Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-09-16
Shakerisln.

A correspondent of the Boston Journal
writes. As Rome is the capital of Ca
tholiclsm, so Mount Lebanon is the seat
of government OF Shakerism. Each fam
ily or society, in whatever part of the
country it may be, has its own temporal
and spiritual managers, consisting Of two
deacons and AS many deaconesses and the
same number of elders and addresses, but
in all religious matters the whole order,
all over the world, is subject to the control
OF the ministry, composed of two females
and two males, who reside here. They
travel among the different villages Of the
order during part OF the year, but this is
their residence, and to them here are
brought the disputes Of all the societies
upon religious matters tc be settled The
village is also the largest and most impor-
,ant and wealthy of any belonging to the
sect. 1t consists of eight miles, so
called. numbering, in the aggregate, per-
haps 300 persons. Each of these has its
separate buildings and lands, and is adj
ministcrcd by distinct government. The
village is built along the western side of
the Taconic Mountains, about 800 feet
above the level OF the valley, and on either
side of the road leading from New Leba-
non TO Pittsficld, Mass. Many Of the build
ings are large and imposing One house,
recently erected, is five stories in height,
besides the lofty basement During the
past winter number Of their most vaua.
bic buildings were destroyed by incendiary
fires, but they are being replaced on even
larger scale than they occupied before
At The North House, as one of the fam
lilies is called to distinguish it, is
one Of the largest and most conven-
iently arranged barns in the country. 1t
has been built some fifteen years, is Of
stone, large enough for dozen loaded
hay teams TO drive into and unload at
once. and then turn around to drive out.
To the farmer it is worth visit here to
see This barn alone, and an hour would
not be too much time for an experienced
farmer to spend in examining It, The ut
most ncatness prevails throughout the en-.
tire village, as in all other Shaker settle.
menis. Buildings. fields. gardens, yards,
even the roads near the village, are perfect.
" kept. Such neainess and order are not
seen anywhere else on so large scale ex-
cept perhaps. in Holland, where the
necessities OF existence impose them
Shaker habits of life are peculiar. The
men 1--we on the right side of the houses,
the women on the left generally four in a
room. Brethren and sisters cat at the same
time ut two long tables placed in the
kitchen, the men sitting at one, The women
at The other, all sitting on long benches
ma never speaking. They go to their
meals from their rooms walking in order
the elders and addresses in advance. The
cooks and walters are relieved weekly
There Is meeting room in each hoasc,
whcre lhey assemble morning and even
ing and Sunday afternoon Until this
summer they have always had public
service IN The large meeting house at the
Church Family every Sunday morn
ms, but this summer it is discontinued.
The reason which the Shakers themselves
give for this Is that owing to the rcccit
hFes they have been compelled to Use their
meeting House for a storeroom,