Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-08-18
NO.
THE 0UAKERS,
The New Lebanon Soctety-Tnferest-
ing Description If their Habits and
Modes of worship,
Correspondence of the New York Sun.
|, IL

DeScffD7fOn 81
Modes of worship,
Correspondence of the New York Sun.
The New Lebanon Society of Shakers
numbers about six hundred. and is the
Oldest, as well as largest society of the or
der in this country. The settlement is
about two miles from the village proper
Soon after entering the boundaries of the
community, the buildings, dwellings, stores,
church, barns, herb room, &C., come in
view. On each side of the wide and even
road are large, rectangular wooden houses,
three or four stories high, and uniform in
size and appearance. These are the dwell
ings. A spacious hall runs through the
centre of the building. The apartments
of the brethren and sisters are usually at
the opposite sides or ends of the house.
From two to six live in a room; and altho'
the men and women of the community live
thus contiguous, sleeping under the same
roof and eating ii the same dining room,
they profess to have no social intercourse
with each other beyond that Of business
or devotional exercise. They enter the
building at opposite ends Of the hall. they
sit at separate tables, and indulge in no
conversation with each other, unless it be
to express their merest wants, or when
superior gives directions or instructs a
subordinate.
It is not generally known that each soci-
ETY. of Shakers is constituted of several
distinct families; which are self-supporting,
and possess within themselves perfect or
CARNATIONS IN both temporal and spiritual
matters, regularly officered, comprising
elders, deac0ns, care-takers and others
The Society of New Lebanon embraces
eight of these families: Tho different
communities, or families in each Society
number from 80 to $50 members of both
sexes, who generally occupy one large uni
tary dwelling, in which, as they claim, the
brethren and sisters live together in spir-
itual order and social relation.
Each dwelling contains large meeting
room sufficiently spacious to accommodate
all the members of the family, and in this
room they assemble several times week
for worship, and from twice to thrice
week they have reunion meetings III their
private rooms, where from four to eight or
ten Of the brethren and sisters spend an
hour or so sitting together in devotional
and singing.
There are also in the settlement large
buildings containing numerous workshops
connected with each family, one for the
men the other for the women. In these
various branches of manufacture are car
ried OF, consisting of necessary articles for
home consumption and for sale. They
have all the mechanical trades necessary to
meet the immediate wants of a family, but
are largely dependent upon the neighbor
ing villages and cities for the improved
implements which render modern agricul-
ture successful.
AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE.
Hitherto horticulture has been the leadaa
ing business in most of the Shaker Societies
but recently they are turning their atten-
ton considerably to agriculture The So
ciety at New Lebanon owns about 5000
acres of land, a large share OF which is for
fuel, timber, and sheep, being very mount
ainous. The rest is devoted to agriculture
and horticulture.
IN THE HOUSE OF WORSHIP.
AS we drove up to the Shaker meeting
house" a large, rectangular, plain, wooden
building, with convex roof, their singing
reached our ears. They had already be-
gun their devotional exercises, although it
was not yet 10 o'clock in the morning. We
alighted in front of the church and entered,
our wives through the door on one side of
the sanctuary and we through another on
the opposite side. Many visitors were in
the house, and an usher gave us seats al
lotted to those who are not of the ''persua-
sion" These seats are plain wooden
benches, and differ from those used by the
Shakers themselves in that they are sup
piled with a back.
When we entered the "meeting house"
we could hardly suppress smile. Ranged
in line across the room-one row behind
another, according to height-the men on
one side of the house, the women on the
other. they stood in their quaint costumes, |
their faces cast down, their eyes on the
floor. The men wore coats, pantaloons, |
and waistcoats of the same material, but
ternut colored-coat of the ancient shad-
belly pattern, with a standing collar
reaching to the ears, waistcoat buttoned |
close to the throat, with standing collar
and combinations of the most liberal di-
mensions. About their necks each wore
white kerchief, containing at least half
yard of muslin.
The women were neatly attired in gowns
of some light lead colored material reach
ing to the feet, and guiltless of expansion
by crinoline. Each wore, pinned over her
shoulder and bosom, white kerchlef or
small shawl. Each one, from the Oldest
wrinkled old woman to the youngest child,
wore close fitting white cap, not unlike
night cap, over which was tied or pinned q
thin white scarf This completed the head
short and inclosed in small brown net.
The hair of the men was cut close to the |
scalp over the forehead and temples but |
allowed to grow long behind the ears. In
some cases it fell in tangled, tufted locks
upon the shoulder
We had been seated but few moments,
when two of the sisters and brethren, act
ing as leaders, began in slow, drawing, |
sino-song tone to chant one of their peerl-
liar songs OF hymns, the words of which we |
could not distinguish. All the worshippers
at once ioinedin, moving their hands in an |
manner up and down in unison
with the music. Several songs were thus
sung-the peculiBr gesture Of the open |
hand being one of tho ceremonies of their
service. After this ceremony one of the
leaders stepped from the front rank, and
taking position on the floor midway be- |
tween the separated sexes, spoke few
words of exhortation admonishing the |
of the society to live in harmony
and cling fast to the tenets of their faith
When he had finished he quietly took his
place again IN the ranks and was followed
by others IN a similar strain.
THE SHAKER SHUTTLE DANCE.
During this time the dancers stood irn-
mobile with eyes fixed upon the floor and
hands clasped together in the most supple
attitude of humility. Not once did one Of
them move or lift the eye to look to the
right or left. In the intervals of their SER
vice you could have heard pin fall in any
part of the great hall of worship. But this
was only the first part of the service. Sud-
denly at signal from one of the leaders
all faced to the left-with the precision of
drilled sOldiers-their backs to the spec-
tators Taking regular distance from each
other there was active preparation for the
shuttle dance, which is also part Of their
devotional exercise. All entered into this
dance with spirit, some of the brethren
roralLol of tloi,. l,,1aac. tlnnnan