The Book of Religions: Comprising the Views, Creeds, Sentiments, or Opinions, of All the Principal Religious Sects in the World, Particularly of All Christian Denominations in Europe and America, to Which are Added Church and Missionary Statistics, Together With Biographical SketchesHayward, John
Religion
The Book of Religions: Comprising the Views, Creeds, Sentiments, or Opinions, of All the Principal Religious Sects in the World, Particularly of All Christian Denominations in Europe and America, to Which are Added Church and Missionary Statistics, Together With Biographical Sketches
Hayward, John
Christian biography; Religions; Sects
Mr. George Rapp and other emigrants arrived from Germany, and settled in
the interior of Pennsylvania, about the year 1805. They formed an economy
on the primitive plan of having “all things in common.” They appear to
have prospered. In 1814 they sold their property in Pennsylvania and
removed to Indiana, to form a new establishment, on an improved plan. They
profess the Protestant religion, but admit of universal toleration. They
cultivate the learned languages and professions, and maintain strict
morals, with a due observation of the Sabbath. They keep watch by turns at
night; and, after crying the hour, add, “A day is past, and a step made
nearer our end. Our time runs away, and the joys of heaven are our
reward.” (See Acts 4:32.)
DORRELITES.
A sectary, by the name of Dorrel, appeared in Leyden, Mass., about fifty
years ago, and made some proselytes. The following are some of his leading
sentiments:—Jesus Christ is, as to substance, a spirit, and is God. He
took a body, died, and never rose from the dead. None of the human race
will ever rise from their graves. The resurrection, spoken of in
Scripture, is only one from sin to spiritual life, which consists in
perfect obedience to God. Written revelation is a type of the substance of
the true revelation, which God makes to those whom he raises from
spiritual death. The substance is God revealed in the soul. Those who have
it are perfect, are incapable of sinning, and have nothing to do with the
Bible. The eternal life, purchased by Christ, was an eternal succession of
natural generation. Heaven is light, and hell is darkness. God has no
wrath. There is no opposition between God and the devil, who have equal
power in their respective worlds of light and darkness. Those who are
raised are free from all civil laws; are not bound by the marriage
covenant; and the perfect have a right to promiscuous intercourse. Neither
prayer nor any other worship is necessary. There is no law but that of
nature. There is no future judgment, nor any knowledge in the future
state, of what is done in this world. God has no forethought, no knowledge
of what passes in the dark world, which is hell, nor any knowledge of what
has taken place, or will take place, in this world. Neither God nor the
devil has any power to control man. There are two kinds of perfection—that
of the head, and that of the members. The leader is perfect as the head;
but none of his followers can be so, in this sense, so long as the leader
continues. All covenants which God has heretofore entered into with man,
are at an end, and a new covenant made with the leader, (Dorrel,) in which
he has all power to direct, and all the blessings of which must be looked
for through him. Neither Moses nor Christ wrought any miracles. I (says
Dorrel) stand the same as Jesus Christ in all respects. My disciples stand
in the same relation to me, as the disciples of Christ did to him. I am to
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