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A New Sect

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Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 17, 1860

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 16, No. 9.

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A New Sect.

By Editor

CONCERNING the church in the days of the apostles, we read that "their sound went into all the earth," Rom. x, 18, and that the "sect" was "everywhere spoken against." Acts xxviii, 22. Well we suppose it is better that the sound should go out, and the sect be known, even though spoken against, than that it should exist in inglorious obscurity. The single eye of the honest-hearted will be able to see through the smoke of slander and vituperation, and discover the gems of truth which the enemy would endeavor to conceal thereby.
It seems that the remnant of the church are now beginning to enter upon the same experience through which the people of God passed in the early days of this dispensation. From the news items going the rounds of the papers of the land, we perceive that people are beginning to learn with apparent astonishment, of the existence of a new sect. The following items will illustrate.
"NEW RELIGIOUS SECT.—One of the New York papers says:
"Iowa has the credit of having added a new religious sect to the many already in existence. They are known as soul-sleepers. Their 'belief' consists in a total unbelief; as they are opposed to churches, deny the divinity of Christ, teach that the soul is a material substance, and sleeps with the body until the resurrection."
The above note we clip from the Sabbath Recorder; but we fear it is not impartial in its quotation; for we have seen the same item in other papers, where the keeping of the seventh day as the Sabbath was added to the dark catalogue of their belief. Was the Recorder ignorant of this fact? or did it see fit, from denominational considerations, to omit that portion of the "total unbelief" of the new sect?
But Iowa does not get all the credit of adding another sect to the religious world. The following is from a Massachusetts paper:
"A NEW SECT.—There is an organization or denomination in Michigan who style themselves the 'Church of God,' but who pass by the appellation of Wyno-barbarians. One of their peculiar ordinances consists in the washing of each other's feet. The Elder offers a prayer, then removes his coat, girds on a towel and proceeds to wash the feet of the member nearest him, wiping his feet with the towel, then takes him by the right hand and salutes him with a kiss. The washed then washes the feet of the next brother, and the washing proceeds until all are washed. The sisters in the meantime are busily engaged in washing each other's feet. After a hymn the services are closed."
Perhaps all that need be said of this is contained in the following which appeared in the same paper, from some one who was evidently unwilling to let a Bible institution rest under the imputation of "barbarism."
"PROOF OF BARBARISM.—The Standard of the 21st inst., contained a singular proof of the Barbarianism of a 'New Sect in Michigan.' It seems well calculated to cause every lover of Bible truths, to look around in dismay, and wonder, if the time has come when civilized man can, with impunity, set aside the teachings of that meek and holy One, who suffered and died that glorious light might take the place of gross darkness. Nothing was advanced concerning the doings of the 'New Sect,' that is not in accordance with Christianity; yet, they were styled Barbarians.
"Were New England Churches in a more fallen state fifty years ago than now? Was there then more of pride and less of humility? The ordinance, so much despised by the author of the remarks, in relation to the 'New Sect,' was then, in many Churches, as general as baptism or communion. And why should it not be? Can one ask for more convincing proof of its divine origin than the following:
"John xiii, 4. He riseth from supper and laid aside his garments; and took a towel and girded himself.
"5. After that, he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash his disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
"12. So after he had washed their feet and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, know ye what I have done to you?
"13. Ye call me Master and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am.
"14. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye ought also to wash one another's feet.
"15. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done unto you.
"16. Verily, verily I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
"17. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
Of such falsehoods as that we deny the divinity of Christ, as the first item affirms, or the inaccuracy of the description of the ordinance of feet-washing as contained in the second, it is unnecessary for us to speak to the readers of the REVIEW.