The Communistic Societies of the United States | Page 8

his holy will, and
accordingly they did not marry, but did repent concerning it, and the
Lord's grace was once more given her." But, like Jacob, she seems to
have wrestled with the Lord, for later she did marry George Landmann,
and, though they were for a while under censure, she regained her old
standing as an "inspired instrument," came over to the United States
with her husband, was for many years the assistant of Metz, and since
his death has been the inspired oracle of Amana.
In the year 1822 the congregations appear to have attracted the
attention of the English Quakers, for I find a notice that in December of
that year they were visited by William Allen, a Quaker minister from
London, who seems to have been a man of wealth. He inquired
concerning their religious faith, and told them that he and his brethren
at home were also subject to inspiration. He persuaded them to hold a
meeting, at which by his desire they read the 14th chapter of John; and
he told them that it was probable he would be moved of the Lord to
speak to them. But when they had read the chapter, and while they
waited for the Quaker's inspiration, Barbara Heynemann was moved to
speak. At this Allen became impatient and left the meeting; and in the
evening he told The brethren that the Quaker inspiration was as real as
their own, but that they did not write down what was spoken by their
preachers; whereto he received for reply that it was not necessary, for it
was evident that the Quakers had not the real inspiration, nor the proper
and consecrated "instruments" to declare the will of the Lord; and so
the Quaker went away on his journey home, apparently not much
edified.
The congregations were much scattered in Germany, and it appears to
have been the habit of the "inspired instruments" to travel from one to
the other, deliver messages from on high, and inquire into the spiritual
condition of the faithful. Under the leadership of Christian Metz and
several others, between 1825 and 1839 a considerable number of their
followers were brought together at a place called Armenburg, where
manufactures gave them employment, and here they prospered, but fell
into trouble with the government because they refused to take oaths and

to send their children to the public schools, which were under the rule
of the clergy.
In 1842 it was revealed to Christian Metz that all the congregations
should be gathered together, and be led far away out of their own
country. Later, America was pointed out as their future home. To a
meeting of the elders it was revealed who should go to seek out a place
for settlement; and Metz relates in his brief history that one Peter Mook
wanted to be among these pioneers, and was dissatisfied because he
was not among those named; and as Mook insisted on going, a message
came the next day from God, in which he told them they might go or
stay as they pleased, but if they remained in Germany it would be "at
their own risk;" and as Mook was not even named in this message, he
concluded to remain at home.
Metz and four others sailed in September, 1842, for New York. They
found their way to Buffalo; and there, on the advice of the late Mr.
Dorsheimer, from whom they received much kindness, bought five
thousand acres of the old Seneca Indian reservation at ten dollars per
acre. To this they added later nearly as much more. Parts of this estate
now lie within the corporate limits of Buffalo; and though they sold out
and removed to the West before the land attained its present value, the
purchase was a most fortunate one for them. Metz records that they had
much trouble at first with the Indians; but they overcame this and other
difficulties, and by industry and ingenuity soon built up comfortable
homes. Three hundred and fifty persons were brought out in the first
year, two hundred and seventeen in 1844; and their numbers were
increased rapidly, until they had over one thousand people in their
different villages.
[Illustration: Amana, a general view.]
Between 1843 and 1855, when they began to remove to Iowa, they
turned their purchase at Eben-Ezer (as they called the place) into a
garden. I visited the locality last year, and found there still the large,
substantial houses, the factories, churches, and shops which they built.
Street cars now run where they found only a dense forest; and the eight
thousand acres which they cleared are now fertile fields and
market-gardens. Another population of Germans has succeeded the
Amana Society; their churches now have steeples, and there is an
occasional