Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. I.djvu/142

 happy groups passing to and fro in the sunshine from one comfortable home to another. The church of the little community, as well as its schoolhouse, struck me as remarkably unchurchlike. Various moral aphorisms, such as “Hope on, hope ever;” “Try again,” and such like, might be read upon the naked walls. For the rest it was evident that the poetic element had much more vitality here than among the community of New Jersey. The moral element constituted nevertheless the kernel even here, the poetic was merely an addition—the sugar in the moral cake.

We dined in an excellent little home. They asked no questions of the guests, merely entertained them well and kindly. A negro and his wife came hither wishing to be received as members of the community. Hopedale Community would suit me better than the North American Phalanstery, partly from the separate dwellings, and partly from the recognition of the Christian faith, as well as for the sake of the patriarch, who has the appearance of a man in whom one might place the most heart-felt confidence. The little community has been in existence about seven years, and consists of about thirty families, comprising in all one hundred and seventy souls. Every member pledges himself to “the Christian faith, non-resistance, and temperance.” Adin Ballou has published a work on the right understanding of these subjects, which he gave me.

Taking one thing with another, it seemed to me as if life in this home, and in this community, was deficient in gaiety, had but few enjoyments for the intellect, or the sense of the beautiful; but it was at the same time most truly estimable, earnest, God-fearing, industrious,—upon the whole, an excellent foundation for a strong popular life. From these small homes must proceed earnest men and women, people who take life seriously, and have early learnt to labour and to pray. Hopedale Community