Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-08-29
The Shakers---A Sunday among Them--
shaker Ceiibacy.

| Most SectS are sure OF tnelI own PelPetue'lop
from generation 10 generation, by virtue OF the
general principle that "as the father, s., Will be
the SON." The Presbyterian teaches the tenets
of his creed to his sons, and they TO their sons,i
some of them prove childless The Roman Cath
olic incucates into her offspring the doctrines OF
the Romish Church, and secures him as convert
before he is able to speak plainly the words ofdhe
PRAYER she teaches him. So we may look tor
PRESBYTERIAN and Roman Catholics henceforth, Jun
Ill the coming of the season-the good time spo-
ken of-when all sects are merged into living
truth or consumed in its great blaze. But the
Shakers have no such natural method fur The prop
ogalion of their faith and their shakes. Repudla-
ting the doctrine of marriage, and teaching that
love If more deep than brotherly and platonc love,
is but another name for lust, their dependence IS
upon the meagre proselytsm of adults, the sup
ply OF children put by disabled or dying parents
under their guardianship, and the fruits The bas
let. The latter we suspect is much the most pro-
life, as indeed it is the most legitimate course OF
their increase. Shaker community is great
relief to town authurites-to its door goes, nicely
tucked up in basket that scrupulously ignores It's
owner, many deserted little one that otherwise
would come up "town- child" and be till Its
''binding out" ''town-charge."
We once happened in at the Niskayuna settle
ment-it is beautiful village few miles west
of Troy-upon Sunday.
To reach Nskayuna we took wagon, our par
ty being some halfdozen In number. we arriv'
ed at the settlement little before church time,
hitched cur team under the shade Of lofty tree,
and Just glancng at the red painted factory and
houses aud the wel-cropped greensward which
surrounded and ineraid them all, went directly
to the meeting house. One end of the room
oil set a
ing for 1.-The worlds people," who never fail, in
numbers more or less large, to visit them every
Sunday. Here we took our seat. The remain
der of the capacious hall was bare of all furniture
except plain wooden seat on each side against
the wall and rude desk at the end opposite the
visters The floor was very white and polished
exceedingly smooth. Occasionally an Elder
would come in at one of the further doors, regu-
late window or point stranger to seat and re-
turn again At l03 o'clock both doors at the end
opposite ours were opened, and procession OF
males on one side and females on the other entered
solemnly, the Elders taking the lead. All being
within the Hail. the two parties faced each other
and moved near enough together to have touched,
then moved backward until they approached the
wall. Then each line broke into two, still so ar
ranged, however, that the youngest were tarthest
from ''the worlds people" Then followed sue
cesSion of shuffling marches and counter marches
and then wheeling into line, each party traversIng
the circumference Of the room in single chant
inc perpeiually, in monotonOus melody, SEN
tence Of Thanksgiving. This melody was chang
ed at times, but it never took the form Ofany tune
we have seen written nor were the words ever
restrained by any of the common metres. The
music must have been somniferOus 10 those accus-
toned to it, but to all new comers it must seem
exceedingly comical 1t was borne to the ears Of
Listeners from the hearts, chests vocal chords of
the singers wherever it originated at least one
half of II via the nose. The whole body moved
in concert with the SQUADS. At first, only the
hands were tapped feebly, then more vigorously !;
then the arms took on the same awkward motion /:
then the shoulders. and the head beat time, and
the whole body shu1led in sort of dance; all
went through the same motions the old man
with peaked chin, and skin lOosely y wrapped about
his bones, and the mere baby at the end of the
line, evidently rejoicing under It's grave face, that
so much Of life and motion, and So much OF time
was permitted it. Truly the minstrels that dress
in white woollen overcoats. and sing "Flll-l,"
do not greatly travesty the Shakers when at their
worship.
The dress Of the worshippers was no less com
cal than their songs. The men wore long sklr
ted coa,s-autique Shanghais, that had the effect
TO make all when the faces were hidden, TO look
of the same age ALI the males wore fiat cooked
hats. breeches and stockings. checked cravats and
all were in the same dra5 color though OF different
shades The line was arranged after passing the
adults according 10 their height. II twas the sane
on the other side. The females all wore drab
dresses. with white handkerchief crossed over
the breast and pinned at the waist. Each wore
a white muslin cap of the plainest make. which
made them look as if they were so many dead
folks come up to Shaker meeting in their grave
clothes At the first look one would think them
a company of grave old women, varying in stature
down to the veriest dwars. All seemed as IT
: they must be wrinkled and careworn, yet clo-
ser observation showed, under their tight caps
: many pretty faces and beautiful masses OF hair /;
but in that disguise. from the pretteSt Of them ALL
Cupid would have run away in terror. There
were young Misses, tender lasses, and some very
small girls; but no smile lighted any solemn face
--as for laughter, they might as well have been
already buried.
When the dancing and chanting had ceased
the parties retreated to the wall on either side
aHd sat down. the males facing the females. 1t
was sunday and of course we were not at liberty
to speculate whether even there were love CLAN
ces shot from Ezekiel's cold gray eyes into those
that 50 demurely glimmered from under the cere
ment of Rachel's, opposite Still, we could not
but remember that in all that community, Love is
treated as wicked emoti0n-lo'e the sisters. IN
deed the brethren may, but Ezekiel must nave
no teuderer affection for young and gentle Rach-
el than for the vixen Esther, who, being the next
talIest, stands next to her in meeting and II the
maiden's heart ever softenS to Ezekiel more than
TO Samuel. we suppose she is adjudged guilty OF
a sin, but such sins Nature prompts to, and must
delight TO forgive, and this feature Of the Shakers
| IL, hut tba havil
We must not preach, however. It's Amlnadab'S
turn to day.
And Amnidab 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
Spirit came to him while he 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 ar
row of conviction to the hearts of the worlds peo
pie.
The discourse, which was certainly orthodox
In length, was very good moral lecture, with
few points Of difference from a common New
England sermon, except in the direct address to
outsiders, in which the advantages of their style
of life was set forth in glowing terms
The exhortation ended, the people rose again,
Shufled and sung another chant, and then disap-
peared as they had entered in single file.
The visiters quietly departed but at the door
"Joseph" met US; (he had recognized US in the
midst of the shaking and whispering us TO meet
him at the store, disappeared. Now the store is
the show room ; and it was not open on Seven
teenth. except for convenience of egress from an
other apartment.
of course nothing could be bought on that day,
but while our attention was invited to this or that
article Of Shaker Manufacture, we were told that
if we desired to take any little keepsake with US
we could do so, and Samuel would see us at our