University of South Carolina Libraries
\ > A NEW EDEN, ^ Where They Will Dress Only in Fig Leaves as In THE GARDEN OF EDEN How Would You Like to Wander I? This Curious, Freakish KartIlly Paradise With u New Adam and a New Kvo Entirely Free From Clothes, Conventionalities and Original Sin. Of all the freak new religions that are nourishing in the United States, perhaps the most freakish is the Adam and Eve sect of Denver, Colo. Adam is a man formerly known as James Sharp, and Eve ishis wife, formerly known as Melissa Sharp. The fundamental tenets of the new religion are that these two interesting people are Adam and Eve, returned to earth free from oritrinal sin and just as good as they wore before the fall and the expulsion from the Garden of Eden. They have a divine mission to lead men and women back to the Garden of Eden, which they will establish in the vicinity of Denver. The central figure is naturally Mrs. Sharp, or Mother Eve, as she is now called, a handsome young woman of magnetic personality. It will be recalled that Eve was unquestionably the most interesting figure in1 the Biblical drama of the fall of man and his expulsion from the Garden of Eden. The role of man was the passive and rather cowardly one. Eve listened to the voice of the serpent and was persuaded that it would be delightful to eat of the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge. Then, mistakenly, she persuaded Adam to share the fruit with her. believing that it would contribute to his happiness. When they were both punished for their disobedience Adam basely and weakly attempted to excuse himself by saying: "The woman tempted me and I did eat." In q. restored Eden the woman must be a stronger and nobler character than Adam, and the Denver Mother Eve is so regarded by her followers. IIow would you like to wander in the Gordon of Eden with a new Eve, entirely free from original sin, curiosity, spitefulness or any other of the faults which have been imputed to woman since the fall? This is the pleasure that awaits those who join the new religion, and it is attracting people in considerable numbers. There is no danger that this Eve wi'l listen to the voice of the serpent. He may advance his most specious and delusive arguments, employ his most winning and seductive flatteries, but she will turn a deaf ear to him. Mother Mellissa Sharp Eve will envite no man to a picnic of forbidden XI Uil, It must be admitted that the meml>ers of the new sect are a strange looking lot, and it appears that the majority of normal men will continue to prefer the ordinary woman, with all her faults, including her disposition to listen to the voice of the serpent. Your correspondent called at the present headquarters of the Adam and Eve sect a large house on Marion street. He was met by a handsome woman, with an enthusastic and visionary smile upon her face. Instinctively he felt himself in the presence of Mother Eve. "Mother Eve, I presume?" the correspondent began, lifting his hat reverently. "Yes," she answered. "I am Mother Eve come back to earth again. I)o yon wish to enter the Garden of Ed* _ > 1 I en: "I should like to visit it very much.'' Shi? led the way into a largo room fuH of untidy looking people, among whom were a number of children. A will-eyed, tremendously whiskered man sat upon a throne and announced in a loud voice that he was Adam, sent to lead man back into the Garden of Eden. The correspondent sided into the most distant corner of the room, preferring to obtain enlightenment from Eve, who kindly accompanied him. "How do you know that you are Adam and Eve?" asked the visitor. "One night when we were living in Ok'ahoma and had been attending a revival meeting, we saw a star fall , and u/p kru?w it was a siirn. Then we heard a voice saying. You are Adam and you are Eve. Henceforth you are free fom sin, and yours is the gift of prophecy. Go forth and lead the children of men back to the Garden of Eden." "Is this the Garden of Eden here?" "Oh, no," said Mother Eve. "This is only the gateway where the redeemed are gathered together and instructed before they are led into the garden. That is in one of the beautiful valleys of Colorado. We shall move as soon as Adam has completed his preparations. "I shall dress only in a fig-leaf, as ,* I did in the garden of Eden, and my husband, Adam, will redeem the world." "A-hem," ventured the correspondent, delicately. "Would a fig-leaf be necessary in a community entirely free from sin? It was after the fall that Adam and Eve found fig leaves desirable." "Well," said Mother Eve, with a touch of uneasiness, "perhaps I shall be able to do without a fig-leaf in time, but we do not wish to offend the sinful and unregenerate. We have been stmt into the world to bring peace and happiness and not to stir up strife. Whenever we need it, we receive a revelation telling us just what we ought to do. We snail know when the time is ripe to drop fig leaves. I have no doubt that when every man is a true member of the Garden of Eden fig-leaves will not be reouired. ' How many people already belong to the Garden of Men?" "Well, I think there are two hundred of us now. Many of them are children, because they are most free from sin and, therefore, fit to enter the garden after Adam has preached the word to them for a short time. We gather up orphans and children of parent who are not able to care for them." "Have you any children of your own?" inquired the visitor. "Oh, yes," said Mother Eve, smiling proudly and indicating a boy of twelve with a bulging forehead and a solemn expression. "That is little Able. He is the brightest flower in the Garden of Eden. He has preached hundreds of times and he is almost as powerful a preacher as his father. He will bring many of the race of Eve into the promise land." "As-you have a little Abel, am I to infer that there is also a little Cain?" ventured the correspondent. "Ah," said Mother Eve, "it makes us very sad to speak of Cain. Yes, we have a little Cain. His name at first was Thomas, but when the light was sevealed to us we knew that he was Cain. He put our dear little Abel on the stove and did a lot of other dreadful things. Of course, Cain could not come into the Garden of Eden. We had to leave him to wander in the wicked world." "You don't mean to say you have deserted your child?.' "Well," said Mother Eve, "that is hardly the way to put it. Cain would not come with us. He is working for a grocer in Kansas City and is earning lucre." "How will your community be supported in the Garden of Eden?" "Every believer must give up all that he has and follow Adam. He will care for everybody. We shall need very little in the Garden of Eden. We shall not have money or clothes or houses or any property. We shall .sleep in the fields or under | tents, and every man will take what he needs from his neighbor. j "There will be neither sin or sick- ' ness in the Garden, for it was by sin that death came into the world. Adam will cleanse men from their asins nd lead them back to the Garden. There we shall live forever. we snail live on the fruits and . plants of the field in the Garden. We shall not have herds of cattle. They [ were the earliest form of property that man took to himself after the fall, and they were a sign of his sinful condition. It is wicked to own cattle and to eat meat. He that eats the flesh of his fellow creatures is surely bringing about his own destruction." "Will you do any work in the Garden of Eden?" "Certainly not. You know that the first punishment of Adam for his disobedience was that he should earn his bread in the sweat of his brow. When my Adam redeems men from their sins they have no longer need to work. It would be a sin to do so. We shall just wander happily and guilessly in the Garden and smell the flowers and listen to the birds. We shall do no work forever and forever. Adam will preach to us when the spirit moves him. Here Adam thumped his Rible and yelled out: "I am opening up the third kingdom. I will redeem the world. These children here will help me." "A?a?men!" cried Mother Eve. "A?a?men!" cried all the others. "Do you feel quite sure that none of the sisters and daughters of Eve will disturb your sineless and peaceful life in the Garden?" pursued the visitor. "Of course not,.' said Mother Eve, indignantly. "If you imagine that, you have failed to undestand one of the greatest truths of our religion. When woman is redeemed by Adam, she ceases to lead man into temptation, which is her great fault in an unregenerate state. Nearly all the unhappiness and wickedness in the world are caused by this fault of woman, as you are aware. When she is free from it, the greatest cause of sin will be removed and that is why we shall all be good in the Garden of Eklen." "Will woman have no desire to wear beautiful clothes in the Garden of Eden?" "None whatever," said Mother Eve," with conviction. "That desire was paid of her punishment for her disobedience. The woman was condemned to desire finery in order that one iiii^nt jjei jiinuttiijf irmpi tilt; man, and he was condemned to labor in the sweat of his brow in order that he might perpetually strive in vain to satisfy ner longings. We are the new Adam and Eve, and we are sent to redeem our brothers and sisters from this slavery. Henceforth Eve, will only desire to appear as the Lord made her." The correspondent felt that he had learned everything essential about the new garden of Eden and he went away. As he did so, Mother Eve called out: "Come and join ua when yoi: are pure in heart." NEW SCHOOL LAW. Full Text of the Act Giving Fifty Thousand Dollars To Help High Schools in Certain Districts Not Able to Maintain Them Alone The most important act passed at the late session of the General Assembly in reference to schools was the one appropriating fifteen thousand dollars for a system of high schools. This was introduced in the senate by Senator T. M. Raysor of Orangeburg, for years a member of the State board of education and in his legislative career the champion of compulsory education and other movements. This act is intended to provide a system of schools that will % i i <* it neip poor ooysto prepare lor college. An act to provide high schools for the State. "Bo it enacted by the general assembly of the State of South Carolina: "Section 1. That it shall be lawful for any county, or for any township, or any aggregation of adjoining townships, or for any aggregation of adjoining school districts, or any incorporated town or city within the State, of not more than 1,000 inhabitants to establish a high school in the manner and with the privileges herein given. "Sec. 2. That any high school territorial unit mentioned in section 1 of this act may establish a high school by an election to be held in said proposed high school district upon the question of establishing the same; said election to be conducted in all other respects, including the requirements of those who are allowed to vote therein, as elections are now conducted under section 1208 of the civil code of 1902, in reference to special levies for school purposes. If a majority of the votes cast shall be 'for high school,' and not 'against high school,' the high school shall be established, and become a body corporate under the name and style of nigh school district No. blank of blank county (the State board to insert the number in order of its establishment in the particular county, and also the name of the proper county), whereupon the county board of education shall appoint for said high school a board of trustees composed of five regular members: Provided, That the five trustees for :,i U:~L __i i -L-ii L. . i ram iiiK" kciiuui .sricin ue appointed for six years, one of whom shall serve for only two years, two for only four years, and two for six years, the tenure of each to be determined by lot; Provided, further, That the chairman of each school district board within the high school territory be ex officio a member of the high school board: Provided, further, That the trustees of any special district in any incorporated I town or city operating under a special act of the general assembly, shall be ex officio trustees of the high school in that town 'or city, every vacancy be expiration of tenure to be fdled for six years and all unexpired terms to be filled by appointment of said county board, except in special districts otherwise provided. "Sec. 3. That the board of trustees of every high school so established is hereby authorized to levy annually for the support of such high school, not exceeding two mills on the dollar in addition to the levy now allowed by law, of all taxable property within such high school district, the tax to be collect1 ed in the same manner as special levies are now collected under section 1208 of said code: Provided, That the right to make it a levy merely for conducting the high scnooi ior tne then next current scholastic year as now defined in section 1232 of said code may he voted down for that year in the same manner as now provided for in said section 1208 with reference to voting Open special levies for school district purposes. , "Sec. 4. That any public high school already established, or any number of high school grades in a public school already establishedprovided it shall be organized and adopted as a high school by special election as prescribed in section 2 of this act?in any high school territory above described mav claim the privilege of this act: Provided, it conforms to the provisions thereof: Provided, further, That nothing in this act shall be construed as a repeal of any of the privileges granted them in fKn onnni ci 1 onto Ai lUn Ill wily nja:v,i?l ov/wo vi nic j^ciiui ai assembly. ' "Sec. 5. That a high school maintaining a four years' course of study beyond the branches of learning prescribed to be taught in the common schools of the State, and embracing not fewer than seven grades or school years, shall be , known as a four-year high school; a i high school maintaining a three s years' course beyond the common , school course, shall be known as a i three-year high school; and one maintaining a two years' course be I yond the common school course shall be known as a two-year higlI school; Provided, That any and al ; high schools so established shall in ; elude in the course of study instruc tion in manual training, especially ii I respect to agriculture and domesti* science "Sec. 6. That The State higl schoo, board shall provide for the i inspection and classification of high J schools under this act. In doing this, it may invite the assistance of such members of the faculties of the University of South Carolina, Clem-, son college, Winthrop college, and j the South Carolina Military academy as they may select, and their actual expenses shall be paid out of the fund hereafter appropriated from year to year while actually engaged in the duties devolving upon them. "Sec. 7. That the State board of education as now constituted shall constitute the State high school board. The State high school board shall provide rules for the apportionment and disbursement of the State aid to the high schools, giving due recognition, to the number of years of high school work, to the number of courses of study offered, to the enrollment of pupils, and to such other matters of local merit as may appear to the board after a careful examination of each high school: Provided, That no school shall receive more than 50 per cent, of the amount raised annually by taxation, subscription or otherwise: Provided, further. That no school shall receive aid unless it has at least 25 pupils and two teachers in the high school department: Provided, also, That, no achnnl rrvniv?> moro flmn $1,200 annually from the appropriation provided in this act: Provided, further, That no county shall receive more than 5 per cent, of the annual appropriation provided for under this act. "Sec. 8. The funds raised in the various counties by taxation, subscription, or otherwise, for high school purposes shall be placed in the county treasury, together with any appropriation received from the State board of education, and shall be paid out only upon the order of the board of high school trustees, duly approved by the county superintendent of education. Both the treasurer and the county superintendent of education shall keep accurate accounts of this fund, as is provided for other public school funds. "Sec. 9. That each of the high school districts so established is hereby authorized to receive and use gifts, transfer, bequests or devises of property for corporate purposes, whether they be otherwise conditional, or whether absolute in their terms; aiVl also to issue coupon bonds within the constitutional limit, and to dispose of the same to raise money for the purpose of purchasing sites and the erection of buildings thereon, or for the purpose of | purchasing improved property, suit_ l, i _ r - i ? ' auii1 ior scnooi, or dormitory, or mess hall purposes: Provided, That the question of amount of issue, and the rate of interest, and the time or times of payment of the principal, shall first be submitted to the qualified electors within the said high school district who return real or personal property for taxation, at an election to be held in the same manner as elections for special levies for school district purposes are now required to be submitted under section 1208 of said code: and Provided, further, That an annual interest on said issue shall not exceed 0 per cent., and that the sale shall not be for less than par and accrued interest. "Sec. 10. That the sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for each of the school years, beginning July 1, 1907, be, and the same is herby, appropriated to carry out the provisions of this act, and the comptroller general is hereby authorized to draw warrant* upon the State treasurer for such amounts, upon the order of the State board of education, duly signed by the governor, as chairman, and the State superintendent of education, as secretary: Provided, That tuition shall be free in every school r<*ceiving aid under this act to all pupils in the county where the school is located; Provided, further, That nothing in this act shall be constructed tc mean that nunils of dlfTortmf whall attend* the same school. "Approved Feb. 19, 1907." TKltmilLIO MISTAKK. Policeman Shot and Killed for a liur^lai* in Augusta. Police Officer W. S. Wilkins wat shot and instantly killed in Augusta by E. M. Fuller, a member of the Augusta Hardware Co., Monday night about 10 o'clock, in an alley in the rear of the store. The weapon was a double-barrelled shotgun, at short range, and the policeman's brains were blown out. The slayer immediately submitted to arrest, and later was released on a $1,000 bond. Mr. Fuller, according to the state ment of his friends, had been work ing in the store; and hearing some one rattling at the back door, tboughl because of the many recent burglaries th?t marniiflcr<J w<>rp ahmit ter his establishment, and picking up a gun went out of the front door followed a side alley to the rear un der the impressinn that he was shoot ing at a burglar. Policeman L. L. Carley was wit! Officer Wilkins at the time of th< j shooting, and made a full and detail i ed statement of the tragedy. Tb i hardware company is at 639 Broa< > street, a few doors below the Famil, -' theatre. Shortly before 10 o'cloc , Monday night Mr. J. J. Matthew i and otner people leaving the amust 1 ment hall saw Mr. Fuller with a shoi - gun in his hands hurrying toward th - alley a few yards down the stree i He was seen to turn into the allej c way and after walking a few stej paused, unbreached the weapoi i loaded it and proceeded. NO CONSTABLES. The Carey-Cothran Act Dispensed with This Department. By llcquoMt (iov. Anwl Appoints Sprrial Olllcers (or Chester, Greenwood and Greenville. . There ha* been considerable inquiry relative to the status of the constablary.as a result of the passageof the Caqey-Cothran bill. There is no State constabulary provided for under the Act. Governor Ansel thought so, but to make certain he took the matter up with Attorney General Lyon, and then with Mr. Stevenson, of counsel for the winding up commission, and they both agreed that there is neither legal authority nor money with which to pay for constables out of | the money to be handled by the winding-up commission. The terms of Section 88 of the Carey-Cothran Act provided: Section 88. It shall be the duty of sheriff, their deputies, magistrates, constables, rural police, city and town officials, to enforce the provisions of this Act. If they fail to do so it is hereby made the duty of the Governor to enforce the same, and he is hereby authorized to appoint such deputies, constables and detectives as may be necessary; the salaries and expenses of such officers to be paid out of the profits of the dispensaries in counties wherein they may be established, and out of the ordinary county funds in counties wherein they have not been established. There , is, therefore, no State constebulary force. If a county wants constables they will be appointed by the Governor, but they must be paid for out of the county funds. In counties with dispensaries the expenses of constables must be paid out of the dispensary profits. In counties without dispensaries and wanting conill > i * * * siames men trie expenses must be borne by the county out of its general funds. There is no State fund available. The winding-up commission has no money from which it can pay constables. It will have to do some very tall hustling to get out even." although some time ago some of the friends of the State dispensary system said that it had bundles of money and real bona fide profits, and that when it came to being insolvent or not being able to pay its debts that it was simply ridiculous, and the usual cry of those anti papers or correspondents. Wait and see! Governor Ansel appointed two constables to keep in touch with the Chester situation. The sheriff and mayor of Chester asked for constables, particularly because of the large number of labroers on the Power Company plant. Under the arrange: merit these constables must report ! daily to the sheriff of the county and j the sheriff must report at least once a week to the Governor as to what | the constables are doing and how things are getting along. Whenever Governor Ansel is appealed to by proper authorities and is satisfied that constables are needed in a county ho will appoint them as provided for by the Act, to be paid for by the county out of the dispensary profits or the general fund as the ease inav lie. H<? hfull anther. ity to appoint constables even if they are not asked for by constituted au. thorities and will do so if he thinks . it necessary in any county. The chief State constables' is being | retained only for a few days, in or, der that he may check up claims and , wind up the affairs of the constabu , lary department, which cost the State about $70,000 per annum. 1 Governor Ansel has received letters from various sections of the ! State relative to the status of th* constables, and he wishes it plainly . and definitely understood that, undei \ the terms of the Carey-Cothran bill . and the bill to wind up the State dispensary, that the State constabulary force is abolished and there is w State fund from which to pay constables. He expects to see that thi laws are enforced and has already taken the matter up with all sheriffs, mayors and magistrates, but whereever there is a legitimate need foi constables they will be appointed, tc ' be paid for out of dispensary profits, l where there are dispensaries, and out ' of the general county funds where ' there are no county dispensaries, i In response to the general demand i Governor Ansel has decided to place - two constables in Greenville County t ,>~,1 t' l rm_ cum uuu in unTiiwixxi. i nese appointments are ma<le in response tx I the public wishes and because it if believed that they will do good, Tht constables will report daily to tht sheriff and the sheriff miv-t reporl " each week at least to the G wernoi t as to what is being done. The con - stables will be paid in < n < enville ant - Greenwood by the counties out ol > their general fund, a: is now provid . ed for by law and as has been the lav - for some time. \Vi| ? <1 Out The Family. 1 Thos. Baldwin, a rich farmer an< former merchant of Colfax, Ills. t? shot and killed Chas. Kennedy an< \ wife and Mrs. Sim Eisman an y daughter, Cora. Baldwin was arrest ed. Baldwin, who is 68 years old an ?. a widower, is under bond, charge t- with criminal assault on Cora Kii ic man, who is but 14 years of ago. II t. had settled with the girl's father fc /- sum of money, but was subscquen >s arrested and blamed the Kennedj i, and Mrs. Eisman for the proeeci tion. i N<" "?|H'n?ttrj l<nw, Wo publi i 'his wwk the f n 11 toxt of tho ne lispensary law. 'The only chair that wo can see from iho old lau Ih that undor tho new law tho county and not tho Stato handles tho liquor nnd all tho rttonov that is en mod by tho dispensaries goes to tho dlffenTit counties .and towns In which Mow .ire located Where tho temperance feature of the new law, for which some of the prohibitionists claim so mm h credit, cornea in wo have been unable to find out after a careful reading of the new law. It will l>e Jnst as easy to got whiskey under the new law as it was under the old law. Ono of tho curious things about the dispensaries is that ncithei th?counties nor tno State are res|H?nsible for the whiskey bought by them. Ah u matter of fact there can he, under the constitution, no such tiling as a dispensary owned and operated by a county. The constitution prf*mits the General Assembly to authorize county officers "under the authority and in the name nf the State," to engage in the busi euH of buying and selling intoxicat i liquors. This act conies within ?hi>? limitation of tho constitution . declaring that tho various count dispensary boards are county officers and are authorized under the i. .1! hoi*Jlty and in the name of the State to engage in such business. Tho State assumes no obligation whatever in connection with the pur chases *of liquor. 10very dispensary j must stand upon its own bottom I The comity, not being authorized t > embark in tho business, of course assumes no obligation in connectlon with it. One of the authors of the bill says this was provided to prevent whiskey dealers from over-' lodaing the dispensaries. Tin > must look to the busisness for their pay and will therefore, be more discreet . In making sales of the quantity which will be sold than If the State or county was the paymaster. On the surface this looks like a wise precaution, and ought to work w?U We believe that the new law, hacked by he people and the authorities of the towns in which the dls ponsnrles are located, can he made a most beneficial one in the handling of liquors, as the State Dispensary was. Let each of us make It our business to see that the new law Is properly enforced by reporting all violations of it. There Is no sense now in any friend of the old State Dispensary law trying to obstruct the carrying out of the new law. Let us all pull together for the enforce- * > nient of all laws whether we beliey I'd in their enactment or not. The new dlsnensnrv h?w t? ??>< !??? -.c State, and It Ih the duty of ever.' good citizen of the State to do wlia he can to have It enforced ev?-r> where. Whiskey will he sold an drank and we prefer to have It. sol' under tlx- strleteHi proviHloriH of lav and this we think tho new dispel sary law amply provides for Nexto the State Dispensary the County Dispensary system is th best yet devised in this State fc handling the liquor question. Th Oranegehurg Times and Democrat. Some lni|M>rtant Acts, At its late session the Legislature passed some important acts. Among >. these may he classed the act to investigate the railroads through an > inter-session commission of six I members of the General Assembly. This commission is intended to work , out the Charleston problem tirst, hut its powers are great and it may - take up interstate rates, schedules, ' equipment, freight delays and many ' other matters vitally affecting the ' people of the state. Another Important act passed is I the one outlawing dealing in cotton futures and other farm products in ' this St.'ite. This is tho Georgia law , on tlx? subject and not only does . away with bnek'etshops, but forbids , buying or selling in a legitimate way. if this law is enforced it will he far reaching in its eff<*?ts, and ? will bo the tfjeaus of keeping at " home a great deal of money that " now goes Into the pockets of shavp> 111 t )m Vnrlh , Another ;i<*t of importance is the , one limiting the hours of lahor in . fiie cotton mi lis and other factories to 62 a week beginning next July i and 60 hours a week after next January ;, with the proviso that 60 f hours lost time may be made up in ' the course of a year. A companion * act is that amending the child labor > act so as to forbid women and chil\ dren under 14 working after night. ; What effect this law will have on , ? our cotton mills we can't say, but . we hope it will not affect tbcni adI versely. The act looking to the establish| ment of high schools throughout j; the state is of special importance to ' the rural districts. It is ??mite<l to - towns of 1,000 population or less. / It provides for a special levy not exceeding two mills in any school cuwirii-L desiring sucn a nign scnool, and carries an appropriation of $.r?0,, 000 for nid through a state high ' school board to the poorer districts. , This act will result in many high (j schools being established in rural districts and give the poor lK>ys of d those communities an opportunity > to prepare themselves for college. i The Legislature spent money freely. and made appropriations totaling tl nearly a million and a half, about $200,000 more than can be raised e by the reduced levy combined with )r other sources of income in spite of ^ tho fact that tax values have increased twenty-five million. It increas| ed the pension appropriation to $250,000, which no one will object y li ;ili . J|