See quotation 1840. About thirty years earlier, a few queer people went to the south-western country on “come-outer” principles, though they did not use the name.—T. Flint, ‘Recollections’ (1826), pp. 275–80. See also the present writer’s note, Notes and Queries, 9 S. vii. 424.
1840. The come outers are a sect recently sprung up in Cape Cod. Their leading views are said to be: 1. Opposition to a regular ministry. Every one should be his own priest. 2. Opposition to regularly organized churches. Every one is a church by himself. 3. A disregard of the Sabbath. All days are alike.—Boston Courier, November.
1850.
| Charles. Here comes a culprit to the bar; | |
| What’s in the wind? | |
| The Bailiff. ’Tis a Come-outer, good my lord, alive | |
| And kicking. | |
S. Judd, ‘Philo,’ p. 67 (Boston). |
1854. He belonged to a ‘come-outer’ organization that denounced E——’s Church as ‘a brotherhood of thieves.’—Knickerbocker Mag., xliii. 109 (Jan.).
1866. These Come-outers have two articles of faith: one social, one dogmatic; they believe that man and woman are equal, and that all the churches are dead and damned.—W. H. Dixon, ‘New America,’ chap. lxii.
