detain their wives, but give them liberty, at the same time giving them means to live upon as far as possible.
Deserters may, however, be again accepted into the Society if they completely repent and leave their immoral life; of which there have also been examples.
The general round of occupations is filled by each taking a calling. Thus the tradesman does the commercial business, and the agriculturist works on the land. But the majority of them are agriculturists, as they give preference to this noble occupation.
In their Society there are no elders who rule or administrate, but rule and administration are by all and each. Written regulations or rules they also have none, and one might suppose that there ought therefore to be disagreement and disorder amongst them. Yet no such disorder has ever been noticed. In the Milky- Waters, three, and even five families, live peacefully together in one large cottage.
As to the management of the families separately, the weakness and dependence of the female sex, the inexperience of youth, and the education of the children, naturally require another system. In every family there must of necessity be an elder one, and the father in the flesh is this elder one.
