Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-13

same dwelling. Both sexes take meals in
the same hall at the same time, each sex
by themselves STILL while Shakers live
absolutely virgin lives, no people in the
| world enjoy such a range of freedom in the
social sense we do But 1t is required
to be free from all that would tend to
f1eshly affections and actions We are
antt-Mormon, anti-Oneidian and anti-Nicho-
LATHAM in faith and practice The character
of our association with reference to the
sexes is secured by the conviction that a
virgin life is the order of the kingdom of
Christ and Is higher better, happier than a
sensual worldly existence. Them we have
protective bylaws which all are in honor
bound to keep, thus: One brother and one
sister not allowed to work together walk
out or ride out together alone; nor hold
lengthy conversations together alone Males
and females are not allowed to touch each
other unnecessarily nor to hold secret cor
respondence. Males and females are not
allowed to room together
I'VE do not condemn marriage nor Or
deriy generation as worldly institutions,
but we claim these have no place in Christ's
kingdom; therefore we relegate them to the
world, where alone they belong.
Simple Rules of business,
Our business life is active and simple.
To be dil1gent in business serving the
Lord, and to keep clear Of debt-'owe no
man anything but love and good willis
brieI summing up of our principles The
men are employed in agricultural, horticul-
tural and mechanical pursuits. The Shakers
first originated the drying of sweet corn
for food more than fifty years ago; also the
modern improved kilns for the purpose
Shakers were the first in this country who
instituted the raising, papering and vending
Oh garden seeds In the present styles. Shak-
ers frst instituted in this country the bo-
tamcal medical practice and first gather
ed, also raised, dried. prepared and papered
medicinal herbs and roots for market and
they first manufactured medicinal, vege-
table extracts for market. They were the
orSginators of the broom business, being
the hrst to raise and manufacture broom
brush into brooms. This was at Water
vlet, N. Y. The first buzz saw was manu-
factured by the Shakers both at Harvard
Mass, and at New Lebanon ~ Y The
Shakers invented and We're the first to use
the planning and matching machine for
dressing flooring and ceiling lumber they
were the first inventors and manufacturers
OF cut nails; of the first machine for cut
ting and bending machine card teeth and
punching leather fer setting; they. also in
vented metallic pens, and for years had
monopoly of all the business and trades of
their several inventions.
Females perform all household duties of
the kitchen and laundry; do most of the
tailoring and all of the dressmaking for
the families. Some families carry on shirt
making; others the upholstery business;
others do fancy work for sale-ai are de-
eoted 10 some branches of work for sale.
ana aid in gathering, preparing and pre-
serving fruits and vegetables for market
as well as do large portion of preparing
medicines for market In Shaker families
all members, whatever their calling when
health will permit, engage in some kind
or manual labor adapted to abilities and
official capacities.
In dietary practice Shakers are largely
vegetarian, and alcohol and tobacco are
tabooed, which abstinences, with the ytr-
gin life We lead, tend to longevity of orr
people, who commonly live far beyond the
allotted three score years and ten of man )"
How did the Shakers originator" 1
asked.
Origin of the Society.
"They had their embryonic origin in the
spfritualistic revival that disturbed the
continent of Europe at the close of the
seventeenth century. Some Of these
French prophets they were called-went
to England about 17O6 and proclaimed the
second coming of Christ with the Inaugural
ton of the kingdom of heaven upon earth
They formed society in England which
was named Shakers in derision, because of
the violent physical manifestation of the
spirit common with the early members
whose bodies were wont to shake as they
propnesied and as their souls wrestled
against the powers of sin in the world
Out of this society, in ITO, arose one Ann
Lee-Mother Ann We call her-she having
received, as was testified by a cloud of wit
nesses, commission from God to institute
the second coming Of Christ upon earth
Prosecuted in England, with a small band
of followers Ann Lee came to this country
in 1i74, and at length established a little
church in the wilderness, now Watervliet
near Albany N. Y. Persecution continued
to be her lot in this country, she being
charged and repeatedly imprisoned for
witchcraft, because of her prophetic and
| spiritual powers, and for disloyalty because
Of her avowed opposition to war in general
However, the testimony Of her faith spread
and the number of her followers increased
This community at Alfred was. as every
hnra ole t>Nyf oy,tvi Of
vival, which in each instance of the spread
| Of Shaker faith preceded the adoption of
| the revelation Of Ann Lee. The revival
| had had its run, and the prophecy that
| the second coming of Christ was at hand
was falling on fewer and fewer believing
ears, when one John Cotton Of Alfred was
called to New Hampshire on business con-
nected with his farm. On the way he
| CHANGED to encounter a Shaker missionary,
| from whom he heard the story Of Ann Lee
He at once turned back and, travelling with
all haste, reached this neighborhood after
midnight, but, unheeding the hour, stopped
at the first house and, entering the door,
which in those days was never kept locked
raped loudly within, calling out, james
Barnes and Sarah Barnes come forth.
bring message from the Lord When
James and Sarah Barnes had received the
| message, the three journeyed together to
| the next farm, and so on to the next and
| the next, the message of the Lord gaining
| new witnesses, until all the neighbors of
| this vicinity We're informed, with the re-
suit that they Immediately took legal
measures to turn their individual property
into a common property and their selfish
| lives into one inspired current of consecra-
| ton to God.
Adams Original Sin.
1.-The most potent words of the testimony
| Ann Lee bore mankind were in the revela-
| ton she received of what is the original
| sin of man, and of the dual character,
male and female Of Gods being. The
| original sin entered in the act by which
| Adam deliberately diverted his nature
| from the spiritual character it had receiv-
ed from God in the beginning. and identi-
| fled mankind with the animal, propagating
| his species according to the flesh. Thus
! ensued the depravity of human nature,
which is only to be overcome as the self
| denying spirit Of Jesus Christ enables man
| to withdraw from the generative order Of
| life and enter upon the order OF regenera-
tion."
But, Elder Vance," I interrupted, eff
| everybody followed this Shaker teaching
would not the end of the world speedily
| follow"'
NAY, there would be an end of the
| worldly order with it's strife and confusion.
| its sorrow and sin, but not an end of hui
| mainly, which would enter life on high
er plane. having for its perpetuation sub
| tier means Of the spirit. However, there
| oi,,1y ha fol Y,1to al re- 1ar