SIIOBTER ARTICLES AXD DISCUSSIOX. 



187 



SHORTER ARTICLES AND DISCUSSION. 



THE ANGEL STONE AT NEW 

 HARMONY. 



To the Editor: I enclose a photo- 

 graph which represents an interesting 



human document. In the years from 

 1S14 to 1825 Johann Rapp was leader 

 and prophet of the religious sect of 

 Harmonists located on the Wabash 

 River, at New Harmony, Indiana. In 

 1825, the property of this community 



if.s claims, and that all farming and 

 business operations were directed ab- 

 solutely by one mind. 



Rapp had a way of miraculously ap- 

 pearing in the harvest field and in 

 similar places, seemingly springing out 

 of the ground. This he did literally, 

 for it is said his successors found a 

 number of tunnels leading from his 

 house outward and opening in un- 



The Angel Stone of the Rapp Community at New Harmony, Now in the Museum 



of Indiana University. 



was purchased by the colony founded 

 by Robert Owen and William Maclure, 

 and the Harmonists under Rapp re- 

 moved to their new home at Economy, 

 Pennsylvania. 



In both locations the community was 

 financially very successful, while their 

 more enlightened successors scattered 

 in dissension within two years. The suc- 

 cess of the community under Rapp's 

 guidance was due to the fact that it 

 was an absolute tyranny, theocratic in 



suspected places. Among other forms 

 of divine guidance, Rapp had a visit 

 each morning from an angel, who came 

 barefooted and stood before him on a 

 large stone, giving him direction for 

 the affairs of the day. This stone is 

 still preserved. It was presented to 

 the Museum of the University of In- 

 diana by the late Professor Richard 

 Owen, son of Robert Owen of Lanark, 

 the founder of the second colony of 

 New Harmony. This stone in Rapp's 



