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The Fellowship of Life |
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Although generally unheard-of today, Christian vegetarian societies
were prevalent within the 'food reform' movement in Britain from the
late nineteenth century, onwards. The Order of the Golden Age (www.ordergoldenage.co.uk)
were undoubtedly the most significant but another group to experience
longevity originated during the 1870's:
If there ever existed a vegetarian group which could be described as
a unique product of their age, it would be the brotherhood founded in
1876 by Lt. Col. T.W. Richardson (1852-1920). A serviceman in the Finsbury Rifles between 1873-1902, Richardson was
also a high-ranking Orangeman and an abstainer from alcohol and animal
flesh. In 1903, Richardson became Pastor of the Seventh Day Baptist
Church at �Mill Yard� in Leman Street, London. Early in 1905, he began
publishing The Sabbath Observer - the official organ of the Seventh Day
Baptist denomination and which Richardson edited until his death. The
proudly Protestant publication remained in print until 1966 whilst the
Church retains two places of worship in Britain today. The Order of Danielites took freemasonry as their model and in due
course became synonymous with eccentricity within the wider vegetarian
movement. Sparsely referred to in the history of modern vegetarianism,
the Danielites have at best consolidated a ridiculed, if underestimated
role, in the development and demise of Victorian food reform societies.
Indeed before any case could be presented with which to assess the
Danielites� notable merits and curiosities; it should be acknowledged
that even their title was a source of controversy amongst their
contemporaries. For although the prophet Daniel is reputed to have
adopted a successful vegetarian regimen in his youth (Daniel 1: 3 -21)
there also exists more than a measure of inference that early ideals
became abandoned in later life (Daniel 10: 3). For over fifty years The Order of Danielites organised regular, if
essentially flamboyant social gatherings in addition to lectures and
publishing activity. The organisation was inclusive given their basic
pledge of abstemiousness and the era from which the society emerged: �Of course ladies would be admitted and be eligible to any position
in the Order, for are not they the chief sufferers through the ravages
of strong drink and the curses and evils that of necessity follow the
debasing appetite for flesh meat? Besides, woman�s influence in such a
reform is far greater than man�s. It is she who wields the saucepans and
kettle, and if only the ladies could be got to refuse to cook dead
carcasses, the butcher�s knife would soon cease its murderous work.� From the 1883 pamphlet: �A brief history of the Order of Danielites.� Although the actual range of Danielite publications was modest their
newsletter The Danielite Star appeared between May 1887 and
October/December 1931. A brief tract entitled; The Bible and
vegetarianism was amongst a handful of more general pamphlets
distributed by the group. It was a society which took over a decade to establish itself due the
need to reach consensus on a range of fanciful formalities. Danielite
membership activities took on a variation of those developed by the
Masons in that their symbolism was derived from Eden. In place of
Lodges, the Danielites would meet at Gardens; the Presiding Officer
became the Chief Gardener and so on. The Danielites became instantly
recognisable upon attending various vegetarian gatherings of their day,
due to their emblems and regalia which included a decorated gold sash. In the period of consensus prior to the actual launch of the Order in
1887 there were inevitably those that proved unable to maintain even the
vegetarian grade: �This Order was intended to draw into a closer bond of union those
vegetarians who do not exclude scripture quotations from the argument in
favour of their principles. While it purposefully shuts out those who
are neither hot nor cold in the matter, who, professing its doctrines do
not always adhere to its practice.� The Danielite Star, No.1, May 16th 1887. In fact, the Order�s (earlier) historical pamphlet went far further
in chastising those that had fallen by the meat-eating wayside. Although
only four pages in length, the tract nonetheless devoted an
extraordinary quarter of its content to individuals such as �Mr. B.�,
who: �..wished the Order every success but could not join himself as he
objects to �pledges� of any sort. (He once led a blushing bride to the
altar - perhaps he wishes he hadn�t taken that pledge, if so, it was his
own fault for not choosing the right girl), bye and bye, it turns out he
eats flesh when he is out as �it would not do to make himself singular!� Be that as it may (!) the Order were generally just as blunt and
forthright in their own expectations of themselves as an organisation: �Ours is indeed a gospel of love - unselfish love, love which is the
essence of our Divine Creator. Christian reader, banish for ever from
your mind the sordid worldly considerations which lead people to enquire
what they are going to gain by joining our ranks; rather enquire how
much good you will be able to do. �The same idea applies not only to adopting our system, but also to
the payment of subscriptions. �Oh you want four shillings; but I can
join the V.S. for one shilling.� - Very true; so your object is to give
the least possible support to this movement you profess to uphold.� The Danielite Star, July 1898. Incidentally, the remainder of the above editorial dealt with
tobacco-users: �The smoking habit is ridiculous, dirty, wasteful, selfish and
injurious; and makes its worshippers a most decided nuisance.� The cover of each edition of the Star also contained a policy
statement which included a less than oblique reference to the system of
Associate Membership which was introduced into The Vegetarian Society
during the 1870�s: �Vegetarians should join the Order because it really is a Vegetarian
Society, consisting of actual vegetarians. It prefers to be, like
Gideon�s army, composed of the earnest and true, rather than a multitude
of the half-hearted.� It may have appeared uncompromising but the Order were resolute in
their aims and without interest in a strategy of mass-recruitment: �We are constantly asked the question �What are your numbers?� and it
is tempting to reply �Not enough for you to join.� �Other Orders and societies have grown and are doing good work. Our
Order has not grown to anything like the same extent as our pledge is
more drastic.� Jubilee editorial, The Danielite Star July/Sept., 1926. Yet despite containing a regular measure of brusque carping the
Danielite newsletters also reveal a theological vegetarian response to
the meat trade which remains essentially unchanged within today�s
non-secular campaigning societies: �During the last few days the scene has been one of wholesale
slaughter and bloodshed. The disgusting sight of innumerable dead
carcasses hanging up in the shops of the butcher, the poulterer and
others, has been forced upon our view, to our sincere sorrow. Sorrow for
the poor innocent victims, slain to gratify man�s depraved appetite and
sorrows that such depravity should still continue to be evidenced in a
civilised land. �Peace on earth, good will towards men. What a mockery these words
seem in the light of present customs. See the awful amount of misery
that has been brought about through �mistaken kindness.� �Let our kindness be joined with judgement. Let the bloodless diet be
preached in all the Churches of Christ as part of the Gospel of peace.
And then we may reasonably believe the time will be near when �they
shall not hurt nor destroy� and �the earth shall be full of the
knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea�.� The Danielite Star, January 1900. An editorial of October 1901 further serves to elucidate the
Danielite position: �On all sides people are ready to remind us that �the Bible is not a
cookery book� but strange to say, though they object to our appealing to
the sacred volume, they invariably drag it into the debate to oppose us. �God undoubtedly permits man to eat flesh, though, He places a limit
by absolutely forbidding ham, hare, bacon, �black pudding� (blood
sausage), lobster, winkles and suchlike. It is however, not what He
permits but His will that we are seeking.� The fundamentalist doctrine of The Order of Danielites inevitably led
to consternation within other vegetarian organisations. The Danielite
Star of July/Sept. 1914 contained a recurrent assertion in that: �The beard on a man�s face may be the mark of his veneration for his
Almighty Creator: while the shaven chin is necessarily a mark of
contempt for the one who made the beard.� It was a tenet which was to become the subject of rigorous reproof, a
year later: �I have found one of the greatest causes of opposition to
vegetarianism to lie in the foolish conduct of my brother vegetarians.
Too many of these are cranks first and vegetarians second, and the
result is the discrediting of the whole movement. �Carry this a stage further and we shall have vegetarians �as
Christians� refusing to have their hair cut or pare their nails. Such
things are not to be made into principles.� Percy A. Scholes, A comparitively more ludicrous quirk was instituted in the Danielites�
Book of Rules which was first published in September 1876. In the course
of a short Creed it was asserted that prior to the Fall the average
lifespan was a distinct �930 years.� Yet whatever the Biblical basis of
such a calculation may have been; there appears little to suggest that
the particular form of fundamentalism adopted by the Danielites was ever
a cause for genuine concern. In their own bold sense, The Order of Danielites comprised a
fellowship of Christians first and vegetarians, second. Throughout their
existence and until their demise during the inter-war years, the Order
exemplified a tenacity of conviction which stood removed from any
influence of human objection, or approval. Publications Book of Rules or Constitution of The Order of Danielites (1876) Leaflets/Tracts From a forthcoming history of 'recent' Christian vegetarianism by John M. Gilheany � 2006 Reproduced with the kind permission of the Vegetarian Society:
www.vegsoc.org |
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