The Kingdom of Matthias: A Story of Sex and Salvation in 19th Century America

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1994

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Access Full Guide

Part 1, IntroductionChapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “Elijah Pierson”

Part 1, Introduction Summary

Elijah Pierson was one of the first members to join Matthias's cult, and he remained a devoted follower until almost the end. In many ways, however, he did not fit the typical profile of most followers. He was a wealthy merchant and a passionate evangelical, and he initially took part in the Finneyite movement. By the 1820s, he was one of New York's best-known religious reformers. He was united with his wife Sarah in a passion for social reform, and they were actively involved in evangelical missionary work. Sarah’s death pushed Pierson, already psychologically unstable, over the edge and into madness. The authors state that Pierson readily embraced Matthias’ bizarre philosophy because he was trying to fill the void left by his wife’s death.

Part 1, Introduction Analysis

The Introduction to Part 1 establishes that Pierson, a follower in the Kingdom of Matthias, easily reverted back to his Calvinist upbringing after the death of his wife; his return to Calvinist ideals suggests that patriarchal mindsets can be disguised but rarely erased. Made vulnerable by his grief and without a woman in his life, Pierson was no longer motivated to view women as equals.

The notion of predestination was also central to Calvinist doctrine, revealing insight into the social patterns of behavior that characterized Pierson’s church.