The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-05-11
THE SHAKERS.
Interesting Description of Their Customs
and Habits Taken From An Old Book.

and Habits Taken From An Old Book.
Probably a large percentage Of the
people of the two cities are more or less
conversant of life in the Shaker village
at Upper Gloucester and have either
called upon the gentle people living
there or upon the Shakers Colony at
Poland before it moved to New Glou-
cester several years ago.
The following accounts. copied from
then ew England Gazetteer published
in 1889, would seem TO show that the
habits and customs of this sect are the
same now as IN the early days of their
history and that their modes of life have
suffered no change.
This town New Gloucester, Me. j
has society of about 800 of those neat
and illustrious people, whose faith is
one and whose practice is one.'
Poland is situated on the Little An
droscoggin river, 6 miles above Lewis
ton falls. This is an excellent farming
town with good mill privilege, several
ponds and pleasant village.
A family consisting of about 20 of
that curious people denominated 'Shak-
ers,'' reside in Poland. They possess
oOouI OOO dSlCS VI CIlOlCC u. I1Gy are
attached to the society at New Glou-
cester, about mile distant. Their vii
lage is on beautiful eminence. To
say that their village is neat and hand
some, and that their lands and gardens
are we'll improved, would be supertlnous.
In the southeast part of this town
Canterbury, n. H. on an elevated
and beautiful site, is the village of the
shakers" At present it consists of
more than 200 members. They have
meeting house open at all times, for
public worship, where any discrete and
decent spectator is allowed to attend.
They have trustees office" where
all their public business is transacted
and where strangers are at first re-
celved OH their visits to the society,
They have also neat dwelling-h houses,
OF two and three stories, and several
workshops both for men and women.
Their mills and various kinds of ma
chinery are moved by water on an arti-
ficlal stream. They manufacture many
articles for sale, which are remarkable
for neatness and durability. Their
gardens are perhaps the most produc-
tive in the country; and indeed all their
improved lands exhibit the pleasing eff
fects of industry and rural economy.
They cultivate garden seeds and take
much pains to propagate those of the
best kind.
They occupy more than 1,5OO acres of
land, lying principally in body, which
they have ''consecrated to the Lord
and which they enjoy in common.
They cheerfully pay their proportion
of taxes and share all the burdens of
government, except the bearing of
arms, which they deem to be contrary to
the gospel; and in return they claim
from the government only that protect
and support guaranteed to other citi-
zens. The income of their manufac-
lures, together with their agricultural
products, yields their temporal support;
and what they become possessed of
more than is necessary to their wants,
they devote to charitable purposes,
to their church covenant.
1t should be mentioned as a practice
highly creditabie to this sect, that the
members of their societies never make
use of ardent spirits, except in cases of
sickness, being aware of the evil in
temperance brings upon society. Anoth-
er practice not unworthy of imitation
is, they refuse to be trusted even in
the smallest sum. They transact their
secular concerns with great upright
ness; and though they may have suffer
ed reproach from their singularity of
life and manners, they have become a
proverb for industry, justice and be-