Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-19
AMONG THE SHAKERS.
HABITS AND CUSTOMS OF CURIOUS
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY.

tions and Industries Their Simple
Regimen-TheIr Theology in Brief-A
Life of CeIibacy.
There are societies now in Massachusetts,,
New Hampshire Connecticut Maine, Ohio,
Kentucky and other states The first church
was built at New Lebanon, in I7S5. Prior to
lG5 the society did not have any distinct
title. But in that year it adopted The
United Society of Believers in Christ's Sec
ond Appearing OF course, this was al
together too long and awkward for public
use. The members were dubbed SShakers,
in deriSion by their enemies, because they
shook themselves while at worship. and this
apt name stuck. The Shakers themselves
were finally forced to adopt it, and now it
has lost its original significance. The Shak-
ers have never been a slothful people. They
have not only been patient and industrious,
but they have also been inventive. More
than half a century ago they originated the
drying Of sweet corn for food, and they were
the first TO paper and vend garden seeds in
the present styles. she immense patent
medicine trade of to-day sprung from their
first methods of preparin2 medicinal roots
and herbs for the market. They first began
the broom corn business, and the first buzz
saw was made by them at New Lebanon
The Shakers, at Watervliet, invented our
metallic pens, the first being made Of brass
and silver. At New Lebanon were invented
the machines for cutting and bending card
teeth anil planning and matching and dress
ing flooring and ceiling lumber; also cut
nails. At Watervliet the making of eI-
tracts was until recently an important bust
ness. At New Lebanon the manufacture Of
patent medicines is now a fOurishing in
dustry.
THEIR SIMPLE REGIMEN.
Now, as to their regimen, over sixty years
ago the Shakers discontinued the use of dis
titled liquors as beverage. About forty
years ago they abandoned all pork for
healths sake Tobacco and snuff are rarely
used and meat and grease are reduced to the
minimum quantity. The Shakers are no
strictly vegetarians and the articles above
mentioned are not prohibited by any society
order. But the unwritten law prevails and
is generally respected To their virgin cell
bate" life and to their simple regimen Of food
they attribute their longevity. When was
a child my idea Of Shaker was that of
person who lived forever. By some authority
the average duration Of human life is put at
less than forty years But here the Shakers
claim an average as high as fifty-seven and
one-third years in q population OF 4,420.
Aunt Dolly who died a few years ago at
Lebanon, was aged l0S.
But OF course instances like this are not q
proof Of the average Shaker longevity; for
old negreSSes, aged 80 or less, who nursed
George Washington, are still to be found,
h., 4.
creasing But it seems probable that Shakers
who never get drunk, or go into politics, or
indulge in any physical excesses, and who
live almost wholly in the open air-it is
natural to suppose they should live longer
than the same number OF persons Of an oppo-
site mode Of life. From what / have OBJ
served, they do not slave like farmers, especi-
ally that class of farm tillers who are always
trying to add -jining patch True it is,
they are always busy, but never unreason-
ably so.
Now, as to their theology Let me make it
plain to you if l can. The spiritual, and to
large degree the temporal, affairs are directed
by ~boarl of ministry"-two males and two
females. These are the recognized rulers Of
all Shakerdom Elder Giles B. Avery, who
spends most Of his time at Watervliet and
New Lebanon, is one Of the four From his
answers TO my queries l take the substance
thereof as follows:
Ann Lees appearance was the second COM
ing of Christ, which occurs through the fe-
male Her followers hold Christ and Saviour
TO be synonymous. Jesus was not Christ,
but he represented Christ. He was simply
the Christ of his day. When CHRIST next
appears it will be again in the form of q
woman, instead of that of a man We say,
~Our father who art in Heaven There can
be no father where there Is no mother. There
fore there is a heavenly mother. Again,
there never was a bridegroom without q
bride The scriptures speak of the bride
groom Christ Ann Lee was the first to re-
ceive the brideship OF Christ. In fact, she
was the second appearing of Christ
This, briefly, is the Shaker theology To
unbelievers it may seem trifie vague, and
also q little more than they can swallow.
But TO this belief Shakers cling tenaciously
Its conditions or penalties may keep out some
would-be converts, and break the self-denial
OF others after they become converts. But
the creed is a harmless one. Therefore, what
good it does, great or small, is q clear gain to
society at large
LIFE OF CELIBACY.
They believe in the Bible and in baptism.
They are unlike other sscts only in leading q
lie of virgin celibacy. The notion that all
intercourse between the sexes is forbidden is
an error They spend evenings together; not
in couples, but in groups and classes, and in
conversation or reading or singing. They
.say grace before and after meals, but dur
ing the meal itself they utter no word not
made necessary by the business on hand. The
property is common, as it was in the Oneida
community before the latter became joint
stock company.
Here all similarity ceases. In some remote
quarters the notion prevails that the Shakers
are in some degree like the Mormons. They
are anti Mormon and anti-Oneidan. They
do not even condemn marriage, though OF
necessity they do not get married or recognize
the married state among members. They
often lose members, who withdraw and get
married Others are expelled for willful vio-
lations of the rules. Elder Avery admits that
the numbers ars not increasing, but he thinks
the faith holds its own now, and that grand
revival viii occur in the near future which
will increase the membership rapidly. infer
that the Shakers are expectantly awaiting
more revelations through some one like Ann
Lee. who will give the faithful added zeal and
enable the sect 20 weather another century
mentioned the fact that at the church
family there were some children These were