Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-09-28
AMONG THE SHAKERS.

a Queer Sect Whose Members PrastSe'
Celibacy aAid CoplmuISsin.
Life in the various Shaker commune
4ies differs so little in its details that a
description of the practices and moth
DDS in vogue here IN Mount Lebanon
answers for them all. The society is
composed of about three hundred men,
beps-men, women and children. These
are divided into what are known as
families of twenty or sixty persons
each, the mmbers of a family residing
toesthcriin one house. Families arc
u two classes, novitiate and church;
the former receive for spiritual train
ing those who desire to become men,
beers Of the society and entertain visit
hlg strangers; tho church families are
compdsM of those who in the search
for spiritual truth have withdrawn as
far-as possible from the world and
have no Intercourse with outsiders.
At the head of the society, and exer-
cising general supervision over its M
fairs, is Il ministry OF four persons,
two males and two females, the
first in the ministry being the
eldor OF tho society. Mem
bers OF the ministry aUe not elected,
but are chosen by the brother or sister
who may happen at the time to be the
oldest in office At the head of each
family are two elders, male and fe-
male, who have care for its spiritual
interests, and deacon and deaconess,
who supervise its temporal affairs, and
under whom are care-takers who have
charge of the various industries car
ried ON. The heads of families are
chosen by the ministry. Autocratic
as this system of government may
seem it has proven entirely salts
factory, and discussions and disputes
among the Shakers are unknown.
The Shaker family rises at four in
the summer and at five In the winter,
and by nine in the evening every one
is In bed. The men and women sleep
in opposite ends of the immense houses
in which the families are housed, but
all eat in general hall, the women at
one table, the men at another, and the
children at third. Visitors dine in
separate room, apart from the family.
The fare is very simple. Little meat
and no pork is eaten. Each brother
has assigned him sister,
who locks after his clothing
and Supplies the Uee$ he
would be apt TO neglect dbe general
house-woek is all done, Che sisters tax
ing turns in its performance. before
bresiifast, and. that meal over, the
days labor in shop and field oom-
mences. Every one. from the Oldest
member of the ministry to the most
humble brother or sister, engages in
some kind OF manual labor, but the
Shakers are not -avaricious, and their
daily tasks are always light. The
6,O00-acre farm. under minute and per-
feet cultivation, and upon which only
the most approved agricultural methods
are employed, claims the time Of many
of the. male members. Several ip-
dustries, among them broom. basket
and chair making, are also carried on
in buildings ranged about the family
houses. The Shakers make their
clothing and shoes and raise their own
food Their savings are always in
vested in land, and they never fail to
prove kind and indulgent landlords.
They are scrupulously neat in all their
surroundings, and even their barns
and shops are models of cleanliness.
The furnishings of the houses, how
ever, are simple to the point of bare
ness. There are few, If any. pictures.
and but little carpet on the floor.
The days duties ended the evening
hours are given up TO what the elders
regard as seasonahle diversions. On
Sunday evening the members visit
each other, half dozen sisters visit
ing as many brothers in their room.
A brother and sister are never left
alone together, third party be-
ing. always present. AT these
little Sunday evening gatherings
the time is spent in singing and con-
versstion. On Monday evenings the
members of the family gather in the
general meeting-room and listen to
die reading of newspapers and of let
tiers from other Shaker societies. Tues
day evening is given up to singing;
Wednesday evening to conversation;
Thursday evening to religious service;
Friday evening to the study of new
songs and hymns, and Saturday even
ing. TO worship. Lebanon IN. Y.
Cor. 50. Louis GIobe-Democrdt.