The Republican journal., 1915-08-19


a. F." MEDICINE co, Portland, Me.
On visiting this cemetery one is impress
ed by the longevity of the tombstone
records, and this great prolonging of the
span of life far beyond that of any other
class in the world is due to the life and
habits of the Shakers, as we find the
same conditions existing in every Shaker
community.
The dress, food and general customs
OF the society change more or less
through association and necessity The
women still cling to the early style of
dress-plain waists, full skirts, lace caps
and the well-known Shaker bonnet. An
air of neatness pervades the whole viii
lage. The kitchen of the Harvard fami-
ly would gladden. the heart of any house.
wife in the land. The Sisters take their
turns in doing the work each month, so
that continuous labor in any one depart
ment does not fall to the lot of any, At
the end of the month they resign their
charge to two other Sisters and pass into
another department, thus giving all the
Sisters an opportunity to become expert
in every department of female labor.
Those who have visited the Shakers in
the past and have been entertained in
the public dining hall will recall a feature
of the table which gave rise to the ex-
preston, shaker your plate" On be-
ing seated at the table printed sheet
was handed to the guest which at first
might be mistaken for bill of fare, but
upon inspection proved to be an iniunc-
ton to take upon the plate only what
was to be eaten. The sheet Was entit1-
ed "Table Monitor" and though no
longer used is full of homely yet peril
nent truth, from which l quote.
leather up the fragments that remain, that
nothing be lost
We wish to speak plainly and use no deceit;
We like to see fragments left wholesome and
neat,
To customs and fashions we make no pretence,
Yet think we can tell what belongs to good
We find of those bounties which heaven does
That some live to eat, and that some eat to
live;
That some think of nothing but pleasing the
taste,
And care very little how much they waste.
We often find left on the same China dish,
Meat, apple sauce, pickle, brown bread and
minced fish;
Apo fhorSS b,J mil 81
With pie. cake and toast, perhaps added to
these.
Let none be offended at what we here say,
We candidly ask you, is that the best way?
If not, lay such customs and fashions aside,
And this monitor take, henceforth, for your
guide.
little relaxation in their ironclad GUS
toms came under our observation. We
had started out with lunches, intending
to spend the day in the woods and in
cidentally gather the plentiful maiden
hair ferns, when we met Sister Laura
and friend coming to bring US tempt
ing box of cherries and we invited them
to accompany US, rashly initiating the in
vitation to include all the Shakers who
would like to go. Sister Laura replied,
81 will ask Eldress Josephine's permits
sion." Sister Laura's hair is as white
as it will ever be, and the idea of her
asking permission" was amusing while
it explained in part the peaceful life
they lead. Only the two received per-
mission to go, and while it was very
oirpIo oHoir II 1,os mad to uao +bo;r
enjoyment of 'the worlds people" for
that day.
The Shakers hold Sunday services
which asked permission to attend but
was courteously refused. had heard
of the absence of prayer during the ex-
ercises and it was afterward explained
to me that the Shakers are prayerful
people but they accept as their guide the
admonition of Jesus: "Do not sound
trumpet before thee. But thou, when
thou prayest, enter into thy closet. -
For these reasons they do not pray audi
bly, in any of their public meetings.
also learned that curiosity and ridicule
of their spiritual manifestations had
caused them to close their services to ali |
but the faithful few.
If vacation weather ever deserved re-
buke, this does; as Whittier once ex-
perienced "Among the Hills"
For weeks the clouds have raked the hills
And vexed the wales with raining,
And all the woods are sad with mist,
And all the brooks complaining.
10 summarize, the Shakers are So
ciety who fully believe in life of purity
as taught and lived by Jesus, and who
have made it duty of their daily lives
to take home to themselves the injunc-
ton, 'Abhor that which is evil; cleave
to that which is good. Do unto others
as We would that they should do unto
you" This, with the firm belief that
Jesus and his disciples had all things in
common, so they must have one purse,
one mind and one purpose; and among
them
"My kinship with ,Hfe's myriad forms knew;
Worms in the world of green, wings in the
world of blue"
ANNIE L. MCKEEN,
Harvard, August 1915.
CONSTIPATION CAUSES MOST ILLS