The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-08
THE SHAKER VILLAGE.
Our Shaker Correspondence.
SHAKKR VILLAGE,

wish could bottle up and send down TO you a
couple of dozen of this fresh sweet morning noun
tain air as might Congress or Empire spring water.
that you might get inhalation Of the atmosphere
which God created in its purity, and before it has
been poisoned by mixture with dead hogs, garbage
and New York street mud and filth. Besides its
natural purity this Shaker air il sweetened with the
scent of hawthorn blossoms from the garden hedges
and of apple and peach blows from the orchards;
and beside all the cleanliness and neatness around
adds virtues to it, and makes it refreshing and
enliyening. But as I cannot do this will endea'
vor to give you some idea of the village and
its inhabitants, among whom / now en-
goying few days sojoum. The first organ
iEation of Shakers in this country was at
Watervliet in this State, few miles from Troy.
Mother Ann Lee and few followers, driven by per-
secution from England came to America to seek the
enjoyments of the religious rights denied them there
and in the year l776 founded their little settlement
at Watervliet. Ann Lee the founder Of the sect of
Shakers, was born in Manchester, England in the
year 1886. In l704, some Of the French prophets
who sprung up and formed societies in Dauphiny
and Vvarais in France, and who were strange peo-
pie, protesting to hold communion with angels and
spirits, went over to England, and soon attracted
some two or Three hundred porenns their doctrine
Amony these were James and Jane Wardley, who
lived near Manche ster. Their mode OF worship was
peculiar They thought God would show them the
way, and would sit for hours without moving limb,
when they would commence whirling and trembling,
with violent agitation Of the body, and would run
and leap with joy. From these exercises they were
termed ''Shakers' and they believed that new dis
pensation was at hand. In 1853 Mother Ann be-
came acquainted with these people, and Joined them
They held to confession openly, OF every sin they
had ever committed and to full and final cross
against all evl.n In l770 Mo her Ann protessed to
receive revelation after nine years Of trouble and
anguish. This revelation revealed to her Gods will
to dispense, through her, his power over SIM and she
believed that Christ had taken possession of her. and
was soon acknowledged as the spiritual mother Of
the church. She came, as before stated to America
and organized here the first community of Shakers.
They now number eighteen societies, in seven diff
ferent States of the Union, and have about four |
Thousand members.
The village Of New Lebanon, established in 17ss,
inhabited entirely by the Shakers, contains about
forty houses and workshops. The population is |
about five hundred divided into eight different ia
miles" These families distinct from each other
to very great extent, each having their boun-
diaries OF land and each pursuing such course OF
labor as seems best to them Though all their pro-
perty is held as the common stock OF the society," |
each OF these families exercise control over its
ewn temporal affairs, and keeps a separate account I
of its receipts and expenditures. The families
but short distance apart, each one occupying two
or three large houses. The village being about a |
mile in extent, here they pursue their labors and
live their harmless. peaceful lives.
The Society Of Shakers is essentially religious
organization, and nothing bat strict religious tie
could have thus bound them together and
made them prosper as they have done. Their reli-
gious government is very strict one. At tie head
OF each society is what is called ministry"
consisting of two males and two females. These
are the spiritual head of the society, and give |
the laws and regulations which govern its
spiritual and temporal affairs. Each family !
has at its head four elders-two males, and two ie-
lna- No ar MT by mi wh
in connection with four deacons, control the affairs
Of the family, being responsible to the ministry.
These elders and deacons are generally selected from
HE more experienced members OF the society and
possess their families almost supreme power;
their word is law, and dispute it. They do not
however seem to be required to exercise any great de-
gree of arbitrary authority, the religious bond of
union between this people leads them to respect and
obey their spiritual heads. The ministry and elders
aren the constant receipt Of revelations which govern
their actions to great extent 1t would be impos
Sible, without this strict power that community
organized as this is should long remain intact and
they have found that order andreguary exist in their
highest state where implicit obedience is rendered.
The Society Of shakers have used any OF their
power and wealth for the purpose Of making prose-
Iytes, and those who join them expected to do
vol untariy. When persons desire to join them they
are invited to visit them for while, when the prn
ciples Of the society are explained to them, and
its practice exhibited. If he concludes to
unite with the society, he is required to be
entirely free from debt, and no person who
they separated by law orby mutual agreement,
become q member. Children not taken into the |
society must also be provided for before parent
become united with the society. The applicant being
convinced OF the truth Of the faith makes open
confession Of his sins to the elders, and is received
upon kind Of probation He is not, upon being
thus admitted required TO give up his property; but
after becoming satisfied that lie will continue to re-
main with the society, is expected to sign cove
nant, wherein he agrees to consecrae his time and
labor to the good OF the society, and giving up all
future legal claim and his property to the society
An inventory of his property is however taken, and
in he becomes dissatisfied and wishes to leave it
is returned to him. 1t would be supposed that under
arrangement of this nature legal difficulties would
grow up; but it is said that during period of more
than seventy years not one legal claim has been |
entered by any one for the recovery Of property |
brought into the society, all claims having been |
settled amicably between the parties. Minors |
are not received covenant members, but are |
taken under the care of the society, and when
they arrive at age can, If they choose, sign the
covenant Children are taken by the society
apprentices, and taught either trade or set at
work upon the farm, and brought up in the princi
pies Of the society. In the village of New Lebanon
She males and females are about equally divided, and
Sbout one-half Of either are minors. The pro-
berry Of the whole community is held in common,
Ind no individual member is allowed to possess any
greater claim to any portion OF it than another it
Heing all in the hands OF trustees appointed by the
ministry. have thought it proper thus to give you
short history of the origin and government of this
singular people, that you might better comprehend
some Of their distinguishing pecuiarites.
The "people Of the world as they denominate all
outsiders, might well learn some valuable lessons
from the Shakers They are the most perfect pat
terms of neatness and order that the world probably
ever produced. Their village is located upon the
slope of range of hills overlooking the beautiful
valley of Lebanon, in which tall popars and sugar
maple trees are spread ever as nea landscape as the
eye could wish to rest upon. Their houses are prin
cpally Of wood painted yellow, and look clean and
neat outside though they had been taken out Of
boxes. The interior arrangements quite as neat
Paths strewed with tan or laid with flag stones lead
to all the doors and at every entranceis hung
broom with which each brother and sister is expect
ed to remove the mud aud dirt from their feet before
entering. Every door has mat laid in front Of it,
and the floors Of the room generally laid of pitch
pine are polished and shining as marble Around
The walls of all the rooms pegs, on which the
hats and bonnets Of the brethren and sisters are
hung, and neat spittoons, filled with sawdust, and
almost too pretty to spit in, are placed upon the