“Kingdom of Matthias” Blog Part II Utopian America
In the second half of the “Kingdom of Matthias,” the Prophet leads his flock to the rambling estate of Ben Folger north of New York City on the Hudson River where he establishes his patriarchal kingdom. Communal instability and infighting, alleged murder, and collapse follow not long after creation. The two most intriguing questions for me concern the appeal of this utopian community for those under Matthias’s spell in the 1830s and the wider appeal of similar utopian experiments throughout American history.
Johnson and Wilentz describe Matthias’s motives on page 92: “Matthias’s mission was to establish that reign of Truth and redeem the world from devils, prophesying women and beaten men.” What exactly was this so-called “reign of Truth” and how did Matthias hope to achieve it? How was his Kingdom constructed with regards to work assignments, gender roles, and diet and dining rituals to this end? In what ways did Mt. Zion reflect Matthias’s reaction against both the Market Revolution and the Second Great Awakening? Finally, why were so many apparently sane, stable adults drawn to this place?
As to the wider point about utopian communities and their popularity throughout American history, Johnson and Wilentz offer this assessment on page 172: “Moreover, ever since the 1830s, various wild American holy men who resemble Matthias even more closely have formed their own communal cults, basing their prophesies on scripture and translating their personal disappointments into holy visions of restored fatherly power. To be sure, the social background to these movements has changed enormously over the past century and a half. Yet repeatedly, Americans caught in bewildering times have made sense of things primarily with reference to alterations in sexual and family norms, and a perceived widespread sexual disorder.” Americans have been more willing than others to withdraw into experimental communities whether they be for purposes intellectual (Brook Farm), industrial/religious (Oneida), hippie dictatorial (Manson family) religious dictatorial (Jonestown), or pure Matthias/prophet-like millennial (Branch Davidians). If you’re interested in this topic, explore one of the above examples (and associated leader) and compare it to Matthias’s Mt. Zion.
Remember to follow the blog instructions posted on our class page and incorporate the suggestions I offered for your first blog. Be sure to post before midnight on Sunday, November 29 and I look forward to reading your responses.
Mr. B
After Matthias met Elijah, he soon plans to build a kingdom where he could practice his “reign of Truth.” What exactly is the “reign of Truth?” Matthias claimed that people should no longer pray for the Son’s Kingdom (Christianity), for the Father will soon return. He believed that such devilish religion will eventually destroy the spirit of Truth, or “the spirit of male government” (95). Matthias wanted to return to traditional lifestyle that gave males full authority over their family and work. Fathers and husbands are then able to once again teach and lead their wives and children to the rightful destination. The fundamental belief of this religion is the existence of a cycle which protects and make sure the Truth stays “in the patriarchal hands”; “when a righteous man dies[d], his spirit joins[d] his father’s spirit in the body of a newborn child” (95).
ReplyDeleteTo fulfill his assignment, Matthias establishes a kingdom in the estate of Ben Folger and assigns different works and chores to different people based on gender and age: “the men and boys labored in the fields, and the women and girls worked in the house, all under the command of an authoritative father” (105). In fact, the whole system of this kingdom resembled the rustic lifestyle of the traditional farm family; a family arrangement which gave manhood full authority. To maintain this right given to the Father, Matthias lived a life of luxury with the wealth collected from his followers. The most prominent aspect of all was his fashion, which displayed both “the heroic masculinity of the Age of the Democratic Revolution” and “holy properties” (107). The dining of this kingdom also represented Matthias’s ideologies. “Matthias was a prophet of abundance” (108). The dinner table was always full of food with meat, fish, and fresh vegetables and fruits. Although, the followers were allowed to eat as much as they wanted there were some prohibitions that seemed to represent a practice of the Jewish Law. Alcohol and pork was not allowed, claiming that it was the flesh of the devil and will ruin the people whoever ate even a piece. Furthermore, some of the dinner rituals represented Matthias’s objection towards the emerging market economy. Fancy and seasoned meals were unsuitable to be placed on the table, for they were consumed by the rich who were able to gain great wealth from the market revolution. The meals had to be boiled in a pot or cooked in the hearth, because the fancy method of roasting the meal was only possible for the middle class who were able to purchase the cast-iron stove.
Then why were so many adults attracted to this kingdom? First of all, people had the freedom to choose their religious beliefs and practice their own spiritual fulfillment. They were able to choose their community that appealed to them most. The fact that they were not able to adapt to the market revolution and that they wanted to return to the simple lifestyle might have attracted them to join Matthias. Or simply, Matthias was very convincing through his preaches, which he usually shouted, and his appearance, which his beard resembled him as Jesus.
In the 1830s, many people had different ideas of an ideal society, and thus established utopian experiments hoping to confirm their claims. Just like Matthias’s Mount Zion, the Oneida community was established in New York by John Humphrey Noyes. Noyes too believed he was an agent sent by God to spread the doctrine of the almighty. The first movement of the Oneida community was engaged in marriage and sexual relationship in the spiritual world. Just like Mount Zion, a complex marriage was one of the community’s doctrines; every man and every woman was married to each other, and thus sexual intercourse is allowed. However, the teachings of the Oneida Community claimed that the young virgins were closets to the God, and thus the older must be responsible to find their suitable mate.
Not two pages into this half of the story, the readers are introduced to Matthias, the supposed protagonist, and his so called “Reign of Truth” (92) that he wishes to preach to the withering world around him, in hope of saving the world from Christianity, or the Son’s Kingdom. What Matthias hopes to accomplish with his “Reign of Truth,” is a backwards world where man has utter dominance over his counterpart. He even preaches, “That the gentiles and their womanish world would burn.” (93) This, also, is the way he plans on spreading his ideas, preaching threats to the hearers around him, in hope that his message will spread, enveloping the minds of the lost and confused. However, when he is ridiculed and attacked by the gentiles of the town, he and his kingdom are forced to relocate to a rural house, which he then named Mt. Zion. This Kingdom proved to be “Safe from the police, complaining neighbors, meddling Christians, his followers’ kinsmen, and the other persecutors of New York City,” (105) which allowed Matthias to finally spread his Truth in peace.
ReplyDeleteWhen assigning work to the members of this household, his ideals of “Truth” were always in effect. Men would work the hard labor of the fields, while the women would resume their rightful place in the house, doing more “feminine” labor, and, like any ideal household, according to Matthias, there was a fatherly figure to maintain control in an authoritative manner, and Matthias obviously designated himself for this role. There were also certain dining and dieting habits that were reflected in the Kingdom, for he was a “prophet of abundance.” (108) Like his lavish wardrobe, his supper table was swathed with a plethora of different types of food, ranging from meats and fishes, to a multitude of vegetables and fruit. There were some restrictions to the types of food and drink that would appear on their dinner table. Roasted meats, alcohol, any form of pork, and fanciful pastries were among some of the banished goods from the Kingdom’s daily feast. Some of his dining rituals reflected just how much Matthias despised the Market Revolution and the middle class produced from it. Before the revolution, families wouldn’t have had any access to baking pastries and roasting meats, but “by 1830 oven-roasted meat and fancy baked foods were emblems of a family’s economic standing….” (110)
There were several reasons that could help discern why so many people were inclined to join Matthias and his Kingdom Mt. Zion. First of all, some of the members of this Kingdom may have actually been enthralled by Matthias’ preaching, for he presented his ideals with such fervor and enthusiasm. Also, “His lectures regularly drew fifty to sixty hearers,” (93) so clearly his “Reign of Truth” appealed to some people. Many people who were perhaps appalled by the feminism of the current society were able to find refuge in Matthias’ Kingdom, where traditional dominance of man over woman was practiced daily.
tyler
Matthias, in the second part of this novel, entertains this burning desire to be the progenitor of a utopia where he is able to freely practice a “reign of truth” (92). He wishes to create a very orthodox, and somewhat antiquated, patriarchal society where men control and manage almost all affairs, both domestic and foreign; he believes the traditional hierarchy: God – Christ – Man – Woman. He believes that “Christian deviltry was a system of preaching and teaching that destroyed the Truth,” a truth which he believed “was the spirit of male government” (95). Under this “spirit of truth,” “fathers teach their families… [and] other teachers weakened Truth and polluted its divine lineage” (95). These, the “other teachers,” are the kinds of people that Matthias wants out of his utopia, Mt. Zion, and the kinds against whom Matthias vehemently speaks out in his many sermons. For example, under Matthias rule, “All who say that Jews crucified Jesus… [a]ll who drink wine in bowls… [a]ll women who do not keep at home… [a]ll merchandisers, [a]ll clergymen, doctors, and lawyers, [a]ll men who wear spectacles, [and] [a]ll who offended John The Baptist (Elijah Pearson)” were condemned and forbidden to enter his kingdom (94).
ReplyDeleteNow, Matthias was a man of his word and stuck strictly to his beliefs and of course he distributed the labors as he saw fit: “men and boys labored in the fields, and the women and girls worked in the house, all under the command of an authoritative father” (105). In Matthias house, under his command, “Isabella and Catherine piled the table with food… flesh meats… along with plenty of poultry and fish… bowls of rice, beans, and potatoes, along with a wide variety of vegetables” (108). Matthias was luxurious and abundant in both the clothes that he wore food on which he feasted every night, and indeed it was a feast in every sense of the word. Being the strict ruler that he was however, Matthias did outlaw certain kinds of food such as pork, alcohol, as mentioned, and any types of fancy pastries that represented the growing wealthy class stemming from the Market Revolution in America that Matthias detested. Also, certain methods of cooking which represented the rich were prohibited, “Matthias forbade roasting,” for example (108). Also, all meals must be boiled in either the heart in the living room of the house of in a pot, tokens of a simple life-style enjoyed by those who did not immediately attach themselves to the Market Revolution and get swept away into the new middle-class.
Generally, though Matthias had his share of outlandish laws and restrictions on what people can do, eat, think, or even wear and of course on how woman can act, many were engrossed with this new idea of “Truth” and this utopian patriarchal society that was being practiced in Mt. Zion. Matthias had many followers and avid supporters that relocated with him to New York City and to a completely new community. This was probably for a number reasons such as fathers who once enjoyed a patriarchal life but were now subject to the growing feminism in the nation and wished to return to there traditional ways. Also, Matthias did grant sufficient freedom with respect to religious affiliations and communal desires. Finally, Matthias was a sort of Barrack Obama of his era: an intelligent and eager individual who inspired people through his riveting speeches and fascinating remarks on how he would run a new and prosperous nation.
Part two of “Kingdom of Matthias” introduces Robert Mathews (Matthias himself), and his apparent “Reign of Truth” (92). Through the spread of this doctrine, Matthias ultimately sought to rid the world of Christianity, as he believed the Father resurface. Thus, there was no need to pray for his return. Furthermore, this doctrine would reinstate patriarchal societies, or those governed by men where “the gentiles and their womanish world would burn” (93). In one of his lectures, he goes further to say: “The sons of truth are to enjoy all the good things of this world, and must sue their means to bring it about. Every thing that has the smell of a woman will be destroyed. Woman is the cap sheaf of the abomination of desolation-full of all deviltry…All women, no obedient, had better become so as soon as possible, and let the wicked spirit depart, and become vessels of truth…” (93) Clearly, the kingdom of Matthias discounts the woman, thereby glorifying the sons of truth (men). Matthias preached “in a rage, [with] his arms waving, [and] his great voice screaming…” (93), hoping to frighten the wandering minds of the unenlightened into acceptance.
ReplyDeleteMatthias’ message, as one can imagine, was only accepted by the Sons of Truth, whose social status would increase as a result. The women and gentiles, however, refused to accept Matthias’ doctrine. The ridicule Matthias faced by the very people he discounted forced the relocation of his kingdom to a countryside home, clearly outside the city limits, which he titled “Mount Zion.” Here, Matthias claimed that both he and his followers were “safe from the police, complaining neighbors, meddling Christians, his followers’ kinsmen, and the other persecutors of New York City” (105). It was in this house that Matthias could spread his “Truth,” apart from the critical, disobedient gentiles of the city.
Mount Zion, as Matthias commented, was “the first perfectly reformed rural household in the coming Kingdom” (105). Here, he distributed labor based not on gentile tradition, but on Truth: “Matthias discerned the spirit inhabiting each follower, then arranged those spirits into a proper and harmonious family. Matthias was not just the father but the Father, occupied with government and policy.” (105). Thus, able bodied men worked as farmhands, women assumed household chores, and Matthias oversaw such labor.
Although Matthias’ kingdom may have appeared demanding, it undoubtedly prospered, as indicated by Matthias’ elegant wardrobe and lavish dining habits. Matthias enjoyed the finer things in life, as he was a “prophet of abundance” (108). His dinner table, for example, offered an abundant variety of scrumptious food options, including several types of meat, as well as a surplus of local vegetables. There were diet restrictions however, as roasted meat, alcohol, pork, and delicate pastries were not permitted. Matthias’ dining rituals perhaps reflected his discontent with the Market Revolution. His traditional dietary habits reflected early times, before the middle class was subjected to new inventions. Matthias commented, “ In the early nineteenth century a few grand houses had brick ovens built into the kitchen hearth, but most American housewives knew nothing of baking or oven roasting” (109). It was this form of community that Matthias hoped to reenter.
Matthias’ kingdom appealed to his followers for primarily individual reasons, many of which are personal. It is important to note that not all of Matthias’ followers were disturbed, or insane. In fact most were entirely sane and competent individuals. Perhaps many of his followers were intrigued by his idea of Truth, as there is evidence that his lectures boasted high attendance. Other followers may have been drawn to Matthias’ kingdom as a refuge from the corrupt, emerging society characterized by the city. And in every society, there are those that simply prefer a traditional form of community, where order and balance are evident.
The appeal for Matthias' Utopian community is quite shocking. Although the ways of this society is overzealous and unconventional, the appeal is still vast. Matthias' Utopian society gives peace, normalcy, and routine to an unstructured and confused world. The inside of this society is safe and ordered, which gives the people that belong to it a shell to be protected by, instead of adventuring out into the world, without strict doctrines to abide by.
ReplyDeleteSane, stable adults are drawn to this society because they feel that they are missing something from their life. They want religion stability to guide their lives in a way they haven't been able to do for themselves. The followers of the society are drawn in by Matthias and the bewitching spell of this society. They want to be part of this "community" that abide by rules and are in part a wholesome family. Although the rules and regulations are strict, the idea of togetherness overrule the cons. The simplicity of the life also attracted people. They had duties and their lives were dedicated to the "Reign of Truth" and Matthias, and they felt that their life had purpose.
Most importantly to this is the explanation of Matthias' "Reign of Truth." This doctrine is what Matthias bases his unconventional and structured ideas. The "Reign of Truth" is explained in the book as the idea of the ridding of devilish ways and the dedication to religion. Matthias heavily emphasized of the devils of women and how they should obey their husbands: "wives would cheerfully assist the patriachs, bearing their children, preparing their food, keeping their houses spotlessly clean, and obeying husbands who were their only source of knowledge and material support." The authority men had over women is an idea that was used very much in the past and Matthias strongly supported this idea.
The utopian society took place at Mount Zion: "Matthias named his new house Mount Zion, and settled into a life as Prophet and country gentleman....Matthias used prophecy and terror-not to mention his disciples' money- to make Mount Zion the first perfectly reformed rural household in the coming Kingdom" (104-105) Mount Zion was a well ordered house, with a "family" that included women, men, and children of all ages. Matthias was to "arrange these spirits" to make up a "proper and harmonious family". (105) The "Father" of this community was Matthias, he decided where the men and boys worked (farm) and tasks for women and children (household and cooking activities). Matthias delegated tasks, he decided how the food was made and what was acceptable, and most importantly, what was not. Matthias was treated with respect and treated like a king. It was his manner, dress and attitude that that represented his power and authority: "Matthias sat at the head of the table....Matthias washed his food down with water from his engraved silver chalice, the other drank from ordinary glass tumblers." (110-111)Matthias power was quite apparent, he dressed like a king, with extravagant attire such as embellished coats and sashs. All which had an explanation revolving the "Reign of Truth": "the green hat with gold trim as the rainbow surrounding the head of Him, the silk coat linings of pink signified Joseph's coat.." (108)Every decision revolved around Matthias and his ruling.
Mount Zion reflected Matthias opinion on the Second Great Awakening and the Market Revolution. The spreading of the religion evangelical ideas was quite abundant and the formation of the utopian society is just one branch of many of the religion reforms that took place in the Second Great Awakening. Secondly, the overzealous fancy food that Matthias banned relates to the fact that only the wealthy that came from the market revolution were able to afford this food
In the second half of the book, the reader is introduced to Matthias, the protagonist of the story. The reader also learns about his “Reign of Truth,” (92) and about how he sees the religion of Christianity as a devilish religion. He calls the religion the Son’s Kingdom and wants to save the world from this so-called devilish religion. He also wanted to promote male dominance on the households and relationships of people in his community. He was scared that the religion of Christianity would destroy the idea of the necessary male dominance in society. In order to fulfill his quest to keep people away from the religion of Christianity he creates a kingdom in the estate of Ben Folger called Mt. Zion. There in his kingdom he assigns different tasks and chores to the appropriate people. For example, he assigned the men to do work that he thought men should only do, like work in the field and dirty work. The women were expected to do all the household work which he found acceptable for woman. His ideas of spreading the “Truth” were constantly in affect while running his kingdom. Even though mass numbers of the people were Christian, many people were highly attracted to Matthias’ kingdom. He allowed people to freely practice any religion they wanted and were able to be in the community they chose. The idea of escaping the market revolution to be in a simple environment and society contributed to the people joining Matthias’ kingdom.
ReplyDeleteMatthias' idea of the "reign of truth" is that all people should not pray for Christianity. He has this notion that the father will eventually return and "At the center of Christian deviltry was a system of preaching and teaching that destroyed truth." (95) Matthias also believed in a patriarchal society where men can lead their wives and children to the best path in life because "The Spirit of Truth, Matthias explained, was the spirit of male government. God wanted women to have none of it." (95) Matthias assigned the men and boys to work in the fields while the girls and women worked in the house. One can see Matthias' opposition to the market revolution with the dinner restrictions/rations in the dinner rituals. Many middle class families could show economic status with lavish meats and Matthias did his best to eliminate this from Mt. Zion. I think that the main reason that people would join this society at Mt. Zion because of Matthias' preaching and that they believe in his notion of a male patriarchal society.
ReplyDeletei just wrote my entire thing, then attempted to send it, then it got deleted.
ReplyDeletegrrrr.
here goes.again.
While most think of a utopia as a sanctuary of equality, peace, tranquility, freedom, fertility, and beauty, Matthias views his Utopia differently. Matthias is obviously a very outspoken person, making his rules (94)of his community very clear, yet not all logical.
Matthias is also very sexist and he and his followers believe purely in a male-run society. "The Spirit of Truth, Matthias explained, was the spirit of male government" (95). He also thought that the ideal government, which also attracted many common people, consisted of "...a rural palace and live in luxury, and each would be surrounded by worshipful children and a happy and dutiful wife"(96) Matthias goes on to explain the importance of the husband in the family. He also believes that "God wanted women to have none of [The Spirit of Truth]"(95)
Another statement said by Matthias that i found very interesting was when he said "weak spirits learned to disregard Truth and to pray, read, and think for themselves. the spirits of the young and female were filled with error and, at death, had no place to go. Truth was hopelessly scattered, and death was really death"(96) The part of this paragraph that irks the me most is when Matthias makes it clear that praying, reading, or thinking for ourselves is wrong. Today, independence is treasured. I find it scary to think that not too long ago, people believed what he did.
In the begining of the second half, the reader is introduced into Matthias, the protagonist of the story. Where we learn his idea of the "Reign of Truth" (92). His meaning of the reign of truth is to preach and enlighten the crumbling world in which he lives. He wants to save the world from the hands of the devil and the duties in which a wife has to their husband. This notion reflects his views on christianity, and how his beiief that it might destroy the male dominance in the common household. to achieve his goal of the "reign of truth", Matthias creates Mt. Zion.
ReplyDeleteMt. Zion, which is Matthias Kingdom, was a house with men, women, and children where Matthias would create the perfect living expieriance. In this kingdom he distributes chores that appear appropriate to the person its asigned too. Here, Matthias, was treated as royalty, where his power and authority reigned supreme. Also in this "free" community where Matthias allowed anyone to practice whichever religion they wanted as well as live in the kingdom by choice. Many of the people who lived there were Christians. On Mt. Zion his beiliefs about male dominance and work were shown highly amongst the people. Men worked in the fields, while women stayed and worked in the kitchens. Matthias's kingdom highly represented the ideas of evangelicalism and the spread of the second great awakening.
At the begining of the second half of the book we are introduced to the protaginist, Matthias, and his "Reign of Truth."(92) He wishes to free the world from Christianity and live in a place where man has complete dominance over his female counterpart. He wants to lure in the dazed and confused with his radical beliefs, but due to the critical townspeople he is forced to move to a different location which he names Mt. Zion. At Mt. Zion he is "Safe form police, complaining neighbors, meddling christions, his followers'kinsman, and the other persecutors of New York City."(105)
ReplyDeleteIn his new kingdom, men worked in the feilds while women did household duties which is the way he thought it sould be. The reason that people followed Matthias was because he was passionate and enthusiastic, they beilived his teachings, or they hated women having any staus.
Matt
Matthias, an overzealous preacher, believed in the restoration of men in society and the return of God to the world. Thus, he preached, “gentiles and their womanish world would burn” (93). To him, women were synonymous with the devil. Although the word gentile can mean any non-Jewish person, Matthias was mainly concerned about the “meek Christian devils and their disobedient women” (94.
ReplyDeleteThe “reign of Truth,” simply put, is “the spirit of male government” (95). The “reign of Truth” is a reversion to an earlier lifestyle, when men dominated the household and controlled his wife and children. Male dominancy had been practiced for thousands of years, and Matthias believed there was no reason society should abandon it now. Matthias argued, “God wanted women to have none of it.” (95). Matthias stressed the divine lineage, in which the father’s spirit is passed on to the newborn child, thus ensuring the continuation of patriarchal power. Matthias believes that “everything that has the smell of a woman will be destroyed” (93). In his mind, only men, the sons of truth, are able to rule society.
Matthias hoped to accomplish his “reign of Truth” by creating his own utopian society where he would reinstate patriarchal dominancy. He led his group of followers to the estate of Ben Folger in the countryside, where he manifested his idea, calling it Mount Zion. Matthias’ Kingdom simulated the old-fashioned lifestyle of the planters. The men and boys worked the farm, and in line with his teachings, “women and girls worked in the house, all under the command of an authoritative father” (105). Since, Matthias’ Kingdom modeled a traditional farm lifestyle from his youth; he forbade any type of roasting and only allowed “plain cakes” on to the table (108). Matthias despised the “new-fangled, middle class ways introduced by the market revolution” (109). In Coila, nobody roasted meat in ovens and only plain and simple baked goods existed. To Matthias dismay, the Market Revolution destroyed the simple dining he had come to love. Matthias allowed his followers to dine in “plain abundance,” which he emulated from his childhood (110). The table would be piled high with boiled meats, fruits, and bread.
Utopian societies were very popular during the Second Great awakening, where people believed that their faith in God could govern their lives. Mount Zion, a utopian society is Matthias’ reaction to the Second Great Awakening.
It is somewhat of a mystery why such a strange place, like Mount Zion, was able to attract so many people. Part of it must have been Matthias’ fervent preaching, similar to Jonathan Edwards, a preacher in the First Great Awakening, who drew in massive crowds with his eccentric preaching.
In the second part of “The Kingdom of Mathias,” the book talks about the actual Kingdom of Mathias, how he created it, and what the policies he made there were. Johnson and Wilentz tell us of Mathias’s mission on page 92, and tells us of the “reign of Truth” (92). This, to Mathias, is a Kingdom where men were completely under control, and where people actually believed the “truth:” that the millennium, or second coming of Jesus Christ, was coming very soon. He hopes to achieve this “Reign of Truth” by creating a “kingdom” of his own, where people believed in his preaching and lived a lifestyle that he preached about.
ReplyDeleteIn this Kingdom, work assignments were mainly divided based on gender: women worked at home: “Wives would cheerfully assist the patriarchs, bearing their children, preparing their food, keeping their houses spotlessly clean, and obeying husbands who were their only source of knowledge and material support.” (96) On the other hand, men took on the role of teaching their children morals and religion: “God demanded that fathers teach their families, or that was the one way that Truth accumulated and stayed in patriarchal hands.” (95) This pretty much shows the gender roles too: women should be quiet and in the house, whereas men should be leading the family and the entire community at large. Mathias also believed in having a big diet, where women prepared the meals and served them. The quote , “the Prophet’s love-feasts had given him [Pierson] a belly” supports this conclusion, that Mathias’ suppers were in fact very rich and wealthy (99). He also believed that those meals should be eaten in wealthy and fine silverware, such as the ones he orders to be made with silver engravings (98).
Mt. Zion shows how Mathias is against the Market Revolution because he says how there shouldn’t be “economic oppression of any kind” in his kingdom, which is clearly against the market itself (96). Since the 2nd Great Awakening mainly consisted of equal roles for men and women, and since Mathias’ Mt. Zion doesn’t have any gender equality, he also shows strong opposition against the second Great Awakening.
There could’ve been several reasons as to why several people went to his “Kingdom” as described on page 93: “His lectures drew fifty to sixty hearers, among them the worried Christian friends of Elijah Pierson.” One reason could be that all these people believed in Mathias’ belief of the millennium coming soon. Another reason for some of these people could be their belief in masculine dominance and traditional gender inequality, which means that those were men who strongly opposed the gender equality that the second Great Awakening brought forth.
Maria
The second part of the book “Kingdom of Matthias” portrays Matthias creating his own religion against the Christianity and gentiles in the estate of Benjamin Folger. What Matthias tried to establish through creating his own cult was a “reign of Truth” which set forth the doctrine of male dominance over female, in short, “the spirit of male governent.” (95). Matthias severly denounced Christianity as he thought it destroyed “Truth” and that “the Christians proceeded systematically to steal women and children from fathers.” (95) Also the Calvinism he practiced back when he was a child in Coila Anti-Burhgers also instilled in him the dominance of men. He strongly believed that “Woman is the capsheaf of the abomination of desolation – full of all deviltry” (93) and that “All women, not obedient, had better become so as soon as possible and let the wicked spirit depart and become vessels of truth.” (93) Matthias wanted this “reign of Truth” to be continued over generations by fathers’ instructions to their families and this was the only way that the Truth be accumulated and remain in the hands of patriarchs.
ReplyDeleteMatthias assigned different tasks according to their genders and ages. Matthias “put the men and boys to work on the farm: the stronger men handled the heavy work, the boys helped the men.” (105) while he “kept [women] in the house” (105) and let them “cheerfully assist the patriarchs, bearing their children, preparing their food, keeping their houses spotlessly clean.” (96)
Matthias, a “prophet of abundance,” (108) reveals his luxury and exuberance through the way he dresses and through the diet. People who actually saw Matthias recalled him “variously in brown, black, green and white.” (106) On the dinner table, “besides the meats sat steaming bowls of rice, beans and potatoes along with a wide variety of green vegetables.” (108) However, there were also things that had to be prohibited: “fancy pastries, sauces, spices, jellies, and compotes that were appearing on the tabels of the well-to-do.” (109) On top of that, roasting, baking and eating pork were also prohibited. Banishing roasting and baking explicitly expresses his opposition to market revolution, since in order to bake or roast, it was necessary that such goods as sugar, eggs and flour and the most important, “iron stoves” were equipped. Contrary to the prevailing traces of industrilization, Matthias’ “reign of Truth” depicted rustic and bucolic abundance. Another evidence that this cult possessed traditional and rural character was that “he insisted that the evening meal be called supper” (110) instead of using the word dinner, the word urban merchant class used.
On the latter part of the book, the judges of the court describe Matthias as a “lunatic” and “a miserable strolling driveller.” (150) Despite the extreme phase of his religion, Matthias had substantial number of followers including Sylvester Mills, Benjamin and Ann Folger, Isabella Van Wagenen and Elijah Pierson. Then, why were so many people attracted to this religion?
We can assume that people were enthralled by Matthias’ fervent and zealous practice of religion as “[he] preached in a rage, his arms waving, his great voice screaming that the gentiles and their womanish world would burn.” (93) It could also be that some people preferred male-dominant society over the society Christianity pursued, the society with sexual equality. Finally, full beard the Prophet had, created an illusion that made him look like Jesus Christ, which could also have attracted some people, as it did Isabella Van Wagenen.
Matthias’s idea of a reign of truth was just him trying to convert the way of life back to olden times, when woman were segregated against and where there was a large emphasis on social class. He even says on page 95, “The Spirit of Truth, Matthias explained, was the spirit of male government.” He really believed that woman were inferior to men in all aspects, and should not even have the right to act independently from their husbands.
ReplyDeleteMatthias assigns everyone in his “kingdom” to certain jobs. The men and boys would work in the fields while woman would work in the house under an “authoritive father.” Matthias would determine what each persons job would be based on the content of their spirits.
In Mathias’s kingdom the dinner table was always piled high with food. There were plenty of flesh meats (excepting pork), along with plenty of poultry and fish. All of these were boiled, for Matthias forbade roasting” (p 108). As well as the meats they also had Vegetables, fruit, coffee, and tea. Alcohol of course was prohibited. If they had cake it had to be plain and undecorated. The traditions about eating were very Jewish. As said before pork was prohibited, but, to such an extent where Mathias told his followers “All who eat pork are of the devil” (p 109). Mathias also opposed roasting food because he disliked new middle class ways introduced by the market revolution.
Mathias tried wholeheartedly to rebel against the market revolution and the second great awakening. He disliked the new inventions and ideas brought about by them and would rebel by refusing to participate in anything that involved them. I agree with Tyler. I think many sane people where drawn to this place because of Matthias’s personality. It seems like he must be quite an enthralling speaker because he had attracted such a big group. Other people may just have been attracted by his ideas of anti feminism and felt like they belonged in the group.
In part two of the book we see Matthias for the first time and we learn about his “Reign of Truth.” What Matthias is trying to accomplish with his “Reign of Truth” is to “redeem the world from devils, prophesying women and beaten men.” These devils are people who practice Christianity, so one part of his plan is to end Christianity. The prophesying women and beaten men refer to women in general and weak men, so he wants to see the return of a male dominated world.
ReplyDeleteIn order to achieve his perfect world Matthias leads his group to Ben Folger, where he plans to establish his “Kingdom.” On this estate he assigns the men the jobs in the fields and the women jobs at the house. He also restored the power to the men in their families. Matthias also lives almost as a king among his people, living off of their wealth. Dining in his kingdom represented his ideas as well. Matthias chose to only make food that the lowest classes could afford. He did this because he saw the emergence of a wealthy class as a direct result of the Market Revolution and he wanted to get away from the revolution. He also kept certain drinks and food out of his kingdom like alcohol
Many people chose to join Matthias’ Kingdom because of the freedom of choice that was available. People could choose everything from religion and beliefs to the type of lifestyle they wanted to live. Matthias was also a very good speaker and could convince people to follow him and come to his kingdom if they had no other reason to go.
In the second half of The Kingdom of Matthias, we are introduced to what he calls the "reign of truth." By this, Matthias wanted to "redeem the world from devils, prophesying women, and beaten men" (92). This reign of truth turned its back on the entire concept of Christianity, which was believing the son of God's return to earth. Matthias believed that not the son, but God himself would return to earth on judgment day. Furthermore, he felt that if people put their faith in Christianity and not his reign of truth, "the gentiles and their womanish world would burn" (93). Matthias preached in this way to persuade people to come to his side. By telling people that they were "womanish", or in other words, sissy's, it would make people want to join the reign of truth making them seem manlier, stronger, and more powerful. Overall, Matthias wanted people to take what he said as true. He wanted power over people and to see him as a strong and influential leader. Although he was later forced to go to a rural place he called Mt. Zion after being ridiculed by gentiles, he took his kingdom with him, still continuing to spread the truth.
ReplyDeleteIn Matthias's kingdom on Mt, Zion, he made order among the people. He split the work up according to gender stereotypes. Women were to stay in the home doing mild housework and men did the harder work out in fields. This is a bit sexist, as Ellyn said. He wanted a "male government" meaning he wanted men to be the dominant force with women second. Although this is not out of the ordinary during this time period, it does not seem right in a kingdom where Matthias wants to speak the truth, including how God created all men equal. In addition, he wanted to show himself and his kingdom as lavish and as a "prophet of abundance" (108). Every night at dinner, they ate "flesh meats (except pork), along with plenty of poultry and fish. All of these were boiled, for Matthias forbade roasting...There was of course no alcohol in Father's house" (108). These strict rules resemble rules from other religions, such as the no pork rule in Muslim religion. No alcohol is similar to the Mormon belief system, so maybe he set up his kingdom cult taking ideas from these religions.
All in all, Matthias wanted a kingdom that spoke truth, or what he wanted to be the truth. He set up standards that he believed to be right and how a community should be. He wanted to keep his kingdom running in a traditional way, which may have contributed to the relocation to New York. He would continue on having the same close followers to the end, which is reminiscent to Jesus with his forever devoted disciples (well, most of them).
sorry this is so late. my computer crashed over break (thanks to limewire) and I am now borrowing a computer.
-cassie
In the second half of The Kingdom of Matthias, the reader is introduced to the protagonist of the story: Matthias himself, formerly known as Robert Matthews. The persona of Matthias that Matthews adopts is a curious character, enforcing this "Reign of Truth" at all costs. By amassing like-minded individuals to follow his ways of anti feminism, anti Christianity, and anti spectacle-ism. This all sounds very ridiculous and irrelevant to the uninformed ear, but Matthias' hatred for things such as women's rights and modern technology were rooted, in my opinion, in his hatred for the Market Revolution and all modernization that he related to the maddening pain of earlier years in his life (i.e.-losing his beloved wife).
ReplyDeleteMatthias wanted to go back to traditional, patriarchal society in which the man was the sole ruler of his household. He justified this by saying speaking of a "Spirit of Truth" that came from God that entered Abraham, who, with it, "ruled his household, educated his son himself..." (96). Matthias was striving to portray the male as some sort of divinely inspired figure... though surely not as divine as himself, Matthias the prophet, who inherited The Spirit from Jesus Christ, as he claims on p. 96. These claims are outlandish, and, to some, even blasphemous. But we must remember that Matthias actually had a substantial following. A following of like-minded people who wanted to revert back to a strictly patriarchal, bare-boned society, believing that the Markey Revolution and modernization was in some way morally wrong or impure. Matthias was so anti-technology that he only boiled his meats, and did not utilize the modern grill. Another reason that I believe that Matthias had such a great following was his large, intimidating character. What escaped those lips was the utter truth, undoubtedly. Also, since America was expanding, and people were seeing more and more faces every day, it was overwhelming. They needed a small group of similar people to which they could relate, and try to revert things back to the way they were centuries and centuries ago.
In the second part of the book we see Mattias and his idea of his "reign of truth". This idea is set up like a very old fashioned society where the men are in charge. Men take control of all affairs in his society. In his society "the fathers are the teachers". He believes other teachers should not be allowed in his utopia. He creates this utopia to hopefully save the world of christianity. Mattias was pestered and forced to relocate to Mt. Zion, where he found a place to set up his utopian society.
ReplyDeleteIn this society he would assign work. The "manly work" would be given to the men. This was normally field work and hard labor, while the women were assigned "girly" work in the household. These were put in place to reflect his idea of "Truth". I found that the most abundant and wide ranging item in the house came in the form of food. His dinner table was filled with all sorts of different food items. The fanciest pastries and best meats were always in Mattias' arsenal.
Despite Mattias's idea of man supremacy "His lectures regularly drew fifty to sixty hearers.” (93) His passion and zest for his ideas is what brought many of these people close. I believe that if you really believe in what your trying to sell, even if it's not that good of a product, you can still sell it. It all depends on how enthusiatic you are about it; which is what he was.
Matthias's goal was to set up a society where the man is the head everything. It seems to me that Matthias is an "alter-ego" that Robert Matthews made up when he went insane to deal with the lost control in his life. His ideas were very appealing to sane individuals, especially men, that did not have control in their lives, and needed a quick fix.
ReplyDeleteThe "reign of truth" is just a fancy name for an idea that is anti-women, and basically anything not Matthias. It was a way to lure people in. People would come to hear Matthews's speeches to find our what this "reign of truth" was, and that is when some people decided that they liked the idea and wanted to join Matthias.
It is human nature to want to belong. And in changing environments, like this time, people were being left in the dust. Cults and other organizations are something seemingly stable that some people are drawn to, and most are involve with finding Mt. Zion. People want a Utopia, and some will do anything to get to it, and that includes following a seemingly insane human being.
Matthias made a list of all of the kinds of people he would cast judgment upon. (94) If people today saw this list they wouldn't even pay attention to it, but in the time of the Second Great Awakening, people were searching for religious guidance, so it caught people's eyes. Matthias set up a structured society that some desired.
In the second half of Johnson and Wilentz’s book, “Kingdom of Matthias,” we are (prologue notwithstanding) finally introduced to the title character of this whirlwind of a historical prose: Matthias, the self-proclaimed prophet. At this point, Matthias (born Robert Matthews) has already moved his substantial group of followers out of New York City and up the Hudson River. At the new settlement, “Mt. Zion,” Matthias sets up a “utopia” where he is able to practice his so called “Reign of Truth” (92)—the “truth” meaning the “spirit of male government”—away from the “police, complaining neighbors, meddling Christians,” and all the people in New York City who take part in the progressive ideas associated with the Market Revolution.
ReplyDeleteYes, Matthias establishes a pure patriarchal society, reminiscent of the time before the Market Revolution, where the men are in charge of everything. All of the jobs in Matthias’ utopia were divided by genders. In Matthias’ society, “Men and boys labored in the fields, and the women and girls worked in the house, all under the command of an authoritative father” (105). But in Matthias’ settlement, he was the ultimate father. Matthias showed this with his both extravagant and abundant wardrobe and dining habits. Matthias would feast nightly on piles of food. However, Matthias did banish some foods that he found threatening to his society. These included alcohol, pork, and certain types of baked pastries. He also banned the roasting of meat from his society. All of these bans stemmed from Matthias’ hate for the middle class of the Market Revolution and all that related to it. After all, “by 1830 oven-roasted meat and fancy baked foods were emblems of a family’s economic standing.”
The reasons behind the growth of Matthias’ society are not unlike the causes of other similar communities in America’s history. The period of this society was a time of great social change in the United States. This change is without a doubt one of the reasons so many utopian communities, like Oneida, sprung up during this time. Similarly, communities like this have been born during other times of social change, such as the Manson family and the Jonestown community, both of which sprung out of the 1960s. Like Matthias’ society, these two communities both featured patriarchal leadership, whom seemed to be able to attract many people through speech. Overall though, these communities all consist of confused and maybe disillusioned people, whom all seem to be nostalgic for a different time or even a different life.
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