Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1855-08-16
.Ene shaEsE.-A saaaay Among Then-

1 The Shakers-A SUNDAY among EneLn-
Shaker Gelibacy.
| The New York Times gives the following inter
eSting account Of visit 10 the Shaker settlement
/ of Niskayuna:-
Most sects are sure Of. their own perpetuation
from generation 10 generation, by virtue Of tue
general principle that 'as the father so will be the
son. TIE Presbyterian teaches the tenetS OF his
creed to his sons and they 10 their sous. till
OF them Prove cLillless. The Roman Catholicin-
tucates into her offspring the doctrines OF the
Romish Church, and secures him as a convert be-
fore he is able to speak plainly the words of the
pIayer she teaches him. So we may look for Pres
byterIaus and Roman Catholics henceforth, until
the coming OF the SeasOn-the goJ;l time spoken
oE-when all Sects merged into living truth, OF
consumed in its great blaze. But the Shakers have
no such natural method for the propagation of their
faith aud their shakes. Regulating the doctrine
of marriage, and eaching that lovei il more deep
than brOtherly and p!atOuic love, is but another
name Tor lust their dependence is upOn the mea-
gre pruselytiSm of adults, the supply Uf children
put by disabled or dying parents under their guar
diauShip, and the fruits OF the basket. The latter
we suspect IS much the most prolific, as indeed it
IS the most legitimate source of tieir increase. A
Shaker community is great relief to town author
ltles-to its door goes nicely tucked upIn basket
that Scrupulously Ignores its owner, many de-
serted little one that otherwise would come up
"tOw child" and be till It's "bludlng. QUIZ
Clown charge"
We once happened in at the Niskayuna settle
ment-it is beautiful village few miles west of
TroY-upon a Sunday.
10 reach Niskayuna we took wagon, our par
ty being some half dozen in number. We arrived
at the settlement little before church time, hitch
ell our team under the shade OF lofty tee, and Just
gancing the red painted factory aud houses and
the we'll cropped greenSward which surrounded
aud lRterad lhsm all, went directly 10 the meet
Ing. house. Que end Of the room where services
were held was set apart Ly a rHiIiEg for ':the
worlds OPunlt fail hero
or less urge, 10 visit them every Sunday. Here
We took our seat. The remainder of tine capuci-
Gus hall ives bare OF all furniture, except plain
wOoden.Seat on Zach side against the wall, aud IL
rude desk at the eud opposite the visitors. The
floor was very white aud polished exceedingly
smooth. Occasionally an Elder would come IN at
| one oil the further, doors, regulate window or
point stranger 10 seat aud return again. AT
lO4 O'Clock both doors al the end opposite
were opened, and procession of maleS GU one
side and females on Ilie other entered Soemnly,
the Elders taking the lead. All being within the
Hall, the two parties faced each other aud moved
near enough together 10 have touched, then moved
backward until they approached the wall. Then
each line brOke into Two, Stll SO arranged, how
ever, that the youngest were fnItheSt from '.the
wOidS people, Then followed a succession OF
shutting marches and counter marches, aud then
wheeling into line, each party traveTSed the ciE
cumference of the IuUm III single file, Chanting
peGpetualiy, III a monOtonouS melody, sentence
of thanks giving. TINS melody was changed at
times, but II never took the form of any tune we
have written, nor tue words ever Realm
ed by any OF tile common metres. The music
must have been SomnlieTOuS 10 thUSe accustomed
tOlt, but to all cOnerS thrust seem exceeding
ly conncal. 1t was borne 10 the ears OF listeners
from the hearts, chests or vocal chords OF the
singers, (wheEeverl ongnated,) ut least one-half
o: il uiG The hose. The Whole body moved i'll
| concert with the sounds. At first, only the hands
Tapped teeby, then more vigorously; then the
arms took on the same awkward mutton; then The
shoulders, and the head beat time, aud the whole
body ShufIled III a sort Of dance; all went though
the motiOnS-the old man with peaked chin, ami
skin loosely wrapped about his bt mes, and the
mere baby at the end Ut the line, evidently re-
locing under It's grave lace, that SO much OF lie
and notion, aud 50 much OF time was permitted
II. Truly, the miustelS that dteSS in white WOOL
len oveIcOatS, aud sing '.F i-ii,'' do not gEratIy
traveSty the ShakeIS Wien at their worship.
The dress OF the worShIRperS was no less COM
zeal than thzlr songs. Tue mel wore long SklILed
contS-anIlque ShanghaiS, that had the etFec; 70
make all when the faces weIe hidden, TO lJOk of
the same age. All the males wore fiat cockel.
hats, hreeches and stockings, checked cravats,
ana all were in The Same urab Color, though of
different shades. The line was arranged after
passing the adults according to their height. II
was the same OH The other side. The females all
wore drab dresses, with white handkerchief cross
cd over tile breast and pinned al the waist. Each
wore white muslin Cap OF the plaineSt make,
which made them look Us If they were so many
dead lOlNS come up 10 Shaker meeting in their
dead CLOTHES. At the first look one would think
them company OF grave old women, veIying Ill
stature down 10 the verIeSt dworS. All seemed
as II they must he wTinkled and care worn, yet
closer observation showed, under their tight caps
many pretty faces and beautiful masses Of ham;
but IN that disguise tton the pTetieSt OF them all
Cupid would have run away III terror. There were
young Misses, tender asS=s, and some very small
ht1fn m ii,,bt I'll
loE laughter, they migLtas well have been aIleaLy
buried.
When the dancing and chanting had ceased,
the parties reiterated 10 the wall Oh either side cnd
SIT down, the males facing the females. |: was
Sunday, and OF course we were not at libs rty 10
Speculate whether even there were love glauceS
Slot from EZekePS cold gay eyes into those that
So demurely gtilnmered from under the cerement
OF Rachel's, opposite. STILL, we could not but re-
member that in all that community, love is treated
rs wicked elnOtion-loVe the sisters, indeed the
brethren may, but Ezekiel must have no tendeTer
affection Tor young and gentle liacheI than for the
vixen Esther, who, being the next taIIeSt, stands
next her III meeting, aud il the naIen'S heart ever
Sottens TO Ezekiel more than 10 Samuel, we sup
pose She Is adludged guilty of SIN, but such sins
nature prompts to, and must delight 10 forgive,
anu ms feature OF the Shaker'S polity CERTAINLY
came not from God, but the Devil. We mrst
not preach, however. 1t is Aminadab's turn TO-
day.
AND AmInldab comes up from the seat where
he had settled after the dance, steps behind the
form at the end, and with the remark that the Spir
1t came 10 him while lie was in the field on The.
third day, moving him to prepare some thoughts,
he begged The Great Spirit that they might warm
and comfort the hearts of believers, and be an
arrow OF conviction to the l.earls of the worlds
people.
The discourse, which was certainly otthoJo,
in length, was verygoodmoral lecture, with few
points of difference from common New England
Ser mon, except in the direct address to outsiders,
In which the advantages oftheir style of life was
set forth in glowing terms.
The exhortatlon ended, the people rose again,
shuffletl and sang another chant, and then lisap.
peared as they entered, single fle
The visiters quietly departed, but at the door
Closeup" met US, Che had recognized US in the
midst of the shaking,) and whispering us to meet
him at the store, disappeared. Now the store is
The showroom; and it was not open on Seven
teeth. excent for cnnvtnince a..rasc L. nr,c,Ia-