Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-09-05

society, and all sucn proposals nave ueon
rejected.
The next house, long, white, frame
structure, one story high, was pointed
out as the church. Here every Sunday
afternoon at 2 O'Clock the family as
sembles for worship. The rows OF
benches are ranged along either half OF
the house, so that those sitting on one
side face those on the other. The breth-
rem and sisters occupy opposite sides OF
the house. The meeting is opened with
religious hymn, often entirely original
with some person present, and-words,
notes and alI-the result of themoments
inspiration; for these Shakers believe III
inspirations and visible manifestations
proceeding from the spirit world as truly
as they believe the commonest every
day fact. The elders next address the
congregation, occupying position
position merely, for there is no pulpit
at the head of the room The meeting
is then in the hands of those present,
and any one may speak who chooses,
usually standing where he rises. as all
their speeches are short. Though no
scriptural texts are taken up and elabOr-
ated, as in Christian churches, the Bible
is freely quoted. An hour or an hour
and a half is the usual extent OF the
meeting.
Among such of the men as could be
seen about the dress was much the same
as that already described. The women
wear plain, black stuff gowns and straw
sun-bonnets. A large neckerchief rests
upon the shoulders, extending quite
across them and falling to the waist in
front and behind in the form of a TRAN
gle with the apex downward. A plain
white apron completes the dress. Not
a rutfie or crlmp appears IN the entire
costume.
The reporter was presented to Mr..
James S. Prescott, an Octogenarlan, who
has been a member of the North Union
committee for more than fifty years, and
| during most of that time an elder. The
aged man is still we'll preserved, and was
willing to give any Information he could.
He led the way to the plainly furnished
Coffee" of the settlement, got out the
records, and proceeded to answer the
interrogatories that were propounded to
him.
From Mr.. Prescott it was learned that
the North Union settlement was made
so long ago as the year 1922, and al
though it has now only sixty members,
has at times numbered two hundred.
The community owns /, 1S3 acres of ex
eellent land, which, together with it's
other property, is valued at $500, 600.
| The tilling of this land occupies the time
of the Shakers during the warmer
months, and in winter they do various
kinds of shop-work, engaging principally
in the manufacture of brooms.
In regard to the diet of the Shakers,
Mr.. Prescott said that the only article of
food absolutely interdicted is pork.
Some, however, are strict vegetarians,
eating no meat whatever. The use of
| intoxicating liquors is not permitted eX-
cept upon physicians prescription.
Mr.. Prescott mentioned as one of the
principals of the organization, In addl-
ton to those already named, belief in
the duality of the Godhead as father and
mother. When asked about the condi-
tions under which one might become a
Shaker, he replied:
NO one is admitted to full member
ship and allowed to sign the covenant
under the age of q years, although chill
| dren are sometimes taken on prOba-
| ton. If man and his wife come to join
us they must agree to drop the marital
relation, and be to each other only as
| brother and sister. IF only one of a mar
! ried couple seek admission to our society,
that one must first be legally separated
from the other"
In response to inquiries concerning
the condition of the order, Mr.. Prescott
said he thought it was III its decadence,
though he did not believe that it would
become utterly extinct. The Shakers
believed that the advent of the millenni-
um would occur with the seven thou
sandth anniversary of the worlds crea-
ton, and that the consequent increase
in goodness would have the effect of
rapidly filing up the old 8" families and
creating many new ones. He attributed
the present state of affairs in great part
to the late civil war; the effect of which
was to render the people unfit for Shak-
erisn, which does not countenance fight
ing.
"Were no Shakers engaged in the
civil war ?" was asked.
Except few, who tended the sick
in the hospitals, there were none. True,
some were drafted in the service, but
evaded it. Under no circumstances can
Shakers be induced to bear arms"
"And what are the Shakers senti-
ments in regard to politics %
g We never vote for civil rulers"
''And why ?"
Because voting and the consequent
party affiliations lead to contentious and
thence to fighting"
An interesting story was told by Mr..
Prescott, suggested by a query as to
whether the communistic theory of the
society did not tend to discourage in
ventive genius. He said the compost
ton and method of using the metal COM
monty known as Babbitt metal was not
really the discovery of the man whose
name it bears, but was originated by
Daniel n. Beard, who was member of
the North Union Community of Shakers,
about thirty-fve years ago. Beard, it is
said, did not attempt to procure patent
for his discovery, as that would not have
been in accordance with his comrnunistic
theories, but gave the secret to the Ward
Steam Navigation Company and to
others whose use of it would be benefit
to the cubic. But Rabbit finally came