The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-02-05

This is celebrate order, composed Of
men and women living together in fami-
lies, and hsving agriculture as the bnse
of their operations, although among
them other branches of industry are de-
veloped. They have a uniform style of
dress, say "Yea" and "Nay;" live very
simple, seeking only that which is use
full, without the grace of ornament.
They are Spiritualists, and maintain
that they hold the most constant and in
innate communion with the spirit world.
They are industrious, peaceful, honest,
ingenious and extraordinarily cleanly.
They maintain that the second appear
Iance Of Christ has been, and that they
only are the true Church of Christ in
the world. They bold that the first APP
.pearance Of Christ was in the person of
Jesus, and the second in the person of
Mother Ann Lee, who was an English
woman, born Of humble parentage, and
early in life connected heIself with a
band Of rehgionists called the Shaking
Quakers." Her peculiar doctrine sub
iected her, with others who held the
same faith, to persecution, and it was
while in prison that the present testi-
Imony of salvation was revealed to her
bp the Lord Jesus himself, who APP
peared to hear in all His glory. She
saw the most astonishing visions and
manifestations, and from this time was
received by her followers as o mother in
God. At this time she also received a
revelation which directed her to emi-
CRATE to America. Accordingly in May,
1874, she with eight other persons, en-
barked at Liverpool and landed in New
York in August the same year. They
soon after settled in Waterylet, not far
from Albany. Here they remained,
clearing up lands and preparing homes,
.uuGl 1850, when at New Lebanon q re-
/ Hgious revival occurred among the Bap-
tisis, somo of these who were animated
with religious fervor wandered Of seek
Iing comfort and light from strangers,
and found the settlement where Anna
Lee was chief. They were in a prepa.
ration of mind 10 receive her doctrines
and brought others TO hear her, and
thus a community was formed. After
this Mother Anna Lee went about from
place to place, healing the sick, perform
ing miracles and Strengthening the
community in which she was leader
She died in Watelvliet, in 1884, in her
49th year. She seems to have been a
woman Of much moral force plain, but
dignified and easy in her manners; and
endowed with much personal beauty.
She was maraied and the mother of four
children, bnt always seemed to entertain
a repugnance to the married state. She
never learned to read or write.
The Shakers do not accept the doc
trines of the Trinity, Resurrection or
Atonement. They do not worship
Jusus or Ann Lee, but simply love and
desire to follow after their teachings.
They do not regard marriage as sinful,
but consider celibacy as higher state
of being. This is held to produce long
life. Shaker men and women do not
shake hands with each other. Their
lives are no privacy, even to the Elders,
of whom two always room together.
The sexes eatiapart, ane worship stand
ing and marching apart. They visit
each other at stated intervals, but un-
der great restriction. Community of
property is ON of the leading principles
of the Society. In dress, they do not
profess to conform to uniform, but
have adopted style which they consid-
er convenient, and which they will not
change until they find something better
We have not further space to speak of
their pecrlliarities of faith and discipline.
Patience, frugality, charity cleanliness
and selfdenial are the distinguishing
characteristics of this band of religion
lists. There are 1S Shaker Societies,
situated in different portions of the
country, all of them prosperous. In
the State of Ohio there are four
Union Village, near Lebonon; Notrh
Union, near Cleveland, Watervliet near
| Dayton: and Whitewater, near Harrison,
whichare noted for their respective in
dustl.ies.
THE PERFECTIONIsTS.
This singular community of religion
lists form two societies, one at Oneida
and the other Wallingford, N. Y. Their
founder, John Humphrey Noyes, was a
law student at Yale, but afterwards
turned his attention to theology, with
the intention Of fitting himself rs for
eign missionary. He studied first at
Andover and later graduated from the
Yale Theological School. While in New
Haven, under the influence Of relig-
ious eyeitementment which prevailed
there, he landed in new experience,
which took the name of "Perfectionism. "
Some yea1s after he began to teach and
preach these views, and slowly gath
cred about him a company of be
levers. AT first Mr.. Eoyes was not a
communist, but as his peculiar views of
the relations of the sexes took stronger
hold upon his mind, he made them
known to his followers, and they began
cautiously an experiment of communal
living, based upon these peculiar doc
trines. Their first community was be
gun at Putney, but the hostility of the
community was excited to such degree
that they were unable to continue and
afterwards removed to Oneida, N. Y.
At first they looked to agriculture and
horticulture as their main stays for in
come. but soon after united other trades