Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1895-07-05
SHAKERS TO MOVE.
Those of Mt. Lebanon to Locate
in Florida.
Purchased X, 900 Acres. and Include
an Entire Township.

The Shakers Of Mt. Lebanon, who have
FOR an age been part OF the picturesque
rural life of New York state. are soon to
abandon their historical town in the Berk-
shire hills. TO cast aside tradition and old
time custom and remove to pastures new
Within the past few days the Shaker
Society of Mt. Lebanon has purchased
through a real estate broker, no less
than 5000 acres of land in Florida,
ranging northward from Lake Okeecho-
bee. and comprising a large part Of 0sceOla
and DE Soto counties. The Shakers ara now
considering the purchase Of s. 900 more acres
making i6, 600 in all, which will include an
entire township Of Florida. Some time ago
the Shakers purchased a small tract in Cali
iornia and another in Northern Ohio,
but neither has proved suitable for
the establishment Of large colony
hence they turned their eye to the
South, and have concluded satisfac-
tory purchase. As q result OF the deal the
Shakers will establish the largest settlement
in this country, and as the land in Florida is
rich and fertile the settlement will begin
with every natural advantage.
The removal 10 Florida of this historic sect
will mark an era in the history of the very re-
markabe society Of Mt. Lebanon. Originally
these Mt. Lebanon Shakers were an offshOot
from the society OF Quakers, or Friends. In
lI4I some members of that society in Man
chester, Eng, formed n distinct as
sociation under the leadership of James
and Jane Wardley. For several years
the little company were only no.
ticeable through being more noisy
than most Of the assemblages Of Quakers.
dancing. shouting, trembling, etc, under
the supposed influence of the spirit. But in
l71O one of the members, Ann Lee, professed
TO receive some peculiar revelations, ,testifying
first that the nal nature of the flesh was
the root of all human depravity. and second
that she herself was Christ of the incarnate
Deity, in the female form. The new sect be-
came thoroughly infatuated with Ann Lees
teachings; they called her Mother Ann"
and declared their belief that no blessing
could descend to any person except through
her. But, outside OF their small circle the
new doctrines We're regarded as blasphemous.
and Ann Lee and her worshippers were i'm
prsoned and llHed. In IVA, therefore, in
obedience TO another Of Mrs. Lees revela-
tions, she and several of her follow
ere emigrated to New York and settled
in Niskayuna NOW Watervliet). about
seven miles from Albany. The death of
Mother Ann occurred in 1854. She had estab-
lished the community IN the form of family
End the general plan which she laid down
has ever since been followed. In 1877 Joseph
Meacham. one Of Ann Lees first converts
III this country, collected her adherents in a
settlement in Mt. Lebanon. Within few
years Meacham had formed eleven other
settlements in New York and other states.
No other societies were formed until about
fifteen years later, when some missionaries
were sent to the West and founded four COM
munities in Ohio and two in Ken
tucky. Part of these settlements are still in
existence, others have been entirely persed
But the Mt. Lebanon settlement has re-
fla yipaI Of "a
society.
la early years the Shakers were the most
fruitful. and OF the eighteen societies now in
existence all re formed before 1880. Con-
yerts are still made, but they are few at best,
and the disciples Of Ann Lee, at present
about 3.00O despite their comfortable and
prosperous condition. are gradually but con-
stantly decreasing. The cause of
this decadence is not hard to find
primarily it lies in doctrines which the
Shakers profess. These doctrines hold that
God is a dual person, male and female; that
Adam, being created in Gods image, was
also dual person: that the distinction of
sex is eternal that no angels or spirits eX-
st who are not male and female, and the
Christ, the highest OF the spirits, appeared
first in the person of Jesus. representing the
male and later in Ann Lee representing the
female element in God.
The Shakers holding themselves to be the
only true church OF these later days, accept
the church of the apostolic era as their model.
The cardinal principals of this church. they
say. were common properly, celibacy, and
uonresistance. separate government, and
power over physical disease, and they
accept them without reservation. The
enjoyment of al hut the last is already theirs,
and that by stainless lives, they hope in the
end to attain. Marriages and the possession
of property they look upon not as crimes. but
as fruits of lower order of society. Withal
the Shakers are spiritualistic.
Their peculiar doctrines have already been
given one of the causes of the falling off
in membership of the various Shaker socie-
ties. Another, and perhaps a more potent
cause, is the great care with which new
members are admitted The person who
thinks he would like to become a Shaker is
permitted to spend a few weeks in a noyitiate
family, during which time he is carefully in
structed in all the teachings and practices of
the Shakers. If at the end of the probation
ary period he still desires to become a MEM
ber, he must pay all his debts if he has
wife he must obtain her consent that he
shall leave her, and if he has children
he must make provisions TO cir education
and support. Usually this is done by con-
| fding them to the keeping of the society of
which the father or mother is TO become q
member, which accounts for the presence of
| children in the Shaker communities. although
very few of those educated and rared therein
afterwards become members. Having com
piled with these requirements and conhded
his property, if he has any, to the keeping of
| the society he is taken on tri2l for a year
| In their settlements their mode of life is
systematsc, religious and econe mic. The fol-
lowing is their general plan: A number of
! persons, called collectively "famiIy' or
| household, are assigned to each house. All
the houses are built after one plan, divided
through the middle by large hall, and hav-
ing the rooms for the male members on one
.de of the building, and those for the female
on the other SIDE. All property is held in