The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-09-16
A Sunday With the Shakers.

the benefit of both we give to-day re-
port of last Sundays Shaker meeting at
the little chapel on the border of An
droscorgin County, some eleven miles
from lewiston. Shaker Village is
perched on one of the most arduous
hills of the county. Miles away you
can see the large stOne-fortres5 like
building where one of the two Shaker
families composing the community lives.
The second family's home is in II
weather-stained. old-fashioned building,
almost one hundred years of age. 1t
was built in 1898, and the Elder said.
after service last Sunday, '.It's not fit
for Christian to live In. We're max
ing preparations now to build new
one" The Shakers in their dignitied
drab coat-tails, and Shakeresses in their
neat. plain gowns, glistening white
pointed kerchiefs and their scrupulous-
" starched bonnets. were marching
from the house to the chapel when the
reporter arrived. In the church the
Shakers formed. standing in two
squares, the males in one and the
females in the other. The two divisions
stood facing each other, with their
hands clasped in front of them. In
the rear ranks of each body stood the
| young wards of the community. There
were three little boys of eight to ten
years, and half dozen girls, apparent
| " of four to fourteen years, whose long
braided hair formed marked contrast
with the closely concealed locks OF the
Shaker women. The little boys crowns
were closely shaver, while the locks at
| the base of the head had been allowed
to grow down their necks in imitation
of the flowing patriarchal hair of the
aged Shakers.
Standing in this position one voice
commenced strain OF quaint song,
which all took up. 1t was something
between a hymn and a chant. The
melody was strange but pleasing, and
was sung by all the voices. male and
female, in unison. An impressive eff
feet was given the last chord by all the
singers gradually softening the tone and
ending the diminuendo in barely muir
muir. at the same time slowly lowering
their hand, from the clasped position
to their sides in perfect harmony with
the movement of the music. The Elder
then stepped forward to the space be-
tween the two sections OF Shakers. The
lines of his face indicate man OF re-
markable tirmness OF character. The
high. sloping forehead. the prominent
Roman nose. the unrelaXed facial mus
Giles, his stately demeanor and the dis
tinct, solemn utterances of a deep
musical voice. al! pointed to i mind of
the most positive convictions and abili-
ty of no mean order. The Elder read
the fourth chapter Of st. John. The
women and children then sang spirited
ly beautiful hymn. This and all the
following hymns were given the same
tremulous diminuendo ending as be-
fore.
In the next song one common spirit
seemed to move the wOrshipers in q
stately march backward and forward
across the floor of the chapel. They
kept perfect time with the tune they
sang. and marched with the regularity
of militia, making square heels, and &C
companying their march with swing
ing motion of the arms and hands, palms
backward. There were several fine
singers among the men, and all the
women had excellent voices. The ju-
venile Shakers seem to enter into their
service with the same enthusiasm as the
veterans. 1t was amusing to q specta-
tor to watch the solemn faces and atti-
tudes of the little fellows. Not sug-
gestion of smile came over their feat
ures, and, to our mind, the staidest
Shaker of them all was a lad of perhaps
ten summers. He wore loose. cher
ry-coiored sacque and a high-buttoned
yelveteen waistcoat. He had fair,
untanned face and pale-blue eyes. The
blue veins were seen through the deli
cate skin covering his temples. and he
had a dreamy, PARKWAY look. The
neck-locks of light hair fell over his
coat collar. He seemed possessed of a
most intense spirituality, and was as
deeply absorbed in his devotions as the
Elder himself. Some of the young
Shakeresses once in while allowed q
sly smile to interrupt the continuous
solemnity. The Shakers take these
children by adoption, and have more
requests to take and bring up orphan
and uncared-for children than they can
comrly with. The wards are indent-
ured to them until they are twenty-one.
Then they are at liberty to leave tha
community and 90 into the world il
thew wish. The Shakers educate them
and give them the best of home train
ing.
After several marching songs the
Shakers took seats. We had noticed
among them one sandy-haired young
man, apparently of not more that TWEEN
ty-tive years, who wore plum-c0lored
coat and who sang with much JUNCTION.
The young man stepped forward nerv.
ously, drank a little water from 8
glass, opened a Bible which lay on .
window-shelf. and, after nervous lift.
ing of the shoulders and compression
of the lips, read a text from the eighth
verse of the third chapter of Second
Peter: "Bus, beloved, be not ignorant Of
this one thing, that one day is with the
Lord as thousand years, and thou
sand years as one day." He then spoke
earnestly for about fifteen minutes
without notes in a measured, distinct
and cultured voice. The speaker
words were listened to with the most
profound attention by the audience