Connecticut western news., 1891-12-31
A SHAKER CHRISTMAS.
HOW THE FESTIVAL IS KEPT BY THESE RELIGIOUS cELlBATES.

Christmas holiday in more peculiar way than do the Shakers, those strange yet industrious ceibates who were brought over from England considerably over cAtury ago by the good old sMother Ann Lee" There are several colonies of these queer people in the United States, and all enjoy the same pleasures, if there can be such a thing in their lives, and all believe in the same doctrines. Years ago these honest but misguided people discovered that the Scriptures directed all men and women to live apart. They believe that be- cause the Messiah did not marry it is a sin for them to do so, and consequently there is but one love in their lives, and that love of religion.
 The Shakers have a manner and style peculiarly their own and worship God in every breath. Believing as they do in the Messiah, they think it duty to their service on Christmas day is most beautiful and impressive.
 The remark "still as Shaker meet ing" has often been heard, and those who have attended q meeting of these devout people know that a word Is never spoken until the ''splrit moves" and so 1t goes from Sunday to Sunday until Christmas comes, which with them means day of the greatest devotion. The day to them does not bring the joys, pleasures and dissipations of the world, there is no giv- ing of gifts, no belief in St. Nicholas, no Christmas tree and no pleasures, in fact nothing but prayer. No preparations gre made for the glad festival.
 The morning before Christmas the eibates move toward the little church in couples. The men go by themselves and dress in the conventional black, with broad brimmed hats and gaze straight before them. They never smile, for to smile is sin in their belief. The wom- en follow the men, and wear Shaker bon nets of yellow straw and gray gowns, and look prim and quaint. A large white handkerchief covers the chest in primitive simplicity Quietness reigns throughout the day, never a word being spoken. In fact the spirit does not move, and the people stand there for hours like statues. At sundown they go to the dormitories and retire.
 Christmas morning they go to the church again and pass the holiday in prayer, song and religious glori6cation. They stand perfectly quiet and mute un- til the spirit moves," when each one gives his or her experience, for on this day above all they delight in testifying to their great and complete happiness. A Shaker church is entirely different from the worlds peoples" church. h. stead of seats or pews, as are usually seen in churches, there is big open space, and the men and women range themselves on opposite sides of the room. One of the elders makes a short address. Then all is quietness. After about half an hour dozen or so of the younger people, either male or female, or perhaps both, enter the center of the space and begin solemn march.
 The Shakers sing beautifully and their tunes are remarkably pretty, sprightly and quick in character, and have won- derfnlly fascinating air. The rich, deep bass voices harmonize perfectly with the clear, sweet and high tenors and SO pranos. Almost irresistibly the feet and hands of all commence keeping time
 
 body of Shakers are moving around the singers. AS the music increases the men and women circhng around be- come so imbued with the beating of the notes that their bodies swing and rock their feet dance and shuttle, their hand, and arms swing and beat the air, all il perfect keeping with the music. Thii grows more intense until they all droI from sheer fatigue. Quietness agair reigns for nearly an hour, when the same performance is gone over, and the1 over again, until sundown, when all re pair to the dormitories to enjoy the only meal in the year in each others com pany, for on every other day the mel and women eat by themselves.
 The Christmas dinner of the Shaker, is not like the Christmas dinner of tn, world 8 people. There are no wines, fruit nor delicacies. They have turkeys ducks, chickens and plain bread ant butter and vegetables of every kind we'll cooked and in the greatest abun dance. The women occupy one side o the table, the men the other. The eide sits at the head and invokes divine bless ing. then each man and woman rises al ternately and lifting their right ham say, God IS love" They then begil eating, and during the meal not wor, herself to what they desire. They drinl an enormous quantity of milk durin the meal. At the conclusion of tn Christmas dinner all rise and sing. Tn clear voices of the celibates make tn banquet room ring with a soft an charming melody. The hands and fee of all keep time.
 After the song the elder raises his eye heavenward and chants a prayer i which all join, after which they marc from the room in couples, the men te gether and the women by themselves and go to their dormitories. The re mainder of the night, while the worl outside IS enjoying itself in every COT ceivable dissipation, is given up to son and prayer, and all night long the voice of the Shaker sisters and brothers al heard through the halls.
 The Shakers are kind hearted and ger erous. They are very hospitable, and is one of their principles to entertain an honor all who come into their httl world. For days before Christmas the find great pleasure in sending goo things to the poor in the neighborhoot and no matter how poor man may b he is sure of good Christmas dinner
 he lives in the neighborhood of colon of Shakers.-Buffalo Express.
 ODDS AND ENDS.
 Thirty-three years was the age of horse killed in Wooster O a fla