The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-10-20
THE SHAKERS At NrW-LERANoN. y Y
E1tract If Il letter 10 the editor Of Htt

Boston Spectator.
| attended on Thursday the reii-
gious services Of the Shakers. They
have been often described by others,
but the subject is not yet Without in
tcrcst. One OF the elders had on
Saturday. invited our attendance,
- that We might" as he said, be
able In contradict the falsehoods told
concerning their forms oil Worship"
Convenient seats are placed IN their
church for strangers and spectators.
and nearly hundred and fifty were
present with us. The interior forms
spacious hall, with no other fixed
seats than those we occupied a
floor smooth. and apparently polish
ed with much labor. n a lofty arch
cd vault of perfect whitcncss. The
Shakers came in scattered parties.
those of each SEX entered at different
doors. and seated themselves on low
movable benches facing each other.
In this position they remained for
some time, with dcmare gravity OF
counlenance, but not without a mi
mute though side long survey of the
COuntcnanCcs aud manners of the
strangers present. Atan appointed
signal they all rose and advanced
with measured steps TO the centre oil
the room, those Of each sex arrang
ed in a solid column bcfare the other.
An elder then adm0nshed us to oh
serve proper deeornm during their
services. They began with singing.
if that name can be given to tie
sounds. produced by more than two
hundred voices, repeating some un-
nteIligiblc phrases to the same air
for about half an hour, without rest
or pause. and with all the power 0'
human lungs aided by the echo ri
the arch above them. 10 an ear
blessed only with common strength
it was intolcrabIe the shrill 4 loud
notes of the female part OF the choir
were indeed tie music otthe spears
This ceremony was followed by d
Shot address from a veteran brother
putting all the rules OF EnsIish ram
mar at defiance. After another song.
it WAS announced by an elder. that
those who We're disposed might
now have the privilege to labor in
the dance" The permission was
accepted by almost all the members.
The benches on which they had sat,
were removed, and the hall thus left
free fer their motions. The elders
placed themselves by the wall front
ing the rest, the others formed IN five
or six lines of about fifty persous
each. facing the wall. The elders
began a series oil sounds, resembling
much the air Of. Mol Brooks" but
without the melody of fiddie-strings.
To this tune, the whole body began
motion between jumping, danIns'
and waking. moving backward aud
forward about three steps, now ia
cling the elders, now the specta 'ois
for about ten minutes. This was
repea tcd three or four times, few
of the dalicers giving place TO the o.
Tiers who had not Joined at first. 1t
was one of the hottest days of this
.ummer. and very uncomfortable G.
ven to those at rest, but the clrcum-
stance seemed unregarded by the
members. aud by no means to dlmln-
ish their activity.
During this exercise, ii was inter
csting to survey the Countenahccs oil
the strangers present. Here and
there WAS one struggling to rcpress
or hide laugh, but the general eX-
preston was far different from that
Of amusement or ridicule. The most
thoucltless could not but look with
pity and sorrow at their ignorance.
which render the protested worship
of a spiritual Bein;-, scene which
would degrade a temple of heather
superstition. But this part Their
ceremonies was not yet ended. AL
ter dancing in the manner have de-
scrbed, the whole body formed into
military order in divisions of six
each, aud marched. with step like
the former, and with both arms beat
ing time in ludicrous manner,r0und
the room for nearly half an hour.
In the centre several elders formed
a circle with their faces inward, and
sang the air to which the others mo-
we'd, part of the latter occasionally
inning their voices. This scene at