat by themselves, and.the men by themselves, having all things in common,
respecting their household affairs, so that none could claim any more right than another
to any part of their stock, whether in trade or in husbandry; and if any had a mind to
join with them, whether rich or poor, they must put what they had in the common stock,
and afterwards, if they had a mind to leave the society, they must likewise leave what
they brought, and go out empty-handed.
" They frequently expounded the scriptures among themselves, and being a very
large family, in all upwards of a hundred men, women and children, carried on something of the manufactory of linen, and had a large plantation of corn, tobacco, flax and
hemp, together with cattle of several kinds."
Mr. Murphy says: " They slept in the same or adjoining buildings, but in different rooms,
which were not accessible to each other, but were ever open to the father, or such as he appointed for the purpose of instruction or examination. Their meals were eaten in silence, and
it is related that persons often eat together, at the sam e table, for months, at Wiewerd, without
knowing each others' names. They worked at different employments in the house, or on
the land, or at trades, and were distributed for that purpose by the head of the establishment. Their dress was plain and simple, eschewing all fashions of the world. Gold and
silver ornaments, jewelry, pictures, hangings, carpets, lace, and other fancy work wTere
prohibited, and if any of the members had previously worked at such trades, they had to
abandon them. They worked for the Lord and not for themselves. . . All the desires
or aversions of the flesh . . were to be mortified or conquered. These mortifications
were to be undergone willingly. A former minister might be seen standing at the wash-
tub, or a young man of good extraction might be drawing stone or attending cattle. If
any one had a repugnance to a particular food, he must eat it nevertheless. They must
make confession of their sinful thoughts in open meeting. Those who were disobedient,
were punished by a reduction of clothing, or being placed lower down the table, or final
exclusion from the society."
In the year 1722, Peter Sluyter, the founder of the colony at Bohemia Manor, died,
and the " mother church and daughter church " expired about the same time.
Object Description
| Title | History of Maryland - 1 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
Description
| Title | 00000464 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | THE LABADISTS OF BOHEMIA MANOR. 431 ding several families; a few persons from New York also removed thither. " Thus really was formed not only a new colony in America, but the daughter church, dochter gemeente, as they themselves were pleased to style it, of the Labadists of Walta House, of which Peter Sluyter declared himself the bishop, under Yvon, archbishop at Wiewerd." Sluyter became the sole proprietor of the land and sole director of the church, and exercised the severest discipline over the members. He, at the same time, carried on a brisk trade in planting tobacco and selling negroes. Mr. Samuel Brownas, a Quaker preacher, who visited Bohemia Manor, in 1702, thus briefly describes his visit: " After we had dined we took our leave, and a friend, my guide, went with me, and brought me to a people called Labadies, where we wTere civilly entertained in their way. When supper came in, it was placed upon a long table in a large room, where, when all things were ready, came in at a call, twenty men or upwards, but no women. We all sat down, they placing me and my companion near the head of the table, and, having passed a short space, one pulled off a hat, but not the rest, till a short space after, and then, one after another, they pulled all their hats off, and in that uncovered posture sat silent, uttering no words that we could hear, near half a quarter of an hour; and as they did not uncover at once, so neither did they cover themselves again at once; but as they put on their hats, fell to eating, not regarding those who were still uncovered, so that it might be ten minutes' time or more, between the first and last putting on of their hats. I afterwards queried with my companion, concerning the reason of their conduct, and he gave for answer that they held it unlawful to pray until they felt some inward motion for the same; and that secret prayer was more acceptable than to utter words; and that it was most proper for every one to pray as moved thereto by the spirit in their own minds. " I likewise queried if they had no women amongst them ? He told me they had, but the women eat by themselves, and.the men by themselves, having all things in common, respecting their household affairs, so that none could claim any more right than another to any part of their stock, whether in trade or in husbandry; and if any had a mind to join with them, whether rich or poor, they must put what they had in the common stock, and afterwards, if they had a mind to leave the society, they must likewise leave what they brought, and go out empty-handed. " They frequently expounded the scriptures among themselves, and being a very large family, in all upwards of a hundred men, women and children, carried on something of the manufactory of linen, and had a large plantation of corn, tobacco, flax and hemp, together with cattle of several kinds." Mr. Murphy says: " They slept in the same or adjoining buildings, but in different rooms, which were not accessible to each other, but were ever open to the father, or such as he appointed for the purpose of instruction or examination. Their meals were eaten in silence, and it is related that persons often eat together, at the sam e table, for months, at Wiewerd, without knowing each others' names. They worked at different employments in the house, or on the land, or at trades, and were distributed for that purpose by the head of the establishment. Their dress was plain and simple, eschewing all fashions of the world. Gold and silver ornaments, jewelry, pictures, hangings, carpets, lace, and other fancy work wTere prohibited, and if any of the members had previously worked at such trades, they had to abandon them. They worked for the Lord and not for themselves. . . All the desires or aversions of the flesh . . were to be mortified or conquered. These mortifications were to be undergone willingly. A former minister might be seen standing at the wash- tub, or a young man of good extraction might be drawing stone or attending cattle. If any one had a repugnance to a particular food, he must eat it nevertheless. They must make confession of their sinful thoughts in open meeting. Those who were disobedient, were punished by a reduction of clothing, or being placed lower down the table, or final exclusion from the society." In the year 1722, Peter Sluyter, the founder of the colony at Bohemia Manor, died, and the " mother church and daughter church " expired about the same time. |
