New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-30
SHAKER SOCIAL GATHERING, AND
BAYARD TAYLOR

Order con,istng of three famiGes, belonging to the
New Lebanon Society of Shakers spent day ofrecre'
alton upon their premises on the shores OF beau
tifu Jake in Canaan, Columbia County, n. Y. The
company comprised eighty persons in about equal
numbers of brethren and sisters ranging in age from
thirteen to fifty years. none below the former, and
but few above the latter. With this singular people
religion is the bais of all their happiness; 60 that re
eous meetings parake largely of the
gatherings and their social gatherings but TO bring
out and more prominently exhibit the distinguishing
features of their religious system. And while the OBJ
server would perceive in the latter nothing approach
ing to levity frvOlty, 80 in the former would ne
miss that heavy, somber, sanctmonlous feeling verg
ing upon melancholy and gloom, which by 80 many Id
mistaken for the very essence of pieyi and In place
thereof would appear that serene, quiet Joyousness
betokening hearts at peace with themselves, al one
with God, and in harmony with nature. Eor the
Shakers are people who, beyond many, look anu
feel through nature up TO natures God" Boats
were provided and excursions on the lake alternated
with refreshments twice partaken OF during the
dsy), which consisted chiefly OF proiuhon OF
small fruits served up with the products 0,
the dairy. and such other simple compounds and
concomtsnts as the kind and thoughtful had pro-
vided in ample abundance. But by far the most inter
estng part of the day proceedings and dong was the
reading of original pieces, in poetry and prose- by the
brethren and sisters which they had prepared for the
ton from some other source or an extempore speech
There weIe three four of these meetings for reading
speaking and singing, during the day. some very
beautiful sougs contributed for the FEAST by some
good Shaker brethren and sisters III the spirit word
which we're AS the precious spices of Arabia TO more
common things The day itself was all that day could
be- for both beauty and enoymenti and was IN unison
with the surrounding scenery. Among the literary Sc
eciions wac Bayard Iayors description OF 'lslt, OF
rather call for lasted but short nme at the Shaker
Society of Hancock, Mas, and my only regret was,
that he himself not present 10 hear the criticisms
and witness the effect it produced upon many minds
male and female, quite as sensitive and poished II not
as travelled, as his own, in which case, think, he
would have regretted the hOughtless manner in which
he expressed himself respecting an important system
and it's adherents and opponents the Shakers, OF which
and of whom he wac 30 utterly uninformed. A man
who is going 10 put his words before a mo1 OF reaa
ers ought TO know for certainty whether he speaking
truth or falsehOod. Tremendous amount OF respon-
siblity adheres to him. The whole company Of
Shakers present who had read the dlscourteous re-
marks herein referred to- felt aggrieved not on their
own account merely, ont on account of the
great number who would thereby be untrath-
fully impressed, and whose minds would
be roigoned with prejudice ITO their own hart. Lbs
Reyeletor lJobul speaks of great dragon ~ho cast
food out of his mouth TO carry away the woman and
her seed." We understand the dragon to be the
earthly SEMINAL nature OF man that If forever opposed
to truth always seeking 10 conrovert any new phase
Of II with "aood" of sanderous lies aud misrepre-
Ike Horace Greeley with paper like The TRIBUNE,
hos moi attained TO his present position without under
standing this. Even Jesus was the victim of it, and
be said to his followers: Blessed are ye when men
shall reyile you, and say all manner OF evil oil you
falselyn &c Bayard has lost many friends, who
have followed him in his travels through the world
by his unfeeliDg and wanon attack upon whole order
Of people who have never harmed him, or given any
occasion for such unwaTaDtabe aspersons as the fol-
Eo breath Of home warns their barren chambers
the anced purity Of their lives like Of an exhausted
receiver where all noxious yapors may be extracted Dat the
From bigoted thecogian, who expects to go to
heaven after having lived grossly sensual life, be-
canse he believes that Jesus, and twelve other men,
lived coed and true Shaker lives eighteen hundred
wears ago. we might have expected statements 80
false 10 facts 1t unlocked for from Is. Taylor
The funess Of the meaning of that beautiful Old Fog
lsh word home is not and cannot be known beyond
lie lower degrees by the married man and woman.
The inevitable trouble in the flesh" which so often
leads TO disease causes silent aud unutteraOe sui-
erings preclude IT, From these troubles often remedy
is sought in free love-, in suicide, Or as in the recent
case of Christian Minister in murder itsei But
b. T. says "The pureet life ia that of the welded
man or WOMAN" The best OF =" Christians are the
fathers and mothers" If all the fathers and mothers
are the best of Christians the missionaries had bet
ter rect from their labors Their work is DONE But
are the fathers and mothers in New York, who bury
half s population under ten years OF age, the best
of Christians" Or those the best Of Christians
Who keep the " ten governors employed IN making u
sweet breath of home for thousands Of Orphans aud
forsaken ones on Randals leland and similar places
Of deposit in and around the Christian City OF New
York In Short after an experience III both orders OF
more than twenty years each, am bold 10 say, that
there is a sweeter breath Of home III aud around 4
Shaker village than welded man and woman" ever
knew or than contracted, selfish generatiye circle
is susceptible Of, or capable Of creating
in the Shaker order, every one possesses hundreds
Cf fathers and mothers, and brothers and sisters,
opdl hat IL In be de9DiRed this
world houses and land too, now IN this life, and,
in the world to come, eternal life is insured % them
because the life which Shakers, true Christians live
upon EARTH they continue 10 live in the spirit
world eternally, while Bayard Taylors Christian"
will there have 10 change, and cease marrying and
berg given in marrags-turn Shakers. II the
"pures life" is that Of married persons, Jesus and his
twelve Apostles did quite wrong in making "eunachs
of themselves "ior the Kingdom Of Heavens sake"
for thee founders Of Christianity and all converts from
Judaism, did not marry, except ia those isolated cases
where individuals "waXed wanton against Christ, and
married, having damnaton" which, in charity will
sott4 down 10 condemnation becaI. they had
of their 6rs faith" which of coursel TO live
Shaker life. This kind Ot Christians held no human
being as a Elaye for they called nothing their own
- Lui held all TIN rs in common. Nor did they fight
but they loved one another and did not take up re-
"lr,aCh sgt inst their neghGOr' Having seen some
three or four of the female members of the Society
land III, ~ aged ont Of the Thousands tina; con-.
pose the Shaker order, Bayard Taylor
has jgmp.d At the conclusion th.t
"onty look, which, if it be the rerult of their crba,e
"life, is a sufficient comment uppn it,. Perhaps
Archbishop Hughes coul! assst B'yard 10 Bone stale.
tce bearing upon the eubeets Of celbacy aud longey
NV would also refer hun 10 Gov. Hill, 9 (of n. H.
investigations upon this subet who, taking the
Shaker buryipg-rounds NJ his dat4 proved that the
Shakers were the llngestived people ia Amerci s.d
the records vi the various societies well sustain this