The One Woman: A Story of Modern UtopiaDixon, Thomas, Jr.
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The One Woman: A Story of Modern Utopia
Dixon, Thomas, Jr.
Utopian fiction; Utopias -- Fiction
The response from sullen working-men who had hitherto held aloof
from Socialism and its leaders was remarkable. With the fiery zeal
of the pioneer of a religious movement he preached in season and
out of season his new faith, and proselyted with success even among
those who scoffed.
He gave a new emphasis to the dogma of the Immanence of God, the
charming Pantheism of which appealed to the childlike minds of the
people. With mystic fervour he proclaimed the unity of life, and in
all and over all and working through all--God! In bud and flower,
in sun and storm, in dewdrop and star, in man and beast, in soul
and body, the divine everywhere. As never before he glorified the
body and its beauty as the incarnation of God, His veritable image.
The advent of every child he hailed as great a miracle as the birth
of the Babe of Bethlehem.
Life itself became an ever-growing wonder, and existence an infinite
joy. Gradually he began to ridicule the theology of "Sin." "Sin" he
declared a figment of the human mind. The sin which is the wilful
and persistent violation of known law he ignored.
He proclaimed the advent of the Kingdom of Love universal, all
embracing, all conquering.
His marriage to Kate Ransom by the new ceremony he had devised
commanded the attention of the world. Its romance, and the tragedy
of a broken heart behind it, at once interested the average mind;
and its social and religious challenge appealed to the thoughtful.
It was announced to be a marriage without form or ceremony. It
was celebrated on a Saturday evening, that his friends among the
working-men might attend.
It was early in May. The grass was green behind the high iron bars
of Gramercy Park, and the trees were putting on their new satin
robes. The air was warm with the sensuous languor of spring. The
rain poured in torrents, but the Ransom mansion was a blaze of light,
and a canopy with rubber roof stretched down the high brownstone
steps across the sidewalk to the curbing.
It was past the appointed time, the last carriage had long since
snapped its silver lock beside the awning, and still the bride and
groom tarried. The guests were assembled in the great parlours,
and a band in the conservatory, from which floated the perfume of
flowers in full bloom, was softly playing primitive love melodies,
simple, tender and full of. mysterious beauty.
Besides the personal friends of the bride, the. guests assembled
were a remarkable group.
A churchless clergyman who had become a Socialist, and whose church
building was for sale, was on hand to make the "Announcement." A
handsome poet, a disciple of William Morris and a man of international
fame, was there. Socialists, Anarchists, Theosophists, Spiritualists,
Buddhists, Communists, Single-Taxers, Walking Delegates, Presidents
of Labour-Unions, editors of Radical papers, Ethical gymnasts, and
lecturers mingled in the throng.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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