Chapter 19

Members of the Peace-Union agree to support whatever may be shown by free discussion through our Periodical to be suitable, practicable and necessary to promote the common welfare of the Peace-Union, which is the welfare of mankind. Those who would refuse to support it, had to show the contrary in the same Periodical, that it might be discussed, otherwise they would be disturbers, and if they could be by no means corrected, they would deserve to be excluded, and the Peace-Union, after having exhausted the means to bring them to the right order, would be compelled to declare them to be separated, and to give them the note or the certificate of their claim according to the rule above, and they return the receipt which they have obtained when they have brought their property into the Peace-Union.

We illustrate the point with an example. I have given, for instance, some hints regarding the two departments of males separately and females separately, notwithstanding the true matrimony of one husband with one wife. When there is the right time for them to procreate a child, they will have a convenient place for the performance of the most responsible duty. This my hint, when sufficiently explained, will satisfy every friend of progression into truth, righteousness and happiness, and will give to the human affairs quite a new turn, and deliver both sexes from temptations, in which until now the whole human race succumbed and descended much under the degree of the nobler classes of brutes, and parents depraved and ruined themselves and children. From all the strange and unexpected things disclosed in this book readers may expect that I have also regarding the true matrimony and the restitution of mankind in such a condition in which they will be truly happy, a glorious message and such truths which when sufficiently explained, will satisfy all lovers of progression into the true happiness. But there may join with our Peace-Union some self-conceited person who would not give up what would be shown by us as necessary to be removed for the restoration of mankind to their true happiness, and what he would not be able to refute, and notwithstanding this he would remain in his bad habit. In this case he would compel us to remove him. At his removal he receives the note or certificate, while he returns the receipt which he had obtained for what he had put into the Peace-Union, as is explained above. But we have to add here, that if those who would be separated, had damaged the whole Peace-Union or some individual, the damage is to be deducted from their claim. And it is to be repeated, that nobody who joins with the Peace-Union, has any claim to any pay or reward for the labor performed in the Peace-Union, into which all men and women are invited to come and to remain in it in this mortal body and in all eternity, and to partake for him or her and their families of all riches, spiritual and physical in exchange for what they furnish. But what they brought in at their joining, is returned to them, with deduction of the damages, if they have caused any at their turn into enemies of the Peace-Union, or which originated by their fault, although it could not be proved, that they had a malicious intention in causing damages. This point is here to be remarked, that children before they acquire the legal age, if by whatever means they would be withdrawn from the Peace-Union, while their parents are living there or did not depart, should not receive the portion of the property brought for them into the Peace-Union, till they arrive at the legal age in which they have the right according to the laws of the country to depart from their parents; because the Peace-Union have the parental duties towards children who are received with their parents into the Peace-Union. Also this is to be mentioned, that no others except who come with their parents or with their children into the Peace-Union, have any claim to the property which they bring into it. They settle their business with all others, when they join with the Peace-Union, and in the same time they make their will, how much they themselves if they would leave the Peace-Union and some of their children would remain in it, and how much each of the children when in full legal age, would receive, if he or she would leave the Peace-Union.

We thought proper to concede so much to the feebleness of those who are desirous to join with the Peace Union, but imagine the possible case, that they might be turned out and lose their property. For them their property is secured, althought without interest, and their possible case is rather imagination, and they would become gradually so strong as to give good example to others. But we have mentioned a point which must terrify hypocrites to join to our Peace Union; because their hypocrisy would become in due time manifest, and then they could not stand and would be turned out with demand to repair damages. Therefore they should remain in Babylon till they have a sincere desire to join with us for their true conversion to our principles and corresponding acting with us. When they are determined to act for this purpose they should not be afraid to join the Peace Union on account of the possibility of being separated; because no person will be separated except such as deserves in consequence of immoral acts or gross omissions of what is absolutely necessary for obtaining the object of our association, after having been sufficiently instructed and exhorted that their toleration would ruin the Peace Union. A separate person, if he or she would think there was not sufficient cause for separation, will be permitted to publish in our Periodical the reason or reasons of his or her complaint. By doing so, however, he gives occasion for members of the Peace Union to publish their remarks on his reasons, that truth might be made manifest; because the object of the Peace Union is the restoration of human rights, and therefore her members engage and promise to correct any mistake, when it is shown and it is proven.

The nature and object of the Peace Union is, that science or knowledge in every department and every branch of enterprise directs and governs the work. Therefore the man or woman who is found to be most skilful in any art, business or work, is to be elected as foreman, and continues to act as such, till some one more skilful is found. And then to him the place is to be given, however, not before it is shown, that by exchanging the place sufficient advantage will accrue to the community. The member who thinks he is able to show this, may assemble members belonging to the branch of that business, or if the case is a general case, members in general, the body of females having their votes as well as the body of males in general affairs; in particular branches the body decide who belong to that branch. Whoever calls members together, shows them the case, and if the majority find his reasons to be sufficient, the person proposed obtains the office. But before votes are taken, those who are assembled, must also hear the objections. But if there is any member who thinks, that the decision was not made according to justice, he may announce the matter to the assembled, showing them their mistake and his duty that if they will not correct their mistake, he will make known the reasons of his complaint against the decision in the Periodical of the Peace Union. And the assembled, if they see that he is right, are bound to receive thankfully that which is right, but if they see that he is wrong, they are bound to show him this. But if he, notwithstanding this, publishes his reasons, those who do not agree with him, are bound to show in their replies that he will riot act according to sound reasons, but is disposed to make disturbance, deserving to be expelled. In this case if he continues to be obstinate against evidence, he should be expelled peaceably.

In the first place we need a centre. And according to the pattern of the centre as many settlements on other places will be established as will be needed to accommodate all who will find best to move from their present situation to a settlement of our Peace Union. But everywhere persons of our principles will be needed to instruct and strengthen the neighbours. The hints given here will be so modified to their situation as their circumstances will require.

In the centre is to be concentrated, what is to be spread everywhere, to benefit in the first place members of the Peace Union and by their instrumentality as many others as can be reached. Therefore co-operation and support from all who comprehend this book and their application to others is necessary to raise means, for establishing what is required in the centre. Although all who contribute for the centre, will not have chance to reside there, they will have a chance to send some of their children or relations to the institutions of the University for the New Era, which will be established there, according to our plan, according to which a great change will take place in studies, that all intellectual and moral faculties of students will be harmoniously developed, and much time will be gained for learning every day for some hours in the school and for some hours in the shops and elsewhere that to learn which each will be most qualified and inclined. Wherefore those who afford money and other property for the centre and what is needed there, acquire the right to reside there, when needed as teachers, or for mechanical branches, arts, sciences, for agriculture, horticulture, &c. What mankind need for the New Era, should be shown there to students theoretically and practically. Therefore all who have superabundant means, if they comprehend this book, will send such an amount as they can spare, as donations, which will become spiritual treasures to the donors. When the institutions which according to our plan should be at our centre, will be established, there will be such competition of students, that there will not be room for accommodation of all. All that is given as donation for raising our institutions, will be put in our ledger for the benefit of the donors, so that, when all students could not be accommodated at our centre, those recommended by the donors would be prefered to others, the case excepted, that others be found more useful in our mission, if they study the branches.

Those who have no superabundance of means to give a donation, are invited to invest for establishing the centre as much as their cicumstances permit, to be invested for their benefit, as belonging to them, although without any interest in money, but with the advantage, that when all students could not be accommodated at our centre, their sons and daughters would have the preference before such as have done nothing towards the foundation of the centre. And if any have land, who are desirous that on their land a settlement might be started according to our plan for the New Era, by their furnishing means for starting the centre they acquire the claim and right that their land shall be taken for that purpose rather than the land of another who had done nothing for the centre, when circumstances would not require the preference of the land of other for a new settlement of our Peace Union.

From what has been mentioned, the following general rule may be derived: Without having a centre of our communities we cannot accomplish our work. Therefore all who comprehend us, are solemnly entreated to contribute without delay what their circumstances allow. If they cannot send a donation, they are entreated to send what will be regarded as theirs without bearing interests, but bearing to them all the advantages to which according to the circumstances they are qualified, to come, when all will be prepared, to the centre, if they can be employed there; otherwise they may be useful to our community on the place which they now occupy, or they may join with an other place of our community. In this case the centre settles with that community in reference to what they have advanced to the centre, to be sent, when the centre is able to do so, to that community for them, if they should not prefer to leave it in the centre to be consumed there by such students as they would send to the University in the centre of our Peace Union, where all the knowledge and wisdom which can be obtained, will be concentrated to bring mankind into that situation which is promised and mankind are able to attain by the right application of their intellectual and moral faculties and their physical strength, and the proper use and right application of all the knowledge which has been propagated through the course of centuries and improved in our age.

No money or other property can or will be taken into the Peace Union, settlements to be put into their ledger for the benefit of the person who invests it, to be returned in the case that the person or one of his or her family should leave the Peace Union, except money that has been acquired in an honest manner. By the term _honest_ we mean a manner which is not only justifiable according to the laws of the country, but also according to the moral laws attributable to the person who invests it, at least so far, that no person or society is known to whom it should be restored. We do not mean the severest scrutiny, but the usual course of affairs; because according to our plan by those who will join the Peace Union, the way will be opened for a final restoration of all human affairs into the right order. To this point we must gradually proceed.

By what we have remarked in regard to money as the root of all evil, if it is not managed for the commom welfere, it is a necessary evil as far as business is done with those who do not belong to our Peace Union, and we are compelled to make use of many evils which are yet in existence, to bring nations out of the evil into the New Era. We must make such use of money as to promote the welfere of the Peace Union which encloses the welfere of all nations, which would not he promoted, if we would take any amount of money from those who enter into our Peace Union under the condition to return it in case, they would leave the Peace Union. Under this condition we could take no more than one thousand dollars, so that, if any man or woman would come with his or her family, and bring more than one thousand dollars for each person belonging to his or her family, after having settled all matters of business with others, we could not take more than the mentioned sum under the mentioned condition, to wit, if husband and wife with parents and children, would join, for each of them one thousand dollars: the surplus they had to give as donation, if they would not accept the advice which is given below.

Also this is to be mentioned, that if a family comes on the place of the Peace Union and they invest for each member of the family a certain sum, and some of the family would be taken into the spirit world, and the others would leave the Peace Union, in this case only that has been invested for them, would belong to them. What was given for the departed, remains in the Peace Union. Also in the case, that a father would come with a large or with a small family and give for each individual a certain sum, and then the others would remain, but he himself would become a backslider, his claim would be only to the money which he had invested for his own person. The same priciple is to be applied in every case, in which somebody invests a certain sum for himself, and besides also sums for others.

To those who have greater riches than one thousand dollars for each individual of their family, is to be said, that they are only administrators of that property to make the poor rich and the rich truly happy. And whereas the Peace Union undertakes this great work, a rich person should be instructed and enlightened, that this will not take place in any other way than by a true community, for which we have given this sketch, only in this point deviating from the course which we would pursue if we would have to deal with perfect persons, that we found proper to concede, that if any body should leave the Peace-Union settlement, he should receive in due time the sum invested not exceeding one thousand dollars. But those whose property reaches higher, will go the safest way according to Christ's direction: "Go thy way, sell whatever thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven; and come and take up thy cross and follow me." Mark x: 21. This man to whom Christ gave that advice "had great possessions." And we give to those who have great riches the same advice, but with a different application. Jesus Christ, the Father of the New Era which is to be introduced by our mission, had not the chance in Palestine, which we have in the United States. He advised as he could in his circumstances, and we give in our circumstances to the rich who have great possessions the following advice and the best for them to be saved: "Give as a donation as much into our Peace-Union centre as you are able to do for raising our institutions as the best means for the redemption of the poor and degraded people from the existing misery and distress, and come and learn how to administer your possessions for the poor, and we will send with you to your possessions[AB] a man to commence there with you a community for the poor only, and you may call poor people of your choice together. And you should superintend, and our administrator should assist you and labor with you to educate the poor so as to make them truly rich and happy. And you, while you would have enriched our centre as much as would be possible without selling your possessions, would be the presiding elder at the community of the poor made rich by your possessions, and when you would be pleased to stop with those in the centre, you would be received as one of the founders, and you would have treasure in Heaven."

What I say to one I say to all rich men and women. If they receive our advice they will become very rich and happy; but now they are "wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked," Revelation iii: 17. They are the Heads in Laodicea, which means the judgment of the people, whom they are preparing for destruction, and for themselves the hell. Luke xvi: 23. From them is more required to be saved than from those who have only a small property in comparison with the great possessions of the rich, and their small property they have earned with hard labor. But it would be too troublesome to reckon, how they had acquired their riches. But instead of a long reckoning or a general confession of their sins and crimes we show them the shortest and surest way to Heaven.

We must say also to those who invest property not exceeding one thousand dollars for each member of their family into our Peace-Union with the reserve that if they leave the Peace-Union, that property should be returned to them in equivalent without any interest, and at a time in which the Peace-Union can easily do this without hurting their own business, that this reserve will continue only until the time in which they will be sufficiently strengthened in the principles of the true community, and convinced that this is the only way for redemption of oppressed humanity. When they will advance so far, they will sign the covenant of the New Era, they themselves and those of their family who are of age and with them united in the Spirit; and they will transfer the property which is their portion to the community, which secures their rights to the provisions for their body and their spirit to enjoy such happiness as the Peace-Union will be able to afford to prepare them for the society of blessed spirits.

From these hints you see, that the true community consists of members who give all their property, without any reserve, and receive all the advantages which a mutual co-operation in the true brotherly spirit affords. At the commencement they must be tried. On the title-page of this book we have mentioned, that it is published at the "Peace-Union Centre." We intended to give explanation of the matter in this plan. We are starting there the Peace-Union Centre. About five hundred acres of land, with farmhouse, barn, orchard &c. belong to that property, on a beautiful very healthy hill, with excellent springs of soft water, romantic locations for buildings, and all kinds of institutions for the New Era. The soil as far as may be cleared, is good for raising all kinds of fruits, and as much as we will need of vegetables. But our centre will be for literary institutions, surrounded with all kinds of the best mechanics and artists, from whom students will learn all kinds of work. Therefore the largest portion of grain will be obtained from other settlements to which productions at the centre will be sent in exchange. About one hundred acres of the land are cleared and much more can be cleared and used for different purposes, but the largest portion of that land is Toscarora mountain, producing wood, timber, stone for building, and is good for different other purposes, for instance, the top of the mountain for our observatory, &c.

Spring Hill in Racoon Valley belonged to Abraham, the oldest of the twelve sons of my departed friend Christian Long. Christian was one of the students of my German books, and strong witness of our mission; but his son Abraham preaching water baptism was not prepared to receive his testimony. But Christian and others in his company amongst the departed, were operating and preparing this place, while we thought that we had already succeeded in taking another place in possession, seventeen miles from this place, and we have been in quite an unexpected manner instructed that Springhill is the place in which we should start the Peace-Union Centre, and we have received the place as cheap as the worth of its improvements may be valued. This is according to our principles, according to which the land belongs to the whole human family, and to the improvements only each individual may claim as much right as he has consumed labor to produce them. But it is evident also that labor never can be exactly valued, and I had to write a very large volume to expose the manifold forms of labor, in which time is wasted, to corrupt and ruin human society. All the hints given in this book, may convince any investigating mind, that there is no redemption of the degraded and wretched condition of mankind except in the community in which men will be brought gradually into the true happy state in this life and in the spirit world, and will draw their departed friends into higher spheres.