Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-25
The Vanishing Shakers.

Massachusetts Shaker colony, resulting
in the unfrocking and expulsion of an
elder. has called public attention to a
unique sect which seems to be fast APP
preaching the vanishing point. The
sect has never been very numerous,
but now there are said to be only 800
or coo Of them left where there We're
1900 when the 1900 census was taken
and 5000 no longer ago than 1870. 1t is
the oldest communistic order represent
ed in this country and it's mode of life
who would live in a simple way, under
pleasant though monotonOuS conditions.
In rural quiet far from the turmoil of
the world they have maintained their
communities, never indulging in the
sensationalism which characteriZes SO
many of the other colonies which have
assembled in the name of this or that
religion
Peace is prominent in their creed and
modesty marks all their movements In
connection with this latest incident the
senior Shaker archbishop, Joshep Ho!-
den. who resides in the West Pittsfield
community, in Massachusetts, bravely
republishes the fact that the Shakers
must live celibate life. 1--WE don't
condemn marriage" he says. Married
life is all right. 1t is the natural life,
but it is not the spiritual life" So the
Shakers remain true to their own first
principles Notwithstanding the circum-
stance that their cult is slowly but
surely declining.
A writer in the Boston journal gives
us some interesting information about
the surviving Shaker communities, sew
eral of which formerly thrved in
Maine. Their holdings as well as their
members have decreased, and at pres
ent, apparently. the most earnest and
hopeful members are the veterans
Their senior archbishop. Joshep Holden
vino lives in the community at West
Pittsfield. Mass, is 70 years old. He is
a product of Shaker trust and benevo-
lence. The community at Mt. Lebanon
". Y, took his mother in when she
was homeless. Joseph was then only a
few years old. Now, in his old age, he
is more grateful than ever for the kind
ness the Shakers showed his mother;
and he has good reason to be.
1t was at the Lebanon community,
where Joseph Holden and his mother
found shelter and consolation, that
Joseph Meacham and Lucy Wright
the first American converts to Shak-
crism, began their work. 1t was to
them that Ann Lee, the mainstay OF
the cult in it's early days. bequeathed
her power and authority. Under
Joseph Meacham and Lucy Wright
the society made it's greatest prog
ress. Ten settlements We're founded
and practical organization was es-
taDllSneu. Inelf worship, says an
old writer. Consists of vocal and in
strumental music, dancing and making
merry followed by silent communion.
and sermons which may fairly
be compared with the sermons OF the
ordinary Christian churches The
dancing and making merry" included
the shaking from which they got their
name; but this particular form of wor-
ship has rather gone out of fashion. 1t
was INDUCED in the other day at the
Mt. Lebanon community for the first
time in many years" in celebration OF
family reunion.
The present Shaker communities
are situated i'll Watervlet and Mt Lc-
banon, n. Y; West Pittsfield and Har-
ward, Mass; Enfield and Canterbury
N. H; Union Village and Whitewater
o.: Pleasant Hill and South Union
Ky: Ashton, Fla. Alfred and Sabbath
Day Lake, Me. and Enfield, Conn.