Early in the nineteenth century, there were many different thoughts about the “truth” of the Holy Word of God. It was believed that the Bible said men were to be head of house and women have no say in what happens. Many elders of the church made sure this was enforced. Also, that how you acted and where you sat in church depended on the amount of money you had. It didn’t matter how happy you were or the relationship you had with God, all that mattered was your social status. Elijah Pierson and Robert Matthews grew up in that time but didn’t agree with it as their elders did. As a child, Elijah Pierson was raised in a church in New Jersey. “Elijah descended from one of the more important families in the history of American Puritanism.
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This man, started his journey as Elijah did as a young man that moved to New York looking for a life of his own. Although he was not as lucky as Elijah was once he got there. “Like Elijah Pierson, the Prophet had first come to New York as a pious boy, eager to make good. But his talents and his fear of God could not fend off terrible misfortune, which led him on a prolonged and erratic religious journey.” (Johnson & Wilentz 49). Early in Matthews life bot of his parents died and he was left in the care of neighbors along with all his siblings. After Matthews parents died he stayed with a future church elder, he learned farming and carpentry growing up before he moved to New York. Once in New York Matthews started drinking. “Robert soon discovered some of the rougher facts of Manhattan working-class life. Carpenters, like other New York working-men, liked to drink, at all times of the day, in stupefying quantities.” (Johnson & Wilentz 59). A few years later Robert Matthews met his wife Margret, and they had 7 children. The next years were tough, 3 of their children died, and Robert became a very angry and unhappy …show more content…
Elijah began calling himself, John the Baptist, he preached once more and left his church. Matthias and Elijah began preaching the truth to men around them and starting building their “kingdom”. The two believed that men the only ones to have power over anything while women had no power. Their “kingdom” became a disaster while Matthias tried to make people believed what he believed. It became so bad; the kingdom might as well had been for Matthias and not God. Matthias met a woman named Ann that he started sleeping with. “… Ann was certain that she was pregnant with the holy child…” (Johnson & Wilentz 131). By this time Elijah was old and brittle, and had to have someone help him where ever he went. Not long after Elijah died, after he collapsed in the field. “Elijah lacked faith, Matthias solemnly intoned; for that reason, his body had perished.” (Johnson & Wilentz 139). After Elijah died the kingdom they had built, fell
This man, started his journey as Elijah did as a young man that moved to New York looking for a life of his own. Although he was not as lucky as Elijah was once he got there. “Like Elijah Pierson, the Prophet had first come to New York as a pious boy, eager to make good. But his talents and his fear of God could not fend off terrible misfortune, which led him on a prolonged and erratic religious journey.” (Johnson & Wilentz 49). Early in Matthews life bot of his parents died and he was left in the care of neighbors along with all his siblings. After Matthews parents died he stayed with a future church elder, he learned farming and carpentry growing up before he moved to New York. Once in New York Matthews started drinking. “Robert soon discovered some of the rougher facts of Manhattan working-class life. Carpenters, like other New York working-men, liked to drink, at all times of the day, in stupefying quantities.” (Johnson & Wilentz 59). A few years later Robert Matthews met his wife Margret, and they had 7 children. The next years were tough, 3 of their children died, and Robert became a very angry and unhappy …show more content…
Elijah began calling himself, John the Baptist, he preached once more and left his church. Matthias and Elijah began preaching the truth to men around them and starting building their “kingdom”. The two believed that men the only ones to have power over anything while women had no power. Their “kingdom” became a disaster while Matthias tried to make people believed what he believed. It became so bad; the kingdom might as well had been for Matthias and not God. Matthias met a woman named Ann that he started sleeping with. “… Ann was certain that she was pregnant with the holy child…” (Johnson & Wilentz 131). By this time Elijah was old and brittle, and had to have someone help him where ever he went. Not long after Elijah died, after he collapsed in the field. “Elijah lacked faith, Matthias solemnly intoned; for that reason, his body had perished.” (Johnson & Wilentz 139). After Elijah died the kingdom they had built, fell