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PHI
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ill
194 SECT OF ADAMITES.
informed tbat a German sect of Christians,
similar to the Adamites, in the early ages
of the church, had obtained many adherers
in some of the villages on the western end
of the lake of Brientz. These enthusiasts
are said to be very simple-hearted honest
people, blameless in every thing except
the extravagance of their religious opinions.
They maintain that public worship can only
be acceptably performed, when the body
is divested of all its garments, which being
signs of the existence of sin and shame in
the world, and introduced after the fall of
man, ought not to be worn, when we more
immediately approach the presence of the
Deity in prayer. The Bernese government
has endeavoured to suppress this sect by
the mildest means, but in vain ; they still
meet secretly. When they are discovered,
they are taken to the hospital for insane
people, and are treated with much tenderness,
and pastors are appointed to convince
them of the error of their opinions.
1 had no opportunity of making enquiry
respecting this sect, for I did not hear of it
till after I Jiad left In te rlak en ; but I ha,ve
no reason to doubt the accuracy of my information.
The sect is said to be sta-
P E A S A N T l l Y . 1 9 5
tionary in numbers, notwithstanding the
efforts of the government to suppress it.
At Brientz, we saw the young men of
the country assembled on the Saturday
afternoon to learn tbe use of arms, and
on the Sunday following, after divine service,
we saw another party at Interlaken
at their exercise, firing at a mark across
the river. The population of the canton
of Berne being all armed, it would not
perhaps be possible for the government to
exist in opposition to the will of the whole
people, but they may control one part of
the canton by tbe aid of the other. A
few years since, the inhabitants of the
Oberland desired to separate from Berne,
with which they have not much connection,
and to form a distinct canton governed by
their own laws. The Bernese government
sent a number of troops from other parts
of the canton to Interlaken and Unterstein,
b ut after some time the discontent was appeased
without violence. The people have
scarcely any cause for complaint against the
government, as they pay no taxes, and ju stice
is very impartially administered. As a
proof of their confidence in this respect,
and also of tbe honesty of tbe people, 1
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