Part 3 (2/2)

The _Bethaus_, like Kedar, was built entirely of wood, and clay and gra.s.s for the filling, the walls inside being made snowy white with lime, the only decoration being a number of proverbs and sentences of Scripture written in ornamental German characters, in script, known as _Fracturschrift_, which became famous far and wide for its beauty, and even now, after the pa.s.sage of over half a century, these proverbs and sentences remain on the walls of our meeting-houses as clear and beautiful as the day they were first written.

Upon the completion of the _Bethaus_, the Brethren who had been quartered on the ground floor of Kedar were again relegated to the cabins and henceforth Kedar was handed over to the Sisterhood, and the _Saal_ upon the second floor now became the chapel of the Order of the Spiritual Virgins, and from that time on, while the night meetings of the Sisters were held in the _Saal_ of Kedar, the Brethren held their meetings in the _Saal_ of the _Bethaus_ for a number of years.

Thus, these buildings were the foundation for a more perfect communal life and in pursuance of which all the provisions were delivered to the Sisters in their kitchen, who daily prepared a supper for the entire settlement, in the large dining hall, the Brothers and Sisters divided from each other by a screen, everything being done in order and reverence according to the leading of the Holy Ghost.

About this time too occurred the first, so far as I know, of those mysterious manifestations that for so many years were a great bewilderment and anxiety not so much to the rest of the community as to me, for that with rare exceptions it chanced I must be the chief witness of the doings of this strange being that so long hara.s.sed us.

Even before Kedar was fully completed--being, however, far enough advanced for dedication to its glorious purposes--Brother Beissel made great preparations for a general love feast; and _Einlader_, or inviters, were sent throughout the province, especially among all the German Baptists and English Sabbatarians, requesting them to partic.i.p.ate in the dedicatory services. As the time approached, ample preparations were made for a great mult.i.tude; for from all the reports brought unto us by our messengers we could not doubt but that there would be a great gathering in our humble little community to take part in the dedication, and to this day--and I like not to be considered superst.i.tious--I cannot account for the failure of the dedication other than through this mysterious influence; for as a matter of fact but few strangers presented themselves, the only exception being that quite a number of English Sabbatarians from the French Creek visited us and took an active part in the exercises.

But not only were we greatly depressed by the failure of the invited ones to come and add to the glory of the occasion their presence and their praise and prayer, but the night preceding the love feast was exceedingly dark and cloudy. Moreover, as the darkness grew the clouds seemed to gather heavier and heavier overhead, so that toward midnight the gloom and depression were almost overpowering, so much so that about an hour before midnight, Sonnlein being sound asleep, I arose--so unaccountably disturbed and troubled I could not sleep--and made my way, why or how I know not, for I seemed almost as one walking in his sleep, toward the cabin where Brother Beissel was slumbering down in the meadow. Suddenly, although I saw not his little hut, I heard a howl like one in pain coming from the direction where I knew our brother's hut should be. Then another cry as in pain and a sound as if some one were beating another with great force and violence. I rushed blindly on in the darkness stumbling and floundering until ere I knew it I had run up against what with feeling around I found to be a hut. From within came moans and groans but the beating had ceased while with the moaning and groaning were mingled a sort of snarling and growling and muttering as of some wild beast. I had just reached the doorway, the door being wide open, when suddenly there rushed out a something which as it pa.s.sed struck me a most violent blow across the eyes fairly staggering me so that all I could do was to make a wild clutch at the beast, or fiend, that was now speeding away leaving a trail of snarlings and growlings and cacklings such as human being could scarce make.

Recovering from the smarting blow over my eyes, I groped my way inside only to hear Brother Beissel say feebly, ”Art come again, thou Prince of Darkness, to persecute me?”

”'Tis not the Prince of Darkness, brother; whatever hath been here hath fled; 'tis Brother Miller,” whereupon with all his bravery he leaned against me for support, seeming to find great comfort in my being there.

”Surely the Evil One hath troubled me most sorely this night,” said our leader more strongly now.

”But I smell not brimstone or fire, brother; dost thou?” I asked.

”Nay, but I tell thee 'twas the foul fiend himself; most grievously did he beat me with his long tail.”

”With his tail, brother--surely thou meanest not that?” I protested.

”But I tell thee Beelzebub took his tail in his claws and beat me. Did I not see him in all the darkness, lift his forked tail on high and bring it down on me; and all the while he spat and snarled as though he were about to rend me asunder.”

”Why didst not cross thyself?”

”The foul one came so sudden. I verily believe he rose up through the floor. I heard him not open the door and I sleep lightly.”

”Yet thy door was open wide when I found thy hut; and if 'twas the devil, he left not the way thou sayest he came; for devil or beast as it rushed out the door, this evil thing struck me across the face so it still burneth.”

”'Twas the Prince of Evil,” still persisted Brother Beissel; ”full well he seeth how we are shaking the walls of his foul kingdom. He thinketh to terrify us all by a.s.sailing me, your leader,” and even in the darkness of the cabin I could see our commander straighten himself up as though he feared not a legion of devils, and in truth, Brother Beissel feared neither man nor devil, and I know now that it was my brother's undaunted will and courage more than aught else that ever gave him such sway over my gentler, cowardly nature.

Knowing he was firm in his belief I cared not to dispute with him then that I thought it might not be the Evil One; but that, perhaps, some wild animal had strayed into his hut or else some of our enemies had taken this dark night for an opportunity to beat him, it being well known that among the German settlers were those who were greatly incensed at our leader for that the wives of some of them had left their homes and joined the spiritual virgins; and, indeed, there were those who upon hearing of the matter the next day declared that no doubt our leader had been persecuted by some one of our unfriendly neighbors. But most of the Solitary were just as firm in the belief which our leader unhesitatingly proclaimed, that the Prince of Darkness, being greatly exercised with our inroads into his kingdom had sought our leader in person, thinking no doubt to terrify him from further fighting against the powers of sin. Be that as it may, while I at the time hardly knew which side to join with, I myself felt certain in later years that our community in the person of Brother Beissel had received the first manifestation of that evil influence I had such good cause to dread for so many years.

CHAPTER VI

CONCERNING TAXATION

E'en if a vicious man were like a leaky vat, That wastes what it receives, pour in, for all that!

If vat and man are not in too decrepit plight.

Keep pouring in thy gifts. How soon a crack soaks tight.

--Lessing.

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