PERFECTIONISTS, or BIBLE ColsrmuNrsTs, popularly known as FREE-LOVERS, or preachers of free love, a small American sect who are equally remarkable for the doc trMes which they hold, and for the unfaltering way in which they carry them out in practice. The founder of tine sect, John llumphrey Noyes, is still alive, and is described by William Hepworth Dixon, in his work on New America, as "a tall, pale man, with sandy hair and beard, gray dreamy eyes, good mouth, white temples, and a noble fore head." In appearance he is a little like Carlyle, and he is said to be not a little proud of the resemblance. Noyes was born at the town of Brattlebmough in Vermont; lie studied at Dartmouth college, N. H., where he took a degree; and he afterward became a clerk. iu a lawyer's Mae at Chesterfield. In 1831 a revival of religion broke out at Putney, and Noyes was one of those who were aroused to a consciousness of sin and anxiety about the way of salvation. He began to puzzle over theological questions; and he gave up th a law to study theology at Andover, in Massachusetts. There lie spent a year in unremitting study of the Bible; but was exposed to many temptations, owing to the habits prevailing among his fellow students. From Andover• lie passed to Yale college, New Haven, where he was first a student, afterwards a preacher in connection with the Congregational body, and where he became a great seeker after truth—not as it stands between God and man only, but as between man and man. Here it was that lie arrived at the.principal of the ideas which constitute Ins social and religious system— deriving them, after much study and speculation, from the writings of St. Paul. He came to the conclusion that the opinions of St. Paul had been completely misconceived by all the Christian churches; that all our ecclesiastical organizations have consequently been blunders; and that from the apostolic age to his own there had been no visible church of Christ upon earth. He conceived that in the age of Paul and Peter there had been a true Christian church—a communion of saints, in which all were brethren, and all equals; but that it passed away • at an early date, on our Lord having returned in the spirit, as he had promised, to dwell among his people forever. This second advent
of Christ he placed in the year 70; and he came to the conclusion that since then the true church has consisted, not of any of the religions organizations which have succes sively sprung up, but of saintly persons scattered here and there, sinless in body and soul, confessing Christ as their lord, professing holiness, rejecting law and usage, and submitting their passions to the divine will. He believed that Christ, on his advent, abolished the old law, and closed the reign of sin which began with Adam; and that he has thenceforth set up his kingdom in the hearts of all willing to accept his reign. For such persons there was no longer any law or rule of duty; neither the Mosaic code, nor the sermon on the mount, nor the ordinances or itstitutions of civil society were binding upon them; they were a law unto themselves; they were free to do as they pleased, but—with exceptions which, however, could not invalidate an eternal truth—under the influence of the divine spirit which dwelt in them, they could only do that which was right. It was owing to the power of the devil that the churches had gone so far astray; but he conceived that the time had come when, among the new com munities of America, there should be set up a perfect model of a Christian church—in which all should be brethren; in which men and women should be equals; in which individuals should be untrammeled by any restraints save those imposed by the divine spirit working within themselves. Noyes took upon himself the task of laying ilia foundations of the true Christian church; but before setting to the work, he is accused of having furnished at once evidence of his belief in his theory, and an illustration of the dangers attending it in practice. His mind once satisfied that there was no law for him, he gave the rein, it is said, to dissipation, and for some time abandoned himself to Hem tiousness. This, however, is denied as a malicious calumny.