The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-08-16
The shakers Of Leb Aaon.
LETTER FROM Mr.. VINCENT.

|
The Rev. Henry Vincent, whose visit to this
country has given pleasure to many of our citl-
zens, nds to an English journal the London Star
the following account of the Shaker settlement al
| Lebanon, in this State: .
| ION the northwestern border ofthe State Of Ne v
| York, within mile of the dividing line Of Massa-
| chuset's, aud about one hundred and fifty miles
from the city OF New York, is the summer retreat
Of Lebanon Springs. Hills, mountains aud val
legs trees, gardens, farm houses and farms spread
| around and above you in ever varying beauty re-
| mlndlng one OF the hills aud valleys of LlangOllen
| IN Wales. On the side of one OF the mOuntA MS
| Mount Lebanon-commandng fne view of the
whole panorama, cluster three distinct portions of
that singular body Of people called by the vulgar,
| The Shakers.'
This society of believers is the product of
that mighty uphesving of the mind aud soul that
manifested itself in England and Europe during
the greater part OF the last century. Wesley,
Viii field, the French Prophets, Emanuel Sweden
borg, and othere, all represented with more or
less truth snd power, the yearning OF living souls
for light, life aud salvation. Ia this great awaken
| ing, as in the time OF the Common wealth, many
strange doctrines and new sects and fell, aud
among these We must class the people called
Shakers. About the year l7sS. Ann Lee, of Man.
chester, England, came, under strong religious
convictions, and, joined by six or eight brethren
and sisters, under the guidance of visioa, left
England for America, settling IN this country.
After working separately for living, and suf-
ferfng much persecution and hardship for many
years, the little band gathered intO religious so
ciety in the woods OF Watervliet, near Albany, ia
l176. In l719 great revival OF religion occurred
in New Lebanon aud in other towns aud villages,
and many of these people were gradually i'm
pressed by Ann Lee and her friends that the time
had come TO gather themselves out of the world,
and in the power of the Holy Spirit to cruelty
all worldly lusts and 10 enter into the spiritual
Miennial church in the practice of perfect chas-
tty, temperance, charity, brOtherly aud Gsterly
lOVe-abandOniDg all private property for the COM
=.
all things in common From their great fsrvor
IN pIessScdbkI9egSof as Shakers which name they
are by no means ashamed TO adopt.
" Their progress necessarily slow, as they
took up cross too heavy to be borne by ordinary
men and women of the world. The Shaker som.
munites are divided into families. Within sight
of each other at Mount Lebanon are three Of these
families: North family, Church family aud South
family. The first numbers sixty brethren aud
sisters, the second one hundred and twenty. In
the New Lebanon society there are altogether
eight Of these fsmilies-in al FIVE hundred breth-
rem and sisters. The New Lebanon society owns
six thousand acres of land-a large proportion of
which is devoted to fuel timber and sheep. This
people also possess garden seeds, herb and fruits,
which are everywhere famed for their quality.
Throughout the Union there are eighteen
1Ourishing Shaker societies. sacredly living cell
bate life, and enjoying perfect community Of
| worldly goods.
Itwas with no small delight on Friday evening
| last | found myself in front of a stage wagon,
| with my friend William Hsrdscre OF Philadelphia,
| riding seven miles over muddy roads between Ca
| naan and Lebanon. IL was evening, and the set
| ting sun bsthed hills and valleys 10 food Of
| light. The rivuets were swollen by heavy rains,
and sire smlets rushed and spArkled dsvn the "a.
| vines, leaping into the Laughing waters beneath.
| Grasses, leaves aud flowers we're beaded by rain
drops that glistened ike diamonds In the rays OF
the setting sun. We reached North family ABOUT
: seven O'Clock and were welcomed with modest
! grace by an elderly sister, and We soon grssDed
= dr. kNynu aA
! some months ago, c9urteOusy invited me to share
| the simple hOspItalites Of the society.
DOMESTIC LIFE.
"We were soon introduced to our brethren aud
| found ourselves at home and at ease with our
hearty friends. The brethren and sisters at North
| Family occupy three neat and substantial houses.
| There il no restraint other than the restraint Of
good breeding and true Christian propriety.
| Brethren and sisters occupy the same ho1ses-the
| accommodation being ct opposite parts Of the
dwellings. They ri-e at half past O'Clock in the
morning. breakfast al g. dinner at noon, supper at
| IN the evening, and retire to rest about 10. At
| meals the women occupy one end Of ths table.
| the men the other Before meals they all kneel
| down snd offer thanks aud prayers 10 solemn ST.
| lence. My friend and took our meals 10 a small
| neat room alone. We were walled upon most at
| teutively by one Of the sisters, who constantly
left the ROOM returning TO require If any thing was
| wanted.
| A Shaker meal Is a wholesome feast. A room
| beautifully clean, plain, clean table, good white
| aud brown bread, sweet fresh butter, rich mil
and cream, wholesome, well-cOOked meat, plain
vegetables preserved fruits bat all served Ia the
| simplest, neatest and most economical way. We
| occupied two bedrooms that opened one into the
other. The beds are sweet and clean, and YOu
| sprawl In them with q perfect dehrium Of lag
| delight All the rooms Of the houses are clean
| ness and neatness 20 perfection.
| 9" Round abOnt are the gardens, orchards, farms
workshops, barns and storehouses. The large
barn Is the most perfect model foE space, cOnVe
nieuce aud ventilation IL consists Of three siO
ries, the lower story being appropriated Tor stall
ing cattle. Il IS built the side o. hill, so yOJ
can drive wagons into the third story from tht
road on the side Of the bill. The men and wOmst
gravita,s towards the work they can easily per
form and all are busy from morn until night
working With joyous Sill.
WORSHIP.
1.-The men dress as the early Qusksrs dressed
The women with the same Quakerlika nestness-
and they are all simple, but hearty Ia their IN 81
ners. % Saturday night we attended WORSHIP
| for the first tin e. The men and women stood u
three lines in The presence Of each other.
brother read hymn, while they ell joined in sing
irg. This WAS followed by other exercises j
soIg. Elder Evans then gave powerful eKhorts
| ton from the words There - therefore now o
condemnation for lhoss who are In Christ usns
, He spoke Of the victory they had achieved owe
the world and the power OF lust and evil by "a
grace and favor Of God, maintaining, with gres
gravity, that every good aud perfect gift comet
from God and from the power Of His Christ
He was followed by a brief eXhortstion from on
VI the sisters.
- line was then formed in the center Of n
room three brothers and three sisters standir
, face 10 face. The remainder then formed in
| circle round the room. The brethren and sste
! in the center Of the room sang hymns while u
J.. rest moved round hem in a kind OF dance, NOV Z