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and follows Bible teachings No money - no poverty - no doctors - no disease - no laws - no crime - no telephones - no profanity - no haircuts - no bald heads - no razors - no neckties - no tabacco - no prohibition - no meat - no - grocery bills. Oh High Island 30 miles westward of the Port of Charlevoix is a nameless town whose people are absolutely confident of living forever. Isolated from the mainland and vexatious civilization a band of strange, soft spoken, gentle eyed, men and women are working out a strange destiny, protected from the sins and sorrows of the world by the treacherous shoals and reefs which make the Beaver Island group in the Northern part of Lake Michigan highly dangerous for any navigators save native pilots. The House of David owns High Island, five miles long, heavily wooded, and a paradise in summer. A community of about 200 persons, migrants from the parent body of the cult in Benton Harbor, Mich. has for nine years lived in Arcadian aloofness from all the problems of humanity at large. Logging, gardening and the sawing of lumber constitute the activities of the colonists. No man works unless he feels like it. The income from their labors is turned into the treasury of the cult in Benton Harbor and all supplies are purchased in wholesale lots and distributed to members, without cost, each according to his needs. No one ever shaves or cuts his hair. Boys of 12 sit ins chool with pigtails down their backs and the men present the most astounding whiskers and flowing locks anywhere assembled in modern times. They live in strict accordance with their interpretation of the Bible yet there is no chief or head of the colony and no enforcement of rules. Death in their belief is a result of insufficient faith. Their only communication with the rest of the United States is by means of a small lumber schooner, the Rosa Bell, which brings in supplies and carries away the output of the sawmill. The Israelites, as they call themselves, will not kill. They consume milk, butter and eggs but although they are in the midst of the best fishing grounds in the Great Lakes, will not use lines or nets, or accept fish from passing tugs. "We believe absolutely in free living" said Walter Nelson, head sawyer in the mill. We do not belive in prohibition of any kind and think that every man should follow his conscience and the revelations of the scriptures. We do no missionary work and try to persuade no one to join us. Nelson smiled when I asked about the economic problems of the islanders. "We have none" he said. Every man takes what he wants for his family and himself from our common supply. Once in awhile we read of the H.C.of L. in a stray newspaper but it all seems strange and far off to us. High Islanders believe that they could walk on the water if their faith were strong enough. They have experimented several times in this direction. They have a ball team, several musicians, a public school taught by Miss Della Wyland who is a member of the House of David. A few Indian families are the only non-believers on the island. One brother, C.J. Tucker says he gets along without much work. In reply to an inquiry about his health he mentioned "the rheumtiz" and added - "I sometimes get the tootache. My faith probably ain't what it ought to be." 
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