MUCICERS, the popular name of an extraordinary sect, which sprung up at Konigs berg, in Germany, in 1835. The movement seems to have originated in the dualistic and Gnostic views of John Henry Schonherr (who was born at Memel in 1771, and died at Kiinigsberg in 1826) concerning the origination of the universe by the combination of two spiritual and sensual principles. His followers carried out his system much more com pletely than himself. The most notable of them were two clergymen, Ebel and Diestel, the former an archdeacon. By them, sexual connection would seem to have been ele vated into an act of worship, and the chief means of the sanctification of the flesh; by which the paradisiac state was to be restored. Ebel and Diestel founded a society, to which women—some of noble birth—attached themselves. Three ladies lived in Ebel'S house, who were popularly regarded as his three wives; and Mr. Hepworth Dixon, in his work entitled Spiritual Wires (1868), tells us that one of them, a young widowed countess, whose beloved husband had fallen on the field of Lutzen, and whom he enticed from the seclusion and deep melancholy in she lived, was described by him as representing to him the principle of light (Licht-maw); another of the ladies represented the principle of darkness (fi'instern4s-natur); and the third represented the principle of union ((Wassong). The last was his legal wife, but held the most subor..
dinate place in his extraordinary household. Ere long public feeling was excited against the Muckers, who were said guilty, under forms of piety, of the most odious licen tiousness in their meetings. The scandal became great in KOnigsberg, and a garden there acquired the name of the Seraph's grove. The subject was brought before the courts (1839-1842), and the result was that Ebel and Diestel were degraded from their. offices, and the latter was further punished by imprisonment. It is alleged, however, by some Ntho have examined the whole evidence produced, that the decisions did not pro ceed upon a calm judicial inquiry, but were dictated by strong prejudice against the accused, on account of their religions views and peculiar eccentricities; and, in particu lar. that the evidence gives no support whatever to the charge of licentiousness. Mr. Hepworth Dixon has directed attention to the similarity of the Mucker movement with that of the Princeites (see AGAPEMONE) in England and that of the Bible Communists or Perfectionists (q.v.) in America, all of which took place about the same time, and in connection with revival excitement, although it may almost be regarded as certain that the originators of these movements had not even heard of each other.
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