THE ABODE OF LOVE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12946, 16 August 1905, Page 5

THE ABODE OF LOVE.

REV. PIGGOTT'S SPIRITUAL

BRIDE.

A NOTABLE CHRISTENING.

THE NEW MESSIAH.

By Telegraph Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received August 16, 12.56 a.m.)

London, August 15. THE Morning Leader says the registrar of Bridgewater was summoned yesterday to The Abode of Love,'' at Spaxton, in Somersetshire, the residence of the sect willed the Agapemonites, to register the birth of the child of the Rev. Smyth Piggot, the leader of the sect. He reports that he saw in the chapel 40 worshippers. Mr. Iteid, Piggott's secretary, Piggott himself, and the registrar were the only men present. A beautiful young woman lay on a couch whereon was a babe dressed in white. Piggott admitted that he was the father of the child, and that the mother was Ruth Greece, whom he described as a lady. In her reply Ruth Greece described herself as a nurse. The child was then christened "Glory," and there was a splendid choral service, during which the mother of the child received homage. " Glory" is considered to be the new Messiah. Piggott's legal wife was present or in the vicinity of the chapel during the ceremony. Miss Greece has been deluded into believing herself to be Piggott's divinely-appointed spiritual bride, and, as such is received by Agapemonites.

The sect of Spiritual Free Lovers known as Agaponienita was founded in 1845 by Henry James Prince, an extraordinary individual, who obtained large sums of money from deluded female followers. The Rev. Smyth Piggott, who succeeded "Brother Prince" as head of the Ao,fipomeno ("abode of love") announced a year or two ago that "the ark of their covenant" was at Clapton —a village, three miles from London which contains the London Orphan Asylum—and that he (Piggott) was the Messiah. Emotional and sensational scenes followed among the congregation, and several lady Agapomenites arose and testified that the claim of Mr. Piggott to be the Messiah was correct. Two hundred members of the society, However, refused to believe their leader's declaration, and the} made a practical demonstration of their scepticism outside Mr. Piggott's residence! For a time the doings of the sect caused much public comment, but the excitement gradually subsided, and little has been heard of the Agapomenites for some time past. The members of the sect some time ago removed to a mansion within large grounds, and there livo a secluded life.