The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1883-12-20
AMONG THE SHAKERS.
R6w am. Editor spout Sui1dsy with
tho Ca11terby2rY C0mmuliitye

. = a q
The editor 81 the Portsmouth .N: q J
y;oirndl describes d Sunday visit to the
Shaker community at Canterbury as fol-
lows: The Canterbury Shakers have been
established D little over century. The
original families were, previous to their
adoption of Shaker belief, Of the Free
will Baptist persuasion, and were con-
verted during the visit of missionaries
from the Lebanon Shakers of New York
not long after the establishment Of that
society by Mother Ann Lee. The three
original families formed the nucleus OF
ths present three families, tS which We're
added othef families with their farms,
Until from d small beginning they in
breased ID numbers and property so that
th6y have now about 900 acres Of land
ii Canterbury, beside a farm in New
York, where they have raised wheat, but
which for several years they have
let out to other parties. They
have a delightful location at Con-
terbury, upon high ground, generally in
excellent condition, overlooking broad
extent of country on all sides, the distant
hills surrounding them "as the noun
tains are around about Jerusalem" tits
place where one who desires it may lead
q delightfully."- quiet life. The repose is
ilnbrdken by cars or even stages, the one
carrier coming only once day to bring
the mails from Canterbury depot. Dur
ing the summer season there are quite
number of boarders at the farm houses
around the village, but the shakers do
not take boarders, not wishing to be
troubled with the care of them, and not
caring to be overfowed with strangers.
Their meeting house, however, where all
their families meet, is open to the public
during the summer, having closed only
week ago. Their Sunday services are not
now public, each of the three families as
sembling in its own place of worship.
The largest family is the "First, " known
as the "Churchn family. By the cour-
tesy of that family we were invited to
attend their service on Sunday last,
though we were abiding with the
'North" family. The "Middle" family
is located between the 'First" and
'sNorth," =" and is now branch Of the
'eFirsr." The families have each their
own separate interests, taking care Of
their own property and finances, just as
any family would; but all are united as
"a community.
Sabbath morning was one Of tbs most
delightful of the season, and we rode, to
the Westinghouse with pleasing antici-
pations, which were fully realized as we
entered and witnessed the Shaker wor-
ship. At the door the lady visitors are
taken to the women's waiting-room,
and the other kind of visitors to the
mems room, and from there conducted
to separate sides of the hall of wor-
ship. When we entered the services
had begun. About hundred Shakers
were present, standing, the sisters
on the right and the brethren on the left,
while the reading service was being con-
Quoted by the elders, every one appear
ing to give much heed thereto. Then
followed singing. There was no instru-
ment, but as soon as the keynote was
given there arose chorus of voices that
thrilled the listener with their fullness,
complete harmony and accurate time. II
was no half-service. Every one seemed
to sing as though the voice of praise
flowed free from the heart. 1t was praise
that could be felt, and carried an inf1ui
ence with it that only those who sing
with the spirit and the understanding
can exert, and from that moment we be-
ieved in the sincerity of the Shakers,
and entered with a real interest into tho
spirit of their worship. Reading and
another song followed, when the elder
directed them to take positions for march
ing. The brethren on their side and the
sisters on their side formed the outer
circle, and the younger penple another
circle inside, while in the center
were the leaders in the singing. The
singing began, and, after the first bal
was sung, the marching, the same ear.
nest, full-toned music filling The room.
As they marched, the hands (palms
turned up) kept time, and every motion
and expression of countenance seemed
to indicate the worshipful disposition
of the people. The old method of keep.
ing time with the palms of the hands
turned down, and also the shutting with
the feet, have, we understand been done
away with; the present use Of hands and
feet in marching is graceful and free
from anything that could evoke ridicule.
After the marching there was singing
service in which the sisters went from
one to another shaking hands, and part
of the time the CONGREGATION kneeled to-
gether most worshipfully. The hands were
also clasped in some parts Of the sing
ing. The whole effect was very lnspirlt-
ing, and doubtless prepared the wor-
shippers for the giving of tes:
timony, which followed when they
were again seated. 1t was then very
much like prayer meeting of wide-awake
Christians in some of our chapels, the i'm
port of the remarks indicating that the
great idea of the Shaker is to be as nearly
as possible follower of Christ in all
things, much stress being placed upon
the fact of His celibacy. But altogether
the whole was an earnest spiritual meet.
ing, with which any one, whatever his
creed might be, could generally affiliate:
The children appeared to enter with spirit
into the worship, and to enjoy it. They
are bright and cheerful set OF boys and
girls, and don't wish to leave their friends
the Shakers. So they told US.
The community is one of the happiest
and most cheerful rs q whole, that one
will anywhere find. A more contented
get of men and women, and one whose
lives are more consistent both at home
and abroad, will be hard to find. They
are as fond of o pleasant joke as anyone,
and some of them are well able to make
one. They are not the sanctimonious,
canting people that one might look for
under their peculiar garb. They are, how
sqer, always ready to defend their relig-
ious views and to show that theirs is no
empty creed. Indeed, the shakers have
no stated creed. They do not expect the
the whole world to follow them, nor do
they think the world is doing wrong to
marry and be given in marriage; but they
believe that they are on plane above
the "order of generation" as they term
ia people set apart from the world.
They are certainly above the average OF
humanity in morality and good works.
There are eighteen societies of Shakers
in the United States, every one that has
been established having prospered. But
the world is furnishing now a less number
of recruits than formerly to the ranks that
can be filled only from the outer world,
e